Chapter 3
The Hon. Joanna Southwood said: "Darling, I think it's going to be all perfectly¹ marvellous!"
She was sitting in Linnet Ridgeway's bedroom at Wode Hall.
From the window the eye passed over the gardens to open country with blue shadows of
woodlands.
"It's rather perfect, isn't it?" said Linnet.
She leaned her arms on the window sill. Her face was eager, alive, dynamic. Beside her, Joanna
Southwood seemed, somehow, a little dim - a tall thin young woman of twenty-seven, with a long
clever face and freakishly plucked eyebrows².
"And you've done so much in the time! Did you have lots of architects and things?"
"Three."
"What are architects like? I don't think I've ever seen any."
"They were all right. I found them rather unpractical sometimes."
"Darling, you soon put that right! You are the most practical creature!"
Joanna picked up a string of pearls from the dressing-table.
"I suppose these are real, aren't they, Linnet?"
"Of course."
"I know it's 'of course' to you, my sweet, but it wouldn't be to most people. Heavily cultured or
even Woolworth! Darling, they really are incredible, so exquisitely³ matched. They must be worth
the most fabulous⁴ sums!"
"Rather vulgar, you think?"
"No, not at all - just pure beauty. What are they worth?"
"About fifty thousand."
"What a lovely lot of money! Aren't you afraid of having them stolen?"
"No, I always wear them - and anyway they're insured."
"Let me wear them till dinner time, will you, darling? It would give me such a thrill."
Linnet laughed.
"Of course, if you like."
"You know, Linnet, I really do envy you. You've simply got everything. Here you are at twenty,
your own mistress, with any amount of money, looks, superb health. You've even got brains!
When are you twenty-one?"
"Next June. I shall have a grand coming-of-age party in London."
"And then are you going to marry Charles Windlesham? All the dreadful little gossip writers are
getting so excited about it. And he really is frightfully

分享到：