VISITORS
During a whole fortnight nothing particular happened, but many things
took place; the first of which was the passing of the snow. By the end
of January it was all gone, the trees in the ravine were black instead
of white, and the roads, while the thaw lasted, almost impassable.
Madam speedily recovered her usual health, and Dr. Balmayne paid only
one more visit, on which occasion Miss Innes was out, so he did not see
her.
The state of the weather made farming impossible. Ninian went hunting
once or twice, but was for a great part of the time short of occupation,
and Olwen and he were much in each other's company.
Reading aloud became a recognised amusement. This took place usually in
the interval between tea and supper. The rearrangement of the
banqueting-hall, and the comfort of the new couch, had apparently
reconciled Madam to the renewed use of the one stately apartment which
she possessed. She reclined beside the fire, with her knitting, while
Ninian sprawled upon the settle, smoking and netting a new tennis-net
for next season. Olwen, between them, had a little reading-lamp all to
herself.
Madam, like her son, was a creature of moods. She puzzled Olwen. At
times it seemed as though she were on the eve of a burst of confidence.
Sometimes, but very rarely, she permitted herself a spiteful sneer at
Ninian's expense, as on the occasion of her first coming downstairs; but
for far the greater part of the time, one would have said that she
tried, persistently, and at times quite openly, to throw her son and her
companion into each other's society.
As for Ninian, his temper varied. Sometimes, for a whole day together,
he would be perfectly delightful, saying and doing nothing which
jarred--making fun, teasing, preserving the demeanour of a big,
indulgent brother, who took increasing pleasure in the society of a
small sister. After such a day, Olwen would drift upstairs to her
night's rest, in a happy dream. She attempted no self analysis in these
times. She was content with life as it was. Then would come a day when
Mr. Guyse hardly spoke, when his brow lowered, and he either avoided her
or seemed anxious to pick a quarrel. This did not often happen, and when
it did it disturbed her a good deal. One morning she received a letter
and a parcel, both from Ben Holroyd. His firm had just been
experimenting with a new substance as an equivalent for silk, and as a
result they were putting on the market some particularly charming sports
coats in all shades. Ben said that he had given two of these dainty
garments to Gracie, and that she had begged that Olwen might have the
like. This gave him courage to venture upon sending them. "You are
Gracie's friend--her almost sister," he wrote, "and you have no brother.
You may find it impossible to be my wife, but don't be unkind enough to
say I may not be your friend."
Olwen felt it would be ungracious to refuse the gift thus offered; in
truth, it was very welcome, since one needed warm clothing at the Pele
while the weather continued so severe. Grace's hand was clearly
discernible in the choice, since both the coats sent harmonized with
skirts in Olwen's possession. One was a dark, cold blue, not in the
least what is known as "navy," but something like a starlit sky in
summer. With a lawn collar, and a skirt to match, this looked extremely
nice, and she went down to breakfast wearing it in high good humour.
It was damping to find Ninian plunged in a fit of the sulks, of which
she could not trace the origin.
By next morning he had more or less got over it, but Olwen did not feel
prepared to go back at once to the old footing. She was a little stiff,
and he went off after breakfast in something of a huff, and did not as
usual return to lunch.
Madam and her companion, now on most amicable terms, ate together. Then
the lady was tucked up comfortably on her couch for her daily nap, and
Olwen went upstairs to write letters. She was thus occupied--Ben's
letter open before her, her own reply nearly complete--when Sunia came
in, a little breathless and very eager.
"My Missee change her frock quick," said she; "people come a-calling."
"Why, Sunia, how marvellous! How unheard-of! I feel all of a tremble,"
laughed Olwen as she rose. "No wonder you're excited! Things like this
mustn't happen too often, or they will upset my nerves!"
Sunia was swiftly taking from its drawer Olwen's prettiest frock, and
one that she had never hitherto worn at the Pele, for want of a suitable
occasion. The ayah admired it greatly--it had been purchased for a
friend's wedding the preceding summer--and now she dressed her missee in
it with great satisfaction, though in feverish haste.
"Missee go down quick; poor Madam not like having folks allylone."
"Well, I would have gone down at once, if you hadn't insisted upon
dressing me up, you silly old thing," laughed the girl. "Who are the
visitors?"
