‘I’d like to help you. It’s far better that you should have the money now, when you need it, than wait until I’m dead. I’ve got nobody else to think of – just you two.’
Barbie listened to them talking about where the flat was to be, and wondered what she would do all day while Edward was in the office.
‘What do you think, Barbie?’ asked Amalie.
‘I don’t mind, really,’ she replied. ‘I’d like it to be in a very bad state of repair – that’s all.’
They looked so surprised that she had to laugh. ‘So that I could do it up and have it exactly as I wanted,’ she explained.
‘Oh, of course,’ agreed Edward. ‘But you can do that even if it isn’t in a bad state of repair. You shall have it exactly as you want it.’
Barbie began to think about colour schemes. Of course she could not make definite plans until she saw the place, but it was rather pleasant to think about it. When she returned to earth she discovered that her companions were talking about something else.
‘It isn’t for myself,’ Edward was saying. ‘It’s for a pal of mine called Tony Chancellor. I knew him at Oxford. As a matter of fact we shared digs for a bit. I don’t suppose you remember him, do you?’
‘Was he tall with dark hair?’ asked Amalie doubtfully.
‘No, you’re thinking of Tony Armstrong. This fellow is small and fair. The fact is poor old Tony is in a bit of a hole. He’s getting married soon and they’ve found a house but they’ve got to put down a hundred pounds. If they don’t do that the agent will probably sell it to someone else. Tony asked me if I could help him and I didn’t like to say no. They’ve been looking for a suitable house for ages. I intended to raise the money by selling out some shares, but if you could lend it to me –’
‘Yes, of course I can,’ said Amalie. It was too dark to see her face but Barbie could tell by her voice that she was smiling.
‘I say, you are a brick, Amie,’ said Edward gratefully. ‘You’ve given me so much already – but of course this isn’t for myself. I’m getting along splendidly, but it just so happens that I haven’t got the cash at the moment and he must have it soon – on Monday if possible.’
‘I suppose he will pay you back?’ asked Amalie.
‘Good lord, yes. He’s quite well off, really – at least his parents are. They happen to be abroad at the moment or they would have given it to him like a shot.’
‘Couldn’t he have explained that to the agent?’ asked Barbie, chipping into the conversation.
‘Oh, he did,’ declared Edward. ‘But you know what these house agents are. The agent said he had several people after the house … but it doesn’t matter,’ added Edward. ‘I mean if it’s the least bit inconvenient for you I can easily sell out those shares. I was going to do it on Monday and then I thought if you happened to have some loose cash in the bank it would save a lot of bother.’
‘Don’t sell your shares,’ said Amalie quickly. ‘It would be a pity to do that. I can let you have a cheque tomorrow.’
‘You are a brick,’ repeated Edward. ‘You really are! It’s wonderful to have somebody like you to depend on. You understand, don’t you, Amie? It will only be for a short time. Tony will stump up when he gets the money from his parents.’ Edward rose and added, ‘I’ll give him a ring, if you don’t mind, and tell him that he can have it on Monday. It will relieve his mind no end.’
‘Edward is kind,’ said Amalie, when he had gone to ring up his friend. ‘He’s a little too kind, really. He can’t say no. I don’t suppose for a moment that the young man will repay the money.’
‘But he’ll have to!’ cried Barbie in alarm. ‘A hundred pounds! Of course he’ll have to repay it. I mean it would be frightfully wrong to borrow money and not pay it back –’
‘My dear, don’t worry,’ said Amalie. ‘I’m so happy tonight that I would give anyone a hundred pounds – willingly.’
The next two days were busy. Barbie rang up Nell and told her the news and received her congratulations.
‘I told you so,’ declared Nell. ‘I knew you were fond of him. I do hope you’ll be terribly happy, darling pet. When are you going to be married?’
‘Oh, not for ages,’ said Barbie. ‘I must give Mr Garfield a chance to get somebody suitable – that woman they got temporarily while I was away seems to have been an absolute wash-out – and of course we must find somebody nice to share the flat with you.’
