The Lovegrove Hermit (11 page)

‘She can hardly expect to control your comings and goings,’ I said, ‘and the Denbys are her friends, not yours. She came here on her own last time.’

‘That is so, but Sir Ralph’s illness and Lady Denby’s
preoccupations
will make it lonely for her. She can’t bear to feel neglected.’

‘But you have your own life to lead. I think it’s perfectly understandable that you should want to get away. You must find Lovegrove quite tedious, despite recent events.’

‘I’m glad you understand that.’

‘I believe you and Sophie enjoyed yourselves this
afternoon
,’ I said, changing the subject.

‘Yes indeed; she really is a most delightful girl. Some of the credit must go to you.’

‘I hardly think so. Both her parents were sweet-natured, charming people.’

‘But you have nurtured her talents. You have taught her music and drawing and made her read and enjoy reading. She’s no fool.’

‘And you have just discovered that?’

He smiled ruefully. ‘I thought Rowland was a lucky fellow. Now I realize what an idiot he is.’

‘I hope you are not going to force me into the difficult
position
of having to warn you off?’

‘Of course not. I know she’s not for me, and pretty and captivating as she is, I’ve always preferred more mature women.’

‘Am I to take that as a compliment?’

‘Oh, I think so, don’t you? I shall miss you.’ His hand pressed mine.

‘Thank you,’ I said gently disengaging his grasp, ‘but I may well be gone before you return.’

‘Then we must hope to meet again one day. Who can tell what lies ahead? “What’s to come is still unsure”.’

‘“Youth’s a stuff will not endure”,’ I added.

‘You’ve left out the kiss. “Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty”.’

‘But I’m nearer thirty, Mr Lawrence. Go and amuse Sophie.’

The two of them settled to a game of backgammon as George hastily joined me. There was a great deal of
laughter
and joking accusations as they both cheated shamelessly. Mrs Thorpe glared at them with undisguised resentment.

‘At least they’re enjoying themselves,’ said George
gloomily
, ‘which is more than can be said for anyone else.’

Tea was handed round and then Elinor excused herself as she was understandably very tired and wished to rest. George was reluctant to play cards as it would involve Mrs Thorpe and with Elinor’s departure there was no longer a four for whist.

The backgammon came to an end and there were many smothered yawns and sighs as we turned over books. In the end we all retired early after a somewhat skimpy supper.

The next day Sir Ralph was much better and was sitting up in bed complaining of the gruel with which he was being fed. Elinor brought up the local newspaper and started reading it to him but they were interrupted by Lady Denby, who was in a thoroughly bad mood. She declared she had not slept a wink all night, had a splitting headache and was surrounded by people who seemed determined to provoke her.

Her tirade was not guaranteed to provide peace and quiet for the invalid and she finally broke down and sobbed that she and her son were parted forever by his
unpardonable
conduct. Sir Ralph bore all this remarkably well. He did not seem unduly distressed by news of his stepson’s transgression.

‘Stop fretting, Amelia, there’s nothing we can do about it. The girl may not be so bad after all.’

‘You haven’t seen her. A vulgar little minx! Obviously she couldn’t wait to get him into her clutches – she and her grasping family.’

‘I don’t know about grasping – not if they knew Rowland has very little money. Perhaps they were misled—’

At this point Elinor slipped out of the room so we never
knew what was said next but soon afterwards the doctor arrived, pronounced Sir Ralph ‘on the mend’, and bled him again, which made him sleep fitfully for most of the day.

Lady Denby next chose to quarrel publicly with her friend Louisa whom she accused of gloating over her misfortune. ‘You’ve never had children yourself so you cannot possibly understand.’

‘I
do
understand. It’s been a blow to your pride. You hoped to secure an heiress – that’s the only reason you invited the Tylers. You hoped he’d take up with little Sophie. I’d say she’s had a lucky escape.’

‘How dare you! Really, Louisa, you go too far.’

‘Not quite far enough perhaps. Everyone else is afraid to tell you the truth – that’s why Rowland kept his marriage a secret for so long.’

‘No, it is you who are unwilling to face the truth. Your nephew left for London this morning before breakfast. Did he even trouble to wish you goodbye?’

