A Rope--In Case (22 page)

‘What about Finlay?' I asked. ‘Did he recover from his ordeal?'

‘He was never the same again,' replied Erchy. ‘He slept for three whole days before they could wake him an' when they did wake him he had such a stammer they couldn't understand much of what he said. He never got rid of it. Never.'

I indicated Hector's mug of buttermilk, still untouched. ‘So you don't trust me enough to drink my buttermilk,' I teased them.

Hector gallantly took up the mug, wished my good health and drank deeply. He smacked his lips. ‘Tsat was good,' he said.

Erchy said: ‘It's all right for him. You notice he's wearin' tackety boots.'

‘Oh, Erchy,' I laughed. ‘Can you imagine anything less like a fairy than I am? Honestly? Wouldn't I need to be a “fine lookin' woman” if I wanted to inveigle you into my power. For goodness's sake take a good long look at me and see if you can see the slightest resemblance to a fairy.'

I am no beauty at the best of times and I knew how revolting I must look after my dose of 'flu. Lank hair, puffy red-rimmed eyes, red nose and pale cracked lips. Erchy stared at me long and hard.

‘Well?' I demanded cynically. ‘Anything seductive in my appearance?'

‘No,' he retorted relentlessly, and picking up the bowl of buttermilk he drank it to the last drop.

First published in 1968 by Hutchinson & Co.

This edition published 2012 by Bello an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR Basingstoke and Oxford Associated companies throughout the world

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Copyright © Lillian Beckwith, 1968

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