Castle In The Clouds, Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen (standard:drama, 3109 words) [8/21] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Oct 21 2009	Views/Reads: 2551/1831	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Thomas Llewellyn has purchased a castle adapted as a residence, but the is mounting disharmony between the woman of his dreams and the other occupants

Chapter Fifteen 

Dorothea watched from the gallery as Llewellyn led the pony & trap onto
the track at the bottom of the slope. It had stopped raining and the 
sun had broken through. That was a pity for she would loved to have 
seen the oh – so – elegant - and refined Miss Day receive another 
soaking. The fact that she had deliberately splashed rain from a soaked 
coat into her face was enraging, but she had amassed all her self 
control and drawn back from the confrontation the woman had seemed set 
on provoking. That she'd had the nerve and stupidity to attempt such a 
thing was galling in itself, she could only suppose it to be a pathetic 
attempt to get her to incur her brother's wrath, thus undermining her 
position in the castle. If so it had failed dismally, and she'd come 
out all the stronger for it; she might have been out-manoeuvred during 
the scene on the terrace but she'd evened the score by her admirable 
display of self-control. All she needed now was to patiently wait out 
the next couple of days, until Veronica Day's departure. 

For once Hambleton would be her ally in persuading Thomas that this
woman must never return, that she was a disruptive, even malicious 
influence, far from the perfect woman her brother supposed her to be. 
She pressed her hands onto the sill, leaning closer to the window; 
Thomas had drawn the trap to a halt and appeared to be in intense 
conversation with Day. He'd taken her hands in his and for a moment 
Dorothea had misgivings. Had this boring island turned him into a 
hopeless romantic? She couldn't understand how Llewellyn had become so 
besotted with the woman. He'd never been so lovelorn in the past. But 
it had only been fleeting, in a moment she'd extracted her hands or 
he'd released his grip, she wasn't sure which, and shortly afterwards 
the journey was resumed. 

What had occurred to cause him to draw the trap to a halt? She shook her
head; it wasn't a question worth dwelling on. There were more pressing 
matters. 

Passing Veronica's room she pushed the door open, her violin sat on its
stand, the bow alongside. There was an urge, almost irresistible to 
smash it to pieces; it wasn't hers anyway, Thomas had foolishly bought 
it, so the satisfaction, quite apart from a response from her brother 
that Veronica would gleefully appreciate, was muted. 

She passed through the castle hall and onto the slope; Gibbings was on
his way up it, a broody look in his dark eyes.  'Ah Gibbings, I was 
coming in search of you, my window latch is stiff, it requires 
attention, but first show me your hands.' 

He was slow to present them for her inspection and she thought she saw
annoyance in his eyes. 'Don't hold back on me Gibbings, Dorothea said 
quietly. 'My brother returns to London shortly, if I am dissatisfied 
with your manner I am at liberty to dispense with your services.' 

She took his slowly extended hands and turned them palm upward, pressing
on his fingertips, her face close to his. 'Clean enough,' she whispered 
through pouted lips. 'This evening I need to inspect our property, 
expect me at seven -' 

'Gibbings shook his head, 'Lifeboat duty Miss Llewellyn.' Dorothea
wafted a hand. 'Then I shall attend at nine – now come and adjust this 
infernal latch.' 

*                           *                           * 

Veronica reached her room and saw at once the door had been pushed open.
She inspected her belongings, none had been touched. She sighed, 
supposing it could have been the wind, the castle got draughty when the 
breeze was strong. 

Washing her hair free of the salt and grit that their lengthy trap ride
had bestowed on it, she recalled the events of the day. Thomas had 
conceded control of the reins to her, full of admiration for the way 
she handled them. They'd crossed the causeway onto the mainland and 
journeyed through the countryside to Berwick, where they'd enjoyed a 
meal at a hotel before returning shortly before the tide cut the 
causeway off. 



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