The Prince in the Tower Read Online Free Page B

Amphitheatre.
    Quite recently, she had made the error of describing her two trips to the circus during her one, glorious Season in London five years before.  The children asked for the story over and over again.  It never failed to inspire in them the desire to be clowns, or ride standing on a galloping steed round the makeshift ring on what used to be the west lawn.  This last, after she herself had taken a scary tumble off the galloping steed, Kate had vetoed firmly.  However, even Lucy had been known to join in an occasional game of leapfrog.  How she wished to take them all to the city she loved and show them Astley’s, the theatre, the Tower, and for Lucy and Caro, the balls and the glittering ton . 
    Shameful though it might be, Kate had few qualms about what she was doing.  Certainly banditry was morally wrong, and she still got a twinge every now and again when she thought of what her mama might say.  But, she reasoned, if Papa hadn’t wanted her to become a thief, he could have refrained from frittering their money away on horses, cards, or ill-considered investments.  Not to mention her grandfather, and her great-grandfather before him.  In fact, she thought with a wry grin, the two were quite likely beaming with pride at her exploits from heaven above.  If they’d been allowed past St. Peter, pranksters that they had been.
    A governess’ salary wouldn’t begin to keep a roof over their heads and it wasn’t as if Uncle Richard was of any use whatsoever.  The last she’d heard he was on another jaunt to America or the West Indies, or the North Pole, for all anyone knew. 
    When matters had become clear to her after the reading of her father’s will, their uncle’s grand suggestion had been to split the children up amongst various relatives.  This, when they were in the throes of the deepest of grief for their parents.  His second suggestion was that Kate marry a dear friend of his who was doddering on the brink of the grave and might just welcome such a luscious armful as Kate.  But Kate had managed to resist this tempting offer, as genteel prostitution, though legal, held no interest for her.
    As matters now stood, her family was beginning to unravel.  Simon and Meg would go along merry as grigs for several more years, but please heaven, let nothing happen to the money needed for Bertie’s schooling.  As the heir, he was the only member of the family who was officially Church of England, as was traditional in the family, to allow him to take his seat in the House of Lords one day.  It was imperative for his own good that he attend Harrow, then Cambridge.  It was Kate’s and Lady Alice’s intention that he have every advantage,  not to mention that he learn the social niceties necessary to keep him on the straight and narrow.
    The young boy, outwardly steady and calm, nevertheless occasionally showed signs of the wild blood of the family.  Without the proper education among his peers, with no guiding male hand, Kate was worried her brother would kick over the traces and run away to take the King’s shilling or some such thing.  Yes, they all needed a steady influence, something to look forward to, something which would help them out of this shabby poverty.  If highway robbery of those who could well afford it was making the village in general, and the Thoreaus in particular, wealthy again, not a hair would she turn over the illegality of it. 
    Kate wound up her internal diatribe of blame, guilt, and self-justification with an utterly sincere promise to God of all manner of saintly behavior as soon as money was less tight, when a sudden burst of screams cut through the open French doors.  Her heart in her throat, she hobbled to the terrace overlooking the lawn. 
    But no vision of spurting blood, severed limbs, or unconscious siblings met her eyes .  It was merely the usual altercation between Meg and Simon.  Faint with relief, she leaned against the doorway, eyes closed, to