Seven for a Secret (20 page)

And so we went on.

There was one I remembered above the others, and that was Sheila Gentry. Her father was working and she was alone in their cottage. She was a very pretty girl with brown curly hair and mischievous eyes. She gave me the impression that she was looking for adventure.

“I expect they’ll find a place for her in the house,” James told me.

“Her mother worked up there when they needed extra help. She was a good pastry cook I believe.”

Sheila let us in and said her father was at work. She took good stock of me, I noticed. She told me she had left school and was keeping house for her father but she didn’t want to do that for ever.

When we left, James said: “You can understand how Harry Gentry’s got his hands full with a girl like that.”

I agreed that I could.

As we came away from the cottages I said, “What about the Lanes’ place?”

“Oh, they’re a case on their own. You know about Flora?”

“Oh yes, I’ve visited her often. Should we look in now?”

“Why not?”

“I feel sure Flora will be there if Lucy isn’t.”

“Mr. St. Aubyn himself looks after them. He has a special interest, you know, because they were his nurses when he was a child.”

“Yes, I know.”

We went through the garden gate. Flora was seated there. She looked a little startled to see us together.

I said: “I’ve come in an official capacity today.”

She looked at me uncomprehendingly.

And almost immediately Lucy came out of the cottage.

“I heard you were taking on the job,” she said.

“You needn’t include us.”

“I know Mr. St. Aubyn takes good care of you,” James told her.

“He does indeed,” Lucy said.

“I wanted you to know that I’m taking Mrs. Merret’s place,” I explained.

“That’s nice,” said Lucy.

“She’s always been such a nice lady, without prying … if you know what I mean.”

I did know what she meant. I had betrayed too much curiosity. I must remember to call when Lucy was not there . just as I had in the past.

James Perrin was very helpful to me during those first days. He made me feel that I was useful, otherwise I might have believed, as I had in the beginning, that there was no real job for me.

James had a small apartment over the estate office. It consisted of three rooms with a kitchen and the necessary facilities. The Merrets’ cottage was being redecorated for a married couple who had been awaiting accommodation.

I soon became very interested in the estate as James initiated me into the working of it, and I could understand why Crispin was so absorbed in it. I would come home and tell Aunt Sophie the fascinating details and she would listen intently.

“All those people working there!” she said.

“Just think! It provides a living for them. And then there are people like old Mrs. Penn who are in their homes for life, looked after by what they call ” the Estate”, which in a way means our Mr. Crispin. He is the great benefactor.”

“Oh yes, he keeps it in working order. Imagine what it was all like before he took over. His father neglected the place and all those people must have been in danger of losing their livelihoods.”

“He has a habit of appearing at the right moment,” said Aunt Sophie soberly.

One day Crispin came into the estate office and saw me sitting at my desk beside James, who was showing me one of the account books.

He called out, “Good morning.” He looked at me.

“All going well?”

“Very well,” replied James.

I said: “Mr. Perrin has been very helpful.”

“Good,” said Crispin and went out.

The next day James and I rode out to one of the farms.

“It’s a question of a faulty roof,” James had said.

“You may as well come. You can meet Mrs. Jennings. It’s your job to be on good terms with the wives.”

On the way we met Crispin again.

“We’re going to Jennings’ farm,” James told him.

“Trouble with a roof.”

“I see,” said Crispin.

“Good day,” and he left us.

It was the following day. I had been down to the cottages to see Mary Wilbur, who had scalded her arm while working in the St. Aubyn kitchen.

Crispin was riding towards me.

“Good morning,” he said.

“How is Mrs. Wilbur?”

“She’s a little shocked,” 1 answered.

“She has been rather badly scalded.”

“I looked in at the office and Perrin told me where you had gone.”

I was expecting him to ride on but he did not.

Instead he said: “I’d like to know how you are getting on. I was wondering if we might have lunch somewhere together … somewhere we could talk more easily. Would you care to do that?”

I usually brought a sandwich with me and ate it in the office. I could always make myself a cup of tea or coffee in James’s kitchen. James was often out of the office but if he were in he joined me.

I said: “That would be very agreeable.”

“There’s a place I know on the Devizes road. Let’s go that way and you can tell me how things really are.”

I felt elated. There were times when I believed Aunt Sophie’s initial reaction to his offer of a post on the estate was right and that he had done it because he did not want me to go away. My pleasure now was in his interest which occasionally I felt to be there; but at other times I believed my work was necessary and he felt nothing but indifference towards me. But since he had asked me to lunch I did begin to wonder whether there might be a little truth in what Aunt Sophie had thought.

The way led past Barrow Wood and that place must always affect me deeply. Neither of us spoke as we rode by it. The trees looked sombre and through them I caught a glimpse of one of the graves. I thought: 1 shall never forget. It was indelibly imprinted on my mind and it always would be.

Crispin was saying, “The inn I’m thinking of is the Little Vixen. Have you seen it? There’s a signpost of a very appealing little fox outside.”

“I think I know it. It stands back from the road.”

They have good stabling there and they do a simple but wholesome lunch.

”

He was right. It was very wholesome. We ordered ham.

They cure it themselves,” said Crispin. They keep a small farm and run it well. They grow their own vegetables.”

With the ham we had lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes baked in their jackets.

He asked if I would like wine or cider and I said that wine would make me rather sleepy perhaps and I must work that afternoon.

He smiled and said. That applies to us both. Let’s go for the cider.

”

When the food was served he said, “Now tell me how the work is really going.”

“Very well, thank you. Mr. Perrin is very kind and helpful.”

“I have noticed that you work well together.”

I looked at him steadily and said: “Yet sometimes, I feel…”

“What do you feel?” he asked.

