The Scottish Bride - Catherine Coulter [6]
Leo, named for Leopold Foxworth Sherbrooke, the third earl of Northcliffe and a gentleman who’d held honor above all else, even when it meant having his head severed from his body, was standing on his head, his stockinged feet against the wall. He looked like he was sleeping, his eyes closed, perfectly at his ease. He was probably thinking about his uncle Douglas’s horses, which he was allowed to ride at Northcliffe Hall. Tysen shook his head and cleared his throat. “Boys, I came to say good-bye to you. I am leaving very early in the morning.”
Max immediately lifted the great tome from his lap and laid it reverently on the carpet. Tysen saw that it was in Latin. As for Leo, he simply dropped his legs over his head and came up in a single graceful roll, grinning. “I want to ride Garth, Papa. He’s a mean brute.”
Tysen knew that Douglas would never allow Leo even to sit on that vicious stallion’s back, thank the good Lord.
“We know that we’re to go to Uncle Douglas,” Max said. “I have been wondering, Papa, if Leo and I will have a title now that you do. You know, James is Lord Hammersmith and Jason is an honorable. Perhaps as the elder son, I will now be Sir Something?”
“I’m sorry, Max, but you and Leo are still just the same. I suppose you will be able to say that you are Lord Barthwick’s very honorable sons, though.”
“We are already honorable, Papa,” Max said. “Uncle Ryder is always saying that honor is what men must embrace,” he paused, then added, “if you’re not embracing a woman that is. Er, that’s what Uncle Ryder says, Papa.”
“Yes,” Tysen said. “I am not surprised.”
“Besides,” Max said, shrugging, “who wants to be a Hammersmith? Silly name, doesn’t mean anything. James likes it, though.”
“Speak for yourself,” said Leo, who was straightening his trousers and pulling his socks in order. “I’m not even eight years old and I’m already a rat-faced little idiot.”
“Blessed Lord above,” Tysen said, startled. “Where did you ever hear such a thing, Leo? Rat-faced? That’s quite offensive; contrive to forget it immediately. The little idiot part as well.”
“That’s difficult to do, Papa, since Meggie called him that when she was angry with him. It was just yesterday that—”
Tysen closed his eyes. “Your sister called you a rat-faced little idiot?”
“Yes,” Leo said, then dropped his chin to his chest. “Perhaps I deserved it, Papa. Meggie’s face was very red, and for the longest time she couldn’t think of anything to say to me, and then that just popped out of her mouth. Then she shook her fist at me. But at least she didn’t smack me in the head or throw me in the bushes like she usually does. She just walked away and slammed a door.”
“May I inquire what you said to your sister to deserve such an epithet?”
Max said, “Leo cut a wide strip out of the back of her skirt and her petticoat. When she walked, you could see her drawers. Marigold finally realized what everyone was staring at and ran screaming after her before she could get too far outside the vicarage gate.”
Tysen thought, You are indeed a rat-faced little idiot, Leo, but naturally he didn’t say that. He said very quietly, “I am vastly disappointed in you, Leo. The good Lord can only imagine what your mother would have said.”
Max said matter-of-factly, “Mother would have shrieked, pounded the wall with her fists, and had hysterics for at least two hours. Leo prefers Meggie’s punishments. Why, just two days ago, she took Leo’s neck between her hands and nearly squeezed the life out of him.” Max was silent for a moment, then said, “About Mother and hysterics, that’s what Mrs. Priddie said Mother would do whenever one of us didn’t mind. I don’t remember, myself.”
Tysen didn’t remember the pounding fists, but he did remember the hysterics. He said, “I will not be here to enforce your punishment, Leo, but here it is. You will not stand on your head for six days. You will not do any flips down the corridors of Northcliffe Hall. You will not cut anything at all with your scissors. You will treat your sister like a royal princess. Do you understand