Pokrewne

Start
Brewing Storm Derrick Storm T Richard Castle
Barbara Cartland [Pink Collec The Castle of Love (epub)
Castle of Otranto A Gothic Stor Horace Walpole
Charlie Bone and the Castle of Jenny Nimmo
Castle Jayne wiat o i mrok pdf
Castle of Deception Mercedes Lackey
Castles in Spain Rebecca Stratton
Castle Garth Nix
Castle Freeman Go
Clara Bayard [Seduced by Dang Help Me (epub)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Angela had, almost by accident, done the girl a good turn a few months ago during the Gipsy’s Mile case, and Gertie in her gratitude had been keen to make Mrs.Marchmont’s closer acquaintance.But Angela knew very little of the Strathmerrick family, except that the Earl was something important behind the scenes in the Government, and that they all spent some part of each year at Fives Castle.Freddy was going, and that was something at least; and it would be nice to see Aubrey and Selma Nash again after several years, but Angela could not help feeling something of an interloper, despite Lady Strathmerrick’s kind invitation.It was getting dark now, and the trees overhead made it even darker.The road narrowed and began to wind gently through the pine woods.William was driving slowly, mindful that he was unfamiliar with the place.Here and there the motor’s head-lamps briefly caught a deer, or a rabbit, or some other animal as it darted off into the forest.Then it began to snow.‘You were right, ma’am,’ said William, as the first large flakes drifted down all around them, looking rather like scraps of torn paper that had been thrown up into the air and were now bobbing back down to earth.The snow fell gently at first, then more and more thickly.It began to lie on the road and on the grass verges.Soon enough, the trees were resplendent in thin silvery coats and Angela was becoming concerned.‘Is it far, do you suppose?’ she said.‘I don’t think so,’ replied William.‘As a matter of fact, I was expecting to see the entrance a while back.Ah—here we are.’The road was now bounded to their right by a high stone wall.It ran for a mile or so, then curved away from them, and they saw that they had arrived at the gates of the Fives estate.William turned the Bentley in and past the gatekeeper’s cottage, and proceeded slowly along the narrow, winding road, which rose and dipped through the trees.There was not enough snow yet to cause the car any difficulties, but Angela was glad they had arrived when they did.If it continued at this rate then it would surely be two or three feet deep by morning.The Bentley crested the brow of a small hill and emerged from the trees, and they had their first view of Fives Castle, which stood out in sharp relief against the eerie, darkening sky.In spite of herself, Angela was struck by the grandeur of the building.There are some Scottish castles which hardly deserve the name, and could be more appropriately defined as large houses, but that was by no means the case here.With its frowning bulk, its turrets, its crenellations and its hundreds of windows, many of which were lit up, there was no doubt that Fives Castle inhabited its name and description comfortably—indeed, it seemed to Angela that had someone set out to build something that could be held as a model for the ideal of a Scottish castle, he could not have made a better job of it.William and Marthe had fallen silent and were gazing at the enormous mass that loomed ahead of them.At last, Marthe murmured something in French which Angela did not catch, although to judge by the girl’s expression she was unwillingly impressed.‘What do you think, William?’ said Angela.‘Well, it sure is big,’ said William.‘I’d like to say something more poetic but that’s the first word that comes to mind.’Angela laughed.‘And to mine too,’ she said.‘It is very big,’ said Marthe.‘I hope it is also warm.I have noticed that the English are very fond of cold rooms.Me, I like to sit by the fire.’‘My, but the snow is coming down thickly,’ said Angela, as the flakes swirled and flurried about them.‘I shouldn’t be a bit surprised if we were snowed in by tomorrow.’‘I’d like that,’ said William.‘I’ve never been stuck in a castle before.It would be an adventure.Do you suppose they have any ghosts here?’‘Ghosts?’ said Marthe.‘I do not like ghosts.’‘Don’t worry, Marthe,’ said Angela.‘There won’t be any ghosts.And if we do get snowed in it is more likely to be very dull than anything else.’‘I guess you’re right,’ said William.FOURThe Bentley now drew to a halt before the castle’s massive oaken doors, which despite the weather were thrown open to reveal a glimpse of a dimly-lit entrance-hall beyond.The doors were framed by a grand portico, which was flanked by two stone lions.A manservant emerged with an umbrella and opened the door of the Bentley to allow Angela to descend.She hurried into the shelter of the portico with thanks, and the servant directed William and Marthe around to the servants’ entrance.At that moment, a long, gleaming Daimler drew up, which must have been following close behind them.Angela paused as she recognized the occupants of the car.Someone had evidently recognized her too, for the door was flung open and a woman sprang out without waiting for assistance.She was swathed in furs and sported a cunning hat which did not quite hide the expensively-styled golden hair beneath.Even wrapped up as she was, it was clear to see that she was impossibly glamorous.‘Why, it’s Angela Marchmont!’ she exclaimed delightedly.‘Aubrey, look who’s here! Angela, you never told us you were coming.How simply marvellous! Look, Aubrey!’Aubrey Nash now joined them, smiling broadly, and greeted Angela with less effusiveness but no less pleasure, gazing into her eyes and pressing her hand warmly.He was tall and broad-shouldered, in the way of Americans, with a quiet, thoughtful manner.Angela had known them well a few years ago when she was living in New York, but had not seen them for some time as Aubrey had been posted abroad [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]