“Yes. He’s bought it.
“That was a dirty trick,” said Rags, “selling it to old Clapperton without giving Colonel Whiteoak a chance to buy it.”
“Black knew where he could get the biggest price.” Wright gloomily stirred his tea. “I’ve heard on good authority that there’s going to be a factory built there.”
Noah Binns tee-heed into his cup. “There’ll be factories and service stations everywhere before I’m dead. There’ll be one right here where we sit.”
“Well, you are cheerful, aren’t you?” exclaimed Rags.
And Wright added, — “I hope I’m underground before that day.”
Mrs. Wragge thumped a fat fist on the table. “The Colonel’d never allow it! All them that owns property would be up in arms.”
Noah Binns pushed his face close to hers. “Have you ever knowed property owners able to stop anything?”
“Colonel Whiteoak stopped him building bungalows,” she declared.
“Raikes tells me,” said Wright gloomily, “that they’re going to dig the cellars for new ones as soon as the spring breaks.”
Mrs. Wragge glared at them over her swelling bosom. “It won’t be allowed,” she said.
A polite knock now sounded on the outer door.
“I’ll bet it’s Tom Raikes,” said Mrs. Wragge. “He always knocks that polite way. Come in!” she sang out and Raikes entered, bent a little as though bowing. He took off his hat as he came and a black gypsy lock fell over his large eyes.
He was made very welcome by Mrs. Wragge while the men looked at him a little doubtfully. Soon he had a cup of tea and a piece of gingerbread in front of him. As the cook placed them there his head touched her solid warm arm and he smiled gratefully up at her, his white teeth gleaming in his dark face.
Noah Binns whispered in Wright’s ear, — “I don’t like his looks.”
“Ssh,” Wright warned out of the side of his mouth.
Raikes was saying, — “what a backward spring we’re having. As I came along the path the snow was up near to me knees.”
“And more of it in the sky,” said Wright.
“It’s tarrible,” said Noah, “how the days is lengthening. I don’t know of a worse sight than a long day and no sign of spring.”
“Have another cup of tea, Noah.” Mrs. Wragge pushed it across the table to him without ceremony. “It’ll make you feel better.”
“This new bell-ringer they’ve got at the church,” he said, “don’t seem to have no knack with the bell. Every Sunday I stand by him both morning and evening and my hands itch to get ahold of that rope. He can’t ring the bell proper and never will though I direct him at every pull of the rope.”
“Lands sakes!” exclaimed Mrs. Wragge.
“I wrastle with that young man,” he continued, “till the perspiration is apouring down both our faces. ‘Faster!’ I say, and then ‘Not so fast! Put some muscle into it!’ I say, and then I say, ‘Don’t writhe around as if you’d the stummickache.’ And he yells back and I can’t hear him for the ringing of the bell. It’s enough to drive me crazy.”
“Land alive!” exclaimed Mrs. Wragge.
Raikes said on a deep reminiscent note, — “You should hear the bells where I come from, Mr. Binns.”
“That’d be in Ireland, eh?” Noah asked in a disparaging tone.
“Yes. In Ireland. It’s only a village church but we have six lovely bells and a ringer to each. You ought to hear the chimes on a special occasion.”
“They’d be Catholic bells, eh?” said Noah in a still more disparaging tone.
“No. Protestant.”
Wright said, — “I’ll never forget my trip to Ireland. Old Mr. Court there, he’d sent for little Maurice to go aver and stay with him and I took him. It was a big responsibility but I enjoyed it.”
“Well do I remember the poor little feller comin’ to tell us goodbye. My, he was cute,” said Mrs. Wragge.
“And he’s a grown-up young man now and going back to claim his property.” Wright gave a sigh. “Lord, how time flies!”
“Flies!” exclaimed Noah. “Fifty year I rang that there church bell and did ever one of this here family say I done it well? No. Not one.”
“Are you countin’ me?” Mrs. Wragge asked.
“I was not. Do you want to be counted one of this family?”
“Well, Colonel Whiteoak often does.”
“You’re welcome to him.” Noah stared straight at her.
