Free The India Fan by Victoria Holt Page A

with any of the servants it would have been a venial sinut Miss Lavinia!
    always knew what she was,commented Polly. lain as the nose on your face. You can be sure your sins will find you out and Madam Lavinia have surely done that.
    We waited to see what would happen and we did not have to wait long.
    Lady Harriet sent for my father and they were in conference for a long time before he returned home. As soon as he came back he asked me to go to him.
    s you know,he said, ou were always intended to go away to school. Your mother and I used to plan for you before you were born. It mattered not whether you turned out to be a boy or a girl, we both believed absolutely in the necessity of education and your mother wanted the best for our child. As you have heard, there is some moneyot a great deal, but perhaps adequatend that has been set aside for your schooling. Miss York is a very good governess and Lady Harriet will do all in her power to find her another place, and with such a recommendation it should not be difficult. Polly well, she has always known that she could not be with you permanently and I believe she has a sister whom she can join
    I stared at him. It was not the thought of school that appalled me. I could only think of the loss of Polly.
    avinia will accompany you. Lady Harriet approves of the school and the two of you will be together.
    Then I understood. Lady Harriet had decreed that Lavinia must go away. There must be an end to this disastrous affair with Jos. Separation was the only answernd I was to go with her. Lady Harriet ruled our lives.
    I said, don want to go away to school, Father. I am sure Miss York is a wonderful teacher and I can do just as well with her.
    t is what your mother wanted for you,he said sadly. I thought: And it is what Lady Harriet wants!
    I went straight to Polly. I flung my arms round her and clung to her.
    olly, I can leave you.
    etter tell me,she said.
    going to school. Lavinia and I are going.
    see. I see. This is because of madam little prank, eh? I shouldn think school is going to stop that one. So you are going away to school, eh?
    won go, Polly.
    t might be good for you.
    hat about you?
    ell, Ie always known this would come to an end one day or another. That was certain sure. Il go to Eff. She always on at me to come. There nothing to fret about, lovey. You and me wel always be friends. Youl know where Il be and Il know where youl be. Don be so downhearted. School will suit you, and then when you have your holidays you can come and stay with me and Eff. Eff would be so proud. So look on the bright side, there a love. Life goes on, you know. It never stands still and you can be Polly baby forever.
    It was getting better already.
    Miss York took the news philosophically. She had been expecting it, she said. The rector had always told her that one day I should have to go away to school. She would find another post and the rector had said she must stay at the rectory until she did. Lady Harriet had promised to help her find another situation, so she was as good as fixed up.
    It was about a week after Lavinia exposure that I saw her.
    She was smoulderingly resentful. She looked more like a tigress than a spoiled kitten. Her eyes were slightly red, so I knew she had been crying.
    hat a fuss!she said. t was that awful girl Holly.
    olly wasn any different from you. Jos had made fools of you both.
    on you dare call me a fool, Drusilla Delany.
    shall call you what I like. And you are a fool to do what you did, with a groom at that.
    ou don understand.
    ell, everybody else does, and it is why you are being sent away.
    ou are being sent as well.
    hat is only because you are going. I have to be with you.
    She snorted. don want you.
    daresay my father could send me to another school.
    y mother would not allow that.
    e are not your mother slaves, you know. We have freedom to do what we want to. If you are going to be objectionable I shall ask my father to send me away without you.
    She looked