The Chain of Destiny Read Online Free PDF Page B

on the point of leaving, she asked, ‘And the other lady?’
    â€˜That’s Lady Manbrook’s sister, miss, Mrs van Beuck; they’re both widowed.’
    â€˜Thank you, Parsons.’ Suzannah glanced at her watch. ‘I must catch my bus.’ They wished each other goodbye and she went off down the drive and along the lane and found that she would have to wait ten minutes or so for a bus, which gave her the chance to think over her afternoon and dwell on the delights of the little flat.
    Her friends in the village were glad when she told them her news. Mrs Coffin gave her an old cat basket for Horace, Dr Warren and his wife gave her a pretty eiderdown, and Miss Smythe presented her with a red geranium in a pot. Suzannah bade them all goodbye, cleaned the lodge ready for its new occupant, packed the last of her possessions and, obedient to Mr Snow’s letter, stood ready and waiting by ten o’clock in the morning, Horace restless but resigned beside her in his basket.
    It was a pity there was no one to see her leave, thought Suzannah, for the car which arrived was anelderly, beautifully maintained Daimler. The driver was a short, thick-set man, with grey hair, very smart in his dark grey uniform.
    He replied in a friendly way to her good morning and added, ‘Croft’s the name, miss. I’ll just put everything in the boot.’ He eyed Horace, peering at him through the little window of his basket. ‘You’ve got a cat there? He can go on the back seat.’
    His wife was housekeeper for Lady Manbrook, he informed Suzannah as they drove; they had been there for twenty-five years and most of the staff had been there almost as long. ‘I hope you like a quiet life, miss,’ he observed, ‘for there’s nothing to do of an evening. Got a telly, have you?’
    â€˜No, I haven’t, but I have got a little radio and I like reading. I’ll be quite happy; I’ve lived in the country for some time and I like it.’
    â€˜Of course, there’s guests from time to time, but mostly it’s just the two ladies.’
    She had been a little nervous of meeting Mr Snow, but she need not have been. True, he was very dignified and smiled seldom, but she felt that he approved of her. She was handed the key of her new home, her luggage and Horace were deposited in it and she was requested to present herself in half an hour in the front hall, when she would be taken to Lady Manbrook.
    Half an hour wasn’t long in which to get settled in; Horace, set free and allowed to roam round the room, ate the snack she got for him and settled down on the window-sill beside the geranium, and she made herself a cup of coffee, tidied her already neat person and went across to the house.
    The two old ladies didn’t look as though they had moved since she had last seen them, only they wore different dresses. The butler ushered her in and Lady Manbrook said, ‘Come and sit down, Miss Lightfoot. Snow, please bring coffee; we will lunch half an hour later than usual, that will give Miss Lightfoot time to unpack her things.’
    Snow trod quietly away and Suzannah waited to see what was to happen next.
    â€˜When we have had coffee Snow will show you to the room where you will work,’ said Lady Manbrook. ‘The papers and diaries are in one of the attics; he will accompany you there and you may decide which of them you wish to begin work upon.’
    â€˜Some of them are most interesting, so I am told,’ remarked Mrs van Beuck.
    â€˜Do you want to see any of them before I start?’ asked Suzannah. ‘There is nothing private…?’
    â€˜I think not; if there is, I feel sure that you will inform me. All I require is that they should be put in some kind of order, and when that is done, I should like you to read them carefully and index them.’
    â€˜Are there many papers?’
    â€˜I have been told that there are two or three trunks.