Part 5 (2/2)
”I ... I think I'll take a shower,” said Samantha suddenly.
”You don't mind, do you....Grandmother?”
Lady Davenport hid her anxiety. ”Of course not, my dear.
Go ahead.”
”Thank you.” Without a backward glance, Samantha left the room and after the door had closed behind her, Lady Davenport looked at Barbara.
”What have you been saying to upset that child?”
Barbara laughed softly. ”Mother, we only met a few minutes ago. What could I say?”
”Knowing you as I do, a few minutes could seem a life-time,” returned Lady Davenport heavily, sinking down on to a chair.
”You're exaggerating as usual,” remarked Barbara coolly.
”Tell me3 did she take much persuading?”
Lady Davenport frowned. ”Yes, a great deal of per suading.
She is an attractive girl. Would you care to pre tend to be a girl again, and waste the fullness of your youth?”
”No,” admitted Barbara slowly. Then she reached for a cigarette. ”But needs must when the devil drives.”
”So long as it's not Barbara Harriet who gets hurt,” said her mother bitterly.
”Well, darling, in the long run, if I get hurt, you do too.” She smiled again. ”I'm rather proud of myself really. This way I'm killing two birds with one stone.”
”Must you talk in adages?” asked her mother crossly. ”I only hope you're right, though. I dread to think of the publicity if .. ”
”Relax.” Barbara lounged on to a low chair. ”Every thing is going to be fine, you'll see.”
Barbara was gone by the time Samantha returned to the lounge and she could not help but feel relieved. With her grandmother she felt at ease, but Barbara caused dissatis faction and distrust.
Lady Davenport had some news to impart, however, ”Barbara is giving her c.o.c.ktail party tomorrow even ing, as I intimated to you earlier,” she told her grand daughter. ”We shan't see her this evening. She has an other well, appointment.”
”With this man she's involved with?” asked Samantha dryly, ”You could say that, my dear. Now, don't be bitter. We have the evening to ourselves, so I have decided we will get tickets for a play and have an evening on the town. Does that sound appealing?”
Samantha's face changed. ”Oh, yes, it sounds wonder ful!”
she exclaimed. ”What are we going to see?”
They eventually decided upon a play which had been running for a couple of months with good reviews, and with Lady Davenport's undoubted influence they were able to obtain two seats in the stalls.
Samantha wore one of her new dresses, a long, severely styled caftan, whose stand-up collar gave her a rather med ieval appearance. She left her hair loose and Lady Daven port loaned her a fur stole to drape over her arms. Then she smiled affectionately at her.
”You look lovely, my dear,” she said warmly. ”Oh, Samantha, we are going to have some good times to gether. Will you find it worthwhile?”
Samantha flushed. ”I'm doing this for you,” she said softly.
”And of course it's worthwhile. Just meeting you has made my life have purpose again.”
During the course of the play, Samantha found herself remembering Patrick Mallory. Yesterday, so many things had happened to put any thoughts of him out of her mind, but now here, in the comparative quietness of the theatre, she recalled how kind he had been to her. She wondered if she might possibly meet him again, but such an event seemed unlikely.
London was such a huge place, and be sides, if all went according to plan, she would not be here much longer, but at Daven, with her grandmother.
She sighed, and Lady Davenport glanced quickly at her.
”Are you bored, Samantha?” she asked, in a low voice.
Samantha smiled. ”Of course not. I was thinking, that's all.”
”In the middle of the play! That doesn't sound encouraging Samantha squeezed her grandmother's arm. ”All this is quite new to me,” she murmured gently. ”Even now, I find it difficult to accept everything that has happened.”
Lady Davenport patted her hand. ”We have a lot of lost time to make up,” she agreed. ”But are you really enjoy ing yourself?”
”Immensely,” replied Samantha truthfully, and there after concentrated on the actors on the stage and put all thoughts of Patrick Mallory out of her mind.
The evening ended with supper at a small but discreet restaurant and they eventually got back to the hotel at mid night.
Lady Davenport was looking a little strained and Samantha helped her gently along to their suite.
”I think I shall have a little rest in the morning,” said Lady Davenport wearily. ”If you want to go out, Saman tha, before I'm up, do so, but don't get lost, will you?”
”Of course, not, Grandmother. It's been a marvelous evening. Thank you.”
Lady Davenport smiled. ”It's been marvelous for me, too.”
She kissed Samantha's cheek. ”And now ... bed! Goodnight, my dear.”
”Goodnight. Grandmother.”
Samantha went to bed too, but not to sleep. She lay awake for hours, die excitement of the evening having left her mind too active for actual slumber. It was four before she actually slept and when Emily brought her breakfast in at nine o'clock, she felt as though she had not slept at all. Mixed with her thoughts of the new things that had already happened to her was the trepidation she was feeling at the thought of Barbara's party, and she wondered who would be there.
She dressed after breakfast in dark blue slacks and a blue Italian over blouse. She tied her hair up in a ponytail and after enquiring of Emily how her grandmother was feeling this morning she pulled on a short sheepskin. jacket and left the hotel.
Outside in the Strand, a cool wind was blowing, but the sun was trying to break through and the air was invigorating.
Samantha revelled in the feeling of freedom she was experiencing and b.u.t.toning her coat she set off to walk in the direction of Trafalgar Square.
It was all enormously exciting and she could see much; more on foot than she had seen in the car. She stood and watched the fountains, smiled at the statues of the lions and continued on towards Admiralty Arch.
The Mall stretched ahead of her and noticing the park on her left she decided to walk through it towards Buckingham Palace.
Although it was still comparatively early, there was an amazing amount of traffic to Samantha's eyes, and the peace of the park made her think of the quietness she had known in Perruzio She stood for a while on the bridge which spanned the lake in the park and watched the ducks gliding about the smooth surface. Then she continued on towards her goal; the palace and the Victoria Memorial Then with a sigh she turned and made her way back down the Mall. Although she had felt tired when she awoke her tiredness had left her and she felt exhilarated.
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