Emily Read Online Free PDF Page A

the wedding presents you missed.’
        Rory looked half exasperated, half amused.
        ‘I’m afraid this is my mother,’ he said.
        ‘Oh gosh,’ I squeaked. ‘How fright… I mean, how lovely. How do you do?’
        It was a fine way to meet one’s mother-in-law for the first time; sitting up in bed, wearing nothing but a crumpled sheet and a bright smile.
        ‘This is Emily,’ said Rory.
        Rory’s mother rushed across the room and hugged me.
        ‘But you are so pretty,’ she said. ‘This pleases me very much. I keep telling Rory to find a nice wife and settle down. I know you will make ‘im ‘appy, and he will start behaving beautifully.’
        ‘I’ll try,’ I faltered.
        She was stunning looking - lush, opulent, exotic, with huge dark blue eyes, hair dyed the most terrific shade of strawberry blonde, the most marvellous legs and lots of jewellery. It was easy to see from where Rory got his traffic-stopping looks.
        One of her eyelids was made up with brilliant violet eye-shadow, the other smeared with emerald green.
        ‘I have just been to Dior for a fitting. I tried out their new make-up, it’s a very pretty shade of green, no?’
        ‘Where’s Buster?’ asked Rory.
        ‘Coming later,’ she said. ‘He’s having a drink with some friends.’
        ‘He’s lying,’ said Rory. ‘He couldn’t possibly have a friend.’
        Rory’s mother giggled. ‘Now, chéri, you must not be naughty. Buster is my second ‘usband,’ she explained to me. Rory’s father, Hector, was my first.
        ‘When I marry Buster, Rory say to me, "You’re getting better at choosing husbands, maman, but not much".’
        Rory’s mother suddenly gave a shriek. ‘Ah! Mon Dieu, I remember the taxi is still waiting downstairs. We ‘ave run out of money. We knew you would have some, Rory, you’re so rich now. Could you ring down and get the manager to pay the taxi?’
        Rory looked at her with intense irritation, then he laughed, picked up the telephone and gabbled away in French.
        ‘Ask ‘im to send up some champagne,’ said Rory’s mother. ‘At least two bottles, I want to drink my new daughter-in-law’s health. You must call me Coco,’ she said.
        I caught Rory’s eye and tried not to giggle. Everything was getting out of hand.
        Later, when the champagne arrived, Rory said, ‘Why have you run out of money? Pa didn’t leave you badly off.’
        ‘Of course he didn’t, darling, it was just that we had to have central heating for the castle, or we’d have frozen to death.’
        ‘And a sauna bath, and a flagellation room?’ said Rory.
        ‘Of course, darling, Buster ‘as been used to the best, and he’s been shooting four or five times a week and thatall adds up. Everything’s in such a muddle, we can’t decide whether we want to spend the winter in Irasa.’ She turned to me. ‘I hope you’re going to like our island, chéri, those Highland winters can be very terrible, and it’s so boring seeing the same old people all the time, and all those sheep. That’s what Buster’s seeing his friend about.’
        ‘What?’ said Rory.
        ‘Buying this aeroplane. He thinks he can get it cheap. Then we can all escape to London, or Paris, or the Riviera when we feel like it.’
        Rory raised his eyes to heaven.
        ‘He does need it, darling,’ said Coco, almost pleadingly.
        ‘Who told you we were here?’
        ‘Marina did. She telephoned me in Cannes to tell me the news.’
        ‘The bitch,’ said Rory.
        ‘Who’s Marina?’ I asked.
        ‘Marina Maclean,’ said Coco. ‘At least, she was. Now she’s Marina Buchanan. She’s just married Hamish Buchanan, who’s very rich and more than twice her age. She lives on the Island too. I saw her just before we left, Rory. She didn’t look very happy. Sort of feverish; she’s spending a fortune on clothes and jewellery.’
        ‘That’s what comes of