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.It’s the quickest way I know, and there’s no other place he could have gone if he’s planning to leave the country with the army.God help us.”“I’m coming, too,” Larinda said.“Indeed you are not,” Summers snapped, totally out of patience.“Someone has to cosset Agatha and you’re elected.”“Wrong, indeed, Uncle.I have done that since Mama died and Aunt Agatha came to live with us,” Larinda replied.Again Jeannie noticed that remarkable Summers resemblance in the way her lips came together and her eyes flashed.“I said some terrible things to Edward.He may never forgive me for them, and I don’t blame him, but I shall try to make amends.If I am not allowed to come with you, I shall simply travel unescorted on the next mail coach.”He paused in the doorway, an arrested expression in his eyes as he measured his niece.She glared back at him and raised her chin higher.Summers smiled unexpectedly and then touched her under the chin.“Larinda, it could be that you are much too good for the fops on the marriage mart this Season.Very well, if you must.After all,” he concluded with a rare flash of humor, “someone has to give Jeannie McVinnie some countenance.”Jeannie stuck her tongue out at him and hurried from the room.She calmly gathered her comb, brush, toothbrush, and toothpowder into her reticule, pulled on her pelisse again, and swirled her cloak around her.Larinda already waited in the hall, her face pale but composed.A smile lit her eyes for a moment.“For someone intent upon cutting a dash in London, I have certainly come down in the world, Jeannie,” she confessed, and then the little smile was gone.“But we must find Edward before he goes for a soldier.And perhaps, perhaps he’ll let me be a better sister.” She looked shyly at Jeannie.“I can learn, surely.”Jeannie took her hand.“I am sure of that.You’ve already suffered through a hard lesson, my dear.Let us go downstairs.”Downstairs was no better.Sir Reginald Dewhurst had quitted his high-perch phaeton and was demanding to see Larinda or Jeannie McVinnie.Wapping, his eyebrows raised to the point of caricature, was barring the way most effectively while Mary tried to soothe Clare, who wailed in the sitting room and would not be comforted.Sir Reginald’s rather spotty complexion was growing more colorful by the minute when he espied Larinda.He could not turn his head because his shirt points threatened his circulation, so he swiveled his whole body to watch her descent of the stairs.“Ah, you are here! Come, my dear, and you, Mrs.McVinnie.I do not want to miss a minute more of the Hyde Park stroll.” He giggled.“Without my gossip, I am thoroughly unmanned.” Larinda, her mouth pulled down primly in an expression that Jeannie was already regarding as dangerous, held out her hand to him.“I am afraid you are doomed to disappointment, Sir Reginald,” she said.“A family emergency calls, and I am off to Portsmouth with Mrs.McVinnie.”“Portsmouth?” he gasped as if she had named some rare disease.He snatched his hand away, fearful of contamination.“My dear, no one goes there but soldiers and diseased tars.”“I beg your pardon?”Captain Summers, taller by many inches now with his hat on his head, descended the stairs, followed by Pringle with one sea bag.“I’d call you out for that remark, Sir Reginald,” he growled, “but I haven’t time right now.” He smiled his gallows smile, which caused even the veteran Pringle to swallow and look away.“Do make yourself available for when I next come off the blockade, sir.”“Yes, sir, I mean, no, sir,” stammered Sir Reginald as he retreated in complete confusion.“Larinda, what a silly fop,” Summers said.“Yes, isn’t he?” Larinda agreed as she pulled on her gloves calmly.“Your sister tells me he is worth more than Golden Ball.But I think he and I would not suit.”“I suppose you prefer a penniless Scotsman with nothing to recommend him but his bare knees.”“It could be that I do.”“I can send Bartley MacGregor to the rightabout in a gypsy’s jump, Larinda,” he continued.He pulled on his own gloves and settled his hat more securely.“You can try, Uncle Summers,” she said, “you can try.”He smiled, winked at Jeannie, and then looked toward the sitting room.“And what nonsense is going on in there, or dare I ask?” he asked.He gave the matter a moment’s careful thought, then shrugged his shoulders and went into the room, where Clare sobbed on Mary’s lap.When he knelt beside her in front of the sofa, she buried her face in Mary’s bosom and cried harder.“Mary, come now, and tell me, what is the difficulty here? As if we haven’t enough to worry about at the moment.”Mary went pale at the tone of his voice, but she merely stroked Clare’s ringlets.“I am sure that she is afraid you have come to take her back to Portugal, sir.”Captain Summers’ expression grew more thoughtful.He turned to Jeannie, who stood by his shoulder.“I would have, only a week ago, Jeannie,” he whispered as she rested her hand on his shoulder.“In fact, I was planning on it, before you came.It seemed like the only thing to do.” He was talking more to himself than to Jeannie, and she was wise enough to remain silent.“But now? What should I do, Jeannie?”“It is your decision, Will,” she replied, hoping for the best.“You have said she is not your daughter, and she has no ties in this household.I do not believe Lady Smeath has any interest in her welfare.She never speaks to her, and as a consequence, Clare is silent.”He touched Clare’s hair, and then his hand went to the towel doll.He straightened the tartan that had twisted about on the little gold button.“Clare, I will not take you to Portugal, but neither will I leave you here,” he said, his voice final.Clare stopped sobbing and pulled herself upright in Mary’s lap, her eyes wide and her mouth open.“When Jeannie McVinnie returns here in a day or two, she will take you and Mary home to Scotland with her.”Mary gasped and clapped her hands.Clare rubbed the tears from her eyes and leaned against her again.Jeannie stared at the captain.“Jeannie, you’ll catch minnows,” the captain said.“Now close your mouth and nod your head yes.You’re still my crew, at least until I quit Wendover Square, and I expect obedience.” He sighed
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