CHAPTER XV
A COLD WALK
The sky was misty grey with a hint of blue just overhead. No windstirred the snowladen trees, and the frost was intense.
Mrs. Guyse always slept after lunch, and seemed to think it an extremelygood idea that her companion should have a short walk while she rested.
"Be sure to be back in time to pour out my tea," she stipulated. "It'srough going, down the hill; but I suppose young people like to scramble,and Nin says he has been since the snow fell, and knows it is passable."
Olwen was quite ready to brave a little snow; Ezra Baxter, by hismaster's order, had put nails into her thick boots, and she was anxiousto shake off the reproach of being a town-bred miss who could not go outin bad weather.
Ninian at billiards the night before and at breakfast that morning hadmaintained the improvement in his demeanour. He seemed pleased to seeMiss Innes when she appeared, and his attitude was now that of thecourteous host, anxious that his visitor should feel at home and beentertained. Dr. Balmayne was not expected that day. Madam's conditionwas steadily improving. In spite of her statement that she dislikedbeing read aloud to, Olwen had made an attempt that morning with the"Professional Aunt," and the result had been encouraging. The dullcreature had been roused momentarily from her torpor, smiled severaltimes, laughed once, and said she would like to hear more later on.This success, coupled with her expressed desire that her companionshould pour out her tea, elated that young person considerably.
"Do you think," she asked as she joined Ninian in the hall, "that youcould carry Madam down the one flight from her room to the banquetinghall?"
He seemed in no doubt of his ability to perform this feat, even in thenarrow limits of the newel stair.
"If so, we'll have her down the moment we get the couch," replied MissInnes eagerly. "I am really quite keen upon shaking her out of herapathy and getting her to take an interest in things."
"Bravo!" he said. "Who would have thought such a scrap of a girl asyou---- Holy Moses! I beg your pardon."
She made a little mock bow. "But what my friends may say and whatstrangers may say are so different!"
"Thanks. That's the best yet," was his reply, as he selected aniron-shod stick for her. "You ought to feel bucked," he added, as heopened the hall door. "Sunia licking your boots, Madam sitting up andtaking notice already, and me wagging my tail like anything for a kindword."
"Good week's work do you think?" demurely.
"Not to mention the doctor," he went on.
"Now _don't_ spoil it!"
"Got to be jolly careful still," he laughed, leading the way to thequadrangle wall behind the kitchen, where, in the south-west corner, wasa tiny postern door.
He stood a minute whistling Daff before opening it. She came bounding,golden and beautiful, from the kitchen door, which was opened by Sunia.
The Hindu stood in the opening, her face grave and soft, gazing at thetwo as Olwen waved her a farewell. She raised her hand in a curiousgesture as of benediction. The postern opened, and they passed throughupon the narrow terrace which on this side edged the ravine below.
Standing there, Olwen raised her eyes to the oriel in the banquetinghall. The stone mullions were wide enough apart for a slim girl to pushthrough; and as the window projected considerably, her fall would not bebroken by the very narrow platform upon which they stood.
Below were the tips of the snow-encumbered trees.
"Mad sort of idea, wasn't it!" said Ninian, answering her unspokenthought. "Might have known she wouldn't get anything like a clean drop.Just a minute's temper probably."
"I can't think how people can do such a thing. I love life far toowell. Think of cutting oneself off for ever from sunset and moonrise,from waterfalls and mountains, and hot weather in sunshine, from rosesand lilies, firesides and interesting books, and--and--oh, all thethings that make the world so fascinating!"
"The world seems grim enough to me sometimes," remarked the young man,kicking the steps free from piled-up snow which had slid from thebattlements.
"Oh, there are moments when it seems grim to anybody; but you dounderstand the joy of living, don't you! I mean the pleasure of justbeing able to feel! The sight of almond blossom against blue sky, or ofthe evening mist in a river valley, or shallow water slipping over brownstones, or the smell of garden mould after warm rain?"
