The Cavendon Women by Barbara Taylor Bradford Read Free Book Online Page B

there.”
    Yes, she was clever, Lady Daphne, and Miles had been soothed because of her calmness and positive attitude.
    â€œAbout the Sunday luncheon,” Susie said, rousing Hanson from his reverie.
    He nodded, and replied at once. “Buffet style, as we decided, Cook. We always served the food that way when we had the summer cotillions. Lovely evenings they were. Well, not to digress. Lady Daphne’s menu is a good guideline for you, but you can add other dishes if you wish. Perhaps cold poached salmon, asparagus, and smoked salmon; dishes like that.”
    They went on talking for a few moments, and then finally Hanson left the kitchen, made his way to the wine cellar to select the champagne for tomorrow’s dinner. Definitely Dom P é rignon.

 
    Eight
    The light knocking made Diedre sit up straighter at the desk. She called, “Come in,” and looked at the door expectantly.
    It was Dulcie who appeared in the entrance to her bedroom, and for a second Diedre was astonished by her appearance. The girl bore a strong resemblance to Daphne when she was eighteen, was actually her spitting image. All blond and golden and blue-eyed … well, they all had blue eyes, of course. But here was the most gorgeous girl she had ever seen, except for her sister Daphne at the same age.
    Smiling hugely, Diedre got up and walked across the room toward her. When she came to a stop, she put her arms around Dulcie, and gave her a big bear hug, held her close for a moment, then stepped away.
    Dulcie was astonished by this gesture from her sister, who had scared the life out of her when she was a child.
    Diedre smiled at her once again, adding, “I haven’t seen you for almost two years, and you’ve become a true beauty, Dulcie. You look so much like Daphne when she was your age, it’s quite startling.”
    Even more taken aback, Dulcie could only nod. After a split second, she found her voice. Peering at her eldest sister, she said, “What happened to you, Diedre? You were always the mean sister, saying very nasty things to me. Unkind things. Have you been taking nice pills?”
    Diedre stared at her, and then began to laugh. “You seem to have taken a leaf out of Great-Aunt Gwendolyn’s book—”
    â€œNo, yours!” Dulcie shot back swiftly, cutting her off. “Definitely yours  … there’s nothing quite like learning at the knee of the master, is there?”
    â€œToo true,” Diedre replied, laughter still echoing in her voice. Years ago she would have taken umbrage at Dulcie’s attitude and comments. But not now. The death of her lover had changed her, given her a different approach to life. She was much kinder, and nicer. Intense grief had taught her a lot about people, and about herself. Death had softened her; loss had taught her compassion.
    Now Diedre said, “I must have been really mean to you when you were little. I was, wasn’t I?”
    â€œI’ll say!” Dulcie answered sharply, walking into the bedroom, and sitting down in a chair near the oriel window. “I couldn’t do right for doing wrong, as far as you were concerned. You were nasty, said some really rotten things. You called me a little madame, for one thing.”
    Diedre shook her head, shocked to hear this. “How terrible, so awful of me actually. I must have been going through some strange stage myself.”
    â€œI doubt it, because you were always like that. Truly mean. At least to me. But in a way, you toughened me up, and that’s served me well,” Dulcie replied in her normal blunt manner. “However, there was no reason for you to be so cruel. I was only five. Just a little girl,” she finished in a sharp tone.
    â€œI’m so very sorry, Dulcie,” Diedre said, her voice filled with sincerity as she sat down at her desk and looked across at her sister. “I can’t bear the thought I treated you badly. That I was