The Unknown Ajax Read online

  ‘If your brother was shot, sir, the reason was that he was mistaken for Mr Richmond Darracott!’

  Claud, listening to this with dropped jaw, said, in a dazed voice: ‘I was shot, because I was– Dash it, I don’t look like Richmond!’

  ‘You are of much the same height and build, sir, and I had good reason to believe that he was abroad tonight.’

  ‘But you can’t shoot at everyone who’s the same height and build as my cousin! Besides, what’s it got to do with you if he was abroad? Never heard anything to equal it in my life! You must be mad!’ said Claud, stunned.

  ‘He’s got it firmly fixed in his head that our Richmond is mixed up with the free-traders,’ explained Hugo.

  ‘Well, that proves he’s mad. If my head weren’t swimming so– What I mean is – nothing to do with me, if he was mixed up with them! Silly notion, anyway. And then I think –’ He put up a hand to his shoulder, cautiously feeling it, and wincing. ‘I don’t know what you’ve done to me,’ he said fretfully, to his valet. ‘It’s too tight. Devilish uncomfortable!’

  ‘Pray do not touch it, sir! I implore you, sir, do not try to shift those bandages!’

  ‘Something sticking into me,’ muttered Claud, closing his eyes again.

  ‘Yes, sir, but it was necessary to bind a thick pad over the wound,’ said Polyphant soothingly. ‘We fear that the bullet may be deeply lodged, so you must not –’

  ‘What!’ Claud’s eyes flew open. ‘You mean to tell me I’ve got a bullet in me?’

  ‘It’ll be dug out, never fear!’ Hugo consoled him.

  ‘Oh, no!’ moaned Claud.

  ‘Mr Darracott, I have two questions which I shall be obliged if you will answer! That will not, I trust, exhaust you! Why were you wearing a mask, and why did you run away when commanded to halt, in the King’s name?’

  ‘Take this fellow away!’ begged Claud feebly. ‘A bullet lodged in me! It may be fatal! And all the fellow can do is to stand there, asking me questions! How was I to know what they were shouting? Next you’ll say I should have begged pardon and asked them to speak more clear – Polyphant, where is the bullet lodged? I am feeling very low.’

  ‘And the mask, sir?’ demanded Ottershaw inexorably.

  ‘Very low indeed! Shouldn’t wonder if I fainted away again. Dashed if I’ll answer you! No concern of yours!’

  ‘Were you wearing a mask, Claud?’ said Vincent, looking amused. ‘Now, I wonder if I could hazard a guess? Rather a late hour for a ramble in the wood, was it not? Unless you wished for some reason to go by the shortest way to the village – or to meet someone, not far from – perhaps – the smithy?’

  ‘You go to the devil!’ said Claud sulkily. ‘And you can take that nosy tidewatcher with you!’

  ‘I wonder if any of my cattle want shoeing? I feel sure they do. I have a positively burning curiosity to see that game-pullet of yours, Claud. But I shan’t wear a mask, however savage her brother may be. What Hugo can do, I can!’

  ‘Leave the poor lad alone!’ said Hugo reprovingly, but with a grin. He laid his fingers on Claud’s limp wrist for a minute. ‘Yes, I think the sooner we get him to bed the better it will be.’

  ‘If I may say so, I am entirely of your mind, sir!’ said Polyphant. ‘Knowing Mr Claud’s constitution as I do, I shall make bold to say that he will be in a high fever if we do not procure for him a little quiet!’

  Hugo nodded, and looked at Ottershaw. ‘Well, lad, you’ve had your wish, and kicked up a rare scrow-row into the bargain, but happen it’s time you took your leave now,’ he said, not unkindly, but with a certain authority in his deep voice.

