Then She Fled Me (19 page)

“
Do you think so?
”
said Sarah doubtfully.

“
Sure, an
’
I know it. Isn
’
t he like one of the family, now, though you do take his money every week, God pity him.
”

Sarah watched the ribbon of icing ooze smoothly through the forcer with the fascination the skilful proceeding had always held for her. A white twirl here, a pink loop there, in
Nonie
’
s hands such an effortless art, in her own, so clumsy.

“
Don
’
t you think I should be taking his money?
”
she asked with surprise.
“
You know we had to do something to keep Dun Rury going.
You didn
’
t mind Miss Dearlove, did you?
”

“
Och, that wan! She
’
s a
born
lodger if ever I. saw tone, but Mr. Flint, now he
’
s the sort should be coming to Dun Rury as a guest. He
’
s the sort that used to come in the old days.
”

“
Well, we can
’
t afford that sort of guest any more,
”
Sarah said shortly, and the old woman gave her a quick look.

“
You
’
ll not be free of yourself till you
’
re free of your fancies,
”
she said.

“
What do you mean, Nonie?
”
Sarah looked startled.

“
You
’
ll be finding out one of these days, if the divil doesn
’
t blind you to the truth. Miss Kathy, will you reach me the jar of silver balls from the dresser?
”

“
Well, I shall certainly give him something,
”
Kathy said,
handing
over the jar with a dreamy gesture.
“
The trouble is, what? I shall need some extra money, Sarah? Can I take it from Aunt Em
’
s housekeeping?
”

“
Yes,
”
said Sarah absently,
“
take what you want.
”

The question of a present for Adrian vexed heir unduly. What, she argued, could you find for a man who already had everything? Records, suggested Kathy; no, not records, she knew too little about music. Handkerchiefs? Fine Irish linen were still a rarity in England; but on second thoughts Kathy decided she would give him handkerchiefs herself. A tie? No, men distrusted feminine choice in ties. In the end she found in a second-hand book shop in Knockferry
an old collection of Irish songs and ballads, long since out of print, and since it included
The Spanish Lady,
which he liked, she bought it.

“
That will have to do,
”
she announced firmly.
“
And if I find he hasn
’
t got anything for me, I can always pretend I bought it for myself.
”

Two days before Christmas Sarah went out to hunt for holly. Kathy always got out of his expedition for she disliked getting scratched, and this year Danny had a cold and was being kept in by Aunt Em. At the last minute Adrian surprised Sarah by saying he would like to help, and they set out together in the car.

“
There
’
s only one place round here where it grows—away towards Kibeen in a little wood,
”
Sarah told him.
“
I always like collecting holly, don
’
t you? It
’
s so much more Christmassy than buying it.
”
She glanced at his impassive face.
“
Haven
’
t you ever done that, either?
”

No, he had never done that. The Flints had always bought their holly and the servants, had put it up.

“
You must have had a queer childhood,
”
she said pity
i
ngly.
“
Didn
’
t you ever decorate your own nursery—with pape
r
chains and things?
”

H
e might have done that, he thought, but paper chains, no; his nurse had considered such things to be dust-catchers and rather silly when you were the
“
only inhabitant of the nursery.

“
But didn
’
t you have a tree, and parties? You must have known other children?
”

Yes, there had been a tree in the servants
’
hall but that was for the tenants
’
children, and he supposed there were parties, but the children of his parents
’
g
eneration were
old
er than he was, and the parties in his own home were mostly grown-up affairs.

She put out a tentative hand and touched him.

“
Yo
u’v
e missed so much,
”
she said softly. I hope you will enjoy your first proper Christmas.
”

He thought of other Christmases: New York and its hectic gaiety; Paris, fighting off a chill caught in a draughty concert hall; Berlin, London, Manchester; Christmas Day spent in hotels between recitals; wet days, snowy days, blank days, all exactly the same, no better and no worse than the rare Christmases spent in his mother
’
s home.
“
Yes
,
Sarah,
”
he said, and his mouth was tender,
“
I
’
m going to enjoy it very much.
”

The wood held plenty of holly. It was too isolated to be much plundered, and Adrian and Sarah filled the back of the car with greenery.

