“Well!” said Tamarisk.
“He’s only a farmer.”
“There is nothing wrong with that,” Rachel defended him fiercely.
“And he’s a good one. Aunt Hilda is very pleased that she married his father.”
“Do you like him?” Tamarisk demanded of her.
“He’s all right,” said Rachel.
“Would you marry him?”
“What a question!” cried Rachel.
“You would! You would! Well, he might be all right for you.”
Rachel did not answer. She was too embarrassed.
I guessed Tamarisk was comparing Daniel with Gaston Marchmont.
She went on to talk about him. She was so glad he was staying for the ball.
“I told him I’d never forgive him if he didn’t stay, and he said, ” You leave me no alternative. ” Wasn’t that nice?”
“He does say the nicest things,” admitted Rachel.
“He’s a wonderful rider,” went on Tamarisk.
“On a horse he looks absolutely part of it … like one of those old gods.”
“He looks like a cross between a highwayman and a cavalier,” I said.
“I could just imagine him saying, ” Stand in and deliver! ” or riding into battle against Cromwell.”
“I always hated Cromwell,” said Tamarisk.
“Horrid old spoilsport. Closing theatres and things . I hate spoilsports. “
“I don’t think you could call Gaston Marchmont one of those by any stretch of the imagination,” I said.
“I should think not!” said Tamarisk, smiling secretly.
She went on talking of him. He was an aristocrat, there was no doubt of that.
Rachel smiled dreamily, and I said: “Since he’s so wonderful, I wonder he bothers to stay here.”
“Perhaps,” said Tamarisk mysteriously, ‘he has his reasons. “
It was only a few days before the ball. Our dresses were made.
Tamarisk told me that plants would be brought in from the greenhouses to decorate the ballroom and there would be a supper laid out in the dining-room- a buffet from which guests could help themselves. An orchestra had been engaged. Her mother was taking a little walk in the gardens every day so that she would be strong enough to attend the ball. She had had a special dress made for the occasion; the invitations had all gone out. It was the first time there had been a ball since Crispin’s wife had died.
“Everything will be different now,” Tamarisk declared.
“I’m of age.
Even Crispin will have to realize that. “
I went to see Flora. I sat in the garden near the mulberry bush and talked to her about the ball. I did not think she followed what I was talking about but she liked to hear my voice. Every now and then she would break in with a comment such as, “He was a bit restless last night. I think that tooth is troubling him.” But it made no difference. I just went on talking and she sat there smiling and seemed really pleased that I was there.
When I left her I met Crispin. I think he was on his way to call at the cottage as I knew he did from time to time, for if there was anything wrong it was always attended to with the utmost promptness.
I cherished the memory of how concerned he had been when Flora broke the doll. I liked to think he cared so much for his old nannies.
“Hello,” he said.
“I can guess where you’ve been.”
“She seems to like me to go.”
“When Miss Lucy is not there?”
I flushed a little.
“Well,” I repeated, defending myself, “Flora seems to like me to go.”
“Does she confide in you at all?”
“Confide? No, not really.”
“You mean she does in a way?”
“Well, she talks most of the time about the doll as though it’s a real baby.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“You don’t seem sure.”
“Well, she does say odd things at times.”
“What sort of things?”
“I think perhaps about the mulberry bush. She keeps saying something isn’t there.”
“Isn’t there?”
“Yes. She keeps looking at it. I’d say she was a little worried about something there.”
“I see. Well, it is good of you to call on her, being pre occupied as they all seem to be about the ball.”
“Everyone is looking forward to it.”
“Including you?”
I nodded.
“I think it will be fun.”
“And I hear the dashing hero has promised to attend.”
“You mean … ?”
“You know whom I mean. Is that going to make it especially agreeable for you?”
“I think people are pleased that he is coming.”
“People? Does that include you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I see. Well, I must not keep you.”
He smiled at me, lifted his hat and bowed slightly.
Then he went on to call on the Lanes.
It was the day before the ball. I went over to the Bell House to see Rachel.
She looked different. There was a certain radiance about her. I thought she was about to confide in me, but she appeared to hesitate.
I was reminded of that other occasion when she had been so scared and had turned to me. She was very different from Tamarisk; she was withdrawn, diffident, keeping her secrets.
I had another look at her dress. I had looked at my own fifty times.
“You’ll wear it away looking at it,” Lily had commented wryly.
“Take it from me, love. You’ll look a treat in it.”
I was apprehensive. Would anyone want to dance with me? We had practised our steps again and again and we were quite proficient now; but what worried me was partners. Tamarisk would have plenty, not only because of her charm and good looks, but because the ball was taking place in her home and her mother was the hostess, in spite of all that Aunt Sophie had done to make it possible; people would feel it a duty to dance with Tamarisk. And Rachel would be all right. That helpless fragility had its appeal. But myself ? Perhaps Jack Grindle would ask me, or Daniel. Crispin? I could not imagine what his dancing would be like.
Suddenly Rachel said: “Daniel has asked me to marry him.”
I stared at her in amazement. The thought immediately came into my mind: she is the first of us to receive a proposal of marriage. Tamarisk wouldn’t like that. She’d think she ought to be the first.
“How exciting!” I cried.
“I don’t know. It’s difficult.”
“He is very nice and kind. You’d get on well with him. Have you said yes?”
She shook her head.
“Why? Don’t you like him?”
“Yes, I do. Very much. We’ve always been friends, even before his father married my aunt, but of course we’ve seen a lot of each other since. A little while ago …” She stopped and frowned.
“I … er … I do like him very much,” she finished.
“I know,” I said.
“It’s too soon. We’ve only just left school. Of course, some people marry when they are very young. And you have known each other for a long time.”
“Yes, but it’s different…”
“What have you said?”
“I hated telling him I couldn’t. He looked … well, you know, so nice. He’s always been kind to me. I felt safe with him … after ..”
I knew exactly what she meant. I thought of her in that bedroom, hearing footsteps coming . pausing outside the door most fortunately locked the second time hearing his heavy breathing outside. She wanted to feel safe after that as I did after those terrifying moments in the wood.
“You see,” went on Rachel, ‘he thought it was all right. We’d been such friends. “
“It will be all right. It’s just because it’s too soon. You’re not ready yet.”
She was staring into space.