Bride of Pendorric (37 page)

” But it’s my home.”

” I think you ought to get away for a bit… to sort things out. Why don’t you come and stay here for a night or two? We could talk, and you’d feel safe here.”

I looked round the room with the pictures (which Mabell had been unable to sell) on the walls and examples of her handiwork in evidence over the brick fireplace.

It certainly seemed like a haven. I should feel perfectly at peace here. I should have time to think about what had happened, to talk about it with Mabell and Andrew; but there was no real reason why I should stay with them.

” It would seem so odd,” I began.

” Suppose I was going to paint your portrait. Would that give us an excuse?”

” Hardly. People would say I could easily come over for sittings.”

” But we hate the thought of your being there. We’re afraid of what’s going to happen next.”

I thought of Roe, going away on business; this time he had not suggested that I should go with him. So why shouldn’t I stay with friends?

“Look,” said Mabell, “I’ll drive you back and you can pack a bag. Just your night things.”

She was so determined and I felt so uncertain that I allowed her to get out the car and drive me back to Pendorric.

When we reached the house I said: ” I’ll have to explain to Mrs.

Penhalligan that I shan’t be home for a night or so. I’ll tell her about the picture . only I must say it seems rather strange in the midst of all this trouble. “

” Stranger things have been happening,” said Mabell firmly. I went up to my room and put a few things into a bag. The house seemed very quiet. I felt dazed, as I had since I had talked to Mabell. I was certain now that someone was determined to kill me; and that it could happen while I was in Pendorric. The playing of the violin, the singing—they had been, the warning signs; someone had tried to unnerve me, to make me believe this story of the woman who was trying to lure me into the tomb to take her place.

But ghosts did not have keys to vaults; they did not tamper with cars.

My bag was packed. I would go down to the kitchen and tell Mrs.

Penhalligan. If Morwenna had been here I should have explained to her that I was staying with the dements for a while. I didn’t want to disturb Charles. Of course I could tell Deborah. I went along to her rooms. She was there reading when I entered, and as she looked at me the serenity faded from her face. She sprang to her feet. ” Favel, you’re upset.”

” Well everything’s been so upsetting.”

” My dear child.” She took my hand and led me to the window-seat. ” Sit down and tell me all about it.”

” I’ve just come to tell you that I’m spending a night or two with the Clements.”

She looked surprised.

“You mean the doctor and his sister?”

” Yes.

Mabell’s going to paint my portrait. ” Even as I said the words I thought how puerile they sounded. She would know that I was making an excuse to leave Pendorric. She had always been so kind to me and I was sure she would understand if I explained to her. It was insulting to her intelligence not to tell her the truth, I felt. So I blurted out:

” As a matter of fact, Deborah, I want to get away. If it’s only for a day or so I want to get away.”

She nodded. ” I understand. Things haven’t been going quite smoothly between you and Roe and you’re upset. And coming on top of all this .

”

-I was silent and relieved when she went on: ” It’s perfectly understandable. It’ll do you good, dear, to get away for a while. I feel the same myself. This anxiety about Morwenna has been … terrible. And now we know that she’ll be all right we realise how tensed-up we’ve been, and we begin to feel the effects of the shock.

So you’re going to the Clements. “

“Yes. Mabell suggested it. I’ve just packed a bag.” Deborah frowned.

” My dear, I suppose it’s wise.”

“Wise?”

” Well, it’s not as though Mabell’s there alone, is it? You see, this is a small place and mere’s a lot of gossip. Quite absurd, of course, but there it is … and I’ve noticed … and I expect other people have too … that the doctor is rather interested in you.” I felt myself flushing hotly. ” Dr. Clement!”

” He’s quite young and people are so ready to talk. You might say there’s always gossip about Pendorrics, and so there is. The men I mean. It’s different with the women.

Unfair of course, but that’s the way of the world. The women have to be beyond reproach. Because of the children, my dear. This is ridiculous. It’s really quite absurd, but so is the gossip and the scandal that goes on in this place. You must please yourself, Favel, but I don’t really think that . in the circumstances . it would be wise for you to go to Tremethick. “

I was amazed; then I remembered the eager friendship of the Clements.