"Kendall folk," said Sunia in a slighting voice. "You never seen 'em,
they never see you." She gave a little chuckle as if at some thought
which pleased her. "They see you this day, certinly. Miss Rose Kendall
she see you quite well. There now, here, my Missee, clean hanshif--run
away, I must go and bring tea."
Olwen took the "hanshif," one of her best, and as she scuttled
downstairs she inhaled its faint, exquisite perfume, described by Ninian
as "subtle yet perceptible." She never gave a thought to the open
letters on her blotter.
With Madam she found three strangers--an elderly lady and gentleman and
a girl of about her own age. The gentleman was fierce and military, the
lady nondescript and uncertain, the girl struck her rather unpleasantly.
She was of the chinless type, with a salient nose, giving to her profile
the look of a bird of prey. Her brown eyes were goggling, but she
apparently considered herself a beauty, for she was extravagantly
arrayed in ermine and velvet, with diamonds in her ears and at her
collar.
Mrs. Guyse looked relieved when Olwen entered. "Ah, here is Miss
Innes," she said; "let me introduce her--Miss Innes, General and Mrs.
Kendall, Miss Kendall."
The attitude of all these three persons, when presented to Madam's
companion, was stiff to the point of rudeness, but Olwen set to work
bravely to do her duty and entertain them as well as she could. Mrs.
Kendall turned her back, addressing herself pointedly to Madam, and the
General followed her example; so Olwen gave her attention to the young
lady.
"I expect you came in a car," said she; "it is the only way to get about
in these parts. As we have not one, we are almost confined to the
house, except when the snow is deep and hard enough for sleighing. How
far have you come?"
"About ten miles," said the heiress frigidly.
"Mrs. Guyse took cold sleighing," went on Miss Innes, unperturbed; "she
was laid up for several days, and it was all that Dr. Balmayne could do
to get to us. This place seems like the world's end, does it not?"
Miss Kendall stared forbiddingly. "It is one of the sights of the
country," said she. "It is mentioned in Domesday Book."
"I was not criticising, but merely commenting," replied Olwen, amused.
"As a matter of fact, I like the solitude, though I am surprised at
myself for saying so. I came from Bramforth."
"Indeed!" was all the reply vouchsafed; and the speaker looked out above
her furs, so curiously like a parrot that Olwen nearly laughed.
"Won't you take off your stole? This room is so warm; we are obliged to
keep up the temperature for Madam."
"I am not too warm," replied Miss Kendall, with an indescribable arching
of her skinny throat.
"No, it's not a parrot that she is like--it's a vulture," thought Olwen.
"I can fancy her hopping sideways after a bit of carrion! I should like
to see Nin deal with her!" Aloud she made one more effort.
"Do you live in the Caryngston direction?"
"No," replied the vulture, and made no further conversational attempt.
Olwen felt greatly inclined to say, "Oh, very well, sulk if you want
to!" but at this painful instant the door opened and the master of the
house walked in. She was so pleased to see him that she actually gave
him what he would have called the "glad eye"--receiving in return a
flash of green light which gave her a queer sensation of pleasure. They
had had a tiff, and to both this exchange of looks seemed to say that
all was right once more between them.
The looker-on thought she detected some embarrassment or
self-consciousness in the cordiality of the greeting the young man
received from the General and his wife; but Miss Kendall became a
different creature at once. With much play of eyes and tossing of furs
she made way for him upon the settle at her side. Olwen had risen at
once upon his entrance, and the appearance of Sunia with the tea gave
her occupation at some little distance, so that she could not hear what
Nin was saying, only that he was making Miss Kendall laugh. Her high
titter resounded through the lofty chamber. But when Olwen rose and
began to hand round cups, he instantly rose also, took possession of the
cake-stand, and did his duty as host in a manner which pleased Olwen
enormously.
"Your ayah is wonderful," said Rose, accepting her cup. "I always think
she is immortal, like 'She' in Rider Haggard's story. She never seems
to grow any older, and she lends such a _bizarre_ touch! The contrast
of the feudal fortress and the Oriental servant!"
"What's _bizarre_, teacher?" asked Ninian of Olwen, with a wicked look.
"_Bizarre_ is the word which describes the effect of Sunia in the Pele,
as Miss Kendall has just told you," replied Olwen, rather saucily,
perhaps, but she had been a little nettled by Miss Kendall's
ill-breeding.