‘Yes – well – we can talk about that when you come. You’re coming on Monday, aren’t you? It will be lovely to see you.’
Barbie had her packing to do and a whole lot of little odds and ends to arrange. She had been at Underwoods for so long that she had got thoroughly dug in – and the digging out took time. Some of her clothes were so much too large for her new slender figure that she gave them to Daphne, who declared that they would do her a treat. Meanwhile Edward was busy in the garden putting up the espalier in the new rose-bed, and Amalie spent her time holding the poles and handing the nails and directing the operations.
They’re happy together, thought Barbie as she listened to the voices in the garden. We must come often to Underwoods. She’s so good and sweet and unselfish. We must never take her for granted. She shall have more of Edward – not less – when we’re married.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘Barbie!’ shouted Edward. ‘Come on, Barbie!’
It was Monday morning and he was waiting for her at the gate. They were going up to town together and had arranged to have lunch at a small restaurant in Covent Garden not far from the flat which Barbie shared with Nell. Barbie was a punctual person, her suitcase had been packed and stowed in the car and she herself was ready. She had not intended to keep Edward waiting, but somehow it took longer than she expected to say good-bye to Aunt Amalie and Penney and thank them for ‘everything.’ There was so much to thank them for that it was impossible to find words.
‘You must go, darling,’ said Amalie, giving her a last fond hug. ‘Edward is getting impatient. I’ll see you again soon.’
‘Not next week-end, but the one after –’
‘Yes, I know. It will be lovely. Darling, you must go!’
There were tears in Barbie’s eyes when she looked back and saw Aunt Amalie standing on the doorstep. Barbie did not know why she was upset; it seemed silly when they were coming back again so soon.
‘We’ll be seeing her again in less than a fortnight,’ Edward said.
‘I know, but she looks tired.’
‘It’s the heat, I expect – and all the excitement. She’s awfully pleased about our engagement, isn’t she?’ He hesitated and then added: ‘It’s nice to make people happy. I like everything to go smoothly.’
Barbie knew this already. He liked to make people happy – and why not? She thought of Tony Chancellor who was to have his path made smooth by the loan of a hundred pounds.
‘Are you going to see Mr Chancellor this afternoon?’ asked Barbie.
‘Who?’ exclaimed Edward in surprise.
‘Your friend, Mr Chancellor.’
‘Never heard of him.’
‘Edward!’ cried Barbie. ‘I mean the man who wants the hundred pounds!’
‘Oh, that bloke!’ said Edward with a chuckle.
For a little while Barbie was silent, and then she said, ‘How could you have forgotten his name? Edward, how could you?’
Edward was passing a big lorry filled with sheep; it was a manœuvre which required concentration, and he did not answer the question.
‘Edward, there’s no such person!’ cried Barbie. The words burst from her. She heard herself uttering them with astonishment, but the moment she had uttered them she knew that they were true. ‘Edward, there’s no such person,’ she repeated. ‘You made it up! All that about the house agent and having to put down the hundred pounds or the house would be sold – and – and –’
‘Rather good, wasn’t it?’
Barbie glanced at him and saw that he was smiling. ‘Good!’ she cried i
n horror-stricken tones. ‘It was frightful!’
‘My dear girl, why go up in flames about nothing? It was just a joke.’
‘A joke?’
‘Well, not exactly a joke; just a sort of bed-time story. There was no harm in it.’
‘No harm! Getting money out of Aunt Amalie on false pretences!’
‘Oh, nonsense, Barbie,’ said Edward in a gently reproachful tone. ‘You know perfectly well that if I’d asked Amie for the money for myself she’d have given it to me just the same.’
‘Then why didn’t you?’
‘Because it sounded nicer the other way. If I’d asked for a hundred for myself she’d have wondered what I wanted it for – she would have worried about it. As it is she’s perfectly happy.’
‘Lies!’ cried Barbie. ‘You told her a string of lies.’
‘But, Barbie darling, everybody tells lies. The world couldn’t go on if we all told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When somebody you don’t like asks you to lunch and you say you’re sorry you can’t come, owing to a previous engagement –’
‘I don’t – ever,’ declared Barbie. ‘And anyhow that’s utterly different.’
