Free The Imaginary Gentleman by Helen Halstead Page B

unheeded. Another child took the opportunity to snatch a handful of stones from her basket, but the little vixen flew at him with her finger nails and he dropped them back. When her basket was full, she was given a coin by a workman who tumbled her stones into his barrow. She turned at once and began collecting again.
    There was no sign of Tom’s mother. Laura wondered if she was down on the shore where the harvest should be rich after the storm. Poor as the fisher-woman was, she could not afford to sacrifice her share of the pickings. Perhaps Tom, too, was a prisoner, cowering alone and wounded in that dark cell of a room.
    A man emerged from the door of the inn below, and, forgetting to conceal herself, Laura leant a little forward to catch a better view. A burst of laughter reached her and she saw a couple of urchins pointing up at her. Dropping the curtain she had pulled back, she hastily withdrew from the window.
    Laura decided to fill the interval before Sarah came to her by writing up the events of the day before in her journal. She unlocked her little cedar-wood desk, and drew out the book.
    Monday 15th September
    Yesterday was a day of horrors. The first degrading experience began upon entering the church …
    After she had set down the humiliations of the day, Laura began to ponder the difficult situation she faced with her sister. She was nowElspeth’s prisoner, to be kept under lock and key, a lunatic who might go nowhere. This would be bitter enough in itself without all that her sister owed her. For Elspeth had been, in effect, raised by Laura, herself a child of eight years when their mother died. Laura had stood in the place of mother to Elspeth, bestowing all the frustrated affection of a motherless child upon her infant sister.
    Within a few days of their mother’s death, their father’s sister had come to keep house at the parsonage. Their father, punctilious enough in discharging the responsibilities of his parish, had never involved himself much with his children. Now, in grief, he separated himself still more from them. Aunt Morrison had briskly rearranged the household responsibilities, and baby Elspeth’s physical care was passed to a nurse. Yet she remained Laura’s lot to amuse and comfort.
    Elspeth was my charge, my pleasure, my doll, thought Laura. She was swept into a hidden, scarcely visited place in her memories. Inwardly, she crouched again in the scented darkness of her mother’s closet, her face against the silkiness of her mother’s best gown, little Elspeth tightly enclosed in her arms: rocking, rocking, rocking …
    A knock and the sound of the key in the lock brought her into the present. Hastily, she locked her journal in her desk.
    Sarah was come at last, with a jug of hot water.
    Laura washed and dressed for travel, preparing to make Elspeth regret her action of the previous evening.
    She entered the dining parlour, to find her brother awaiting her.
    â€œLaura, I have appointed a surgeon to take over Tom’s case,” he said.
    â€œThank you, Edward. What says he of Tom’s story?”
    â€œHe seems an honest man and promises to do what he can for the boy.”
    â€œAnd the attackers go free?”
    â€œMr. Deare believes there is small chance of discovering the truth in the case, and he is a local man.”
    With this, Laura had to be satisfied.
    The servant opened the door to admit Elspeth, and Laura gave her a cold look.
    Elspeth motioned for the servant to leave them. “Laura, my darling! I have scarcely slept all night. Can you forgive me?” She stood by Laura’s chair, draping her arm across her sister’s shoulders.
    â€œDo you think I am so easily put off, Elspeth?”
    â€œOf course, you are cross. I knew it would be so.” Elspeth took Laura’s hands and raised one to her cheek.
    Laura pulled her hands away. “How do you dare to treat me so ill, Elspeth?”
    Elspeth dabbed at her eyes