frostily, noticing how pristine Celia looked.
Adeline laughed. ‘I don’t think it’s poor Miss Grieve’s fault. I would imagine Miss Grieve has a hard time keeping track of this child’s whereabouts! How did you
manage to get so grubby while Celia remained so clean?’
‘I don’t know,’ Kitty replied, glancing at Celia in a silent plea not to tell.
‘You take after your grandfather,’ said Adeline. ‘He can never stay out of the mud either!’
Cousin Beatrice joined in with exuberance. ‘Celia turns into a savage the moment she sets foot in Castle Deverill. I’m surprised
her
dress is clean. Perhaps it’s in the
air, but every summer here in Ireland is a great adventure, isn’t it, Celia? An adventure we all look forward to with enormous anticipation.’
‘I suspect this year will be my last,’ interrupted Augusta grimly. Celia’s grandmother was a handsome woman with thick grey hair swept up onto the top of her head, large
drooping breasts contained behind reams of black lace and emeralds, and wide arthritic hips. She was tall and broad and dwarfed her husband who was diminutive in stature as well as build, with a
small face dominated by a sweeping white moustache. Her favourite subject was death and no one’s fascinated her more than her own. ‘I spent my whole life thinking of everyone else but
myself and here I am now with a lifetime of regrets and broken dreams. Oh to be young again,’ she sighed. ‘When I was a girl I thought old age would never arrive, but here I am, one
breath away from the grave.’ She didn’t notice Leona and Vivien rolling their eyes. ‘If you hear noises in the middle of the night, do not worry, it is only me, talking to
God.’
‘Nonsense, Augusta. You’ll outlive us all,’ said Adeline, who seemed to find extra reserves of patience when it came to Cousin Augusta.
‘I’ve told Stoke that I don’t want any fuss when the time comes. Just a little church service with close family and friends.’
‘I don’t think you’ll care, Augusta,’ said Adeline. ‘You’ll be far away.’
‘My dear Adeline.’ Augusta placed a hand on Adeline’s and squeezed it. ‘I trust
you
to make sure that Stoke doesn’t spend money unnecessarily. You know how
he is. I am a humble woman who does not need pomp and ceremony. I will leave the world quietly and peacefully as I have lived my life.’
At last lunch was announced and the family began to move from the drawing room. Elspeth and Victoria led the way into the hall, followed closely by Leona and Vivien. Stoke dutifully assisted his
wife as she heaved herself up, leaning heavily on the walking stick and less heavily on her frail husband. Kitty grabbed Celia and hurried into the hall to retrieve the chocolate box. But when they
got to the table they discovered, to their horror, that it had gone. ‘What are we going to do?’ hissed Celia. ‘It could be anywhere!’
‘One of the servants must have removed it.’ Kitty sighed.
‘Do you think they’ve thrown it away?’
‘I don’t know. Oh dear! This is very inconvenient.’
‘Shall we go and ask someone?’
‘Come along, girls,’ said Beatrice, striding into the hall. ‘I bet you’re both hungry, or have you been eating your way through the greenhouses?’
‘No, Mama. We’re very hungry,’ said Celia.
Kitty reluctantly walked into the dining room with Celia and Cousin Beatrice, trying not to worry about the fate of the poor frog and her promise to Jack.
The adults sat down at one end of the table, presided over by Hubert whose place was always at the head, while his grandson Harry sat at the foot, surrounded by his young sisters and cousins.
Bored by female company, he talked across them to George about their plans for the afternoon. Kitty pushed her food around her plate. All she could think about was the frog. Victoria and Elspeth
kept looking at her and smiling, as if they knew something she didn’t. Then suddenly Kitty saw the box.
Adeline laughed. ‘I don’t think it’s poor Miss Grieve’s fault. I would imagine Miss Grieve has a hard time keeping track of this child’s whereabouts! How did you
manage to get so grubby while Celia remained so clean?’
‘I don’t know,’ Kitty replied, glancing at Celia in a silent plea not to tell.
‘You take after your grandfather,’ said Adeline. ‘He can never stay out of the mud either!’
Cousin Beatrice joined in with exuberance. ‘Celia turns into a savage the moment she sets foot in Castle Deverill. I’m surprised
her
dress is clean. Perhaps it’s in the
air, but every summer here in Ireland is a great adventure, isn’t it, Celia? An adventure we all look forward to with enormous anticipation.’
‘I suspect this year will be my last,’ interrupted Augusta grimly. Celia’s grandmother was a handsome woman with thick grey hair swept up onto the top of her head, large
drooping breasts contained behind reams of black lace and emeralds, and wide arthritic hips. She was tall and broad and dwarfed her husband who was diminutive in stature as well as build, with a
small face dominated by a sweeping white moustache. Her favourite subject was death and no one’s fascinated her more than her own. ‘I spent my whole life thinking of everyone else but
myself and here I am now with a lifetime of regrets and broken dreams. Oh to be young again,’ she sighed. ‘When I was a girl I thought old age would never arrive, but here I am, one
breath away from the grave.’ She didn’t notice Leona and Vivien rolling their eyes. ‘If you hear noises in the middle of the night, do not worry, it is only me, talking to
God.’
‘Nonsense, Augusta. You’ll outlive us all,’ said Adeline, who seemed to find extra reserves of patience when it came to Cousin Augusta.
‘I’ve told Stoke that I don’t want any fuss when the time comes. Just a little church service with close family and friends.’
‘I don’t think you’ll care, Augusta,’ said Adeline. ‘You’ll be far away.’
‘My dear Adeline.’ Augusta placed a hand on Adeline’s and squeezed it. ‘I trust
you
to make sure that Stoke doesn’t spend money unnecessarily. You know how
he is. I am a humble woman who does not need pomp and ceremony. I will leave the world quietly and peacefully as I have lived my life.’
At last lunch was announced and the family began to move from the drawing room. Elspeth and Victoria led the way into the hall, followed closely by Leona and Vivien. Stoke dutifully assisted his
wife as she heaved herself up, leaning heavily on the walking stick and less heavily on her frail husband. Kitty grabbed Celia and hurried into the hall to retrieve the chocolate box. But when they
got to the table they discovered, to their horror, that it had gone. ‘What are we going to do?’ hissed Celia. ‘It could be anywhere!’
‘One of the servants must have removed it.’ Kitty sighed.
‘Do you think they’ve thrown it away?’
‘I don’t know. Oh dear! This is very inconvenient.’
‘Shall we go and ask someone?’
‘Come along, girls,’ said Beatrice, striding into the hall. ‘I bet you’re both hungry, or have you been eating your way through the greenhouses?’
‘No, Mama. We’re very hungry,’ said Celia.
Kitty reluctantly walked into the dining room with Celia and Cousin Beatrice, trying not to worry about the fate of the poor frog and her promise to Jack.
The adults sat down at one end of the table, presided over by Hubert whose place was always at the head, while his grandson Harry sat at the foot, surrounded by his young sisters and cousins.
Bored by female company, he talked across them to George about their plans for the afternoon. Kitty pushed her food around her plate. All she could think about was the frog. Victoria and Elspeth
kept looking at her and smiling, as if they knew something she didn’t. Then suddenly Kitty saw the box.
Similar Books
