Read Online Voices in Summer by Rosamunde Pilcher - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rosamunde Pilcher
Ads: Link
Just because you're not going to be there doesn't mean I won't go on bringing her up. And Strick is devoted to her. With us, she'll have the best of everything. A good life.'
He said, ‘I thought that was what I was giving her.'
'Oh, Alec, you are. You have. And you can go on doing it. Whenever you want, she can come and see you. We've agreed on that. You can have her all to yourself. You'll love that. Agree to it. For all our sakes. Let her come with me. It's the very best you can do for her. I know it is. Make the sacrifice . . . for Gabriel's sake.'
He said, 'I know your mother's told you what's happened, what's going to happen. But I wanted to talk to you myself, so that if there was anything you were worried about . . .'
Even as he said this, he knew that it was ridiculous. Gabriel's world was falling apart, and he was speaking as though it were some small domestic difficulty that, in a matter of seconds, he could put straight for her.
‘I mean ... it has happened fairly suddenly. There hasn't been time to talk anything over, and you'll be leaving in a week. I didn't want you to go without thinking that I hadn't . . . made some effort to see you. I would like to have had more time to talk things over . . . with you. Were you hurt that we didn't discuss it with you?'
Gabriel shrugged. 'It wouldn't have made much difference.'
'Were you surprised when your mother told you about herself and Strickland?'
‘I knew she liked him. But she's liked lots of horsey people. I never thought she's want to go and live with him in America.'
'She's going to marry him.'
‘I know.'
They walked, together but apart, slowly around a deserted games field. It was a horrible day, English winter weather at its worst. Cold, still, raw, misty. No breeze stirred the empty trees, and only the cawing of the rooks broke the foggy silence. In the distance stood the school buildings. Once they had been an elegant country house, with wings and stables, but these had been converted into gymnasiums and classrooms. Indoors, lessons were in progress, but Gabriel had been allowed to miss a biology lesson in order to speak to her father. Later, no doubt a bell would ring, and the place would erupt with girls dressed for hockey or netball, bundled into sweaters and striped scarves, running and calling to one another and complaining of the cold. Now, except for a few lighted windows that shone through the murk, the place looked deserted, stripped of life.
'It could be an adventure, going to America.' 'That's what Mummy says.'
'At least you won't have to play games in weather like this. It makes a difference if you can play games in the sunshine. You might even become a tennis champion.'
Gabriel, with her head drooping and her hands deep in the pocket of her coat, kicked at a stick. So much for tennis. Alec was chilled, disorientated by her lack of response, because it was so out of character. He liked to think that he had always been able to talk to her. But now he was not so sure.
He said, T wouldn't have had this happen for anything in the world. You must realize that. But there's nothing I can do to keep your mother with me. You know what she's like once she's made up her mind about something. Wild horses couldn't make her change tracks.'
She said, ‘I never never even thought about you and Mummy divorcing.'
'I'm afraid it happens to a lot of children. You must have a lot of friends with divorced parents.'
'But this is me.'
Once more, he was lost for words. In silence they paced on, around the corner of the field, passing a pole with a sodden red flag.
He said, 'Whatever happens, you know, you're still my daughter. I shall pay your school fees and give you an allowance. You won't have to ask Strickland for anything. You won't ever have to be beholden to him. You . . . like him, don't you? You don't dislike him?'
'He's all right.'
'Your mother says he's very fond of you.'
'He's so young. He's much younger than Mummy.'
Alec took a deep
He said, ‘I thought that was what I was giving her.'
'Oh, Alec, you are. You have. And you can go on doing it. Whenever you want, she can come and see you. We've agreed on that. You can have her all to yourself. You'll love that. Agree to it. For all our sakes. Let her come with me. It's the very best you can do for her. I know it is. Make the sacrifice . . . for Gabriel's sake.'
He said, 'I know your mother's told you what's happened, what's going to happen. But I wanted to talk to you myself, so that if there was anything you were worried about . . .'
Even as he said this, he knew that it was ridiculous. Gabriel's world was falling apart, and he was speaking as though it were some small domestic difficulty that, in a matter of seconds, he could put straight for her.
‘I mean ... it has happened fairly suddenly. There hasn't been time to talk anything over, and you'll be leaving in a week. I didn't want you to go without thinking that I hadn't . . . made some effort to see you. I would like to have had more time to talk things over . . . with you. Were you hurt that we didn't discuss it with you?'
Gabriel shrugged. 'It wouldn't have made much difference.'
'Were you surprised when your mother told you about herself and Strickland?'
‘I knew she liked him. But she's liked lots of horsey people. I never thought she's want to go and live with him in America.'
'She's going to marry him.'
‘I know.'
They walked, together but apart, slowly around a deserted games field. It was a horrible day, English winter weather at its worst. Cold, still, raw, misty. No breeze stirred the empty trees, and only the cawing of the rooks broke the foggy silence. In the distance stood the school buildings. Once they had been an elegant country house, with wings and stables, but these had been converted into gymnasiums and classrooms. Indoors, lessons were in progress, but Gabriel had been allowed to miss a biology lesson in order to speak to her father. Later, no doubt a bell would ring, and the place would erupt with girls dressed for hockey or netball, bundled into sweaters and striped scarves, running and calling to one another and complaining of the cold. Now, except for a few lighted windows that shone through the murk, the place looked deserted, stripped of life.
'It could be an adventure, going to America.' 'That's what Mummy says.'
'At least you won't have to play games in weather like this. It makes a difference if you can play games in the sunshine. You might even become a tennis champion.'
Gabriel, with her head drooping and her hands deep in the pocket of her coat, kicked at a stick. So much for tennis. Alec was chilled, disorientated by her lack of response, because it was so out of character. He liked to think that he had always been able to talk to her. But now he was not so sure.
He said, T wouldn't have had this happen for anything in the world. You must realize that. But there's nothing I can do to keep your mother with me. You know what she's like once she's made up her mind about something. Wild horses couldn't make her change tracks.'
She said, ‘I never never even thought about you and Mummy divorcing.'
'I'm afraid it happens to a lot of children. You must have a lot of friends with divorced parents.'
'But this is me.'
Once more, he was lost for words. In silence they paced on, around the corner of the field, passing a pole with a sodden red flag.
He said, 'Whatever happens, you know, you're still my daughter. I shall pay your school fees and give you an allowance. You won't have to ask Strickland for anything. You won't ever have to be beholden to him. You . . . like him, don't you? You don't dislike him?'
'He's all right.'
'Your mother says he's very fond of you.'
'He's so young. He's much younger than Mummy.'
Alec took a deep
Similar Books
