'
`` `Do you mean Monte Carlo?' they asked her, beginning to
jump rather at the idea.
`` `Monte Carlo is a long way off, and has a dreadful
reputation,' said Veronique; `I shouldn't like to tell our
friends that we were going to Monte Carlo. But I believe
Roger usually goes to Dieppe about this time of year, and
some quite respectable English people go there, and the
journey wouldn't be expensive. If aunt could stand the
Channel crossing the change of scene might do her a lot of
good.'
``And that was how the fateful idea came to the Brimley
Bomefields.
``From the very first set-off disaster hung over the
expedition, as they afterwards remembered. To begin with,
all the Brimley Bomefields were extremely unwell during the
crossing, while the aunt enjoyed the sea air and made
friends with all manner of strange travelling companions.
Then, although it was many years since she had been on the
Continent, she had served a very practical apprenticeship
there as a paid companion, and her knowledge of colloquial
French beat theirs to a standstill. It became increasingly
difficult to keep under their collective wings a person who
knew what she wanted and was able to ask for it and to see
that she got it.
Pages:
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156