The Pride of the Peacock (22 page)

“You are much too flippant,” was her retort, “fou always were. You will have to be more sober when you marry.”

“I can’t change my nature. Grandmother,” I said.

She sighed, but even she could not criticize me too much, considering the change I had brought about in the family fortunes.

I stood for hours while the seamstress, her mouth full of pins, fitted my dresses, for I had to have a trousseau besides the wedding dress.

“We don’t want people in Australia to think we’re savages,” said my grandmother. She was determined that I should go not only adequately but elegantiy clothed.

The banns had been called twice and the excitement at the prospect was beginning to be replaced by apprehension. Joss Madden had to spend a week in London negotiating some business and I felt easier in my mind when he was not there.

When he returned, however, he seemed determined to spend a good deal of time with me.

“Doing his courting,” as Ben described it to my chagrin.

]oss said: “We’d better get to know each other as this wedding is imminent. How good are you on a horse? You’ll have to ride a great deal in Australia.”

I said that I had been taught to ride but had little opportunity of doing so. There had been a pony, but when that died it had not been replaced. We only had one horse now which Xavier used.

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He oroKe mio a canter, and I tried to follow him but my horse refused.

Instead he lowered his head suddenly and gripped a bush by the roadside.

“Come on,” I whispered urgently.

“He’ll laugh at us.”

But the horse seemed determined to mock me too.

Joss Madden turned and I heard that quick gust of laughter, “Come on.

Joker,” he said, and the response was immediate. The sly Joker immediately relinquished the bush and went on with an injured air as though to say: What can you expect me to do with this amateur on my back ?

“You have to control your horse, you know,” said Joss, smiling, well pleased with Joker’s cooperation.

“I’m very well aware of that,” I retorted.

“He knows who’s the master. You see, I only had to call his name and he obeyed.”

“I’ve never seen this horse before,” I protested.

“He’s a little mischievous when he thinks he can get away with it.

It’s understandable. Now, Joker, no more nonsense. You’ll do what the lady tells you. Come on. “

I hated that morning because I sensed that he was trying to show me how inferior I was. He proved that to me more than once. There was one occasion when he galloped across a meadow and called Joker to follow.

I thought he was hoping I’d fall and break my neck. It was maddening that he should be commanding my horse, and when it sped after him I knew that I couldn’t control it and the thought came into my mind:

He’s trying to kill me so that he won’t have to marry me. If I’m dead Ben won’t cut him out. He’ll get the precious Company without having to pay the price-marriage -for it. Oh, he is so arrogant He’s nothing more than a peacock . flaunting his superiority as a peacock flaunts his tail.

He was beside me suddenly. He had seized my bridle and for a few moments we galloped side by side. When we stopped he was laughing at me.

“I’ll have to teach you to ride,” he said, ‘and I’ll do so before we leave. You can’t go out to Australia like this. “

“Don’t you think it would be a good idea if we abandoned the whole thing?” I asked.

“What! With the dress being made, the banns being called ..
He was serious suddenly.p>

“Besides, what of Ben?”

“I hate it all,” I said vehemently.

“You mean you hate me?”

“You can look at it that way if you like.”

“A firm basis on which to build a marriage,” he mocked. Feelings often change, they say, afterwards, so at least yours can’t change for the worse since they are as bad as they can possibly be before. “

“Isn’t the whole thing rather farcical?”

“Life often is rather farcical.”

“Rarely as much as this ridiculous wedding.”

“Don’t you think it makes it rather piquant? You and I will go to church and take our vows and everything we vow to do we shall be promising ourselves not to do. Marriage is for the procreation of children. That comes in the service. But for us … marriage in name only.2 ” Your expression,” I said.

“It’s a good one. It conveys the meaning as well as anything could. To love and to cherish, we shall say, and here are you telling me you hate me.”

“You’re giving very adequate reasons why the whole thing should be called off.”

