Kingdom Lost by Patricia Wentworth Read Free Book Online

annoyance.
    â€œAustin—”
    â€œWell?”
    The natural Valentine emerged.
    â€œWhy—because of my new clothes, and my hair, and everything. Don’t I look lovely?”
    Mr. Muir opened his mouth to speak.
    â€œAustin, if you’re going to say anything horrid—”
    â€œWhy should I be going to say anything horrid?”
    She edged a little nearer still.
    â€œYou might have been going to say that I mustn’t talk about my clothes. Edward always said that a lady didn’t, and that it didn’t matter what she wore, because she would still be a lady. But I don’t think I want to be a lady if I can’t talk about my clothes. So it’s no good saying things like ‘It isn’t done,’ because I’m going to do it.” She dropped her voice to a thrilling whisper. “Austin—I’ve had my hair cut off! Austin, I’ve had it shingled ! Austin—do you like it? Austin —it’s cut quite short at the back like yours.”
    â€œWhat a pity!”
    â€œNo, it isn’t.” A new sort of sparkle came into her eyes. “It’s what’s done. That ought to please you. Doesn’t it?”
    â€œNot specially.”
    â€œAustin, do say you like it!”
    â€œI can’t see it.”
    To his horror, she pulled off her hat, bobbed the shorn head at him, and said,
    â€œYou can see it now. Do you like it?”
    All the other people on the verandah were looking at them.
    â€œI say, put your hat on again!”
    â€œI want to know if you like it—and my dress. Barclay thinks I look lovely—he said so.”
    Austin’s frown deepened.
    â€œYou’d better take care not to believe everything Barclay says.”
    Barclay, very comfortable in a long chair, looked at them benevolently. He was not near enough to hear what they said, but he had caught his name.
    â€œWhich of my ears has got to burn?” he asked.
    Valentine had not put on her hat again; it lay on her lap. She nodded across it at Austin.
    â€œHe heard what you said.”
    â€œHe didn’t.”
    â€œI think you’re horrid to Barclay. I love him.”
    Mr. Muir scowled.
    â€œYou’d better tell him so.”
    â€œI shall when I want to,” replied Miss Ryven.

CHAPTER VI
    Barclay received an answer to his cable before they left Honolulu. It was of an economical length and ran as follows:
    â€œ Waterson family solicitor will meet on arrival Ryven .”
    Valentine looked at the words with a troubled expression.
    â€œWho is it from?”
    â€œWell, I cabled to Mrs. Ryven.”
    â€œShe doesn’t say she is glad.”
    â€œWell, my dear—”
    â€œWhy doesn’t she?”
    â€œDid you expect her to be glad?” said Austin Muir.
    Barclay turned on him.
    â€œLook here, Austin, you’re not on in this scene—see?” He tapped the paper. “Cables are very expensive things. I’ve known a man sit up half the night to boil a forty-word telegram down to twelve. People don’t say things like ‘I’m glad to see you’ in a cable, my dear, unless they’re just chucking money away.”
    Austin attacked Barclay on the subject afterwards.
    â€œWhat’s the good of letting her think Mrs. Ryven’s going to be pleased to see her?”
    â€œWell—I don’t know,” said Barclay. “Seems to me she’ll find out soon enough.”
    â€œShe ought to be told.”
    â€œWhat are you going to tell her? You don’t know anything—you’ve nothing to go on. My view is that there’s no sense in looking for trouble.”
    After they had left Honolulu behind them Valentine developed a violent thirst for information. There were a good many novels on board. She read them through and used them as the basis for innumerable questions, some of which Barclay found embarrassing. He dropped one book into the sea, much to Valentine’s