Then she made some fragrant tea like that which I had had before in this caravan, and we sat drinking and talking. There was so much I had to tell her still and she asked many questions.

Then I realized that I had been absent for a long time and Lady Crompton would be wondering what had become of me.

Gertie was married the following week. There was breathless excitement throughout the house. It had all been planned, down to the smallest detail. The reception was to be at the house after the ceremony, and then Gertie and Bernard were going to Florence for three weeks’ honeymoon. When they returned they would settle into the house which was waiting for them.

Lucian, Lawrence and Dorothy were present and the Hysons had invited numerous friends; and then there were Bernard’s connections. Aunt Beatrice was worried as to how they were all going to get into the house.

Gertie was in a state of ecstasy and Bernard was clearly a very contented man.

It was two days before the great event when I received a letter in an unknown handwriting. My heart beat fast as I looked at it, for something told me it was from Zingara.

I was right.

My dear Carmel [I read], I was delighted to have your address from Rosie. For so long I have wondered about you. You will see from the address above that I am living at a place called Castle Folly in Yorkshire. It is not a real castle, but you will see it when you come to visit it-which you will soon, I hope.

You would have to stay a while, for you could not make the journey there and back in a day. Send me a note please and say when you will come.

Zingara (I am Mrs. Blakemore now).

I re-read the letter and I thought: I will write to her at once. I will go just as soon as I can. I should have to wait until after the wedding, of course, and then perhaps I could hardly leave Aunt Beatrice immediately. She would miss Gertie, although it would only be for a short while. But I would write and fix a date . perhaps a week ahead. That would give time for the wedding and a little interval.

So that was what I did.

There was an enthusiastic reply from Zingara. She was greatly looking forward to seeing me. As for myself, I could hardly wait to go.

The wedding was over. There had been none of those hitches which Aunt Beatrice had greatly feared. The married couple had left for Florence, and we all missed Gertie very much. I had always known what a difference her coming had made to Aunt Beatrice, but now I saw it was even more than I had realized.

She admitted to me that she was a selfish old woman because good fortune had given her Gertie while robbing her own mother of her; and she could not help rejoicing in that.

“Gertie and I were always such pals in the old days,” she said, ‘but now, to have her here so close . like my own daughter, really. It’s my gain . but I do think of my poor sister. “

“She has James,” I said.

“I never thought they would go gallivanting off to Australia. Now I’m going to stock the young people’s house with everything they’ll want when they come home. You must help me, Carmel.”

“I will, but I have to pay this visit to Yorkshire. It is someone I have to see.”

I did not say it was my mother. I had told no one that. I should have to wait until I had understood Zingara’s reactions before I imparted that information.

Lucian thanked me for visiting his mother.

“She said she so much enjoyed having you there. It was good of you to go.”

“I enjoyed it. She was charming to me.”

He looked at me thoughtfully.

“There’s a good deal I want to talk about,” he said.

“We must meet… some time soon.”

I thought: Weddings have an effect on some people. There was some purpose behind that remark. Perhaps it was because of all the hints I had received from Gertie that I wondered if he really did care enough about me to want to marry me. I was unsure of myself and of him. There was something that held me back . something I did not understand.

When I remembered the boy he had been and how I had adored him then, I wanted him to be just like that now. He had changed. Something had happened . there was his marriage, of course. What was it Rosie had said? Our yesterdays must leave their mark upon today.

How different it was with Lawrence! I felt I knew exactly what he was thinking, exactly how he would react to any situation. There was no mystery about Lawrence.

Dorothy was saying: “There is something so affecting about weddings.

How happy they both seem! “

She looked at me wistfully. She did not expect marriage for herself, but she wanted it for Lawrence, and I felt that she was hoping that I would grant her wish.

It was a bright autumn day when I arrived in Yorkshire.

Zingara was at the station to meet me. She had changed a little from the last time I had seen her. That must have been about ten years ago.

