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Wild Heather

BY L. T. MEADE

With a Frontispiece in Colour
and Three Black-and-White Plates

CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD.
London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne
1911

LIST OF PLATES

Heather	Frontispiece
"'Oh, but he must stay,' I answered"	Facing page 116
"'Allow me to tell you, Captain Carbury,' said Lady Helen, 'that mystepdaughter is not for you'"	184
"We sat on the heather, and he told me the story over again"	310

HEATHER

WILD HEATHER

CHAPTER I

There are all kinds of first things one can look back upon; I mean bythat the first things of all. There is the little toddling journeyacross the floor, with father's arms stretched out to help one, andmother's smile to greet one when the adventurous journey is over. Andthere are other baby things, of course. Then there come the big thingswhich one can never forget.

My big thing arrived when I was eight years old. I came home with fatherfrom India. Father's name was Major Grayson, and I was called Heather. Iwas petted a great deal on board ship, and made a fuss about, and, inconsequence, I made a considerable fuss about myself and gave myselfairs. Father used to laugh when I did this and catch me in his arms andpress me close to his heart, and say:

"My dearest little Heather, I can quite perceive that you will be amost fascinating woman when you grow up."

I remember even now his words, and the look on his face when he saidthese things, but as I did not in the least comprehend them at the time,I merely asked in my very pertest voice for the nicest sweetmeats hecould procure for me, on which he laughed more than ever, and, turningto his brother officers, said:

"Didn't I say so? Heather will take the cake some time."

I suppose at that period of my life there was no one in the wide worldwhom I loved as I did father. There was my nurse, but I was notspecially devoted to her, for she was fond of teasing me and stickingpins into my dress without being careful with regard to the points. WhenI wriggled and rushed away from her she used to say that I was a verynaughty and troublesome child. She never praised me nor used mysteriouswords about me as father did, so, of course, I clung close to him.

I very, very dimly remembered my mother. As I have just said, my firstmemory of all was running across the nursery floor and being caught bymy father, and my mother smiling at me. I really ca

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