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Authors: Mary Burchell
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particularly if one were to go out to lunch in Claire’s company .
However, it was obvious that to her father she could not have looked more attractive. He gave her an affectionate little squeeze as they went out to the car, and he insisted that she share the wide front seat with him and Claire.
The proximity to Claire was a little embarrassing. But it was lovely to feel her father’s affection for her undiminished, particularly as he seemed completely unaware of any lack of sympathy between his young wife and his daughter.
Nice men are obtuse , thought Meg indulgently. But so long as she’s decent to him and makes him happy, I really don’t care how she feels about me.
Largely owing to Dr. Greenway’s pride in his two companions, the lunch was extremely pleasant and he saw to it that they got away again in good time. Evidently he did not intend this to be the last he saw of his daughter.
“What sort of hours are you working?” he wanted to know, as they headed for Newcastle once more. “Is this job of yours an unofficial one or a completely straightforward engagement?”
“In most ways, it could hardly be more unofficial,” Meg assured him with a laugh. “But I’m definitely in charge of Pearl, and to that extent, I suppose my hours are 24 out of 24.”
“But surely you can get away sometimes in the evening?” her father protested.
“Oh, I expect so. Her mother doesn’t seem to go out much in the evenings, at any rate, while she’s working so hard on this film. And then, of course, there’s the French maid, Cecile. If I did want to go out one evening—”
“ We’ll want to get together more than one evening, if possible,” Dr. Greenway declared. “Perhaps we might make a foursome of and include Leigh, eh Claire?”
Claire said that Leigh made his own social arrangements, to which her husband said, “Of course, of course. But families should get together sometimes.”
Neither of the girls questioned this sentiment, but neither of them expressed enthusiasm for its application in their own case.
But when they reached the hospital, telephone numbers were exchanged and there was a general agreement that they would meet again very soon. Inexpressibly happy to have found that the bond between herself and her father seemed to be as strong as ever, Meg bade them goodbye and went into the hospita l .
Something of her happiness must have lingered with her and given her eyes a special sparkle, for as soon as Pearl saw her she exclaimed,
“How pretty you look! Has something nice happened?”
“Yes, it has, as a matter of fact.” Meg laughed and kissed Pearl.
“Apart from my coming home, do you mean?”
“Are you coming home?”
“Yes, the nurse just came in to tell me so.”
“Oh, then everything is perfect!” Meg declared. “And my news is that my father came to see me today, and will be staying in this part of the country for a little while.”
“Did she come too?” inquired Pearl delicately.
“My stepmother, you mean? Yes, of course. They’re still on their honeymoon.”
“Oh. Is she any nicer?”
Immediately Meg found herself regretting those candid comments she had made when the little girl had first inquired about her circumstances.
“Yes, yes, certainly. Everything’s all right now,” Meg declared hastily.
“I’m so glad,” said Pearl. And then Leigh Sontigan arrived to collect them.
His greeting to Pearl contained just the right degree of casual affection, Meg had to admit to herself. Nothing in the least emotional about it, but there was no doubting his pleasure in seeing her.
“Well, Pearl of great price—” he ruffled her hair “—are you ready?”
“Yes. I can go whenever I like,” Pearl declared. “And ... isn’t it nice? ... Meg’s had a visit from her father, and she’s very happy about it, aren’t you, Meg? And even her horrid stepmother was kind.”
“You don’t say!” Leigh looked amused, while Meg found herself blushing
However, it was obvious that to her father she could not have looked more attractive. He gave her an affectionate little squeeze as they went out to the car, and he insisted that she share the wide front seat with him and Claire.
The proximity to Claire was a little embarrassing. But it was lovely to feel her father’s affection for her undiminished, particularly as he seemed completely unaware of any lack of sympathy between his young wife and his daughter.
Nice men are obtuse , thought Meg indulgently. But so long as she’s decent to him and makes him happy, I really don’t care how she feels about me.
Largely owing to Dr. Greenway’s pride in his two companions, the lunch was extremely pleasant and he saw to it that they got away again in good time. Evidently he did not intend this to be the last he saw of his daughter.
“What sort of hours are you working?” he wanted to know, as they headed for Newcastle once more. “Is this job of yours an unofficial one or a completely straightforward engagement?”
“In most ways, it could hardly be more unofficial,” Meg assured him with a laugh. “But I’m definitely in charge of Pearl, and to that extent, I suppose my hours are 24 out of 24.”
“But surely you can get away sometimes in the evening?” her father protested.
“Oh, I expect so. Her mother doesn’t seem to go out much in the evenings, at any rate, while she’s working so hard on this film. And then, of course, there’s the French maid, Cecile. If I did want to go out one evening—”
“ We’ll want to get together more than one evening, if possible,” Dr. Greenway declared. “Perhaps we might make a foursome of and include Leigh, eh Claire?”
Claire said that Leigh made his own social arrangements, to which her husband said, “Of course, of course. But families should get together sometimes.”
Neither of the girls questioned this sentiment, but neither of them expressed enthusiasm for its application in their own case.
But when they reached the hospital, telephone numbers were exchanged and there was a general agreement that they would meet again very soon. Inexpressibly happy to have found that the bond between herself and her father seemed to be as strong as ever, Meg bade them goodbye and went into the hospita l .
Something of her happiness must have lingered with her and given her eyes a special sparkle, for as soon as Pearl saw her she exclaimed,
“How pretty you look! Has something nice happened?”
“Yes, it has, as a matter of fact.” Meg laughed and kissed Pearl.
“Apart from my coming home, do you mean?”
“Are you coming home?”
“Yes, the nurse just came in to tell me so.”
“Oh, then everything is perfect!” Meg declared. “And my news is that my father came to see me today, and will be staying in this part of the country for a little while.”
“Did she come too?” inquired Pearl delicately.
“My stepmother, you mean? Yes, of course. They’re still on their honeymoon.”
“Oh. Is she any nicer?”
Immediately Meg found herself regretting those candid comments she had made when the little girl had first inquired about her circumstances.
“Yes, yes, certainly. Everything’s all right now,” Meg declared hastily.
“I’m so glad,” said Pearl. And then Leigh Sontigan arrived to collect them.
His greeting to Pearl contained just the right degree of casual affection, Meg had to admit to herself. Nothing in the least emotional about it, but there was no doubting his pleasure in seeing her.
“Well, Pearl of great price—” he ruffled her hair “—are you ready?”
“Yes. I can go whenever I like,” Pearl declared. “And ... isn’t it nice? ... Meg’s had a visit from her father, and she’s very happy about it, aren’t you, Meg? And even her horrid stepmother was kind.”
“You don’t say!” Leigh looked amused, while Meg found herself blushing
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