Crooked Wreath by Christianna Brand Read Free Book Online Page A

a doctor, use your influence with your grandfather! Do tell him he shouldn’t spend the night at the lodge.”
    Philip, lying on the terrace, opened a cross and sleepy eye. “He knows that perfectly well; if I say it, it’ll only make him more obstinate. I think you’re very foolish to do it, Grandfather, but having placed my protest on record, I wash my hands of the whole caboosh.” He closed his eyes and apparently went fast asleep at once.
    Bella gave it up in despair but could not refrain, as she went on into the house, from a reiteration of her hopes that Richard at least wouldn’t bother with that horrid will tonight. “I don’t know why you should worry, Bella,” said Ellen, following her in. “If Sir Richard does alter his will, you’ll be the one to benefit; you’ll be sole owner of Swanswater and you can turn us all out bag and baggage just like that!”
    â€œYes, and I know which baggage I’ll begin with,” thought Bella angrily, for if Ellen hadn’t gone and told the family all about Philip on their way down in the car (as she had by now learned from Edward), this trouble need not have happened. She could never remain ill-tempered for long, however, and when Peta and Edward came out from the hall telephone, her attention was immediately distracted. “Good gracious, child–what on earth have you done to your nails?”
    Peta flapped pale finger-tips. “Taken off all the ox’s blood; don’t they look sort of feeble and peculiar?” She stood in her tight green bathing-dress, her wild rose skin touched to pink by her sunbathing. “Stephen said I was–was rude and silly to Grandfather, so I thought perhaps this would make up to him–Grandfather, I mean, of course.” She added, laughing, that perhaps if she sucked up to him enough he would reverse his decision after all and she would be an heiress again. “A fine thing if I’m left a pauper and Stephen’s still cross, and nobody’ll marry me.”
    â€œYou should be a bit balmy like me, darling, and then you would be indifferent to wills and things and could paint your nails all colours of the rainbow. Grandfather has to provide for me, whatever happens, and anyway, whatever I do, people just say I can’t help it. Come on,” said Edward, urging her forward with a flip on her tight green behind, “let’s go back to the sunshine while it lasts. Your bathing dress is still quite damp; ugh!”
    Philip and Claire were lying flat on their backs on the terrace, also in bathing-dresses, their hands behind their heads. Peta laid out an elaborate arrangement of manicure accessories, and put a coat of colourless varnish over her pallid nails. “I feel as if I were back on the wards; Matron has fits if your nails aren’t absolutely stark white! There, Grandpapa, aren’t I a polite and unsilly granddaughter? Now you can cancel the stupid old new will and I can be an heiress again.”
    A reconciliation with Peta was as exciting and dramatic as a new will any day. Sir Richard said, almost eagerly: “Peta, if you will apologize for your disgraceful behaviour …”
    Claire raised her head, poking it forward to watch them; if only, at this eleventh hour, Peta would say the right thing, would exercise one of those easy little charms of hers that went so deeply to the old man’s heart; if only this hateful, unkind, silly row might end! But Peta would not appear to curry favour over the heads of her cousins, and all for the sake of wealth. She stretched herself out on the terrace, closing her eyes against the glare of the sun. “Well, I am sorry I was rude and silly, because I’m slightly ashamed of it myself, actually; and please witness to Stephen, everybody, that I’ve made a speech to Grandfather; but I don’t want to be un-disinherited in the last. Bella can have Swanswater,” said Peta