Chapter TwoAfter luncheon when they knew that the servants would be busy or resting at the back of The Castle, Lencia and Alice went upstairs.
Their mother’s room had been closed and locked ever since she had died. In fact the Earl had refused to have anything in her room touched or removed.
When Lencia opened the door, she was immediately vividly aware of her mother.
There was still the soft fragrance of white violets that she had always used as a perfume.
It was with difficulty that she did not look towards the bed to see if her mother was lying back against the pillows and, at the same time, holding out her arms towards her.
Lencia drew back the curtains and the bright sunshine flooded in.
She felt as if at any moment she would hear her mother speak to her and that everything woul