Andrew Clement had always shown pleasure in my company; Mabell knew this. Was that why she had been so friendly with me?

” I’m sure Mabell Clement would understand if it were put to her,” said Deborah.

“Let’s go to her and bring her in and explain.” We did.

Mabell looked surprised when we asked her in, but Deborah put the case very tactfully and, although Mabell quite clearly didn’t agree, she made no attempt to persuade me.

” It’s this place,” said Deborah, waving a hand. ” All small places are the same, I suppose. So little happens that people look for drama.”

” I shouldn’t have said so little happens at Pendorric,” put in Mabell. “Favel was shut in the vault and Morwenna has a crash that is almost fatal.”

” Such happenings give people a taste for more drama,” said Deborah. ” No, I’m certain it would be wrong. You see, my dears, suppose Favel is going to have her portrait painted, why shouldn’t she come over every day?” She turned to me. ” Now if you do want to get away, dear, I’ll take you to Devon for a week-end. Why not? You’ve always wanted to see my house. We could leave tomorrow if you liked. How would that be?”

“I’d like that,” I said.

Mabell seemed satisfied although disappointed that I was not going back with her.

” What more natural than that we should get away for a night or two,” said Deborah smiling. ” Then you’ll be back by the time your husband returns.”

” It would be a … respite,” I said.

And Mabell agreed.

When Mabell had gone, Deborah told Charles what we planned. He thought it was an excellent idea. Rachel Bective was there to look after the twins; and he thought that by the time we returned we should know when Morwenna was leaving the hospital. ” My dear,” said Deborah, ” I don’t see why we shouldn’t leave today. Why wait till tomorrow? If you’re ready to go, I am.” I was very eager to get away from Pendorric because it was firmly in my mind that the menace which I felt close to me was somewhere in that house.

I collected together the things which I should need and Deborah went off to ask Carrie to do tile same for her. Then Deborah brought her car round to the west porch, and Carrie came down with the bags. As we drove round the side of the house the twins came out of the north door.

They ran up to the car.

“Hallo, Granny Deb,” said Lowella.

“Hallo, Bride. We’re going to see Mummy this afternoon. Daddy’s taking us to the hospital.”

“That’s wonderful, darling,” said Deborah, stopping to smile at them.

“Mummy will soon be home.”

” Where are you going?” demanded Lowella.

” I’m taking Favel to show her my house.”

Hyson had gripped the side of the car. ” Let me come with you.”

” Not this time, darling. You stay with Miss Bective. We’ll be back soon.”

” I want to come. I want to be there. I don’t want to stay here … alone,” said Hyson on a shrill note.

” Not this time, dear,” said Deborah. ” Take your hands away.” She touched them gently. Hyson dropped them and Deborah drove on. I turned and saw Rachel Bective come out of the house; then Hyson started to run after the car.

But Deborah had accelerated. We turned out of the drive.

We crossed the Tamar at Gunislake, and it seemed to me that as the distance between us and Pendorric grew greater, the higher Deborah’s spirits rose. There was no doubt that recent events had depressed her considerably.

She talked a great deal about Morwenna, and what a relief it was to know that she was going to get well.

” When she recovers,” she said, ” I shall bring her over to the moor.

I’m certain it would do her the world of good. “

I was beginning to see that she thought her moorland air the cure for all sickness, whether of the body or mind.

After passing through Tavistock we were soon on the moor. It reminded me very much of our own Cornish moors. but there was a subtle difference, Deborah told me; and you discovered it when you got to know them well. There was no moor like Dartmoor, she assured me, and insisted that Carrie corroborate this statement—which she readily did. Carrie was excited too, and I caught their excitement and felt more at ease than I had since my quarrel with Roe.

Laranton Manor House stood alone about a mile from the village of Laranton. It was an impressive building—Queen Anne in style—with massive iron gates at the entrance.

In the grounds was a cottage, and in this, Deborah told me, lived Mr.

and Mrs. Hanson and their unmarried son, all of whom worked for her and kept the house in readiness for her return at any time. She took out a key and opened the front door of the house about which clematis climbed. It must have been a lovely sight in season.

