Olivia in India

Olivia in India

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Title: Olivia in India
Author: O. Douglas
Release Date: February 1, 2004 [EBook #10899]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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OLIVIA IN INDIA
O. DOUGLAS
"_When one discovers a happy look it is one's duty to tell one's friends
about it_."
JAMES DOUGLAS in The Star.

OLIVIA IN INDIA. By O. DOUGLAS
"Happy books are not very plentiful, and when one discovers a happy
book it is one's duty to tell one's friends about it, so that it makes them
happy too. My happy book is called 'Olivia.' It is by a certain young
woman who calls herself O. Douglas, though I suspect that it's a

pen-name.... Olivia can write the most fascinating letters you ever
read."--JAMES DOUGLAS in the Star. "Extremely interesting. To
have read this book is to have met an extremely likeable personality in
the author."--Glasgow Herald.
PENNY PLAIN. By O. DOUGLAS
"Penny Plain" is a story of life in a little town on the banks of the
Tweed. Jean Jardine, the heroine--who looks after her brothers in their
queer old house, "The Rigs," and is in turn looked after by the old
servant, Mrs. McCosh (from Glasgow), and Peter, the
fox-terrier--describes herself and her life as "penny plain," but with the
coming of Pamela Reston and her brother (who was what Mrs. McCosh
called "a Lord--no less"), everything is changed. There is love in the
book and laughter. "A very able and delightful book."--The Times. "A
delicious novel ... a triumphant success."--"A MAN OF KENT" in the
British Weekly.
THE SETONS. By O. DOUGLAS
"Portrayed with the humour and insight of a deep affection."--The
Times. "Elizabeth is a delightful creature who radiates the
pages."--Glasgow Herald. "To the reading public at large it will prove a
sheer delight."--Glasgow Times. "Full of charm."--Spectator. "A
delightful romance."--Aberdeen Journal.

OLIVIA IN INDIA
BY
O. DOUGLAS
AUTHOR OF "THE SETONS" "PENNY PLAIN" ETC.
1912

CONTENTS

PART I THROUGH THE GATES OF THE
EAST

PART II FLESHPOTS OF CALCUTTA

PART III THE SUNBURNED EARTH

PART IV THE LAND OF REGRETS

THROUGH THE GATES OF THE EAST

_S.S. Scotia, Oct_. 19, 19--.
... This is a line to send off with the pilot. There is nothing to say except
"Good-bye" again.
We have had luncheon, and I have been poking things out of my cabin
trunk, and furtively surveying one--there are two, but the other seems to
be lost at present--of my cabin companions. She has fair hair and a blue
motor-veil, and looks quiet and subdued, but then, I dare say, so do I.
I hope you are thinking of your friend going down to the sea in a ship.
I feel, somehow, very small and lonely.
OLIVIA.
_S.S. Scotia, Oct_. 21. (In pencil.)
... Whatever you do, whatever folly you commit, never, never be
tempted to take a sea voyage. It is quite the nastiest thing you can
take--I have had three days of it now, so I know.
When I wrote to you on Saturday I had an uneasy feeling that in the
near future all would not be well with me, but I went in to dinner and
afterwards walked up and down the deck trying to feel brave. Sunday
morning dawned rain-washed and tempestuous, and the way the ship
heaved was not encouraging, but I rose, or rather I descended from my
perch--did I tell you I had an upper berth?--and walked with an
undulating motion towards my bath. Some people would have
remained in bed, or at least gone unbathed, but, as I say, I rose--mark,

please, the rugged grandeur of the Scots character--and such is the
force of example the fair-haired girl rose also. Before I go any further I
must tell you about this girl. Her name is Hilton, Geraldine Hilton, but
as that is too long a name and already we are great friends, I call her G.
She is very pretty, with the kind of prettiness that becomes more so the
more you look--and if you don't know what I mean I can't stop to
explain--with masses of yellow hair, such blue eyes and pink cheeks
and white teeth that I am convinced I am sharing a cabin with the
original Hans Andersen's Snow Queen. She is very big and most
healthy, and delightful to look at; even sea-sickness