Джорджетт Хейер - The Nonesuch

Their eyes met, both pairs gray, hers very cool and clear, his faintly smiling; she gave him her hand, and was aware of the strength latent in the clasp of his. She was a tall woman, but she had to look up to his face; and, as she did so, she became conscious of a tug of attraction. The thought flashed into her mind that she beheld the embodiment of her ideal. It was as instantly banished; she said, as he released her hand: “You are too good, sir. Mine was not the inspiration, however. In the parish where I was used to reside it has been the custom for some years.”

It would have been too much to have said that Miss Trent’s instinctive recognition of the ideal was reciprocated. The Nonesuch had been for too many years the target at which ambitious females had aimed their arrows to be any longer impressionable; and certain painful disillusionments suffered in his youth had hardened his heart against feminine wiles. He was not so much cynical as armoured; and at the age of five-and-thirty believed that he was past the age of falling in love. What he saw in Miss Trent he liked: the fine eyes which looked so directly into his, the graceful carriage, the indefinably well-bred air which distinguished her, and the absence of any affectation in her manners. He liked her voice, too, and the civil indifference with which she had received his compliment. It was refreshing to meet a marriageable female who did not instantly exert herself to win his admiration; it might be pleasant to pursue her acquaintance; but if he were never to see her again it would not cost him any pang of regret.

She turned her head away, to attend to the Rector, who was gently quizzing Charlotte. “I saw your phaeton in the yard, and was told by my good James that Miss Charlotte had driven in. Now, that I didn’t see, which is a severe disappointment!”

“Oh, Mr Chartley, you know —!” protested Charlotte, overcome by blushes and giggles. “It was Miss Trent!”

He laughed, and glanced at Sir Waldo. “Not even Miss Trent, who, I must tell you, is a very pretty whip, and a pattern-card of patience besides, has succeeded in curing this foolish child of a profound mistrust of even the sleepiest cart-horse! Eh, Charlotte?”

“Well, I don’t like horses!” she said boldly. She cast a defiant look at Sir Waldo, and added: “and I won’t pretend I do, because I hate shams! You can never tell what they mean to do next! And if you pat them, they—they twitch! ”

This was rather too much for the Rector’s and Miss Trent’s gravity, hut Sir Waldo, though there was a laugh in his eye, replied gravely: “Very true! And when you stretch out your hand only to stroke their noses they toss up their heads, as though they supposed you meant to do them an injury!”

Encouraged, Charlotte said: “Yes! Though my brother says you should take hold of the bridle before you do so. But if they think you mean to hurt them, when they are for ever being cosseted and cared-for, they must be perfectly addle-brained!”

“I’m afraid they haven’t very much intelligence,” he admitted.

She opened her eyes at that. “But you like them, don’t you, sir?”

“Yes, but there is never any accounting for tastes, you know.” He smiled at Ancilla. “I collect that we share that particular taste, ma’am?”

“Mr Chartley has misled you, sir. I’m the merest whipster. Charlotte, we must not stand dawdling any longer!”

“But you will take a look in at the Rectory before you go, won’t you?” said the Rector. “Sir Waldo has been admiring our little Church, and I have promised to show him the twelfth-century piscina—our greatest pride, is it not?”

He moved away, and Sir Waldo, with a smile and a bow to the ladies, followed him. But when the flowers were arranged to Ancilla’s satisfaction, and she picked up her basket, nodded to Charlotte to come away with her, the Rector joined her, and the whole party left the Church together. Ancilla found herself walking beside Sir Waldo down the path leading to the Rectory; declined his offer to carry the basket; and asked him civilly how he liked the Yorkshire scene.

‘“Very well—as much as I have seen of it,” he replied. “As yet, that’s not very much: I have been spending most of my time in Leeds. I hope presently to see more of the countryside. My young cousin has been exploring far and wide, and is enthusiastic; says it is finer by far than his own county. That’s because the Squire has put him in the way of getting some excellent fishing.”

She laughed. “I hope he will enjoy good sport—though my small experience informs me that catching fish is not necessary for your true angler’s enjoyment.”

“Oh, no! But to lose a fish is quite another matter!”

“Certainly! One cannot wonder that it should cast even the most cheerful person into gloom, for it is always such an enormous one that escapes!”

“I begin to think you are yourself an angler, ma’am: you are so exactly right!”

“Indeed I am not! I was used to accompany my brothers sometimes, when I was a girl, but I very soon discovered that it was not at all the sport for me. When I caught nothing—which was in general the case—I found it a dead bore, and when a fish did get on my hook I was at a loss to know what to do with it, because I can’t bear handling fish! They wriggle so!”

They had reached the wicket-gate; he held it open for her, saying gravely: “They do, don’t they? So slimy, too! Almost as disagreeable as Miss Charlotte’s twitching horses!”

She stepped past him into the garden, but paused there, waiting for Charlotte and the Rector to join them. “Poor Charlotte! It was too bad of Mr Chartley to poke fun at her, for she has tried so hard to overcome her fear of horses, and is secretly much ashamed of it. Pray don’t laugh at her!”

“You may be sure I shan’t. I should be far more likely to recommend her not to give the matter another thought. Now, why do you look surprised, ma’am?”

She coloured faintly. “Did I do so? Perhaps because it did surprise me a little to hear you say that—being yourself, so I’m told, such a notable horseman.”

He raised his brows. “But must I therefore despise those who don’t care for horses?”

“No—but I have frequently observed that gentlemen who are addicted to sporting pursuits are prone to despise those whose interests are quite different.” She added quickly: “It is very understandable, I daresay!”

“I should rather call it intolerably conceited,” he replied. He regarded her quizzically. “Furthermore, ma’am, I have a notion that it is you who despises those of uswho are addicted to sport?”

“That’s to say I’m intolerably conceited,” she countered, smiling. “I am afraid I deserved it!”

They were interrupted by the Rector, who came up with Charlotte at that moment. He suggested that Sir Waldo should return to the house with them, but this was declined. Sir Waldo took his leave of the ladies, and went off with the Rector towards the stables.

Charlotte was plainly bursting to discuss the unexpected encounter, but Ancilla checked her, begging her to reserve her remarks until they should be out of earshot of her very penetrating voice. She was obedient, and listened docilely enough to a warning against any indiscreet utterance; but Ancilla knew her too well to place much reliance on her assurance that she would mind her tongue. As soon as she became excited, she would blurt out whatever thought came into her head, infallibly incurring Mrs Chartley’s deep, if unexpressed, disapproval. Mrs Chartley was a kindly woman, but her sense of propriety was strict. It was with relief that Ancilla saw her charge carried off by her friend and contemporary, Miss Jane Chartley, who came running down the stairs as soon as they had entered the house. No doubt the Rectory schoolroom would be regaled with Charlotte’s opinion of the Nonesuch, but at least her governess would not be put to the blush by her forthright speech and far from retiring manners.