The Devil at Archangel by Sara Craven Read Free Book Online Page B

kill some strange winged
    creature lying at his feet. The young man himself also possessed
    wings, she saw, a splendid pair, tipped with gold.
    'That is our protector, mademoiselle —St Michael the Archangel, for
    whom the plantation is named.' Mrs Brandon's voice was cool and
    slightly amused.

    'I see,' Christina said quite untruthfully.
    Mrs Brandon smiled. 'I did tell you there was a story about it, did I
    not? It dates from the seventeenth century when the first family built
    a house here and began to grow sugar. It was all slave labour in those
    days, you understand. Well, one batch of new slaves brought disease
    with them. It spread over the island like wildfire—like the plague, it
    was. People were dying like flies. No remedy, -no precaution seemed
    able to check it. So, as a last resort you might say, the islanders turned
    to prayer and to St Michael—they were all of the Catholic faith in
    those days.'
    'And did it work?' Christina asked. 'And why St Michael anyway?'
    'Because when plague had ravaged Italy during the years of the Early
    Church, the Archangel was said to have appeared on a church in
    Rome sheathing his sword as a sign that the plague would end.' Mrs
    Brandon's tone was bored.
    'Did the same thing happen here?'
    'There was no apparition, but the plague vanished almost overnight.
    The islanders declared it was a miracle, and since that time the
    plantation has been called Archangel in honour of St Michael. It is a
    tradition we have maintained. The statue is very old. It was brought
    from France as a private thanksgiving by the family.' Mrs Brandon
    spoke as if she had learned her lines from a guide book of doubtful
    validity.
    They moved past the statue and up the stairs. Mrs Brandon halted
    when they reached the gallery. 'Show Mademoiselle to her room,
    Madame Christophe. I am going to rest. Tell Eulalie to bring me a
    tray of iced coffee in an hour's time.'

    Christina followed the housekeeper's erect figure along the gallery
    and through an archway. This led, she discovered, from the main part
    of the house to a wing running towards the rear. Two thirds of the
    way along the wide corridor, Madame Christophe halted before a pair
    of louvred double doors which she pushed open.
    Christina gazed almost unbelievingly at the room within. The walls
    and ceiling were a warm, vibrant honey colour, but the rest of the
    decor—carpet, silk curtains and hangings —were in cream. Her
    immediate impression was that it was all much too luxurious for a
    hired companion who might not even be going to stay.
    'Mademoiselle does not care for the ,room?' Madame Christophe had
    noticed her instinctive hesitation.
    'On the contrary.' Christina made a little helpless gesture. 'It's-the
    most beautiful room I ever saw in my life. But does Madame—I mean
    Mrs Brandon really intend it for me?'
    The housekeeper gave her a calm, rather reproving look. 'She leaves
    such details as the allocation of rooms to me,' she said with a faint
    shrug. 'But I can assure you she would approve my choice. Louis has
    brought up your cases. I will send Eulalie to unpack for you.'
    'Oh, no—thank you,' Christina said hastily. 'I'd really rather do that
    for myself. I—always have.'
    Madame Christophe gave her an enigmatic look, then turned to leave.
    'But circumstances change, can they not?1 she remarked over her
    shoulder. 'Perhaps Mademoiselle should also be prepared to change
    with them.'
    The door closed quietly behind her, leaving Christina in sole
    occupation of her new domain. Her clothes, she decided after a hasty
    inspection, would occupy about a fifth of the row of louvred

    wardrobes which occupied the length of one wall. Guests who usually
    stayed in this room probably brought with them an entire Paris
    collection rather than two small suitcases. A door in the corner
    revealed a small but well equipped bathroom tiled in jade green, and
    for the next half hour Christina revelled in the shower she had
    dreamed of, then,