Victoria Holt (15 page)

Daisy went on as though I had not spoken. “Sir Jason tells me that the doctor says she should not be moved tonight.”

“He did say that.”

“It was good of you, Sir Jason, to send for the doctor so promptly and to offer hospitality.”

“The least I can do,” said Jason Verringer.

“Indeed yes,” I began angrily even though Daisy was present and was reminding me that we had to be affable to our rich and powerful landlord.

Daisy said quickly: “Teresa must stay here for the night and as she is such a highly excitable girl and you, my dear, are the only one who can soothe her…well, Sir Jason has most kindly invited you to stay here too.”

I felt trapped. “That would be—” I began.

“The ideal arrangement,” he interrupted. “I am sure Teresa will be happy enough to rest in peace if she knows you are at hand.”

“Well, thank you so much, Sir Jason.” Daisy had turned to me. “I will have certain things you will both need sent over. Now I think I must go. But I know I can leave Teresa safely in your hands, Cordelia. I must get back and make sure things settle to normal. They are in a state of excitement.”

“Charlotte Mackay brought the girls back safely, I hope,” I said.

“Oh yes, and clearly enjoyed her moment of authority. I haven’t seen Charlotte so contented before. She was quite polite and very docile. You did the best possible in the circumstances. Now I will send the things over and on receiving a message tomorrow, Emmet will drive the carriage over and bring you back.”

So it was settled.

Jason Verringer and I accompanied Daisy to her carriage.

“There is nothing to fret about,” he said to her. “The girl is just shocked and I can see Miss Grant is a most sensible young lady.”

I knew that Daisy was trying to hide a certain uneasiness and I guessed that she was no more happy about leaving me at the Hall than I was to stay. However, we were in this unfortunate situation and Daisy could see no diplomatic way out. Tactful relations with Sir Jason were necessary to the well-being of the school and the school was all important to Daisy.

“I will send Emmet over with what you need,” were her parting words, and I stood disconsolately looking after her carriage.

Jason Verringer turned to smile at me.

“I am looking forward to the pleasure of dining with you, Miss Grant,” he said.

“There is no need to stand on ceremony, Sir Jason. If something can be sent up to Teresa’s room for both of us, we shall be very satisfied.”

“But I should be most dissatisfied. You are an honored guest and I want you to know it.”

“I don’t feel in the least honored. This is something which should never have happened.”

“You make it very clear that you blame me.”

“How could you drive as you did! You should have known that you could frighten the horses. They are only girls…not very practiced some of them. It was thoughtless…more than that, it was…criminal.”

“You are hard on me. I was thoughtless, I admit. I have driven those grays several times a week and have never before encountered a party of schoolgirls hack-riding through the lanes. Perhaps I could say if I wanted to answer your recriminations that they should not have been on that stretch of road. But I won’t go into that because I have no desire to displease you.”

“You may say exactly what you wish. The girls always ride through the lanes. What is different about that one?”

“It happens to be the one which leads to my house.”

“You mean it is your private property.”

“Dear Miss Grant, you are a newcomer to Colby, otherwise you would know that most of the land hereabouts is my property.”

“Does that mean that none of us has any right to be here?”

“It means that you are here by my permission and if I wish I could close any of the roads.”

“Why do you not? Then at least we should know where we might ride and walk in safety.”

“Let us go in. I have told them to prepare a room for you. It is one of our best rooms and fairly near the blue room.”

I felt suddenly alarmed. There was something satanic about him. He looked complacent too and I did not care for the boldness of his expression. It was as though he was making plans and was very confident of their success.

“Thank you,” I said coldly, “but I should prefer to stay in Teresa’s room.”

“We can’t allow that.”

“I’m afraid I could not allow anything else.”

“There is only one bed in the blue room.”

“It is a very large one. I am sure Teresa would be happier if I shared it.”

“I have asked them to prepare a room for you.”

“Then it will be ready for your next guest.”

“I see,” he said, “that you are determined to have things the way you want them.”

