by Mary Cummins
Merry also bit her lip, wishing she could think a little more clearly.
“I wonder how long he would give me,” she said tentatively.
“I could let you know, of course,” Mr. Grant told her. “I could see him before I leave Kilbraggan. He lives in the village here.”
“Lives here?” echoed Merry, a frown between her eyes. Who, in the village, could afford to make such a good offer for her house?
“May I know who has made this offer?” she asked, her voice suddenly cool and practical.
Mr. Grant hemmed and hawed for a moment.
“Well, I haven’t been asked to keep the buyer’s name private,” he said at length, “so I don’t suppose it will do any harm to tell you. It is Mr. Benjamin Brendan.”
Benjamin! Benjamin wanted her house! That meant he must want to get rid of her!
“Thank you, Mr. Grant,” whispered Merry dully. “I ... I’ll have to let you know ... about ... about selling to Mr. Brendan.”
“Think over what I’ve said, Miss Saunders,” Mr. Grant told her briskly. “It’s an excellent offer. Good morning. Write or telephone when you’ve made up your mind.”
“Good morning,” said Merry chokily, feeling her legs trembling beneath her. “Please don’t bother to see Mr. Brendan till you hear from me.”
She wouldn’t just move out and let Benjamin live here. It would be bad enough to go away and leave Beau Ness behind her, but to leave them both together. That would be too much.
She would have to go and see Benjamin, and know exactly how things stood. She would go after lunch.
Merry looked in her wardrobe after lunch, tempted by a sudden desire to dress up and give herself confidence, but in the end she decided to be sensible and wear her green slacks and anorak. It was a cold day, and she must wear warm clothing, and besides, it was no good trying to impress Benjamin!
He stared at her unsmilingly, when he opened the door.
“Hello, Merry, doing me the honour of a visit? Come in and get a warm by the fire.”
She followed him silently, removing her cap and gloves, then flopped down on to the settee, watching him clean a spot of paint off his hands.
“Mr. Grant’s been to see me,” she told him flatly. “Benjamin, why do you want Beau Ness?”
He frowned as he laid down his paint rag, then came to sit opposite her.
“Why are you selling it?” he countered.
“I haven’t made up my mind that I am ... yet,” she said slowly. “After all that unpleasantness ... with the ring ... I felt I wanted to get away. But now...”
“Now everything’s all right again,” said Benjamin, in a hard voice. “Now everyone knows the truth, and Nigel’s forgiven you.”
She looked at him, wondering at his harsh tone.
“I should have thought you’d be pleased,” she said, puzzled. “After all, I’ve you to thank for putting everything right again.”
“Yes, I did, didn’t I?” he laughed. “Didn’t I? I made it all nice and cosy ... for Kilpatrick to move in again. For heaven’s sake, Merry, how much do you want me to take?”
She looked at him with bewilderment. “I ... I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you? You must be very dim, my dear. Where’s your pride, when you can keep running to that ... that bore at the drop of a hat, as soon as he lifts his little finger? He can let you be thought a thief, and do nothing to protect you. He can go off philandering with the fair Sylvia, and come cheerfully back again when he finds her wanting ... and you still welcome him with open arms. His conduct is shameful ... yes, shameful! And so is yours, for meekly taking it all, and for wanting a man who treats you this way instead of realising that you’re worth more than all his damn diamonds put together. ‘Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies’.”
“But I don’t want him!” cried Merry, when Benjamin paused for breath.
“Don’t lie to me, Merry,” he said harshly.
“I don’t lie,” she retorted, outraged. “It’s you who are jumping to conclusions...”
“I said don’t lie,” he repeated, gripping her arm. “I walked over to see you last night, after I got home from Carlisle, and I saw Kilpatrick leaving. I ... I saw you kiss him...”
He threw away her arm roughly, and she massaged it lightly where it still tingled from the pressure of his fingers.
“You saw me saying goodbye to him,” she said tonelessly. “He doesn’t love me. It’s Sylvia he wants, though he realises there are difficulties. I doubt very much if he’ll marry her.”
“And you just sit and pine!”
“Why should I?” she asked tiredly. “When I don’t care what Nigel does. I don’t love him. I thought I did once, but I found I didn’t when I fell in love with...” She stopped and bit her lip. “... someone else,” she ended.
There was a long silence, then Benjamin spoke to her urgently. “Who, Merry?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she told him quietly. “You wouldn’t really be interested. I’ll go now, Benjamin. You can have Beau Ness, if you really want it.”
As she stood up, he rose, towering over her, and grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Who, Merry?” he demanded very quietly.
“All right, since you really want to know. It’s you, Benjamin. Now you really know the sort of fool I am!”
But the last words were spoken against his shoulder as he just held her and held her, while the clock ticked gently on the mantelpiece.
“Have I been a fool?” he asked at length. “Eaten up with jealousy of Nigel Kilpatrick? You ... you said you cared for him when I asked you.”
“I did like him,” she said, her eyes clear and honest, “but I never really loved him. It was always you, Benjamin, only there was Stephanie.”
“Stephanie?” he cried.
“I thought you loved her, you see. She seemed to want you.”
“To tell her troubles to,” said Benjamin, with a laugh. “Surely you must have known she wasn’t my kind of person?”
“How could I?” she asked. “You even seemed to want Sylvia at one time.”
“Sylvia? You thought I wanted Sylvia? I only tried to keep her away from Kilpatrick, just to give you a clear field if you wanted him, even if I thought he wasn’t quarter good enough for you. Merry darling, are you sure you love me? I ... I can’t get used to the idea.”
She nodded, her eyes shining, and he kissed her gently, then with deep purpose.
“We can be married soon, can’t we?” he asked quietly. “Oh, and I shall want to buy Beau Ness. That is, if you still want to live there, darling.”
“Of course I do,” she said softly. “I’d live anywhere with you. Why did you want it?” she asked curiously.
“Because I couldn’t bear to think of anyone living in your house. That business I had in London was partly visits to my lawyer. I had some money coming to me, and that’s all been settled now. I’ve also got some new contracts for my work, so we should be quite comfortable, darling. In fact, the lease of Rossie House is up in about two years. If you like, we could think of going back there, though it’s never really been home to me. We might have our children to think about, though.”
Merry smiled, her eyes shining at the future which lay ahead. She began to feel Aunt Ellen’s presence very close to her ... Aunt Ellen who also might have been mistress of Rossie House. Soon she hoped to hear about her book, and because it was Aunt Ellen’s story as much as hers, she hoped she would sell it.
“Penny for them,” said Benjamin, tweaking the end of her nose.
“I was just thinking how happy I am,” she sighed. “Yet last week...”
“Forget about last week,” said Benjamin, “and always remember that to me you are far above rubies.”