“I suppose,” Raikes said in his soothing tones, “that it’s a fine property young Mr. Maurice owns over there.”
“Beautiful,” Wright agreed with pride. “A mansion there is — three times the size of this, with old armour in the hall and a grand stairway.”
“I don’t call this much of a house,” said Noah.
“It’s the finest in these parts.” Wright said truculently.
“Shucks. Y’ought to see some of the houses them millionaires have built, down on the shore.”
“I have seen ’em. They’re welcome to ’em — with their swimming pools and rumpus rooms and bars. There isn’t one with stables equal to ours.” Wright pushed his cup and saucer from in front of him and folded his arms. “Them — with their three cars and a station wagon — bah! They don’t know they’re alive.”
“I had a bit of an accident last night,” said Raikes. All looked enquiringly at him.
“Aye. I was coming home — I was driving Mr. Clapperton’s car and a truck bumped me right into a telegraph pole. The car was pretty well smashed.”
“My, that was bad luck,” said Mrs. Wragge. “It is hard on the nerves, these smashes. Have another cup of tea.”
“Thanks. I will.” He drank down half of it blazing hot.
“what’d Clapperton say?” grinned Wright.
“He was a bit upset. But he couldn’t say much as it wasn’t my fault. He allows me the use of that car. The other’s just for the use of the family.”
“How’s the pigs?” asked Wright.
“Ah, the young ones are dead.” A look of sadness softened Raikes’ face.
“Better luck next litter,” comforted Mrs. Wragge. “How’s that D.P. gettin’ on?”
“She’s leaving tomorrow.”
“Is it true she found a snake in her bedroom?”
“I’ll bet it was Clapperton,” grinned Wright.
Mrs. Wragge gave a yell of laughter which she quickly controlled. Rags uttered repeated giggles. Noah choked on his last mouthful of tea which he brought up. Only Raikes remained placid.
“It was no snake,” he said, “only a harmless mouse. But it isn’t for that she’s leaving. She’s not used to country life and she’s not used to our ways. She’s going with some friends of hers. We could make her stay on but we can manage without her. I’ll help with the work.”
“You!” laughed Mrs. Wragge. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“I’ll help you in your own kitchen this minute if you say the word.”
“I do most of the work here,” said Rags.
Before she could make a retort Noah Binns raised his rasping voice. “It’s a sinful crime,” he said, “the way the government brings these furriners to take the bread out of our mouths. They’re goin’ to be a blight on the country and bring it down to ruin.”
Steps were heard and a pair of pretty legs were seen descending the stairs from the hall above. A gay plaid skirt came into view, then a green blouse, and lastly Adeline’s smiling face. The men began to shuffle their feet under the table and push back their chairs but she called out:
“Don’t move! Goodness, what a pretty picture you make! Hello, Noah, what do you think of this for April?”
“It’s just what I foretold, Miss, away last fall. There’ll be no spring, I says, and we’ll go straight from the depths of snow into roastin’ boilin’ bakin’ summer.”
Adeline perched herself on the wide windowsill.
“You must pray for good weather for me, Noah,” she
said. “I’m going on an ocean voyage.”
Noah Binns groaned. “That’s bad,” he said. “There’s storms brewin’ and German mines still floatin’ about. Danged if I’d go on an ocean voyage — not if my way was paid on the Queen Mary — and they say she rolls like all possessed.”
“Oh, Noah, don’t be so discouraging!” But she laughed delightedly.
“I suppose you’re going with Mr. Maurice, miss,” said Wright. “I well remember when I took him over.”
“Yes. And Uncle Finch is coming, too.” She eyed the gingerbread.
“Like a piece, Miss Adeline?” asked the cook.
“I shall be taking the tea upstairs directly,” said Rags.
“Don’t be so mean, Rags.” Adeline jumped from the sill and came to the table. “Not on a plate, please, Mrs. Wragge. Just in my hand.”
