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I laughed at her and she sain

"I should tell you a little aboutforward "You already know he is a barrister, and Leonora will be the first to tell you how important he is They live in a fancy part of London, Holland Park I've actually only been there twice, once for a visit and once for a funeral"

"Funeral?"

"They lost their only child Heather She was seven at the time"

"How horrible How did she die?"

"She was born with a defective heart valve and corrective surgery didn't solve the proble, they found she'd died in her sleep It was very sad"

"What did you tell your sister about me?" I asked

"What everyone else believes It's better for us to leave it that way My sister isn't as liberalthere to live and help with the domestic chores while you attend the drama school Since they have a maid, a cook, a butler and a chauffeur, I'm sure there won't be all that ive up hera team of servants is too much of a status symbol to Leonora"

"I'm not afraid of hard work, Grandmother"

"I know" She smiled and then her face turned somber to add, "It's not the work that will be hard However, I wouldn't have agreed to send you over if I didn't feel you would do well, Rain Mr MacWaine will take good care of you, and I do hope to get there myself someday soon, despite my oppressive physician"

I nodded, I really did hope she would

Later in the day while I riting a letter to Roy, I heard Victoria come into the house I could always tell when it was Victoria Her heels tapped down on the tile floor like tiny hammers when she walked Her steps were deliberate, each one falling with a vengeance I suppose I could say she didn't walk asforcefully as her bony shoulders turned

I could hear her voice, barely muffled behind Grandmother Hudson's closed door

"I just learned of the expense of this ridiculous trip to England you're sponsoring, Mother On top of it all, you're sending her first class?"