Free Curricle & Chaise by Lizzie Church Page A

same.’
    ‘Is Edward to be accused of thinking?’ broke in his brother, leaning over slightly to hear what she was saying above the noise of the piano. ‘I should rather say he had no thoughts in his head at all, than that he thought too much, as a rule.’
    ‘He should rather be listening to the music – as should we all.’
    ‘Are you fond of music, Miss Barrington?’
    ‘I enjoy listening to music, Mr Churchman, although I am not particularly musical myself – I lacked the application as a child and was never encouraged into the habit of regular practice. Unless one is fortunate enough to have an exceptional talent, I’m afraid that practice is the only way to achieve an acceptable performance.’
    ‘You were too busy climbing trees and getting into mischief, I suppose?’
    Lydia laughed.
    ‘I was indeed. It was much more fun, even if the results were a rather painful beating at times! My childhood visits to Abdale were invariably accompanied by some misguided attempt to encourage me to mend my evil ways! – but regrettably they failed to have much effect. I was always getting into some kind of a scrape or another. My sister, on the other hand, has a more docile disposition than I. She always applies herself as well as she can, although she finds any learning problematic. I more resemble my mother – I much prefer listening to a pleasant tune than struggling with the instrument myself, although I have been known to take the stage when pushed to do so.’
    ‘Well, at least you are honest, Miss Barrington. I must admit to appreciating good music, myself. I am fortunate in that all my family are musical. My mother was a notable player in her youth, and my great-aunt, who lives in Sussex, would leave me spellbound by her rendition of Beethoven’s Grand Sonata. But tell me, if you did not ride and you did not play, how did you pass your time at home once the tree-climbing stage was passed?’
    Lydia blushed as she caught Mr Churchman’s eye.
    ‘The tree climbing stage has not long gone,’ she confessed, smiling sheepishly. ‘I regret I have always been something of a hoyden and I remain enamoured of the great outdoors. I enjoyed nothing more than to be continually out of the house, walking, running errands for my mother, travelling about, visiting friends – in short, anything that did not involve too much application. Papa almost despaired of me at times, though he did succeed in instilling a love of books in me eventually. It was just as well, really, for at least I had some diversion on rainy days – and on those regrettably numerous occasions on which I had been confined to the house for some particularly heinous misdeed! I had quite a collection of books at home – though not as many have survived as I should like. Unfortunately I was obliged to sell a number of them in order to pay the butcher.’
    ‘Is Miss Barrington a bluestocking?’ cried Edward, laughing. ‘I should never have thought it of you. Surely you only read what’s fashionable – Mrs Radcliffe’s novels, perhaps, or a little poetry now and again?’
    ‘Indeed, sir, I do no such thing. I daresay I have read a great deal more than you have. I think it very unkind of you to mock me. Beware, Captain Churchman – should you insist on making fun of me I shall have to reciprocate by finding a laughable weakness of your own.’
    ‘Now that would not be too difficult, Miss Barrington,’ put in Henry. ‘He only laughs at your learning since he has none of his own.’
    ‘But I am a man of action, you see. Give me the chase, or a cockfight, any day of the week. Surely any sane man would prefer action to reading.’
    ‘You are thirsty for blood. I must take care not to tease you too much or you will be hollowing after mine.’
    ‘You have little to fear from me now, I’m afraid. I can’t even hold a gun any more, let alone spill blood. It is Henry you should be careful of, Miss Barrington. A better shot I never saw in my life –