was a big desk in the window, with a typewriter on it. Shelves ran round the walls, filled with books of reference and works of fiction of all kinds. The easy-chairs were leather covered.
"How business-like it looks," Adelaide said. "I hope I did not interrupt you."
"I have just finished a chapter."
"I am glad. May I ask what it is about?"
"It is an historical romance."
"How interesting! What period have you chosen?"
"William and Mary," Emerald said shortly.
"What a clever idea. So many people have written of Charles II and Henry VIII. Both so fatal to women. I have read quite a lot of Regency tales but I cannot recall any of William and Mary."
"There have been some."
"I expect there have. I always think it should have been called Mary and William. She was really the queen, being the daughter of James II. It was only through her that William became king."
"You know quite a lot." The comment was ironical.
"Not really," Adelaide said, "but I did go to a decent school before my father died."
"What was his rank?"
"He was a captain in the Tank regiment."
"I suppose you get a pension?"
"My mother did, but it died with her. They do not give pensions to able-bodied young women, though it is not too easy to get a job without special training. Oh, Emerald! Do you smoke a pipe?"
Again an adroit change of conversation. Her quick eyes had seen a well-bitten briar partly hidden by a photograph on the mantelshelf. Emerald turned an angry red, vexed that she had not concealed it.
"I do not," she said. "It belongs to Victor Gore-Black. He is forgetful and keeps it here in case he has not brought one."
Adelaide also saw a pair of man's slippers under a chair, but she did not mention them. It was of course possible that a writer might have a spare pipe and slippers in a room where he worked, but was there more to it than that? Had Emerald some sort of affair with her co-worker? Did that account for her resentment at the arrival of George's wife? Was she fearing discovery?
"Victor Gore-Black," Adelaide said. "Is he your collaborator?"
"He is."
"I believe I have heard the name. Has he written much?"
"Some successful novels. He is attached to an Ipswich paper. He also does some free-lance work."
"How interesting! He must be very clever. I hope I shall meet him some day."
"You probably will."
"He must think a lot of you, too, to want you to help him."
Emerald did not reply. Adelaide got up.
"I must not keep you," she said. "I know you are in a hurry. Do you cycle?"
"I have my own car."
"How jolly! One of them said something about cycling."
"The others do. I lend them my car sometimes."
"Very good of you. If I can ever help you in any way, please let me know."
"In what way?"
"Well, reading proofs, looking up dates or quotations. I know it takes a long time."
"Thank you, but I prefer to do such things myself. And, I hope it does not sound rude, should you think of coming again, would you use the house-telephone? I might be busy."
"Of course," Adelaide said. "I did not know you had one."
CHAPTER 5: The Diamond Star
As the weeks went by Adelaide appeared to settle down happily in her fresh surroundings. She had little reason not to. Nan was efficient in the house and Teague did his duty outside, so, although they remained slightly resentful of the newcomer, things worked smoothly. George adored her and she did her duty by him. He took her to see many interesting places in Suffolk and Norfolk and not infrequently Pearl accompanied them, to her no little delight. Pearl became really fond of Adelaide and was always her champion in any family discussions. Yet the young stepmother realised she did not enjoy the girl's entire confidence; perhaps it was too soon to expect it.
She perceived that Pearl, young as she was, had two admirers. One, Peter Skelton, the son of the local doctor, had just qualified and joined his father in the practice. He was a big fellow, good-natured if not particularly good-looking. Pearl liked
"How business-like it looks," Adelaide said. "I hope I did not interrupt you."
"I have just finished a chapter."
"I am glad. May I ask what it is about?"
"It is an historical romance."
"How interesting! What period have you chosen?"
"William and Mary," Emerald said shortly.
"What a clever idea. So many people have written of Charles II and Henry VIII. Both so fatal to women. I have read quite a lot of Regency tales but I cannot recall any of William and Mary."
"There have been some."
"I expect there have. I always think it should have been called Mary and William. She was really the queen, being the daughter of James II. It was only through her that William became king."
"You know quite a lot." The comment was ironical.
"Not really," Adelaide said, "but I did go to a decent school before my father died."
"What was his rank?"
"He was a captain in the Tank regiment."
"I suppose you get a pension?"
"My mother did, but it died with her. They do not give pensions to able-bodied young women, though it is not too easy to get a job without special training. Oh, Emerald! Do you smoke a pipe?"
Again an adroit change of conversation. Her quick eyes had seen a well-bitten briar partly hidden by a photograph on the mantelshelf. Emerald turned an angry red, vexed that she had not concealed it.
"I do not," she said. "It belongs to Victor Gore-Black. He is forgetful and keeps it here in case he has not brought one."
Adelaide also saw a pair of man's slippers under a chair, but she did not mention them. It was of course possible that a writer might have a spare pipe and slippers in a room where he worked, but was there more to it than that? Had Emerald some sort of affair with her co-worker? Did that account for her resentment at the arrival of George's wife? Was she fearing discovery?
"Victor Gore-Black," Adelaide said. "Is he your collaborator?"
"He is."
"I believe I have heard the name. Has he written much?"
"Some successful novels. He is attached to an Ipswich paper. He also does some free-lance work."
"How interesting! He must be very clever. I hope I shall meet him some day."
"You probably will."
"He must think a lot of you, too, to want you to help him."
Emerald did not reply. Adelaide got up.
"I must not keep you," she said. "I know you are in a hurry. Do you cycle?"
"I have my own car."
"How jolly! One of them said something about cycling."
"The others do. I lend them my car sometimes."
"Very good of you. If I can ever help you in any way, please let me know."
"In what way?"
"Well, reading proofs, looking up dates or quotations. I know it takes a long time."
"Thank you, but I prefer to do such things myself. And, I hope it does not sound rude, should you think of coming again, would you use the house-telephone? I might be busy."
"Of course," Adelaide said. "I did not know you had one."
CHAPTER 5: The Diamond Star
As the weeks went by Adelaide appeared to settle down happily in her fresh surroundings. She had little reason not to. Nan was efficient in the house and Teague did his duty outside, so, although they remained slightly resentful of the newcomer, things worked smoothly. George adored her and she did her duty by him. He took her to see many interesting places in Suffolk and Norfolk and not infrequently Pearl accompanied them, to her no little delight. Pearl became really fond of Adelaide and was always her champion in any family discussions. Yet the young stepmother realised she did not enjoy the girl's entire confidence; perhaps it was too soon to expect it.
She perceived that Pearl, young as she was, had two admirers. One, Peter Skelton, the son of the local doctor, had just qualified and joined his father in the practice. He was a big fellow, good-natured if not particularly good-looking. Pearl liked
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