Kitabı oku: «Reawakening Miss Calverley», sayfa 4

‘What does that mean?’

‘I’m glad of your arm up these stairs, but it would have been quite easy to ask one of the servants to help me, and very much more…tactful. It’s nonsensical, of course, but Mrs Cully sees me as a threat. She doesn’t trust me.’

They had reached the door of her room. He opened it, then said softly, ‘I’m not sure it’s as nonsensical as you think, Anne.’

She looked up at him, startled. ‘You don’t trust me?’

‘Oh, I trust you, of course I do! But you’re definitely proving a threat to my peace of mind.’ He added abruptly, ‘I must go! Agnew will be wondering what has happened to me. Enjoy your day! Read the book and stay in your room! Please?’ He turned towards the stairs, stopped, turned again and said, ‘I’ll look in on you this evening to see if you like the book. May I?’

‘Of course,’ said Anne. She pulled a face. ‘I think I can safely promise to be at home, Lord Aldhurst.’

She watched him race down the stairs, then went in, closed the door and hurried to the window. Two horses, one a powerful bay, were standing outside the front doors, held by a groom. James came out, mounted the bay and they moved off. Anne followed him with her eyes until he disappeared round a bend in the drive. Then she turned with a sigh, fetched the book and sat in a chair to read it. When Rose came in with a tray an hour later she was absorbed in the story of gentle Anne Elliot.

Later that afternoon Anne abandoned her book in favour of some exercise. She was walking vigorously round the room when Mrs Culver came in, a collection of clothes over one arm. She congratulated Anne on the progress she was making, then went on, ‘I’ve looked out a change of clothing for you, Miss Anne, though if you carry on as well as you seem to be doing at the moment you may have left us before you need them all. I hope you don’t mind—they are old dresses and such of Lady Aldhurst’s.’

Anne was touched. ‘Thank you, Mrs Culver. I’m sorry to be such a nuisance.’

Mrs Culver hesitated, and then she said, ‘The underclothes may be plainer than you are used to, I think…?’

Anne was puzzled. ‘Are mine so elaborate? I hadn’t thought…’ She lifted her skirt and examined the lace round the bottom of her petticoat. ‘I suppose they are. This is beautiful. I wonder where it came from.’ She looked up to find Mrs Culver regarding her with a strange look. ‘You think I know? I only wish I did. I take it that the garments are mine?’

‘They are indeed, miss. And very fancy they are, too.’

The touch of disapproval, which almost amounted to hostility, in the woman’s voice, was accompanied by a very sharp look. Anne took a breath and said carefully, ‘You obviously regard me with suspicion, Mrs Culver. Why?’

‘I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. But I know that Lady Aldhurst’s dearest wish is to see Master James married and with a family.’

Somewhat mystified, Anne said, ‘That’s very natural. I hope she wishes him to be happy as well?’

‘Of course. And he will be, as long as he finds a wife from his own world, a lady of rank, breeding, a good name of her own that everyone knows. People in London don’t like mysteries.’

Mrs Culver’s intention was now plain. Though annoyed, Anne said calmly enough, ‘You are worried that Lord Aldhurst might be distracted from this goal by me, perhaps? You needn’t be, I assure you. But what have my clothes to do with it?’

‘They’re all wrong. Not even one of the kitchen maids here would wear the dress and boots you had on when you arrived. They’re more like a tavern wench’s things. But your underclothes are quite different.’

Anne began to laugh. ‘You’re suspicious because my chemise and my petticoat don’t match my dress and boots? But that is absurd!’

Mrs Culver flushed unbecomingly. ‘Master James brought you here, Miss Anne, and we’ve looked after you as well as anyone could expect. But—I’ll come straight out with it—we still don’t know who you are or where you came from.’

Anne gave her a twisted smile. ‘Any more than I do.’ There was an awkward, significant silence…The colour rose in Anne’s cheeks. ‘Oh, come, ma’am!’ she said angrily. ‘You surely cannot think I’m playacting!’

‘I suppose not. But how can we be sure?’

Anne went to the window and stood with her back to the housekeeper until she had mastered her anger. Then she turned and said, ‘I do not remember who I am or how I came to be lying on your drive. But I promise you that as soon as I feel I can face the world again I shall leave Hatherton, whether my memory has returned or not. Will that do?’

