FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   >>   >|  
livered. "Her ladyship is out in the grounds, sir. As it is so warm in the house, sir, her ladyship requests that you come to her in the grounds. If you will allow me, sir, I will show you the way." Jim Airth restrained an inclination to say: "Buck up!" and followed the butler along a corridor, down a wide staircase to a lower hall. They stepped out on to a terrace running the full length of the house. Below it, an old-fashioned garden, with box borders, bright flower beds, a fountain in the centre. Beyond this a smooth lawn, sloping down to a beautiful lake, which sparkled and gleamed in the afternoon sunshine. On this lawn, well to the right, half-way between the house and the water, stood a group of beeches. Beneath their spreading boughs, in the cool inviting shadow, were some garden chairs. Jim Airth could just discern, in one of these, the white gown of a woman, holding a scarlet parasol. The butler indicated this clump of trees. "Her ladyship said, sir, that she would await you under the beeches." He returned to the house, and Jim Airth was left to make his way alone to Lady Ingleby, guided by the gleam among the trees of her brilliant parasol. Even at that moment it gave him pleasure to find Lady Ingleby's taste in sunshades, resembling Myra's. He stood for a minute on the terrace, taking in the matchless beauty of the place. Then his face grew sad and stern. "What a home to leave," he said; "and to leave it, never to return!" He still wore a look of sadness as he descended the steps leading to the flower garden, made his way along the narrow gravel paths; then stepped on to the soft turf of the lawn, and walked towards the clump of beeches. Jim Airth--tall and soldierly, broad-shouldered and erect--might have made an excellent impression upon Lady Ingleby, had she watched his coming. But she kept her parasol between herself and her approaching guest. In fact he drew quite near; near enough to distinguish the ripples of soft lace about, her feet, the long graceful sweep of her gown; and still she seemed unconscious of his close proximity. He passed beneath the beeches and stood before her. And, even then, the parasol concealed her face. But Jim Airth was never at a loss, when sure of his ground. "Lady Ingleby," he said, with grave formality; "I was told to----" Then the parasol was flung aside, and he found himself looking down into the lovely laughing eyes of Myra. To see Jim Airth'
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
parasol
 

Ingleby

 

beeches

 

garden

 

ladyship

 
terrace
 
grounds
 

flower

 
stepped
 

butler


shouldered

 

soldierly

 
walked
 

gravel

 
taking
 

matchless

 
beauty
 
livered
 

descended

 

leading


sadness

 

return

 

narrow

 

approaching

 

ground

 

concealed

 

passed

 

beneath

 

formality

 

laughing


lovely

 
proximity
 

minute

 

coming

 

impression

 
watched
 

graceful

 
unconscious
 

distinguish

 
ripples

excellent
 

fountain

 
centre
 
Beyond
 

smooth

 

bright

 
fashioned
 

borders

 
sloping
 

beautiful