She returned to her perch eating the gingerbread. The April sun which had not before shown itself that day now burst out strong and made a brilliant halo about the girl’s head. The five seated about the table stared at her in pleasure as they might without embarrassment stare at a young doe in its early grace and beauty. Their hands lay on the table relaxed or held the handles of their cups. Beneath the table their feet were disposed in characteristic attitudes. Mrs. Wragge’s in red woollen slippers toed inward, the calves bulging sharply from the ankles; her husband’s, neat in black shoes, were planted side by side; Noah Binns’ ankles were interlocked and his shabby overshoes seemed to have absorbed moisture rather than cast it off; Wright’s legs were outstretched and ended in leather leggings and thick-soled, well-oiled shoes; while Raikes’ top-boots were drawn back on either side of his chair, thus disposing of his long legs. So characteristic were those nether parts that an observer seeing them separate from the upper parts could have linked them without difficulty.
“You’d never guess what she’s goin’ over for,” Mrs. Wragge said to the men.
They shook their heads smiling at Adeline.
“why, she’s goin’ over to choose herself a husband. She’s goin’ to look them over in Great Britain and Ireland and pick out a prize one.”
“You don’t need to go that far, do you, miss?” said Wright. “There’s good men at home here, eh?”
“She’s after a title,” said Mrs. Wragge. “She aims to be ‘my lady’ — like her great-aunt.”
Noah Binns spoke truculently. “No man living has a right to a title, except the King. George — King of Canada and Great Britain.”
“what about Ireland?” asked Raikes.
“Ireland!” Noah gave a snort. “Ireland’s a foreign country now and will perish as such.”
“when did you start talking biblical?” asked Wright.
“I’ll bet you a dollar to a doughnut,” declared Noah, “that I’m the only one present who could say a piece from the Bible by heart.”
“I’ll take you on,” said Adeline. “At school we had to memorize from the Bible as a punishment. I was always in trouble so I know masses by heart.”
“I was not including the ladies,” returned Noah.
Mrs. Wragge interrupted, — “You’re getting away from the subject.”
“Well, miss,” said Raikes, “I hope you’ll find a nice young Irish gentleman to your liking.”
Noah Binns said, — “There’s men in this country, better than any duke.”
“what Miss Adeline’d like,” put in Wright, “is a gentleman with a stable full of show horses or a string of racehorses.”
Rags gave his insinuating smile. “She’s got him picked out,” he said. “I’ve heard his name — not many times, but once.”
Adeline imperturbably finished her gingerbread. Through the window behind her the face of the bulldog appeared, and behind it the legs of a horse.
“It’s the boss,” exclaimed Wright. “I guess he’d like me to take his horse.” He hurried out followed by Raikes and then by Binns, the last shuffling along with knees bent and an expression of pessimistic curiosity on his face.
“Thanks for the gingerbread, Mrs. Wragge,” cried Adeline. “There’s Daddy! The message I came down to give you was from Mummy. She says will you please make less gravy — no, put less grease in the gravy — no, I mean, don’t burn the gravy! Goodness, I forget what it was!” She ran from the kitchen and joined the three men standing about the horse. The feeling of joy she always had when she saw her father on horseback was as sweet to her as the smell of the sharp pure air. There was no man living, she thought, who sat a horse as he did, whose legs and body so merged in the body of the horse, the lines of whose back and shoulders so flowed into the lines of the horse when he cantered. She drank in the sight — the man’s bare head, the naked arching head of the horse, the look in their eyes of accepting restraint to only a certain point. She ran through the snow and put her hand on the beast’s powerful neck, the flesh so hard, so muscular, tightly bound in that glossy chestnut hide. He swung his head toward her, mumbling his bit as though in dismay at finding it there in his mouth.
“Shall I take him to the stable, sir?” Wright asked. He took the bridle in his hand.
“Yes, thanks, Wright.” Renny threw a leg across the horse and slid to the ground. The horse gave a petulant look at Wright and then minced delicately with him toward the stables, ready at any moment to misbehave.
Raikes smiled at Renny with a kind of intimacy. “A lovely horse, sir,” he said. “Is he the one that took first prize at the show?”
“He is. He’s perfect except that you can’t always depend on him.”
“I’ve seen hundreds of horses,” said Noah, “and I never seen one that had any brains.”
“Then where did the expression horse sense come from?” demanded Renny.