Mrs Culver looked uncomfortable. ‘I don’t want to be cruel, Miss Anne. But I know Master James, and I can see he’s taken a fancy to you. And it mustn’t go any further. It would break his grandmother’s heart if he married badly. He is all she has left.’

‘Yes, well, if that is the case we must hope that he doesn’t actually fall in love with someone who is as unsuitable as I am,’ said Anne crisply. ‘But he is in no danger from me.’ She took up her book. ‘Now I think I’ve had enough of this conversation. Thank you for the clothes. When Lord Aldhurst returns you may tell him that I have a headache, and would prefer not to see him this evening.’

Mrs Culver found herself curtsying in response to the authoritative tone in Anne’s voice, and left the room rather apprehensively, wondering if she was making a mistake. Those last sentences had sounded as if they came from someone of quality, not at all the owner of a shabby dress.

But she delivered Anne’s message as requested that evening. And Master James’s air of disappointment reassured her once again that she was doing the right thing.

After Mrs Culver had gone, Anne sat at the window for some time with the book on her knee, but it lay unread. She was deep in thought. The housekeeper’s suspicions were ridiculous, but Anne could not disagree with her basic message. The sooner she left Hatherton the better. She sighed and set about some serious thinking…

She reflected again on the previous night’s dreams. The red door—where was it? She could almost believe she had actually tried and failed to knock on that door, and not just in her dream…She had been excited, full of happy anticipation, she remembered…But though she tried to hold on to it the picture dissolved and turned into a pool of blood. She heard her own voice shouting hoarsely, ‘No! No! It can’t be!’ and she suddenly felt sick. She thrust the image violently away out of her mind, and the pool vanished. But she was still shivering with horror…James’s book slid to the floor as she jumped up and walked agitatedly round the room, resolutely keeping her mind blank. She would not remember, it was better not to remember…

After a moment or two she had calmed down enough to sit down again and turn her mind to other matters. Was there a clue in the petticoat and the rest of her clothes? Had the boots and dress belonged to someone else? But who could that be…?

When Rose came in Anne was wearing nothing but the blue robe, anxiously examining her underwear.

‘Help me to look at these things, Rose,’ she said. ‘There must be something about them that will tell us where they came from.’

‘I’d say that they were especially made for you, Miss Anne. You can tell that by looking at this shaping. But there’s nothing else. And this dress is just like one the girls in the village wear.’

Anne pushed the clothes away dispiritedly. ‘I’m quite tired. I think I shall go to bed, Rose. Mrs Culver knows I don’t wish to see…anyone tonight.’

Rose nodded sympathetically. ‘You’ve done too much today, miss. But his lordship will be sorry not to see you.’ She said no more as she busied herself helping Anne to prepare for bed, but just before leaving the room she asked if Anne would like a glass of milk later on. ‘It’s a long time till morning, Miss Anne. A glass of milk might be welcome. I won’t wake you if you’re asleep.’

Too weary to argue, Anne nodded her head. She was already half-asleep by the time Rose had made up the fire, drawn the curtains and slipped quietly away.

She slept soundly and dreamlessly for several hours, but woke up when she heard her door open. The fire had died down somewhat, but there was enough light for her to see someone entering the room and approaching the bed.

‘Rose?’

‘I’m afraid it isn’t Rose.’ James Aldhurst put the glass of milk he was carrying down on the table by the bed, picked up her candlestick and took it over to the fire. In a few minutes the soft glow of candles was creating a pool of light round the bed.

Chapter Five

‘You shouldn’t be here!’ whispered Anne.

‘It isn’t late. No later than when I came last night. How is your head?’

‘My head? Oh, yes, my head! It’s much better, thank you. Why did you come?’

‘I was afraid you might be ill again. So when I saw Rose with the glass of milk I said I would deliver it.’

‘You shouldn’t have done that. Mrs Culver—’

‘Mrs Culver is in bed with a headache. Let me help you to sit up.’

He leaned over, and supported her with one arm while he rearranged her pillows. ‘There! Now drink the milk.’

He handed her the glass and sat down on the edge of the bed. She sipped it, looking at him warily over the rim of the glass. He took the glass from her and said, ‘I have some news for you.’

Anne leaned forwards eagerly. ‘You’ve found out who I am!’

‘No, no! Nothing as helpful as that.’ When she sank back disappointed against the pillows he went on, ‘But it might be a beginning. There was a coach accident the night we found you. It’s thought that the driver took a wrong turning a mile or two back along the Portsmouth Road and ended up stranded by a stretch of flood water. He tried to get back over Firland Cross Bridge, which any local knows is barely wide enough for a cart, let alone a full-sized coach. The coach lost a wheel and crashed into the stream.’

