'Miss Chasty's first pupil was a flirtatious little boy'. Florence Chasty is a young governess, employed by Mr and Mrs Wilson to instruct their seven year-old son, Hilary. She is pleased at how easily he learns but is uneasy with his precociousness. He makes bold statements and will lean towards Miss Chasty, close enough that his breath moves tendrils of her hair about her face. One late afternoon, Miss Chasty enters the schoolroom to discover Hilary sitting at the window-seat, staring out over the park. There is a heavy fragrance floating in the air and no explanation as to where it came from. Tea is poured as Mrs Wilson comes into the schoolroom to observe lessons. The governess is startled by the sudden appearance of a red stain on her teacup where her lips had been and in shame, Miss Chasty turns the cup so it is hidden. The scene has not gone unnoticed by the lady of the house. In disgust, Mrs Wilson seeks out her husband. But how to explain her unease with this woman without arousing her husband's interest in the governess? There has been indiscretions with female staff in the past. A discussion takes place and it's decided that Mr Wilson will observe the situation for himself and most assuredly it will all come to nothing. Hilary is not at all pleased at having to share his dear girl, Florence as the impertinent lad calls her. You know where this is heading...
'She felt in herself a sense of burning impatience and anticipation and watching the door opening found herself thinking: 'If it is not he, I cannot bear it.' Now this is where I found things to get a bit icky...
'When he kissed her, she felt an enormous sense of disappointment, almost as if he were the wrong person embracing her in the dark. His arch masterfulness merely bored her. 'A long wait for so little, ' she thought. When Florence Chasty is alone in her room, she is mystified and anguished by her own behaviour. Lately, when she is in the schoolroom it's like she becomes another person. After an unsettling event, the governess is sent packing but as she passes the schoolroom in the hallway she experiences a ghostly glimpse into the future. Miss Chasty slowly comes to a realization that there are things beyond her power at work in this house. She can now feel at peace.
Timing is everything. There were three pages left to read in my book and I wanted to be alone when I read them. R was leaving for work so I said my good-byes and prepared for the ending. Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski is the story of a man who sets out to find his son, lost to him during World War II. Hilary had fled the Germans after seeing his newborn son only briefly, his wife Lisa too weak to follow. He later learns that his wife was murdered by the Gestapo but not before she handed over their son to another woman. Through further tragedy there is now a trail to follow which may or may not lead Hilary to this boy who is now almost five years old. The sweetest boy with the skinniest legs and huge brown eyes is presented to Hilary. Is this urchin his son? Does he even want this child to be his son, forcing him to open his heart again? As a woman reading this book I was screaming at Hilary to take the boy and run. The term 'dolt' came to mind more than a few times! The last three pages had me holding my breath and I had absolutely steeled myself to an ending, the ending I had become convinced would play out. The last sentence read, I took a breath and felt the sting in my eyes. There was a review written by a blogger which started 'Marghanita Laski, F__ you!' and I certainly understand where that emotion was coming from. My feelings are 'Marghanita Laski, thank you'. 
My next read arrived right on schedule in today's mail. I may have to mull over Little Boy Lost for the evening and a friend is stopping by for a visit but Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger will be on my nightstand waiting.
