The Colonel and His Daughter Read Online Free

explain why Wellington was behaving like a gentleman, but his dog’s sudden good manners were the least of his problems.
    “Darling girl,” he said, hurrying over to greet her and she noticed his hands shook as he took hold of her arms and hugged her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I’ve nothing prepared.”
    “Oh, Dad, I only need a bed for a few days,” she said feeling suddenly close to tears.
    “I’ll go and make it up,” Trudy said.
    “There’s no need. I mean, it’s your day off . . . I mean . . .”
    Oh this was awkward, but Trudy Benson just smiled serenely and patted Diana’s arm.
    “No trouble at all my dear.”
    “Something you’d like to get off your chest, Dad?” Diana asked, pushing her own worries aside.
    He made a growling noise.
    “What makes you think that?”
    “I overheard you,” she said.
    He peered closely at her face, but she was smiling and it looked genuine.
    “And you don’t mind?” he said, astounded.
    “Not a bit. In fact, I’m delighted.”
    “Well,” he said, dragging a large white hanky from his pocket and dabbing it round his face. “Phew. That’s all I can say. Didn’t expect you to take it so well to be truthful.”
    “Oh, Dad, what do you take me for?” she said. “How could I be anything but over the moon? I’m sure you and Mrs Benson will be very happy.”
    Trudy was crossing the hall on her way towards the stairs when she realised what Diana had said and noticed in the same instant that Diana hadn’t shut the front door properly.
    Not only that, Bill White from the pub had followed, presumably cadging a lift with Reverend Blinking since the pair of them were standing in the hall and the vicar’s pink 2CV was parked outside.
    Bill was the first to speak.
    “Congratulations, Trudy,” he said. “Fancy you keeping that all to yourself. Let me be the first to kiss the bride.”
    “Oh, but no, I . . .”
    He grabbed her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
    “My turn,” Reverend Blinking said.
    Trudy’s head was spinning.
    “But you don’t understand,” she said as the vicar swooped to kiss her other cheek.
    “Oh, but we do,” Bill said, giving her a hearty wink. “In fact, we in the village have been saying for some time that it’s about time you and the Colonel got together.”
    “But we’re not, I mean . . . oh heck.”
    “I must dash,” Reverend Blinking said. “Do excuse me, but I’ve been invited for tea at the ladies club.”
    “Oh, no,” Trudy groaned.
    Dilys Parsons, the self-appointed town crier would be there. And the vicar was well known as a man who couldn’t keep a secret even if his life depended on it.
    “What are you doing here, Bill?” Diana said crossly.
    “Well, since you nearly ran my foot over in your hurry to get away,” Bill said. “When I hadn’t even finished speaking to you . . .”
    “But I’d finished speaking to you,” she said. “There’s no more to say.”
    Colonel Potts was standing in the doorway to the conservatory spluttering like a moped with water in the petrol tank.
    The dogs were clattering around, claws tappity-tapping on the tiles as they vied for attention and Fortescue sat between the Colonel’s feet licking furiously at the tip of his tail.
    In all the kerfuffle and before Potts and Trudy could explain themselves, Diana grabbed hold of Bill’s arm and steered him swiftly towards the door.
    “Sandwiches,” Potts said and hustled off to the kitchen.
    “Beds,” Trudy cried and fled upstairs.
    The dogs rushed to the kitchen in the hopes of scrounging more food and Fortescue sighed and stumped back into the conservatory to find a sunny spot among the dying plants.
    “I won’t have you spoiling my father’s wedding plans,” Diana said. “So don’t come back here again. I don’t want to see you. Can’t you get that through your head?”
    “But you love me,” Bill said wearily. “You said so.”
    “Things have happened since then.”
    “Yes, I know,” he said.