Part 5 (1/2)
”Well, I don't care about it,” said Raggett slowly; ”it seemed all right when we was talking about it; but s'pose I have all my trouble for nothing, and she don't take d.i.c.k after all? What then?”
”Well, then there's no harm done,” said his friend, ”and it'll be a bit o' sport for both of us. You go up and start, an' I'll have another pint of beer and a clean pipe waiting for you against you come back.”
Sorely against his better sense Mr. Raggett rose and went off, grumbling. It was fatiguing work on a hot day, climbing the road up the cliff, but he took it quietly, and having gained the top, moved slowly towards the cottage.
”Morning, Mr. Raggett,” said Kate cheerily, as he entered the cottage.
”Dear, dear, the idea of an old man like you climbing about! It's wonderful.”
”I'm sixty-seven,” said Mr. Raggett viciously, ”and I feel as young as ever I did.”
”To be sure,” said Kate soothingly; ”and look as young as ever you did.
Come in and sit down a bit.”
Mr. Raggett with some trepidation complied, and sitting in a very upright position, wondered how he should begin. ”I am just sixty-seven,”
he said slowly. ”I'm not old and I'm not young, but I'm just old enough to begin to want somebody to look after me a bit.”
”I shouldn't while I could get about if I were you,” said the innocent Kate. ”Why not wait until you're bed-ridden?”
”I don't mean that at all,” said Mr. Raggett snappishly. ”I mean I'm thinking of getting married.”
”Good--gracious!” said Kate open-mouthed.
”I may have one foot in the grave, and resemble a dried herring in the face,” pursued Mr. Raggett with bitter sarcasm, ”but----”
”You can't help that,” said Kate gently.
”But I'm going to get married,” said Raggett savagely.
”Well, don't get in a way about it,” said the girl. ”Of course, if you want to, and--and--you can find somebody else who wants to, there's no reason why you shouldn't! Have you told father about it?”
”I have,” said Mr. Raggett, ”and he has given his consent.”
He put such meaning into this remark and so much more in the contortion of visage which accompanied it, that the girl stood regarding him in blank astonishment.
”His consent?” she said in a strange voice.
Mr. Raggett nodded.
”I went to him first,” he said, trying to speak confidently. ”Now I've come to you--I want you to marry me!”
”Don't you be a silly old man, Mr. Raggett,” said Kate, recovering her composure. ”And as for my father, you go back and tell him I want to see him.”
She drew aside and pointed to the door, and Mr. Raggett, thinking that he had done quite enough for one day, pa.s.sed out and retraced his steps to the ”Jolly Sailor.” Mr. Boom met him half-way, and having received his message, spent the rest of the morning In fortifying himself for the reception which awaited him.
It would be difficult to say which of the two young people was the more astonished at this sudden change of affairs. Miss Boom, affecting to think that her parent's reason was affected treated him accordingly, a state of affairs not without its drawbacks, as Mr. Boom found out.
Tarrell, on the other hand, attributed it to greed, and being forbidden the house, spent all his time ash.o.r.e on a stile nearly opposite, and sullenly watched events.
For three weeks Mr. Raggett called daily, and after staying to tea, usually wound up the evening by formally proposing for Kate's hand. Both conspirators were surprised and disappointed at the quietness with which Miss Boom received these attacks; Mr. Raggett meeting with a politeness which was a source of much wonder to both of them.
His courting came to an end suddenly. He paused one evening with his hand on the door, and having proposed in the usual manner was going out, when Miss Boom called him back.