“I am here to look after Teresa and that is what I intend to do. She has had a terrible shock thanks to…”

He looked at me reproachfully and I went on: “I would not want her to wake up in the night and wonder where she was. She might be alarmed. After all, there could be unpleasant after-effects of this fall. I should be with her.”

“Teresa is very lucky. She has such a delightful and faithful watchdog.”

“We shall be very comfortable, and thank you for allowing us to use your blue room.”

“It is the least I can do.”

“Yes,” I said coolly.

He was smiling as we went in.

“You will of course dine with me,” he said almost humbly.

“It is kind of you but I think I should be with Teresa.”

“Teresa will need rest. When the sedative arrives the doctor wants her to take that right away.”

“I would not leave Teresa.”

He bowed his head.

I went up to Teresa. She was very drowsy. “I’m so glad you’re here, Miss Grant,” she said.

“I am going to stay with you, Teresa. There is room for us both in this bed. It’s a huge one, isn’t it? A little different from those at school.”

She smiled faintly and contentedly and closed her eyes.

Very soon Jason Verringer was at the door.

“The doctor has sent these,” he said. “Here is the liniment. And this is the medicine. He has sent a note to say that she should be given this after you have applied the liniment. Then she should sleep through the night. That is what she needs more than anything.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I went with him to the door.

“When she is asleep ring the bell,” he said. “I will send someone up to bring you down. It will not be a ceremonious meal—just a quiet little tête-à-tête.”

“Thank you, but no. I do not think Teresa should be left.”

I went back to Teresa and applied the liniment to the bruises. I thought how lucky she had been and my anger welled up once more.

“You will sleep here, won’t you, Miss Grant?” pleaded Teresa.

“I certainly shall.”

“I wouldn’t like to be here on my own. I keep thinking of it. I heard the horses pounding along…and I knew old Cherry Ripe didn’t like it…she didn’t like me either. I knew she was going to bolt and I shouldn’t be able to hold her.”

“Stop thinking of it. It’s over now.”

“Yes, and you’re here and I’m never, never going to ride a horse again.”

“We’ll see how you feel about that later on.”

“I don’t need to wait till later on. I know now.”

“Now, Teresa, you’re getting excited. You’re not supposed to. Let’s get this liniment done. What a smell! Rather nice though, really. Does it smart? Well, that means it’s doing you good. The doctor says it is very effective. You’ll be all colors of the rainbow in a day or so.”

I corked up the bottle and put it down. “Now you are going to have this dose and it will make you sleep and you’ll forget all about it. All you need to remember is that I am here and if you want anything you only have to tell me.”

“Oh, I’m glad you’re here. Is Miss Hetherington cross with me?”

“Of course not. She’s as concerned as everyone else is.”

“Charlotte will sneer now, won’t she?”

“Charlotte behaved quite well really. She took the girls back. I am sure she wouldn’t want you to be hurt.”

“Then why is she always trying to hurt me?”

“She doesn’t really mean to hurt, only to deliver little pinpricks.”

“I don’t mind about her nearly so much as I used to. It was different when you came. It was because you were in Africa too, and then you came home to Aunt Patty. I wish I had Aunt Patty.”

There was a discreet knock on the door. It was a maid with a case which she said had just been sent from the school. I opened it. In it was a note from Daisy saying that here were some things which she thought we might need. There were my nightclothes and those of Teresa and I was astonished to see that she had sent one of my dresses—my best blue silk.

I wanted to give Teresa her sedative so I asked if she would care for me to help her into her nightgown as she would be more comfortable in that than in her undergarments. She had discarded her riding habit when examined by the doctor and it now lay over a chair. So I helped her undress and put on her nightgown. Then I said: “Drink this and then I think you are going to feel very sleepy.”

She did. She went on talking for a little while in a desultory way, her voice growing more and more drowsy. The sedative was beginning to work.

“Teresa,” I said gently, and there was no answer.

She looked very young and vulnerable lying there and I thought how sad it was that her parents were so far away and that the distant relatives in England did not want to be bothered with her. I wondered if her mother and father longed to have her with them; and my thoughts went once more to Aunt Patty and all I would have to tell her when I saw her again.

