A Castle of Dreams Read Online Free PDF

the yacht’s grandiose Saloon well away from the strong wind and rough sea outside.
    â€œHe will continue to manage the businesses over in America and there is no need for us to meet again unless he comes to England.
    â€œOnce we land, we can set about our own plans for the future. Buy a house – pay back Cousin Edith in some way – oh, and we will now be able to take care of Nanny as well!”
    â€œWhich part of the country shall we live in?” asked Viola dreamily.
    David shrugged.
    â€œI shall leave that decision to you, Sis.  Once I am well and strong again, I intend to roam all over the world.  I shall take my sketchbook and journey to all the odd and exciting places that I have heard so much about and never thought I would ever see.”
    Viola smiled at him.
    In some ways he was so like their father.  He always wanted to see and do something new, although luckily he had no taste for the business world or gambling.
    â€œI shall buy a house in London and another one in the country,” Viola decided emphatically.  “You shall come and go as you wish and I will frame all your sketches and hang them everywhere for people to admire.”
    She stood up just as the boat gave a great heave and corkscrewed around before crashing down into the water again.
    Viola was flung up against the wall and managed to catch hold of the curtains that hung at the porthole.
    â€œGood Heavens, David!  I can see land!”
    â€œWhat?  You can’t possibly, Sis.  We are nowhere near land – ”
    Viola craned her head to see through the foam and spray crashing against the glass.
    â€œBut I can!  There are dark hills and a flashing light.  Oh, David, look!  There are rocks!  I can see them clearly.”
    Her brother struggled to his feet, pushing her coat to the floor and joined her at the porthole.
    â€œMy word!  You are so right.  Something has gone badly wrong, Viola that is definitely not the coastline near Liverpool!  This storm must have blown us miles off our course.”
    Suddenly the ship’s siren started to sound wildly and then there was the sound of shouting and many feet running.
    Above the shriek of the wind a loud crash sounded and the boat seemed to quiver all over.
    An ear-splitting grating noise shattered through the storm as the ship tilted violently to one side.
    â€œWe’ve hit the rocks!” groaned David.  “Quickly, Viola.  We must get to the lifeboat.”
    They forced their way out onto the deck where the crew were shouting, the Captain bellowing orders and all was noise and chaos.
    Mrs. Van Ashton appeared in disarray, clinging to her husband’s arm and moaning.
    Her little maid scurried along behind her, clutching a vast jewellery box in her arms.
    Viola had a sudden fleeting thought that thousands of pounds worth of diamonds were about to be lost in the icy waters that pounded against the sides of the ship.
    Captain Howard made his way gingerly along the tilting deck.
    â€œMy Lord, Lady Viola, I am sorry to say we have hit some vicious rocks and the ship’s hull has been holed in several places!  Luckily people ashore have seen us.  They have signalled to us by lantern.
    â€œWe are taking on water, but slowly.  I can launch the ship’s lifeboat on the port side, but not the one on the starboard, which is the one that you and my Senior Officers would use.
    â€œI think we will be best advised to wait for a boat to reach us from the shore rather than try to launch the second lifeboat when we are tilting so badly – ”
    Viola clung to the brass railing along the deck and peered towards the coast which was shrouded in mist.
    She could see a few blurred lights in the distance.
    â€œWe will go by your advice, Captain Howard,” said David.  “We don’t seem very far from land.  How can this have happened?”
    The Captain looked grim.
    â€œI have no