38 The Blue Castle

Valancy Stirling is 29, unmarried, and has never been in love. Living with her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt, she finds her only consolation in the "forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. This is the place where she can be who she truly wants to be.

After getting shocking news from a doctor about her state of ill health, Valancy decides to rebel against her family in true heroine style and live the life she was always meant to have.

In this episode, Valancy hears the truth and begins to rebel.

Transcript

Welcome to sleep stories with Steph It is time to relax. And fully let go. There is nothing you need to be doing now. And know where you need to go. Close your eyes. And feel yourself sink into the support beneath you. And let all the worries of the day go. Drift away. This is your time. And your space. Take a deep breath in through your nose. And let it out with a long sigh. That's it! There is nothing you need to be doing now. And know where you need to go. Happy listening. Chapter 38 Valancy walked quickly through the back streets and through Lovers Lane. She did not want to meet anyone she knew. She did not want to meet even people she didn't know. She hated to be seen. Her mind was so confused and torn and messy, She felt her appearance must be the same. She drew a sobbing breath of relief as she left the village behind and found herself on the up-back road. There was little fear of meeting anyone she knew. The cars that fled by her with raucous shrieks were filled with strangers. Balancy flinched. She had made a covenant with death and death had cheated her. Now life stood mocking her. She had trapped Barney Snaith, Trapped him into marrying her. And divorce was so hard to get in Ontario, So expensive. And Barley was poor. With life, Fear had come back into her heart, A sickening fear, Fear of what Barley would think, What he would say, Fear of the future that must be lived without him. Fear of her insulted, Repudiated clan. She had had one draft from a divine card. But now it was dash from her lips. With no kind friendly death to rescue her. She must go on living and longing for it. She must go back and tell Barney. Make him believe she had not meant to trick him. She must make him to believe that. Then she must say goodbye to her blue castle and return to the brick house on Elm Street. When Valancy reached the pines by the lake, She was brought out of her days of pain by startling sight. Parked by the side of old battered, Ragged Lady Jane. Was another car. A wonderful car. A purple car. Not a dark royal purple, But a blatant screaming purple. In the car sat a man who opened the door and bounced out nimbly as Valancy came down the path to the landing place. He stood under the pines waiting for her and Valancy took in every detail of him. He was a short, Stout, Pudgy man with a browed, Rubicund and good-humoured face. Such a face should have a fringe of white whisker around it, She thought. He had old-fashioned steel-rimmed spectacles on. And prominent blue eyes. He wore a green hat and a light fawn overcoat over a suit of loud Czech pattern. His tie was a brilliant green of lighter shade. On the plump hand he outstretched to intercept Valancy, An enormous diamond winked at her. But he had a pleasant fatherly smile and his hearty, Unmodulated voice was a ring of something that attracted her. Can you tell me, Miss, If that house yonger belongs to Mr Redfern? Redfern. A vision of bottles danced before Valancy's eyes. Dr Redfern No, Said Valancy faintly. That house belongs to Mr. Snaith. Dr Redfern nodded. I understand Bernie's been calling himself Snaith. Well, It's his middle name. It was his poor mother's. Bernard Snaith Redfern, That's him. Now miss, Can you tell me how to get over to that island? Nobody seems to be at home there. I've done some waving and yelling. He was away when I left this morning, Said Valancy. I suppose he hasn't come home yet. This last shock had temporarily bereft her of what little power of reasoning had been left. In the back of her mind, The aforesaid little imp was jeerily repeating a silly old verb. It never rains but it pours. But she was not trying to think what was the use. This was Dr Redfern and he was gazing at her in perplexity. When you left this morning. Chaos. Do you live over there? He waved his diamond at the blue castle. I'm his wife. Said Valancy stupidly. Dr Redfern took out a yellow silk handkerchief. He removed his hat and mopped his brow. He was very bald. Valancy's imp whispered, Why be bald? Why use your manly beauty? Try Redfern's hair figure, It keeps you young. Excuse me. Said Dr Redfern, This is a bit of a shock. Shocks seem to be in the air this morning. Said the impound cloud before Valancy could prevent it. I didn't know Bernie was married and I didn't think he would get married without telling his old dad. Valancy felt a pang of pity. Don't blame him, She said horridly. It wasn't his fault, It was all my doing. You didn't ask him to marry you, I suppose? " twinkled Dr Redfern. He might have let me know. I'd have got equated with my daughter-in-law before this had happened. But anyway, I'm glad to meet you, My dear, Very glad. You look like a sensible