i 024767349a4cae9a (19 page)

"Better? I have never known Rosie to be ill, except wih a cold."

"You what? You...y are her doctor, aren't you?"'

"Yes, I am her doctor."

"And... and you say she has never been ill?"'

"Yes, that's what I said."

John ow watched the young fellow look towards the traffic that was passing thickly on the road, then put out his hand as if to rest it against the shop window, as if he were changing his mind. And now speaking briskly, he said, here's... there's a coffee shop further along. Would... would you mind if... if we talked for a moent?"'

What John answered now was, 'I have an hour before my train goes. All right."

Neither of them spoke again until they had entered the coffee shop and taken a seat in the far comer. They had the place almost to themselves; there wee only two other customers seated. It was John who ordered the coffee and while they waited for its coming John watched the young man run his hands through his thick hair before he said again, "You said that Rosie had never been ill?"'

"That's what I said, except..." but John was intered by the young man saying, But...b twice n I called she had what was supposed to be meaAnd then after her father died, I met you dis.and you wouldn't let me see her.

o, I wouldn't let you see her because I had given and edative. She needed one. She had just leaed roth about her father's character. He had left them o the eyes in debt through his women and gam-

*"

ut...what about the problem she had inherited?"'

nherited? Inherited what?"' John watched me ig man now grip his forehead with his stretched 1 and say, he grandfather's sister, the one who in the asylum. I...I saw the letter and...and it been passed on and I couldn't..."

Vhat in me name of God! ae you talking about?"'

i now hitched himself forward on his seat and 'aid Golding swallowed deeply as he murmured itrice, she... she came to Newcastle and... and red me the letter. It related how the old aunt had in the asylum the grandfather's sister. It...x exied her mania." He stopped for a moment wetted ips, then seemed to be troubled with swallowing re he went on. "She... she apparently had fits dis.and what I imagined was a..well...a sort of eria mat caused her to disrobe... recall that word solicitor had used, she disrobed, he said and ...went tearing around the place. And... and Bee said that" he now put both elbows on the table gripped his head for a moment until John asked

quietly, "Said what?"'

nd still in the same position, but in a whisper, the ig man said "Rosie had inherited...

and that's

why I couldn't see her when I called on those two casions. She...she suggested that because the news would have to be broken to me sooner or later she felt duty-bound to tell me then. As she put it, it would be dreadful for both of us if this happened in America; here, she could have treatment and understanding."

He now stared at John across the table, but John felt unable to make any comment and the young man went on, "You... you will remember that Rosie was y gay; in fact, when I first saw her she was up a tree- And she danced about and sang." Again he closed his eyes. "It all seemed to fit into the pattern. *I was devastated. I loved Rosie deeply then" -- me Words had been muttered-

"And I... I still do. heart has been sore for her these past years." his voice becoming almost demanding, he leaned towards John and said "Why?

Why? Why would she have done this?"'

Tl reply John could have given him at that mo ment was, "Because she's an evil, deceiving woman." Wht she had put to this man about Rosie was an evil g; what she had done to himself was a deceiving thig: she had ensnared him into marriage with a soft side, a part of a character that didn't belong to her. She had played on her loneliness. She was afraid of lonely, which very likely had been the cause of her determination to separate the young couple and so keep Rosie wiui her.

T11 young man was speaking again, saying, "Sh made me promise never to tell Rosie the reason for breaking off the engagement because this would only increase her trouble."

ddenly John put his hand across and gripped the jfjSS fellow's wrist as he said, "Come back with me;

ie is there. She has never got over you, I'm sure. ytsifas a dreadful thing you did, but I can see now

j bar bar you're not to blame." Once more Edward Golding drooped his head and bar bar 8aid "I...I can't. I'm married. I...I had a daughter jy a month ago."

bar bar bar ohn's grip slackened and fell away and he sat back bar bar his seat and stared at the bent head opposite, and bar bar repeated to himself, "Married and has a daughter."

