Alan Hunter: Landed Gently

Brass had been the big test. He belonged to that class of men whom she had previously found irresistible. He had wasted no time in making a pass at her, and here she had lacked the support of Somerhayes, who, being an idolatrous admirer of Brass, had more or less passed his blessing on the connection. But her hardly won virtue had shakily triumphed. Brass was resisted, and bearing no malice, had settled down comfortably to the role of friendship. Lovemaking, after all, was a somewhat marginal detail as far as the artist was concerned…

‘Did he know he had this attraction for you?’ pondered Gently.

‘Oh yes, I’m sure he did — there isn’t much you can hide from Les! But he saw I didn’t want it, and that was enough. Les is very genuine, you know, once you see through his artistic flummery. Ever since then we’ve been on the best of terms.’

Confirmed by this victory, and with the addition of Brass to her trusted intimacy, she felt assured of her new measurement with life. The invitation to Merely had come just at the right time. She had begun to be bored by her comparatively inactive existence in Chelsea. The association with Somerhayes and Brass, the two people most respected by her, coupled to an existing new venture in which she could develop her latent ability for business, was exactly what she required to satisfy her desire to be doing something. She had thrown all her enthusiasm and industry into the establishment of the workshop. She had conducted a market-analysis, opened relationships with the large furnishing and interior decorating firms, fought a one-woman war to convince buyers that tapestry was really worth an economic price, arranged an exhibition, and secured widespread press notices. The past eighteen months had been a delirious whirl of activity. There had been no time to brood over personal relations. The venture was succeeding; the market was beginning to open out; a second section of the outbuildings was already being adapted for another six looms.

‘And then… Earle came along.’

Immediately, she had heard the warning bell ring in her darkest being. Earle was everything that spelt temptation, and what was more, he knew it. Just as she recognized him, he recognized her, and in spite of her diffidence he could see success beckoning to him in her eyes. And to him, it was more important than it was to Brass. To him, young, callow, inexperienced and unsure of himself, it was a driving force that recognized no obstacle or scruple. From the moment of their introduction he was determined to possess her. He didn’t know quite how to do it, but do it he would. Instinctively cunning, he realized that she would permit no direct approach, and instead he substituted his bantering, exaggerated gallantry, which it was impossible for her to do other than accept with a good grace. But underneath it had been the fire, and both of them had known it. And Somerhayes, of course, had known it too.

‘I don’t have to tell you how important that is…’

She nodded. ‘I know… but you’ll guess it if I don’t tell you. And he told me to tell the truth… though I’m not holding my head very high.’

He had shown that he knew in a thousand little ways. Wasn’t he an expert, now, at keeping an eye on his cousin? He had said nothing to her directly. On this subject he had never been notably articulate. But she had taken his look, his hesitation, his inflection as certainly as she would have done a speech from another person. Don’t let yourself go — that had been the message. He knew she was in danger, but she mustn’t let herself go. And in public she had obeyed him. She had kept Earle dancing at a distance. As far as the world went, he was the court jester, with a licence.

‘Didn’t Brass tumble to it?’

‘No — that’s where Earle showed himself particularly clever. He realized that Les was very sharp-sighted, and he went out of his way to pull the wool over his eyes. I’m not saying that Earle wasn’t interested in tapestry — he had a genuine flair for it, not to mention a business instinct. But he wasn’t as keen as he made Les believe. At least half of it was laid on for Les’s special benefit. And it worked as it was bound to. Tapestry, for Les, is the dominating factor in life, and if you keep him buttered up with it he’s quite blind to anything else going on round him. At the same time Earle was paying court to the other three women in the shop, as though it was just his way. He had a cunning that was almost devilish, and only my cousin and myself could appreciate it.’

While they were with the others the charade was played out, but once they were alone together Earle dropped his mask.

‘It was this two-facedness of his that helped me to resist him, I think. In spite of his charm one could feel an element of calculation about him, a cold, egoistic weighing of the chances. He knew I was attracted to him physically, and he used it against me like a weapon, like a — yes! — like a bludgeon. By that he was to stop my objections, to wear me down. Any demur of mine was to be met by an embrace and passionate kisses. But he was overplaying his hand, and I didn’t quite fall for it. Always there was that feeling of being manipulated like an animal. I was on the verge of giving in to him, it seems miraculous that I didn’t; and if I did not, it was due to his mistaken judgement rather than to my virtue. If he had tried a little less, he might have got everything.’

‘But there were… intimacies… passing between you?’

‘Yes. I have admitted it.’

‘Enough to have suggested a certain conclusion?’

‘If anyone had seen them… please, don’t make me think of that!’

On Christmas Eve there was a sense of crisis between them. She had refused to go on that ‘shopping’ expedition with him, and his reaction to her refusal had shown her how much she had wounded him. He came back to find her in a relenting mood, and immediately sought to take advantage of it. There had been a passionate interlude in the folly, followed by a shorter passage in the anteroom to her wing. Now he was in the house it was obvious that he intended to press his suit to the utmost. The assignation she had been expecting, and accepted with a resignation that was very near to consent; but when it actually took place, she had re-experienced that feeling of revulsion towards him, and had broken away and fled to the sanctuary of her wing.

‘And he didn’t follow you — you’ve nothing to add to that part?’

‘No — I gave you the facts. I think he was staggered at my running away. You see, I didn’t say anything at all — I just felt I couldn’t stand it any longer, and slipped loose and dashed out. A moment before he must have been congratulating himself on at last having got his way.’

Gently gazed dully at the floor. ‘Plenty enough there for jealousy!’ he mused.

She looked up at him wonderingly. ‘Jealousy? Why do you say that?’

‘Why?’ He shrugged. ‘I’m afraid there’s not much doubt about that!’

‘But my cousin wouldn’t be jealous.’

‘Mmn?’ It was his turn to look up.

‘No — that’s quite absurd! He — he’s never given any indication. Do you think for one moment-’ She broke off in something like confusion. ‘It’s ridiculous, I tell you! You don’t know anything about Henry. He wants me to marry Les — that’s the whole text of his sermon.’

‘I know about that-’

‘Then you know about everything. Henry isn’t jealous of me — he’s jealous for Les. It’s been his idea that I should marry Les ever since — oh, I don’t know when! But if you think that he has the remotest interest in me personally, I can soon tell you that you’re mistaken.’

‘Are you sure of that, Mrs Page?’

‘Sure? Oh God! If you were me, you would be sure, Inspector.’