“
The berries are good this year,
”
Sarah said.
“
Last year there were hardly any. You must decorate the nursery yourself, Adrian, and you must have paper chains, too.
”

“
Will you help me?
”
he asked meekly.
“
With the paper chains, I mean. They are a closed book to me.
”

“
Oh, it
’
s quite easy. They unfold like concertinas and
you just tack them up, and
—”
She saw the twinkle in
his eye and made a face at him.

“
You
’
re always leading me into traps,
”
she said.
“
I never know when you
’
re serious.
”

“
Don
’
t you, Sarah?
”
He had deposited his last load of holly in the car, and he caught her unexpectedly by the
shoulders.
“
I
’
m serious now. You
’
re coming to that
dance.
”

She tried to wriggle away but his hands were firm on her arms.

“
I am not, then. It was all settled long ago,
”
she said. His smile was amused.

“
Yes, it was. Do you know that Kathy is making you a frock specially for the occasion? It was supposed to be a secret, but you
’
re such a stubborn young creature, and I should hate her to be disappointed.
”

She ceased to struggle in her surprise.

“
Kathy
’
s making me a frock?
”
she said.
“
But she knew I wasn
’
t going.
”

“
She thought the reason was because you had nothing to wear.
”

“
Do
you
think that was the
reason?
”

“
No, I know the reason, but I doubt if you do. Look at these hands, Sarah. Are they so objectionable when they hold you? Come closer. Now, are you going to find it so very distasteful to be in my arms in such a conventional manner?
”

She was suddenly still beneath his hands, but she did not look at him.

“
That wasn
’
t the reason, either,
”
she said.

“
No, I know it wasn
’
t. Could it be possible that you
’
re a little afraid of me?
”
His voice was suddenly mocking and she flung up her head.

“
I
’
m afraid of no man,
”
she said, and he smiled.

“
No, you
’
re afraid of yourself.
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
Never mind. Now, you
’
ll come, and no more nonsense?
”

She felt her resistance ebbing from her. It was such a small thing to assume such importance for
b
oth of them.

“
All right, I
’
ll come,
”
she said meekly, and added:
“
I wouldn
’
t want to disappoint Kathy.
”

He gave her a little shake and let her go.

“
I
’
m sure you wouldn
’
t,
”
he said dryly.
“
And now, my dear child, will you please allow me to drive home? I don
’
t think I can stand many more of your shocking gear changes.
”

CHAPTER
NINE

Christmas
morning dawned fine and frosty. Adrian watched Sarah returning from the stables after breakfast
,
running across the lawns still sparkling with frost, whistling as she ran, and pausing beneath his window to shout:
‘
Merry Christmas!
”

Joe and his father drove over later in the morning, and there was a great deal of laughter and exchanging of presents round the tree which stood this year in the library, as the piano had been moved from the snug. Joe had brought a little pendant of aquamarine and pearls for Kathy, and for a moment she stood in the dim light, softly pliant, while she reached up to kiss him.

“
Thank you, Joe, it
’
s lovely,
”
she said, then turned quickly to include Adrian in the circle round the tree.

Adrian
himself had neatly got over his personal obligations by presenting the house with a good portable wireless set, and if Kathy was disappointed that she did not receive a more intimate souvenir, Sarah was relieved. It was very wrong of Adrian, she thought, to spend all that money, but it made it easier for her to give him her little book of songs and ballads and feel there was nothing personal in the gift.

It was a pleasantly lazy day. Lunch was cold, and afterwards they paired off, Brian Kavanagh to doze by the snug fire, with Aunt Em to keep him company, Sarah and Danny to the farm, Joe and Kathy for a brief walk, and Adrian to the nursery.

“
Enjoying your Christmas?
”
Joe asked, laying a careless arm across Kathy
’
s shoulders as they walked.

“
Yes,
”
she said happily.
“
It
’
s always the same, isn
’
t it? Each year we do the same things. You and I walk, Uncle B. and Aunt Em sleep, and Sarah looks at the animals. Only this year there is Adrian. I wonder if he would have liked to come with us.
”

“
He
’
s a tactful soul. He fits in with the customs of the house,
”
Joe said.

“
Yes, but—
”