Mr Forster's Fortune by Lizzie Church Page A

prevent it. ‘I am a great believer in regular exercise. It has undoubted beneficial effects upon one’s health. Why, I have been known to watch a prize fight for hours together – and a whole day watching cricket. I was never so pleased in my life as to spend a day at Mr Lord’s ground up in Town. A day watching cricket is sufficient quite to wear a fellow out.’
    ‘But I think that you will find the effects beneficial only if you participate in the activity, Mr Forster. I cannot say that merely watching will do you any good.’
    ‘No – really? Well, I must say you startle and disappoint me, Lady Cecily, though I remain convinced of its efficacy in spite of what you say. For see – am I not quite fit and healthy? And yet I have never felt the least inclination to participate in any sport.’
    ‘Now stop teasing Lady Cecily, Robert,’ put in his sister, laughing. ‘Take no notice of him, my lady. He is funning you again. I know for a fact that he was quite a distinguished sportsman up at Eton – or I know not how he came by all his cups.’
    ‘ It’s probably a good thing that you do not, Rachel, for I stole half of them before I came away. But I think you said that you, too, went to school for a while, my lady, though I do not expect that it taught you very much.’
    ‘I attended a very good school indeed, Mr Forster, and I happened to acquire a wealth of useful skills and information. I can put a map of the world together within the space of half a minute – embroider the most beautiful table cloths and fire screens imaginable, all to my own inestimable designs – and as for reciting the Kings and Queens of England – well, I could list them all from Edgar onwards by the time I was seven years’ old.’
    Mr Forster gave her his charming open smile. The roses immediately blossomed once again.
    ‘All useful skills undoubtedly, my lady. But I hope they taught you nothing more than that? I hope they did not teach you French, for example. The Kings and Queens would not leave time for that?’
    ‘Mais certainement, monsieur. Pourquoi pas , en effet?’
    ‘But how very unpatriotic of you – to speak the language of our deadly foes. Much better, surely, to learn Spanish, or Portuguese. They – currently, at any rate – are at least the best of friends.’
    ‘But Spain was our enemy when I went away to school,’ she reminded him. ‘One cannot be held responsible for the vagaries of a war. And yet, perhaps it is better to speak the language of one’s enemy than that of one’s friend. A friend should hopefully say nothing unkind or untruthful about you. You cannot have the same faith in someone you see as a foe ...’

Chapter 9
    The young ladies had been so well pleased with their walk that they planned to take a further outing later in the week. Their hope had been to take a ramble along the riverside. But this time the weather forsook them. The day turned out to be so wet and miserable that despite their inclination they felt compelled to revise their plans. So instead of a walk in the cold and wet they agreed to spend an afternoon in Lord Barnham’s drawing room, to practice some duets together and share their opinions on the world.
    They had the drawing room to themselves and while Miss Forster ordered the tea Cecily amused herself by looking through the musical scores by the pianoforte. Amongst the usual pieces – Bach, Scarlatti, Haydn’s sonatas - she found a book called ‘Ritson’s Northern Garlands’ which turned out to be an edition of popular songs, many of which she had never even heard of before.
    ‘Do you often play these songs, Miss Forster?’ she asked her, really quite intrigued.
    Miss Forster blushed deeply.
    ‘Oh dear – wherever did that come from? It must be one of the landlord’s booklets. I cannot say that I have ever even opened it before.’
    ‘Do you mind if we try some? It might be quite good fun.’
    Miss Forster looked at her a little quizzically.
    ‘Do you