“I should like to arrange something of that sort,” she said,
thoughtfully, and I knew that it was in her mind to show Lady Annabel
Bending that Government Houses are not the only places where these
things can be done.
“Come up to tea on Sunday and let’s talk about it,” I suggested, and
Claire extended the invitation to Nancy Fazackerly and to Captain Patch.
We took Mary and Sallie back to the Mill House in the car, and I
remember that Christopher Ambrey began to ask about Mrs. Fazackerly.
Of course Sallie told him instantly that her husband used to throw
plates at her head.
“What a hound the fellow must have been!”
“She shouldn’t have married him,” said Sallie. “Though I believe she
only did it to get away from her father. If people are mad enough to
bind themselves by those preposterous vows, what can you expect?”
“Preposterous vows?” said Christopher, surprised.
“Don’t you call the marriage service preposterous?” returned Sallie,
equally surprised.
“No,” said Christopher, stoutly, “I don’t. I suppose I am
old-fashioned. I like the Prayer Book, and songs with tunes to them,
and pictures that tell a story you can understand, and--and Christmas
carols.”
“Well done!” said I.
“Talking about songs with tunes,” Mary asked, “what did you think of
Mrs. Harter, Miles?”
“I agree with you that, as an unusual type of person, she’s
interesting.”
“Her choice of songs was interesting, too--that atrocity about cabbage
roses--I beg your pardon, Christopher!--and then ‘the Bluebells of
Scotland.’ The first one was so exactly what one would have expected,
and the second one so exactly what one wouldn’t have expected,” said
Sallie.
“I like the good old ‘Bluebells of Scotland,’” Christopher said. “We
must make her sing it again when we go to Mrs. Fazackerly’s house.”