in time to prevent the housekeeper making an irate appearance, or sending someone to discover what the noise was all about, and discovering that the precious set of drums collected by the Marques on one of his trips abroad—very possibly Portuguese East Africa—was being put to inconsiderate use, by a child who ought to be content to walk in the garden.
As day followed day, and still Dom Vasco did not come, Caroline began to wonder what she ought to do about it. Their quarters were luxurious, but somewhat confined, as they were never expected to use the main rooms, except for meals, when the dining- sala was thrown open to them. And then it was somewhat of an ordeal, just the pair of them at the enormous table, with so much crystal and valuable china in use that Caroline was terrified lest Richard should have an accident and break something irreplaceable. And it seemed absurd to hav e a manservant waiting on them as well as a parlourmaid, when in a room of their own they could have dispensed with being waited on at all, or had one of the under-housemaids deputed for the task.
The drawing-room, or main sala, was always kept locked, and the only time Caroline had had an opportunity to study its furnishings was on the day of their arrival, when she poured out coffee for Senhor de Capuchos, as for some reason she preferred to think of him, after their first lunch in the impressive dining-room.
Now that there was no Senhor de Capuchos everything was a little flat, although certainly without any stresses. Their day began at seven in the morning, when they were aroused by one of the maids, and then breakfast was served to them at that solemn, long table—a breakfast of fruit and fruit juice, coffee, rolls, and many kinds of preserve. It was with difficulty that Caroline obtained milk for Richard, but she did obtain it by gentle insistence; and she also arranged for him t o be supported by cushions at the, table, otherwise he couldn’t possibly reach it.
After breakfast they went straight out into the garden, and from then on there was nothing much they could do apart from admire the scenery, play games when it wasn’t too hot, and watch the fish in the pond. Caroline wrote letters after lunch in her room, while Richard enjoyed a nap—she knew he was getting a little old for an afternoon nap, but it seemed rather pointless starting to deprive him of it when there was nothing very much to put in its place.
It was true that they had one or two books, which they had brought with them f rom Africa, and they dipped into these faithfully. Richard’s reading improved with great strides as a result of his concentration on these books, and Caroline provided him with notepaper so that he was able to practise handwriting. But it was English handwriting, and they were English books he read, and if he was to go to a Portuguese school it seemed highly desirable that he should get to know Portuguese characters as well as English before very long.
For toys he had a somewhat moth-eaten lion, which had been bought him in Africa, and a pocket Solitaire which neither he nor Caroline could fail to work out successfully, even with their eyes closed.
After a week of this sort of unvarying day-to-day routine Caroline decided that it must end. She had had an airmail letter from Il se announcing dramatically that her marriage was off, and demanding news of Richard as if he was the one thing she lived for. And she thought this demand for information was a sufficient excuse for her seeking out Dom Vasco, if—as it seemed—he had no immediate intention of re-seeking out her and her charge.
So, although it greatly upset Senhora Lopes, and even Joachim, the chauffeur, looked distinctly dubious when given instructions about the destination to which he was to convey them, they set off one afternoon when the heat of the day had subsided a little, in the old-fashioned Daimler which was the means of transport placed at their disposal, and glided
As day followed day, and still Dom Vasco did not come, Caroline began to wonder what she ought to do about it. Their quarters were luxurious, but somewhat confined, as they were never expected to use the main rooms, except for meals, when the dining- sala was thrown open to them. And then it was somewhat of an ordeal, just the pair of them at the enormous table, with so much crystal and valuable china in use that Caroline was terrified lest Richard should have an accident and break something irreplaceable. And it seemed absurd to hav e a manservant waiting on them as well as a parlourmaid, when in a room of their own they could have dispensed with being waited on at all, or had one of the under-housemaids deputed for the task.
The drawing-room, or main sala, was always kept locked, and the only time Caroline had had an opportunity to study its furnishings was on the day of their arrival, when she poured out coffee for Senhor de Capuchos, as for some reason she preferred to think of him, after their first lunch in the impressive dining-room.
Now that there was no Senhor de Capuchos everything was a little flat, although certainly without any stresses. Their day began at seven in the morning, when they were aroused by one of the maids, and then breakfast was served to them at that solemn, long table—a breakfast of fruit and fruit juice, coffee, rolls, and many kinds of preserve. It was with difficulty that Caroline obtained milk for Richard, but she did obtain it by gentle insistence; and she also arranged for him t o be supported by cushions at the, table, otherwise he couldn’t possibly reach it.
After breakfast they went straight out into the garden, and from then on there was nothing much they could do apart from admire the scenery, play games when it wasn’t too hot, and watch the fish in the pond. Caroline wrote letters after lunch in her room, while Richard enjoyed a nap—she knew he was getting a little old for an afternoon nap, but it seemed rather pointless starting to deprive him of it when there was nothing very much to put in its place.
It was true that they had one or two books, which they had brought with them f rom Africa, and they dipped into these faithfully. Richard’s reading improved with great strides as a result of his concentration on these books, and Caroline provided him with notepaper so that he was able to practise handwriting. But it was English handwriting, and they were English books he read, and if he was to go to a Portuguese school it seemed highly desirable that he should get to know Portuguese characters as well as English before very long.
For toys he had a somewhat moth-eaten lion, which had been bought him in Africa, and a pocket Solitaire which neither he nor Caroline could fail to work out successfully, even with their eyes closed.
After a week of this sort of unvarying day-to-day routine Caroline decided that it must end. She had had an airmail letter from Il se announcing dramatically that her marriage was off, and demanding news of Richard as if he was the one thing she lived for. And she thought this demand for information was a sufficient excuse for her seeking out Dom Vasco, if—as it seemed—he had no immediate intention of re-seeking out her and her charge.
So, although it greatly upset Senhora Lopes, and even Joachim, the chauffeur, looked distinctly dubious when given instructions about the destination to which he was to convey them, they set off one afternoon when the heat of the day had subsided a little, in the old-fashioned Daimler which was the means of transport placed at their disposal, and glided
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