"Sunia is so devoted in her attendance on your mother that I should
hardly have thought you required anybody else," went on Rose, her eyes
fixed disparagingly upon Olwen.
"Oh, it isn't Miss Innes's job to wait on my mother," said Ninian
quietly. It was curious that Olwen knew his voice inflections well
enough to be aware that he was angry. "Sunia is all very well in her
way, but she has her little tempers. She was getting a bit unbearable
when Miss Innes arrived, but she has somehow contrived to tame her
entirely. Ayah is perfectly devoted--waits on you hand and foot,
doesn't she?" He spoke standing up, with his cup in his hand, close to
Olwen, determined that she should be included in the conversation. She
had never liked him so well. His mother chimed in.
"Yes, as I hear Ninian telling your daughter, it is a most remarkable
thing the way my ayah has taken to Miss Innes. It was almost
instantaneous. She positively worships her. Miss Innes, tell General
Kendall about the table."
Olwen smiled as she related how she had wished to have a writing-table
in her room, and how, owing to the impossibility of carrying furniture
upstairs, Sunia made Baxter take off the legs of an unused table and
transport it to the top of the house, where it was put together again.
Rose Kendall made no comment, but after an insolent stare at Olwen,
turned her shoulder to her and said to Mr. Guyse, "How strange that it
never occurred to me to wonder how the things were got into the rooms!
This fine billiard-table, for example."
"My father never went without anything he really meant to have," replied
Ninian. "This place had been more or less uninhabited for a century,
except by a farm-hind, when he determined to use it as a shooting-box.
He took out all the mullions of that great window, and the table was
hauled up with ropes and pulleys."
"How glorious to own such a place!" said Miss Kendall fervently. "How I
should like to live in a historic tower!"
Ninian's grin over her head at Olwen showed that he thought this attempt
too clumsy even for Miss Kendall. "Nicer to think about than to put in
practice," he replied. "Ask my mother."
"Oh, the Pele is a bit trying if you have to live in it in winter, but
it has its good points," said Madam. Her voice had wholly lost the edge
of bitterness with which she had spoken of her home to Olwen as "this
accursed spot."
"Miss Innes became acclimatised very quickly," went on Ninian to the
young lady.
She acknowledged the remark with a smile that was almost a grimace, and
changed the subject forthwith. "What news of your brother? He was
looking so well when I saw him last."
"Oh, he's all right, but we haven't heard very lately. This is just the
busy time for him, Parliament opening and so on." He sat down beside
the visitor, and spoke with his eyes full upon her and an especially
demon-like smile. "By the way, I heard a bit of news this morning. Came
home hot-foot to tell Madam. What do you think, Mother? Noel Guyse is
going to be married to Miss Leverett, of Leverett's Wash-White
Slick-Soap!"
"Never, Nin!" cried Madam, with a little laugh. "His lordship has never
given permission!"
"If he didn't, he'd be a raving lunatic. She's got money enough to buy
the whole county. Now they'll have another try to get me to sell the
Pele! See if they don't!"
"But you won't!" cried Miss Kendall in terrified accents, clasping her
jewelled hands and gazing at him intensely. Certainly he looked
wonderfully handsome as he sat there, so completely at his ease, with
the impish smile flickering over his face.
"Depends on how much they offer," he said, with another glance at Olwen.
For some reason which she could not fathom, he was evidently enjoying
this conversation. "I suppose you had already heard of the engagement?"
he went on, addressing the General point-blank.
The old gentleman cleared his throat, and admitted, a trifle nervously,
that he had heard something of it. "Met his lordship on the bench on
Monday."
"Did he seem pleased?" Ninian inquired.
"Oh, ah, yes, certainly. Very pleased.... Charming girl, so he said.
Case of love at first sight on both sides."
"No doubt," said Madam, with her little nervous laugh. "Love of money on
his side, love of a title on hers."
"Ha! ha! Good, my dear lady, good!" laughed the General. His daughter
added:
"I've seen Amanda Leverett, she was at Danley Races last autumn, but I
forget what she's like. Her clothes were all right. They were the
thing you remembered about her."
"Well, no doubt Caryngston can do with the money. None of our family are
what Nin would call coiny," said Madam.
