The Land of Summer Read Online Free PDF Page A

upbringings. While she was sure she could cope with the social side of marriage, however complicated the rules of class and behaviour in England might be, when it came to other aspects of intimacy she drew a complete blank. She could never ask her mother, and certainly not her father, what she knew she must learn about how to make a happy union, and she certainly could not ask any of her sisters, for they were just as ignorant as she was. True, the maids were often caught sniggering about the summary dismissal of one of their number, but the reason for the dismissal was never, ever disclosed to the Nesbitt sisters, despite the fact that hints were often given that nine months later the individual concerned had been seen in the company of a baby, and, if she was lucky, its reluctant father.
    When she eventually came back down to earth, and removed her gaze from the landscape beyond the window, Emmaline noticed that Mrs Winfield was staring at her. The moment Emmaline met her eye Mrs Winfield smiled, and at once looked away out of her window to study the countryside in her turn.
    ‘That was the pretty village of Tintbury we have just passed through, my dear,’ she said. ‘And did you have a nice sleep? I find it very difficult to sleep on trains myself.’
    ‘I wasn’t really asleep, Mrs Winfield,’ Emmaline replied. ‘I was daydreaming, considering my situation, wondering about my future.’
    ‘I find train journeys so very interesting,’ her companion continued. ‘And new train journeys particularly so. They allow you time to yourself while engaging your interest in new scenery, don’t you think?’
    Mrs Winfield gave a sudden and sad little sigh, which made Emmaline look away. It was as if the older woman was actually dreading the moment when she would reach her destination. Emmaline immediately felt an unusual sense of discomfort settling on her, and so with a polite excuse she produced a book from her handbag and began to read. She hoped that her travelling companion would take the hint and do the same, for not only was she disinclined to continue talking, she also needed some quiet in order to try to quell the strange fear she felt rising in her as the truth of her odd situation really began to dawn on her.
    Happily, despite her recent assertion, Mrs Winfield fell fast asleep not ten minutes later and remained comatose until the train drew to a halt at the end of the line.
    ‘My goodness,’ she gasped as she was woken by the juddering of the braking train. ‘Where are we? This must be – goodness, it can’t be, surely? I must have dropped off for a moment—’
    ‘I think we have reached the terminus, Mrs Winfield,’ Emmaline replied, lowering the window to look out across the busy station. ‘Yes indeed, we have reached Waterloo.’
    ‘Waterloo? I really cannot believe it,’ Mrs Winfield said, straightening her skirt and jacket before pinning her hat carefully back on her head. ‘It must have been all that sea air, do you see. Do forgive me. I really never ever fall asleep on trains, Miss Nesbitt, truly I do not.’
    ‘You have nothing to excuse yourself for, Mrs Winfield,’ Emmaline assured her. ‘I was quite tired myself and I too slept for a good deal of the journey.’
    ‘I suppose this then is where we make our farewells,’ Mrs Winfield said a little later as they stood under the large clock on the station concourse. ‘You are quite sure someone is to meet you here? I think I must stand with you until I see—’
    ‘I am quite sure, thank you, Mrs Winfield,’ Emmaline said, thinking she saw a tall man in a black stovepipe hat with a white flower in the buttonhole of his overcoat coming towards her. ‘And thank you for your companionship on this long journey. I am only sorry we could not spend more time together on board.’
    ‘One thing I have always been blessed with, my dear,’ Mrs Winfield said as she shook Emmaline’s proffered hand, ‘is good sea legs. I cannot imagine why,