young woman. I use this order for Barney to pick out some pretty bit of fluff. Just because she was good looking. They were all after him, Of course. Wanted his money. Didn't like the pills and the bitters, But like the dollars, Eh? Only to dip their pretty little fingers in old Doc's millions. Millions. Said Valancy faintly. And Bernie chucks them for that, " said Dr Redfern complacently. Again he shook the diamond contemptuously at the blue castle. Wouldn't you think he'd have more sense? He must have got over that feeling he had. All on account of that bit of a wit of a girl. Anyhow, That one's married now. That one, Thought Vancey. Who's he talking about? She led the way down to the little cove where the disappearing propeller boat was snuggled. Does your man want to come too? " she said, Pointing to his car. Good lord, No. Have you had any dinner? Arse fancy. Yes, My dear, Had it before we left Port Lawrence. Didn't know what sort of wild hermit's hollow we were coming to, You see. She waved Dr Redfern Kirtley into the boat and took him over to the blue castle. The key was still in the old pine, The house still silent and deserted. She took him through the living room to the western veranda. She must be at least out where there was air. The doctor then dropped with a gasp on a rustic chair. And mopped his brow again. I know nothing of Barney's past life, Said Valancy with sudden eagerness. Now, All at once she wanted to know. Why did he leave it home? Tell me. Well, It ain't much of a story. Just a young fool gone mad because of a quarrel with his girl. You never could make that boy do anything he didn't want to do. And the day he was born. His poor mother died when he was only two. I'd just begun to make money with my hair bigger. I dream the formula for it, You see. Then the cash roll came. Bernie had everything he wanted. I sent him to the best schools. I meant to make a gentleman of him. He went through McGill, Got honours and all that, And I wanted him to go for law. He hankered after journalism and stuff like that, Wanted me to buy a paper for him. I suppose I could have done it. I always did what he wanted me to do. I wanted him to be happy. But I had a feeling he wasn't. Not to leave her in love with Ethel Traverse. Then he was happy for a little while. A cloud reached the sun and a great chill purple shadow came swiftly over Mastalis. It touched the blue castle and rolled over it. Valancy shivered. What was she like? British girl in Montreal? " said Dr Redfern. She was a looker all right. Don't wonder Bernie fell for her. And Brains as well. She wasn't a bit of fluff. And one of the best families of Thoroughbred. Bernie was mad about her. Happy as Xiong Fu you ever saw. Then they had a bus stop. What happened? Valancy took off her hat and was absently thrusting a pin in and out of it. Rest if I know, My dear, Some full quarrel, I suppose. Bernie just lit out and disappeared. He wrote me from the Yukon, Said his engagement was broken and he wasn't coming back, And not to try to hunt him up because he was never coming back. I knew Bernie. I went on piling up money because there was nothing else to do but I was mighty lonely. And six years ago, Even his letters stopped. I didn't hear a word from him till last Christmas. He drew a check for $15, 000 on his bank account. The bank manager's a friend of mine, One of my biggest shareholders. The chick was made out to Toronto. Fancy heard herself saying the name of the jewelers. The one on her box on her dressing table. Yeah, Ainslie's the big jewellery house there. I thought over it a while, Got brisk and wanted to locate him. Had a special reason for it, I said. Did death or traverse ever marry? Queried Valancy. Yeah, And she's a widow now. Pretty as ever. To be frank, That was my special reason. I thought they'd make it up, But of course that's all off now. Bernie's choice of a wife is good enough for me, Though. It's my boy I want. Think you'll soon be back? I don't know, But I don't think he'll come back before night. Perhaps not till tomorrow. I can put you up comfortably. He will certainly be back tomorrow. Dr Redfern shook his head. No, No, Too damp. I'll take no chances with rheumatism. Why not try Red Fern's liniment? Quoted the imp in the back of Valancy's mind. I must get back to Port Lawrence before rain starts. Henry goes quite mad when he gets mud on the car. That's my man. He's a demon for it. Meanwhile. . . Talk Bernie into reason, Will you? Dr Redfern shook her hand and patted her kindly on the shoulder. He looked as if he would kiss her with a little encouragement, But Valancy did not give it. She thought Dolly she might have liked being his daughter-in-law if he'd not been a millionaire. She took him over in the motorboat and watched the lordly purple car roll away through the woods with Henry at the wheel. Then she went back to the blue castle. She stood briefly like a faded flower bitten by frost, By the hearth, Looking down on the white ashes of the last fire that had blazed in the blue castle. What she had to do must be done quickly. Barney might return at any moment. And it was certainly going to rain. At any rate, She thought wearily. Bonnie isn't Paul. He will be able to afford a divorce. Quite nicely.