Free The Master of Phoenix Hall by Jennifer Wilde Page B

the world to those people you saw at the church. It isn’t the world to me.” He smiled again, shaking his head at me. “But I don’t intend to bore you with the long list of my ambitions. I’ll save that for some more appropriate time.”
    On the ride back to Dower House, he talked lightly and pleasantly as though to make up for the moment of seriousness at the schoolhouse. He had given me a moment of insight into his character, and I saw many things about Greg Ingram that I had not seen before. He was restless, and while contented to make the best of things for the time being, he was not satisfied with his lot as a country school teacher. He was certainly qualified for something much better, and I wondered how he had come to this unlikely place. Perhaps there was a story behind it that I would learn after I got to know him better.
    We passed Phoenix Hall. Through the network of green leaves half-concealing it from the road, it looked like a child’s toy left on the lawn, so small was it from this distance. The sunlight struck the old brown gables and turrets with yellow lights. Men were still working on the wooden platform, handing long pieces of lumber back and forth, and a stone mason was repairing brick work at one end. Although he had not commented on it before, Greg frowned now, creasing his brows deeply.
    â€œSomeday Rod will go too far,” he commented, more to himself than to me.
    â€œYou know Roderick Mellory?” I asked.
    He nodded. “I go to Phoenix Hall quite often. Paul is my friend, and we study together some. We both have an interest in English history, and we both love music. He is quite an accomplished pianist. You saw him at church? What a tragedy.”
    â€œHe seemed bitter.”
    â€œWouldn’t that be natural? He’s moody, sometimes sullen, but that is only a front. In reality he’s extremely sensitive, introspective. I am very fond of him.”
    â€œIs he like his brother?”
    â€œLike Rod? Not at all. Roderick Mellory is the devil incarnate,” he said, his voice harsh. “He has one ambition, to make Phoenix Hall what it was in the past—one of the greatest estates in the country—and he will stop at nothing to see that that ambiion is fulfilled.”
    â€œHe wants Dower House back,” I told Greg.
    â€œHe has wanted it for a long time. You know about the law suit?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThat didn’t work. When your uncle died he offered your aunt much money if she would sell the place back to him. She laughed at him. It was her home, and Roderick Mellory had no rights to it.”
    â€œWhy does he want it so badly?”
    â€œI suppose he hates the thought of strangers living on the estate, people he has no control over. It affects his sense of power. Everyone must bow to the authority of Roderick Mellory, and when he cannot make someone bow to this authority, it infuriates him. Lucille would not bow. Her obstinacy made him all the more determined. Has he approached you about selling?”
    â€œOnly through my lawyer,” I said.
    â€œHe will, rest assured of that.”
    â€œI am afraid Roderick Mellory will find someone else who will not bow,” I replied.
    We drove the rest of the way to Dower House in silence. Greg left me at the door, and I stood there a long time, thinking of all he had said. Peter came up to keep me company, and I stroked his head. I had learned a lot today. My curiosity about the Mellorys was all the more intense after seeing the boy and girl at church. I wondered if Roderick Mellory would really come to see me about selling the house. I did not know, but I knew that the Master of Phoenix Hall would be mistaken if he thought he could use his evil influence over me.

V
    A PRIL WAS ALMOST GONE . There was to be a traditional May Day fete in Lockwood on the first day of May, and Greg had asked me to go with him. He said it was a lusty, robust celebration, complete