Letter from Singapore

Глава 1THE VICARWith one hand holding his wide-brimmed hat and the other pressed against his aching lower back, Reverend Owen climbed over the low stone wall that separated his small house from the church yard, and started on the roses. Agnes was very proud of her roses – the yellow Desprez á Fleur Jaune, the red Duchess of Portland, the Maiden Blush with its heavenly tint of pink on white petals.The reverend missed his wife greatly. Thirty seven years of perfect harmony they had, would have been forty this year. Where are you now oh Agnes, my Agnes? Are you happy there, is there enough light? Look, Agnes, I'm pruning your roses the way you taught me to –cutting the lower branches short, leaving them longer at the top."Good morning, Reverend Owen!"The vicar lowered his scissors, straightened up with a soft groan and returned the greeting. Young Priscilla Brooks came to th…