Chapter One

Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven Continued

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight Continued

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine

Continued 1
Continued 2

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Continued

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven Continued

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve Continued

Chapter One

Two friends.
Wilfred Bracebridge is thirty-three years old. He has brown hair and
blue eyes. He is a friendly young man, but he isnt very ambitious.
He likes reading. He likes listening to classical music. He loves
opera. Wilfred has an easy life. He doesn't work. His family is rich.
Wilfred lives in London. His family doesn't live in London. They
live in the country. But Wilfred doesn't live alone. He lives with
his friend John Dewey. John is very different from Wilfred. He is
twenty-eight years old. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He is
poor. He wants to be rich.
He is very ambitious. He works very hard. John likes football. He
likes discotheques. He likes watching television. They are two
very different young men, but their differences are not important
to them because they are friends.

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Chapter Two

Going Home.
Today Wilfred Bracebridge is going home. He is driving his car
through the lovely English countryside.
John Dewey is beside him. John is singing. He is happy because this
is his holiday. He is going to stay with Wilfred's family for the
summer.
Wilfred is happy too because he is going home to do something
important. Wilfred Bracebridge is going to get married.
"Look," Wilfred says to John. "That's my house
over there."
"You know, Wilfred," John says, "this is my first
holiday in five years."
"I know," Wilfred says. "And I want you to be very
happy."
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Chapter Three

The Lovely Fancy.

In one bedroom of the Bracebridge house, a lovely young woman is
looking at a dress. Her name is Fancy Hill.
She's twenty years old. She is staying with the Bracebridge family
now because in three weeks she is going to marry Wilfred.
"Do you like that dress?" Fancy asks the maid.
"Yes, I do. Miss," the maid says. "It's a lovely dress."
"I don't want it anymore," Fancy says. "It's yours."
"Oh, thank you, Miss. Thank you very much."
Fancy sits on the bed. She gets up. She sits
down. "Are you nervous?" the maid asks.
"Yes, a little," Fancy says.
"Wilfred is coming home today," says the maid.
"Yes, I know," says Fancy, and she goes to
the window and looks out at the garden.
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Chapter Four

The Bracebridge Diamond.

John and Wilfred are in John's bedroom in the Bracebridge house.
They are talking about Mrs. Bracebridge, Wilfred's mother.
She's very nice," John says.
She likes you very much," says Wilfred.
"I like her too," John says. You know, that diamond she has is
fabulous.
"That's the Bracebridge Diamond," Wilfred says. "It's very famous. My
mother usually keeps it in our bank in London. But she has it here
now because I'm getting married."
"Be careful!" John says.
"Why?" asks Wilfred.
"It's dangerous to have diamonds
in the house."
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Chapter Five

Caroline's Secret.
Wilfred's sister Caroline wakes up in her sunny bedroom. The maid
comes in with her breakfast.
"Good morning, Susan," Caroline says to the
maid. "Isn't it a lovely day?"
"You're happy today," the maid says.
"Yes, I am. I'm very, very happy," Caroline says.
"And why are you so happy?" the maid asks.
"Oh, Susan," Caroline says, "I'm in love."
"Who's the lucky man?" the maid asks.
"John Dewey."
"Does he know you love him?"
"No, Susan. And don't tell him. It's a secret between you and me."
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Chapter Six

John Dewey's Secret.

Susan knocks at another bedroom door. She opens it and looks in.
John Dewey is sleeping.
"Good morning, sir," Susan says. John sits up. "Good morning."
"Breakfast is served, sir, downstairs in the breakfast room," Susan
says.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" John says.
"Yes, sir, it's a very nice day."
"What's your name?" John asks.
"My name's Susan, sir."
"Don't call me sir. Call me John. Sir is
for rich people, and I'm not rich. "All right...John."
"Susan, I'm going to tell you a secret, but you must promise not
to tell anyone. "I promise," Susan says.
"I'm in love, Susan. I'm in love with the most beautiful girl in the world."
"Who is this lucky girl?" Susan asks.
"Her name is Caroline Bracebridge. Susan looks out the window and
smiles.
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Chapter Seven

A Rich Girl and a Poor Man.

Wilfred and John are walking in the garden behind the Bracebridge house.
The sky is cloudy, but the sun is shining. It's a warm summer day.
"If I had the Bracebridge Diamond," John says to Wilfred, "all my problems
would be solved."
"Please don't take the diamond," Wilfred says and he laughs. "My mother
would be very unhappy."
"Why am I so poor?" John says.
"If you need money, Ill give you money," says Wilfred.
"No, Wilfred," says John. "I don't want your money."
"But you want the Bracebridge Diamond. "No. I don't
want the diamond."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want to get married. But the girl I love is very rich,
and Im very poor.

Chapter 7 continued
"Ah, so that's your problem," Wilfred says.
"Yes," says John, "and I can't find the solution."
"Who is this rich girl?" Wilfred asks.
"I can't tell you.

"I think I know," Wilfred says.

Good morning, Caroline. I want to talk to you.

What do you want to talk about, Wilfred?
About a friend of mine. Hes got a problem.
What friend? Is it John?

Yes, Its John.