‘Who was he? Where is he now?’

‘Ah, that’s the problem. He can’t have been very seriously injured. The coach was a complete wreck, so he took the horses and abandoned it. He has disappeared.’

Anne didn’t respond. She was staring into the darkness, her eyes full of horror. James went on, ‘It’s probable there were two of them, but if so the other one has disappeared, too. There were two horses. Two horses and two men.’

‘Two men. One on the box, one inside,’ whispered Anne, her eyes wide and unfocused. ‘That’s all. Only two. One on the box and one inside. Don’t give up hope! There are only two of them. One on the box and the other—’ She suddenly gave a scream and thrust out her hands in a frantic gesture to save herself. ‘Aaah! Oh, please God, help me!’

‘Anne? Anne!’ James took her by the shoulders and shook her. For a moment she was rigid, staring at him without seeing him. Then she relaxed, gave a shuddering sigh, and threw herself into his arms. He held her close as she said hoarsely, ‘The coach overturned and water was rising inside it. I thought I was going to die. But I fought…and suddenly I was free…The stream was cold, but it wasn’t far to the bank…And afterwards I ran and ran. I had such a pain in my side, I didn’t know where I was going, but I dared not stop. I could hear them behind me…Then I slipped and I was so sure they would catch me again…’

She was shivering, and he held her fast, stroking her hair. ‘Hush, hush. You didn’t die, they didn’t catch you, and you’re quite safe here with me.’

She lay in the circle of his arms and gradually the shivering stopped and she was quiet. Still holding her, he sat, thinking over what she had just said. This was without doubt the coach that had carried her into the district. He must have a look at it tomorrow.

That was for tomorrow, but tonight he was beginning to realise exactly what Anne had been through. She had at last remembered something, but he could almost wish it had remained buried for her sake—the horror of the accident, her helplessness as the water rose inside the coach, her certainty that she was about to drown…And then her panic-stricken flight, which had ended in her collapse on the drive at Hatherton. Throughout it all was her refusal to give in, her determination to survive. Sam had called her a brave lass, but he didn’t know the half of it. James was visited by a fierce desire to defend her, to find the villains who had put her into such mortal danger, and make them suffer for it.

He sat holding her for a little longer, surprised again at the depth of his feelings. They were a far cry from the light-hearted flirtations, the short-lived affairs, which had earned him his grandmother’s disapproval. But he wasn’t sure that that lady would approve of his growing interest in Anne, either. In fact, he was damn certain she wouldn’t! He could hear her now, not shouting—his grandmother never shouted—but with a voice icy with anger. ‘What are you trying to do, James? Ruin us? Make us the laughing stock of the scandal sheets? Have you considered what the world will make of this? Barbara Furness, Mary Abernauld, Clara Paston—all of them the cream of London society! And now you insult them and me by spending your time with a…a nameless nobody. Aldhurst of Roade House and Miss Who Knows What of Nobody Knows Where! I won’t have it, I tell you! I won’t have it!’ Yes, he was quite sure his grandmother would not approve. Shaking his head ruefully, he put Anne gently back against the pillows. For the moment it was more important to establish her identity. He looked at her. There were traces of tears on her face, but she looked very beautiful. He bent over and kissed her cheek. She murmured a small protest, but didn’t wake. James picked up one of the candles, blew the rest out and left.

The next day he had an early breakfast, collected Sam Trott and was soon on his way to the site of the accident. It promised to be a fine spring day, and as he rode along he decided he would take Anne for a walk outdoors when he got back. Fresh air and new surroundings would be good for her. She would be safe in Hatherton’s walled garden, sheltered from prying eyes as well as any cold winds, and he was sure she would enjoy it.

How would he feel if today was the day her memory came back? Glad, of course, there was no question of that. The present state of affairs couldn’t last for ever. And if she remembered her proper place in the world he must help her find her way back to it. The thought was surprisingly unwelcome and he thrust it aside and concentrated instead on what they would find at Firland Cross.

They had no difficulty in finding the coach. The flood waters had by this time completely subsided, and someone had hauled it out of the stream and left it on the bank.

