Джорджетт Хейер: Cousin Kate

“Perhaps she thought I shouldn’t wish it to be known.”

“More likely she didn’t wish it to be known! Very high in the instep, my dear mama! Keeps the world at a proper distance !”

Kate was shocked, for there was a note of venom in his voice. After a moment’s hesitation, she said diffidently: “You should not speak so, least of all to me. Recollect that I have cause to be grateful to her! Indeed, she has almost overwhelmed me by her kindness!”

“Has she, by Jove? I wonder why?” he said ruminatively, his eyes narrowed, and gleaming strangely. “You may depend upon it that she has a reason! But what can it be?” His eyes slid to her face, saw in it a deep disapproval, and shifted. “Oh, are you shocked?” he said derisively. “Do you believe that one should love and honour one’s parents? Well, I don’t, do you hear me? I don’t! I am treated like a child—not allowed to do this—not allowed to do the other—kept in seclusion—spied on—” He broke off, his face convulsed with rage. He covered it with his shaking hands, and said chokingly: “ She is to blame! She has my father so much under her thumb—oh, you don’t know! you can’t know! We are all afraid of her—all of us, even Matthew! Even me!”

He ended on a hysterical sob. As much moved as shocked, she ventured to lay a soothing hand on his arm, and to say: “You are her only child, and—and, I collect, not robust!” Her ,care of you must spring from her love—don’t you think?”

His hands fell; he showed her a distorted face, in which his eyes blazed “Love?” he ejaculated. “ Love ? Mama? Oh, that’s good! That’s rich, by God!” Suddenly he stiffened, and grasped her wrist, listening intently. “I thought as much! Matthew, or Badger, spying on me! If they ask you what I’ve been saying to you, don’t tell them—either of them! Promise me!”

She had only time to utter the desired assurance before his hand left her wrist. Dr Delabole stepped into the clearing, and waved to them, saying: “So here you are! “Depend upon it,” I told her ladyship, “Torquil has taken Miss Kate to see the bluebells!” My dear young people, have you the least notion of what the time may be?”

“Well, I did ask my cousin, when he suggested a stroll through the wood, but he said it didn’t signify! And then we came upon the bluebells!” replied Kate gaily.

“Beautiful, aren’t they? One could spend an hour, feasting one’s eyes upon them! But it is past noon, and a nuncheon awaits you!”

“Past noon! Oh, we must go back instantly!” exclaimed Kate, stricken.

“On the contrary! We must go on!” said the doctor, laughing gently. “The wood dwindles into the park, and if we continue down this ride we shall find ourselves within a stone’s throw of the house. And what, Miss Kate, did you think of the belvedere?”

He had fallen into step beside her, but it was Torquil who answered him, from beyond Kate. “How did you know I had taken her there?” he demanded suspiciously.

“Well, by the process of deduction, dear boy!” replied the doctor apologetically. “Having seen you set out from the house into the gardens, and having failed to discover you there, I naturally assumed that you had done so! When I drew another blank at the belvedere, it dawned on my powerful intellect that you must have crossed the bridge into the wood! And lo, here you are!”

“Oh!” said Torquil, disconcerted.

In a few minutes they were crossing the park, within sight of the house. They entered it by the front door, and were met by Lady Broome, who threw up her hands, and said quizzingly: “Oh, you abominable children! Where did you find them, Doctor?”

“Where I thought I should find them, ma’am! Looking at the bluebells!”

“Ah, then I must forgive them! And should perhaps blame myself for not having warned you, Kate, that Torquil has no idea of time! Eh, my son?”

She pinched his chin as she spoke, and then slid her hand in his arm, and went with him into one of the saloons, saying over her shoulder: “I don’t stand on ceremony with you, Kate! Are you quite famished? You don’t deserve it, either of you, but you shall have a nuncheon!”

The table in the saloon was set for two, and bore a selection of cold meats, and fruit. Lady Broome took her place at the head of it, and carved some slices of chicken for them.

“Not for me, ma’am!” said Torquil.

“Just one slice of breast, to please me!” she said, laying his plate before him.

He looked mutinous, and started to say something about not being hungry, but she interrupted him, meeting his eyes steadily, and saying in a calm tone: “Eat it, Torquil!”

He reddened, hunching a shoulder, but picked up his knife and fork. Lady Broome chose an apple from the bowl in front of her, and began delicately to peel it with a silver knife. Addressing herself to Kate, she said: “Well, my dear, and what did you think of the gardens? They are not looking their best so early in the season, but the azaleas and the rhododendrons round the lake must be coming into flower?”

Kate shook her head. “Not yet, ma’am, though I did notice some buds.”

“Cousin Kate, ma’am, didn’t like your belvedere,” interpolated Torquil maliciously. “She said it was melancholy.”

“I said,” corrected Kate, “that there was something very melancholy about still water.”

“Yes, I collect many people think so,” agreed her ladyship. “I have never been conscious of it myself. There, Torquil! I haven’t lost my old skill!” She showed him an unbroken spiral of apple-peel, and turned her head to tell Kate that when he had been a little boy he had eaten apples only for the joy of watching her peel them for him. “As he will do today!” she said, cutting the fruit into neat quarters, and arranging them on a plate.

He accepted this from her without demur, for he had been struck by a sudden thought. His eyes lit; he said: “Do you ride, cousin?”

“Indeed I do!”

“Oh, that’s famous! Will you ride with me? Do say you will! I’ve no one to ride with except Whalley, my groom! Or Matthew! And they are both slow-tops!”

“Yes—with the greatest imaginable pleasure!” she replied promptly. “That is—if my aunt permits?”

“But of course!” responded Lady Broome. “Tell Whalley to put my saddle on Jupiter tomorrow, Torquil! My dear, have you a riding-habit with you?”

“Well, yes, ma’am! It so happens that I did bring it with me—in the hope that I might be granted the indulgence of a ride!” confessed Kate. “Oh, what a treat it will be! I haven’t been on a horse since we came home to England!”

“Then you’ll pay dearly for it!” said Torquil, chuckling.

“I know I shall—but I have an excellent embrocation!” she said hopefully.

But it seemed, on the following morning, as though the treat was going to be denied her. When she and Torquil came out of the house, not two but three horses stood saddled below the terrace, and to this Torquil took instant exception, saying sharply: “We shan’t need you, Whalley!”

“Her ladyship’s orders are that I should go with you, sir,” said the groom apologetically. “In case of accidents!” He kept a wary eye on Torquils whip-hand, and added, in a soothing voice: “I shan’t worrit you, Master Torquil, but if Miss was to take a tumble—or you wanted a gate opened—”

“Go to the devil!” whispered Torquil, white with fury, his hand clenched hard on his whip. “If you go. I don’t!”

Kate, feeling that it behoved her to intervene, said calmly: “Well, I don’t mean to take a tumble, but if my aunt wishes your groom to accompany us it may be irksome, but not such a great matter, after all! Will you put me up, if you please?”