The colour drained from Mrs Thorpe’s face and for a few moments she could not speak. ‘He said he was going,’ she murmured, ‘it’s only for a few days. He has business to attend to. I suppose I must go too; I can see I’ve outstayed my welcome. I must return to my humble cottage and a
solitary
life.’

‘Your life has never been solitary, Louisa. Oh come now,’ Lady Denby saw that her friend’s lip was trembling, ‘cheer up – if you had only half my troubles you’d feel a great deal better.’

‘At least you can be miserable in comfort,’ gulped Mrs Thorpe, pulling out a lacy handkerchief and applying it
carefully
to each eye.

‘Why, so can you, if you stay here with us.’

So the quarrel passed over but left an uneasy atmosphere. Later that day my brother told me that Louisa Thorpe had made an attempt to renew her flirtation with him. He
sheepishly
told me that she had trapped him in an alcove in the corridor as he was going to his room.

‘I told her to forget me,’ he said, ‘that I knew all about her and did not wish to continue our acquaintance, let alone allow it to progress further.’

‘And what was her reaction?’

‘Oh, she was angry. Hell hath no fury and all that.’

Sophie and I went out for our walk a little later than usual but when we saw Rowland approaching on horseback she hastily excused herself and ran back to the house. I awaited his approach and greeted him with what I thought to be the right amount of civility.

‘Good morning, Mr Webb – I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.’

He dismounted. ‘Miss Tyler, perhaps you can help me.’

‘I’m not at all sure I should.’

‘I only mean with advice. Carrie wants us to go straight back to London – in fact we got as far as the Unicorn and then saw the Mail leave with Frank Lawrence perched on top.’

‘Yes, he’s going away for a few days.’

‘I thought all along we ought not to do anything in a hurry. I managed to convince her it was worth waiting another week at least. I know what my mother is like – she was in a fury yesterday but there’s a chance she’ll come round once she’s calmed down. I’ve told Carrie it’s better for her to keep out of the way until I’ve won over Mama. Perhaps you can tell me how she is this morning. Do you think it
would be worth trying to see her?’

I shook my head. ‘Not today – she’s still in a very bad mood and was quite unpleasant to Mrs Thorpe in front of everybody. She did, however, attempt some sort of
reconciliation
without going so far as to apologize.’

‘I feared it might be so. How is Sir Ralph?’

‘Considerably better, I believe. The doctor came and bled him again, which has laid him low for the time being. Your Mama told him about your marriage and it didn’t carry him off as she feared – in fact he didn’t seem greatly perturbed at all from what I’ve heard. I can’t really see why he should be as you’re not his son.’

‘Wish I was – he’s a good-natured old boy. But I’ll keep away from my mother today. Incidentally I – I hope Sophie wasn’t too upset – I saw her running off….’

‘Oh, I think that was mere embarrassment – she wasn’t at all disappointed, you know. She thought of you only as a friend.’

‘Ah yes.’ He looked troubled. I wondered if he had secretly hoped Sophie was smitten or if he was wishing he was still unattached and free to pursue pretty girls of good family.

‘I’ve left a lot of my things here,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t
expecting
to be thrown out in such a hurry. I thought if I went in through the servants’ quarters I could get one of them to collect what I need and send it on to our lodgings.’

I nodded and was about to move away when he said: ‘There’s a strange man at the Unicorn – came up from Devon. He looks like a lawyer or something of that sort – dressed in black and very respectable. He’s been asking about Lovegrove and Colonel Hartley and other matters of that sort. I didn’t speak to him because I didn’t want to get
involved – I’ve enough to engage me at present and he’ll find out all he wants easily enough.’

He hesitated. ‘Er – you won’t mention to my mother that I’ve been here?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Well, I must be off.’ He touched his hat, remounted and rode across the grass to the side of the house.

The rest of the day passed without incident.

The Hartleys had heard of events at Lovegrove and sent a sympathetic note with a basket of fruit from their hothouse.

Lady Denby spent most of the time in her study, toiling over her novel.

Louisa Thorpe moped about the house, apparently unable to settle to any occupation. It was on one of these
wanderings
that the encounter with my brother took place. He immediately went out for a ride and came back late in the afternoon, tired, wet and dismal.

Elinor, after spending the morning playing the piano, joined Sophie and me after luncheon. As the day had turned dull and showery we occupied ourselves in embroidery and sketching.

