Wishing Water Read Online Free Page B

Ellis fixed her cold gaze upon Lissa, who began to feel quite sick.
    Lissa hated the increasing tension in the room and watched in dismay as Meg attempted to laugh away the implied criticism, though it seemed to be through gritted teeth.
    ‘How is Katherine? She is well, I hope?’  
    ‘Perfectly. My daughter leads an exceedingly busy social life. Her husband, Ewan Maximillian Wadeson III, has quite a position to keep up. A property owner of some renown.’  
    ‘Then she shouldn’t make promises that she intends to visit when she clearly hasn’t time,’ Meg daringly stated, making Lissa jump. Rosemary stiffened and gazed down her long nose at Meg.’ She can’t simply drop everything. On a whim.’  
    ‘It was always her idea to visit. We did not request it.’  
    ‘Well, I certainly did not, Mrs O’Cleary. For my part, I believe the past is best left buried.’  
    Lissa gazed perplexed at her grandmother. What did that mean? Best left buried. She couldn’t be buried, could she? She was here, alive and well, a physical reality. Lissa felt a bit guilty suddenly, for though Meg might not have made any requests to see Kath, she certainly had. Constantly. She thought it best not to mention those, though perhaps this was an opportunity to get a few questions answered. She edged forward in her seat.
    ‘What is she like, my mother? Does she look like me? Or like you?’ Here, Lissa’s young mind quailed at this dreadful possibility, and she hurried on without stopping. ‘You still haven’t told us, Grandmother, why she keeps letting me down. Is it my fault? Will she be coming soon? She did promise, really she did. "I’ll come as soon as I can", she said. When do you think that will be?’  
    Rosemary stared as if shocked that the girl owned a tongue, let alone a mind churning with questions. ‘I really couldn’t say, and I am not your grandmother.’ She turned away to sip her tea with patrician disdain, the subject closed so far as she was concerned. Not for Lissa.
    ‘Why can’t you say? Perhaps she would prefer it if I were to visit her in Canada?’ Lissa strove to keep the eagerness from her voice. The thought of crossing half the world in a huge ship in search of this elusive, beautiful mother excited her, but she hated to show how much in front of Meg.
    ‘That would be most unsuitable,’ Rosemary said, shock evident in her voice. ‘The very idea!’
    ‘Why? Doesn’t she want to see me?’  
    Cold, pale eyes raked Lissa from head to foot then turned chillingly to Meg. ‘You have taught the child no manners. Which does not surprise me, brought up as she has been with farming stock.’  
    Lissa saw Meg flinch as if Rosemary Ellis had struck her. Her own head was starting to ache and disappointment made her reckless. She decided she might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.
    ‘Is he my father then? This Ewan Maxi person? Or is it because I’m a bastard that you don’t like me?’  
    ‘ Lissa !’ Meg cried.
    The effect was astonishingly gratifying. For one terrible moment she thought her grandmother was about to faint. Lissa saw at once there would be no denial and felt a wicked surge of gladness that someone else could suffer hurt, as she had so many times. She watched, intrigued, as the whiskered chin and palid cheeks went stark white, grew wine red, then changed to brilliant purple.
    ‘I must apologise for her behaviour,’ Meg was hastily saying, frowning grimly at Lissa.
    ‘The child is out of control. You clearly allow her to run wild. Spoil her, without doubt.’  
    ‘I don’t think it possible to spoil a child. Where else would she find the love she needs, if not from me and from Tam?’ Brave, reckless words, chillingly received.
    ‘Enough. Do you take me for a fool?’ Icicles dripped from the thin voice. ‘I know why you persist in keeping up this contact with Katherine. Which is why I have called you here today, to inform you that it must stop. There will be no more