Under the Rainbow by Susan Scarlett

Author:Susan Scarlett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chloe, Judy discovered, was no more grown-up than her appearance. She was the simplest and most unaffected child. Just like Polly, she spoke out the first thoughts which came into her head; and one of the first thoughts that she expressed to Judy was that she was in love with Martin. Judy was gardening at the time, and Chloe came and sat on the grass and turned her enormous eyes up at her.

“Have you ever been in love, Miss Griffiths?”

Judy paused in the act of tying up a Michaelmas daisy.

“Why?”

“Because I think I am, and I wanted to be sure. When you’re in love do you feel as if your heart had got bigger, and then sometimes when you see the person you love does it feel as if it had stopped beating?”

Judy fiddled with the bass in her hand, and looked at Chloe in dismay. She was too direct not to guess who the child supposed herself in love with.

“D’you mean that you think you’ve fallen in love with Mr. Richards?”

Chloe nodded.

“Yes. I’m sure I have.”

Judy came and sat on the grass by her.

“I wouldn’t be too sure. You see he’s so much older than you are, and I don’t think he’s looking at you in that sort of way.”

“No,” Chloe agreed. “He isn’t. He thinks I’m still a child, but I’ll show him. I’m going to work and work and then he’ll know what a good wife I’ll make for a clergyman.”

Judy could not help her eyes twinkling. Chloe was so serious, and looked such a baby.

“Well, I shouldn’t start the work just yet,” she suggested. “I’ve seen a letter the doctor in France wrote to your mother about you. You’re very anaemic, you know, and you want a holiday.”

Chloe shook her head.

“No, I don’t. What would do me good would be to work for him.”

Judy went back to the Michaelmas daisies.

“What sort of work?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I thought I could teach in Sunday School, and run a Mothers’ Meeting, and perhaps I could be a Guide, and clean the brass in the church, and . . .”

Judy tied up a plant and moved on to another.

“I should do one at a time.”

Chloe nodded.

“I’m going to do just what he thinks. I’m waiting for him now to come in, so I can talk to him about it.” There was the sound of a car in the drive; Chloe got up. “There he is.”

Judy jumped off the bed and laid her hand on Chloe’s arm.

“No. That’s Lady Blacke’s Rolls.” She fidgeted for words: “Listen, darling! Don’t tell Lady Blacke what you’ve just told me.”

“Why not? I don’t mind everybody knowing.”

“Just don’t. Please promise.”

Chloe looked worried.

“I’ll try not to, but I always do tell everybody everything, and I expect she’d be pleased. They say everybody loves a lover.”

Judy saw Veronica coming round the house; she increased her pressure on Chloe’s arm.

“I’m not sure that Lady Blacke does. Anyways darling, do please try not to tell her.”

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