"Or the outline of a girl's face, pink against the grey stone of a towerwall... Oh, you can't complain of that! It's all part of the subject... and I do know what you mean. George Eliot has something about itsomewhere. I believe I could find it when we get home.... Yes, it iswhat makes the difference between people who can be happy in the countryand people who can't. Lily Martin was one who couldn't. This placefairly got on her nerves, as it does on my poor mother's. I'm glad itdoesn't get on yours, for to bring you here in this weather was tryingyou pretty high up. If you can see beauty now, you could see italways."
As he spoke he preceded her down the steps and guided her along analmost level bit of ground to the place where the path plunged downamong the trees. It was indeed steep, but, in fact, easier with thesnow upon it than when it was bare trodden earth after a summer'sdrought. Ninian helped her, but not officiously; and as she was reallyactive and strong, as well as light and small, she got along well. Ashort way down he showed her the tree upon which Lily Martin had fallen,and she was able to appreciate the difficulty which Baxter and he hadexperienced in rescuing her.
The precipitous part of the descent was soon over, and they went on moreeasily, plunging through the snow, and still thridding woodlands, untilby degrees they dropped down almost to the level of the frozen river.
"Those woods," observed Guyse, waving a hand towards the rising groundbeyond the farther bank, "are full of wild cherry. In April they are asight to make one feel that--what you were talking about just now."
Olwen could believe it. They turned to their right and walked along,some thirty feet above the bed of the stream, following a good wide pathwhich ran under pines. Then came some flat meadows, which they crossed,the thin blue spiral from the farm chimneys encouraging them onward.
The snow was very deep, but this mattered only inasmuch as it impededprogress. But once did she suffer misfortune, and this was when sheleft the path to look at a curious lichen upon a tree-trunk. There wasa concealed ditch, and instantly she was in the drift up to her waist.
There was much laughter as she was lifted out by Ninian and dusted down.He remarked that it would teach her to be careful, a saying so sensibleand big-brotherly, and so unlike his former style, that she felt a verynatural triumph.
Many dogs flew out baying as they approached Lachanrigg. Daff's joyousgreeting seemed to set their minds at rest at once, and they werefrisking round Ninian. Their noise brought Mrs. Kay to the door, herbaby in her arms, all excitement to know who could be approaching thehomestead on such a day by the woodland path.
Kay was out, but the sleigh and horse were in the stable, and Niniansoon had them harnessed, and asked Olwen whether she would rather comewith him to the post office or stay and play with the baby. Anxious toshow the reality of the truce, she chose the drive, and they startedoff, over a couple of miles of very exposed fell, down into anothervalley, at the foot of which the railway scored a sharp black track uponthe blinding white. The telephone was working, and they rang up theNewcastle shop, gave their order, and received a promise that thefolding lounge should be put upon the train that very afternoon, andwould arrive at Raefell station next morning about eleven.
Ninian at once volunteered to come and fetch it, so that, in the eventof Dr. Balmayne giving permission, Madam might be brought downstairs inthe afternoon.
By the time the two walkers reached home in the January twilight, theywere talking together quite easily.
By special invitation, Ninian had tea in his mother's room, so that theymight all be together. Madam lay amon
g her pillows, watching them withher manner of vague, faintly curious detachment.
One of the cakes upon the plate had been baked in a droll resemblance toan old man's whithered face. Olwen called the attention of Mr. Guyse toit, upon which he stuck it on a hatpin, and together they proceeded todress it up with a paper collar and coat made of the little foldeddamask napkin which held the cakes. Even Madam was beguiled intoamusement. She said little, but after a while remarked to the girl,"You seem to find everything amusing."
"Funny you should say that; it's the exact opposite of what Mr. Guysethinks. He calls me a school-marm, and thinks I disapprove ofeverything."
"That was because you didn't like me," he cut in.
"Pardon, it was because you didn't like me."
"Have you changed your mind?"
"Have you changed yours?"
"I asked first."
"So you should be answered last."
"Ah, but it doesn't matter what I think; it is your opinion that is theimportant thing."
"Utterly wrong. Madam is the only person whose opinion counts. Shewill think I am too noisy and silly if you go on like this. I shall nowturn you out and read to her a little."
