Wild Lily by K M Peyton Read Free Book Online Page B

staircase led out of it to a gallery above, punctuated by closed doors. If ever the place had received a woman’s touch, Lockwood Hall had long forgotten it. Lily dreaded to think what she was going to find in Helena’s apartments.
    Antony came, unapologetic. ‘Good, let’s go visiting then. Hey, you look smart. Waste of time, Helena can’t see you.’
    ‘It’s to impress the harridans.’
    ‘Oh, they’ll be as nice as ninepence, don’t worry. They won’t show their harridan side to you. They’ll be all charm – until we suggest we take Helena for a row on the lake. Then it’s shock, horror, hands off! How dare you suggest such a thing! You’ll see. This way.’ He indicated the staircase and bounded up.
    Lily hurried after him. Then she lost track of the rooms they passed through, more passages, some with high windows looking over the parkland, another staircase, up, down, until there was a pair of double doors facing themin what Lily reckoned must be the very far end of the house.
    Antony knocked loudly.
    The door opened and a mousy-looking middle-aged woman peered out. ‘Oh, you’ve come, Mr Antony. We thought you wouldn’t.’
    ‘I told you. I’ve brought a visitor. This is Lily. She lives on the estate.’
    ‘Pleased to meet you, miss. Come in.’
    Amazingly, Helena’s quarters were as inviting and beautiful as the rest of the house was hideous. High windows gave on to the lake and filled the room with sunshine. Comfortable armchairs were smothered with colourful cushions and beautifully embroidered antimacassars and a gorgeous Persian carpet patterned the floor in rich reds and pink and purple. Matching curtains fell in swags beside the windows and lots of bright paintings hung on the white walls – yellow sunflowers, landscapes of hot, wild places, and one of boats pulled on a beach beside an impossibly turquoise sea. As well as the sunshine the room was warmed by a bright fire and a small table was laid with scones and cream and a coffee pot gave off a lovely aroma.
    Lily was so enraptured by the sight – even Simon’s mother had not risen to such heights in her beautiful home – that she quite forgot what she had come for and just stood there with her mouth open. Why ever was the rest of the house so bleak when someone had made this paradise?
    ‘My mother did it all,’ Antony said, although she hadn’t asked. ‘Bought the pictures and everything, Van Gogh and all.“Just because Helena can’t see them,” she said, “she can be surrounded by beauty just the same.” Bit daft really. Pity she didn’t do the same for her old man. And me.’
    Lily had never guessed that Antony’s mother had been anything but a disappointed invalid, keening over her poor daughter, but she now took on a completely different guise with her eye for beauty and elegance. Oh, why had she died! Just like her own mother. But mothers were needed …
    ‘Here’s Helena.’
    Helena was another embellishment to this beautiful room, outdoing all else. No wonder the Eton boys thirsted after invitations, having set eyes on her. She was as fair as Antony was dark, with corn-gold hair loose in thick curls over her shoulders, a porcelain, creamy complexion, and full curving lips. Her cornflower blue eyes gave no hint of their uselessness. She was slender, tall and full of grace, and she smiled as she was guided towards Lily by the other harridan, who was a carbon copy of her sister.
    Antony stepped forward and hugged her and kissed her and laughed and ran her hands over his face. He kissed her fingers one by one and Helena laughed again. He laid his cheek on hers, both sides, and caressed her hair.
    Watching them, Lily was filled by an overwhelming awareness of her love for Antony, as if it were her face he was kissing, her hair he was running his fingers through, his cheek against hers. Why was she so stupid, so hopeless? It wasn’t as if he was terribly nice, after all, the maverick Sylvester whom nobody could quite