love, she must be breath-takingly beautiful.
And Bevil was in love with her, and be would soon be leaving her to go to South Africa. Yes, be would want to many her before he went
I thought of Bevil and the girl he had brought to the island. There must bave been others in between her and Jessica. Many others. But Jessica was different. Young and inexperienced as I was, I sensed that, and I was depressed.
There was one more letter from Gwennan before she left for the finishing school:
“Harry’s people are taking over Chough Towers. He knows I’d never really feel happy away from Menfreya, so he says that Chough will be our home. I must say I like the idea. I am already planning balls 111 have in that perfectly magnificent ballroom. Your father’s lease was running out, so Chough won’t be your Cornish residence much longer—it’ll be mine. Of course, I shall invite you to stay. I’ll give you the room you now have. It will be fun, won’t it? But I’ll bet you’re wondering what your father is going to do. Hell have to have a place near Lansella, won’t he? We’re very pleased with your stern parent, Harriet. Do you know what he’s done? You’ll never guess. He’s taken the house on No Man’s Island. More than that, he’s bought the island from Papa. This is a
Victoria Holt
69
marvelous stroke of luck for us. You know what a white elephant of an island it is. It’s just there, and what use is it— except for runaway heiresses to hide in, and dissolute young men to effect seductionsl What dreadful company I keep! The point is, I had to be the first to tell you. No Man’s Island will soon be yours. You can imagine the improvements your father will make. It’ll be a palace on an island, I expect, before he’s done with it. Papa is absolutely delighted. He goes around rubbing his hands with glee. At last we have something to tide us over I
“You see, Harriet, nothing remains the same. I am leaving at the end of the week for my finishing school. I wish you were coming. You probably will. Here’s another secret. Your father is talking about it, and Mamma has given him all sorts of details about the place. Well, it seems our fate is not to be parted for long. I shall hope that you too will soon be acquiring an impeccable French accent But don’t become engaged, will you? I want the distinction of being not merely the first but the only engaged woman to arrive at the school.
Q.
“P.S. Bevil is no longer with us. He’s become a soldier. He won’t be leaving for South Africa just yet, but when he does the war will soon be over, you can be sure. Poor Jess is sad, but they’re not engaged. Great relief displayed by the parents. They’ve been absolutely terrified—although, of course, it wouldn’t have been such a calamity, as I am obliging with Harry. See you soon, Harriet, at our finishing school. G.”
Change was in the air, but when I arrived home for the holidays I was faced with the greatest of them all—so far.
It was the end of the spring term and, to my disappointment, I had a letter from my father telling me that instead of spending the holiday as usual at Chough Towers I was to come to London. I should be met at Paddington.
I was disappointed, although neither Gwennan nor Bevil would have been there, but even so I had been looking forward to going to Cornwall, to hear from A’Lee—that infallible source of information—what exactly was happening about Chough Towers, which my father would shortly be vacating, and what improvements had been made to the island house. But most of all I wanted to know more about Bevil
70
Menfreya in the Morning
and Jessica Trelarken, for I could not believe that Jessica would allow herself to be the partner in one of Devil’s casual affairs.
I could not understand, either, why my father wanted me to be in London. Surely since he disliked seeing me so decidedly, he would want my holidays to be spent where he was not.
As soon as I alighted from the
And Bevil was in love with her, and be would soon be leaving her to go to South Africa. Yes, be would want to many her before he went
I thought of Bevil and the girl he had brought to the island. There must bave been others in between her and Jessica. Many others. But Jessica was different. Young and inexperienced as I was, I sensed that, and I was depressed.
There was one more letter from Gwennan before she left for the finishing school:
“Harry’s people are taking over Chough Towers. He knows I’d never really feel happy away from Menfreya, so he says that Chough will be our home. I must say I like the idea. I am already planning balls 111 have in that perfectly magnificent ballroom. Your father’s lease was running out, so Chough won’t be your Cornish residence much longer—it’ll be mine. Of course, I shall invite you to stay. I’ll give you the room you now have. It will be fun, won’t it? But I’ll bet you’re wondering what your father is going to do. Hell have to have a place near Lansella, won’t he? We’re very pleased with your stern parent, Harriet. Do you know what he’s done? You’ll never guess. He’s taken the house on No Man’s Island. More than that, he’s bought the island from Papa. This is a
Victoria Holt
69
marvelous stroke of luck for us. You know what a white elephant of an island it is. It’s just there, and what use is it— except for runaway heiresses to hide in, and dissolute young men to effect seductionsl What dreadful company I keep! The point is, I had to be the first to tell you. No Man’s Island will soon be yours. You can imagine the improvements your father will make. It’ll be a palace on an island, I expect, before he’s done with it. Papa is absolutely delighted. He goes around rubbing his hands with glee. At last we have something to tide us over I
“You see, Harriet, nothing remains the same. I am leaving at the end of the week for my finishing school. I wish you were coming. You probably will. Here’s another secret. Your father is talking about it, and Mamma has given him all sorts of details about the place. Well, it seems our fate is not to be parted for long. I shall hope that you too will soon be acquiring an impeccable French accent But don’t become engaged, will you? I want the distinction of being not merely the first but the only engaged woman to arrive at the school.
Q.
“P.S. Bevil is no longer with us. He’s become a soldier. He won’t be leaving for South Africa just yet, but when he does the war will soon be over, you can be sure. Poor Jess is sad, but they’re not engaged. Great relief displayed by the parents. They’ve been absolutely terrified—although, of course, it wouldn’t have been such a calamity, as I am obliging with Harry. See you soon, Harriet, at our finishing school. G.”
Change was in the air, but when I arrived home for the holidays I was faced with the greatest of them all—so far.
It was the end of the spring term and, to my disappointment, I had a letter from my father telling me that instead of spending the holiday as usual at Chough Towers I was to come to London. I should be met at Paddington.
I was disappointed, although neither Gwennan nor Bevil would have been there, but even so I had been looking forward to going to Cornwall, to hear from A’Lee—that infallible source of information—what exactly was happening about Chough Towers, which my father would shortly be vacating, and what improvements had been made to the island house. But most of all I wanted to know more about Bevil
70
Menfreya in the Morning
and Jessica Trelarken, for I could not believe that Jessica would allow herself to be the partner in one of Devil’s casual affairs.
I could not understand, either, why my father wanted me to be in London. Surely since he disliked seeing me so decidedly, he would want my holidays to be spent where he was not.
As soon as I alighted from the
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