Henrietta's Own Castle

‘Five—six. There are two more cars on their way. The plane was full, but there are many killed.’ He started to walk away and then paused to say over his shoulder: ‘Mother? She is all right?’

‘She’s wonderful—do you want her kept away?’

His grim face broke into a sudden smile. ‘Dear girl! No—she would never forgive me, but warn them again.’

She went back into the hall and passed on his message and was glad that she had done so, for the victims carried in so carefully were a shocking sight indeed. It was to the credit of the helpers there that none of them turned away, only waited mutely to be told what to do.

was outside fetching in more coal when she went downstairs, and by the time she had showered and emerged, cosily wrapped in her pink quilted dressing gown, her hair hanging damply down her back, he had made the tea and set the tray on one of the little side tables. Henrietta saw, with a sinking heart, that there was only one cup and saucer. ‘You’ll have a cup?’ she asked him in quite a timid voice, ‘I’m sorry I was so rude and cross.’

weather had changed; the grey skies had given way to a pale, chilly blue and there was sunshine, though quite without warmth, for part of each day so that the icy roads never quite thawed. No weather to take out the car, but she had become a little restless, owing, she refused to admit, to the fact that she hadn’t seen anything of Marnix van Hessel for several days.