Read Across the Lagoon for Free Online Page B

voice quavered under the weight of forced humour. 'I'm running out of farming-out accommodation.'
    Swinging her gaze round, she shot a look at Carol. And then as though she realised she might have hinted too much, she rose to say quickly, 'Mind you, if Mummy and Daddy weren't so busy, I expect they'd have me out there like a shot. It's just that... well, they're so busy all the time.'
    'Of course.' Carol made a show of being completely understanding. Then she turned to admire the view. Though she adopted a carefree pose, her heart went out to the younger girl. It couldn't be much fun for her being separated from her parents like this; abandoned to the impersonal life of a boarding school all year, waiting each summer for someone to come and pick- her up. It was easy to see she was a lonely child. And there had been no loving embrace for her uncle.
    Thinking about it made Carol feel almost ashamed of her own closely knit family.
    There was no time for further conjecture, however, for hearing voices she turned to see the two figures reappearing within the shadowy cloisters. Gray Barrett was shaking the headmistress's hand again. He bent to pick up the suitcases near by. Then after a last nod to her wave of farewell, he made his way across the quadrangle towards the steps.
    Knowing only relief after Stephanie's rather frank outburst just now, Carol led the way down the steps to the car. The two girls sat in the back. Gray Barrett stowed his niece's cases in the boot, then he took his seat behind the driving wheel again. Without a backward glance at the rear seats he started up, and they were soon leaving the school grounds behind.
    Carol sat keyed up at the atmosphere inside the car. She wasn't sure whether she was supposed to try and engage her young charge in conversation or not. Stephanie, showing no signs of her bitter mood or earlier, seemed content to sit and stare out at the scenery. In the end, Carol decided to do the same.
    The hedges and trees sped by against the summer blue of the sky. Wallflowers and tumbling aubretia were showing in the gardens of the little town houses. Soon they had left the rural, picturesque Shawford behind and were aiming towards London.
    The sound of the tyres hummed over the road. Sometimes there was nothing much to be seen beyond the wide highway on which they travelled, at others they cruised through country towns and along narrow lanes past sleepy hamlets.
    As the morning drew on Gray Barrett broke the silence of the interior of the car to say impersonally, 'We'd better stop for some refreshment shortly. I'll keep a look out for a suitable spot.'
    Carol eagerly kept a look out too. She had been noticing the pretty little cafés and countryside inns along tie way. As they drove through a little market town she saw with sinking heart that the man at the wheel had an eye only for the rather dull-looking commercial-traveller type hotels. When she saw him preparing to pull in, a few minutes later, beside one of these street-side establishments, her disappointment was so great she exclaimed without thinking, 'Oh, couldn't we go somewhere where there's a garden?'
    Gray Barrett set his jaw and heaved an impatient sigh, but he didn't pull in where he had planned to. He kept on going slowly until, out into the country again, they came upon a corner-side inn with a tall thatched roof and white-painted walls, and islands of flowers around the front. 'This suit you?' he asked, the hint of sarcasm in his tones.
    Carol, still wondering how she had found the nerve to open her mouth, but too pleased with the view to care, nodded to say shyly, 'It's much prettier.'
    She waited until they were able to alight, with happy impatience. She didn't know about the others, but what with the drive, the sunny day, the pretty scenery, and now the picturesque inn with its gay umbrellas and green side lawns, she was developing a distinct holiday feeling. She was filled with an urge to enjoy everything to the full.
    They