THE WORTH OF ONE - A CHRISTMAS STORY

By Tessa Harvey

    John Stevens was meant to let the boy out after dark, just to give him a good scare, like. He did not know what old Silas Thwaite had against that blond kid, but he  himself had no love for lords and ladies. He reckoned they just lived off poor people and had a high old time, so he went to the pub and forgot about the boy.

    At that moment Lord Sebastian was furiously berating his poor wife for having such a useless boy. Finally he flung another accusation at her. "He isn't even mine, is he, Eleanor? Looks just like that milksop, Lord Richard. A bastard. I will punish him for all this fuss. Going missing! A weakling! Well, he is staying at that school, even for holidays."
    His wife had turned red, then very white. "Please," she pleaded, "let me at least visit him." But Lord Sebastian had stomped out of the room. Watching his disappearing back, she knew he had a mistress. "Why do women get the blame?" she thought. "Still, I had better behave. At my age, I cannot manage alone."
    She wept silently, fearing their few servants had heard the exchange. They already knew, of course.
    Being poor did not mean brain drain. Still, they hoped the lad wasn't dead. Missing children rarely returned. But Augustus had more than the police to help. He had three stalwart friends!

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