Free The Hopeless Hoyden by Margaret Bennett

granddaddy."  For such praise, she was rewarded with a broad grin from Chesterfield.
                  “Quite a walk from the house to here," Gabriel commented.
                  “We do not mean to intrude,” Jane said in a meek voice. “Emily, we should be going and allow the gentlemen to return to their fun."  Jane took a step back while eying Freddy Fordyce coming toward them.  His sleepy eyes squinted under the brim of his hat, now on top of his head, and he gave them a wobbly bow.  “My ladies."
                  “Good morning, Lord Fordyce."   Emily waved her hand at the baron and also noticed the slight blush that bloomed in the other girl's cheeks.  She grabbed Jane's hand to prevent her from leaving and asked, "How is the fishing, my lord?"
                  “Don't know," Freddy answered.  “Ain't caught one."
                  “What Freddy means," said Gabriel with an amused grin for his friend, "is that the hour's a trifle early for him.  So, he opted for a nap under the tree."
                  “Told you.  The crow wasn't up when you came for me, didn't I?"
                  “True, but Harry and I managed to get up, and we went to bed after you."
                  “And the fishing is every bit as good as Gabriel promised," added Chesterfield, opening the lid of a basket and laying the squirming trout in it.  “This prize is my third catch of the morning."
                  “Really?"  Emily turned to Gabriel.  “I would give anything to try my luck at it."
                  “I'll bet you would," Gabriel said with a smile.  “How about you, Miss Tabor?"
                  Miss Taber answered with a shake of her head.  "I have never fished before."
                  “I can teach you, Jane."  Emily leaned down and took up a pole.  "Whose is this?"
                  “Mine," answered Freddy.  “So are the others," he added, pointing to several more poles almost hidden in the deep grass behind where Gabriel and Chesterfield stood.
                  “Do you run more than one line at a time?" Emily asked.
                  Gabriel began to laugh, bending over to pick up another rod.  "Hardly, just the opposite, in fact.  Freddy's always loosing his pole.  He drops a line in the water and then nods off.  When he awakes, it is usually to find his pole floating down stream."
                  While Emily chuckled with Gabriel and Chesterfield, Jane turned to the plump lord.  "It is very early, my lord, and I can well understand how you lose your poles."
                  “Thank you," Freddy said, favoring the laughing trio with a smug grin. 
                  “Then, you will not mind if we each borrow a pole?" asked Emily.
                  “No," said Freddy.  “'Fact, be glad to teach Miss Taber."
                  “Which one of us will teach you, Miss Pendleton?" asked Chesterfield with a hopeful gleam in his eye.
                  “No one, my lord."  Emily grinned proudly.  "I have fished this stream for years."
                  Chesterfield looked skeptical.  “How's that?"
                  “I used to toddle after my two brothers.  To silence me, they'd hand me a rod, and eventually they taught me a few tricks."
                  “You don't say?" asked Chesterfield.  “What sort of tricks?" 
                  Emily bent down and took a moment to select a fat worm from a jar sitting on the bank.  Holding it up, she carefully threaded the squirming earthworm on to her hook.  "Tom has a special way of whipping the rod to send the line out across the water.  You see, Mr. Chesterfield--"
                  “Call me Harry."
                  She gave him a beatific smile.  "You