Fall of a Philanderer Read Online Free Page A

get ready for lunch. I’ll see you at the house shortly.”
    The girls ran off. Mrs. Hammett started moving along the jetty after them and the other disembarking passengers. “A word of warning,” she repeated. “A young woman on her own, without her husband to support her, simply can’t be too careful. I dare say that young man you were talking to may be respectable enough.” Her sniff conveyed a world of doubt. “But there’s others as can’t be trusted not to take an ell if you give ’em an inch.”
    â€œOh?” Daisy’s chilly tone was intended to make plain that she didn’t feel her having saved the blasted woman’s eggs gave said blasted woman a right to lecture. But she must be out of practice with the Dowager Viscountess’s arctic pretension-depressing voice, for she might as well have saved the chill to cool her porridge.
    â€œJust to give you a hint, for your own good. You stay away from that George Enderby, that’s landlord o’ the Schooner Inn. Married
Nancy Pinner, as ought to have knowed better, to get his hands on the hotel, and he can’t keep his hands off any woman under forty. A real charmer he is, they say, though I can’t see it meself, but he’s going to get his comeuppance one o’ these days, you mark my words. They ought to bring back the stocks.”
    And the ducking-stool for scolds , Daisy thought. Mrs. Hammett was the sort of person who made one think things one couldn’t utter aloud.
    â€œThere, I’ve had my say. You’d best be off after your daughter, or they’ll be late for lunch. Children don’t obey their elders the way they did when I was young.” She turned a look of suspicion on Daisy. “You look very young to have a daughter that age!”
    â€œHow kind of you to say so.” Daisy beamed at her unwanted new acquaintance as if the woman had intended a compliment. “You’re quite right, I must go and find the girls. Good day.” With a slight bow, she escaped.
    When she reached the guest-house, after stopping at the newsagent for chocolate, Bel and Deva were already coming up from the beach.
    â€œOur castle’s all washed away,” said Deva mournfully.
    â€œThere’s not a single sign of it. I wish we’d saved the feather Sid gave us. We can build an even better one this afternoon, though, Deva,” Belinda assured her, “can’t we, Mummy?”
    â€œIf you’ve recovered from our walk. Come on, now, we’ll be late for lunch.”
    In the hall, they found the hiker. He was telling Mrs. Anstruther, “You were recommended to me as a particularly comfortable place to stay.”
    â€œOh dear, I do have a room free, but I’m afraid I don’t usually take young single gentlemen.” She saw Daisy and the girls and her face cleared. “But as I have a family staying, I expect it will be all right. You don’t mind children?”
    â€œNot at all.” He looked round and smiled. “We’ve already met, on the ferry. I’m a schoolmaster. I’ll be out walking most of the time,
anyway. I hope you can give me a packed lunch and tea, Mrs. Anstruther?”
    â€œOf course, sir, and there’s plenty if you want to stop in for lunch now. Here, will you sign the guest-book, please?”
    Daisy and the girls went up to their rooms to tidy themselves. A few minutes after they came down to the dining room, with its cheerful chintzes and its bay-window view of the inlet, the young man joined them. He was clad now in somewhat creased flannels, jacket and tie. He stood for a moment with his hands on the back of his chair, surveying the gate-legged table set for four, with a slice of melon at each place, a pitcher of lemonade and a basket of rolls in the middle.
    â€œJolly good show at a moment’s notice. It looks as if I shan’t starve.”
    â€œYou’re more likely to find your