Celia's House (26 page)

“So that's Dunnian,” Courtney said at last with a sigh.

“That's Dunnian,” agreed Humphrey.

“It's a lovely house,” Courtney said slowly. “There's something about it. I don't quite know what it is. Something very satisfying.”

“Yes,” Humphrey said encouragingly.

“I know,” declared Courtney. “I've got it now. It's a home, that's what it is. That's what's so very special about it. Dunnian looks like a place for people to live in and be happy.”

Humphrey smiled—no praise could have pleased him better.

They were still standing there when Celia came out the front door. She hesitated for a moment and then began to walk toward them down the drive. Celia was wearing a cherry-colored linen frock and her head was bare. She was carrying a basket on her arm.

And this, thought Courtney, as he went forward to meet his fate, is one of the happy people who lives at Dunnian House.

Suddenly the sun came out from behind the clouds, and all the birds in the garden began to sing.

D. E. Stevenson (1892–1973) had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970, four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the United States. Her books include
Miss
Buncle's Book
,
Miss
Buncle
Married
,
The
Young
Clementina
,
Listening
Valley
,
The
Two
Mrs. Abbotts
,
The
Four
Graces
,
Celia's House
, and
The
Baker's Daughter
. D. E. Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1892; she lived in Scotland all her life. She wrote her first book in 1923, but her second did not appear for nine years. She published
Celia's House
in 1943.

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