STRANDED!
The following morning the guests who still remained at the Court, made
up a party to attend a race meeting at Knapshot. Knapshot was thirty
miles away, and could be reached by rail,--as the Court was but a short
distance from a mean, and undeserving little station. However, most of
the party decided to go by motor; Mrs. De Wolfe, Mrs. Horne, Sir Dudley
and Nancy in the comfortable roomy Daimler, with Roger De Wolfe sitting
by the chauffeur, Major Horne, Billy Miller, Josie and Captain Mayne,
followed in the new Rolls-Royce. Several preferred to travel by rail,
and Mrs. Hicks remained at home, to rest her weary bones, and repose
upon her well-earned laurels.
The races, though not particularly notable, offered good sport; the
lunch was excellent, the ladies had their fortunes told, and did a
little betting. Mrs. De Wolfe and Mrs. Horne elected to return by train
early in the afternoon, as there was a dinner-party at the Court that
night--the last function of the week, moreover, the old ladies found
motoring rather hot, and dusty; and escorted by Roger, left the rest of
the party to follow, enjoining on all, that on no account were they to
be late.
"We will go back just as we came!" said Josie, "we played games all the
way, and don't want to break up our happy little set!"
This arrangement left Sir Dudley and Nancy to share the Daimler
_tête-à-tête_, and she offered a seat to Billy, who, however
(naturally), preferred to travel in company with Major Horne!
"We will take different roads," declared Josie, who seemed to have
assumed command of the whole party, "and race, and see which car gets
home first? The Charlton road is the shortest: but it's out of repair,
the other by Langford is a couple of miles longer--but good going all
the way. Shall we toss, Dudley?--come, be sporting, and have something
on!"
They tossed accordingly, Mrs. Speyde won the long route--and booked a
bet of five pounds.
With a good deal of laughing, and joking, the competitors started
together, but within a quarter of a mile, the cars had separated, the
Rolls-Royce to take a high road, more or less bordering the railway,
the Daimler to plunge into what seemed to be the very heart and soul of
the country. It was a light and lovely September evening, and they sped
along with noiseless ease,--considering the ruts.
"This is a ripping good car!" remarked Sir Dudley, "and Josie's five
pounds is already in my pocket,--I suppose your chauffeur knows the
way?"
"Oh yes," replied Nancy, "Saxton belongs to this part of the country,
he has been with Mrs. De Wolfe for years."
The couple discussed the races, the fortune-teller, and other matters,
but neither appeared to be in a talkative mood. It was delightful
flying along these quiet, grass-bordered roads, and lanes, breathing
the soft delicious air, watching the homing birds, and the solemn rise
of a splendid harvest moon. Suddenly Sir Dudley said:
"I thought Mayne's leave was up, and that he was sick of this country,
but I heard him tell a fellow at the races, that he was going to apply
for an extension."
"Is he?" murmured Nancy, and a bright colour invaded her face. "Was
this the outcome of their interrupted interview?"
"Yes, and the sooner he goes the better! Josie Speyde is carrying on
one of her most outrageous flirtations. Lord! what a number of them
I've seen! If I didn't know her so well, I would swear that this time,
she was in earnest. There was Chapman, Fotheringay, Montague----"
"Oh! Sir Dudley, it really isn't fair, to tell tales of your own
cousin."
"Josie wouldn't mind, on the contrary, she's proud of her scalps. She's
a queer woman, in her way--a freak! Here we are, on a by-road I see.
I suppose it's all right?" then as the car slowed down, and drew up
beside a picturesque old cottage, he added, "but what is he stopping
for?"
"I expect to get water for the car," replied Nancy. "What a dear
place"--looking in through the open door--"there's such a darling oak
chest in the passage!"
"Yes, I know your craze,--and I think I see some china on a dresser
further on! Do you wish to go in?"
"Only just for a second,--it looks the sort of cottage where one
can pick up the most priceless treasures!" Before she finished the
sentence, Nancy was already in the passage. A stout, grey-haired woman
with a bulky figure and a pleasant face, appeared, wiping her hands.
