On wings of song by Mary Burchell Read Free Book Online

loved him. His hopes were her hopes; his ambitions, her ambitions. When she looked into the future Jeremy was always there. He had been part of her life—the most important part of it—for as long as she could remember. A future without him' was simply imthinkable.
    That being so, she felt presumptuous—even oddly embarrassed—at the recollection of Warrender's complimentary words about herself. As though she were more interesting vocally than Jeremy! It just wouldn't do.
    *I can't tell Jeremy what Sir Oscar said,' she decided. *I can't tell anyone —except perhaps Miss Curtis.'
    And as she thought about Miss Curtis and all that she owed to her, Caroline made one cast-iron resolution. She would pay her much more generously for her lessons in future—out of the

    unexpectedly lavish reward which Anthea had given her for the return of the famous ring.
    This inevitably provoked some argument with Aunt Hilda, who was always interested in matters of finance. She had evidently been thinking over the question of the reward and, on Caroline's return that evening, she asked outright if she had yet received it and how much it was.
    Rather reluctantly Caroline told her.
    'Well, that was very generous, I must say!' was the approving comment. 'What are you going to do with all that money? It's a very pleasant sort of subject for speculation, isn't it?'
    Caroline said that it was.
    'There'll be a nice present for you and for Jeremy, of course—^and myself,' said Caroline, with an air of giving the matter great thought. 'Then I'll bank the rest and set some aside for my lessons with Miss Curtis. I've always felt that I don't pay her enough.'
    'Miss Curtis? Why, Caroline, what an odd idea!' exclaimed Aunt Hilda. 'There's nothing very serious about those lessons. It isn't as though they were real professional lessons, like Jeremy's. She's just a nice elderly lady making a little bit extra while pleasing you. But don't get exaggerated ideas about yourself, dear, just because we really do happen to have a professional singer in the family. And don't start throwing your money about just because Lady Warrender was generous.'
    Sorely tempted to blurt out what Sir Oscar had said about herself, Caroline held her breath and silently counted ten. And fortimately at that moment Jeremy came in—in high good himiour.

    *You won't believe it!' He kissed his mother— and Caroline too, which was rather unusual and indicated that he was feeling specially happy and expansive. 'But this seems to be our week for hobnobbing with the great, Carrie. You've heard of the French singer Lucille Duparc, I suppose?'
    *Of course. We represent her.'
    'Well, I met her today.'
    'You met her?—Where?'
    'At the French Cultural Institute. There was a midday reception for her, and some of us from the College were invited. So I went along, and got talking with her—she's charmingly easy to talk to, not a bit inclined to give herself airs—and I found myself telling her about the Warrender audition. She seemed genuinely interested, and when I told her I sang Faust's aria from the Garden Scene for him, she laughed—she has an enchanting laugh—and said maybe one day she'd sing Marguerite to my Faust. I'm going to her recital on Thursday.'
    'You are? But I doubt if you'll get a ticket now,' Caroline told him regretfully. 'I myself '
    'Oh, that's all right. She gave me a ticket—on the spot,' Jeremy said casually. 'And she said I was to come round and see her afterwards. Of course there'll be dozens of people milling
    around, but—I don't know ' he smiled
    reminiscently'—I think she'll remember me all right. We got on well, somehow. We laughed a lot. Did I tell you she has a lovely laugh?'
    'Yes, you did,' said Caroline, and felt imac-countably depressed.
    She had been right to decide not to mention

    anything Sir Oscar had said about her inconsiderable self. Perhaps even Miss Curtis would take it all casually, when it came to the point.
    Miss Curtis, however,