Part 20 (1/2)
”I suppose so. I believe that she has been quite kind. I do hope she'll be kind to you this morning. I hate leaving you with her.”
”Why, you say she likes me.”
”Yes, but that wouldn't prevent--you see she doesn't mind what she says or what she repeats if it amuses her. If she thought it really funny, for instance, to break off our engagement, she'd try.”
”Dear boy, what a frightful remark! But it would be funnier for us to see her trying. Whatever could she do?”
He kissed the hands that were still busy with the fastenings. ”Nothing.
I can't see one thing. We simply lie open to each other, you and I.
There isn't one new corner in either of us that she could reveal.
It's only that I always have in this house the most awful feeling of insecurity.”
”Why?”
”If any one says or does a foolish thing it's always here. All the family breezes have started here. It's a kind of focus for aimed and aimless scandal. You know, when my father and mother had their special quarrel, my aunt was mixed up in it,--I never knew how or how much--but you may be sure she didn't calm things down, unless she found things more entertaining calm.”
”Rickie! Rickie!” cried the lady from the garden, ”Your riding-master's impatient.”
”We really oughtn't to talk of her like this here,” whispered Agnes.
”It's a horrible habit.”
”The habit of the country, Agnes. Ugh, this gossip!” Suddenly he flung his arms over her. ”Dear--dear--let's beware of I don't know what--of nothing at all perhaps.”
”Oh, buck up!” yelled the irritable Stephen. ”Which am I to shorten--left stirrup or right?”
”Left!” shouted Agnes.
”How many holes?”
They hurried down. On the way she said: ”I'm glad of the warning. Now I'm prepared. Your aunt will get nothing out of me.”
Her betrothed tried to mount with the wrong foot according to his invariable custom. She also had to pick up his whip. At last they started, the boy showing off pretty consistently, and she was left alone with her hostess.
”Dido is quiet as a lamb,” said Mrs. Failing, ”and Stephen is a good fielder. What a blessing it is to have cleared out the men. What shall you and I do this heavenly morning?”
”I'm game for anything.”
”Have you quite unpacked?”
”Yes.”
”Any letters to write?” No.
”Then let's go to my arbour. No, we won't. It gets the morning sun, and it'll be too hot today.” Already she regretted clearing out the men. On such a morning she would have liked to drive, but her third animal had gone lame. She feared, too, that Miss Pembroke was going to bore her.
However, they did go to the arbour. In languid tones she pointed out the various objects of interest.
”There's the Cad, which goes into the something, which goes into the Avon. Cadbury Rings opposite, Cadchurch to the extreme left: you can't see it. You were there last night. It is famous for the drunken parson and the railway-station. Then Cad Dauntsey. Then Cadford, that side of the stream, connected with Cadover, this. Observe the fertility of the Wilts.h.i.+re mind.”
”A terrible lot of Cads,” said Agnes brightly.