Whats the matter with John? Is it serious?
Yes, its serious. Hes in love.
Yes. Hes in love with a very rich young woman.
Who is this woman?
I think you know. And I think the rich young woman is in love with
John.
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Chapter Eight

Fancy remembers.
John, Wilfred and Caroline are going to London for the day. Wilfred
asks Fancy to come with them, but Fancy says she doesn't want to
go.
When the other three leave. Fancy walks in the garden. It's a cold, wet
day. It starts raining. She goes into the house. She walks from room
to room.
In the afternoon. Fancy's mother comes to visit Mrs. Bracebridge. Mrs.
Hill is a pretty blond-haired woman in her early forties.
The Hills live in Manchester. Mr. Hill has a factory there. He is working
today. He is always working. He works very hard.
Fancy, her mother and Mrs. Bracebridge go into the dining room to
have lunch. The butler brings in the first course, vegetable soup.
"This is delicious," Mrs. Hill says. "But I
can't eat it. I don't want to get fat."
Fancy, Mrs. Bracebridge says, "do you
remember two years ago?"

Chapter 8 continued

Fancy stops eating. She looks sad. "Yes, I remember," she says.
"Does Wilfred know?" Mrs. Bracebridge asks.
"No," says Fancy.
"You must tell him, dear," says Mrs. Bracebridge. "You can not keep
secrets from your husband."
"Why can't we forget about the past?" Mrs. Hill says.
"Wilfred will understand," Mrs. Bracebridge says. "Tell him."

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Chapter Nine

Wilfred plays Cupid.

Wilfred, Caroline and John are in London. They go to the National

Gallery. They look at all the famous paintings there. Caroline likes the
French Impressionists, especially Renoir.
Then they have lunch at a small Chinese restaurant in Soho. Wilfred likes
Chinese food. He likes finding interesting new restaurants for his friends.

After lunch they go to the British Museum.

Wilfred studied the classics, Latin and
Greek, at Oxford. He likes explaining what
each fresco and statue means.
After a while they are tired of looking at
paintings and statues.
They are standing in the entrance hall of
the museum trying to decide what to do
next.

Chapter 9 continued 1

"I have to do some shopping, Wilfred says. "That will be boring for
you two. Why dont I leave you and we can meet later?
John and Caroline look at each other and smile.
Wilfred leaves Caroline and John alone. They walk through
Bloomsbury looking at the beautiful nineteenth-century buildings.
They walk through Russell Square. The grass is very green. There are
flowers everywhere. But it's cold and raining. They cannot stop in the
park.
They go to a tea shop for a cup of tea. They don't talk very much, but
they are both very happy.
They take a bus to Piccadilly Circus. Soon it will be
time to meet Wilfred. They look up at the statue of
Cupid, the God of Love.
"You know..." Caroline starts speaking, but she stops.

Chapter 9 cont. 2

"Yes?" John asks.

"The rich woman doesn't care if the man is poor.
"She doesn't?"
"No," says Caroline. "Because she loves the poor man very much."
John turns to Caroline.
"And the poor man loves the rich woman more than anything else in
the world."

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Chapter Ten

A Family Problem.
Mrs. Bracebridge is in bed, but she cannot sleep. She cant close her
eyes. All night she is awake, thinking. "What can I do? What can I
do?"
In the morning her maid, Doris, comes in with her breakfast.
Doris is more than a maid. She is Mrs.
Bracebridge's companion. In fact, Doris and Mrs.
Bracebridge are old friends.
"What's the matter?" Doris asks, "You look sick."
"I don't know what to do, Doris," Mrs. Bracebridge
tells her. "The Bracebridge Diamond is missing."
"What?" says Doris. "Call the police."
"No, no," says Mrs. Bracebridge. "This is a family problem."
"What do you mean? Do you think someone in the family has the
diamond?"

Chapter 10 continued

"Yes, I do."
"But family or not, that person is a thief. Call the police. They will find
the diamond."
"No," says Mrs. Bracebridge. "I want to speak to the family first."

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Chapter Eleven

A Legal Problem.
Mrs. Bracebridge asks all the people in the house, the family, the
guests and the servants, to come to the living room. When everyone
is there, she says,
"The Bracebridge Diamond is missing.
"Oh, my God," says John Dewey.
"Yes. And I think someone here in this room has the diamond. If
that person puts it back in my room today, I will not call the police."
Everyone is silent.
The day passes slowly. Everyone is sad. No one
speaks. Evening comes. Everyone goes to the
living room again.
"The diamond is not in my room," says Mrs.
Bracebridge. "I will wait one more day."
Suddenly the door bell rings. Mrs. Bracebridges
maid, Doris, gets up and leaves the room. After a
few minutes she comes back.

Chapter 11 continued

"Mrs. Bracebridge," she says, "I know you will be angry with me."
She stops speaking, then she continues. "But the police constable
is here. I called him."

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Chapter Twelve

A Serious Theft.
There are six servants in the Bracebridge house, Mrs. Bracebridge's
maid, Doris, Caroline's maid, Susan, another maid named Beth, a
cook, the butler and the gardener.
The police constable speaks to them one by one. When the last one
leaves, he shakes his head. Nothing is clear to him.
There are five more people in the house, Mrs. Bracebridge, Wilfred,
Caroline, John Dewey and Fancy Hill.
The police constable speaks to each of them, but he is still confused.
Before he leaves the house, the constable speaks to Mrs. Bracebridge
again.
"This is too serious for me, Mrs. Bracebridge," he
says "I'm going to call in Scotland Yard."
'Is that necessary, Constable?" asks Mrs.
Bracebridge. "I'm sure the diamond is here in the
house. Maybe I lost it."

Chapter 12 continued

"I don't understand you," the police constable says. "Don't you want
us to find your diamond?"
"Yes, of course. But I don't think it's serious. I mean..." She stops.
"Mrs. Bracebridge, when a one-million-pound diamond is missing
that is a very serious theft," the police constable says.
He continues speaking, but he doesn't look at Mrs. Bracebridge.
"I don't want to be impolite, Mrs. Bracebridge, but if you know
something you are not telling me, you are helping the thief."
Mrs. Bracebridge is silent.

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