Music in the Hills (Drumberley Book 2) by Stevenson D. E

Author:Stevenson, D. E. [Stevenson, D. E.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2015-09-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Mamie had promised to tackle Lady Shaw about Eleanor’s future; she was not looking forward to the interview, so the best thing to do was to get it over as quickly as possible. She tried to fix a date on the telephone, but her ladyship’s engagement book seemed pretty full.

‘Tuesday is the Blood Donors,’ said Lady Shaw. ‘I shall be busy all day, of course, and on Wednesday I have to go over to Dumfries for a Girl Guide Meeting. Thursday? Oh, yes, I knew there was something. I’m speaking to the Mothers’ Union in the afternoon. Friday is hopeless, it’s the Nursing Association in the afternoon and the Women’s Rural Institute in the evening.’

‘What about Thursday morning?’ Mamie inquired. ‘I could look in and see you about eleven.’

‘Is it about the W.R.I.?’ asked Lady Shaw. ‘You know we’ve got to choose a new Vice-President in place of Mrs. Duncan, don’t you? Yes, I could see you on Thursday morning, but it had better be ten-thirty because I’m having lunch early.’

Mamie let it go at that. It was easier. She could listen to Lady Shaw’s ideas about a new Vice-President for the W.R.I. and agree with them (as long as she doesn’t choose me, thought Mamie in trepidation), and then she could broach the subject of Eleanor.

On Wednesday afternoon Holly came over in the little car, bringing with her some papers from Lady Shaw.

‘Aunt Adela wants you to have a look at these,’ explained Holly. ‘They’re all about the W.R.I. and there’s a list of members. She wants you to make up your mind who to vote for, but I wouldn’t bother if I were you. I mean, Aunt Adela has made up her mind about the new Vice-President.’

‘Yes, but still…’ said Mamie who had uncomfortably high principles. ‘I’d better do it, I think.’ She hesitated and then asked Holly to stay to tea. It was nearly four o’clock and the laws of hospitality made the invitation unavoidable.

‘Oh, I’d love to,’ declared Holly. ‘But as a matter of fact, James said he would be fishing to-day. I thought I would go down to the river and watch him.’

‘Why not come in and have tea?’ urged Mamie. ‘We’ll have it at once. I’m sure you want tea after your drive. Do come in, Holly, I’m all alone.’

‘It’s very kind of you, Mrs. Johnstone, but I’d rather go down to the river,’ Holly replied. ‘James told me about the river: he loves it, doesn’t he? He loves everything about Mureth. He’s very happy that he’s going to be settled here. And of course it is a lovely place. I mean it isn’t as dull as most country places; there’s quite a lot of goings on.’

Mamie opened her mouth to declare that Mureth was not in the least dull, that Mureth was an earthly paradise, but she changed her mind before the words came out. ‘It depends on what you like,’ said Mamie soberly. ‘If you like the country and country occupations,

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