Читать книгу The Complete Works of Algernon Blackwood. Novels, Short Stories, Horror Classics, Occult & Supernatural Tales, Plays онлайн

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Her brother blushed like a boy. 'It's my foolishness, I suppose, Margaret,' he said with a shy laugh. 'I am certainly not clever.'

'Anyhow, you can be foolish or clever here to your heart's content. You must use the place as though it were your own exactly.'

'Thank you, Margaret.'

'Only I don't think I quite understand all those things,' she added vaguely after a pause. 'Nixie talks rather like that. She has all poor Dick's ideas and strange fancies. I really can't keep up with her at all.'

Paul stiffened at the reference to the children; he remembered his attitude. Already he had been guilty of a serious lapse from his good intentions.

'She comes down to this wood far too much, and I'm sure it's not quite healthy for her. I always forget to speak to Mile. Fleury.' Then she turned to him and smiled. 'But they are all so excited about your coming. They will simply devour you.'

'I'm a poor hand at children, I'm afraid,' he said, falling back upon his usual formula, 'but, of course, I shall be delighted to see them.'