“Mrs. Merret helped her husband as many wives might. It was not really her own job, one might say. She was just … an adjunct.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t think she would be flattered if she heard that.”

“I know she was very popular and things ran smoothly, but sometimes I feel this work that 1 am doing was really created … well, to give me something to do.”

“You mean there isn’t enough to keep you occupied?”

“I have been occupied, but sometimes I think it might be a little

contrived. I mean, do you really want someone going round the estate to discover that Mrs. Penn prefers jam sandwich to seed cake?”

“Is that what you have discovered?”

“It is one of the things, yes.”

He started to laugh.

“It may seem amusing,” I said hastily, ‘but I should like to know frankly whether what I am doing is really worthwhile or whether . you were taking pity on me. You knew I wanted to do something. “

“Your aunt did not want you to go away.”

“No. And I did not want to stay to be a burden to her.”

“A burden? I’ve always thought she was overjoyed to have you with her.”

“She is not a rich woman.”

“I did not know she was in financial difficulties.”

“She is not. She is quite comfortably off.”

“Then why should you be a burden?”

“It is …”

“Your pride?” he asked.

“If you like, yes. I have a little money of my own. My mother’s house was sold, which was to pay for my schooling. However, my father did that and the money was invested and provides a small income for me.”

“So you have your independence,” he said.

“But village life was a little dull for you.”

“One wants to do something. You have the estate. You are very well occupied. Can you understand that I want to do something more than arrange flowers and sew for the needy?”

“I understand perfectly.”

Tell me about the work I am doing. “

“It is more suitable for you than being governess to some squalling brat.”

“Well-brought-up children are not brats and I should think they rarely squall.”

“It’s an undignified position for a proud young woman,

and I could not allow you to be in such circumstances if fi could help it. ” ” You not allow it? ” ” I was mindful of the effect it would have on you. Believe! me, it would be quite wrong for you. “

“How could you know?”

“Put it down to experience of the world. I have always felt governesses and ladies’ companions have sad lives. They depend on the moods of children and very often demanding old people. No, I said, that is not the life for;;

Frederica Hammond. “

“So you created this job for her?”

“It is a job that is well worth doing. Mrs. Merret proved l that, and since we were losing her, it occurred to me that I you could very happily follow in her footsteps. I did not’ have to create this job.

It was there and, miraculously, you I were there too to fill it. ” I looked at him searchingly and he smiled. Then suddenly he put his hand across the table and took mine. He patted it gently. I ” I suppose,” he said, ” I have a special interest in you. “

“You mean because of Barrow Wood?”

“Perhaps,” he answered. He released my hand as though :

he were rather embarrassed to find himself holding it.

“Does it still bother you?” he went on.

“At times I remember.”

“For instance, this morning, going past?”

“Yes.”

“One of these days you and I will go there. We will stand there -where it happened-and exorcize the memory. You must forget it.”

“I don’t think I ever shall completely.”

“Well, it didn’t happen, did it?”

“He killed himself,” I said.

“He was unbalanced. You can’t judge those people by ordinary

standards. It was best the way it happened. Look at the change at the Bell House. Mrs. Archie Grindle is, a happily married woman. So is Rachel. Good came out of evil. Look at it that way.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“And now I am going to make you forget all that, and stop worrying about what you are doing on the estate. It is worthwhile, I assure you. I am a businessman. I do not do things that are not worthwhile for my business.”

He seemed like a different person from the man I had known, and I was suddenly happy. I still believed he had contrived that job for me.

What did he know about the lot of governesses and companions? Very little, I was sure. He had found this for me because he wanted to keep me there.

“There is ginger pudding with custard, and apple and blackberry tart with cream, and blancmange. I’ll say the apple and blackberry tart.”

“I’ll say that, too.”

When it arrived he said: “There is something I wanted to talk to you about. It’s Tamarisk. You don’t see so much of her now, do you?”

“I am working and she is married.”

“Of course. I am a little uneasy about her. Well, perhaps more than a little.”

“Why?”

“I fancy everything is not going well.”

“In what way?”

He frowned.

“I think her husband is not all he made himself out to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Perhaps I should not be talking to you of this, but I think you might help.”

“How?”

“She might confide in you. You were schoolgirls together.”

“She used to talk a great deal about herself, but recently …”

“I believe she would again. See her and find out how she is feeling.

1 fancy everything is not as we hoped. In fact, f know . ” I I waited for him to go on and after a pause he said: ” You and I have been through that experience of which a short time ago we were talking. Am I right in thinking it makes a special bond between us? “

“I think it might.”

“I am sure it does. You see, there are so few of us who knew. Your aunt, you and I were the only ones. It was right that the secret should be kept. It is always right for secrets to be kept when a lot of good can be done through j secrecy. And for those who are involved, there is a special i feeling.” “Yes?” , “You and I…” He smiled at me warmly, almost I appealingly. I said quickly: “You can trust me with a confidence.”

“Very well. I said I was unhappy about this marriage. In the first place I did not like it. I saw no need for all that haste. I thought it was just romantic nonsense. He was out to impress her with an elopement and so on. Now there seems to be a different aspect. The fact is that I have been making inquiries. There were no estates in France or Scot land. I doubt whether his name is Gaston Marchmont. I have not checked this out fully yet, but I believe him to be a George Marsh. He is an impostor … an adventurer.”

“Poor Tamarisk. She was so proud of him.”

“She is a foolish girl. She has been easily duped. Well, now she is married to him. He is a liar and a cheat, and, alas, her husband. He knew that I should make inquiries so he arranged the elopement before I could discover the truth. Now she is married and we have to accept him. Of course, it may be that he will settle down. We’ve got to give it a chance. If she is happy with him …” He shrugged his shoulders.