The Landower Legacy by Victoria Holt

Author:Victoria Holt [Holt, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
ISBN: 9780449207277
Publisher: Fawcett Crest
Published: 1984-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

“I was so eager to escape from the bondage of Miss Bell and the strict rules of the household. I was hurt because I sensed the hostility of the man I thought was my father. Jeremy was romantic and handsome and charming … and it was easy to believe he loved me. So I felt the same about him. Why I felt the same I am not quite sure. I think I was ready and eager to fall in love.”

“What they call being ‘in love with love.’ “

“Something like that.”

“And now …” I could not say, When I met Paul Landower again I was glad I was not married to Jeremy. Did I really feel so strongly about Paul, did I want to escape from the humiliation Jeremy had imposed upon me, was I still “in love with love”? I supposed all people’s feelings should be subject to analysis. Mine more than most.

I told her about the meeting with Alphonse and how he had immediately fallen under my mother’s spell. There would be no questioning in that case. As long as he could keep her in luxury she would admire him. Contrary to the rules of morality, my mother was going to be the one who lived happily ever after.

The meal was over. I said I did not want to go to bed just yet.

“Let’s go into the winter parlour. We’ll have a little port wine. Yes, Caroline, I insist. It will make you sleep.”

We left the dining room and went into the little room nearby. It was cosy and I remembered sitting there with Cousin Mary in the past. She took the port wine from the cupboard there and poured some into two glasses.

“There,” she said. “Now we can talk without servants hovering.”

I said that nothing much had changed here. Old Joe was still being commanded by his tyrant missus, and Jamie McGill was the same with his bees. “It all feels as though I’ve never been away.”

“Oh, there have been vast changes. You’ll discover.”

I didn’t want to broach the subject of the Landowers. I thought I might betray too much eagerness for information which would not escape the discerning eyes of Cousin Mary.

“So the estate is flourishing?”

“Oh yes, that’s one of the things I want to talk to you about… but perhaps not tonight.”

“But you’ve whetted my curiosity. What about the estate?”

“It’s just that I thought you might learn a little about it. You might help me.”

“Do you need help then?”

“Could do with it. I just thought you might find it interesting.”

“I’m sure I should.”

“It’s too involved for tonight. We’ll talk about a lot of things tomorrow.”

“When you said there were vast changes …” “I wasn’t thinking of Tressidor so much as Landower.” “Yes, Joe said something. How is … er … Jago?” “Oh Jago. He was a special friends of yours, wasn’t he? He’s become the Lothario of the neighborhood. There are tales about Jago.” “He must be twenty-one … or two. Is he married?” “Oh no. But some say he ought to be.

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