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Authors: Victoria Holt
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“Heart of Oak’.
I spent a restless night turning over in my mind what I should say if Joel asked me to marry him. The brooch was perhaps a symbol of his intentions which I was sure were honourable with a man like Joel they could not be anything else. I seemed to hear my mother’s voice urging me not to hesitate. That would be foolish. I imagined that she was with me and that we discussed the matter together.
“I don’t love him as one should love a man one marries.” I could see her lips purse as I had seen them so often when she expressed contempt for a point of view.
“You don’t know anything about love, my child. That’ll come.
He’s a good man. He can give you all I ever wanted for you. Comfort, security and enough love to do for the two of you . for a start.
You couldn’t help but grow to love a man like that. I see your little ones playing there on those lawns near the sun-dial where you first really got to know each other. Oh, the joy of little ones. I only had one, but after your father died she was all the world to me. “
“Dearest of mothers, are you right? You often were but do you know what is best for me?”
I could never have told her of my feelings when the Comte had seized and kissed me. There had been a kind of stirring within me, something rather terrifying and yet irresistible. It had brought with it a realization that there was something I did not understand but which I must before I entered into marriage. The Comte had made me realize that Joel could not have that effect on me. That was all.
I could hear my mother’s gentle laugh.
“The Comte! A notorious philanderer. A most unpleasant and uncomfortable mani The fact that he behaved as he did shows him to be wicked. And his wife sleeping in the next room! Think of good kind Joel who would never do anything dishonourable and could give you all that I ever wanted for you.” All I ever wanted for you. Those words kept echoing in my mind.
in
It was on the following day that the drama started. It began by Sir John’s riding over to the schoolhouse.
“Miss Maddox,” he cried, and his distracted looks amazed me, ‘is she here? Is Margot here? “
“Margot!” I answered.
“No. I haven’t seen her for several days.”
“Oh my God, what can have become of her?”
I stared at him blankly and he went on: “She has not been seen since last night. Her bed has not been slept in. She told the girls that she was going to bed early on account of a headache. That was the last time she was seen. Have you any idea where she can have gone?”
I shook my head and tried to recall my last conversation with Margot.
There was nothing to suggest she contemplated flight.
When Sir John went back to the Manor I was very uneasy. I kept telling myself that it was a prank of hers. She would turn up and laugh at us.
For some time, though, there had been a certain secrecy about Margot.
I should have taken more notice but I had been so absorbed in my own affairs.
I could not settle to anything and in the early afternoon I could not resist going over to the Manor to see if there was any news. I waited in the hall and when Maria and Sybil came down to me their faces were taut with excitement, yet I felt they were revelling in the disturbance.
“I believe she has gone off with someone,” said Maria.
“Gone off with someone. With whom?”
That is what we have to find out. Joel is most upset. ” Maria was looking at me. of course there was to be a match between them.”
“She can’t have gone off,” said Sybil.
“There is no one for her to have gone off with. Besides she knew she was going to marry Joel as soon as she was old enough. That was why the were so anxious for her to learn English and like it here ” Have you questioned the servants? ” I asked.
“Everyone has been questioned,” replied Maria, ‘but the don’t know anything. Papa is frantic. So is Mama. He says h will have to send a message to the Comte and Comtesse
I spent a restless night turning over in my mind what I should say if Joel asked me to marry him. The brooch was perhaps a symbol of his intentions which I was sure were honourable with a man like Joel they could not be anything else. I seemed to hear my mother’s voice urging me not to hesitate. That would be foolish. I imagined that she was with me and that we discussed the matter together.
“I don’t love him as one should love a man one marries.” I could see her lips purse as I had seen them so often when she expressed contempt for a point of view.
“You don’t know anything about love, my child. That’ll come.
He’s a good man. He can give you all I ever wanted for you. Comfort, security and enough love to do for the two of you . for a start.
You couldn’t help but grow to love a man like that. I see your little ones playing there on those lawns near the sun-dial where you first really got to know each other. Oh, the joy of little ones. I only had one, but after your father died she was all the world to me. “
“Dearest of mothers, are you right? You often were but do you know what is best for me?”
I could never have told her of my feelings when the Comte had seized and kissed me. There had been a kind of stirring within me, something rather terrifying and yet irresistible. It had brought with it a realization that there was something I did not understand but which I must before I entered into marriage. The Comte had made me realize that Joel could not have that effect on me. That was all.
I could hear my mother’s gentle laugh.
“The Comte! A notorious philanderer. A most unpleasant and uncomfortable mani The fact that he behaved as he did shows him to be wicked. And his wife sleeping in the next room! Think of good kind Joel who would never do anything dishonourable and could give you all that I ever wanted for you.” All I ever wanted for you. Those words kept echoing in my mind.
in
It was on the following day that the drama started. It began by Sir John’s riding over to the schoolhouse.
“Miss Maddox,” he cried, and his distracted looks amazed me, ‘is she here? Is Margot here? “
“Margot!” I answered.
“No. I haven’t seen her for several days.”
“Oh my God, what can have become of her?”
I stared at him blankly and he went on: “She has not been seen since last night. Her bed has not been slept in. She told the girls that she was going to bed early on account of a headache. That was the last time she was seen. Have you any idea where she can have gone?”
I shook my head and tried to recall my last conversation with Margot.
There was nothing to suggest she contemplated flight.
When Sir John went back to the Manor I was very uneasy. I kept telling myself that it was a prank of hers. She would turn up and laugh at us.
For some time, though, there had been a certain secrecy about Margot.
I should have taken more notice but I had been so absorbed in my own affairs.
I could not settle to anything and in the early afternoon I could not resist going over to the Manor to see if there was any news. I waited in the hall and when Maria and Sybil came down to me their faces were taut with excitement, yet I felt they were revelling in the disturbance.
“I believe she has gone off with someone,” said Maria.
“Gone off with someone. With whom?”
That is what we have to find out. Joel is most upset. ” Maria was looking at me. of course there was to be a match between them.”
“She can’t have gone off,” said Sybil.
“There is no one for her to have gone off with. Besides she knew she was going to marry Joel as soon as she was old enough. That was why the were so anxious for her to learn English and like it here ” Have you questioned the servants? ” I asked.
“Everyone has been questioned,” replied Maria, ‘but the don’t know anything. Papa is frantic. So is Mama. He says h will have to send a message to the Comte and Comtesse
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