Cousin Kate Read online

  She became serious again as she recalled the mysterious hints Lady Broome had several times dropped. She had not actually accused Philip of trying to kill his cousin, but she had said that he coveted Staplewood, and his uncle’s title. The only real charge she had brought against him was that he had a bad influence over Torquil. Kate thought that if he exercised any influence at all – which was doubtful – it was a good one; and was intelligent enough to guess that Lady Broome would consider any other influence than her own a bad one. She lay down again, grimacing. Whoever Torquil’s bride might be, she would find herself with the devil of a mother-in-law. ‘And it won’t be me!’ she said, snuggling her cheek into the pillow.

  Ten

  Kate found her aunt alone in the breakfast-parlour next morning, and seized the opportunity to ask her if she did not think that it was time to bring her visit to an end. Lady Broome seemed amused, and said: ‘No: why should I?’

  ‘I don’t believe it, but if Torquil is developing a tendre for me, ma’am, I feel I ought to remove myself.’

  ‘Why, if you don’t believe it? Are you so anxious to leave us?’

  ‘Oh, no, no, ma’am!’

  ‘I’m glad of that. I have done my best to make you happy.’

  ‘Yes, and I have been happy!’ Kate assured her. ‘You have been more than kind, and I shan’t know how to be contented, away from you, and dear Sir Timothy! And Staplewood, of course. The thing is that I must not encourage Torquil to dangle after me, and I shall find it awkward to keep a proper distance, after the habits of easy intercourse we have acquired. If I treat him with the cool civility of a stranger he will demand to know what he has done to offend me, perhaps, and what could I say?’

  ‘My dear child, what a great fuss about nothing! You will go on as before, and I am persuaded you will know how to depress any fit of gallantry. I expect you will do just as you ought: you have such superior sense!’

  ‘But –’

  ‘I should be very hurt if you were to leave Staplewood before the end of the summer,’ said Lady Broome. ‘It would be an unkindness which I cannot think I have deserved.’

  Aghast, Kate stammered: ‘No, no, dear aunt! But in the circumstances – after what you said to me last night –’

  ‘My dear, I told you to think it over. You have had no time to do so as yet, have you?’

  In the middle of trying to tell her aunt, with civility, that no stretch of time would cause her to alter her decision, Kate was interrupted by the tempestuous entrance of Torquil, closely followed by the doctor. ‘Mama!’ said Torquil explosively. ‘I’ve seen a heron by the lake!’

  ‘Good-morning, Torquil!’ said his mother, in repressive accents.

  ‘Oh, good-morning, ma’am – good-morning, Kate! Did you hear what I said to you, Mama?’

  ‘Very clearly: you have seen a heron by the lake! Will you have coffee, or tea?’

  ‘Tea – it don’t signify! The thing is that the gun room is locked, and Pennymore says you have the key to it!’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Well, give it to me!’ said Torquil. ‘I must shoot that heron!’

  ‘Oh, no !’ exclaimed Kate impulsively.

  ‘Indeed no!’ said Lady Broome. ‘My son, you know I have the greatest horror of guns! I do beg you won’t start shooting things! What I endured when your father was used to have shooting-parties! I was for ever on the jump, because I cannot accustom myself to sudden bangs, and I have the greatest dread that there will be a fatal accident!’

  ‘Oh, gammon!’ said Torquil rudely. He turned his head, as his cousin came into the room, and demanded: ‘Philip! Is there any danger of a fatal accident, if one goes out shooting?’

  Mr Philip Broome, after collectively greeting the assembled company, replied: ‘Danger to what?’

  ‘People, of course!’

  ‘Well, that depends on the man who is handling the gun. Coffee, if you please, Minerva!’

  ‘Exactly so!’ said the doctor. ‘None at all if that man were Sir Timothy, or yourself, but every danger if that man were a novice!’

  Torquil reddened angrily. ‘Is that meant for me? Whose fault is it that I’m a novice?’

  ‘Not mine, my dear boy!’

  ‘No! My mother’s!’

  ‘I am afraid that is true,’ confessed Lady Broome. ‘By the time you were old enough for your father to teach you how to handle a gun, he had been obliged to abandon his shooting. I own I was thankful that I was spared any more shocks to my nerves!’

  ‘That won’t fadge! There was Philip, or any of the keepers!’

  ‘But I don’t recall that you ever, until today, expressed a wish to be taught how to shoot!’ she said mildly.

  ‘What if I didn’t? I ought to have been taught!’ He sat glowering, and suddenly said: ‘And, what’s more, I ought to have the key to the gun room! I think Papa is a regular dog-in-the-manger! He can’t shoot himself now, but –’

  ‘You will be silent, Torquil!’

  ‘I won’t! Philip, will you teach me how to shoot?’

  ‘No, certainly not! I once tried to teach you how to carry a gun, without waving it about, and pointing it at anything rather than the ground, and I failed miserably.’

  ‘That was when I was twelve!’

  ‘You will have to hold me excused. Fight it out with your mother!’

  ‘She says she can’t bear the noise! Did you ever hear such balderdash? As though she would be startled by a shot fired down by the lake! I’ve seen a heron there!’

  ‘Have you? What of it?’

  ‘Good God, Philip, unless it’s shot it will have every fish in the water!’

  ‘It’s welcome to them,’ said Philip, unmoved. ‘Nothing but roach and sticklebacks. Your father was never fond of fishing, so he didn’t stock the lake. When I was a youngster I was used to waste hours hopefully casting a line on to it, until my uncle gently broke it to me that there were no trout in it. A severe blow!’

  ‘Then I do trust that the heron’s life may be spared!’ said Kate. ‘I’ve never seen one – only pictures – and I would like to!’

  ‘Well, you will have to get up very early in the morning,’ Philip warned her.

  ‘If I can’t shoot it, I can trap it!’ said Torquil, his eyes brightening.

  ‘No! Oh, no, no, no!’ cried Kate sharply.

  ‘You will do no such thing, Torquil,’ said Lady Broome. ‘I will have no trapping at Staplewood, and I wish to hear no more talk of killing. I trust, Philip, that you spent an agreeable evening, and had a tolerable dinner? You said that Mr Templecombe had invited you to take pot-luck with him, and in my experience that means cold mutton, or hash!’

  ‘True, but I knew I was safe in Gurney’s hands, ma’am. Most of the rooms were under holland covers, and I rather fancy we were waited on by the pantry-boy, but the dinner was excellent. Gurney allowed Lady Templecombe to take the upper servants to London, but when she tried to wrest his cook from him she drew blank.’

  ‘How very selfish of him!’

  ‘Not at all. He gave her leave to engage an expensive French chef for the Season, so she was well-satisfied.’

  Torquil, who had been sitting in brooding silence, got up abruptly, and left the room. Kate saw her aunt look quickly at the doctor, who said: ‘I too must beg to be excused, my lady,’ and followed Torquil.

  ‘May I know who holds the key to the gun room, Minerva?’

  ‘I do.’

  Philip nodded, and began to carve some cold beef. When he had finished breakfast, he went away to visit Sir Timothy, and remained with him for an hour. Meanwhile, Kate tried to continue her discussion with Lady Broome, but found her evasive, and disinclined to take her seriously. When Kate said, in desperation, that under no circumstances would she marry Torquil, she laughed, and replied: ‘W