  The Lieutenant stared up into his face, his eyes hard and searching, his lips tightly compressed. For several moments he did not speak: to the Darracotts the moments seemed hours. The Sergeant cleared his throat, and moved towards the door, but Ottershaw paid no heed. He could read nothing in Hugo’s calm face but slight amusement, nor did those very blue eyes waver. Could any man appear so totally unconcerned unless he was as innocent as the Major looked? Some, perhaps, but this enormous, simple creature – ? Nothing could have been clumsier than his efforts to keep Richmond’s mother and grandfather in ignorance of his condition; his naïve attempts at deception had been the blunderings of the big, good-natured, stupid man he appeared to be. But was he? There was no subtlety in his face, as there was in Vincent Darracott’s; his eyes were sometimes grave, and sometimes twinkling, but they were the eyes of a child: they gazed innocently upon the world, there was no thought behind them.

  The Lieutenant glanced at Richmond. It struck him that Richmond was too pale; paler, surely, than he had been a few minutes earlier? His eyes narrowed, intently watching the boy. It was useless to question him: if he was drunk his answers would be valueless; if he was pretending to be drunk he could make them so. He was leaning forward, both his arms on the table, foolishly trying to stand the stopper of the decanter on end, using both hands impartially. It was incredible that he could sit like that, vacantly smiling, if he had a bullet lodged in him; it was incredible that he should be sitting in that chair at all under such circumstances: surely he must have swooned from sheer weakness? But he was certainly growing paler.

  ‘Vincent!’

  The Major’s voice was lowered. Ottershaw’s suspicious eyes went instantly to his face, but Hugo was no longer looking at him, he was looking at Richmond, a rather rueful smile on his lips. He glanced towards Vincent, and significantly directed his attention to Richmond, saying, in an undervoice: ‘From the looks of it, he’ll be casting up his accounts before he’s much older. Better get him to bed.’

  ‘Damn the brat!’ said Vincent. ‘Inevitable, of course! He will in all probability cast ’em up as soon as he gets to his feet. What a singularly disagreeable evening this has been, to be sure!’

  He went up to the table as he spoke, and grasped Richmond’s left arm, just above the elbow, as though to pull him to his feet. ‘Come along, bantam!’ he said. ‘Bedtime!’

  Richmond hiccupped. ‘I don’t want to go to bed.’

  ‘One moment!’ Ottershaw said suddenly, obedient to an insistent, inner prompting. ‘Before you retire, Mr Richmond, oblige me, please, by removing your coat!’

  Twenty-one

  Well, upon my word!’ cried Anthea, as though she could no longer restrain herself. ‘Mr Ottershaw, are you indeed mad, or merely determined to insult us! I never heard of anything so outrageous in my life! Who are you to throw orders about in this house? Pray how many people have been fired on tonight?’

  Uncertainty, chagrin, the intangible feeling that he was being fooled to the top of his bent, were making the Lieutenant lose his temper. He snapped back accusingly: ‘Only one, Miss Darracott!’

  She stared at him, her eyes blazing. ‘Only– Why, you – you impertinent idiot! Do you know what you are saying? Do you seriously imagine that I – my grandfather – my cousins – all of us, in fact: every member of the household! – are engaged in the smuggling trade?’

  ‘No! But that you are engaged in protecting Mr Richmond Darracott, yes!’ he said recklessly.

  ‘Don’t be so daft, Ottershaw!’ said Hugo quietly.

  Anthea paid no heed, but gave a scornful, angry laugh, and said: ‘Well, I hope you know how my brother has contrived to become a smuggler without anyone’s being the wiser, for I can assure you I don’t! When I think of the way every single soul at Darracott Place fusses and cossets him– Oh, what is the use of talking to you? You are out of your senses!’ She swung round towards Lord Darracott, demanding impetuously: ‘Grandpapa, how much more of this do you mean to endure?’

  ‘Let him go to his length, my girl!’ he replied. ‘The farther the better! Do you think I mean to stop him tieing the noose round his own neck? I don’t, pea-goose!’

  Sergeant Hoole stepped forward, laying a hand on the Lieutenant’s arm. ‘Sir!’ he utte