He drew in to the side of the road and turned and looked at her. ‘Darling, you’re really upset,’ he said in surprise. ‘What’s it all about? I could have raised a hundred quite easily in the City – that was what I meant to do – and then I remembered that Amie had hundreds in the bank, lying idle, and I thought it would be ever so much better to borrow it from her. It gives people a bad impression if you start borrowing small sums. The money is nothing to Amie. Of course I shall pay it back, but even if I didn’t she’d never miss it.’
‘It isn’t the money.’
‘What is it then?’
‘The lies.’
‘But I’ve explained about that already. If I’d asked Amie for the money for myself she would have worried. She would have thought I was in some sort of scrape – don’t you see? So I just made up the little story about Tony What’s-his-name. It came to me all in a moment.’
Barbie’s hands were lying in her lap. Edward leant forward and put his hand over them. ‘You understand now, don’t you?’ he said.
‘No,’ said Barbie in a breathless voice. ‘No, it’s horrible.’
She remembered every detail of the incident: the long story about the house and the house agent, and Edward’s grave face as he told it. She remembered how Aunt Amalie had believed every word, and had thought him kind. ‘Too kind, really,’ she had said with an indulgent smile.
‘It’s horrible!’ repeated Barbie, tearing her hands from his grasp. ‘You deceived her! All those lies about his parents being abroad – and everything.’
‘Don’t let’s talk about it any more, darling.’
‘We must talk about it. It’s important.’
‘It isn’t important. I’ll pay it all back on Saturday – every penny of it. I promise you faithfully.’
‘On Saturday?’
He nodded. ‘Listen, Barbie,’ he said eagerly. ‘I know a fellow who lives at Newmarket and he gave me the tip. April Cloud is an absolute snip for the 3.30 on Saturday. This chap has seen the horses being exercised and he says April Cloud simply can’t lose. It’s an absolute snip – and it’s twenty to one!’
‘Edward, you don’t mean –’
‘Yes, honestly. I shall win two thousand. It’s money for jam. Of course the first thing I’ll do is repay Amie – and I’ll get her some books as well – that Alpine Flower book she was talking about – Hatchard’s is sure to have it. Don’t worry, Barbie. It will be all right, I promise you.’
‘We don’t understand each other,’ said Barbie helplessly.
She could not understand him. Quite suddenly Edward had become a stranger to her – even his face looked different. She watched him take his cigarette-case out of his pocket and light a cigarette and throw the match out of the window.
‘We’ll have to go on or we’ll be late,’ he said. ‘Let’s talk about something else.’
He drove on. Barbie heard his voice talking but she was too upset to listen to what he said. Presently they approached London and the houses closed in – thousands and thousands of houses and streets and shops, thousands of cars. He parked the car and they went into the restaurant together.
Barbie went to the ladies’ room to leave her coat and tidy her hair. It was small and rather sordid. She looked into the mirror; her eyes, wide and frightened, looked back at her blankly.
I mustn’t panic, she thought. It’s silly to panic. I look awful.
For a moment she hesitated and then she took out her lipstick and rubbed it on the palm of her hand. She mixed it with some cold cream and touched up her cheeks. The slight colour made her look better – and she felt better too. She felt ready to face Edward now.
He was sitting waiting for her at a little table in the corner and he looked up and smiled at her in his usual engaging way. ‘You’ve been ages,’ he said. ‘I ordered an omelette and mushrooms. You like that, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ said Barbie. She sat down opposite to him at the table.
‘Darling, it’s all right, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘You’re not really angry with me. You know I love Amie dearly – every bit as much as you do.’
‘I’m not angry. I’m frightened,’ said Barbie.
‘Frightened?’
‘I’ve discovered that I don’t know you.’
‘What on earth d’you mean?’
She began to rearrange the flowers in the vase which stood on the table between them. She said, ‘I mean I can’t marry you.’
‘Barbie, you must be mad! Just because I borrowed that money from Amie!’
‘No, not because of that.’
