Island-in-Waiting Read Online Free PDF

“I had rather an unpleasant experience when I was sixteen. A crowd of us went to a variety show where there was one of those mind-reader-cum-hypnotist acts and I volunteered to go up on the stage.”
    â€œMore than I’d have done! Was he able to put you under?”
    â€œOh yes,” I answered grimly, “there was no problem about that. What he couldn’t do was bring me round again.”
    Martha’s eyes were like saucers behind her glasses. “Whatever happened?”
    â€œThey rushed me to hospital and I was out for about three days.”
    â€œAnd you don’t remember anything about it?”
    â€œNot a thing.”
    â€œHow ghastly! It ought to be illegal, doing that kind of thing for entertainment.”
    â€œIt isn’t, though. The parents tried to file a claim for personal injuries, but it wouldn’t hold up because I’d volunteered to take part.”
    â€œAnd you reckon the dreams might date from then? I shouldn’t be at all surprised! What are they actually about?”
    â€œThey vary. Some seem to be set in the past – you know, swords and things, while others are obviously modern.”
    â€œAnd I suppose since they seem so real the background and everything must be appropriate to the occasion, not way-out as in ordinary dreams.”
    I looked across at her. “You know, that’s strange; it hadn’t struck me before, but now that you mention it the backgrounds are always much the same, hills and moorland and the sea. Which is also strange, because I’ve never spent any time near the sea in my life. Even in the south of France I was up in the mountains.”
    â€œWell, you’re certainly surrounded by it now.”
    â€œYes.” I buttered my toast thoughtfully. “Sometimes I seem to be searching for someone. I’ve dreamed that several times.”
    â€œIt sounds fascinating. I wish I had interesting dreams. Mine are all the usual jumble like finding I’m walking into college in my nightdress. Hugo says it shows a basic lack of confidence.”
    â€œI have my share of that kind, too.”
    â€œTalking of walking into college, this is one of my afternoons there. Would you like to come? You could even model for us if you wouldn’t mind – circumspectly clothed, of course! The boys get so tired of drawing each other and they never keep still anyway. We could meet Hugo for a cup of tea in the staff-room afterwards.”
    â€œI don’t promise to sit for you, but I’d like to see the college. How many boys are there?”
    â€œTwo hundred, most of them boarders and nearly all from the mainland. It’s smaller than King William’s and hasn’t been going as long, but it’s notching up quite a tradition of its own.” She pushed back her chair. “Any plans for this morning? I’m afraid I’ll have to stay in and see to the washing, but if you’d like to take the car you could drive round a bit and get your bearings.”
    I glanced out of the window. Yesterday’s sunshine had gone. The morning was clear and grey and a scarf of mist trailed nonchalantly over the hill. “I’m sure to get lost!”
    â€œThe roads are reasonably well sign-posted, but I’ll lend you my ordinance survey.”
    â€œAll right, I’ll risk it! What time is your class?”
    â€œTwo o’clock. If we eat at one there’ll be plenty of time.”
    I found that motoring on the island was a thoroughly agreeable experience, with none of the traffic jams of home. In fact all I saw was an occasional farm tractor. I turned off the main road and drove slowly along winding lanes, regretting that the high-banked hedges obscured some of the loveliest views. There seemed to be a thriving reafforestation programme, with plantations of trees spreading a rich cloak over the hillsides. Every now and again the road ran alongside a river which over the centuries had