Page 8 of Secrets of Capell Manor
“Ridley, see to saddling Mr. Danby’s horse, and then see if Marta needs help in the kitchen. I will call on you when he is ready to speak with you,” Rosalind said. “Girls, this is Sir Devlin. He’s going to ask you some questions about Lord Edmond. Answer honestly. Sir Devlin, this is Kaylyn.” She pointed to the child on his left. “And this is Luella,” she added, indicating the child who sat to the right.
The two young girls sat across from their guest, Kaylyn folded her hands, rested them on the table, and waited. Luella plopped into her seat with an indignant sigh and glanced at Rosalind and then back to Sir Devlin. Kaylyn had large, almond-shaped, dark brown eyes that looked both inquisitive and intelligent. Her near-black hair was pulled back in a flatteringbraid that fell down her back. Her frock was dusted with flour, and she sat ready and confident.
The younger of the two, Luella, looked more disheveled. Her honey-brown hair had already mostly escaped its braid and pins. Her brown eyes, which perfectly matched her sister’s, looked angry.
“I heard you yell,” little Luella stated matter-of-factly. “I heard you yell at Mama Rosalind. A gentleman doesn’t yell at a lady,” she admonished.
“Luella—” Rosalind began.
Devlin raised his hand. “No, she is right. But, young lady, what if I am not a gentleman? What then?”
“Mama says there’s no excuse for bad behavior. And that means everyone. You need to ‘pologize,” Luella stated.
After a pause, Devlin sighed, “Lady Rosalind, please accept my apology for raising my voice earlier. I will strive not to let it happen again.”
Lady Rosalind offered a slight grin, but looked toward Luella. “I accept your apology. Now then, Luella, let Sir Devlin ask his questions.”
The girls nodded, and Devlin began. “Do either of you know where Lord Edmond is?”
Both girls shook their heads no.
“Do either of you remember the last day that he was here?”
Kaylyn nodded. “Yes, I remember. He was here in the great hall, and he had drunk too much ale. He was drunk nearly all the time. He yelled at Mama about not having enough money. Said it was her fault. He started getting mean. We could hear him yelling from the kitchen.”
“How was he mean?” Devlin asked.
“Where did you get that mark? That mark on your face?” Luella interrupted.
“I was cut in a sword fight.”
Luella sighed.
“Were you fighting a pirate? I bet he was fighting a pirate, Luella,” Kaylyn chimed in.
“A pirate!” Luella yelled.
“It was not a fight with a pirate,” Devlin said. “It was a fight with a man who was an enemy of England.”
“Your eye… it could have been plucked right out!” Luella exclaimed. “Mama always tells us to be very careful when we sword fight with Ridley. Were you careful, Mr. Devil?”
“It’s Devlin, Sir Devlin,” he corrected. “And what are you doing playing with swords, anyhow?”
“Just wooden swords,” Luella said. “And did you poke the other man? Did he lose his eye?”
“Yes, just a little bit higher, and your eye would have gone rolling across the ground,” Kaylyn offered with a bit too much gory enthusiasm.
“Just like the ball Benton made Ridley!”
Luella laughed and made a fist with her hand, pretending that her fist popped out of her eye and bounced off the table onto the ground. Kaylyn jumped up and joined the hilarity, adding some realistic eye-popping sounds.
“Girls! That is enough! Please listen to Sir Devlin,” Rosalind ordered harshly.
But inside, she chuckled. She knew how conversations with the girls could quickly go downhill. She glanced at Sir Devlin. He leaned back in his chair and had a look of sheer defeat on his face.
“Pray, continue, Sir Devlin,” she said more calmly.
“How was Lord Capell mean, Kaylyn?” Kaylyn looked at Rosalind before she spoke. “When he drank too much, he yelled really loud and he would call Mama Rose bad names. And Ridley. And us, too. That’s what he was doing. Saying bad things that we aren’t ever supposed to say.”
