Janet Quin-Harkin Read Online Free PDF Page A

father, but I want you to understand that I am a grown-up, married woman. I’m no longer your precious little girl who has to be spoon-fed and coddled.”
    “You’re right about that, miss,” her father said shortly. “If you go through with this foolish, harebrained scheme, you are no longer our little girl. Leave this house and you can expect no further help from us. Furthermore, do not think that we will sit by and let our grandchildren be taken away. I’m off to consult our lawyers instantly. I’ll have you certified as an unfit mother. I’ll have you certified as insane if I have to. I might not be able to stop you from going, but you’re not taking the children with you.”
    He stormed out of the room, knocking the fringed lamp on the table beside the door to the carpet.
    “Oh dear, now you’ve upset him,” Libby’s mother said, rushing to pick up the lamp as if that was the most important thing to do. “But don’t worry,” she added as she righted it and straightened its fringe. “When he’s calmed down we’ll be able to talk about it. We’ll find a way to get the whole thing straightened out . . . a nice summer at the Cape, as I was saying. That’s what we all need.”
    Libby left her talking as she walked silently from the room. She ran upstairs, all the way up to the third floor, and looked in at the nursery. It was empty. Lace curtains, like those in her own room, were flapping in the breeze. Schoolbooks lay open and there was a doll on the floor, but no sign of the children. Irrational panic overtook Libby. Her father had somehow known what she had in mind and had spirited the children away to a safe place. She knew that this was completely illogical, but nevertheless, she ran down the stairs until she saw Mrs. O’Rourke, the housekeeper, coming out of one of the bedrooms on the floor below.
    “Mrs. O’Rourke, do you know where the children might have gone?” Libby asked.
    Mrs. O’Rourke looked up the staircase, surprise showing on her round, placid face. “Why, out for their morning walk with their governess, Mrs. Grenville, same as they always do at this time,” she said. “Is something wrong?”
    “No, nothing, what could be wrong?” Libby said, gaining control of herself. Control was essential at this moment, she decided. She must think everything through carefully, not give herself away.
    “Miss Hammersham still takes them to the park, I suppose,” she tried to say carelessly as she turned back up the stairs.
    “I’m sure she does, Mrs. Grenville,” Mrs. O’Rourke said.
    Libby nodded. “Oh, and Mrs. O’Rourke,” she called after the woman, “please tell my mother that I have a luncheon appointment today. I have a headache and I’m going to rest until it’s time to go out.”
    She turned away, back up the stairs. Her heart was hammering, but she managed to give the impression of a normal conversation with a servant. Glancing around to make sure that the maids were occupied downstairs, she darted into her childrens’ bedroom, and started taking articles of clothing from drawers and stuffing them into a leather travel bag. A complete feeling of unreality overtook her. All she wanted to do was get away quickly, before her father could stop her. It was only when the bag was full and she fought to close the clasp that she began to come to her senses again. What am I doing? she asked herself. Can I possibly go through with this?

CHAPTER 3
    A ROUND MIDNIGHT LIBBY finally admitted that sleep was not going to come. She had lain sweating under her sheet in the small, stifling ship’s cabin, her mind racing through all the events of the past days until she heard a nearby church clock chime twelve. Silently, she slipped from her narrow bunk and pulled on her cotton wrap. In the top bunk Bliss moaned in her sleep. “It’s all right, darling, Mama’s here,” Libby whispered, stroking the child’s sweating face until she felt the small body relax.
    Going over to the