Part 17 (2/2)

Mr. Juxon was relieved to hear that John Short had suddenly gone back to Cambridge. He had indeed meant to like him from the first and had behaved towards him with kindness and hospitality; but while ready to admire his good qualities and to take a proper amount of interest in his approaching contest for honours, he had found him a troublesome person to deal with and, in his own words, a nuisance. Matters had come to a climax after the tea at the cottage, when the squire had so completely vanquished him, but since that evening the two had not met.

The opposition which John brought to bear against Mr. Juxon was not, however, without its effect. The squire was in that state of mind in which a little additional pressure sufficed to sway his resolutions.

It has been seen that he had for some time regarded Mrs. G.o.ddard's society as an indispensable element in his daily life; he had been so much astonished at discovering this that he had absented himself for several days and had finally returned ready to submit to his fate, in so far as his fate required that he should see Mrs. G.o.ddard every day.

Shortly afterwards John had appeared and by his persistent attempts to monopolise Mrs. G.o.ddard's conversation had again caused an interruption in the squire's habits, which the latter had resented with characteristic firmness. The very fact of having resisted John had strengthened and given a new tone to Mr. Juxon's feelings towards his tenant. He began to watch the hands of the clock with more impatience than formerly when, after breakfast, he sat reading the papers before the library fire, waiting for the hour when he was accustomed to go down to the cottage.

His interest in the papers decreased as his interest in the time of day grew stronger, and for the first time in his life he found to his great surprise that after reading the news of the day with the greatest care, he was often quite unable to remember a word of what he had read. Then, at first, he would be angry with himself and would impose upon himself the task of reading the paper again before going to the cottage. But very soon he found that he had to read it twice almost every day, and this seemed such an unreasonable waste of time that he gave it up, and fell into very unsystematic habits.

For some days, as though by mutual consent, neither Mrs. G.o.ddard nor the squire spoke of John Short. The squire was glad he was gone and hoped that he would not come back, but was too kind-hearted to say so; Mrs.

G.o.ddard instinctively understood Mr. Juxon's state of mind and did not disturb his equanimity by broaching an unpleasant subject. Several days pa.s.sed by after John had gone and he would certainly not have been flattered had he known that during that time two, out of the four persons he had met so often in his short holiday, had never so much as mentioned him.

One afternoon in January the squire found himself alone with Mrs.

G.o.ddard. It was a great exception, and she herself doubted whether she were wise to receive him when she had not Nellie with her. Nellie had gone to the vicarage to help Mrs. Ambrose with some work she had in hand for her poor people, but Mrs. G.o.ddard had a slight headache and had stayed at home in consequence. The weather was very bad; heavy clouds were driving overhead and the north-east wind howled and screamed through the leafless oaks of the park, driving a fine sleet against the cottage windows and making the dead creepers rattle against the wall. It was a bitter January day, and Mrs. G.o.ddard felt how pleasant a thing it was to stay at home with a book beside her blazing fire. She was all alone, and Nellie would not be back before four o'clock. Suddenly a well-known step echoed upon the slate flags without and there was a ring at the bell.

Mrs. G.o.ddard had hardly time to think what she should do, as she laid her book upon her knee and looked nervously over her shoulder towards the door. It was awkward, she thought, but it could not be helped. In such weather it seemed absurd to send the squire away because her little girl was not with her. He had come all the way down from the Hall to spend this dreary afternoon at the cottage--she could not send him away. There were sounds in the pa.s.sage as of some one depositing a waterproof coat and an umbrella, the door opened and Mr. Juxon appeared upon the threshold.

”Come in,” said Mrs. G.o.ddard, banis.h.i.+ng her scruples as soon as she saw him. ”I am all alone,” she added rather apologetically. The squire, who was a simple man in many ways, understood the remark and felt slightly embarra.s.sed.

”Is Miss Nellie out?” he asked, coming forward and taking Mrs. G.o.ddard's hand. He had not yet reached the point of calling the child plain ”Nellie;” he would have thought it an undue familiarity.

”She is gone to the vicarage,” answered Mrs. G.o.ddard. ”What a dreadful day! You must be nearly frozen. Will you have a cup of tea?”

”No thanks--no, you are very kind. I have had a good walk; I am not cold--never am. As you say, in such weather I could not resist the temptation to come in. This is a capital day to test that India-rubber tubing we have put round your windows. Excuse me--I will just look and see if the air comes through.”

Mr. Juxon carefully examined the windows of the sitting-room and then returned to his seat.

”It is quite air-tight, I think,” he said with some satisfaction, as he smoothed his hair with his hand.

”Oh, quite,” said Mrs. G.o.ddard. ”It was so very good of you.”

”Not a bit of it,” returned the squire cheerily. ”A landlord's chief pre-occupation ought to be the comfort of his tenants and his next thought should be to keep his houses in repair. I never owned any houses before, so I have determined to start with good principles.”

”I am sure you succeed. You walked down?”

”Always walk, in any weather. It is much less trouble and much cheaper.

Besides, I like it.”

”The best of all reasons. Then you will not have any tea? I almost wish you would, because I want some myself.”

”Oh of course--in that case I shall be delighted. Shall I ring?”

He rang and Martha brought the tea. Some time was consumed in the preparations which Mr. Juxon watched with interest as though he had never seen tea made before. Everything that Mrs. G.o.ddard did interested him.

”I do not know why it is,” she said at last, ”but weather like this is delightful when one is safe at home. I suppose it is the contrast--”

”Yes indeed. It is like the watch below in dirty-weather.”

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