The Reluctant Widow Read online

  ‘To have it set going for Mrs Cheviot. I am sure it is very kind, and she will be glad of it!’

  ‘Have it set going!’ exclaimed Barrow, in a tone of strong disapproval. ‘That old clock’s been stopped these dunnamany years! I disremember when I knew that clock to tick!’

  It was plain that he objected to having the existing state of affairs interfered with. Miss Beccles felt herself to be unequal to argument, and merely repeated that it was very kind of Mr Cheviot. She added that if Mrs Barrow would make her some tea she would be glad of it, so Barrow took himself off kitchenwards, muttering against the officious ways of some visitors.

  The relief of knowing Francis to have left Highnoons was so great that after she had drunk her tea, and eaten some slices of bread-and-butter, Miss Beccles indulged herself with a nap in front of the parlour fire. She was roused by Nicky, who came in just before three o’clock, with the distressing intelligence that he had not yet succeeded in finding Bouncer, in spite of hunting all over Sir Matthew Kendal’s preserves, and twice falling foul of his keepers. ‘But I thought I should come back, to make sure all was well here,’ he said, ‘and that fellow Cheviot not playing off any more of his tricks!’

  ‘Oh, but he has gone, dear Mr Nicky!’ said Miss Beccles, hurriedly setting her cap straight. ‘Such a mercy, is it not?’

  ‘Gone!’ he exclaimed, looking thunderstruck.

  ‘Yes, and do you know, I cannot think it was he who hit poor Mrs Cheviot, for it was her having been struck down that made him take the resolve to leave us! But I was so thankful, for you know I could not like him, and Mrs Barrow was growing so cross at being obliged to make so many jellies that I scarcely dared show my face in the kitchen!’

  ‘Oh, very well!’ said Nicky, shrugging up his shoulders, and then blinking at the twinge this gesture cost him, ‘I suppose it is Carlyon’s doing, and no concern of mine! I am sure I am very glad to hear that he has gone, for that puts me quite at liberty to go on searching for Bouncer, which I had a deal rather do than thrust myself in where I am not needed!’

  Miss Beccles looked up at him in dismay. ‘I fear you are not quite pleased, dear Mr Nicky!’ she faltered.

  ‘Pleased?! No such thing! I am excessively pleased, ma’am! I rate Bouncer a trifle higher than Francis Cheviot, I can tell you! And if Carlyon should enquire after me, you may tell him that I am gone off on my own affairs, and have no notion when I shall be back, but he need not trouble his head over me, for I shall contrive very well by myself!’

  Having delivered himself of this embittered speech, he stalked out of the room, leaving Miss Beccles in quite a flutter of apprehension, and unable to hazard any guess as to the cause of his annoyance.

  It was four o’clock before Mrs Cheviot put in an appearance. She came down then, however, looking a little pale still, but declaring herself to be quite restored. ‘I must have been asleep for hours!’ she said. ‘No, indeed, I have not got the headache now, Becky – or only the least little degree of headache: nothing to regard!’

  ‘My love, I wish you had stayed on your bed! And you have removed your bandage! Now, my dear Mrs Cheviot, is this wise? Is it prudent?’

  ‘You would not have had me continuing to go about looking such a figure of fun!’ Elinor protested.

  ‘I am sure it was no such thing! Besides, there is no one to see you but me, my love, for Mr Nicky is out looking for poor Bouncer, and he said he did not know when he might return. I do not know what should have occurred to provoke him, but the fact is he was sadly out of spirits when he came in an hour ago.’

  ‘Oh, is Nicky cross? Perhaps Mr Cheviot has vexed him! Has that odious creature taken to his bed again? I have a very good mind to tell Mrs Barrow not to be making him any more gruel, in the hope that he may thus be induced to leave Highnoons!’

  ‘Oh, my love, there is no need! He has gone!’

  Elinor stared. ‘Becky! You are trying to take me in!’

  ‘No, indeed, I would not do such a thing! He said he could not bear to stay after what happened to you this morning. I must say, I thought it poor-spirited of him, and not quite manly, but I was so thankful to say good-bye to him I would not put the smallest rub in his way!’

  ‘No, not for the world! But this is marvellous indeed! It is Carlyon’s doing! He told me Mr Cheviot might be gone before I expected it! Now, how may he have contrived this blessed deliverance? It puts me quite in charity with him, I declare!’

  ‘My love, I wish you will not talk in that wild, heedless fashion! It is not becoming in you, when his lordship, I am sure, has shown himself all compliance, and most truly the gentleman! Such a contrast to Mr Cheviot, too! One cannot but be struck by it!’

  Elinor showed a heightened colour, but said lightly: ‘Oh, let a man but be well-looking, and domineer over you, and I know you must fall into admiration, Becky! But how came Mr Cheviot to leave Highnoons in such haste?’

  ‘Indeed, my love, I fear we have wronged him, and it was not his doing that you were hurt. And I think it cannot have been his lordship who sent him off, for he had left the house an hour before, you know. Mr Cheviot desired his kind compliments to you, and his apologies for not taking leave of you in person, but he would not stay to see you for fear of not being in town in time for his dinner. Though, to be sure, I think he could have had a neat, plain dinner at an inn, but he has such odd fancies!’

  ‘He wants only gruel! I am obliged to him for his civility, and hope I may never be called upon to entertain him again.’

  ‘No, my love, but I do think he meant to be conciliating. He was so obliging as to say that he desired above all things to show you observance, and he had the happy notion of taking away that provoking clock to be mended for you.’

  Elinor had been leaning back in her chair, but she sat up with a start at this, and exclaimed: ‘Took the clock away? Which clock?’

  ‘Why, the one from the book-room, my love, that has vexed you so! He will have it mended by his own clock-maker, and –’

  ‘Becky, you cannot have let him do so!’ Elinor cried, her countenance grown suddenly white.

  ‘But, my dear Mrs Cheviot, what objection can there be?’

  ‘Objection! When you knew what we have been so much afraid of! What he came here to find!’

  ‘Elinor, this is the merest irritation of nerves! Pray, what has a clock that will not go to do with secret papers?’

  Elinor seemed not to be attending. She had both hands pressed to her temples, as though in an effort to concentrate her thoughts. ‘The clock was locked,’ she said. ‘I had been trying to open it. Then I put it back as it was, and – yes, yes, it was then that I picked up the inventory again from the mantelpiece, where I had laid it down! And then I saw the clock was not standing quite straight, and I adjusted it, those papers in my hand! And it was then that I was struck down! Becky, Becky, what a fool I have been not to have perceived it before! That was why he stunned me! He thought I had contrived to open the back of the clock, and had discovered the papers in it! I see it all now, and it is too late! He knew they were there, and must have been only waiting his moment to take them out! Oh, Becky, what a piece of work is this! Oh, how could you have let him take the clock away? But the blame is mine! What shall I do? We must get it back! Nicky –’ She broke off. ‘No, not Nicky! He would dash off in pursuit, and very likely get hurt, and I should never forgive myself, and nor would Carlyon, I dare say! Becky, what must I do?’

  Miss Beccles looked very much agitated, and said: ‘Indeed, I am very sorry! I do not see what is to be done, and certainly you, my love, are in no state to exert yourself! Do, pray, be still! You will bring on your headache if you allow yourself to get into a pucker!’

  Elinor said impatiently. ‘Headache! What can that signify in face of this disaster – for it is no less! It may be too late to recover that document, but at least it is my duty to advise Carlyon instantly of