United States or Croatia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He drew up at the door of the house when the sun was becoming hot, and Toffy appeared in his pyjamas and prepared a cup of coffee on a stove of patent construction for which he claimed admiration every time it was used. 'Thanks, Peter! he said briefly. 'I was writing to Mrs. Avory by this mail, and she would have been disappointed if she had not heard from me. Did you overtake Purvis?
Avory had just heard that Mrs. Dudeney had been taken very ill, and no other rooms were to be had. Here was a blow! For the Rotherams always went to Sea View too, and had a tent on the little strip of beach under the wood adjoining the Avories', and they did everything together.
Avory, Toffy generally employed his spare moments in reading the Bible. He was a preternaturally grave young man, with large eyes and long eyelashes of which he was properly ashamed, being inclined to class them in his own mind with such physical disadvantages as red lips or curling hair. Miss Abingdon thought that he was generally misunderstood.
"Then that makes Sea View all right," said Gregory. "Because this will do instead." The poor Rotherams! Sea View had suddenly become tame and almost tiresome. Mrs. Avory saw their regrets in their faces, and cheered them up by the remark that the caravan must sometimes be lent to others. "Oh, yes," said Janet. "Do you think Dr. Rotheram would let you go?" she asked Mary.
Mrs. Avory brought it to Toffy to read out on the sands; and she broke down suddenly and sobbed as though her heart would break; and Toffy to comfort her had told her that he loved her, and meant every word he said, and asked what on earth he could do for her, and said that she must really try not to cry or it would make her ill. He put his arm round the trembling form, and Mrs.
Avory wrote him long letters in very indistinct handwriting, and told him that it was all right, and that she really hoped he would marry and be as happy as he deserved to be. And the letters were generally blotted and blistered with tears. Miss Abingdon put her key-basket upon the dressing-table and sat down in an armchair on the farther side of the room.
But who wants to be looked up by a tutor when one is on a caravan holiday? Mr. Lenox said: "Go to Sussex, and camp under the downs at night and explore them by day." Mr. Scott, on the other hand, said: "Go to Berkshire and see the White Horse that Tom Hughes scoured and wrote about." And he promised to lend them the book to convert them to this project. Mrs. Avory declined to express any opinion.
"It is rather bad," said Mrs. Avory, "because, of course, it will have to be given back, and at once too, and I'm not at all rich just now. I'm not even sure that we have any right to go to Sea View, and the twenty-five pounds will just spoil everything." "Why should we give it back?" said Gregory. "Because it's not ours," said Mrs. Avory. "There's no question at all."
Avory took the card and descended to the drawing-room, where the visitors were waiting for her. Mr. Amory bowed. "Pardon me, madam," he said, "but I have come to know what you have done with my caravan." "Your caravan!" "Yes, madam, my caravan. A caravan was sent as a present to my sons some three weeks or a month ago, and your family, I am creditably informed, seized and detained it."
Avory in it, to allow time for regrets. After a day entirely without any adventures they found Mrs. Avory. She was waiting for them at the Shakespeare Hotel, which is one of the most fascinating inns in England, with staircases and passages in lavish profusion, and bedrooms named after the plays. Hester and her mother slept in the "Winter's Tale," Janet and Mary in "Cymbeline."
Word Of The Day