“I’ll bet your grandfather made it up.” Noah cackled in delight at his own wit. Afraid that he would not have the last word he clumped off through the snow, more of which had begun to fall.
“Lord, when will spring come!” exclaimed Renny, looking up into the heavy sky, as though he did in truth invoke the Deity.
Adeline put her arm about his waist. “It can’t come too soon for me. What a spring to look forward to!”
“My daughter is going over to your country,” Renny said to the Irishman.
“Ah, that’s where she’ll see a lovely spring.” Raikes’ eyes were clouded as though in nostalgia. “I hope you enjoy it, miss.”
“Thanks. I’m sure to. I have a wonderful power of enjoyment.” She spoke in Ernest’s very manner.
“It’s a grand thing to have, miss.”
With his gravely polite bow Raikes took the path that led behind the stables and so to Vaughanlands. He could not help comparing the cheerful atmosphere of Jalna with that of Vaughanlands where so often the family seemed at cross-purposes, neither happy themselves nor able to make those they employed happy. Still he was far from dissatisfied. He would stay where he was and make the best of it. The litter of young pigs had been sold at a fair profit. There were other things.…
He kicked the snow from his boots and went into the kitchen. Tania was there stirring something on the stove, a look of distaste darkening her face.
“where’s the boss?” asked Raikes.
“Can’t do. I go,” she returned.
He came close, smiling into her face.
“Can’t do,” she said, raising the spoon as though to hit him. “You go.”
“You’re a devil,” he laughed. “Understand that?” He left her and went into the hall. Eugene Clapperton was there tying a muffler round his neck.
“Well,” he said sharply, the memory of last night’s collision fresh in his mind, “has the car been taken away for repairs?”
“It has that, sir. They’re pretty busy and say it will take three weeks before it’s done.”
“Hm.… Well, in the meantime you’ll have to walk. No taking out of the Cadillac, mind you.”
“No, sir. No indeed.” Raikes hesitated, reluctant to go on. ‘‘But …”
&n
bsp; “But what? what’s the trouble now?”
“It’s the mare, sir. The one Colonel Whiteoak sold you, for riding.”
Eugene Clapperton had bought the mare half against his own better judgment in the flush of a reconciliation with Renny Whiteoak, with the feeling too that riding would be good for his health. But he never had enjoyed it. The thought that the mare should be exercised hung over him. The fear of her, when he was mounted, never left him. But he was proud of her. The thought of anything going wrong with her filled him with dismay. He asked:
“Is she ailing?”
Raikes answered softly, — “Her health is fine, sir. I wouldn’t ask for better, but it’s her eyes that’s troublin’ her.”
“Her eyes?”
“Yes, sir. She’s gone quite blind in one eye and the other is bad, too. In a little while her sight will be quite gone.”
“why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“I hadn’t the heart to tell you, sir. So many things had gone amiss. At first it came to me as a big surprise her not seeing so well. Then I made certain she had the same trouble as two other horses I’ve known. One was a mare in Ireland and it developed slow in her. The other was a gelding out in this country and it developed fast in him. But it’s the same trouble. I’ve worked with horses all my life and I couldn’t be mistaken.”
“We must have the vet to see her.”
“If it’ll make you more sure, sir — of course. But the vet at Stead is no good for this sort of thing. If you don’t mind I’ll take her to the one at Belton. It’s quite a way but I’d sooner trust him.”
“Let him come to see her.”
“He’d do that but he’s got some trouble in his back and he’s only able to look after the animals that are brought to him. He’ll be around again in a month, they tell me. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind waiting.”
“Better take her at once.
Raikes hesitated. “There is his fee, sir. He’s a man who likes to be paid on the spot. Then there’ll be my lunch at the hotel and some oats for the mare.”
Eugene Clapperton handed him a ten-dollar bill. “Let’s hope the vet can do something for her. Upon my word I’m sick and tired of the things that go wrong with the animals. They look so strong and yet …”
The Jalna Saga – Deluxe Edition: All Sixteen Books of the Enduring Classic Series & The Biography of Mazo de la Roche Page 447