Read Online The Rouseabout Girl by Gloria Bevan - Free Book Online Page A

her feet she felt the softness of sheepskin rugs as she moved to the bed with its white cover, where Sandy had tossed down her travel bag.
    ‘Bathroom’s next door,’ he told her cheerfully, ‘with a toilet and shower, so you’ll be quite self-contained. A word of warning, though —’ She caught the teasing note in his voice.
    ‘Goodness, what is it?’
    ‘Part of Edna’s decor arrangements. You’ll find out soon enough. Just don't let it influence you too much while you’re here! Edna’s got a one-track mind when it comes to decorations.’
    Lanie said, puzzled, ‘I don’t see —’
    He chuckled. ‘You will, come daylight. I’ll put a candle in the bathroom and call back for you in ten minutes to see you to the house. How does that suit you?’
    ‘But it’s only a step —’
    ‘It’s flaming dark for a newcomer! Pick you up soon!’ His genial tones drifted back to her as he turned away.
    ‘Sandy!’ She hurried after him. ‘Wait—there’s something I want to ask you about — ’
    ‘Not to worry, lass, we’ll sort it out later!’ She heard the closing of the door, then he had van i shed into the night.
    Left alone, Lanie stood locking around her. The candlelight threw fitful shadows over the big room with its old-fashioned dressing table and bed and huge wardrobe standing in a corner of the room. When the power came on again she would really be able to take in her surroundings. Meantime she was intrigued by Sandy’s reference to a special feature of the room. It all appeared to be perfectly ordinary to her. Picking up the candlestick, she raised it high, then her lips quirked in amusement. For all around the walls were hung framed photographs of brides and wedding groups in styles and fashions that varied from many years previously up to the present day. Had Edna brought up a large family, she wondered, arid all of the marrying kind? Suddenly she remembered Sandy’s promise to call back for her. Golly, she would need to hurry!
    The bathroom next door she found to be unexpectedly attractive with its marbled green shower, bath and basin a nd cream sheepskin rugs on the polished timber of the floors . She had a quick wash and ran a comb through her hair. Flame- coloured tendrils escaped from her topknot, but she couldn’t be worried about the matter right now. Back in the bedroom she unzipped her travel bag. It was the work of only a few minutes to pull over her head a dark cotton knit top and to tie around her slim waist a wrap-around peasant skirt in soft amber tonings. At least, she mused, the change of garments had made her feel fresher, and anyway, who in the house would care about her appearance tonight, except maybe Sandy.
    Paula cares. The thought came unbidden and she brushed it aside. To the other girl she was a nobody, scarcely worth a second glance. Well, that suited her. She had enough problems on her mind at the moment without worrying about Paula.
    When Sandy escorted her back to the spacious dining room a little while later, Lanie realised that the gleaming polished wood of the long table at the end of the room was set with silver cutlery and firelight struck shafts of light in cut crystal goblets. For a makeshift meal, she mused, Paula appeared to have gone to a lot of trouble. All at once she became aware of a big man who appeared to be in his early forties who had risen from a deep chair to greet her. ‘Lanie,’ Sandy was saying, ‘meet Mike, he’s our head shepherd.’
    She smiled up at the shy, pleasant face of the stranger, then immediately her glance slid away to Jard. She couldn’t seem to help it. He was standing at the cocktail cabinet mixing drinks, his thatch of thick corn - coloured hair falling over a sun-bronzed forehead.
    ‘For you, Paula. You deserve this for all your trouble tonight.’ With a dazzling smile Paula accepted the glass he handed to her.
    ‘What’ll you have—Lanie?’ She caught the cool note in his tone, the way he said her name as if it