Jackson's Dilemma Read Online Free PDF Page B

which they approached, and sat down upon the stone rim of the round pool into which the starlit water was murmurously falling. Velvety bats passed noiselessly by, a distant owl fluted.
    They dabbled their hands gratefully in the cool water. They spoke softly.
    Mildred said, ‘How moving - how happy Tim would be - Edward and Marian together - it’s perfect - ’
    ‘Yes, yes, indeed -,’ said Rosalind. ‘Do you know, I think I foresaw it in a dream - they were the King and the Queen - I’ve just remembered the dream.’
    ‘How beautiful! Marian kept looking about, then she found what she wanted suddenly so close. Or do you think she really fixed on Edward long ago?’
    ‘I think she did - or fate did. Of course when we were with Mama we didn’t see much of Edward—’
    ‘I think it’s better she comes later on, you know what a fuss she always makes! Are you still determined not to marry? Of course I know it’s a joke, and anyway you’ll change your mind!’
    ‘My mind is fixed on art history at present!’
    Benet had firmly laid hold of Edward, seizing his sleeve, as they moved out onto the lawn, stopping just a little way away from the lights of the drawing room. Benet for a moment, and such strange moments sometimes came, felt the spirit of Uncle Tim descending upon him, clothing him as it were, and breathing his breath. Edward, pale and tall, loomed over him.
    ‘Edward, if only Tim were here we would really be in heaven. Well, of course now we are in heaven anyway! I’ve longed for you to marry that girl. I didn’t make any tiresome hints to either of you - I just prayed You’re a wonderful chap, she’s a wonderful girl - forgive me for being slightly drunk—’
    ‘I’m drunk too,’ said Edward. ‘I think the Grand Marnier was final.’
    ‘Dear me, it’s so late, I should have sent you all away long ago! I do hope you’ll spend lots of time down here together, you could be in peace writing your historical novel—’
    ‘I’m not writing a historical novel—’
    ‘You do love Hatting Hall, don’t you?’
    ‘Yes I do - I increasingly do - and Penndean—’
    ‘I hope you’ll have lots of children, I hope you don’t mind my saying so, a boy first of course—’
    Edward sighed, then laughed as Benet seized hold of the collar of his coat.
    Gradually the others came back to the terrace and stood looking up at the Milky Way where the stars were continually falling, tumbling and disappearing.
    ‘It’s like the end of the Paradiso,’ said Tuan.
    ‘You mean in Dante,’ said Mildred.
    ‘For us, it is not the end of the Paradiso,’ said Benet, ‘it is the beginning.’
    They moved back into the house.
     
    After that there was a lot of fussing about in the drawing room, making sure that everyone knew what they were to do tomorrow. They exclaimed about how few they were, and what a charming little wedding it was going to be. The Rector was coming over early in the morning, otherwise Benet would have had to invite him to dinner! All the flowers had already been done by Sylvia, who had also arranged most of the eats and drinks. ‘How dull we shall be when they’ve gone,’ said Rosalind. ‘Edward would not tell where they were going, but I guess it must be in France!’ Benet was hustling them now through the drawing room and out into the hall. Rosalind and Mildred were to betake themselves to the old part of the house, where the ghosts were. Tuan was to sleep in a small guest room in the main house. Owen was to return to the Sea Kings where he had always stayed and had done so for far back in history. Edward at home was to sleep by himself for the last time! Jokes were being made. Rosalind was said to be falling asleep in the library. Mildred was trying to hustle them all like sheep out into the hall. There was hugging and kissing and holding of hands and picking up of coats and wraps.
    ‘Be careful, for heaven’s sake,’ Benet was saying to the drivers. ‘Some police may be hanging