Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 41826-h.htm or 41826-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41826/41826-h/41826-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41826/41826-h.zip) 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 All Rights Reserved LIST OF PLATES HEATHER _Frontispiece_ "'OH, BUT HE MUST STAY,' I ANSWERED" 116 "'ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU, CAPTAIN CARBURY,' SAID LADY HELEN, 'THAT MY STEPDAUGHTER IS NOT FOR YOU'" 184 "WE SAT ON THE HEATHER, AND HE TOLD ME THE STORY OVER AGAIN" 310 [Illustration: HEATHER] WILD HEATHER CHAPTER I There are all kinds of first things one can look back upon; I mean by that the first things of all. There is the little toddling journey across the floor, with father's arms stretched out to help one, and mother's smile to greet one when the adventurous journey is over. And there are other baby things, of course. Then there come the big things which one can never forget. My big thing arrived when I was eight years old. I came home with father from India. Father's name was Major Grayson, and I was called Heather. I was petted a great deal on board ship, and made a fuss about, and, in consequence, I made a considerable fuss about myself and gave myself airs. Father used to laugh when I did this and catch me in his arms and press me close to his heart, and say: "My dearest little Heather, I can quite perceive that you will be a most fascinating woman when you grow up." I remember even now his words, and the look on his face when he said these 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 he could procure for me, on which he laughed more than ever, and, turning to 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 world whom I loved as I did father. There was my nurse, but I was not specially devoted to her, for she was fond of teasing me and sticking pins into my dress without being careful with regard to the points. When I wriggled and rushed away from her she used to say that I was a very naughty and troublesome child. She never praised me nor used mysterious words about me as father did, so, of course, I clung close to him.