CHAPTER THREEA pall of misery hung over Bingham Hall for the next few days.
Lucia scarcely saw Sir Arthur who spent much of his time closeted in the study with dour-looking men who had the slightly earnest air of accountants.
Lucia became accustomed to dining alone with her mother, as his meetings went on long into the evening.
She became very concerned about the change that had come over her mother during this time. The healthy complexion she had brought back from Italy soon vanished and often she took to her bed for hours at a time.
The cough that she had dismissed as being ‘slight’ became more pronounced and Lucia could hear it echoing along the corridors late at night.
She pushed her food around her plate at mealtimes and said she was not hungry. Lucia kept a close eye upon her, f
