Four Strange Women (38 page)

“Don't be a fool,” snapped Anne. “You know I didn't mean Martin.”

“No, I suppose not,” agreed Ralph. “I expect I was trying to be funny. I always do when I'm a bit nervy.”

“Nothing to be nervy about, is there?” Anne asked.

Ralph did not answer. She knew as well as he did how much or how little there was to be nervy about. It was the length of the interview in the study from which they had been excluded that was troubling them, that was giving to Martin his air of a secret and malicious satisfaction. They had both thought it would have ended long ago, and it still went on. Neither of them could imagine why. But it meant that both were becoming conscious of a vague and increasing unease.

Anne was still absorbed in apparent contemplation of the engagement ring on her finger. It was a nice ring. It had cost a hundred pounds. She knew the exact figure, because her grandfather, old Earl Wych, had told her as a great secret. But it hadn't been Ralph's hundred pounds. For one thing Ralph hadn't a hundred pounds, hardly a hundred pence for that matter. Her grandfather—who was also Ralph's great-uncle—had provided the money for this ring. That was a proof of how greatly the formal engagement had pleased him. Because he was not an old man who parted very easily with his money. Not a miser, of course, but his dislike of drawing cheques had always been marked, and had increased with age. All the same it was a nice ring. Turning it round and round upon her finger, Anne thought:—

“Suppose it's true. If it is... but it can't be... it can't.”

She looked up at Ralph. He was tall, well built, with the fair hair, blue eyes, dominant nose of the Hoyles, who for some hundreds of years had lived and flourished at Castle Wych and owned most—but less now than formerly—of the surrounding country. In accordance with the present fashion, he was clean shaven, so that one could see the big mouth with the thin, straight lips that were also a characteristic of the Hoyles. His big, square chin stuck out, too, in a way reminiscent rather of the earlier than of the later Hoyles, who had generally owed their continued success to a certain nimble suppleness of mind rather than to that thrusting energy of which such a chin is supposed to be a sign. It was certainly a sign very apparent in the effigy of the founder of the family, the first Baron Hoyle, who had undoubtedly been a bit in the traditional robber-baron line.

Since those far-off days, however, the Hoyles had generally preferred to be lawyers, politicians, high ecclesiastics— place holders, in brief—rather than soldiers or adventurers. So they had flourished exceedingly, adding acre to acre, sedately progressing from baron to earl, sending out many off-shoots, destined, they, too, to reap where they had not sown and gather where they had not strewn. Then when place holding became a depressed industry the family took to finance, since holding directorships and drawing fat fees therefor, seemed almost the same thing as holding a sinecure or two. Unhappily, it hadn't worked out quite like that. More than once unscrupulous persons had taken advantage of the Hoyle aristocratic indifference to detail that they expected subordinates to attend to. Also, the trade, profession, or occupation of landlord had in its turn become something of a depressed industry. True, as in the days of Carlyle, if a tenant plucked two nettles to make soup, then of those nettles the landlord could still claim one for himself. But to-day there wasn't always a tenant to do the required plucking. Alternatively, as the lawyers say, the market for plucked vegetation of all kinds was sometimes so bad that even transport costs could not be covered.

This is known as agricultural depression, and Ralph, as heir to his great-uncle, the present aged but still vigorous earl, had long ago decided that when he inherited title and estates Castle Wych would have to go. Possibly it might be presented to the nation or to the Wychshire County Council, if either nation or county council could be cajoled or persuaded or otherwise induced to accept the sprawling white elephant of a place. Some of the outlying property would have to be disposed of, too, and the rest managed on very different lines from those followed at present. There was still money to be made in agriculture, Ralph was persuaded, if one had capital and adopted modern and scientific. methods. Unfortunately in his present position as agent to his great-uncle he had command of no capital, nor was he permitted to employ or introduce those new methods for which he yearned. Indeed these suggestions that he had more than once urged upon the old earl had led to somewhat strained relations between them, and to one really gorgeous row when Ralph had let slip his intention of somehow or another getting rid of the castle, the ancient seat of the family.

