however, when Sir Timothy brought the gentlemen up to the Long Drawing-room to join the ladies: a circumstance which, to judge by her expression, was far from pleasing to his mother. She shot a look at Dr Delabole, which caused him to cast a quick glance round the room, and another, of apology, at her, before he unobtrusively withdrew.
Except for those who played whist in the anteroom, where two tables had been set up, the evening, Kate thought, must have been extremely boring. Fortunately, it was not of long duration. The moon was not yet at the full, so that most of the guests, anxious to reach their homes in the last of the daylight, had bespoken their carriages at an early hour. By ten o’clock, even the inveterate lingerers had departed, and Lady Broome, yawning behind her fan, was saying: “What an intolerable bore country dinner-parties are! No one has anything to say that might not as well be left unsaid, and one is reduced to flowery commonplaces. My dear Sir Timothy, I was sorry to be obliged to saddle you with Lady Dunston at dinner, and can only trust that you were not worn down by her prattle!”
“Oh, no!” he replied. “She is always very amiable, and full of anecdote.”
“A gabble-monger!”
“Why, yes, my dear, but gabble-mongers have this to be said in the favour: they provide their own entertainment! I find that few things exhaust me more than making conversation. I had an enjoyable rubber of whist, and passed a very agreeable evening. However, I am a little tired, so I’ll bid you both goodnight.”
He smiled vaguely at both ladies, and went away, leaving Lady Broome to thank God the party had broken up so early. “You see how it is, Kate!” she said. “The least thing exhausts him! That is why I so seldom entertain—and then only the people he knows, and who understand how easily he can be knocked-up. Very naughty of Torquil to have escaped, but I find it hard to blame him: I fancy one of his headaches may be coming on. Don’t be surprised if he keeps to his bed tomorrow!”
Kate privately considered that it was boredom, not headache, which had made Torquil leave the party, but this she naturally did not say. Nor, when her aunt recommended her to retire to her own bed, did she say that she was not tired. But the truth was that she was remarkably wide-awake, and found the prospect of reading or sewing in her bedchamber unattractive. She was young, healthy, and full of energy; and she was, furthermore, wholly unused to a life of indolence. She had welcomed it, but after only a fortnight she had begun to feel enervated, and could almost have wished herself back in the Astley household, where there was at least plenty to do.
After sewing on two buttons, and exquisitely darning a tear in a lace flounce, she was obliged to fold up her work, for her candle, burning low in the socket, had begun to flicker. Sleep was as far away as ever, and with an impatient sigh she went to the window, and pulled back the blinds, looking wistfully out. The moon was not quite at the full, and its light was rendered the more uncertain by a cloudy sky, but Kate knew an impulse to slip out of the house into the scented gardens. She knew very well how improper this would be, and was just about to draw the blinds again when she caught a glimpse of a figure emerging from the deep shadow of a yew hedge. It was only for a moment that she saw it, but for long enough for her to perceive that it was a man’s figure; Then, as though he became suddenly aware that he was being watched, he vanished behind the hedge.
Kate was startled, but not alarmed. She had removed her dress before she settled down to her stitchery, and she now snatched up her dressing-gown, and hastily put it on before running along the gallery to her aunt’s room. There was no response to her first tap on the door, so she repeated it, rather more loudly. Then, as still there was no reply, she ventured to open the door, and to speak her aunt’s name. Even as she did so she saw, by the light of the lamp burning on the table, that the great bed was unoccupied, its curtains undrawn, and its clothing undisturbed. Since Lady Broome had declared herself to be dropping with sleep, and had certainly gone to her room after bidding Kate goodnight, this was surprising. Kate was wondering what to do next when she saw a light approaching up the secondary stairway which lay at the end of the gallery. That did alarm her for an instant, but even as she caught her breath on a gasp Lady Broome came into sight, carrying a lamp. She had put off her rubies, but she was fully dressed, and was looking exhausted. When she saw Kate, she said sharply: “What is it? What are you doing here?”
“I came in search of you, ma’am. There is a man in the garden: I saw him from my window!”
“Nonsense!
“I don’t know that: I had only a glimpse of him before he hid behind the yew hedge. I came to tell you! Should we rouse Pennymore, or, perhaps, Dr Delabole?”
“My dear child, I think you have been dreaming!”
“No, I haven’t! I haven’t been to bed!” said Kate indignantly.
Lady Broome shrugged. “Well, if you did indeed see someone it was probably one of the servants.”
“At this hour?”
“It is not so late, you know! It wants twenty minutes to midnight. Do, child, go back to your room, and to bed!”
“But—”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, don’t argue!” interrupted Lady Broome, with a flash of temper most unusual in her. She stopped herself, pressing a hand to her brow, and said in a more moderate tone: “Forgive me! I have the headache.”
The door at the end of the gallery which led into the West Wing opened, and Torquil came into the gallery. When he reached the light thrown by his mother’s lamp, Kate saw that he was considerably dishevelled, but in high good humour. He was chuckling a little, and his eyes were sparkling. He said: “I have had a fine game! Hide-and- seek, you know! I led them
“Where have you been, Torquil?” asked his mother. She spoke with customary calm, and compellingly.
He giggled. “In the woods. I heard them coming, Matthew and Badger, and I escaped over the bridge. Famous sport! They are still searching for me!”
He sounded unlike himself. Remembering the wine he had drunk at dinner, Kate came to the conclusion that he was a trifle foxed. His speech was not slurred, nor was his gait unsteady, but he seemed to her to be decidedly well and lively.
“Go back to your room, Torquil!” said Lady Broome coldly.
His mood changed. He stopped giggling, and glowered at her. “I won’t! I won’t be ordered about! I’m not a child! No, and I won’t be spied on! I won’t—”
“Torquil, go back to your room!” commanded Lady Broome, in a level voice.
Her stern eyes held his glittering ones for a few moments of silent struggle for mastery. It was Torquil who yielded. His angry glare shifted, and fell; as his mother advanced slowly towards him, he turned, and ran back into his own quarters, slamming the door behind him.
“You too, Kate,” said Lady Broome, her iron calm undisturbed. “There is nothing to alarm you: the man you saw was probably Dr Delabole, or Badger. Goodnight!”
“Goodnight, ma’am,” responded Kate, subdued.
Chapter VI
Torquil did not appear at the breakfast-table on the following morning. Kate was not surprised, for experience had taught her that when a man went bosky to bed he awoke with a splitting headache, and a general feeling of being quite out of curl. When Lady Broome apologized, rather stiffly, for the incident, she replied, with her engaging twinkle: “He was in very merry pin, wasn’t he, ma’am? No need to ask you in what sort of cue he is this morning!” She saw that her aunt was staring at her, and added: “No need to beg my pardon either! I have frequently seen men in their altitudes, as the saying is. He wasn’t more than half-sprung, you know!”
“No,” agreed her ladyship slowly. “He wasn’t, was he?” She smiled, and said: “I daresay it is unnecessary for me to warn you not to mention the matter to him?”
“Quite unnecessary, dear aunt!” Kate assured her. “I don’t suppose he will retain the least recollection of it!”
This, when Torquil rejoined the family circle before dinner, was seen to be true. He was lethargic, and his eyes, which had shone with such unearthly brilliance, were a little clouded. But he smiled sleepily at Kate, and
