door with it?” Theo snapped.
“Good point,” he agreed. “Now, go on and finish your own supper,” he said, taking the plate from her. “And say hello to the earl for me.”
Theo gave him a small smile. “I’ll tell him it’s your birthday and perhaps he’ll come upstairs to visit with you.”
“That’d be brilliant, thanks!”
The two parted and Ian headed back into his room, where he ate his birthday supper in peace and quiet and watched out the window for the Earl of Kent and his companions.
THE EARL
H astings Arbuthnot, the Earl of Kent, arrived at Delphi Keep shortly after the last dish from supper had been washed and dried.
Ian had become bored as he’d sat in his room, so he’d crept to the edge of the stairway, hid under his favorite table with its small peephole, and watched as Madam Scargill and Madam Dimbleby worked themselves into a state of furious activity They each gave orders to the older children to help clean up the dinner dishes and attempt some housekeeping.
Madam Dimbleby then separated the younger children into three categories: presentable (the smallest group), in need of a little soap and water (the largest group), and those in need of a miracle. Madam Dimbleby took control of the miracle group and trotted them to the west wing’s boys’ and girls’ dormitories to change and wash up.
Madam Scargill took the largest group and hustled them one by one through one of the two small washrooms on the main floor, making sure every child’s hands and face were clean and shiny and their clothes properly tucked in.
At half past six all the children save Searle and Ian were gathered downstairs in the main parlor, doing their best not to fidget while they watched Madam Dimbleby and Madam Scargill take turns peering out the window. From his vantage point behind the table, Ian could see all the way into the parlor and watched as Madam Dimbleby finally clapped and turned to the children. “The earl is approaching!” she announced.
Madam Scargill stood and straightened her dress. “Come, children! Outside onto the front stairs to welcome our benefactor.”
Ian ducked out of his hiding place, hurried into his room, and dashed to the window, where he could have a clear view of the drive and the earl’s approaching motorcar. His heart beat faster when he saw the shiny yellow automobile approaching.
He set his dinner plate into the small trunk he kept under his bed and pulled out some clean clothes, hoping that Theo would be able to talk the earl into coming upstairs for a visit.
As quickly as he could, he changed and shoved his dirty clothes under his bed, then turned his attention back to the window. Peeking out over the ledge, he could see the tops of the children’s heads as they waited obediently for the earl to stop and greet them. The yellow automobile had already come to a halt in front of the door, and Ian watched as the Earl of Kent stepped out along with two other gentlemen and a skinny boy with white-blond hair—just as Theo had predicted.
The earl was a strappingly tall man, well over six feet,with carrot red hair, a freckled complexion, and dazzlingly bright blue eyes. He was broad of shoulder and narrow of waist, and Ian imagined that wherever he went, his height and gregarious smile attracted attention. “Hello, my children!” he greeted them jovially.
“Hello, my lord!” they answered in giggly unison.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, then nodded his hellos individually to Madams Dimbleby and Scargill and to Landis before turning to his three younger companions. “I’ve brought you some very special guests,” he announced. “This is Thatcher Goodwyn and his twin brother, Perry. They shall be your new schoolmasters.”
Ian had a good view of the two men standing next to the earl. The man named Thatcher was a few inches shorter than their patron, with a good solid frame, long legs, and straight brown hair. He wore glasses and had a pencil-thin mustache.
“Good point,” he agreed. “Now, go on and finish your own supper,” he said, taking the plate from her. “And say hello to the earl for me.”
Theo gave him a small smile. “I’ll tell him it’s your birthday and perhaps he’ll come upstairs to visit with you.”
“That’d be brilliant, thanks!”
The two parted and Ian headed back into his room, where he ate his birthday supper in peace and quiet and watched out the window for the Earl of Kent and his companions.
THE EARL
H astings Arbuthnot, the Earl of Kent, arrived at Delphi Keep shortly after the last dish from supper had been washed and dried.
Ian had become bored as he’d sat in his room, so he’d crept to the edge of the stairway, hid under his favorite table with its small peephole, and watched as Madam Scargill and Madam Dimbleby worked themselves into a state of furious activity They each gave orders to the older children to help clean up the dinner dishes and attempt some housekeeping.
Madam Dimbleby then separated the younger children into three categories: presentable (the smallest group), in need of a little soap and water (the largest group), and those in need of a miracle. Madam Dimbleby took control of the miracle group and trotted them to the west wing’s boys’ and girls’ dormitories to change and wash up.
Madam Scargill took the largest group and hustled them one by one through one of the two small washrooms on the main floor, making sure every child’s hands and face were clean and shiny and their clothes properly tucked in.
At half past six all the children save Searle and Ian were gathered downstairs in the main parlor, doing their best not to fidget while they watched Madam Dimbleby and Madam Scargill take turns peering out the window. From his vantage point behind the table, Ian could see all the way into the parlor and watched as Madam Dimbleby finally clapped and turned to the children. “The earl is approaching!” she announced.
Madam Scargill stood and straightened her dress. “Come, children! Outside onto the front stairs to welcome our benefactor.”
Ian ducked out of his hiding place, hurried into his room, and dashed to the window, where he could have a clear view of the drive and the earl’s approaching motorcar. His heart beat faster when he saw the shiny yellow automobile approaching.
He set his dinner plate into the small trunk he kept under his bed and pulled out some clean clothes, hoping that Theo would be able to talk the earl into coming upstairs for a visit.
As quickly as he could, he changed and shoved his dirty clothes under his bed, then turned his attention back to the window. Peeking out over the ledge, he could see the tops of the children’s heads as they waited obediently for the earl to stop and greet them. The yellow automobile had already come to a halt in front of the door, and Ian watched as the Earl of Kent stepped out along with two other gentlemen and a skinny boy with white-blond hair—just as Theo had predicted.
The earl was a strappingly tall man, well over six feet,with carrot red hair, a freckled complexion, and dazzlingly bright blue eyes. He was broad of shoulder and narrow of waist, and Ian imagined that wherever he went, his height and gregarious smile attracted attention. “Hello, my children!” he greeted them jovially.
“Hello, my lord!” they answered in giggly unison.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, then nodded his hellos individually to Madams Dimbleby and Scargill and to Landis before turning to his three younger companions. “I’ve brought you some very special guests,” he announced. “This is Thatcher Goodwyn and his twin brother, Perry. They shall be your new schoolmasters.”
Ian had a good view of the two men standing next to the earl. The man named Thatcher was a few inches shorter than their patron, with a good solid frame, long legs, and straight brown hair. He wore glasses and had a pencil-thin mustache.
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