Dusk was falling and candles were being lit after dinner when we were disturbed by a commotion in the entrance hall – an hysterical sobbing and wailing. As on the previous evening we had repaired to the library so we were aware of the noise outside the door.

‘Whatever is that caterwauling?’ demanded Lady Denby, going to the door herself to investigate. The butler was endeavouring to calm an obviously terrified housemaid who, oblivious to both soothing words and commands, sank onto one of the hall chairs and buried in her head in her hands.

‘What is going on?’ enquired her ladyship.

The butler seemed exasperated. ‘This foolish woman was sent into the village on an errand and coming through the park in the twilight she fancied she saw an – er – apparition.’

‘I
did
see ’im – I
did
!’ howled the girl.

‘She had no business entering the house through the front door but—’

‘It was ’alf open. I was scared to go round to the side door – I wanted to get safe indoors.’

‘Stop snivelling and tell me what you saw,’ ordered Lady Denby.

‘The ’ermit – just as ’e was in that robe thing – gliding about among the trees.’

‘Gliding?’

‘I swear ’is feet didn’t touch the grass. ’E floated towards the priory ruins then vanished into thin air. They say
suicides
come back to ’aunt us.’

I had seen the maid about the house – a rather pretty girl with fair curls escaping from her cap and plump, pink cheeks which were now excessively flushed, her china-blue eyes wide open. I thought she was overdoing the hysterics, obviously enjoying the attention she was attracting.

‘Nonsense, Susan!’ bellowed Lady Denby. ‘Go back to your work immediately and try to calm yourself. And don’t spread any stupid stories among the servants.’

This last order was impossible to enforce. Before the day was out everyone in the house had heard of the phantom hermit floating about the grounds. I was sure that before long there would be further reports of ghostly hermits. At the time I put it all down to fear, superstition and overactive imagination. I was wrong, of course.

The next morning, George took Sophie for a drive in the gig so I was left to my own devices. I spent a while with Elinor and then went into the library on my own. I was sitting quietly reading when the door to Lady Denby’s study suddenly swung open and a bundle of books and papers
cascaded
to the floor followed by a muffled oath from Colonel Hartley. It was obvious he had tried to open the door whilst still retaining his package. I at once leapt up to help him, wondering why Lady Denby had not followed him to the door to give assistance. I could see her sitting calmly at her desk. She glanced up briefly and then returned to her writing.

The Colonel thanked me and expressed his pleasure at seeing me still here. I explained about the delay caused by Sir Ralph’s illness and he seemed curiously satisfied.

As I tidied up the pile of documents, I noticed with
interest
that there were two sketchbooks and many loose papers with drawings and writing.

‘I think there is some string in the desk. Would it help if I tied these together for you?’ I suggested.

‘Why yes, I’m afraid I’m very clumsy at times.’

‘No clumsier than most people with two arms. I couldn’t
help seeing a little of your drawings – I presume they are yours. I would really like to look at them properly if I may.’

‘Of course. Lady Denby doesn’t find them of much use.’

He explained that her ladyship had asked him to give her advice on her portrayal of Spain in her new novel. ‘I’m afraid my contribution to her research was not to her liking. She seems to think that the whole of Spain is covered with lofty, precipitous mountains inhabited by tall dark bandits with flashing eyes. She could scarcely believe me when I told her some of it was flat and the bandits I’d seen – those who’d joined the guerrillas, anyway – were mostly short, coarse and smelling of garlic. They did appalling things to their poor captives which I couldn’t possibly describe but I could tell none of it was romantic enough for her taste.’

‘All her heroes have flashing eyes,’ I said, ‘and they are all intolerably noble. It’s no use trying to bring a little reality into her inventions. She’ll go her own way in the end and I’m sure her readers would be very disappointed if her bandit hero was short and coarse and smelt of garlic.’

‘Yes, I suppose so. She retained a third sketchbook which belonged to a friend of mine who was killed in the Pyrenees. He was very good at drawing people: peasants, guerrillas, pretty dancers, ragged urchins, muleteers – anyone at all picturesque, so she may be able to make use of that.’

‘Meanwhile, before I tie up the parcel for you, could I see your sketches?’

‘Of course, but they are mainly dull pictures of
fortifications
and terrain.’

