The Rocks of Valpré

he had good reason to be so; but it made it a little dull for Chris. Accide

d upon three children at once. The effort had not so far been a brilliant success, and Mademoiselle, conscious within herself of her inability to cope adequately with her th

as useless for Chris to protest that it was not her hair that had got her into difficulties, that she had only left it loose to dry it after her bathe, that there had been no one to see-at least, no one that mattered-and that the cut on her foot was

e to bathe again for at least a week, and this fact was of itself sufficient to depress her into silence. Yet, after a l

others, both of whom had developed diphtheria within a day or two of their arrival. The children's father was absent in India; his only sister, upon whom the cares of his family were supposed to rest, was entertaining Royalty, and wa

e youngest of the family, aged twelve-had turned the corner and were progressing towards convalescence. Over the latter she still had qualm

nion of the harassed Frenchwoman that her one sound charge could not be trusted to conduct herself with circumspection during her days of enforced solitude. Chris Wyndham, however,

if she didn't come to grief one way or another, this would probably continue to be the case for the term of her natural life. But it was quite plain that Aunt Philippa expected her to come to grief. Girls like Chris, unless they married out of the schoolroom, usually played with fire until they burnt their fingers. The fact of the matter was Chris was far too attractive, and though as yet sublimely unconscious of the fact, Aunt Philippa knew that soo

rish and volatile, who had died at the birth of little Noel. She doubted the stability of each one of them in turn, and plainly told her brother that he mus

was now at Sandhurst, Maxwell was being educated at Marlborough, and Noel, who was never very strong, was at present with Chris in M

had insisted upon bringing him, though Mademoiselle had protested most emphatically against this addition to the party. How she was to get him back again she had not begun to consider. Doubtless, however, Jack would manage it somehow. Jack was the aforementioned cousin in the Guards, a young ma

t. She could not paddle, but she might manage to hobble down to the shore, and sit on the sun-baked rocks. Even Mademoiselle could surely find no fault with this. And she

le plage where none but bonnes and their charges ever passed. Nothing had happened all day long, and she had been bored almost to tears. The beaming smiles of Mademoiselle, who was thankful

on. Mademoiselle was busy with the boys, and what was the good? She was her

no pain. Her hair was tied discreetly back with a black ribbon. It ought to have been plaited, but as Mademoiselle had no

e from her chair in the shade, dropped the crochet with which Mademoiselle had

A quick gleam of pleasure shone in her blue eyes. She turned her h

l's face. With a sudden swoop

utioned him. "Only when I tell you, you a

r vice, he was always ready to enter into any little game that his mistress might dev

as not a spectacle to pass unheeding. She smiled upon them-t

past. Their wearers stared and grinned at the smiling

!" And into Cinders' ear she whispered, "They

obeyed his mistress's behest and

s black eyes, raised his hand abruptly and saluted in return. Every man who followed did likewise, and Chris was enchanted. Ma

back, eyes fixed straight before him. A gallant specimen was he, for though of inconsiderable height, he was well made and obviously of athletic build.

the girl at the gate-t

n a fraction of time, t

rise, undoubted pleasur

e paused, clicked his

hand-her left; Cinders

"you! I didn't know

tooped and kissed it. "But I am d

yelps of welcome to reach him. He stood up, l

oot?" he q

m going down to the shore prese

fter his men retreating up the hill towards t

Chris. "This afternoon!

nly Cinde

selle la go

l," Chris explained cheerfully. "You might come

itated. The blue eyes

y-quite cracked, in fact, on some points. But that needn't prevent your coming down to

His surrender was abru

that game, I expect. One draws and the other has to guess wh

he, still smiling, saluted ag

ventional, this English

imely and complet

on of a spell yet dormant present itself as she stood thus on the threshold of her woman's kingdom? Possi

enchman is a trump. I'm sure Jack would think so." She and Jack Forest generally saw things

of the fact that her sense of boredom had completely evaporated. After

ps towards a little patch of firm sand which she regarded as peculiarly

the distance. He had discarded his uniform, in favour of white linen. She regre

he sand, far too intent to note her approach, and

e of the work of art that he was elaborating with such care before he discovered her. But his

remony of greeting with impatient curiosity. "

inly, made

erly forward

he really like that? How splendidly you have done his scales! And

ith his ready smile. "I am w

ll, go on being an artist,

ur turn now, made

she protested. "I can't compe

at that and

a rock and watched h

e with a man on it! Ah, yes! St. George killing the dragon! Excellent!" She cl

mademoiselle," he remarked

xclaimed. "Look at the

nd a host of

hey will endure f

ry long while,"

to her, quite serious for once. "There is on

it. It makes me feel giddy," she said. "Plea

izzical. "Alors, shall we build a barrier

ope of sand,"