the boy to take a rest by leaning against the fence. Then, when by its sway, it became apparent that this was not a good idea, they sat on the frozen grass instead.
The cold seeped up through Richard's thighs. But this was as nothing compared to the chill in his heart at the thought of such a gentle boy being thrust into a situation hardly better than a beasts' den.
"Do you know much about Eton?" he finally asked.
Augustus flushed and looked sideways at him, searchingly. "If you mean, do I know about a Scholar's life, the answer is yes, sir."
"And yet you would go?"
"I have no choice. That is the only way we can pay for my instruction. You might not realize it, but we sometimes have trouble making ends meet. That was why we were so uncommonly glad—"
Augustus broke off, and Richard was charmed by the mixture of maturity and naiveté in his words.
"—why you were so uncommonly glad I came to buy your trees?" When Augustus blushed and nodded, Richard said, "You must not worry about being frank. I had perceived your sister's eagerness and understood it. It is quite reasonable."
A cloud descended on Augustus's face again. "Sir, you must promise me not to tell my sister about the Collegers' life. She doesn't know—She would not wish me to go if she ever knew—"
"You may count upon me," Richard assured him, relieved to hear that Selina had not set out to subject her brother to such misery knowingly. That question had lingered at the back of his mind and had disturbed him.
"And you, how did you find out?"
"My father was a Scholar," Augustus said.
Richard frowned. "Would he have wished you to endure what he did?"
Augustus hedged. "He would have wanted me to heed my sister's counsel."
"Even if she was ill-informed?"
The boy smiled at being caught in a diversion. "Perhaps not. But—" his tone turned serious—"I do wish to attend University. The vicar says I am quick enough, and this would be the only way."
Quicker than four-fifths of the boys there, Richard could warrant, and more responsible than the lot. "And, yet, only a few moments ago, you expressed doubts of ever being accepted."
A mask shuttered Augustus's face.
"Has it something to do with the letter you received today?" Richard paused. When Augustus did not reply, he added, "Forgive me for prying. I only wish to know if I might be of service to you in this matter."
At his offer of friendship, Augustus turned quite red in the face. "Thank you, sir. You are most generous. And you must not think I am not mindful of the help you've already given us. We will hate to see you go. But the questions you ask touch on subjects we do not commonly discuss."
"I see. And you do not think me a worthy recipient of your confidence?" Richard knew he should be ashamed for using such underhanded tactics, but he seemed so close to discovering the source of their worries. It still was possible he could help.
Augustus stumbled over his words, trying to repair Richard's mistaken impression. "No, not at all! It's not that! It's—Oh, well, I guess I might tell you some of it at any rate. My sister's already blurted out that much.
"The letter we received today—" he said, "Do you recall?"
Richard nodded.
"It was a reply to a request my sister had made." Augustus looked towards the house to make certain they were not being overheard. "Selina, you see, had written to the Garter to ask that we be allowed to use our ancestor's name. The name is Trevelyan. The same as the Earl of Linton, you know."
"Yes, I have heard the name." Richard suppressed a wry tone. "And are you related to the Earl of Linton?"
"Yes, we are. And my sister has proof, though—"
"It would appear not proof enough?"
Augustus nodded. His dark brow, which promised a darkening of his hair, was furrowed in a grown man's concern. But Augustus was much too young for this sort of worry.
"But why—" This did not explain anything, Richard thought. "Why will the Garter's refusal prevent your going to Eton as a
The cold seeped up through Richard's thighs. But this was as nothing compared to the chill in his heart at the thought of such a gentle boy being thrust into a situation hardly better than a beasts' den.
"Do you know much about Eton?" he finally asked.
Augustus flushed and looked sideways at him, searchingly. "If you mean, do I know about a Scholar's life, the answer is yes, sir."
"And yet you would go?"
"I have no choice. That is the only way we can pay for my instruction. You might not realize it, but we sometimes have trouble making ends meet. That was why we were so uncommonly glad—"
Augustus broke off, and Richard was charmed by the mixture of maturity and naiveté in his words.
"—why you were so uncommonly glad I came to buy your trees?" When Augustus blushed and nodded, Richard said, "You must not worry about being frank. I had perceived your sister's eagerness and understood it. It is quite reasonable."
A cloud descended on Augustus's face again. "Sir, you must promise me not to tell my sister about the Collegers' life. She doesn't know—She would not wish me to go if she ever knew—"
"You may count upon me," Richard assured him, relieved to hear that Selina had not set out to subject her brother to such misery knowingly. That question had lingered at the back of his mind and had disturbed him.
"And you, how did you find out?"
"My father was a Scholar," Augustus said.
Richard frowned. "Would he have wished you to endure what he did?"
Augustus hedged. "He would have wanted me to heed my sister's counsel."
"Even if she was ill-informed?"
The boy smiled at being caught in a diversion. "Perhaps not. But—" his tone turned serious—"I do wish to attend University. The vicar says I am quick enough, and this would be the only way."
Quicker than four-fifths of the boys there, Richard could warrant, and more responsible than the lot. "And, yet, only a few moments ago, you expressed doubts of ever being accepted."
A mask shuttered Augustus's face.
"Has it something to do with the letter you received today?" Richard paused. When Augustus did not reply, he added, "Forgive me for prying. I only wish to know if I might be of service to you in this matter."
At his offer of friendship, Augustus turned quite red in the face. "Thank you, sir. You are most generous. And you must not think I am not mindful of the help you've already given us. We will hate to see you go. But the questions you ask touch on subjects we do not commonly discuss."
"I see. And you do not think me a worthy recipient of your confidence?" Richard knew he should be ashamed for using such underhanded tactics, but he seemed so close to discovering the source of their worries. It still was possible he could help.
Augustus stumbled over his words, trying to repair Richard's mistaken impression. "No, not at all! It's not that! It's—Oh, well, I guess I might tell you some of it at any rate. My sister's already blurted out that much.
"The letter we received today—" he said, "Do you recall?"
Richard nodded.
"It was a reply to a request my sister had made." Augustus looked towards the house to make certain they were not being overheard. "Selina, you see, had written to the Garter to ask that we be allowed to use our ancestor's name. The name is Trevelyan. The same as the Earl of Linton, you know."
"Yes, I have heard the name." Richard suppressed a wry tone. "And are you related to the Earl of Linton?"
"Yes, we are. And my sister has proof, though—"
"It would appear not proof enough?"
Augustus nodded. His dark brow, which promised a darkening of his hair, was furrowed in a grown man's concern. But Augustus was much too young for this sort of worry.
"But why—" This did not explain anything, Richard thought. "Why will the Garter's refusal prevent your going to Eton as a
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