We sat on the sofa and went through his sketchbooks together. He did not launch into descriptions of campaigns but added a detail here and there:

‘Talavera – the battlefield; very flat and dull! Salamanca ditto; nothing exciting could happen in such a place.’

His work was careful and meticulous but, as he admitted, competent rather than talented.

‘Badajos,’ he said quietly, shuffling through some of the loose papers. ‘That’s the walls before the siege – this other one is very rough and shows one of the breaches after we captured the city.’

‘Is that where Harry O’Neill died?’

He nodded. ‘And he’s buried nearby with other officers. I’m sorry – does that distress you?’

I shook my head. ‘“Old unhappy far-off things and battles long ago?” It doesn’t cause pain any more, only sadness.’

We sat companionably talking for the next half-hour until we were interrupted by Lady Denby, who came charging in from her study.

‘What, are you still here, Colonel Hartley? I thought you were going on to Ashdale.’

‘So I am, but there is no hurry. My conversation with Miss Tyler here is more amusing and interesting than anything Ashdale has to offer.’

‘I see.’ She regarded me narrowly. ‘It’s nearly time for luncheon, will you stay?’

He declined the invitation and said he would go up to see Sir Ralph for ten minutes and then ride on to Ashdale where he could transact his business in the afternoon after getting a bite to eat at the Unicorn. He smiled at me and took his leave.

‘Well,’ said Amelia Denby, ‘you seem to know how to engage the interest of the military.’

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I have some knowledge of the life.’

‘Really?’ She looked interested but I told her no more.

A few minutes later, after her ladyship had gone back to her study, it occurred to me that I had not told Colonel Hartley about the ‘apparition’ supposedly seen in the park. I went out into the entrance hall just as he was coming
downstairs
. He hailed me cheerfully and informed me that Sir Ralph seemed much better and was complaining about his food.

‘That’s always a good sign,’ he said. ‘I told him not to start eating beefsteaks but to stick to lighter meals for a little longer. I don’t see why he can’t have fish or eggs but I suppose the doctor will have the last word. He told me about Rowland but I already knew – in fact I’ve suspected some time that there was a woman in the case – I’ve seen him lurking around Ashdale looking furtive on more than one occasion.’

‘You are very observant. There was something I forgot to tell you – I don’t suppose it’s of any great importance but I think you ought to know.’

When I told him about the phantom hermit his reaction surprised me as he seemed to take it seriously.

‘Surely you don’t think it was a ghost?’

‘No, of course not but if it
wasn’t
a figment of the girl’s imagination then it may well be of significance.’

At that moment Mrs Thorpe came into the hall. ‘Ah, there you are, Colonel Hartley!’ she cried. ‘And Miss Tyler – I hope I haven’t interrupted a tête-à-tête.’

‘Not at all,’ I said, ‘I was just telling the Colonel about the maid thinking she saw Brother Caspar’s ghost.’

‘Silly creature! They are all superstitious. Colonel, may I have a word? Excuse me dear,’ she smirked.

I particularly disliked being addressed as ‘dear’ by a patronizing woman whose alliance with an ugly old man apparently entitled her to look down on me. She drew the Colonel to one side and spent some time murmuring in his ear. I saw his face change, then she attempted to squeeze his arm, encountered an empty sleeve and hastily snatched her hand away; then she recovered and patted him on the shoulder in a familiar fashion.

‘What did she want?’ I enquired when she had gone.

‘You don’t like her, I know.’

‘Who does? My brother George has changed from
admiration
to loathing but won’t tell me why. I’m greatly relieved and I’ve no doubt I’ll get it out of him eventually – he won’t be able to keep it to himself indefinitely.’

‘She told me that she possibly had something of great importance to tell me but privacy was essential and she hoped to see me later when we can be alone.’

‘Take care,’ I said. ‘Having lost George she may set her cap at you.’

‘I’ll be on my guard. I’ve dealt with surprise attacks before. But I really must go now. I’m glad you’ll be here a little longer.’

I hastily picked up the parcel of books and papers which he had left on the hall table and preceded him through the front door. Then I insisted on putting them in his saddle-bag for him.

He smiled and thanked me. ‘You think of everything. I’m beginning to wonder what I’d do without you. Goodbye, my dear.’

He rode off up the drive towards the gate. His final words with the last affectionate expression had taken me by
surprise. They were little more than courtesy – quite slight and trivial yet they set my heart pounding.