‘There’s nothing much here,’ said Sam, clambering over the wreck. ‘You wouldn’t get more than a guinea or two for the whole lot. And I tell you, Master James, it can’t have been a comfortable ride for anyone, let alone someone with their hands tied together.’ He was now rummaging inside. ‘It’s completely empty. There’s nothing here at all.’

James was walking along, examining the bank. He bent down and called, ‘Look, here’s where the horses got out. The ground is soft after the rain and you can still see their hoof marks. And this must be where our girl escaped. See?’

Sam didn’t reply, and when James looked up he saw that the groom was out of the coach and standing on the bank, his eye fixed on a figure walking purposefully down the hill with a gun in his hands. James abandoned his search and joined him on the bank, but he laughed as the bluff, homespun figure approached, ‘It’s all right, Sam. It’s one of my grandmother’s tenants, Holford from Firland Farm—though he’s put on some weight since I last saw him. Good day to you, Mr Holford.’

‘Well, bless my soul, if it isn’t Master James! How are you, my lord?’ The farmer put the gun under his arm and shook hands. Then he gave a great laugh and said, ‘I thought for a minute you were one of them ruffians come back to have another look at that coach.’

‘Ruffians? What ruffians?’ asked James with interest.

‘Nat and I saw a couple of suspicious characters round that coach few days ago. I don’t suppose you remember Nat, my lord? He’s my youngest boy.’

‘Of course I do. He must be fourteen or fifteen by now.’

‘Aye, and he’s a strapping lad, though he’s just fourteen.’

‘These “suspicious characters”, Mr Holford. You’ve seen them before? Spoken to them?’

‘No, we haven’t. And we didn’t have a chance to speak to them the other day, either. They ran off as soon as they saw us coming down the hill. They were likely looking for something, but there wasn’t anything to find. Nat and one or two of the men had pulled the wreck out of the stream the day before, but there wasn’t much left in it—just an empty purse and a bit of rope.’

‘Let me know if the men come back again, Holford. And if you still have that purse I’d like a look at it.’

‘Here’s the purse, my lord. You can have that with pleasure, but we threw the rope away.’

James was turning the purse over in his hands. As Holford had said, it was empty, but when he pulled it flat he could see that it had a monogram of sorts embroidered on one side. An A and a C…AC…Anne C…?

Holford’s voice broke into his thoughts. ‘If we happen to find anything else I’ll send Nat over with it, shall I?’

‘I’d be obliged if you would.’ James spent a minute or two longer with Holford, but left as soon as he could. The purse was not much of a clue, but it might provide the trigger for Anne’s memory. He would show it to her when he got back.

Meanwhile, Anne had woken up, and when she found that she could remember everything from the night before she was full of eager anticipation. Perhaps this morning…? But the excitement died away again when she discovered that her name was still a blank, along with the rest of her past. For a while she was despondent at the thought of spending yet another day without a name, but then Rose came in, and by the time she was dressed she was more cheerful. Lord Aldhurst had invited her to breakfast the day before. She might be invited to join him for breakfast again today. At the very least he was sure to pay her a visit to see how she was. Rose went away and Anne sat waiting for him.

But it was Mrs Culver who came, and when Anne reluctantly asked after Lord Aldhurst she told her he had already left the house.

Her disappointment was so intense that, before she could stop herself, she asked, ‘Did he…did he leave a message for me?’

The housekeeper shook her head. ‘He probably forgot,’ she said with a touch of satisfaction. ‘His lordship can’t inform anyone and everyone about his plans for the day. He’s a busy man.’ She put her tray down and busied herself setting the table by the fire. ‘He has a number of friends in the district, of course. Or he might be up at Roade House with the caretaker there. After all, that’s why he came to Hatherton in the first place, though he hasn’t so far done much about it. One visit to Mr Agnew, that’s all—and that didn’t last long.’ She put the last touches to the table. ‘Your breakfast is ready, miss.’ As she left he room she added, ‘One thing I do know is that he won’t want to waste any more time. Lady Aldhurst will expect him back in London before long.’

Lower than ever in spirits, Anne ate her breakfast alone, and then, determined to put her disappointment behind her, walked vigorously round her room until she was quite out of breath. Lord Aldhurst had his own life to lead, she told herself as she marched round. He had already been extraordinarily kind to her, and she must not expect more. Perhaps he had been embarrassed by her breakdown last night, and was keeping his distance. Or perhaps he was visiting friends in the neighbourhood. The neighbours might have a beautiful, eligible, suitable daughter…She realised she had come to a standstill, and with an impatient shake of her head she started off round the room again. This would not do! The sooner she accepted that James Aldhurst was out of her reach, and worked out how to leave Hatherton, the better! From now on she would concentrate on getting stronger and forget how interesting he could be, how charming, how very handsome…She realised with a start that she had stopped and was gazing into space yet again! She must stop being such a lovesick idiot! Anne pulled herself together and circled the room several more times until she had calmed down. Then she picked up her book with determination and began to read.

