The Passions of Bronwyn by Martina Martyn Page B

Catherine.  I think we’ll have to write down what to do in which room every day.’ 
    ‘Be quiet and eat,’ Mrs Davis told them, ‘you’ll have time to talk about everything tomorrow.’ 
    After they had finished eating, Wyn and Betty cleared the table and washed up. 
    ‘Take a warming pan up to your room and go to bed now,’ said Mrs Davis.  ‘Don’t worry about being down here early in the morning.  Have a bit of a rest.  I think there is going to be special tasks for you to do.’  When they got to their room it smelt less musty now but was still freezing cold. 
    ‘Quick, put the pan in the bed so it can warm it up a bit before we get in,’ instructed Betty.  They stripped their uniforms off and got into bed. 
    ‘Ooh it’s so cold,’ shivered Wyn. 
    ‘Come and snuggle up against me,’ said Betty.  Wyn snuggled up against Betty’s back and could feel the warmth starting to spread up her body. 
    ‘Oh that’s better,’ she said.  Suddenly Betty jumped, ‘get your cold feet off me,’ 
    ‘Sorry,’ mumbled Wyn who was already half asleep.  Betty smiled in affection and closed her own eyes.

CHAPTER TEN
     
    The next morning Mrs Brompton’s sister Abigail turned up to take Catherine home with her.  She was a very stout woman with hair tightly pulled back into a bun and a naturally stern expression but she smiled kindly at Catherine when she came down the stairs. 
    ‘Don’t look so worried’ she told her.  ‘You are not going to a prison.   We have a lot of parties planned.  I know you are supposed to still be in mourning, but your mother and I have decided that you are too young to worry about that and you should be having some fun.  You never know, you might meet a suitor.  Your cousins have plenty of eligible friends.’ She turned to William, ‘can you take Miss Catherine’s chests out to the carriage please,’ she asked.  She then turned to Catherine and told her to say goodbye to her mother. Catherine walked up to her mother and kissed her on the cheek but didn’t look at her.  Mrs Brompton put her hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at her, ‘don’t worry about anything, it’s going to be alright,’ she said, ‘just have some fun and try to forget everything that’s happened, it’s all in the past.’  Catherine gave a little sob and hugged her mother tightly.  ‘Go along now,’ Mrs Brompton said.  ‘I will come and see you soon.’ She followed them out of the house to wave goodbye.  When she came back in, she ran up the stairs sobbing.  Mrs Danvers followed her up shaking her head sadly.  Wyn, Betty, William and Ned walked slowly down to the kitchen.  ‘That was so sad,’ exclaimed Wyn, ‘I do feel sorry for Miss Catherine.’ 
    ‘And Mrs Brompton,’ Betty quickly added. 
    ‘Come on, we’ve got work to do,’ said Ned.
    While Ned went back down to the garage to see the new motor car, Wyn, Betty and William were told by Mr Carter that they were to go round the house looking for anything that may be of value to sell.  ‘Mrs Brompton needs all the money she can get hold of to pay off Mr Brompton’s gambling debts.  The sugar plantation isn’t doing too well and she doesn’t want to have to sell this house too.  Look absolutely everywhere, your jobs here may depend on it,’ he told them. ‘It will take you a few days but take your time, don’t miss anything.’
    Just then the bell from the drawing room rang. 
    ‘I’ll leave it in your hands,’ he told them as he left the room to answer the bell.
    ‘Let’s start in the attics and work down the house,’ suggested William.
    They went up the stairs to the attics.  Wyn and Betty’s bedroom was up there too.  ‘I don’t think we need to search in that room, Betty told him.  ‘There’s nothing of value in there.’  William looked at Wyn, ‘yes there is,’ he replied.  Wyn just blushed and didn’t reply. Either side of their room were the attic rooms.