B it was a natural thing to do to seek solace with peone else.

pThat woman!" The young man was sitting up aight and taut now. 'I could go to her now and bar bar Mtle her, really throttle her. Why? Why did she do

bar bar *Simply because she couldn't bear to be left alone. bar bar bely if you had married Rosie and lived in Newfle, you would have heard nothing about this, but bar tought of Rosie going so far away, and with her bar bar er two sisters already cut off from her, apparently P couldn't bear it. But oh, that is no excuse. It was Hevil thing to do.

Dear God! I'll say it was."

H bar NOW, Edward Golding was leaning across towards i and in an intense whisper asked, "Will you tell e? Will you explain to her? Tell her I...I've bar ught about her every day in sorrow for her-" he bar every a shake of his head as if throwing off the word H was about to say, "disease. At times it was unwable to mink about it. She was so beautiful, l.so gay. That was it." He nodded. hat's what she stressed, Beatrice, her gaiety, which had been the bar sympto of the other por woma," be Did you actually read the letter?"'

Ob yes. Yes. She handed it to me first before she said a thing. I tell you I nearly went berserk.

But I see now that she had it all planned out. I wasn't to see Rosie. And the fact that I would have to get permission to marry and take her with me all worked in to her plan. And then thee was something els. As Rosie seeed so unhappy, Beatrice suggested that...well, she was aware of her condition and that's why she wanted to get away from home, hinking that marriage would cure her. The other poor woman had never been married. She...she even suggested that her grandfather was slightly unbalanced, which was why he had given the land to his batman or sergeant, or someone. You know, the fellow next door whose son now has the place."

John closed his eyes and for the moment his thoughts centrd entirely around his own condition. He was married to her and she would never let him go, unless he divorced her. And on what grounds could he get a divorce? That his wife was an evil woman, a schemer?

'Will... will you do something for me?"'

Yes. if I can.

*Wm you tell Rosie? Will you explain to Rosie? That would ease my mind a lot if she knw the truth of why I seemed to scamper off like a cur. And I ca tell you I felt like a cur of te lowest order."

There was a short silence between them before Edwaid Goldig spoke again. And then he asked, Is s?- atrice stiUs there, in the house? I kow she had no

?"' greater-than

ey.

bar bar At this, John buttoned the top button of his coat aHave his hand along he seat and picked up his hat and e; then, getting to his feet, he said, 'allyes, she's still 'ie. I married her eighteen months ago. The oute of another of her plots." H'Qh, my God!" The young man, too, was on his now, and he was stammering,

'I...I'm...I'm ...sorry. But...b I didn't know." bar bar "Please! Please!

Don't worry yourself more than

*h to. I found my mistake out some time ago.

ie on let's get out of this place." He thrust his and into his pocket, brought out some loose change Id placed it on the bill that had been left on the lmer of the table. Out on the street again, they stood Aang each other until John asked

quietly, "Are you

Happy in your marriage?"'

bar bar left-brace There was a pause before Edward Golding said

llallyes. Yes, in a way, for she is...well, she is a lovely

I."

f A lovely girl... a lovely man. He could hear Helen

Hsing Rosie's words, 'He's a lovely man." What did

mean; a lovely man, a lovely girl?

H He held out his hand now, and when it was Iferasped he said, "You've got your life before you. Porget this end of it. I think that Rosie will eventually Ipd happiness with Robbie.. .robbie Macintosh. He's e fellow next door.

She's looked upon him as a bar rother for years, but he doesn't see her in that relajjltionship. And they've been working close together for bar bar some time now. So, try not to worry about her any more. Get on with your life. You owe that to your wife and child."

The young man seemed to find it difficult to speak.

When he did his words were halting, "In one way Im glad we met up. But in another, not because the burden is on you now. I...I didn't know, you see."

"Please! Please! Think no more about that. I'm used to dealing with problems; I'll deal with this one."

