Read Online The Courtyard by Marcia Willett - Free Book Online

the grounds of charity. It was quite simple. Nell had decided to go down to the cottage for a week or so. On her way to Porlock Weir she would drop Gussie at Nethercombe and collect her on the return trip. When Nell suggested it, Gussie felt her heart give a little throb of hope.
    â€˜But are you sure that you’ll want to be going then?’ she asked. ‘Henry knows that I love to go when all the rhododendrons are in flower. But isn’t that rather early for your summer holiday?’
    â€˜Oh, I like to do a trip to the cottage about then,’ said Nell, stirring her tea and avoiding Gussie’s penetrating gaze. ‘There’s hardly anybody about and I enjoy having the place to myself. I can be totally selfish and do as I please. We’ll all have a proper holiday together later on, of course. And you’ll be company for me on the journeys to and fro.’
    â€˜But surely you don’t go that far down?’ Gussie looked anxious. ‘Nethercombe is beyond Ashburton. Don’t you turn off near Tiverton?’
    â€˜It’s hardly any distance,’ said Nell firmly. ‘And I’d love to see
Nethercombe after all you’ve told me about it. And I’d like to meet Henry. And Gillian, of course. Unless you’d rather I didn’t?’
    â€˜Of course I should love to show you Nethercombe,’ said Gussie, distressed that her protests may have been misunderstood and swallowing the bait whole as Nell intended. ‘And Henry would be delighted to meet you. You know it’s not that, my dear.’
    â€˜That’s splendid, then,’ said Nell, before Gussie could reiterate her anxieties. ‘We’ll make an early start. And I can pick you up again on my way back.’
    Gussie was overjoyed: to be taking a friend to Nethercombe, to show Nell the dear old place and introduce her to Henry. She could hardly believe it. She had been schooling herself to overcome the disappointment of refusing, willing herself to write the letter that put an end to all her hopes, and Nell’s offer, coming suddenly out of the blue, had the same effect as sunshine after rain. The whole world looked different: shining with possibilities, sparkling with joyous prospects. Even Henry rose to the occasion and wrote to Gussie inviting Nell to lunch if she could stay. It was the icing on the cake.
    â€˜And You know that it’s not really pride, Lord,’ Gussie said as she packed her case. ‘Not really. It’s simply that it makes me feel as though I still belong. That I have a tiny share in Nethercombe and that I can make Nell welcome there as though it were my own home. How good You are, Lord. Just when I thought that my visits to Nethercombe were over. How blessed I am. I think I’ll put the paisley in, just in case …’
    Gillian was on the terrace when they arrived. She strolled towards them, smartly casual in expensive cords and a cashmere jersey and obviously curious to see Nell. Her eyes narrowed a little as Nell emerged from the driving seat and Gussie watched with satisfaction as Gillian took in Nell’s striking beauty.
    â€˜Hello.’ Nell took Gillian’s outstretched hand. ‘You must be Gillian.’
    â€˜Must I?’ Gillian smiled blindingly and turned as Henry came hurrying out of the house. ‘Look what Gussie’s brought us, Henry,’ she said.
    â€˜I told you she was beautiful,’ said Gussie, smiling a little at Henry’s reaction.
    â€˜So you did,’ said Gillian, taking Henry’s arm. ‘Over and over again.’
    Henry released Nell’s hand reluctantly. Her beauty overwhelmed him.
    â€˜You see what I mean, Henry? About Sibylla Palmifera?’
    â€˜Please, Gussie!’ cried Nell involuntarily. She blushed painfully and smiled quickly at Henry. ‘What a lovely place this is. The rhododendrons are magnificent. I quite see what Gussie means.’
    â€˜Well, of course,