Winterbound Read Online Free PDF

herself. Such a chance might not come again. She tried another door, and found a twisting staircase that led to a wide landing. More rooms up here, all opening one fromanother, built around the enormous chimney that took up the whole center of the house. The last one in the chain led back again to the landing, but there must be others beyond, and Garry was just wondering what door she might have overlooked when to her horror she heard footsteps downstairs, and the sound of voices.
    She moved as noiselessly as she could to a front window and peered out. Yes, there was a car, and a girl of about her own age in a white sweater and beret just turning back from it, a parcel in her hand. Probably they had all been out in the garden when she entered the house, and coming from the back she had never seen the car; the house would have hidden it. Just the sort of fix I would get into, Garry thought, as she backed cautiously away and stood listening, wondering just what chance she had of slipping out again unnoticed. Mighty little; these old wide floor boards were sure to creak and it seemed to her that one could have heard a pin drop from one end of the house to the other.
    The light measured footstep below sounded startlingly clear now, and a woman’s voice, with an odd foreign lilt to it, exclaimed: “Yes, it is all beautiful, but my poor Charles, you were crazy! You will have to spend a fortune on this place to fix it up. Think of all there is to be done!”
    â€œBut Gina, think of the swell time we’ll have doingit!” returned a deeper voice, evidently that of poor Charles.
    â€œLook—I ask you just to look—at that ceiling! The plaster is ready to drop.”
    â€œLook at those old latches!”
    So someone at least appreciated the latches. Remembering her mother’s remark—funny how Penny was so invariably right—Garry felt a sudden liking for poor Charles, invisible below her.
    â€œYes, all that is lovely,” Gina went on. “You are really very lucky, Charles. Not a thing here has been spoiled. You know, sometimes you find an old house like this and everything in it has been taken—everything. And now that there is this rage for old things and anyone will buy, you just cannot trust these country people. They are all the same, everywhere you go. If it were me I would lock this house very well when you leave.”
    â€œYou would, would you!” Garry reflected. “Nice for me! And what do you know about country people, anyway?” Poor Charles might be all right, she decided, but this Gina, whoever she was, had altogether too much to say.
    â€œWe’ll go round all the windows, just to please you, before we close everything up.”
    â€œEven the latches they take, and the hinges off the closet doors. Anything that will bring a price. I amquite serious. Amy Vankirk, who just bought a house in the Berkshires, told me.”
    â€œYes, all one needs in the antique business these days is a light truck and a house wrecker. I’ve thought of going into it myself, some day.”
    â€œYou laugh, but even you wanted to steal an old rusty lantern hook the time we picnicked in that barn, only it wouldn’t come out.”
    â€œSet a thief to catch a thief! I shall have to search you, Gina, before you leave these premises.”
    â€œAh, but I have no pockets—see?” Her laughter was swift and musical. Again Garry heard her pacing the floor. “Your old furniture will go nicely here, and there is good space for your pictures.”
    â€œThere’s space for dancing, in this room. These boards would wax all right.” That must be the younger girl. “We ought to have parties here, and lots of people. The fireplace will be grand to sit around. Let’s have a big Halloween party here next year!”
    â€œIf your friends ever arrive to see you, up that hill. Never will Uncle Maurice forget that time that you stuck in the ditch like