"I shall be there as soon as I am asked."
"Well, what about the week after next. That would fit in with your plans, Benjamin? Have you anything special to get in the way?"
"Nothing at all," said Benjamin.
"Perhaps you would like to think about it, Mr. Billington."
"I don't need to think about it. I am all eagerness to come whenever you suggest."
"Then that is settled. The Stantons are not very far from London. You will be our guest, of course. We are in the Manor House on Little Stanton Green."
"I shall be so happy to come," he said; and he was looking at me as he spoke.
Our anxiety over Philip did fade a little into the background as we prepared for Raymond Billington's visit.
"We shall have to entertain him," I said. "We had better arrange some dinner parties."
"Well manage," said Granny M. "I expect he will want to see something of the countryside. I told him that you ride a good deal. He might like to ride with you."
Granny M was quite transparent. It was obvious that she regarded him as the ideal grandson-in-law. He was reasonably wealthy, of good appearance, had charm and good manners; moreover he was involved in the fascinating business of map making; and I think what influenced her a great deal was that he did not live too far away.
She visualized her granddaughter coming to stay at the Manor with her children. And Granny M herself visiting the happy family. I could see how her mind worked.
Dear Granny M, she suffered more than she would admit from Philip's absence. She was always optimistic about his return but I wondered what went on in her secret thoughts.
I threw myself wholeheartedly into the preparations for Raymond's visit, partly because I did like him very much and was eager to see him again, but chiefly I think to turn away my thoughts of Philip, if that were possible, for with every passing day which brought no news of him, my anxiety must increase.
Raymond came and seemed more charming than ever. He was greatly intrigued by the Manor House and fascinated by the shop. He spent a long time in Benjamin's company examining the machinery as well as the maps.
I took him riding and I think he enjoyed that as much as anything. I showed him the countryside and we stopped at some of the smaller
inns where we could drink cider and eat hot bread straight from the oven, with cheese or fruit or sometimes hot bacon and beef.
He told me a great deal about himself. This was usually while we sat in an inn parlour, or sometimes, if the weather was good, on a bench outside the inn.
He had been brought up with maps. It was in the family. They had not been involved as long as the Mallorys, of course, but his grandfather had founded the business, in the early years of the century. In the year 1820 to be precise. It seemed a long time ago, but compared with the Mallorys, it was hardly any time at all.
I talked to him a great deal about Philip, and talking I remembered so much about my brother which I had forgotten.
"I can see he is someone very special to you."
"Yes. He is wonderful."
"I think you would have liked to accompany him on his travels."
I nodded. "How I wish I had. But of course I could not have left my grandmother."
"It would be rather unusual for a young lady to go off to the South Seas. But you are an unusual young lady."
"I would have made him take me but for Granny M."
He understood immediately.
"I hope to meet your brother... one day."
"I hope you do."
"And I want you to meet my family."
"I should like that."
"We have a house in the country... in Buckinghamshire. The place in London is not really our home. We are there to be near the business, of course. I get down to the country when I can. I have a grandmother like yours. She is a wonderful old lady. I should like you to meet her. She is considerably older than Mrs. Mallory, but lively and bright mentally, though a little incapacitated with rheumatism. Will you come and meet her?"
"I should like to."
"Before the summer is out. I usually go in August. I am going to ask your grandmother to visit us then. Do you think she will agree?"
"I have no doubt whatsoever."
"I shall mention it to her this evening."
"Yes do. I am sure she will be delighted to accept."
We were in the inn when this conversation took place. A little light filtered through the small windows onto his face. It was very eager, tender, almost shining with affection. I felt drawn to him; he must have felt the same towards me for he put his hand across the table and took mine.
*i want us to get to know each other ... well." he said.
"Yes." I answered. "I am sure that would be most... rewarding."
As we came out into the sunshine it seemed as though there was an understanding between us. For some reason I felt a trifle unsure. I liked him very much. His visit had been a great success and we should miss him when he had gone.
But perhaps I had dreamed too many romantic dreams. I had found his company very enjoyable, but it was not the intoxicating experience I had thought falling in love would be.
Our friendship with Raymond Billington ripened during the summer days. He would often come to us for the weekend; he and I would ride in the country and he spent some time at the shop with Benjamin. His visits helped to stop us brooding on Philip's absence.
I could see that I was moving towards an understanding. It was rather pleasant, like drifting downstream in a boat in the not-too-hot sunshine to the strains of a mandoline. Comforting without being breathtaking.
I heard one of the maids talking to another and she referred to Raymond as Miss Annalice's "intended."
I was now nineteen, a little older than Ann Alice had been when she died. I could not help identifying myself with her. though since the coming of Raymond she had grown a little remote. I was getting over the shock of finding the diary and I was beginning to think of the days before I had with a certain nostalgia, for if I had never found it. Philip would still be here. He would not have gone off in search of an elusive island which according to the map makers did not exist.
It was comforting to look to the future, to wait for Raymond's visits and to allow myself a few discreet glimpses into the future.
Marriage with Raymond. I believed it could be for me ... if I wanted it. Did I want it? Partly ... yes. Most people married and if they did not they were often vaguely dissatisfied, constantly thinking with regret of what they had missed. What had Granny once said? Something like: You must choose and if you leave the choice too late there might not be any to choose from.
I supposed most people accepted a compromise. Young girls dreamed of romance .. . impossible dreams of knights on chargers, shining heroes who in truth had no part in everyday life.
Raymond was what would be called highly eligible. I liked him very much. I should be disappointed if he discontinued his visits or transferred his attentions to someone else. He had certainly made us all happier and although we still looked for Philip's letters I am sure that even Granny M did not mourn quite so much as she had before we went to the conference. Raymond had done that for us and when he suggested we should visit his family in Buckinghamshire, it seemed that my mind was being made up for me.
"They all talk of the house in Buckinghamshire as home," Raymond explained to us.
He told us that his grandfather had bought the house in 1820. It was then an ancient mansion which had been damaged—though not completely destroyed—by fire, and there was still much of the old building standing.
The family had lived in it ever since.
"You'll probably think it is a bit of a hotchpotch. Part of it is pure Tudor and I think the architects made a mistake in not attempting to restore it to what it was once. In the eighteen fifties a great deal of building was done in the style of that period—flamboyant and ornate, which really does not merge in very well. Still, for all its faults, we love it."