Runaway (34 page)

My brother shook his head in horror and uttered a strangled yelp of disapproval.

‘What?’ I demanded. ‘There are worse places to sleep!’

‘I imagine you’d appreciate a bath before retiring?’ Lawrence asked Robert.

‘That would be welcome,’ admitted my brother running a hand ruefully through his dishevelled hair.

‘You can borrow anything you need from me,’ said Lawrence.

‘Thank you! You’re very good,’ said Robert. ‘So … you two know each other well then?’ He was looking from me to Lawrence with his eyebrows raised.

‘I should tell you your sister has agreed to marry me,’ John told my brother. ‘I hope you are not unhappy with that?’

‘Lord! I’m very happy. Congratulations!’ Robert wrung John’s hand and kissed my cheek. ‘It’s the old man you’re going to have trouble with.’

‘I know,’ I sighed. Lawrence looked serious.

‘Oh, never fear! He’ll come round,’ said Robert optimistically. ‘I’ll keep him busy looking out for a bride for me! I’ll willingly make up to every rich, high-born, squinty-eyed heiress, to keep him happy. That’ll take his mind off you two. What more could a brother do for his sister?’

‘Nothing more!’ I said, kissing his cheek with a grin. ‘You’re a wonderful brother! I suspect you’ll enjoy yourself very much and in the end will marry exactly whom you please!’

‘I will! But as you say, it will be fun. And what is life without a few larks?’

Marie-Louise Jensen was born in Henley-on-Thames of an English father and a Danish mother. Her early years were plagued by teachers telling her to stop reading and stop writing stories and do long division instead. Marie-Louise studied Scandinavian and German with Literature at the UEA and has lived in both Denmark and Germany. After teaching English at a German university for four years, Marie-Louise returned to England to care for her children full-time. She completed an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in 2005.

Her books have been shortlisted for many awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award.

Marie-Louise lives in Bath.

www.marie-louisejensen.co.uk

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Images: Horse/mariait/Shutterstock, Dyrham Park/nrg123/Shutterstock, Rider’s silhouette/Taiga/Shutterstock, Girl/Mayer George/Shutterstock.

C
ONTENTS

Chapter One