Free The Folly at Falconbridge Hall by Maggi Andersen

doors, Blythe came alive and, for a few brief moments, forgot to worry about her father’s imminent departure. Her joyous face glowed with good health after a canter over the fields. She pealed with laughter when a rabbit poked its head out of a hole and waggled its ears at them. It heartened Vanessa to see the child hunt around the garden, gathering flowers to press in books, as well as feathers, leaves, and pebbles. A pastime she had once enjoyed but had abandoned after her mother died. Blythe’s eyes sparkled when she found a beautiful blue robin’s egg to add to her collection. But Vanessa knew that as soon as they returned to the house, Blythe would become despondent again.
    The more Vanessa saw of the Falconbridge estate the more she came to realize how immense it was. On a fine sunny afternoon, they rode all the way to the river and sat under a willow tree while the horses grazed. Lovel wandered farther downstream and stood chewing a reed as he stared into the water.
    “What’s Lovel doing?” Blythe sat up and stared, causing Vanessa to turn her head.
    Crouching down, Lovel leaned over the water. Suddenly, a fish flopped about in his cupped hands.
    “How clever! How did you do it, Lovel?” Blythe called.
    “An old gypsy trick, Miss Blythe.” Lovel’s eyes shone as he slapped the fish once on the ground. He tucked its limp body into a bag at his pommel. “’Twill do nicely for my supper.”
    It seemed unnecessary. Everyone was amply fed at Falconbridge Hall. Was it the thrill of the kill that drove him? She thought of the dead rabbit – how angry Lord Falconbridge had been at Lovel for hunting in the wood.
    Vanessa had yet to visit the wood due to Lord Falconbridge’s ban. She thought of that young woman’s body hanging from a tree and shivered.
    It was in men’s nature to hunt and kill for the table, a primeval urge. Like a woman’s wish for a child. She gazed with affection on Blythe. She was the closest thing Vanessa would ever come to being a mother, and she felt a deep affection for the child already.
    “Is anything wrong, Miss Ashley?” Blythe asked.
    “No, my dear. I thought we’d have a picnic lunch in the folly. I’ve asked Cook to prepare us a hamper.”
    “Oh how nice!”

    *****

    Vanessa bit into a slice of pork pie enjoying the light flaky texture. Cook had a wonderfully light hand with pastry. She had packed the basket with a splendid feast of boiled eggs with fresh baked bread and butter, salad, fruit, fresh lemonade and rhubarb charlotte. It was peaceful sitting in the atmospheric folly gazing over the water, like being in some Ancient Greek temple awaiting the gods. Vanessa watched Blythe feeding crumbs to the squabbling ducks. A pair of elegant swans consented to eat a few morsels. She had hoped the lunch would distract Blythe. The child looked up and laughed. “That little brown duck is greedy. It is chasing all the others away from the food.”
    Vanessa smiled and nodded. The small and frail or disenfranchised must fight harder to survive.
    When the ducks had gobbled the last of the bread, Blythe returned to sit beside her. “We’ll begin a new book today,” Vanessa said. “You may choose it.”
    “I know which book I want,” Blythe said. “I saw it in the library.”
    “Which?”
    “ Treasure Island .”
    “I shall have to ask your father.” Vanessa wondered what Lord Falconbridge would think of that. She almost looked forward to asking him. Why did Blythe want to read this book particularly? She had seemed more interested in fairies than pirates. Might an adventure appeal to her more after his lordship’s lessons and his vivid descriptions of the exotic flora and fauna he found on his expeditions?

    *****

    The summer heat continued, with an occasional thunderstorm offering a temporary respite. Blythe now displayed less alarm at the lightning and thunder, thankfully, as Vanessa was running out of new ways to describe it. Thor in bad temper throwing lightning