"I am so glad. Those triangles! I wish I need never see another as long as I live!”
"There shall be none on our station.”
"Our station!”
"Yes," he said.
"Ours. Yours and mine and Esther's... and shall we remove the whole of Mr. Masterman's kitchen staff to work for us?”
From under his lashes he threw glances at them all; he saw, and Carolan saw too, the quivering excitement of them. He had been incautious.
This was the way to ensure their secrecy; they would not babble of his affairs if they thought of sharing in his adventure. Whether he meant what he said, she did not know. Could one ever be sure that Marcus meant what he said ? He was clever. Clever, clever Marcus! And she did not care whether he meant what he said or not. She only cared that he was back with her again.
He stood up suddenly.
"There calls my Clementine! It would never do to keep her waiting. Au revoir! Remember I shall see you again soon.”
He kissed Carolan, then Esther. Then with an audacity which completely won her heart, he kissed Margery. He bowed to Jin; he bowed to Poll.
Then he leaped through the window. He stood for a half second, smiling through the frame of the window at them. Then he was gone.
There was silence in the kitchen. They heard a voice say: "Where did you get to? I was a long time, I know; I certainly did not intend to stay so long.”
Then they heard his voice, but they did not hear what he said. I They listened to the sound of buggy wheels.
"Well, come on!" said Margery.
"We ain't got all day. Jin, wake up, girl! Now then Poll! Good gracious me! We can't waste half the morning entertaining visitors and the other half standing about like great big gabies!”
When it was time to serve the meal, Margery came over to Carolan.
"She sent for me.”
"She?”
"The mistress.”
"Oh?" Carolan was only half attending; her thoughts were with Marcus.
"She says she wants you to wait at table. She likes the look of you better than Jin. You'd better look sharp, lovey. Tidy yer halt a bit, and nip out to the pump.”
Carolan let the cold water trickle over her hands. A strange day. She felt that there was change in the air; anything might happen. Marcus might come riding over and take her away. It was a day when dreams might come true.
Margery called to her.
"Here. What are you doing out there? Does it take all day to wash your hands? Come here ... quick!”
In the kitchen they were preparing a tray.
"She's took suddenly queer," explained Margery.
"It'll be a tray took up to her room, she wants. The master ain't home; he's riding over to one of his stations. Here Jin! Get on, girl, get on! Unless you'd like the feel of the whip across that smug face of yours. Is that plate hot? Then get it hot, and sharp about it.”
"He's away!" said Carolan.
"How long will he stay?”
"The questions! How am I to know? D'ye think he shares his little secrets with me? All I know is that when he rides over to the stations it's often enough he don't come back for days and nights at a stretch.
Got that sauce, Poll? Why, if it was any other man I'd say there might be something more than his stations that was keeping him ... but with him ... Well, he's only half a man, if you was to ask me. Come on, Jin, girl... Ain't that plate hot yet?”
Carolan's eyes were sparkling. He was away on business. It might be days and nights before he returned, and he had evidently not said a word about her escapade of the night before. It was truly a day when exciting things could not help happening.
She carried the tray upstairs and tapped at Mrs. Masterman's door.
"Come in," said the weary voice.
She was lying on the bed.
"It's one of my headaches," she said.
"They come on so suddenly. I think I'll have my pills before I eat.
What is it you've brought? Oh! I cannot eat a thing, that I know!”
Carolan felt intoxicated with success. She felt, as she often did in the presence of Marcus, that she had stolen some of his verve for living, for finding life amusing. She felt sly, able to plan for herself.
"You must try to eat, M'am!”
She began to understand the sickly creature on the bed. Her ailments were her life; the table beside the bed was full of remedies. She locked her door to keep out that brute, that coldblooded brute. Surely he did not need much keeping out? They were only half alive, these two. Oh, Marcus! Marcus! she thought, and she could feel his lips on her skin, warm and eager, "But I cannot. I do try. If you only knew how I feel.”
"I can guess, M'am.”
"There isn't much sympathy I get here. What is your name?”
"Carolan Haredon.”
"You speak like a lady.”
"I was supposed to be one once.”
"Yours must be a very interesting story...”
But Carolan did not plunge into an account of it, because she saw clearly that Lucille Masterman did not want to hear it, but only to talk about herself.
"It's a frightful story," she said, and added artfully: "But in one thing I have been fortunate, I have had good health.”
Lucille raised herself on her elbow.
"It is not often that people who have are wise enough to realize what a boon it is.”
Carolan smiled and forced compassion into her eyes.
"Please, M'am, could you not try to eat a little?”
"I will try then...”
She took the tray. Carolan picked up a bed jacket and wrapped it round her shoulders.
"You may take further cold, M'am.”
"I do take cold very easily. No! Do not go. Stay a while. You may sit down and talk to me while I eat. But first give me my pills ... A little water to wash them down; it is there, in the jug-' "You must suffer very much, M'am, to need so many remedies.”
"Indeed I do! I do not like that gipsy; she frightens me. She creeps about so: she is like some soft-footed animal. The other girl, Poll, is such a frightful creature; I could not beat her near me. You and the other new girl are much nicer types. But my husband has always said that you convicts should not be allowed to roam about the house at large until you have been with us a little time. How long have you been with us now?”
"Six weeks.”
"It is a very short time, but you do not look vicious.”
"You would not believe me if I told you I was wrongfully accused?”
"Will you pack up my pillows a bit? I have a terrible backache. That is much better. These pills are so hard to swallow. Where did you live in England?”
"In the country near Exeter, and then in London.”
"London! Do not talk to me of it, for the homesickness is more than I can bear. I feel that I cannot endure this dreadful country much longer. The heat is so appalling. Tell me what they were doing at the playhouses when you were there. Tell me what the shops looked like.
How I would love to ride around the town in my carriage, seeing it all, smelling it all! Do you not feel the longing to go back?," "No." said Carolan.
"When I think of London I think of horrible things. I was not very happy I think in the country.”
"You speak very nicely. I shall certainly have you to wait at table.
Everyone will be envious; they have such trouble with their servants.
You are sympathetic too; you shall look after my clothes and give me my medicine.”
Thank you," said Carolan.
"Thank you very much. It is very good of you.”
"I have taken a fancy to you. That gipsy girl never speaks at all. She grunts, and she is so sullen. I have told my husband that I am terrified of her; her eyes flash so. But he laughs that to scorn; he is a most unimaginative man. He has never had a day's illness in his life, and he does not understand what it means to be ill.”
"People who are healthy are so often like that, M'am.”