I believe he and Lady Holmes were going driving in the phaeton together after luncheon,” Rebecca replied, “but Ithink it likely that they have both returned for tea ”
“Do you not consider him handsome, Miss Shaw?” Primrose asked. “Ellen does, though he is a little too shortfor my liking. I admire tall men. And I do not like menwith red hair. Lady Holmes looks very well with it, buther brother would look better with brown hair, I believe.”
“It is not red,” Ellen protested. “It is auburn. Is it not, Miss Shaw?”
Rebecca considered. “Certainly Mr. Bartlett’s hair is not as bright a red as his sister’s,” she said. “But is he nota little old for you, Ellen? I do believe he is at least of anage with me.” She smiled in some amusement at theblushing Miss Sinclair.
“Well, you are not old, Miss Shaw,” she said. “Besides, I have not said I have atendrefor him. Stop it, Prim,” she said crossly as her sister nudged her again. “Ihave met him only once, when Lady Holmes brought himto call yesterday. And he had remarkably superior manners. Both Mama and Papa said so. Is he to stay long,Miss Shaw?”
“I really could not say,” Rebecca replied.
Mr. Stanley Bartlett, Maude’s older brother, had arrived quite unexpectedly three days before, followed by a valetand a veritable mountain of luggage. Nothing had beensaid in Rebecca’s hearing about the expected duration ofhis visit. But no one was anxious to see him leave—thusfar, at least. He was a man of considerable charm. He hadthat rare gift of being able to adapt his manner to all kindsof people so that all the varied members of the baron’shousehold liked him, including Rebecca. His presence wasa welcome addition to their family group and—if thesegirls were in any way typical—to the neighborhood.
“We are almost there,” Ellen said, looking to the attractive yellow brick mansion ahead of them, its walls ivy-covered, its base surrounded by pink rhododendrons.“Now, remember, Prim, you are not to say a word. Andyou are not to jump up and down looking as if you wereready to burst. You are not to drop any hints at all.”
Chapter 2
Ellen was the first into the drawing room after the butler when they arrived at Limeglade. She was rewarded by thesight of both Lord and Lady Holmes as well as Mr.Bartlett and Harriet, all seated and obviously awaiting tea,though the tea tray had not yet been brought. She was lessgratified by the sight of her brother, also seated.
She curtsied to all the occupants of the room and greeted each in turn. She turned to her brother last. “Julian,” shesaid sharply, “you did not say at luncheon that you plannedto ride over here. I suppose you galloped as hard as youcould. And I suppose you have told already?”
Julian Sinclair, a tall, slim young man with a pleasant, eager face and thick, unruly brown hair, raised his eyes tothe ceiling for a brief moment. “I knew I would not havehad a moment’s peace at home for a month if I hadbreathed a word,” he replied. “No, the pleasure is allyours, Ellen.”
“We thought you were never coming home, Rebecca,” Harriet was saying crossly. “I met Julian while out ridingand invited him back for tea, and we have both beenwaiting here for half an hour. Maude insisted that we waitfor you, though I do not see why. You know when teatimeis, and even if you are not here on time, you will notstarve. You can eat when you come.”
“The walk is too long, Rebecca, my dear,” the baron added, looking at his niece with disapproval. “You wouldnot be late for tea, you know, if you would just take thegig as I have advised you to do. Your cheeks are positivelyred, my dear. You will be fortunate if you do not dopermanent damage to your complexion, or—worse—take achill. Perhaps I should summon Dr. Gamble to look at youjust in case?”
‘‘But it is a good thing we did wait, Harriet,” Lady Holmes said calmly. “Now we can have tea with theMisses Sinclair too.”
“The rosy cheeks are vastly becoming to my mind,” Mr. Bartlett said with a dazzling smile and an elegant bowin Rebecca’s direction.
Rebecca smiled at everyone. “I am certainly ready for a cup of tea,” she said. “And Miss Sinclair has broughtsome news that will be of interest to everyone.”
She sat down as everyone’s attention turned to the elder Miss Sinclair.
Ellen was no more able than her sister had been to play with her audience and enjoy their attention for as long aspossible before divulging the core of the matter. “Christopher is coming home!” she said, beaming first at Harriet,then at Maude, and finally at Lord Holmes. “In two days’time he should be here.”
“Splendid!” the baron said, showing a flattering degree of interest in the youthful Miss Sinclair. “Shocking affair,that of his wife. Still in mourning, is he? A fine figure of aman he was when I saw him last. Fashionable. Top of thetrees, you know. Liked to risk his health rather too much,perhaps—riding and boxing, you know. It is ironic thatMrs. Sinclair should be the one to pass on. One can neverbe too careful.” He sighed deeply. “He should havechosen his physician more carefully. One can never be toocareful I always say. One should choose one’s physicianwith as much care as one chooses one’s tailor.” He pauseda moment. “Perhaps even more carefully.”
Harriet waited impatiently for her father to finish his monologue. “Christopher Sinclair is coming here?” shesaid. “Papa and I met him several times when we were intown a few years ago. I hardly remembered him frombefore he left here. But there he was a spendidly handsomeman. We would have entertained him more often if it hadnot been for his wife. She was the daughter of a cit,” sheadded, the explanation directed toward Mr. Bartlett. “Rathera vulgar creature, I am afraid.” She seemed suddenly torealize that she was in the presence of the brother-in-lawand sisters-in-law of the late Mrs. Sinclair and had thegrace to flush. “Of course,” she added, “one must notspeak ill of the departed.”
Fortunately two events occurred to cover her confusion. The tea tray arrived and was carried over to Lady Holmes,who proceeded to pour. And Mr. Bartlett took up theconversation.
“Mr. Christopher Sinclair is your brother?” he asked Ellen, his eyebrows raised, one hand toying with the handle of his quizzing glass. “I had no idea.”
“You know him?” she said, all eager smiles and dimples.
“Why, yes, Miss Sinclair,” he replied, “I am acquainted with him. And was with his wife.” He turned with a reassuring smile to a still-flushed Harriet. “It is truethat she did not share his breeding or his education, butshe did have other qualities that perhaps saved her frombeing truly vulgar.” He turned back to Ellen. “I mighthave known, of course, had I given the matter thought,that he is of your family. He shares a remarkable handsomeness with his brother and sisters.”
Ellen blushed and giggled, and even Primrose looked gratified.
“Do you know my brother too, Lady Holmes?” Julian asked.
Maude looked up at him as she put down the teapot. “I am afraid not,” she said. “I spent only a short time inLondon before my marriage. Stanley knows a vastly largernumber of people than I do.”
She turned her attention to Rebecca as the younger people continued to talk about the expected arrival and allthe extra activities that the event was bound to bring.
“How was the school today, Rebecca?” she asked.
