CHAPTER THREEThere was a short silence.
Then slowly, almost as if compelled to do so, Selina told him everything. First how her father had tragically died, and then how her mother, lonely miserable and in poor health, had married again as she was too unhappy to face life alone.
“I was too young at the time to be of any help to her. She was alone and sad and I think she turned to my stepfather simply because she needed comfort.”
“I can easily understand. Do go on.”
“She married a certain John Gardner, who is very rich. My mother’s father was Lord Franklin and I think he felt that marriage to an Earl’s daughter would provide him the place in Society that all his money could not to buy him.
“He wanted to be socially equal to landowners, who were not impressed by his money. He always