"Why turn me out? I may have a pipe here, mayn't I, Ma?"
"Oh, I never heard of such a thing!" cried Miss Innes with indignation."It's easy to see you've never been ill. Out you go! You must amuseyourself till supper-time; it was a huge treat your being allowed tohave tea with Madam, and if you don't behave nicely you won't getanother invitation."
She held the door open and he walked out, his eyes twinkling. "What didI tell you?" he turned back to say to his mother. "School-marm!"
The girl, smiling, shut him out and turned to the bed, removing theempty cup and plate and restoring the order of the room with quicktouches. She called Sunia, who apparently passed most of her timeeither in the stone passage or in the room next to Madam's, for shealways appeared with the minimum of delay to carry out trays or do otherbehests.
Madam made no comment at all upon the little scene just enacted. Shelay quite still, following the girl's movements with her eyes only. Shehad rather the air of one who watches a comedy, with a real thoughveiled anxiety as to what the denouement is likely to be.
After the reading, when her secretary rose to go and prepare for supper,she remarked, "You read aloud well, and I like that book. I do not likeall books."
"This is very light, but when one is ill one likes something light."
"What I do not like is a book where the people have a guilty secret."
Olwen laughed. "That's so untrue to life," said she.
"Do you think so?" The tone of the question surprised the girl. It wascoldly ironic. "You've not had much experience of life, have you?"
"Well," said Olwen, "more than most girls of my age, perhaps. I havelost both parents. I have earned my living for three years."
Madam's lips curved in a slight smile. "Have you had many affairs ofthe heart! Have you ever had a lover?"
Olwen was near the bed measuring medicine into a glass as she put thequestion. The colour that flew into the girl's face answered her.
"You have!" The inflection was of surprise. "Well now, do you know, Ishould have guessed differently. Would it be an impertinence on my partto ask whether you are engaged to be married?"
"Oh, no, certainly not," said Olwen confusedly. "I mean it is not animpertinence, and I am not engaged."
"Not? But you care for the--the gentleman?"
Olwen looked amused. "Don't you think I have all the aspect of alove-lorn damsel?"
The faded eyes watched her with close attention. "Your friendsdisapproved?"
"Oh dear, no! It is merely that--that the attachment was on thegentleman's side, not on mine," was the reply.
"I must beg your pardon for my inquisition. But perhaps it does concernme a little. I would not have selected a companion who was likely toleave me soon to get married."
"Quite so. I would have told you had there been any arrangement of thekind. You would have had a right to know."
"Do I understand that you definitely refused your suitor?"
"Perhaps," said Olwen after hesitation, "you may consider that I havesaid enough. An affair of this kind one should not talk of, in myopinion."
"And I have done little so far to earn your confidence," replied Madam,speaking likewise after some musing. She drank her draught and lay down."Might I ask you, before going upstairs, to find my son and tell him Ishould like to speak with him for a few minutes?"
Olwen left the room and descended to the dining-room, where Ninian wasseated before the fire, with pipe and newspaper. As she entered hepushed towards her two envelopes which lay upon the small table besidehim. "Two letters for you," said he. "You seem to have letters everyday. The postman feels there is something to climb the hill for now."
"Does he not come when there are none for the Pele?"
"Yes, that's the devil of it. The poor chap has to, because, as youknow, he collects our post as well as delivering it, and he never knowsuntil he gets here whether we have anything or not."
"That seems hard. Can't you arrange a signal?"
"Well, I have sometimes thought I would. Perhaps our unitedintelligence could devise something."
She took her envelopes from the table, glancing at them withpleasure--one from Aunt Maud, one from Grace Holroyd.
"Oh, I am forgetting. I came with a message to you from Madam. Shewants to speak to you."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
"Why, what about--do you know?"
"Haven't any idea unless she desires to complain of me. But I assureyou I haven't been ill-using her."
He laughed, extending his long legs and rubbing Daff's hot back gentlywith one heel. "Best way to find out is to go and see, I suppose," heremarked, as he rose leisurely and with reluctance, stretched himselfand left the room.
The Lonely Stronghold Page 15