There was a gentle tap on the door. I crept to it and opened it. Jason Verringer was standing there with a middle-aged woman.

“How is Teresa?” he asked.

“Sleeping. The sedative worked quickly.”

“The doctor said it would. This is Mrs. Keel, my very worthy housekeeper. She will sit with Teresa while we dine and if Teresa should awaken she will come for you immediately.”

He was smiling at me with just a hint of triumph. I hesitated. I did not see how I could refuse. Mrs. Keel was smiling at me. “You can trust me,” she said. “I’m used to looking after people.”

There was no help for it. I had given way limply because I could not refuse before his housekeeper. It would be insulting to her to suggest that she was incapable of looking after Teresa—who was asleep in any case. So I should have to dine with him after all. I had to admit secretly that I was not as averse to the prospect as I had pretended to be. I did find a certain pleasure in letting him know that I was not by any means attracted by him, because I was sure he was trying to impress me. From what I had heard of his reputation he was considered—or considered himself—irresistible to women. It would be amusing and rather stimulating to let him see that there was one who was quite immune to his masculine charms.

“It is good of you,” I said to Mrs. Keel. “She is a sensitive girl…and if she should awake…”

“She is not likely to,” said Jason Verringer. “And if by any chance she does Mrs. Keel will immediately fetch you. So that is arranged. Mrs. Keel will come up in half an hour. If you are ready then we can go straight in to dinner.”

Short of putting myself in the awkward position of explaining that I knew of his reputation and did not consider him a suitable companion, I could see no way out; and the only possible action was to accept graciously and get away as quickly as I could.

So I inclined my head in acknowledgement of the arrangements, thanked Mrs. Keel and said I would be ready in half an hour.

I changed into the blue silk and felt a certain pleasure because Daisy had sent that one which was my most becoming.

I brushed my hair until it shone. There was a faint and rare color in my cheeks which brightened my eyes. Really, I thought. I am quite looking forward to this just for the pleasure of bringing home to him the fact that all women are not as impressed with him as he believes them to be.

Mrs. Keel tapped gently at the door. She came in and we stood side by side looking down on Teresa.

“She is sleeping deeply,” I whispered.

Mrs. Keel nodded. “I’ll call you at once if she wakes.”

“Thank you,” I said.

One of the maids was waiting outside to take me down, and I was conducted to a small room with a door which opened onto a courtyard. He was already there waiting for me, looking very satisfied.

“I thought we would eat in here,” he said, “and then if you are agreeable afterwards we could take coffee and port or brandy or something in the courtyard. It is pleasant out there on summer evenings. I often sit out there if I have a guest.”

“That sounds very agreeable.”

“You must be hungry, Miss Grant.”

“I think the events of the day are enough to rob anyone of appetite.”

“When you see our excellent duckling you will change your mind. I am sure you will appreciate our cook. I am very fortunate. I have good servants. It is the result of careful selection…and training. You eat well at that exclusive establishment for young ladies, I believe.”

“Yes. Miss Hetherington insists on that. Much of the produce comes from the Abbey gardens.”

“Carrying on the old monastic traditions. Ah, traditions, Miss Grant. How they rule the lives of people like us. Do sit down. There…opposite me so that I can see you. I always enjoy these intimate dinner parties more than those in the great hall. This, of course, is only big enough for four at the most but two is more suitable.”

It was a charming room, oak-paneled with a painted ceiling on which fat cupids disported on fleecy clouds while an angel looked benignly on.

He saw me looking at it.

“It provides quite a celestial atmosphere, don’t you think?”

I looked at him and the thought struck me that he was like Lucifer shut out of heaven. That seemed ridiculous and fanciful and far from the point. I was sure he would never allow himself to be shut out of any place he wanted to be in.

“Yes,” I said. “It does. Although what cupids are doing up in the clouds, I am not sure.”

“Looking for an unwary heart to pierce with the arrows of love.”