"Say," said the American, addressing Mr. Jack Harford, and stooping
to pat that casual tradesman's inseparable companion, "is this a dog
fancier's or a book store?"
"We sell books and water-colours," said Jack; "or, at least, we keep a
stock of books. But this spaniel belongs to me and is not for sale."
"I'm sorry," said the American. "I was looking for a flea-trap. But
what about this 'Beck and Call' sign. How can I get there? I've got
some questions to ask. Is it a good place?"
"Very," said Jack. "The office is run by a Miss Staveley, and she seems
to give satisfaction. But it depends rather on what you want. Through
the shop and up the stairs."
"I'll try," said the American. "These chancey things often pan out
best."
He ascended the stairs, and after Jan had, in Dolly's phrase, passed
the rule over him, he was admitted to Ben.
"My name's Barclay Corbet," he began. "I see you solve Domestic
Problems, so perhaps you can solve mine. This is what I'm becking
and calling about: I want to spend a few weeks in real England. Not
the England that most of my countrymen are shown, but something that
you'd call essentially 'old world.' Don't mention a cathedral," he
added hastily; "I've had all the cathedrals I want and all the vergers.
Don't mention a watering place, or the Dukeries, or anything like
that. Don't mention Oxford or Cambridge. And above all don't mention
Stratford-on-Avon. I want retirement. What I want is a place where
there's no railway within miles, no corrugated iron roofs, no waiters
in clawhammer coats, but pretty waiting-maids named Kate and Lucy
instead, and no boys calling winners. And I want there to be a saddler
in it making saddles in the midst of the smell of leather, and a
churchyard with the graves all crooked and all over moss. And spaniels;
yes, there must be spaniels. And another thing, a rookery. Can you do
this?"
Ben furrowed her forehead.
"I wonder," she said, "if Shaftesbury would do? It's in Dorset; very
old, very quiet and self-contained, and high up on a hill like an
Italian town, like Siena."
"That settles it," said Mr. Corbet. "If it's high on a hill, it's
no good to me. I've had all the climbing I want. And if it's like
anything Italian, it can fade away into the back seats. I've done with
macaroni. No," he went on, "think again. Think of something where
there's a river to loaf beside and a water mill."
"A water mill! Oh, I know," exclaimed Ben--"Bibury!"
"You seem mighty struck on places ending in 'bury'," said her client.
"It was you who insisted on a churchyard," Ben retaliated.
"So it was," said the American, "but for æsthetic purposes only. Still,
tell me about this Bibury."
"Bibury is a dream," said Ben. "It's all grey stone, and every house
looks as if it grew there. But they're beautiful too, and even the
tiniest cottages have mullioned windows and delicious gables. The barns
are like cathedrals--without," she added hastily, "any vergers--and the
cattle-sheds are like cloisters. It's in Gloucestershire. It's miles
from a station, and there's a trout stream, and--if you value that, but
of course you don't--the people still touch their caps and the little
girls curtsy. And when I was there last there certainly weren't any
waiters--only nice girls, even if they weren't named Kate and Lucy. But
their caps were white. And there are millions of rooks, and if you
were very lucky you might see a kingfisher."
"It's too good to be true," said the American. "Show it me in the
'A.B.C.'"
"I can't," said Ben. "It isn't there. You have to go to Cirencester."
"Better and better," said the American. "Places not in the 'A.B.C.'
have a special appeal for me. And bury or no bury, I'll go there. Is
the food good?"
"Didn't I say it was a fishing inn?" Ben replied.
"Well, young lady," said the American, "you've put me wise to what
sounds like a very good thing. Tell me how I pay you."
"I don't think you do," said Ben. "Not this time. You must come again
and let me do something more practical for you."
"It's a bet," said the American. "I'm very much obliged to you, young
lady. You're the brightest thing I've struck in this country yet. _Au
revoir!_ We shall meet again."
On his way through "The Booklovers' Rest" he paused to ask Jack if he
knew a place called Bibury.
"Know it?" said Jack. "I should think I do. It's one of the most
beautiful spots in England."
"Bully," said the American; but he had sufficient native scepticism to
ask if the bright girl upstairs did not have an interest in the inn.
"Because she's been recommending it?" Jack asked.
"I just wondered," said the American. "No offence," he added quickly,
as Jack's face darkened.
"It's just as well you said that," Jack replied, "or by jingo----" His
fists relaxed.
"Now look here, young man," said the American, "forgive me. I meant no
harm. And I like you for your feelings. I'll insure my life and come
here again."
A few weeks or so later Mr. Barclay Corbet, who was as good as his
word, was again announced by Jan.
"Miss Beck," he said, greeting Ben, "I've come to thank you for your
advice about an English village and to ask you to help me some more.
But this time it's a real business proposition. I've bought Bibury
Grange and I want you to furnish it for me as a place should be
furnished and find me some good servants. Will you?"
Ben collected her startled wits. "Of course," she said. "When do you
want to go in?"
"In three weeks to the minute," said Mr. Corbet, looking at his watch.
"Three weeks!" Ben gasped.
"Yes. I can't wait any longer. I'm going over to New York for a day or
two to settle some affairs, and I want when I return in exactly three
weeks to find the house ready for me to live in. I want to go straight
there and settle down and be happy. Will you do it?"
"But----" Ben was beginning.
"No 'buts,' Miss Beck," said the American. "Here's a plan of the house,
every room measured up. Take it and get busy. And here's a cheque that
will more than cover everything, and the bank is ready to let you have
more on your signature, if you'll kindly write one out for me for
reference. I haven't a minute now. The signature, please."
He rose.
"But I don't know your taste," said Ben.
"It's yours," said the American; "or rather, I should like it to be."
"Do you want a butler and a footman or only women?" Ben called after
him.
"Nice women, named Kate and Lucy and Alice and things like that," he
replied, as he left the room.
"And what about wall-paper?" she remembered to ask at the top of her
voice.
"White distemper," he called back, and was gone.