“Ah, it’s good to be home,” she cried.

“Come along, my dear. Come in and see the old house which will always be home to me.”

I met Mrs. Hanson, who expressed no surprise to see her mistress home, and Deborah gave orders in her gentle but competent way.

” Mrs. Hanson, this is my nephew’s bride. She’s going to stay for a night or two. I want Carrie to get the blue room ready for her.”

“The blue room?” repeated Mrs. Hanson.

” Yes, please. I said the blue room. Carrie, put two hot-water bottles in the bed. You know how the first night in a strange bed always seems. And we should like something to eat, Mrs. Hanson. It’s a fair journey from Pendorric.”

She made me sit down, for I was tired, she was sure.

” I’m going to cos set you,” she told me. ” Oh, it is fun to have you here. I’ve always wanted to bring you.”

I sat down in a chair near the big window which gave me a view of a neat lawn and flower-beds.

“Hanson’s a good gardener, but it’s not so easy to grow things on the moor as it is at Pendorric. The ground here is stony and it can be very cold in winter. Snow’s a bit of a rarity at Pendorric; you should see it here in winter. There were times when Barbarina and I were kept in for a whole week—absolutely snowed up.”

I looked round the large room with its ingle-nook and pleasant furniture, and the large bowl of chrysanthemums on a gilt and marble console table.

” I’ve told Mrs. Hanson always to keep flowers in the house,” she told me, following my gaze. ” Barbarina used to look after the flowers, until she married. Then I took over. I didn’t arrange them as artistically as she did.” She lifted her shoulders and smiled. ” I’m longing to show you your room. They should have it ready very soon.

But first I’m hungry. Aren’t you? It’s our moorland air. Oh, it’s good to be home. “

” I wonder you spend so much time at Pendorric,” I said, ” when you so clearly prefer it here.”

” Oh, it’s because of the family … Morwenna, Roe, Hyson and Lowella! Pendorric’s their home and if I want to be with them I have to be at Pendorric. I’ve brought Hyson here quite a lot. Lowella prefers the sea, but Hyson certainly has a taste for the moor.”

” She was very eager to come with us this time.”

” I know, dear child. But I did feel you needed a thorough rest. And with her mother in the hospital she should be there. When I’m here I feel young again. There’s so much to remind me. I can almost imagine that Father is still alive and that at any moment Barbarina will come in through that door.”

“Did Barbarina come here often after her marriage?”

” Yes. She felt the same as I do about this place. After all it was home to her. She had spent the greater part of her life here. How I do harp on the past. It’s a failing of the aged. Do forgive me, Favel. I want you to be happy here.”

” You’re very kind.”

” My dear, I’m so fond of you.”

We were silent for a few moments and I thought that if I were with Deborah in some small country hotel I could have felt at ease. It was a pity that to escape from Pendorric I had to come to the house where Barbarina. had spent the greater part of her life.

Mrs. Hanson came in to tell us that the meal was ready. ” An omelette, madam,” she said. ” If I’d had more time …”

” It’ll be delicious, I’m sure,” smiled Deborah. ” Mrs. Hanson is one of the best cooks in Devon.”

The omelette was certainly delicious, and there was apple pie with clotted cream to follow.

“The real Devonshire cream,” Deborah told me gleefully. ” Now don’t you agree it’s better than the Cornish?”

I really couldn’t tell the difference, so I said it was very good indeed.

” They copied it from us,” said Deborah; ” but they say we copied it from them!”

We were both growing more lighthearted, and I was sure it was a good thing that Deborah had brought me here! I could see quite clearly now that it would have been most unwise for me to have gone to the Clements’.

When the meal was over we went back to the drawing-room for coffee, and when we had finished, Deborah took me up and showed me my room.

It was right at the top of the house, very large and an odd shape.

There were two windows, and the ceiling sloped slightly in a way which was charming and told me that we were immediately under the roof. The single bed at the opposite end of the room was partly in an alcove;

and there was a desk, wardrobe, bedside table and dressing-table; on the bed was a blue coverlet, and the carpet was blue. ” This is delightful,” I said.

” And right at the top of the house. It’s so light and airy, isn’t it.

Come and look out. “