The Maison Carrée |
The Temple of Diana (exterior) |
Doorway of the Temple |
Imagine Charity sitting and leaning against a pillar |
“Aren’t you well?”
I opened my eyes with a start.
A man had come into the temple, so quietly that I had not heard him approach. He was standing over me now, frowning at me.
“What’s the matter? The heat?” He spoke with a sort of reluctant consideration, as if he felt constrained to offer help, but hoped to God I wasn’t going to need it.
I knew there were tears on my eyelashes and felt a fool.
“I’m all right, thanks,” I said crisply. “I was only resting, and enjoying being alone.”
He raised his eyebrows at that, and the corner of his mouth twitched sourly. “I’m sorry.”
Interior of the Temple; you can see my mother on the right |
“Where did you meet this David Shelley?”
I heard it then. I stopped with my cigarette half-way to my lips and looked at him. His hand was quite steady as he flicked the ash from his cigarette, and his face showed no expression. But there was a look behind his eyes that made my heart jolt once, sickeningly.
He said again, softly almost indifferently: “Where did you meet this David Shelley?”
And looked at me with David’s eyes.
Shelley - Coleridge - Byron. I knew now. I was alone in that quiet little temple with Richard Byron, who had been acquitted of murder on the grounds of insufficient evidence, and who was looking at me now as if he would like to choke me.
He threw away his cigarette, and took a step towards me.
Looking down on the Jardins de la Fontaine; not a lot of people around to help Charity so she'd better rescue herself! |
6 comments:
Hmmm, I think I need to read that Mary Stewart book.
Cath, you would really like it. I never liked her Merlin books but I enjoyed all her romantic suspense novels and (as you can tell) this is not just my favorite of her books but one of my all-time top ten.
I am catching up, I did not realize how behind I was.
I loved the part about Nimes being the birthplace of denim. That was new to me.
And now I will have to read that book by Mary Stewart also.
I was really glad we included Nimes and appreciated that it was a very walkable city!
Thanks for following our trip!
What an absolute treat to be able to backtrack in the footsteps of a favorite heroine! I am a Mary Stewart fan but haven't read one yet! It's going on the list.
Love the pictures.
Excellent post :)
This was the first Mary Stewart I read. She does the atmosphere of place so well. Loved your photos!
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