She was more serene. Her hair was still magnificent-black and glistening coils piled up on her head. Heavy Creole earrings swung from her ears, and her dark eyes were as bright and beautiful as before. She was dressed in a midnight blue cloak under which was a scarlet dress. One would have noticed her immediately in any crowd.

She came to me with arms outstretched.

“My darling child!” she said.

“I am so happy that you have come.”

Then she held me at arm’s length and looked at me.

“You have grown up,” she said.

“You are no longer a little girl. And I… I have become the old lady.”

I laughed.

“What nonsense! Nobody could call you an old lady.”

“My life is changed. I no longer sing, no longer dance. But that is for later. Now, here is the trap. I drive this myself and I shall take you to my home at Castle Folly.”

“It is so exciting to be here.”

“We have much to tell each other. But first I will prepare you. I am Mrs. Blakemore now. I have a husband. He is very old and he owns Castle Folly. It is not a real castle. He wanted a castle, so he built one a ruin of a castle in his own grounds. We have the battlemented towers scattered here and there, the remains of the old banqueting hall. I can tell you, it is a most wonderful ruin of a castle, and it suits Harriman very well because he always wanted a castle and now he has one all of his own.”

“He sounds as though he is a very interesting man.”

“He is indeed. And he has been good to me, and when the time came I let him carry me off to his castle. You will like him and he will like you.”

“How do you know?”

“Because it is what I want, and he always does what I want. But we will save our talks for the right time. Now, this is your luggage?

Come. “

I sat beside her and we started off.

“We are close to the moors,” she said.

“Have you ever seen the Yorkshire moors? They are the best moors in the world. The wind is fresher here and to let it buffet you is as exciting as an audience clapping and shouting Bravo. To me that is, but then, I am a gipsy.

Give me the feel of the wind in my hair! Sometimes I take out the pins and let it blow about me. I tell you, my darling, this conventional attire is to come to that station and collect you. You will see me change. “

I laughed with pleasure. I had not expected a visit to Zingara to be a conventional one and this was certainly going to be unusual.

We drove on for about fifteen minutes before I saw the beginning of the moor wild open country with boulders rising here and there and little streams glistening on their rocky surface. It was awe-inspiring.

“We’re on the moor now,” she said.

“There are one or two houses round us, but not many. Look over there. Do you see that grand building?

When you get closer, you will see that it is a ruin. Castle Folly!”

I could see it clearly now remains of towers and turrets. It certainly had the appearance of a once magnificent edifice now in ruins.

Zingara laughed.

“Well, if you can’t inherit one, build your own!

What’s wrong with that? “

“Nothing at all, I’m sure.”

“The house is in the grounds-it is rather insignificant after the castle … but comfortable. We have a couple looking after it. Then there are just Harriman and myself. Life is queer. I never thought this could be my destiny. “

I saw the house then. It appeared to have been built in the mid-century, when Georgian elegance had been replaced by the heavy style of the industrial era. It looked solid, built to withstand the weather, which I imagined could be bleak on the moors in winter. There was an air of strength about it.

“This is the house, known as Castle Folly. Doesn’t fit somehow, does it, until you look round and see what it’s all about.”

She drove the trap up to the house and, as she did so, a man came out.

“This is Tom Arkwright, and here’s Daisy. Hello, Daisy. This is Miss Carmel Sinclair. You know she’s staying with us for a while. And this is Tom and Daisy, Carmel. They’re my mainstay.”

Tom, rather dour by nature, I imagined, twisted his mouth into a grin, rather reluctantly.

“And how are you. Miss?” said Daisy, who was small and energetic-looking and had an air of strength and immense capability.

“Welcome to Yorkshire.”

“These two keep the whole show going,” said Zingara, beaming on them.

“I just don’t know what I would do without them.”

“There’s hot coffee and buns waiting for you, Mrs. B,” said Daisy.

“Happen the young lady will want a bite after that train journey.”

“That’s wonderful. Come along and taste Daisy’s buns and have the coffee while it’s hot. Then I’ll whisk you up and introduce you to Harriman. Daisy makes the best buns in Yorkshire.”