“But for the entail,” Ralph had remarked afterwards to Anne, “poor old Uncle Ralph would have booted me out then and there. He told me I was a degenerate Hoyle and a disgrace to the family name. I suppose it is hard luck on him he has no direct heir now.”

Anne had made no comment. Her common sense told her some such step as Ralph proposed might very well be necessary. But she meant to make very sure that it was necessary. Countess Wych, presiding over ancient and historic Castle Wych, would be a much more imposing person than a Countess Wych in a London flat or occupying the dower house which was as old and inconvenient as the castle itself, and very much less magnificent; in fact, not magnificent at all. Besides, she had a genuine sense of the historic significance of the old place, where news had come of Agincourt, from whose towers beacons had blazed to tell of the coming of the Armada, where Charles the First had first raised his standard even before flying it at Nottingham, where galloping messengers had brought so often news of peace and war, of triumph and disaster, where three times over in the war of 1914-18, telegraph boys had come cycling up the long avenue with the tidings that once again the heir had died in battle; Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, France, all taking their toll in grim succession.

Turning now her ring round and round upon her finger, she was telling herself that things would have to be very bad indeed before she would consent to parting with the old historic dwelling, for so long the seat of the family. Certainly not merely to raise money for agricultural experiments. Always she had been accustomed to getting her own way, and she meant to have it about the old house, too. Only, somehow, glancing up at Ralph, as he leaned moodily against the stone parapet, she was aware of an uncomfortable feeling that that square, stuck-out chin, those clear and steady eyes, suggested a will as decided as her own.

Then, too, there was this new development, though that, it appeared, need not be taken too seriously. Ralph himself, at any rate, who had seen and talked to the fellow, had waved him aside as an obvious, almost bare-faced impostor. And Mr. Clinton Wells, the family lawyer, was very much of the same opinion.

Only why were they all three, earl, lawyer, claimant, closeted so long in the library? Or perhaps the police had been sent for and the delay was merely till they arrived?

Bitterly she reflected, with the sense of grievance that never left her, that the claim now made would not have mattered but for the absurd and unfair sex disability under which her natural rights were disallowed. She felt herself as competent as any man to look after the estate or to take part in those activities that in England are part and parcel of an ancient title. Indeed, her clear-cut features; her chin, smaller and rounder no doubt than Ralph's, but sticking out in much the same manner; the firm lines of her mouth, too big, like that of all the Hoyles; the direct and haughty gaze of her clear eyes so ready to show disdain or anger; all spoke of much the same reversion to the original bold-baron type whereof Ralph also seemed an example. She was a handsome rather than a pretty girl, largely made, fond of all outdoor sports, a good rider to hounds, an excellent shot, inclined to despise tennis to which she sometimes referred as ‘pat ball,' but almost in the championship class at golf. Not that she ever really enjoyed any game so much as she enjoyed a day's shooting—deer stalking in the Highlands for example—or a good run to hounds ending with a kill in the open. The very first thrill in her life had been the old ceremony of blooding she had gone through at the age of five, after one of the best runs the Wychshire hounds had ever known. Nor probably had Castle Wych, in all its long history, ever been so well run as since Countess Wych's increasing age and infirmities had confined her to her room and caused the reins of management to fall into Anne's hands. The domestic staff held her in wholesome awe, though, like the schoolboy in the story, they would probably have admitted that if she was a beast, at any rate she was a just beast.

A girl came out from the house, small and hurrying and a little breathless. She was Sophy Longden, daughter of the Reverend Louis Longden, vicar of Brimsbury Wych, the village and parish dominated by the castle. Mr. Longden had not been vicar long. It is not always easy to-day to find incumbents for small, badly endowed country livings, and the bishop had been glad to hear of an East End curate who, threatened with a breakdown after twenty years' hard work in a poor district, was willing to exchange the smoke and noise and squalor of the East End for the fresh air and quiet of Brimsbury Wych.

The change had been very successful in filling in Sophy's small, thin face, with the broad low forehead and the pointed chin. She was even beginning to show roses in her cheeks, and her eyes had become less strained, and quieter. Fruit and vegetables from their own garden were still a treat, bewilderingly different from the stuff of the same name, bought from London greengrocers. Nor had Sophy as yet quite recovered from her awe of the castle and those who dwelled therein, especially of the tall old man, so very upright and dignified, who treated her when they met with a lofty courtesy that not only deeply gratified her, but somehow left her more than ever conscious of the enormous difference between Earl Wych and the younger daughter of a country parson.