But when James eventually came in the book was on her lap and she was sitting, gazing out of the window. She jumped when he spoke, and her book fell to the floor.

‘I’m sorry if Persuasion was not to your taste,’ he said, picking it up and replacing it. ‘I was so sure it would be. How are you?’

‘I am well, thank you,’ she replied, doing her best to disguise her pleasure at seeing him. ‘And I loved Persuasion and would like to read some more of Miss Austen’s books.’

‘You’ve finished it? Good! I have another in mind for you, but we’ll leave that for later.’ He came round to examine her more closely. ‘You looked surprised when I came in.’

‘That was because I wasn’t expecting to see you.’

‘Why not? You must have known I’d be back if only to see how you were after last night. Do you still remember what you told me? It was quite harrowing.’

‘Yes. I can remember everything I said—every word. But no more than that.’ She paused, and added bitterly, ‘Certainly not my name.’

He put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. ‘Don’t lose heart, Anne. I have something here that just might help. Look.’ He produced the purse the farmer had found in the coach. ‘Does this mean anything to you? The initials could be yours.’

Anne held the purse in her hands for several moments, staring at it. Then she turned it over, smoothed it with her finger, held it up. ‘A…C…A for Anne? A for Annabel? Alice? Amy? And C…C for what?’ She shook her head and thrust the purse back into his hand. ‘They could be my initials,’ she said abruptly, ‘but as far as I know I’ve never seen the thing before.’ She jumped up, walked away and stood with her back to him. ‘I just don’t remember it!’ she said in a stifled voice.

He gazed at her in silence for a moment, then said, ‘It’s too sunny a day to waste indoors. How would you like to see the garden? Hatherton is proud of its gardens.’ She hesitated, uncertain what to do. ‘It would be good for you,’ he said persuasively. ‘You won’t be cold. The garden is sheltered from the wind—a shawl would be enough. I’ve brought one for you and I’ve even borrowed a hat from Rose.’ When she still remained silent he put the shawl round her shoulders and a simple flat straw hat on her head and led her over to the mirror. ‘There—see how pretty you look! Not a squint or a black eye in sight! Shall we go?’

He led her downstairs, along a corridor to the back of the house and out into the warm spring sunshine.

Anne stopped to breathe in the fresh, herb-scented air, and then, with a sudden lift of spirits, she smiled at him and said, ‘Thank you.’

James smiled back at her and said, ‘Wait till you see what comes next!’ He took her along a stone-flagged path, which ended in a gate set in a high wall. ‘This particular garden is my grandmother’s creation,’ he said as he unlocked the gate. ‘It’s her special place, though now she leaves the work to her gardener while she sits and watches what he’s doing. Whenever she is at Hatherton this is the place you are most likely to find her, no matter what the season.’

He opened the gate, and she went through and stopped to feast her eyes on the garden inside. It was set against a tranquil background of grey stone walls and soft greenery, a garden full of spring, with clumps of rich golden daffodils, creamy jonquils, an array of scarlet tulips…She forgot her troubles as she wandered on, bending down now and again to admire pale yellow primroses or to take in the scent of dark purple violets. Pots of lavender and rosemary, beds of roses, lilacs and honeysuckles climbing up the walls, hinted at pleasures to come, waiting to give the garden colour and scent when the spring flowers had gone.

James sat on a bench, content to watch Anne as she walked along the paths, stopping to sniff a flower, gently finger a leaf or examine a bud. This was the first time he had been able to observe her at a distance, to see her as someone he might meet socially at a garden party, or at one of his friends’ houses. Her dress was simple, her boots serviceable rather than elegant, but she moved among his grandmother’s flowers with grace and inborn pride, an aristocrat to the tips of her fingers.

She came back to the bench and sank down gratefully beside him. ‘Thank you. Your grandmother is a genius. And you are very kind.’ She hesitated, and then, not looking at him, she said, ‘I have an apology to make. This morning when you went out without…without saying anything, I wondered if you were tired of me and the problems I had brought you. Mrs Culver kept telling me what a busy man you were, and after…after last night I thought you wouldn’t want to waste any more of your time on me. I know your opinion of poor-spirited females, you see, and last night I was disgracefully poor-spirited! I’m sorry for burdening you so.’