"Ah, but you don't need it, you have something worth far more!" cried
Rose, with a glance which she meant to be very expressive. Ninian
acknowledged the compliment with a merry bow.
Mrs. Kendall rose. She had been looking decidedly ill at ease while the
latest topic was discussed. "The days are so short," she murmured, "we
must really say good-bye. Charmed to find you at home and looking so
well, dear Mrs. Guyse. Now, I suppose it would be of no use to ask you
to let Mr. Guyse bring you to lunch with us one day next week?" She
bent over Madam's couch coaxingly.
"Oh, no thank you. I shall not go out until the weather turns really
fine," was the quick response. "Miss Innes will have to do my social
duties for me."
Mrs. Kendall ignored the hint entirely. "Mr. Guyse, you will have to
take pity on us and come alone," said she playfully. "Shall we say
Monday? Or would Tuesday suit you better? What with our having been
abroad the two last winters, and in London during the season, we have
seen nothing of you lately."
"Must be three years since I was at Copley, isn't it?"
"Oh, I can't believe that it is as long as that! How time flies! But
do be--er--forgiving, and come over for an hour or two. The General is
longing for a chat with you."
"Can't be done, thanks all the same. We're short-handed on the farm,
and next week is going to be very busy. The long snow has made us all
behindhand. You must realise that I'm a mere British workman, not fit
to lunch with the quality."
Rose approached, laying her cheek down on her big white muff, and
looking wistfully at him. He stuck to his refusal, however, in spite of
entreaties. The discussion seemed to amuse Madam. She lay listening
with one of her queer looks--looks which enabled one to glimpse a
passing likeness between her and the son who was so unlike her.
The young man accompanied his guests downstairs, and as the sound of
their footsteps and voices died away, his mother turned to Olwen.
"Dear! How funny!" said she.
"What in particular was funny?" inquired the girl, coming to relieve her
of her empty cup.
"The Kendalls! Ha! ha! I can't altogether explain how funny it is, but
I can tell you part. They tried hard, three years ago, to marry Rose to
Ninian. She's got a nice little fortune, it wouldn't have done badly.
Then suddenly something made them think that they might get hold of Noel
Guyse, Caryngston's boy, and, of course, they thought that would be much
better. They haven't been near us for ages, and when they walked in
this afternoon, all gush, I couldn't make out what brought them. But,
you see, Ninian knew! They had got wind of Noel's engagement, and hoped
we shouldn't have heard about it! Hoped they wouldn't be seen through!
But Nin wasn't going to let them off! Did you see the General's face
when Nin made him own that he knew? Dear me, I haven't been so amused
for a long time!"
Nin was soon back again, and came into the room laughing. "Well," he
said, "aren't those people just about the limit? Like their cheek,
turning up here and coming the long-lost brother over me, when they've
boycotted me for three years!"
"Oh, well, I think you scored," said his mother with relish.
"What d'you think of 'em, eh, Teacher?" he continued, dropping into a
chair by her tea-table and stretching out his long limbs.
"Sit down and have a proper tea," said she, instead of replying. "You
were behaving so beautifully that you had not time to eat."
"Yes, wasn't he?" said Madam unexpectedly. "Your manners are improving,
Nin, did you know?"
The expression which crept into Nin's face touched Olwen with a quick
thrill of pity. His eye gathered light, his lips curved, the colour
mustered in his dark face. Evidently his mother's praise was delightful
to him.
Of course, however, he replied flippantly. "Ought to be improving by
now. Been living in a reformatory for weeks."
"Oh," said the girl quickly, "has it been as bad as that?"
He gave her a sidelong glance, watching the effect of his words. "It's
been very painful." He sighed. "But all is forgiven if the result
seems to be worth the sacrifice. You haven't answered the previous
question, Teacher. What do you think of the resident gentry, as
exemplified in the Kendall family?"
"Oh ... I expect they improve on acquaintance, like--like some other
folks I know."
"Now what have I done for you to be nasty?"
"Said you'd been living in a reformatory," she snapped.
"Ah, but this one is run on the new lines--cure by kindness. I like
being here so much that I'm going to stay as long as they let me have
the same teacher."
"Doesn't he want shaking?" said Olwen to Madam,
"My dear, I think you _have_ shaken him--pretty thoroughly!"