“But we’re not going to, are we? We’re two sensible people don’t you agree? There’s too much to gain and too much to lose. We’re better off making the best of it. Who knows, I might succeed in making a tolerable horsewoman of you and you might succeed in keeping me at a distance.” His eyes glittered suddenly, and I saw the pride there which I was beginning to think was his main characteristic. He was put out because I was not attracted by his virility . or masculinity . whatever it was.

“Let me say,” he said with a hint of anger in his voice, “I think the latter will be easier to achieve than the former.”

We walked our horses back to Oakland-a pace, he commented dryly, more suited to my accomplishments.

I certainly hated him, and he appeared to despise me. Well, there was no need to fret about that for I should not have to worry about his forcing his attentions on me; and because he had made this so obvious I began, perversely, to hope that he might-solely that I could have the pleasure of rebuffing him.

The servants were excited about the wedding. Miriam was making the wedding cake; even my grandmother became slightly benign towards me and my grandfather regarded me as the saviour of the family fortunes.

Ben would lie in his bed or sit in his chair chuckling to himself. It was certainly a popular wedding-with everyone except the bride and groom t

Twice a day Joss insisted that I ride with him.

“It’s a necessity,” he said.

“You must know how to master a horse before we go to Australia.”

I saw the wisdom of this and decided to put up with his patronizing attitude. I worked hard, and I was sure that I was an apt pupil. Not that he would admit when I showed improvement. He seemed to enjoy humiliating me.

Once skilled, I promised myself, I should be independent of him, and I was really beginning to enjoy riding as I never had before. He never complimented me; and I inwardly accused him of showing off. To myself I always referred to him as Peacock.

At last my wedding day arrived. It was like a dream standing there at the altar while the Reverend jasper Grey married us. I felt a shiver of emotion as Joss slipped the ring on my finger and I couldn’t quite define it. Apprehension was certainly there, but if I was honest with myself I would tiave to admit that if I could have cancelled it I shouldn’t have wanted to.

Ben was in the church. Banker had wheeled him there. I could imagine his contentment. His will had been done.

Miriam at the organ played the Wedding March and as I came down the aisle on the arm of Joss Madden aware of those watching us-Xavier, my grandfather and grandmother -gleams of contentment in their eyes, I remembered my grandmother’s saying that God had brought Oakland Hall back to the family because of all they had done for me. It ; was His reward for their virtue.

We went to the Dower House where the reception was held, and when it was over joss and I walked across the bridge to Oakland Hall. i Ben was in his bedroom but he had left word that he wanted to see us as soon as we came in. He was sitting up in bed i and his eyes were shining.

; “You two have made Ben Henniker a very happy man to day,” he said.

“Come and sit on either side of me. There, that’s ^ good. Give me your hands. You’re going to bless me for this i day. Before it’s over there’s something I want to say to you , 1 and I’ve been saving it up till now.” I ^ “You’re exhausted, Ben,” I said.

“You should rest.”

;

, “Not till I’ve told you this. You know the story of the i Green Flash. You know how I took it to Australia with me | , all the time,

pretending it was lost. I had to have a hiding place for it. You’re the only two who’ll know where that hiding place is. It belongs to you both now. Now this hiding place … I made it myself … so that no one else should be in the picture. Ha, that’s a joke. You know The Tride of the Peacock in the drawing-room. Joss. It was always a favourite of yours. It’s a picture, Jessie, of our lawn, and there’s a magnificent peacock on it, looking as a peacock does.

Look-at-me attitude. Don’t you think I’m the most wonderful creature in the world? This picture is set in a beautiful frame . carved wood and gilt. It’s a (hick frame . a very thick frame. At the right-hand corner of the frame, there’s a spring catch. No one would know it was there. It’s so cunningly placed. You touch the spring and the back opens like a door. There’s a cavity there and wrapped up in cotton wool is the Green Flash. I’ve locked myself in that room many a time and I’ve taken it out and gloated over it. Well, that stone is yours when I die . yours jointly. It’ll be up to you to do what you like with it. “

He was getting too excited. I felt alarmed for him so I said soothingly: Thank you, Ben. Now you must please rest. Everything is settled now. “

He nodded. Joss pressed his hand and for a moment or two they looked steadily at each other. Then I bent over and kissed him.