The waiter came with their omelette and for a few moments they could not continue the conversation.
When he had gone Edward said, ‘What’s made you so prudish all of a sudden? I seem to remember you used to like a flutter on a horse yourself. You got quite a nice little packet when E.S.B. won the Grand National, didn’t you?’
‘I won five pounds,’ said Barbie in a flat voice. ‘It was just for fun. I’m not against betting in a mild way –’
‘April Cloud is a snip,’ declared Edward. ‘This fellow knows. He sees the horses exercising –’
‘It isn’t that,’ said Barbie. ‘I wouldn’t mind if you put everything you’ve got on the horse – and it came in last.’
‘Barbie! What a frightful idea!’
‘It wouldn’t matter.’
‘What is it then? What are you worrying about?’
She did not reply.
‘Because I told Amie a little fib?’
‘Because you did it too well,’ said Barbie gravely.
There was a short silence.
‘Don’t let’s quarrel,’ said Edward at last. ‘I’ll say I’m sorry and you’ll forgive me. Do you remember how we used to do that when we were children? Kiss and be friends?’ He raised his eyes and smiled at her.
‘It isn’t for me to forgive or not to forgive,’ she told him.
‘You don’t mean you’re going to tell Amie?’
‘No, of course not. It would hurt her dreadfully. Besides it isn’t my business. I was just – just an onlooker. It’s between you and Aunt Amalie.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘Then that’s all right, isn’t it? We’ll say no more about it. I’ll give up betting altogether when we’re married – honestly I will.’
‘I can’t marry you, Edward.’
‘Barbie, listen –’
‘I can’t,’ said Barbie desperately. ‘I’m terribly sorry – but it’s off.’
‘I don’t understand you –’ he began.
‘I know – that’s why,’ she declared. ‘It’s no good people getting married when they don’t understand each other.’
‘Let’s leave it,’ Edward said. ‘We’re both a bit het up. Let’s talk about it some other time. Please, Barbie.’
She shook her head.
‘Please, darling Barbie! You’re making me terribly unhappy – and Amie – what about Amie? You know what she feels about it. You can’t throw it all up like this.’
‘I can’t marry you.’
‘And what are you going to tell Amie?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Barbie in a strangled voice. ‘I haven’t thought. I just know I can’t marry you – that’s all.’
She rose and groped for her bag and gloves and went away.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
When Barbie opened the door of the flat she saw that it was full of flowers. There was a huge bowl of mixed flowers on the corner table, which looked very gay, and there were roses on the gate-legged table upon which they had their meals. In Barbie’s own room there was a vase of sweet peas which filled the air with fragrance.
Nell was not there herself, she was not due to return from Dr Headfort’s until after tea, but the flat was en fête for Barbie’s homecoming, that was obvious; Barbie, who already was exceedingly upset, sat down and wept.
Presently the peace and quiet and the familiar surroundings pacified her feelings and she pulled herself together and made tea and ate some biscuits; she had had no lunch. (The mushroom omelette which Edward had ordered had been left upon the plate.) After that she felt a good deal better. She was busy unpacking when Nell arrived home, laden with parcels of food.
‘Darling!’ cried Nell, flinging her arms round Barbie’s neck and kissing her fondly. ‘Oh joy, it’s almost too good to be true!’
‘It’s good to be back –’
‘And you’re looking quite fit – or very nearly. How lovely it is to see you. What a lot we shall have to talk about! Of course I know it’s only for a time,’ continued Nell, ‘but you aren’t going to be married immediately, are you?’
‘I’m not going to be married at all.’
‘You mean it’s off?’ asked Nell incredulously.
‘Yes, it’s off,’ replied Barbie.
Nell said no more – there was something in Barbie’s manner that precluded questions – but Nell was sure she would hear about it later. Meanwhile there was a lot to be done. Nell was a wonderful cook; supper – on Barbie’s first night – was to be very special. She had run to half a bottle of champagne, which was to have been drunk in honour of Barbie’s engagement, but there was no reason why it should not be drunk in honour of Barbie’s return.
The Tall Stranger Page 10