The Tree of Love by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-908411-65-5
Publisher: Barbara Cartland.com

CHAPTER FIVE

When they returned, Shenda told Higgins excitedly all that had happened.

He patted the dog and exclaimed,

“Well, there’s one thing about ’im, he’s got pluck!”

“That’s a good name for him, Higgins! We’ll call him Pluck.”

The little terrier seemed to like his new name and wagged his tail furiously and then Shenda asked,

“What about the Captain?”

Higgins thought for a moment.

“I thinks it’d be a mistake to tell ’im about the dog right away. We’ve got to get ’im used to you first, miss.”

“Yes, of course, and I am just terrified I will annoy him and he will send me away.”

“Just you go on as you are and us’ll keep Pluck in the kitchen when he’s not with you.”

Pluck was a great success with everybody and chef spoilt him with titbits from almost every dish.

Shenda settled down to do exactly as she had done the first day that had proved reasonably successful.

She treated the Captain’s wounds first thing in the morning and last thing at night and only Higgins went into the bedroom during the day.

He did, however, make sure that the Captain drank his Maidenhair tonic every day.

Shenda was somewhat worried that if he took it at night it might keep him awake.

“He be more energetic and he’s talkin’ about gettin’ up,” Higgins told her two days later.

“That’s wonderful news, Higgins! I was certain the Maidenhair would do the trick.”

She had expected the Duke of Wellington to call on the Captain and indeed she would have liked to see him herself, but Higgins told her that he had departed for Cambrai to organise the Army of Occupation.

“I suppose His Grace’ll call in as soon as he comes back,” Higgins reflected. “And it’ll give ’im a big surprise when he sees the Captain.”

She was fully aware that the Captain’s wound was healing in a miraculous fashion and there was little doubt that he was feeling better, eating more and looking happier.

*

It was now the fourth day she had been in the house and Shenda played the piano in the boudoir after attending to the Captain’s wounds, as she had every day.

She found the piano gave her an enormous amount of pleasure and she really loved composing music to represent whatever she was thinking about.

Now the music she was playing was the story of her growing up and of her happiness at being with her parents.

And of the magic she found amongst the flowers in the garden and in the woods.

She played how the squirrels carried their nuts up the trees to hide them, and how the goblins would work in the roots as she listened to them by putting her ear against the trunks.

She played to the brilliant stars overhead and to the moon creeping up the sky that had always fascinated her.

She played the tunes all the birds sang in the spring, and then her feelings as she first saw the Seine and thought how beautiful it was.

The music of the Seine made her think of Pluck and how the brave little dog had swum to safety after his cruel owner had tried to drown him.

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