Thelma, riding back home through the spring sunshine, thought that her father’s house in the distance looked very attractive.
It was originally a Tudor Manor, which had been enlarged over the generations and had housed the Fern family for three hundred years.
The present Lord Fernhurst had been shattered when his only son was killed at the Battle of Waterloo.
He had then given up being interested in his country estate and spent much of his time in London.
The result was disastrous.
This time he had returned to the country at the beginning of the year, having married a woman whom Thelma had disliked on sight.
The feeling was mutual.
The new Lady Fernhurst had done everything she could manage within her power to make her stepdaughter’s life a misery.
At first Thelma had thought that
