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Updated: May 10, 2025
She had a feeling that she would read it when she was alone, for she began to have some idea what it was about. She read it at home that afternoon. It ran as follows: SOUTHCLIFF, October 7th.
"But, surely," pleaded Lady Elphinspoon, "you could find out. Had you no maps?" Sir John shook his head. "We thought of that at once, my dear. We've looked all through the British Museum. Once we thought we had succeeded. But it turned out to be Wisconsin." "But the map in the Times? Everybody saw it." Again the baronet shook his head. "Lord Southcliff had it made in the office," he said.
Alas! these two or three months had not passed so quickly or so brightly in the no, I must not say in the Harpers' pleasant though plain old house at Southcliff, for Hedge End was let, and the three girls were living in Mrs Newing's tiny rooms in Harbour Street the rooms where Camilla had declared they would be so cosy and comfortable, enjoying a rest from all housekeeping cares.
But alas! a very few days after the cheery letter from Southcliff, Frances, spending a holiday afternoon at Ivy Lodge, as often happened, especially when Jacinth was with Lady Myrtle, found Bessie Harper pale and anxious, and Margaret's eyes suspiciously red. What was the matter? 'We didn't want to tell you about our home troubles, said Bessie. 'I'm sure it's better not, because of you know what.
Southcliff was a very dull little place, especially so in winter, of course. In fine weather there is always a charm about the seaside, even on the barest and least picturesque coast. There are the endless varieties of sky panorama the wonderful sunsets, if you are lucky enough to face seawards to the west; the constantly changing effects of light and colour reflected in the water itself.
From this sofa, alas! especially now that winter was in the ascendant even at sheltered Southcliff, the invalid was but seldom able to move. For walking had become exceedingly painful and difficult, and so slow that even a little fresh air at the best part of the day could only be procured at the risk of chill and cold a risk great and dangerous.
An old acquaintance of long-ago days between Mrs Harper and the Misses Scarlett was renewed by the ladies of Ivy Lodge coming to Southcliff one Midsummer holiday-time for sea-air, and this resulted in their offering to take Camilla, then almost grown-up, and later her younger sisters, on exceptionally moderate terms. The news from and of the far-away 'boys' was regular and good.
The success which had attended this attempt of hers so far, did seem a happy omen with which to begin again her home life. It would be interesting here to shift the scene and follow the reception of the good news by the three anxious girls at Southcliff.
It was at this juncture that the mail which brought the letter from her mother so anxiously looked for by Frances Mildmay, brought also tidings from Mrs Lyle to her relations at Southcliff. This letter came at breakfast-time; there was no mid-day post at the little bathing-place, but it was nearer London than Thetford.
And on a wild or rugged coast, winter and stormy weather bring of course their own grand though terrible displays. But Southcliff, despite its promising name, was tame in the extreme. The 'cliff' was so meagre and unimposing as to suggest the suspicion of being only an artificial or semi-artificial erection; the shore had no excitement about it, not even that of quicksands.
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