"It is gratifying to be recognized no matter what the reason," I said.
Aunt Patty and Violet appeared and tea was served.
There was talk about the village life and Aunt Patty's descriptions were apt and amusing. Teresa handed round the food like a daughter of the house and I was amazed afresh at the change in her. It was a conventionally pleasant scene. Tea on the lawn and a visitor who happened to be passing and who had called in.
But I could not get over the strangeness of his being here and wondering what was the real motive for his call. To see me, of course. But why? I was a little annoyed with myself that I should find the question so stimulating. Violet asked if he had come in on the three forty-five and he said that he had.
"Then you'll be catching the six o'clock."
"Unless," put in Aunt Patty, "you are spending some time here. When we were at Grantley we could have put you up. Here alas, we are short of rooms. There is, of course, the King's Arms in Moldenbury itself."
"The food's poor so I've heard," said Violet. "But they do excellent roast beef," added Aunt Patty. "They're noted for it."
"I did ask the fly to call for me at a quarter to six," he said.
"Well then you haven't much time left, have you," said Aunt Patty. "Cordelia, why don't you show Sir Jason the garden."
"What an excellent idea," he said.
"It's not at its best now," put in Violet. "Early spring's the best time. The flowers are beginning to get that tired look. The sun's been particularly fierce this year."
"I am sure Cordelia will find something pleasant to show our guest," said Aunt Patty. "Come, Teresa, help me with the tray. Violet will see to the rest."
"You must allow me to carry the tray," said Jason.
"Get away with you," said Aunt Patty. "If you knew the number of trays I've carried in my life ..."
"Astronomical, I expect," said Jason, picking up the tray. "Now show me the way without more argument."
Aunt Patty waddled in front of him. I watched them disappear into the house, smiling to myself. In a few moments he was at my side.
"What a charming lady your aunt is! So merry .. . and so tactful."
"Come then. I'll show you the garden."
He walked in silence for a few seconds. I said: "Teresa is developing this patch. There is a great change in her. Poor child, she felt unwanted."
"I shall miss you," he said.
"Miss me? You talk as though you see me every day. We have only met a few times ... and how long is it since the last time I saw you?"
"I felt that you were displeased with me in some way."
"Displeased? I have thanked you several times for your hospitality to Teresa and me."
"Our happy evening was rather suddenly interrupted."
"Oh yes ... when your friend arrived. I quite understood that."
"I don't think you did."
"Well, it wasn't important. The meal was over and I was thinking that it was time I returned to Teresa."
He sighed. "There are many things I would like to explain to you."
"There is no reason why you should."
"There are reasons. When I return we must meet. I am desperately anxious for us to be good friends. There is much I want to tell you."
"Well, I hope you will have a pleasant trip. The fly will be here very soon. You mustn't miss your train."
He laid a hand on my arm. "When I return, I want to talk to you ... seriously. You see it is so soon ... after ... and there are certain difficulties which have to be settled. Cordelia, I shall return and then ..."
I avoided his eyes. "Oh, there's Violet," I said. "She must be looking for you. That means the station fly is here." I called: "We're coming, Violet. The fly's here, is h?"
I walked with him across the lawn. He held my hand firmly in his and was trying to tell me something. He was asking me to wait until his return when he would be in a position to continue our relationship. It was the way in which he would behave to any young woman. But it seemed strange that he had come out of his way to tell me he was going away.
We stood waving until the fly disappeared. Aunt Patty was thoughtful.
When we were alone together she said: "What an interesting man! It was nice of him to call and tell you he was going away." She looked at me intently. "He must have felt that you were a very special friend ... to come all that way."
"Oh, he was in the neighbourhood, I expect. I have only met him a few times. He is a sort of lord of the manor and probably feels he ought to take an interest in all the vassals."
"Do you know, I quite liked him."
I laughed. "I gather from that remark that you are rather surprised that you do."
She was looking into the distance.
"It was courteous of him to call," she said. "I have no doubt he had his reasons."
Rooks' Rest
WHEN I went back to school, I quickly slipped into the old routine and it felt like coming home. In a few days even the girls settled down. Teresa had changed considerably; she had almost lost that scared look she had had before and was able to mingle more easily with the other girls.
Daisy Hetherington wanted to know how she had behaved during the holiday and I was delighted to be able to tell her that everything had worked out very well indeed.
"Teresa's trouble was that she was lonely and felt unwanted," I explained. "As soon as she saw that we were glad to have her, she changed and became just a normal happy girl."
"How fortunate if all our troubles could be so easily solved," said Daisy, but she smiled, well pleased, and I said that if there was no objection she was invited for Christmas.
"I daresay those cousins will be as ready to forsake their duties at Christmas as in the summer," was Daisy's comment.
Then she went on to discuss the term's work.
"We put on a little entertainment at Christmas," she said. "I know it seems far away but you'd be surprised how much preparation is needed and it gives the girls something to think about instead of mooning nostalgically over the summer holidays. I thought you with Miss Eccles and Miss Parker could put your heads together, and of course Miss Barston for the costumes. We do it in the refectory one night and then we have been invited to repeat it at the Hall when some of the people from the village come to see it. This year I understand Sir Jason will be away and, as he has said nothing about lending us the Hall, I suppose we shan't have it there this time. He did tell me that he planned to stay away some time."
I said I would consult with Miss Eccles and Miss Parker and we would submit the results of our conference for her approval.
She bowed her head graciously and said that it would not be quite the same with no performance at the Hall. "It makes a difference to the neighbourhood when the squire is not in residence."
I was to agree with her as the weeks passed. I would ride now and then past the Hall and remember the day of Teresa's accident and that twilit tête-à-tête in the courtyard. I found it hard to stop thinking about him and wondering why he had taken the trouble to come to Moldenbury to say goodbye to me.
I guessed that when he came back Marcia Martindale would expect him to marry her and it occurred to me that he might have wanted to get away to make up his mind what he must do. He had said something about coming to terms with his conscience. Was he referring to the death of his wife or his obligations to Marcia Martindale? It could be either ... or both. My presence bothered him-just as his bothered me.
But I could forget him now that he was no longer there. I felt free. I very much enjoyed my work; I got on well with Daisy and my fellow teachers and I believed I was getting somewhere with the girls.
Daisy told me that she had a waiting list this term.