Christopher Nicole [Hilton 05 Sunset (v1.5) (epub)

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.As if she were not wearing her corset.'Now, do not let us start that rubbish all over again,' Oriole said, quietly, and with remarkable patience.'You are going, and you know you are going, even if I have to have you carried on board the ship.You cannot stay here.'Meg knew that, well enough.Without entirely knowing why.She just knew that something quite terrible had happened, far more terrible than even her night in the mountains, and that was terrible enough.For a while, indeed, she had thought of escaping back to the mountains, and never ever returning.But that had been an impossible dream, in any event, as her bedroom door was locked every night, and she was never allowed from the house except with a servant at her heels.And these servants were all hand-picked by Oriole; she had not seen Prudence since her return to the house.But the fact was, she could have evaded her watchdogs and made her escape, had she really wanted to.It was the irrevocability of such a step that had made her stay.To return to the mountains for one night, for another night such as the one which was daily becoming more of a dream, remained a tantalizing ambition.But to live for the rest of her life in such squalor and poverty, with only the outlet of the sexually religious fervour - although of course clearly it was only that sexually religious fervour which kept those people from desperation.But that was impossible, too, for her.'Well?' Oriole demanded.But there was no bite in her voice.There had, indeed, been no bite in her voice on any occasion since that dreadful day, a month ago now; Meg's bottom still occasionally ached.She got up, picked up her handbag.Her trunk had already been taken out.Only one trunk; she had few enough possessions.'We shall have your clothes made in England,' Oriole had pronounced.The servants waited, but she ignored them.Hannibal waited too, and she stooped to hug his head, no doubt for the last time.'That will do, Margaret,' Oriole said.'You will have hairs all over your gown.'Meg straightened, went into the living room.Here Tony Hilton waited; it was even more impossible to think of him as Father.His face was lined with lack of sleep, and he looked older than she would have thought possible.'You'll like England,' he said.He hesitated, then took her right hand and squeezed it, turned, and went into his study.He had not spoken to Oriole at all.Meg hesitated, glanced at Oriole, and then ran behind him.'Papa.'Tony Hilton sat behind his desk.'You'll miss your boat.'Meg closed the door.'Papa.you don't really think those mountain people harmed me, do you?'Tony Hilton gazed at her.They looked after me.They were kind.The whole thing was my fault.No, it was Oriole's fault.She.if she hadn't sacked Prudence, if she hadn't talked so much.please, Papa, you've lived here all your life.You understand black people.Oriole doesn't.She thinks that because their skin is a different colour from ours they must be wicked.Please, Papa.'Tony Hilton sighed.'It does not matter now, Meg.' 'But it does, Papa.'I'm sure they did not harm you, Meg.But there are not many people.white people.in Jamaica will believe that.Anyway, it doesn't matter now.Not after.' He hesitated, biting his lip.'But I don't mind being whipped,' Meg cried.'Really.I deserved it.I was very rude.I don't mind, Papa.I don't want to go with Oriole.Please.I want to stay here, with you.Please, Papa.'His head came up.'That is impossible, Meg.You must see that.Why.' He drew the back of his hand across his forehead.'Quite impossible.''But you'd like me to stay, Papa.Say you would.''Of course I would like you to stay, Meg.You're everything in the world to me.But, well.' Another sigh.'You cannot.You cannot, you cannot, you cannot.'Meg stared at him, fighting back the tears, listened to the door opening behind her.'Come along, Margaret.' Oriole was very brisk.But she was very nervous, too, and there were beads of sweat gathering on her upper lip.Meg followed her down the stairs.It was very early in the morning.But it had been impossible to keep the news of their departure a secret, and every porch had someone on it.And now Helen McAvoy came across the street.'God bless you, Meg,' she said.'Hurry back to us.''Margaret will return in good time, Helen,' Oriole said, and held the door open for her.Meg got into the carriage, and Oriole sat beside her.'You may give one wave,' she said.Meg leaned out, looked at Helen McAvoy.'Keep Hilltop for me,' she said.Helen smiled even as she began to cry.'We will do that, Meg, my dear.'The whip was cracking.'Now, sit well back,' Oriole commanded.'We don't want anyone on the road or in Kingston to identify you.Once we're on board, well, then, we shall be all right'Meg obeyed.She felt utterly exhausted.She could not remember when she had not felt utterly exhausted.And she didn't really want to see anyone, ever again.Besides, she was about to cry herself [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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