Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 21, 2025
He knew, from observation of the world, what a fine thing it is to have a certainty. Once he became steward and agent of the Normandale Grange estate, he would stick there, until he had saved a tidy heap of money. Then he would retire with a pension and a handsome present and enjoy himself. To be provided for, for life! what more could a wise man want?
And then, at the post-office he dismounted, and going inside, wrote out and dispatched a telegram. It was a brief message containing but three words "One as usual" and it was addressed Esther Mawson, The Grange, Normandale. This done, he remounted his bicycle, rode out of the village, and turned across country in quite a different direction.
I saw old Bartle die I saw you take the will from his pocket, read it, and put it in your pocket. I know all! except the terms of the will. But I've a pretty good idea of what those terms are. Do you know why? Because I watched you set off to Normandale by the eight-twenty train tonight!" "Hang you for a dirty sneak!" growled Pratt.
Isn't that a request from her that I should call on her yesterday afternoon? Very well then!" Eldrick looked at the letter with some surprise. He had a good memory, and he remembered that Collingwood had told him that Nesta had said that Pratt had gone to Normandale Grange, seen Esther Mawson, and told her that it was absolutely necessary for him to see Mrs. Mallathorpe.
"Of course, everything of hers must pass through his hands. What on earth can her daughter have been thinking of to allow " "Stop a bit!" interrupted Eldrick. "Collingwood came in to tell me about that he's just come from Normandale Grange. Miss Mallathorpe complains that Pratt called there yesterday in her absence. That's probably when this power of attorney was signed.
Of course, thirty thousand is thirty thousand it means, at five per cent., fifteen hundred a year if you could get five per cent. safely. But I should say your son and daughter are getting a few thousand a year each, aren't they, Mrs. Mallathorpe? It would be a nice come-down! Five hundred a year apiece at the outside. A small house instead of Normandale Grange.
It was only twelve miles to Normandale Grange a motor-car would carry him there within the hour. He glanced at his watch just ten o 'clock. An hour later, Collingwood found himself standing in a fine oak-panelled room, the windows of which looked out on a romantic valley whose thickly wooded sides were still bright with the red and yellow tints of autumn.
The Normandale Arms, a roomy, old-fashioned place, stood at one end of the bridge, and from the windows of the room into which Collingwood was presently shown he could look out on the stream itself and on the meadows beyond it. A peaceful, pretty, quiet place but the gloom which was heavy at the big house or the hill seemed to have spread to everybody that he encountered.
"What is there, beside the house and this park?" Nesta, who had busied herself with some fancy-work since Collingwood's entrance, laid it down and came to the windows. She pointed to certain roofs and gables in the valley. "There's the whole village of Normandale," she said. "A busy place, no doubt, but it's all Harper's he's lord of the manor. He's patron of the living, too.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday he had three days ample time to hurry down to Normandale, to do what he could to help there, and to get back in time to make his own last arrangements. He glanced at his watch he had forty minutes in which to catch an express from King's Cross to Barford. Without further delay he picked up a suit-case which was already packed and set out for the station.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking