chapter 4

lord windlesham sat under the cedar tree. his eyes rested on the graceful proportions of wode

hall. there was nothing to mar its old world beauty; the new buildings and additions were out of

sight round the corner. it was a fair and peaceful sight bathed in the autumn sunshine.

nevertheless, as he gazed, it was no longer wode hall that charles windlesham saw. instead, he

seemed to see a more imposing elizabethan mansion, a long sweep of park, a more bleak

background. it was his own family seat, charltonbury, and in the foreground stood a figure - a

girl's figure, with bright golden hair and an eager confident face... linnet as mistress of

charltonbury!

he felt very hopeful. that refusal of hers had not been at all a definite refusal. it had been little

more than a plea for time. well, he could afford to wait a little.

how amazingly suitable the whole thing was. it was certainly advisable that he should marry

money, but not such a matter of necessity that he could regard himself as forced to put his own

feelings on one side. and he loved linnet. he would have wanted to marry her even if she had

been practically penniless, instead of one of the richest girls in england. only, fortunately, she was

one of the richest girls in england...

his mind played with attractive plans for the future. the mastership of the roxdale perhaps, the

restoration of the west wing, no need to let the scotch shooting...

charles windlesham dreamed in the sun.