They went down the steps, turned to the left, skirting the village green. Luke looked back at the Stately lines of the house they had left. 'It must have been a lovely house in your father's day,' he said.
Miss Waynflete sighed. 'Yes, we were all very happy there. I am so thankful it hasn't been pulled down. So many of the old houses are going.'
'I know. It's sad.'
'And really the new ones aren't nearly so well built.'
'I doubt if they will stand the test of time as well.'
'But of course,' said Miss Waynflete, 'the new ones are convenient — so labor-saving, and not such big drafty passages to scrub.'
Luke assented. When they arrived at the gate of Doctor Humbleby's house, Miss Waynflete hesitated and said: 'Such a beautiful evening. I think, if you don't mind, I will come a little farther. I am enjoying the air.'
Somewhat surprised, Luke expressed pleasure politely. It was hardly what he would have described as a beautiful evening. There was a strong wind blowing, turning back the leaves viciously on the trees. A storm, he thought, might come at any minute. Miss Waynflete, however, clutching her hat with one hand, walked by his side with every appearance of enjoyment, talking, as she went, in little gasps.
It was a somewhat lonely lane they were taking, since from Doctor Humbleby's house the shortest way to Ashe Manor was not by the main road but by a side lane which led to one of the back gates of the manor house. This gate was not of the same ornate ironwork, but had two handsome gate pillars surmounted by two vast pink pineapples. Why pineapples, Luke had been unable to discover. But he gathered that to Lord Easterfield pineapples spelt distinction and good taste. As they approached the gate, the sound of voices raised in anger came to them. A moment later they came in sight of Lord Easterfield confronting a young man in chauffeur's uniform.
'You're fired!' Lord Easterfield was shouting. 'D'you hear? You're fired!'
'If you'd overlook it, m'lord, just this once.'
'No, I won't overlook it! Taking my car out! My car! And what's more, you've been drinking!… Yes, you have; don't deny it! I've made it clear there are three things I won't have on my estate — one's drunkenness, another's immorality and the last's impertinence!'
Though the man was not actually drunk, he had had enough to loosen his tongue. His manner changed. 'You won't have this and you won't have that, you old buzzard! Your estate! Think we don't all know your father kept a boot shop down here? Makes us laugh ourselves sick, it does, seeing you strutting about as cock of the walk! Who are you, I'd like to know? You're no better than I am, that's what you are!'
Lord Easterfield turned purple. 'How dare you speak to me like that? How dare you?'
The young man took a threatening step forward. 'If you wasn't such a miserable pot-bellied little swine, I'd give you a sock on the jaw — yes, I would.'
Lord Easterfield hastily retreated a step, tripped over a root and went down in a sitting position. Luke had come up. 'Get out of here,' he said roughly to the chauffeur.
The latter regained sanity. He looked frightened. 'I'm sorry, sir. I don't know what came over me, I'm sure.'
'A couple of glasses too much, I should say,' said Luke. He assisted Lord Easterfield to his feet.
'I'm sorry, m'lord,' stammered the man.
'You'll be sorry for this, Rivers,' said Lord Easterfield. His voice trembled with intense feeling. The man hesitated a minute, then shambled away slowly. Lord Easterfield exploded, 'Colossal impertinence! To me! Speaking to me like that! Something very serious will happen to that man! No respect, no proper sense of his station in life. When I think of what I do for these people — good wages, every comfort, a pension when they retire. The ingratitude — the base ingratitude!'
He choked with excitement, then perceived Miss Waynflete, who was standing silently by. 'Is that you, Honoria? I'm deeply distressed that you should have witnessed such a disgraceful scene. That man's language –'
'I'm afraid he wasn't quite himself, Lord Easterfield,' said Miss Waynflete primly.
'He was drunk, that's what he was — drunk!'
'Just a bit lit up,' said Luke.
'Do you know what he did?' Lord Easterfield looked from one to the other of them. 'Took out my car — my car! Thought I shouldn't be back so soon. Bridget drove me over to Lyne in the two-seater. And this fellow had the impertinence to take a girl — Lucy Carter, I believe — out in my car!'
Miss Waynflete said gently, 'A most improper thing to do.'
Lord Easterfield seemed a little comforted. 'Yes, wasn't it?'
'But I'm sure he'll regret it.'
'I shall see that he does.'
'You've dismissed him,' Miss Waynflete pointed out.
Lord Easterfield shook his head. 'He'll come to a bad end, that fellow.' He threw back his shoulders. 'Come up to the house, Honoria, and have a glass of sherry.'
'Thank you, Lord Easterfield, but I must go to Mrs. Humbleby with these books… Good night, Mr. Fitzwilliam. You'll be quite all right now.' She gave him a smiling nod and walked briskly away. It was so much the attitude of a nurse who delivers a child at a party that Luke caught his breath as a sudden idea struck him. Was it possible that Miss Waynflete had accompanied him solely in order to protect him? The idea seemed ridiculous, but…
Lord Easterfield's voice interrupted his meditations. 'Very capable woman, Honoria Waynflete.'
'Very, I should think.'
Lord Easterfield began to walk toward the house. He moved rather stiffly and his hand went to his posterior and rubbed it gingerly. Suddenly he chuckled. 'I was engaged to Honoria once, years ago. She was a nice-looking girl — not so skinny as she is today. Seems funny to think of now. Her people were the nobs of this place.'
'Yes?'
Lord Easterfield ruminated. 'Old Colonel Waynflete bossed the show. One had to come out and touch one's cap pretty sharp. One of the old school he was, and proud as Lucifer.' He chuckled again. 'The fat was in the fire all right when Honoria announced she was going to marry me! Called herself a radical, she did. Very earnest. Was all for abolishing class distinctions. She was a serious kind of girl.'
'So her family broke up the romance?'
Lord Easterfield rubbed his nose. 'Well, not exactly. Matter of fact, we had a bit of a row over something. Blinking bird she had — one of those beastly twittering canaries; always hated them — bad business — wrung its neck. Well, no good dwelling on all that now. Let's forget it.' He shook his shoulders like a man who throws off an unpleasant memory. Then he said, rather jerkily, 'Don't think she's ever forgiven me. Well, perhaps it's only natural.'
'I think she's forgiven you, all right,' said Luke.
Lord Easterfield brightened up. 'Do you? Glad of that. You know, I respect Honoria. Capable woman and a lady! That still counts, even in these days. She runs that library business very well.' He looked up and his voice changed. 'Hullo,' he said. 'Here comes Bridget.'
Chapter 17
Luke felt a tightening of his muscles as Bridget approached. He had had no word alone with her since the day of the tennis party. By mutual consent, they had avoided each other. He stole a glance at her now. She looked provokingly calm, cool, and indifferent. She said lightly, 'I was beginning to wonder what on earth had become of you, Gordon.'
Lord Easterfield grunted. 'Had a bit of a dust-up! That fellow. Rivers, had the impertinence to take the Rolls out this afternoon.'
'Lese-majeste,' said Bridget.
'It's no good making a joke out of it, Bridget. The thing's serious. He took a girl out.'
'I don't suppose it would have given him any pleasure to go solemnly for a drive by himself.'
