'I'm very sorry, sir,' he said. 'I didn't mean . . .'
'I'm sure you didn't, my dear fellow. That was just a warning, that's all. I'm sure it won't happen again.'
Ellis knocked the next ball from so wide of the stumps that it glanced straight across Colville for four byes.
He was taken off after three more catastrophic overs and retired to long on, blinking back tears and fending off the jeers of his home supporters on the boundary.
Cricket, thought Adrian. It's so character-building.
After the collapse of Ellis the outcome was never really in doubt. The fast man at the other end was competent but soon exhausted. Weirder and wilder alternatives were tried, boys who dropped slow balls from a great height, boys with violent actions like windmills that produced gentle long hops, boys who bowled balls that bounced twice before reaching the middle of the pitch, but to no avail. The openers put on a stand of a hundred and twelve and the fourth-wicket partnership of Rice and Hooper scored the final runs as Narborough church clock struck six.
Adrian watched it all with raised eyebrows and an impartial smile. Hugo boiled and seethed and glared, glancing miserably from time to time at the stony figure of his headmaster who sat perched on a shooting-stick next to Professor Trefusis.
'An instructive match,' said Adrian as he and Hugo pulled up the stumps. 'I thought we were in real trouble at one stage.'
'I can't understand what the hell went wrong with Ellis,' said Hugo. 'I really thought he was the most gifted cricketer in the school. An England prospect even.'
'He's young yet. Temperament is the problem there, I fancy. I tried to calm him down and encourage him to get on with his natural game, but he was a bit overawed. Don't give up on him, he's learnt a lot today.'
'He'll learn a bloody sight more after I'm through with him.'
The Narborough team, hot and limp with exertion and defeat, saw them off in the driveway. Hugo stood with them, sipping at a can of beer.
'Three cheers for Chartham Park,' called Malthouse, their captain, raising his arm with an attempt at casual gallantry. 'Hip-ip.'
'Ray!' murmured Narborough.
'Hip-ip!'
'Ray!'
'Hip-ip.'
'Ray.'
'Three cheers for Narborough Hall,' shouted a flushed and triumphant Hooper, punching the air. 'Hip-Hip!'
'Hooray!' bellowed Chartham.
'Hip-Hip-Hip!'
'Hooray!'
'Hip-Hip-Hip-Hip!'
'HOORAY!'
'Goodbye then, Hugo. See you for the return match.'
'We'll pulverise you.'
'Of course you will.'
A madness suddenly possessed Adrian. With a pounding heart he leant forward and whispered in Hugo's ear.
'I was awake, you know.'
'What?'
'That night in Harrogate. I was awake all the time.'
Hugo looked annoyed.
'I know you bloody were. Do you think I'm an idiot?'
Adrian stared open-mouthed and then burst out laughing.
'You total. . . you complete . . . you . . .'
Trefusis stepped forward.
'Well, young man, you've earned me a thousand pounds.
Here's two hundred, my original stake.'
'Oh really,' said Adrian. 'I couldn't.'
'Of course you could,' he pushed a bundle of notes at him. 'Tremendous display.'
'Yes, they're not a bad bunch, are they?' Adrian looked on affectionately as his team climbed into the minibus.
'No, no, no. You!'
