A Pearl for Love by Mary Cummins Read Free Book Online Page A

pieces for mending ...’ He broke off abruptly, and she saw the dark look coming back over his face. It was some years now since his father had died. Perhaps he had been at a difficult age for a boy to lose someone he loved.
    Catherine felt her heart soften towards this dark man who, she felt now, was hiding some sort of unrest or unhappiness. She had fellow feeling for him, having felt the same empty loss herself. Perhaps Elizabeth could give him her love, but be unable to give him complete understanding over this. As yet she had been untouched by unhappiness of this sort, being a treasured member of a loving family.
    Catherine put her fingers light on his arm.
    ‘ You must miss him ,’ she said softly, and was unaware of her own beauty, her face soft with compassion. Michael stared at her, and in that moment Elizabeth and John walked in, followed by Uncle James and Lucille.
    The spell was broken, though for some reason Catherine felt oddly shaken and could only be aware of the magnetic quality of Michael ’ s eyes as they held hers.
    Then, as though douched with cold water, she became aware of Elizabeth and John both staring at her, and she felt chastened. Surely Elizabeth could not imagine that she had been trying to ... to catch Michael ’ s interest. Or John either.
    She sat back, confused, and was glad when the two older people started a new conversation, and she only need sit and listen. Elizabeth needn ’ t be jealous, she wanted to assure her. She could never attract Michael Rodgers while Elizabeth was around, and anyway, she wouldn ’ t dream of such a thing. She wasn ’ t the sort of girl to go round stealing other people ’ s boy-friends. Her heart had been given to Philip Neill.
    The memory of Philip was beginning to fade a little. She still loved him, but it was gradually becoming the love of memory. Though she was far from falling in love with anyone else, Catherine assured herself. And certainly not with Michael Rodgers.

 
    CHAPTER IV
    On Sunday the cold weather of early spring suddenly vanished, and Catherine woke to warm sunshine and a new surge of life in the loud chorussing of the birds, and the bleating of new lambs in distant fields.
    She threw open her bedroom window feeling some of the abundant youthful energy returning to her limbs, after the many weeks of lethargy following her accident.
    Today John was taking her to Housesteads, which had been a Roman fort, now being excavated. Catherine had a passion for old ruins of this kind, and liked to allow her imagination to run riot as she looked at ancient buildings, and thought about the sort of people who had built them, and lived in them so long ago.
    John had warned her to go warmly clad, in spite of the sunshine, against the winds which blew across the great open spaces. She chose a russet-coloured trouser suit and stout brogues, so that she could cope with any climbing which might have to be done. Then she combed up her long soft dark hair into a topknot, and pinned it securely.
    Excitement had brought colour to her cheeks, so that Mrs. Bannon smiled on her approvingly when she ran down into the large kitchen where a breakfast table was set in the window.
    ‘ You ’ re beginning to look a lot better, Miss Catherine. I hope you ’ ve brought down a decent appetite. If so, it ’ s more than can be said for Miss Elizabeth, who only wants a cup of coffee, and her thin enough already, goodness knows. ’
    Elizabeth looked up rather tiredly.
    ‘ Hello, Kate. Full of the joys of the morning, I see. ’
    Catherine coloured at the edge in the other girl ’ s voice.
    ‘ John ... John said he ’ d take me to Housesteads, ’ she said, stammering a little.
    ‘ Oh, I see. ’ Elizabeth pursed her lips, then she smiled a little. ‘ Enjoy yourselves, ’ she said, quite kindly.
    ‘ It should be nice, though ...’ Catherine looked round. ‘ I hope John hasn ’ t forgotten. Maybe he doesn ’ t really want to go today. ’
    ‘ Who could