As he finished his words, a voice loud in his head cried, "By God! I will. Yes, I will!" for the anger in him was rising, but it had yet to reach its height.

not.;

His,.

hn arrived at the house in the early evening and Jok the side drive to the annexe. His mother was in the sitting-room, reading. Seeing ya she threw the book aside, started to say, 'Hello, Jfear,"

then changed it to, "What's the matter? What's bar bar appened?"'

bar bar He drew in a long shuddering breath as he stood jjboldng down on her, saying, 'A great deal. First of U I'm going to lock me inside of the communicating oor. I don't want her in here with you, and neither ll you when you hear what I have to say." f "Dear Lord! Sit down, man.

Sit down. What is it?"' Very briefly, he gave her the outline of his meeting lith Teddy Golding. And when he finished she was putting with her hand across her mouth, muttering, bar *ationo!

No! She wouldn't!"

bar 'She did! Now stay quietly there, and don't distress lourself at least try not to."

bar "She's...I told you, she's been different of late." I "She's always been different Mother.

As she

planned Rosie's future, she also planned mine. A I've said this more than once. But there's a limit,"

John? John! She called to him as he went to (he door, and when he stopped and looked back at hr she pleaded, "Please! Don't lose your temper with her. Please! Remember, I'm stffl here, and...and I need you."

He said nothing, but went out and through the grounds and into the front door of the house. Seeing Frances going towards the kitchen door, he called (o her, Where's your mistress?"'

'Oh, it's you, sir. You're back? Oh, well, she's gone down to the bottom land. She's very angry, for the gypsies have gone into the field again. You know, they used to do it but they haven't been back for some time. She had already been down and warne them but they took no heed and went into the field and..."

She broke off but he didn't wait for her to go on;

instead he hurried down the corridor and into Be atrice's office. And there, pulling open one drawe after another of her desk, he rummaged through the neatly stacked papers. But when he didn't find the letter he was about to leave the room when he noticed a deed box on the top shelf of the alcove near the fireplace. Then he returned to the desk, the middle drawer this time, where he kew her keys were kept, and within seconds he had the box on the table and was taking out one parchment deed after another unti he came to a long white envelope. The heading of the letter inside told him it was what he was looking for. After he had read it, he understood how easy it had been for Beatrice to ruin her sister's life.

bar bar He returned the etter to the envelope and put it in I? pocket put the deeds back into the box and re imed it to the shelf.

bar bar When he entered the hall Prances was sll tandJust bar go tere, and she hurried towards him saying, Ttocsir, I...I didn't tell you-"

She didn't add that he dn't waited to be told but went on 'the istress k a gun with her"

j bar people bar *What!" He jerked his bead in her direction as if had just become aware of her presence. bar *She...she was angry, and she took a gun." He left her at a run, went straight across ie lawn rough the gardens and wood to the field that bor-to ed the riverBut ore he reached it he could hear pe yelling.

bar bar A yellow caravan, one horse between the shafts, J bar "other tied to the back was being urged back to ds te gate by an elderly man and a woman, with o youths and other children all yelling at the figure bar panding by the tree with the gun poised. j bar He had approached Beatrice so quickly from bead that he was able to knock the gun upwards beJB"...ENCE

she was hardly aware of him. Ad (hen he was tling with her. He had no compunction in using ps fist to knock her flying up against the tree trunk pere she tood stunned for a moment her eyes wide d glazing, her face scarlet He was in possesion of the gun now, and he yelled j bar the man to stop, then he called Get back! Stay as tong as you need.

You won't be troubled again." j bar They were all silent now, staring at him. hank Jou master. Thank you" the man caled. "Twill only jbe friend a day or so. Thank you and God's blessing on

you." Then one of the younger men led the horse and caravan on to the road, turned it about, and they all re-entered the field.

He stood watching them until they reached the place where the spring water ran into the horse trough and spilt over into a pipe that led to the river. He had heard from Robbie that until the grandfather died the same family of gypsies had come each year, and that he himself had watched some of the children grow up. If he remembered rightly, the old man had had six sons and there used to be three caravans. Now there was only the one, and two box carts which were likely used as sleeping quarters. The old lady was a fortune teller, and they eked out a living by making clothes pegs and baskets, the younger ones going round the doors selling them.

He now turned back to Beatrice and saw her standing away from the tree, her hand on the back of her head. 'How dare you!" she yelled. Then again,