determined were they to retain her where she was that n o sooner di d she loosen one fragment than another piece grasped her in its stead. She looked again and groaned. Of all the bad luck. Why did these things always seem to happen to her?
She was still wondering this when yet another set of footsteps could be detected, coming along the self same path way as before. This time the steps were heavy and ponderous. They belonged to Mr Staveley, who was luckily on his own. He did not immediately see Maggie as she struggled before him, but when he did so he stopped short and looked at her, puzzled, for a while.
‘Whatever are you doing, M ... M iss Owens?’ he asked eventually, stepping forward once again.
Maggie sighed and looked him in the eye.
‘I was examining this shrub here and have become entangled in the brambles,’ she replied. ‘I don’t suppose you could help me out, could you?’
Mr Staveley agreed that he probably could and proceeded to demonstrate the fact by deftly releasing the offending tendril from her garment and stabbing himself in the neck with it .
‘I don’t suppose that you saw M ... Miss B ... Brewer c oming along this way, did you, Miss Owens?’ he asked her as they finally managed to break themselves free of the pernicious thorn s. They set off back along the pathway together, as being the best thing to do just then.
Maggie was a little uncertain as to whether to admit to having seen Miss Brewer, as Miss Brewer had certainly not seen her. Luckily, just as she was about to issue a denial they happened to pass by the en trance to another small pathway , leading of f to quite another part of the shrubbery .
‘I think I happened to see her walking along there, Mr Staveley,’ she said quickly, gesturing vaguely towards it .
‘And was she ... was she entirely on her own?’
Maggie caught the anxiety in his question and for a fleeting moment she felt quite sorry for him.
‘I’m not quite sure, Mr Staveley, though I have a feeling that she may not have been entirely on her own . I hardly saw her, really. These pathways are extremely winding. A person soon gets quite out of sight along them .’
Mr Staveley hesitated for a second. Maggie thought that she should take pity on him.
‘I was wondering whether you might be good enough to find me some refreshment?’ she suggested. ‘It is exceedingly hot, is it not ? - and I find that I am develop ing a slight headache. I would really welcome a glass of lemonade.’
Mr Staveley roused himself.
‘Of course I shall, M ... Miss Owens,’ he assured her. He seemed only too happy to be wanted. ‘P ... please – take my arm and I will fi nd you some in a moment.’
The lemonade found, Mr Staveley gallantly provided Maggie with a seat at one of the little tables which were scattered about the terrace , and opened up its sunshade for her . Maggie sipped her drink and looked about her. Some guests were practising their new - found skills on the lawn. Others were gossiping in idle groups in the shade of the tropical trees. She wondered where Mr and Mrs Wright had disappeared to and whether Mr Wright might seek her out again.
Suddenly recall ing that she was not on her own, however, she remembered her manners and decided to ma k e an effort to engage her new companion in some conversation for a while.
‘You were hoping to catch Miss Brewer on her own , Mr Staveley ?’ she asked him, indicating that he was welcome to take a seat if he wished to do so . He sat down next to her at the table .
‘ Is it so ob ... obvious?’
Maggie smiled and accepted some of the little pastries that the servants were bringing round .
‘Well, she is a very pretty lady and is good enough to allow you to escort her whilst you are in town. It would be only natural for you to – well – yes, wish to catch her on her own.’
Freddy looked at her a little glumly.
‘I had hoped that she m ... might want m ... me to, Miss Owens,’ he admitted, looking sheepish.
She was still wondering this when yet another set of footsteps could be detected, coming along the self same path way as before. This time the steps were heavy and ponderous. They belonged to Mr Staveley, who was luckily on his own. He did not immediately see Maggie as she struggled before him, but when he did so he stopped short and looked at her, puzzled, for a while.
‘Whatever are you doing, M ... M iss Owens?’ he asked eventually, stepping forward once again.
Maggie sighed and looked him in the eye.
‘I was examining this shrub here and have become entangled in the brambles,’ she replied. ‘I don’t suppose you could help me out, could you?’
Mr Staveley agreed that he probably could and proceeded to demonstrate the fact by deftly releasing the offending tendril from her garment and stabbing himself in the neck with it .
‘I don’t suppose that you saw M ... Miss B ... Brewer c oming along this way, did you, Miss Owens?’ he asked her as they finally managed to break themselves free of the pernicious thorn s. They set off back along the pathway together, as being the best thing to do just then.
Maggie was a little uncertain as to whether to admit to having seen Miss Brewer, as Miss Brewer had certainly not seen her. Luckily, just as she was about to issue a denial they happened to pass by the en trance to another small pathway , leading of f to quite another part of the shrubbery .
‘I think I happened to see her walking along there, Mr Staveley,’ she said quickly, gesturing vaguely towards it .
‘And was she ... was she entirely on her own?’
Maggie caught the anxiety in his question and for a fleeting moment she felt quite sorry for him.
‘I’m not quite sure, Mr Staveley, though I have a feeling that she may not have been entirely on her own . I hardly saw her, really. These pathways are extremely winding. A person soon gets quite out of sight along them .’
Mr Staveley hesitated for a second. Maggie thought that she should take pity on him.
‘I was wondering whether you might be good enough to find me some refreshment?’ she suggested. ‘It is exceedingly hot, is it not ? - and I find that I am develop ing a slight headache. I would really welcome a glass of lemonade.’
Mr Staveley roused himself.
‘Of course I shall, M ... Miss Owens,’ he assured her. He seemed only too happy to be wanted. ‘P ... please – take my arm and I will fi nd you some in a moment.’
The lemonade found, Mr Staveley gallantly provided Maggie with a seat at one of the little tables which were scattered about the terrace , and opened up its sunshade for her . Maggie sipped her drink and looked about her. Some guests were practising their new - found skills on the lawn. Others were gossiping in idle groups in the shade of the tropical trees. She wondered where Mr and Mrs Wright had disappeared to and whether Mr Wright might seek her out again.
Suddenly recall ing that she was not on her own, however, she remembered her manners and decided to ma k e an effort to engage her new companion in some conversation for a while.
‘You were hoping to catch Miss Brewer on her own , Mr Staveley ?’ she asked him, indicating that he was welcome to take a seat if he wished to do so . He sat down next to her at the table .
‘ Is it so ob ... obvious?’
Maggie smiled and accepted some of the little pastries that the servants were bringing round .
‘Well, she is a very pretty lady and is good enough to allow you to escort her whilst you are in town. It would be only natural for you to – well – yes, wish to catch her on her own.’
Freddy looked at her a little glumly.
‘I had hoped that she m ... might want m ... me to, Miss Owens,’ he admitted, looking sheepish.
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