"I wanted to look at your beautiful old chest," explained the visitor.
"I caught sight of it through the open door."
"You are very welcome, miss," she answered, "and there's a still
better one in the kitchen--if you care to see that? We have a good
few old things--that came down from Bode's grandmother--Bode was my
husband--he's dead, poor man--this ten year."
Nancy followed the woman down a long flagged passage, and found herself
in a heavily-beamed, low room,--with a vast fireplace. Here she
discovered a fine oak settle, a dresser and a chest,--with the date,
sixteen hundred and seventy. Nancy was in raptures, and fell in love
with an old blue bowl, that she saw on the dresser. She admired it with
such heartfelt enthusiasm, that the woman,--honestly displaying various
cracks,--declared that "it had been her grandfather's, but now leaked.
If the young lady fancied it--she could have it for a shilling."
But Nancy protested, and said, "I wouldn't dream of imposing on your
generosity"--she did not like to use the word "ignorance," and added,
"I will gladly give you a sovereign for it"--and produced her purse.
The bargain being concluded to their mutual satisfaction, and Sir
Dudley having approved of the family chest, and bench, they took leave
of the hostess, and returned to the entrance, but here, to their utter
and speechless amazement, there was no motor to be seen!
"Where is he?" cried Nancy, looking up and down the road. "Has he taken
the car into the yard?"
No, neither car, nor chauffeur were about the premises--they had
mysteriously disappeared,--as if dissolved into thin air. Whilst Nancy
and her companion stood bewildered, and exclaiming, a youth on a shaggy
colt trotted up.
"Dan, did you see a motor?" demanded his mother.
"I did, it passed me just now--going at a great rate."
"What is to be done?" said Nancy, turning to Sir Dudley in despair.
"I understand what's happened; the fellow didn't notice us getting
out, he was round in the yard at the time, and, thinking we were still
in the car, he has driven off, and left us! Is there any station near
this?" turning to the woman.
"Yes, about two miles off, but there's few trains. This is a terrible
awkward place to get away from--being a bit out of the way."
"I suppose you have a post-office within reach?" inquired Nancy.
"Yes, in Lofty village,--a mile off."
"Then let us send a wire for the car to return; Auntie Wolfe will be
most awfully fussed, if we are not back in time for dinner."
"You can take a telegram, my lad?" said Villars, appealing to the young
man.
"Oh yes, sir, for sure," he answered eagerly.
"Then I've got a pencil, and," to Mrs. Bode, "if you'll let me have a
bit of paper, I'll just go inside and write it." He retired indoors,
and Nancy talked to the colt and Dan, and after a few minutes, Dudley
reappeared, and handed a message to the youth, along with a half-crown.
"I'll give you something for yourself, when you come back; be as quick
as ever you can. It's half-past seven now," he added, looking at his
watch, and then glancing at Nancy, he nodded his head, and said, "There
will be no dinner party for you, and me."
"Oh, if they deliver the message at the Court at once, say in half an
hour, the car should be here by nine. We will dash home, and appear in
time for dessert."
"'I doubt it, said the carpenter, and shed a bitter tear,'" quoted
Villars. "Perhaps Mrs. Bode can find us something to eat?" he added.
"I am sorry I haven't got no butcher's meat in the house, sir, but
there's fresh eggs, and cold bacon,--and good home-made bread."
"There are worse things!" said Villars, "but I'm not hungry, I was
thinking of the young lady."
"A cup of tea, and a slice of home-made bread, is what I should like,
if Mrs. Bode will be so kind,--and I shall make the most of my time, in
poking about among her nice old things, and there is my nice blue bowl,
which I intend to carry home, as a souvenir of this funny adventure.
Will you come and help me to ransack the cottage?" said Nancy. "I know
you have a _flair_ for old oak, and pewter too."
"No," replied Villars, "I'll let you have it all your own way for once;
and leave you to gather up the spoil. I'll just stroll down the road
for half an hour,--and smoke a cigarette."