III
Rosamund Darnley, strolling out of the dining room after a very late breakfast, was
cannoned1 intoby Linda as the latter came tearing down the stairs.
“Oh! sorry, Miss Darnley.”
Rosamund said: “Lovely morning, isn’t it? One can hardly believe it after yesterday.”
“I know. I’m going with Mrs. Redfern to
Gull2 Cove3. I said I’d meet her at half past ten. Ithought I was late.”
“No, it’s only twenty-five past.”
“Oh! good.”
She was panting a little and Rosamund looked at her
curiously4.
The girls’ eyes were very bright and she had a vivid patch of colour in each cheek.
“Oh! no. I’m never feverish.”
Rosamund smiled and said:
“It’s such a lovely day I got up for breakfast. Usually I have it in bed. But today I came downand faced eggs and bacon like a man.”
“I know—it’s heavenly after yesterday. Gull Cove is nice in the morning. I shall put a lot of oilon and get really brown.”
Rosamund said:
“Yes, Gull Cove is nice in the morning. And it’s more peaceful than the beach here.”
Linda said, rather shyly:
“Come too.”
Rosamund shook her head.
She said:
“Not this morning. I’ve other fish to fry.”
Christine Redfern came down the stairs.
She was wearing beach
pyjamas6 of a loose
floppy7 pattern with long sleeves and wide legs. Theywere made of some green material with a yellow design. Rosamund’s tongue
itched8 to tell her thatyellow and green were the most unbecoming colours possible for her fair, slightly anaemiccomplexion. It always annoyed Rosamund when people had no clothes sense.
She thought: “If I dressed that girl, I’d soon make her husband sit up and take notice. Howevermuch of a fool Arlena is, she does know how to dress. This wretched girl looks just like a wiltinglettuce.”
Aloud she said:
“Have a nice time. I’m going to Sunny
Ledge9 with a book.”
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