Daughters of Castle Deverill Read Online Free PDF Page B

home has been snatched
from under his nose by his cousin. As for me, it is another cross that I will have to bear.’
    ‘Mama, once Papa decided to sell it, it was never going to be Harry’s,’ said Victoria gently. ‘And I really don’t think Harry will mind. He and Celia are
practically inseparable and he made it very clear that he didn’t want to have anything to do with the place.’
    Maud shook her head and smiled with studied patience. ‘My darling, you’re missing the point. Had it gone to someone else,
anyone
else, I would not have a problem with it.
The problem is that it’s gone to a
Deverill.
’
    Beatrice jumped to her daughter’s defence. ‘Well, it’s done now, isn’t it? Celia will restore it to its former glory and we shall all enjoy long summers there just like
we used to before the war. I’m sure Archie knows what he’s doing, darling,’ she added to Digby. ‘After all, it’s
his
money. Who are we to say how he spends
it.’
    Digby raised a quizzical eyebrow, for one could argue that it wasn’t Archie Mayberry’s money, but Digby’s. No one else in the family knew how much Digby had paid Archie to take
Celia back after she had ditched him at their wedding reception and bolted up to Scotland with the best man. In so doing Digby had saved the Mayberry family from financial ruin, and salvaged his
daughter’s future. ‘No good will come of it,’ Digby insisted now with worldly cynicism. ‘Celia’s flighty. She enjoys drama and adventure.’ He didn’t have
to convince the present company of
that.
‘She’ll tire of Ireland when it’s finished. She’ll crave the excitement of London. Ballinakelly will bore her. Mark my
words, once everyone stops talking about her audacity she’ll go off in search of something else to entertain herself with and poor Archie will be left with the castle – and most likely
an empty bank account—’
    ‘Nonsense,’ Augusta interrupted, her booming voice smashing through her son’s homily like a cannonball. ‘She’ll raise it from the ashes and restore the
family’s reputation. I just hope I live long enough to see it.’ She heaved a laboured breath. ‘Although the way I’m going I don’t hold out much hope.’
    Beatrice rolled her eyes with annoyance. Her mother-in-law enjoyed nothing more than talking about her own, always imminent, death. Sometimes she rather wished the Grim Reaper would call her
bluff. ‘Oh, you’ll outlive us all, Augusta,’ she said with forced patience.
    Victoria glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘I think it’s time we left,’ she said, standing up. ‘Mama and I are going to look at a house in Chester Square this
afternoon,’ she announced happily. ‘That will cheer you up, Mother.’
    Maud pushed herself up from the sofa. ‘Well, I’ll need somewhere to live now we’ve lost the castle,’ she replied, smiling on her eldest daughter with gratitude. ‘At
least I have
you
, Victoria, and Harry. Everyone else in my family seems intent on wanting to wound me. I’m afraid I won’t come to your Salon tonight, Beatrice. I don’t
think I’m strong enough.’ She shook her head as if the weight of the world lay between her ears. ‘Having the whole of London society talking about me behind my back is another
cross I have to bear.’
    Harry Deverill lay back against the pillow and took a puff of his cigarette. The sheet was draped across his naked hips, but his stomach and chest were exposed to the breeze
that swept in through the open bedroom window. Making love to his wife Charlotte was a loathsome duty he endured only because of the mornings he was able to spend with Boysie Bancroft in this
nondescript Soho hotel where no one even bothered to question their regular visits. He made his mouth into an O shape and ejected a circle of smoke. If it wasn’t for Boysie he didn’t
think he’d be capable of living such a despicable lie. If it wasn’t for Boysie his life wouldn’t be worth