Granny M and I travelled down by train and were met at the station by Raymond.
He was delighted to see us and we were soon bowling along those leafy lanes of Buckinghamshire. We turned into a drive and after we had gone for about a quarter of a mile, we rounded a bend and there was the house.
I saw at once how it fitted Raymond's description. It was solid and in its way magnificent. It was grey stone and very ornate—with twirls and coils at every conceivable spot. There was a great porch over which creeper climbed and a large glass conservatory stretching along the side of the house.
"We always say that everything that could be put into it, was," said Raymond. "It's an example of Victorian architecture, so I've been told. You might think it is a little flamboyant, but let me tell you one thing—it is comfortable."
"It looks most interesting," I cried. "I am longing to explore."
"And those members of the family who haven't already met you are longing to make your acquaintance."
Granny M was absolutely purring with satisfaction. I could sense she was liking everything about Raymond more and more.
The family was waiting for us. His father and Basil whom we already knew welcomed us like old friends and we were introduced to his mother, his sister Grace, and his youngest brother James.
Raymond's mother was a little woman with bright laughing eyes.
She said: "We've heard so much about you, not only from Raymond, but from Father and Basil. We're just longing to meet you."
I looked round at the smiling faces and I felt very happy to be received so warmly into such a family.
"Show them their rooms first," suggested Raymond. "Then well have tea and talk."
"You come with me, Grace," said Mrs. Billington. And to us: "We hope you'll be comfortable."
"I am sure we shall," 1 replied with conviction.
"It is so kind of you to ask us," added Granny M.
"We have wanted to do so for so long. Raymond has told us about your meeting at the conference. Maps... That's all they think of. The conversation in this house! It's maps, maps and more maps, isn't it, Grace?"
Grace said it was. "There was Raymond and Father," she added. "And now James is getting just as bad."
"It's in the family," said Mrs. Billington. She paused on the stairs, I guessed because she thought they might be a little too steep for Granny M. "You're on the second floor," she went on. "That's where the guest rooms are. It is a bit of a climb, but there is a nice view when you get there. The house is rather large and not very well planned, they say. You can get lost easily. But after a while it all slips into place. Oh, here we are. This is yours, Mrs. Mallory, and I've put Annalice... I hope you don't mind, my dear, but we always call you Annalice among ourselves... and it slips out."
"I'm glad," I told her. "It makes me feel at home right away."
"That's what we want. You're here. Right next to each other."
She opened a door. There were french windows onto a stone balcony on which stood pots of flowering shrubs. The room was light and lofty compared with our Tudor ones. I gave a gasp of admiration which clearly pleased our hostess.
"It's lovely," I said.
"These are the rooms in the front. They are a little bigger than those at the back."
"We wanted to make a good impression," said Grace.
"Grace!" said her mother in mock reproof.
"I daresay they would like to wash and tidy up before tea, Mother," said Grace.
"I'd thought of that. The hot water is coming. Here it is. Come in, Jane."
The maid bobbed a curtsey and I smiled at her.
"Put it down there, Jane," said Mrs. Billington. "About fifteen minutes, eh? Is that enough?"
"Quite enough, isn't it, Granny," I said, and Granny M agreed.
In ten minutes I was ready to go down and I went into Granny M's room. She was ready too.
"Charming," she said. "A lovely family. I am so pleased. I wish ..."
I knew what she was wishing and said: "Perhaps it won't be long before we hear from him. Raymond says that mail is often delayed in these far-off places."
We went down to tea. Hot muffins and several kinds of cakes were laid out on the table.
The drawing room was large and lofty and the fireplace immense and very decorative with angels carved on either side of it as though supporting it. A large marble clock stood on the mantelpiece and on the walls were pictures of men in Victorian dress.
"The ancestors," said Grace, following my gaze. "We can't sport many so we make the most of what we have got. I hear it is different with the Mallorys. Raymond has described your house in detail."
"Don't give me away," said Raymond.
"He thinks your house is wonderful," Grace told me.
"I hope I shall get an invitation to see it," said Basil.
"You have it now," put in Granny M.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Mallory."
We talked about the country and the difference between our respective villages; and when in due course the conversation turned to map making that was natural enough.
"It's strange," said Mrs. Billington, "how this sort of thing runs in families."
Granny M agreed. "It is the same with ours. My grandson, Philip, was brought up to it and it was clear, from an early age, that there was nothing else for him."
"I hear he is away on an expedition."
"Yes, to the Pacific."
"That is what I should like to do," said James.
"Hark at him!" cried Basil. "They all want to go out to adventure. They think it is some pleasure cruise. It's quite different, I do assure :you."
"You have been?" I asked.
"Yes, I went when I was sixteen."
"I thought it would be good for him," said Mr. Billington. "James will go in due course. It is a good way of introducing them to the realities. They soon realize it is not all that much of a pleasure cruise, as Basil says. There are certain discomforts."
"I'll second that," said Basil.
"My grandson has been away since last October," Granny M told them.
"You can't do much in a year." said Mr. Billington.
"We haven't heard from him for some time.** 1 put in rather shakily.
"One doesn't. The mail is so very difficult. I don't think we heard from you. Basil, all the time you were av.
"I wasn't going to put all that effort into writing letters which might never arrive.**
"From which." said Grace, "you gather our Basil is not the most energetic of mortals.**
I met Raymond's eyes and he smiled at me. It was a warm and happy smile.
Tea over, Raymond and I went for a walk in the gardens surrounding the house while Mrs. Billington and Grace took Granny M on a tour of the house.
Raymond told me that he was so pleased I had come. "It is hard to believe,** he added, "that it is only three months since that memorable day at the lecture."
"It has all gone very quickly to me. Has it seemed so long to your
He took my arm. "Both long and short. Not long enough ... and short while it is happening, and yet I feel I have known you for years... and that makes it seem long." He paused to look at me earnestly and then he went on: "These gardens are my mother s joy. She does quite a lot of work in them. She has her garden and her stillroom. She'll want to show them to you."
"She is very charming." I said.
"I have been hoping that you two would get along."
"I should imagine no one could fail to get along with her."
"Nor with you."
"Oh, that is a different proposition. I am sure."
He laughed and pressed my arm.
We talked about the flowers but I don't believe that either of us was really thinking of them.
We dined that night in the big dining room with its massive fireplace and ornate ceiling. The woodwork was intricately carved and it gave the impression that everything that could be put in that space had been included.