Margaret swung round from the large wardrobe which she had been opening . I hope you will , she said . ' Or else what is the object in coming here ? But according to the terms of our uncle's will , both your brothers are eligible as - as a husband for me , ' Lucy pointed out Margaret shrugged . " No one knows where Jerry is . ' " But Mr Tredego said that he will find him . " Perhaps he will , but if I were you I'd not reckon on Jerry . He always has been a trial to us . Much better make up your mind to settle with Donald , who will make a very good husband . You can't be sure that he wants to settle down with me , Lucy protested Margaret gave a faint superior smile , as she replied . ' Donald has a strong sense of family responsibility ; he has always been a dutiful son . You can be quite sure that he will do what he considers best for the McGurtries . ' Lucy drew a hard indignant breath , was about to retort and then thought better of it . What on earth made Peter McGurtrie

Early the next morning Margaret McGurtrie slipped ou of the castle and made her way across the rocks to the other side of the little island . On a fertile spot where clumps of pine trees grew , at the head of a tiny creek she met Maurice Tredego , who was standing idly throwing stones into the water and watching the widening circles they caused ' I thought you were never coming ! he exclaimed as she ran towards him . ' I overslept , ' she excused herself . ' I lay awake for hours and didn't get off till about two o'clock this morning Maurice , I feel utterly wretched ! She clung to him and raised her face to his , and after a moment's hesitation glancing round to make sure that they were quite unob served , he caught her close , and his mouth fastened down on hers . She hung limp in his grasp , utterly oblivious of everything and everyone save the man who was kissing her , as she had dreamed for weeks of being kissed . Then as the tension between them relaxed she opened her

I shall be able to make a bargain with her , I think she can be to settle a decent sum on you , so be friendly with her Meg , and don't let her see that you resent her . ' Margaret's eyes filled with tears . I do resent her , ' she cried . Of course I do , I should not be human if I didn't . Uncle Peter ought to have left the money to Donald and me . I can't think why he didn't ' Probably just to cause trouble he was that kind of man , you know . But it's no good reviling him . We should be thankful that little Lucy is easy to manage - she might have been one of those precocious cockneys , with a very high opinion of herself , and then both you and Donald would have been pitied . As it is moulded into any form you wish . ' ' It's rotten for Donald , having to marry her . ' ' He might have had to marry someone worse , let me give you a tip , Meg , my sweet . If you are kind to the child , let her think that she is wanted , you'll be able to do anything you please with her . '

and he could always be sure of having someone devoted to him . Margaret's frettings and strivings only irked him and it was a relief to leave her at Kilrossan and take a trip to Paris - and Elise . She never worried him ; she regarded marriage in the same light as he did . She loved her freedom . He never had to pretend with her or appear other than he was . She understood him as Margaret never could . But since Peter McGurtrie's death and the reading of his fantastic will , Maurice Tredego had changed his mind about marriage . If Margaret could be given a good allow ance he would make her his wife , since it would be to his advantage to be connected by marriage with Peter McGurtrie's heiress . The next best thing to being her husband . He was sure that he would soon wield a strong influence over Lucy, and he could gradually get all her affairs into his own hands . He did not fear that Donald would prevent him - those quiet scholarly men were rarely interested in money or ha

She drank her tea , and then went to the bathroom feeling warmed and refreshed , returned to her room and dressed ; she was healthily hungry , and looking forward breakfast , very much more pleased with her surroundings and her new family than she had been the previo evening . How annoyed her aunt would be if she could sex her now ! Mr Tredego had told only the bare facts al Lucy 's inheritance , not mentioning the conditions of the will , and merely saying that he was taking her up nori to stay with relations , so that when Lucy  returned to Sevila's Road to pack her few belongings , Mrs Lilian had been waiting for her . What a change in the woman in a few short hours ! She insisted on Lucy  having a men before she left ; would come upstairs with her to help her pack ; fussed over and besought her to remembe that this was her true home . You must return to it whenever you want , ' she'd added ' I have been thinking for some time that you've growi too old f