Read Online Garth of Tregillis by Henrietta Reid - Free Book Online

Melinda’s a caution; there’s no denying it,’ he announced with an air of gloomy admiration. He jerked his head in Emile’s direction. ‘I’d say he don’t stand a chance,’ he said sotto voce.
    ‘Once Melinda gets a set on him she’ll make him wish he’d never set eyes on Tregillis.’
    Mrs. Kinnefer bridled. ‘Indeed, I’ll see that Mr. Garth hears of her behaviour, and when I want your opinion I’ll ask for it, Wilson.
    ‘Hoity-toity,’ Wilson grumbled as he began to climb the stairs, but he apparently took the housekeeper’s admonitions with good-natured indifference.
    Mrs. Kinnefer turned to me. ‘Mr. Paul will have lunch with you today as he’s here at Tregillis doing up the books. I think I’ll put you in the small dining room. There’s only yourself as Miss Eunice sticks to her own quarters, and it’s cosier anyway.’ Her manner held a faint air of defensiveness. To be put into the small dining-room was evidently in her eyes to be socially down-graded.
    But I had already caught a glimpse of the enormous main dining-room with its vast sideboard and heavy silver and was delighted when Mrs. Kinnefer later showed us into a small octagonal room. Its walls were lined with tiers of dainty miniatures : the clear translucent enamels of the paintings were extraordinarily attractive against the blue and white walls.
    We sat at a round Regency table and as the meal progressed I was pleasantly surprised to find that Melinda appeared docile and silent. It was as though she had forgotten the presence of the little boy who sat across from her placidly spooning his soup.
    It was when Paul, making polite desultory conversation, mentioned that they held a regatta every year locally that Melinda began to show her true colours.
    ‘Uncle Garth has lots of cups in his study,’ she announced proudly. ‘I wish he’d sail again and I’d crew for him this time.’
    Her eyes grew dreamy as her too vivid imagination got to work.
    ‘And we’d win lots of races and afterwards he’d thank me for my wonderful help. “But for you, Melinda, all would have been lost.”’
    She whispered the words as though she had forgotten our presence, but as Paul burst out laughing her eyes darkened ominously.
    ‘You are a weird kid, aren’t you?’ Paul said between peals of laughter.
    Melinda laid down her spoon with slow deliberation. ‘I’m not weird,’ she said tightly. ‘It’s you who are weird.’
    Paul glanced at me with amused eyes and said, ‘Well, that’s one thing I’ve never been accused of before, Judith. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m one of those transparent, easy-going people, whom everyone despises.’
    ‘You are weird too,’ Melinda repeated monotonously, as she saw herself ignored. ‘I’ve heard people talk,’ she added darkly.
    ‘And what do they say about me?’ Paul inquired, still with that air of amused tolerance.
    Melinda’s face grew peaked with malice. ‘They say,’ she announced slowly, ‘that you had the sloop out before Uncle Garth and Great-uncle Giles went sailing and that something happened to the boat when you had it. That’s why it capsized later.’
    I saw Paul’s face stiffen and now there was no amusement in his voice as he said distinctly, ‘What a horrible child you are, Melinda!
    Can you think of nothing except making trouble?’
    ‘I’m only repeating what I heard,’ Melinda said in an aggrieved voice. ‘People say they saw you take the sloop in against the rocks and it was probably then that the damage was caused. Everyone knows,’ she added, ‘that you’re no good with boats.’
    Paul seemed to have regained his equanimity. ‘True,’ he said.
    ‘At least they’ve got that right, but I’m sorry to disappoint you.
    The boat was in perfect condition when I returned.’
    Why was he bothering to make any explanations to the appalling child? I wondered. Why not ignore her? Could there possibly be some truth in the rumour? I remembered Cousin