AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There is one more pressing issue that we must address,” said John.
Paisley settled back, breathing an aggrieved sigh.
“Oh, uh, but I must be getting back to the bank,” Haxton said. “I am already quite late.”
John shook his head. “It won’t take long, but it’s important enough to command our immediate attention.”
“Let me guess,” Sir Gregory said in a sarcastic tone. “You wish to talk about the retention issue at the orphanage or bring up more foolish ideas about female education. I shouldn’t be surprised if you now wish to add Latin to the curriculum.”
Paisley guffawed. “That’s a good one, old fellow. Next, Blackmore and Lady Samantha will be telling us that women should attend university.”
Most of the men, including Baines, chuckled. As for Lady Samantha, Braden could practically hear the poor lass grinding her molars into dust.
He adopted a mildly puzzled frown. “Why shouldn’t women attend university?”
Under the table, Lady Samantha gave him a hard jab to the thigh.
Don’t cause troublewas the clear message.
At least not yet, he assumed.
“We do need to discuss the problems at the orphanage,” she said in a firm voice. “Boys are going missing, and that surely is something that should greatly concern us.”
Braden threw John a startled glance.
His friend responded with a grim nod. “To bring Dr. Kendrick up to speed, several boys have disappeared from the orphanage over the last year or so. There one day, gone the next.”
“Without any indication of unhappiness on their part?” Braden asked.
“None,” Lady Samantha said in a worried voice. “In some cases, all their belongings were left behind.”
“That’s very odd.”
No child of Old Town would willingly leave his belongings behind. If any possession wasn’t falling to pieces, it could be sold for a few shillings at a local pawnshop.
“There’s nothing odd about it,” Sir Gregory said. “They’ve simply run away. Can’t take discipline or structure, so they return to their old ways.”
Haxton nodded. “I’m afraid Sir Gregory is correct. These boys generally come from dodgy backgrounds, to put it mildly. They’ve got criminality bred in the bones.”
Braden scoffed. “No child is born a criminal. It is not a biologically determinative factor.”
While Haxton look confused, Sir Gregory made a point of sneering across the table at him. “Impressive words from a new fellow who knows nothing about our establishments.”
“I don’t need to know how your orphanage is run to distinguish truth from falsehood,” Braden replied.
Lord Robertson jerked awake with a snort. “What’s the to-do? Isn’t this blasted meeting over yet?”
“We are now listening to a lecture from Dr. Kendrick about the sterling character of slum children,” Sir Gregory said with contempt. “Apparently, they are not to be blamed for their actions.”
“Guttersnipes, the lot of them,” huffed Lord Robertson. “Can’t imagine why we bother with them in the first place.”
“Our boys are not guttersnipes,” Lady Samantha hotly replied. “They are good children, and they all wish to be here. And if you find our work so distasteful, Lord Robertson, you may wish to tender your resignation from the board. Naturally, I will be very disappointed, but will respect your decision.”
Braden smothered a grin. Apparently, Lady Samantha had fire in her character, as well as charm and determination. With her eyes glittering like jewels and her cheeks flushing pink, the fire sat well on her, too.
“I suspect Lord Robertson will not be resigning from the board any time soon,” John said in a cool tone. “His friend, Lord Beath, would not approve.”
The old blighter fumed but didn’t challenge the assertion.