“Bless you both,” he said; and we went out.

The bridal suite had been prepared for us. Apparently Oakland brides had used it through the ages.

I was apprehensive when I entered it. Joss shut the door behind him.

He stood leaning against it looking at me mockingly.

They tell me that all the future mistresses of Oakland Hall spend their first night of marriage in this room,” he said.

I glanced quickly at the four-poster bed. He followed my gaze and I knew he was amused.

This is a rather different case,” I said.

“One’s own case always is,” he replied. He walked across the room.

“Here’s the dressing-room. Shall I occupy it or will you?”

“Since you say it is a tradition of Oakland brides to occupy this bed I will do so. The dressing-room can be yours. It will be quite comfortable, I dare say.”

“A nice wifely concern for her husband’s comfort is always to be admired,” he said.

“So… good night.”

He took my hand and kissed it and when ne aid not immediately relinquish it I felt afraid.

“I trust you are a man of your word,” I said.

He shook his head slightly.

“It would be unwise to trust me too far.”

I snatched my hand away.

“But,” he went on. ‘have no fear. I would never force myself where I am so dearly not wanted. “

Then I will repeat Good night. 1 “Good night,” he said.

He walked to the communicating door.

When it shut behind him I ran to it and to my dismay saw that there was no key. As I stood there the door opened. He was there with the key in his hand. He gave it to me with a bow.

“You will want to feel safe,” he said.

I took the key and locked the door. I was safe.

Six weeks after the wedding Ben took a decided turn for the worse. It was as though he had made up his mind that as his mission was accomplished he was ready to go.

We were with him constantly. He talked a good deal about Peacocks and how he would be there with us in spirit.

“Remember me, Jessie,” he said, ‘and particularly remember that everything I wanted was for your happiness . yours and Joss’s.

You’re goin” to see that one day. I always knew it. You don’t like plans being made for you. Sometimes, though, you can’t see the wood for the trees and that’s how it is with you two just now. It’ll change. I’d like to see you together; I’d like to hear you sparring.

You were meant for each other. And now you’re man and wife. God bless you both. “

Joss and I rode together each day. I both dreaded and enjoyed the lessons. I knew I had improved and Joker would not now dare refuse to come when I ordered him to.

They were long days of waiting, and with the passing of each one it became clear that Ben could not be long with us.

He died in his sleep. Hannah called me and I went to his bed and was struck by the utter peace of his face. It was almost as though he were smiling at me. I kissed his cold bflbw and went away.

We buried him in the churchyard not tar from the Clavering section. It was what he would have wanted. Joss and I stood , side by side at the

graveside and as I listened to the clods of earth falling on his coffin I knew that was the end of a phase. My new life was about to begin.

There were solicitors to be seen. I had begun to wonder whether Ben had played a trick on us and had not changed his will at all with the new conditions. I was wrong. It was precisely what he had done.

Joss and I were joint owners of Oakland and the house in Australia known as Peacocks. I was given a good share of Ben’s holding in the Opal Mining Company and Joss was given another to match mine. There were other legades to people including the Laud family, his housekeepr and her children, and the opal known as the Green Flash at Sunset was left to Joss and me jointly.

It seemed as though Ben was determined that we Should be together.

This bequest depended on our marriage and if it had not taken place at the time of his death it must do so immediately afterwards and on its taking place the properties would be ours. We were to be given a year, and if we had not married at the end of that time the shares and the houses and the Green Flash opal would be in trust for the Laud family.

There is no need for us to consider this,” said Mr. Yenning, ‘for the marriage has already taken place before his death, so I may congratulate you both.”