‘Burdening me?’ he said, amazed that she had so little idea of what he thought of her. ‘What a ridiculous notion! The more I see of you the more I wonder at your courage.’

‘I’m n-not at all b-brave,’ she stammered.

‘Oh, yes, you are. But what on earth made you think I had deserted you?’

‘I was…I was disappointed. And stupid. Mrs Culver told me you had gone out without leaving word and I thought…’

‘Ah! I see. You thought we would have breakfast together again, was that it? I wanted a look at that coach and was up and out too early to call on you before I left. But…’ he gave her a smile and took her hand ‘…before I went I had planned to bring you out here when I got back. Does that make you happier?’

His hand round hers felt warm and comforting. She nodded, and said, ‘I should have guessed that you would look for the coach. Did you find it?’

‘Very easily—one of the farmers had already hauled it out of the stream. He found the purse—together with a piece of rope.’ Stroking her wrists with his thumbs, he said, ‘I can guess what the rope was used for. And I had great hopes of the purse. But it didn’t help, did it?’

She shook her head and her feeling of happiness vanished, ‘That’s just it. Nothing seems to help!’ She got up and walked away, suddenly struggling for calm. ‘Why is it?’ she burst out. ‘Why on earth is it that I remember the names of most of the plants in this garden, but can’t remember my own? You cannot imagine what it feels like to live with only half a mind. I’m in limbo!’

James followed her and drew her back against him. ‘Nonsense! You’re not in limbo, you’re in the garden at Hatherton, and you’re living with me, not half a mind. I’m better than that.’

This made her laugh in spite of herself. ‘Indeed you are!’

‘Tell me what you’ve been doing today. I suppose Cully told you where I was?’

‘She wasn’t sure. She said you might be visiting your friends, or calling at Roade House.’

‘I’m surprised at Cully! She knew precisely where I was going and what I was doing, because I told her. I was sure she would pass it on to you.’

‘Mrs Culver thinks I’m a bad influence on you. She’s afraid I’ll distract you from what you’re here for. I don’t know what that is, of course. Why are you here at Hatherton?’

‘I’m here to see what ought to be done to Roade House.’

‘Roade House?’

‘The big house up the valley from here. Sit down on this bench and I’ll tell you about it. My great-grandfather built it. He was already more than rich enough when he married an heiress, Christina Roade. They decided Hatherton was too small and too old-fashioned for them, so they built a mansion on the side of the hill half a mile up the valley and called it Roade House.’ He stopped and she wondered why he frowned. ‘The house…the house has been…has been practically unused since my grandmother moved out of it after my grandfather died. It needs a lot of attention.’ Almost reluctantly he said, ‘Would you like to see it? If the weather is as good tomorrow I’ll show it to you. Could you could manage that?’

‘I’m sure I could.’

‘Or—better still—do you ride?’

She cocked her head and gave him a mock-reproachful look. ‘Now how would I know that, Lord Aldhurst?’ Then she laughed and said cheerfully, ‘But I expect I do. I could certainly try.’

James looked at her animated face, and secretly congratulated himself on distracting her from her problems. ‘We shall see tomorrow. I have an idea my mother’s riding things are in the attics here. I’ll get Cully to look them out.’

‘Mrs Culver will no doubt be delighted,’ said Anne drily.

‘Cully is all right. She’ll come round in time.’

‘Not if she sees me as a threat to her darlings! How long has she been in service with the Aldhursts?’

‘All her life. She came as a girl when my grandmother was first married and has been with her ever since. Don’t worry about the riding things—she’ll look them out tomorrow morning. So, would you like to ride up to the House with me?’

‘Weather, ability and Mrs Culver permitting, I think I would. Thank you!’

‘Now I have another suggestion to make!’

‘Which is?’

‘I shan’t ask you if you play chess—you’ll tell me you don’t know. But we shall see what you can do.’

‘When? Now?’

‘Tonight. I must go soon to have a word with one of the farmers, and will probably eat with them…Shall we try a game when I come back? It won’t be late.’

‘I’m perfectly willing to try, though I give you no guarantees. Where shall we play? Much as I like my bedroom, I don’t think Mrs Culver would approve.’