Rose Rivers by Wilson Jacqueline

Author:Wilson, Jacqueline
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: RHCP
Published: 2018-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

MAMA BELIEVED EVERY word of it! I think Paris could have spun her a tale about being captured by cannibals and she’d still have nodded sympathetically. She was just so pleased to see him. When I took him into the drawing room she blushed a deep, painful crimson. Even her throat was mottled red.

‘Mr Walker!’ she said, and for a terrible moment I thought she was going to burst into tears.

I was mortally embarrassed for her as she hung on his every word, gazing at him as if she couldn’t quite believe he was here. She even patted his arm as if to reassure herself. Then she rushed off to change into her blue dress while Paris went up to the studio to prepare his paint.

But Mama couldn’t find the sapphire brooch she’d been wearing to set off the neckline of her frock. She had Edie search in every drawer and cupboard and feel down the back of every sofa and chaise longue. She made Maggie run her feather duster across every mantelpiece and sweep all the corners.

Nurse Budd objected bitterly. ‘I’m not having you coming in here with that broom! You’ll disturb my little Beth,’ she said. ‘Surely it’s not necessary, madam. You never come into our room so you couldn’t have dropped it here. And I hope you don’t think that I’ve got your brooch!’

‘Of course not, Nurse Budd – but perhaps Beth took a fancy to it? I know she likes sparkly things,’ said Mama.

‘I supervise my little charge every minute of the day,’ she replied. She paused. ‘I’m not one to tell tales, but the other day I saw the younger children with your big jewellery box.’

She followed Mama down to the drawing room, and Nurse and Sebastian and Algie and Clarrie were sent for.

‘Have you touched my jewellery box, children?’ Mama demanded.

All three quivered guiltily. Nurse looked at them, shocked.

‘You have!’ Mama looked at Sebastian. She looked at Clarrie. Then she looked at Algie. He was biting his nails anxiously.

‘What have you done with my sapphire brooch, Algernon Rivers?’ she demanded.

‘I haven’t got your old brooch!’ he protested. He ran to Mama and thrust his arms round her waist, while Alphonse snapped at his ankles irritably. ‘Mama, I promise, promise, promise I haven’t taken it.’

‘Are you sure, Algie?’ she asked. ‘I don’t think I believe you. You’re such a bad boy. If you’ve stolen my very precious sapphire, then you will have to be soundly whipped.’

‘He’s a naughty little monkey, but I’m sure he’d never steal, madam,’ said Nurse indignantly.

‘Don’t whip Algie, Mama!’ said Clarrie. ‘We played Pirate Treasure with your jewellery box but none of us took any brooches.’

‘I tried on a pearl necklace and a gold bracelet, but I was very careful and I put them right back,’ said Sebastian, who was always painfully honest.

‘Really, Nurse, whatever’s got into you! How dare you let the children ransack my jewellery box!’ said Mama.

‘It’s nothing to do with me, madam,’ said Nurse. ‘I didn’t know anything about it.

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