Our bed was a large one with four posts. I was sure that once there had been elaborate hangings, but these were there no more and it looked starkly naked in some way. There was no rug on the floor … only the cold wooden boards. Harriet’s room next to ours was similar, only slightly smaller.
“When you have washed you can come to my library,” said Carleton. “I will explain the way to reach it.”
Edwin was unable to suppress a smile. He knew every inch of this place. Wasn’t it where he had spent so much of his childhood? Now he had to pretend he had never seen it before, and I was wondering how he was going to suppress that emotion which, returning from exile to a well-loved home, he must inevitably feel. It must be difficult for Carleton to act his part. He did it supremely well though.
When we were alone in our room Edwin took me in his arms and danced round the room with me. Then he drew me to the bed and sat down on it beside me.
“What do you think of my Puritan home and Puritan cousin?”
“They are both a little unreal,” I said.
“They are. Where are all the tapestries, the bed hangings, the paintings, the best of the furniture? That’s what I want to know. I can hardly believe it’s the same place.”
“Your cousin will doubtless explain.”
“And him … what of him? I confess, I was hard put to it not to burst out laughing. He plays his part uncommonly well, don’t you think?”
“Are you sure he has not turned Puritan?”
“Absolutely sure. Are you glad you came?”
“Edwin, I was so unhappy when you went and now …”
“You are here, in a Puritan land. You will sleep with me in a Puritan bed and we will make Puritan love …”
“How will that be?”
“You will see, my dearest.”
There was a knock on our door. It was Harriet.
“Come in,” cried Edwin.
She came looking about her, laughing.
“What an experience. Now, Arabella, would you rather be back in France?”
“I should be most wretched. It is wonderful to be here. It’s home after all … and Edwin is here …”
“And I?”
“And you, Harriet.”
“Yes, please don’t leave me out. I should hate that.”
“We would not dream of it,” Edwin assured her.
“I should be hurt if you regretted coming, Arabella. I should think I ought to have come … alone.”
She looked at Edwin and they burst out laughing.
“All this will be changed before long,” said Edwin, waving a hand. “I’ll wager in a year, perhaps less, all this drabness will be replaced by life, colour, gaiety … everything that our good King Charles will bring back to the land.”
“Fine clothes,” murmured Harriet. “Dashing gallants and … the theatre …”
“Come,” said Edwin, “we are to go to the library where my cousin is awaiting us.”
“Does he expect us to go with you?” I asked.
“I think the invitation was extended to us all. He will probably want to prime you on how you must behave. He will soon send you away if you are not wanted. He was always one to make his wishes clear. I could have died of laughing when I saw him. ‘God preserve you, friend.’ He is in complete control of the patter. I believe he is enjoying it.”
“Should you take us to the library?” I said. “Shouldn’t we wait to be conducted there? Won’t it look odd if you know your way about the house?”
“He gave me instructions … for the sake of any servants who might be listening. Come, let us go.”
He led us along a corridor to a staircase, not the one we had ascended. Our footsteps rang out on the wood because of the lack of rugs. I could see that the bare walls and bare floors were a shock to Edwin. I should have loved to see the house as it had been in the days before the King lost his throne.
We came to a door and Edwin opened it cautiously.
“Come in, friend,” said Carleton.
We entered. He was standing with his back to a fireplace. He looked larger than ever, yet different.
Edwin took a quick look round.
“All religious works, friend,” said Carleton. “You will find no sinful volumes here … nothing but godliness.”
“What a comfort to rest in such a house,” replied Edwin fervently.
“I want to tell you of the customs of the house so that you can conform to them during your stay here. I know it will be but brief, but it would distress members of the household if you did not fall in with our ways. We start the day with prayers … early morning prayers in the hall at six of the clock. Then we breakfast frugally, and there are prayers after. We all have our morning tasks and some will be found for you while you stay here, for idleness is an invitation to the Devil. There is service in the old chapel at noon, after which we dine. We do not linger at the table. We then work during the afternoon, sup at six of the clock and then there is another service in the chapel. Only the Bible and approved books on religion are read in the house.”
“A godly house indeed,” murmured Edwin.
“Pray shut the door, friend,” replied Carleton.
Edwin did so, and when we were shut in a change came over Carleton’s face.
“Who are the women?” he said in a different voice.
“Arabella is my wife, Harriet is her friend.”
“You are a fool,” snapped Carleton.
He went to the door, opened it and looked out. “One never knows when spies are about. I don’t think we are plagued by them, but I take every precaution.” He locked the door, then he went to the bookshelves and pressed himself against them; slowly the bookshelf moved inward and showed itself to be a door.
Carleton turned and looked at us. “To be used by any one of you in an emergency, but only in an emergency, and before the door is opened you must make certain you are not observed.” He lighted a candelabrum, picked it up and signed to us to follow him into the cavity, which we did.
We were inside what could have been called a room. It was in complete darkness, but as he shone the light around it I saw that it was full of goods. There were rolled tapestries, framed pictures stood up against the wall, chests, chairs, tables and other furniture.
“You didn’t know about this concealed hiding place, did you, Edwin?” he said. “I almost told you once. Well, the fewer people who know of such places the better.”
He looked with suspicion at me and at Harriet.
“What madness possessed you to bring the women?” he went on.
“He didn’t bring us,” I protested. “We came … after him.”
He looked at me with mild distaste.
“You see,” began Edwin, “we have been so recently married.”
Carleton looked at me in a manner which I found most distasteful and burst out laughing.
“No one can hear outside,” he said. “I tested it once with your father. We can come here to talk and be safe. But we must make sure that the library door is locked before we open the bookshelves. So … you are here and there is work to be done.”
“I think that Arabella and Harriet make my story more plausible,” said Edwin.
Carleton shrugged his shoulders. “That might be,” he admitted. “They know, of course, the purpose of your mission?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then, they will know how much depends on their caution and discretion.”
“We understand well,” said Harriet. She was looking at him earnestly, and knowing her well now, I realized that she was trying to claim his attention. I knew, too, that he was a man who would have had many experiences with women and would not be the easy victim of any. He might be aware that Harriet was trying to win his admiration, but if he did admire her he was not going to show it.