5 At the Castle

CHAPTER 5 At the Castle "It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen!" Cedric said the next morning as the carriage approached Dorincourt Castle. "It reminds me of a king's palace I saw in a picture book once." Dorincourt Castle was one of the grandest in all of England. It rose up stately and gray. The windows dazzled in the sun. It had turrets and battlements and towers. All around it were grand terraces and beds of brilliantly colored flowers.

Cedric saw the great entrance door thrown open. Dozens of servants were waiting before it in two lines. The tallest footman took him to the library. He opened the door and announced, "Lord Fauntleroy, my lord." Cedric entered the room. It was very large and fancy. But the furniture was so dark and the curtains so heavy that the room looked gloomy. For a moment, Cedric thought that nobody was there, but then he saw a fire burning. Someone was sitting in the easy chair before the fireplace—someone who didn't turn to look at him. A large dog was lying on the floor next to the easy chair. When he saw Cedric, he rose slowly and marched toward him. At that, the person in the chair spoke. "Dougal," he called to the dog, "come back here." But Cedric was not afraid of the giant dog.

He put his hand on the dog's huge collar in the most natural way in the world. Then they walked forward together, Dougal sniffing him as they went. Finally the earl looked up, and Cedric saw a large old man with shaggy white hair and eyebrows. He had a nose like an eagle's beak and deep, fierce eyes. The earl saw a graceful boy in a black velvet suit, with curly blond hair and a handsome face. His eyes met the earl's without any fear. There was a glow of pride in the fiery old earl's heart. He could see what a strong, beautiful boy his grandson was. It pleased him that the boy didn't seem afraid—not of the dog, and not of him. "You must be the earl," Cedric said. "I'm your grandson, you know. I'm Lord Fauntleroy."

He held out his hand. "I hope you are very well," he continued. "I'm glad to see you." The earl shook hands with him. He was so surprised at how charming the boy was that he didn't know what to say. "I wondered what you would look like," Cedric said. "I wondered if you would look like my father."

"Do I?" asked the earl. "Well," Cedric said, "I was just three when he died. I may not remember exactly how he looked, but I don't think you do." "You are disappointed, I suppose?" suggested his grandfather. "Oh, no!" said Cedric. "Of course you would like anyone to look like your father, but of course you would enjoy the way your grandfather looks, too. He is your grandfather." The earl leaned back in his chair and stared. "Any boy would love his grandfather," continued Cedric. "Especially one who has been so kind." "I have been kind to you, have I?" "Oh, yes," said Cedric. "Thank you for Bridget and the apple-woman and Dick!" "Bridget!" exclaimed the earl. "Dick! The

apple-woman!" "The ones you gave me the money for," Cedric explained. "Ha!" said the earl. "That's it! The money you were to spend as you liked. What did you buy?" Cedric explained how he had helped all of his friends. "It's all thanks to you," he said. As Cedric talked, the earl became more and more shocked. He never thought he would like his grandson. He had sent away for the boy out of pride. Now it was almost too good to be true that this was the little boy he had dreaded meeting. The child of the woman he so disliked had so much beauty and grace! Relaxing in his chair, the earl let his grandson talk. The boy told him all about Mr. Hobbs. Then the conversation turned to the Fourth of July and the American