-13-

Morning in Averbury was the bloomest. It was broad daylight when Clare awoke and sat up in bed, staring confusedly at the pleasantly bright yellow room. Through the windows poured a flood of cheery sunshine and outside something white and feathery waved across glimpses of blue sky.

For a moment Clare could not remember where she was. First came a delightful thrill of seeing beautiful nature which her previous life was deprived of, then a horrible remembrance. The one who owned all this earthly beauty was such an unpleasant per