It had been an added wonder, a kind of Cinderella tale come true in real life, when quite unexpectedly she had found herself actually living in a real castle, rising each morning, going to bed each night, in one of England's stately homes—Sophy knew her Mrs. Hemans—and able in her leisure time to sit with her book or sewing in one or other of those magnificent rooms; even in the west drawing-room, for instance, where, according to legend, Queen Elizabeth had once held council. It was as a kind of part secretary, part companion, part nurse to the bed-ridden Countess Wych that she was there, and though the salary was small enough, it paid for her clothes, there was one mouth less to feed at home, there was even often a little over to help her mother with the housekeeping, and she was still able to help her father in such small ways as taking a class in the Sunday school, arranging flowers in the church, and so on.

Indeed Sophy thought herself an extraordinarily lucky young person, even if she did not fully realize that she was doing twice the work any maid would have done for less than a half of the wage. Not that any one else realized it, either.

She was genuinely fond of the aged Countess Wych, and really liked to listen to those interminable tales of her young days Anne would have cut very short indeed. Of Earl Wych she stood in deep awe, tempered by a lively gratitude that he permitted her to breathe the same air as himself. Anne she worshipped from a great distance, absolutely convinced that Anne was the most perfect and altogether wonderful creature the world had ever seen. She was more than a little doubtful of Ralph, though, holding him quite unworthy of her paragon, but loyally accepting him, since Anne had deigned to do the same. Still she liked him the least of the family. She found a trifle alarming his silences, his abstractions, there was something about him she felt vaguely disturbing. Not for the world would she ever have been alone with him, and once when he had offered to drive her into Midwych on some errand or another, she had looked so startled and scared that he had burst out laughing and gone off without her.

That had been hard to forgive; for her dignity, of which she was seldom aware, had really been ruffled on that occasion. On his side he had put her down as a colourless little thing and had never since taken much notice of her. She said now, a little breathlessly:—

“Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know tea was ready. Would you like me to pour out, Anne?”

(Yes, she was allowed to call Anne by her Christian name, and Anne quite often called her ‘Sophy'. Countess Wych, too, who had begun with ‘Miss Longden', had progressed to ‘Sophy', and now seldom called her anything but ‘dear' or ‘dear child'. It was all very wonderful, and if only Earl Wych had been a trifle less alarming and Ralph a trifle more friendly, she would have felt herself entirely at home.) Without replying directly to her question, Anne said:— “Are they still in the library?”

Sophy nodded and looked grave.

“I think,” she said, “they must be giving him a—talking to.” She looked graver still as she thought of how awful it must be to be ‘talked to' by Earl Wych. She said severely:— “I don't know how any one can be so wicked as to pretend to be some one they aren't. I could kill them.” Then she saw Ralph smiling, and that really annoyed her. It was nothing to laugh at. She said quite loudly:— “Well, I could,” and indeed at the moment she felt there was nothing, however desperate, she was not capable of to defend this great House of Wych against disaster. 

“Another Joan of Arc come to Castle Wych,” Ralph said, amused, and yet a little impressed, too, by the sudden note of will and energy in the generally quiet, clear little voice.

“Sophy's not saying she's a Joan of Arc,'' interposed Anne, who felt that if any Joan of Arcs were required, she herself was quite ready to supply the need. Sophy looked at her gratefully, thankful for this defence. Anne added:— “What's the good of talking like that? The man's an evident impostor.”

All the same there was a touch of renewed unease in her voice. Why were they so long in the library? why hadn't the fellow been thrown out long ago? Sophy began to pour out the tea. Anne had not answered her question directly, but Anne had a habit of not answering questions. She expected her wishes to be understood. She expected people to know what they ought to do and to do it. A regal attitude, but Anne had a regal turn of mind. The fact that Sophy was rather quick at understanding what Anne wished was one of the reasons why she had found favour in Anne's sight—Sophy having anything but a regal turn of mind. From the parapet Ralph said:—