The English Tutor (27 page)

“
Och, what
’
s wrong with the boy? Not grand enough for you, I suppose
.”

“
We
ll
, rea
ll
y, Kevin! I
’
ve nothing persona
ll
y against the boy, but after a
ll
the money that
’
s been spent on Clodagh
’
s education and bringing her out, I think we have a right to look a little higher for a husband for her.
”

“
Your daughter is like you, Kate, me dear,
”
chuckled Kevin,
“
and you
’
ve brought her up to have her own way, and shell have it despite you, good luck to her.
”

Mrs. Desmond
’
s eyes flashed.

“
It
’
s easy for you to talk,
”
she said.
‘
You
’
ve never spent an unnecessary penny piece on your own daughter, so you
’
ve no reason to expect much in the way of a husband for her. In fact, I always thought you and Bea had this very young man in mind for her.
”

“
Yes, I used to think—
”
began Aunt Bea, looking harried, but Kevin broke in with dangerous calm.

“
So you
think
Conn Driscoll would have done for Clancy?
”

“
Yes, certainly. I was just telling Bea so when you came in.
”

Kevin exploded.

“
So he
’
s good enough for an O
’
Shane but not for a Desmond, is that it?
”

“
Kevin, don
’
t excite yourself,
”
said Aunt Bea.

“
Be quiet, Bea,
”
said her sister.
“
Now, Kevin, don
’
t let
’
s have family unpleasantness.
”

“
Family unpleasantness!
”
roared Kevin, and his fingers stroked his gun as if they itched to use it.
“
You come here uninvited and stir up ail the unpleasantness you can find and then have the nerve to stand there and tell me let
’
s not have family unpleasantness. What have you come here for except to make a row?
”

“
I wish you
’
d put that gun down, Kevin. I came because I feel very strongly that you went behind my back and didn
’
t warn me what was going on. You
’
ve all deceived me, including my own daughter, with her silly talk of this English tutor you have here, but I
’
m a mode
rn
mother, and I thought at least she
’
d be safe here under my own brother
’
s roof.
”

“
Are you trying to tell me now , that your daughter has been having an affair with my tutor?
”
Kevin
’
s eyes bulged.

“
You know perfectly well I
’
m not, though I shouldn
’
t be surprised if there
’
s been a mild flirtation going on. Clodagh is very attractive, and I understand this Englishman, who
intend to have a word with before I go, is quite passable. He at least, I should have thought, could have kept an eye on Clodagh. That
’
s what he
’
s paid for.
”

“
My tutor is paid to take charge of my children, not your daughter
’
s morals,
”
roared Kevin.

It was at this point that Brian, who had been hanging over the banisters listening, went back to the schoolroom to report.

“
There
’
s a most awful row going on,
”
he announced gleefully,
“
and Aunt Kate is saying funny things about Mark, and Kilmallin
’
s just said that Mark wasn
’
t paid to look after Clodagh
’
s morals. What do you suppose that means?
”

“
Come and sit down, Brian,
”
said Mark impassively.
“
You shouldn
’
t listen to other people
’
s conversations.
”

“
No one could help hearing,
”
said Brian.
“
They
’
re yelling all over the house. Kilmallin
’
s furious because Aunt Kate said Conn was good enough for Clancy but not for Clodagh.
”

“
How dare she!
”
exclaimed Clancy.
“
Conn
’
s good enough for anyone. I must go and hear some more.
”

“
Clancy, sit down!
”
ordered Mark, in no uncertain tones.
“
And you really must not refer to your aunt or anyone else in those terms.
”

“
Mark,
”
said Clancy,
“
do you suppose Aunt Kate could stop them marrying?
”

“
I shouldn
’
t
think
so,
”
he replied
.
“
Y
our cousin
’
s of age. Get on with your work, please.
”

But they were interrupted after all. The door opened abruptly and Aunt Bea
’
s flustered face looked round it.

“
Mark, would you come at once, please?
”
she said.
“
Kevin
’
s had another attack, and I want to get my sister out of the room. She worries him.
”

Mark told Brian and Clancy to remain where they were and hurried down to the library. With tact and firmness he managed to get rid of Mrs. Desmond, while Aunt Bea administered the drops which the doctor had left for such an emergency. The attack was a slight one and Kevin was soon demanding a drink.

Mark fetched the decanter and a glass and placed them within his reach. As Doctor Boyle had said, a man
’
s life is his own, and Mark had no authority to lock up the drink.

On the way up to the schoolroom he met Clancy flying down.

“
Steady!
”
he said, catching her.
“
Where are you going?
”

“
To my father—to Kilmallin. You didn
’
t really think I
’
d stop up there, did you?
”
she said.

“
Yes, Clancy, I did,
”
he replied, and turned her back up the stairs again.
“
These are working hours, and I expect you to observe them unless there
’
s a very good reason why you shouldn
’
t.
”

She clung to the banister and refused to move.

“
But don
’
t you call this a good reason?
”
she cried.
“
My father
’
s ill, he might want me.
”

“
He
’
s not ill and he doesn
’
t want anybody. He
’
s just asked to be left alone till lunch-time. Be sensible, now. I
’
d have called you had it been serious. Stop fighting me and come back to the schoolroom where I told you to stay.
”

She began t
o
walk slowly up the stairs beside him.

“
I don
’
t understand you, Mark,
”
she said.
“
Sometimes you
’
re so understanding, and sometimes you
’
re so—so inhuman.
”

He gave her arm a little squeeze.

“
Don
’
t behave like a child,
”
he said,
“
or I
’
ll have to put you back to Brian
’
s standard again. Listen, Clancy, you must learn to trust me. I
’
m not trying to keep you from your father. You would only be in the way down there and do more harm than good.
”

“
He
’
s all right? Promise?
”

“
I promise you he
’
ll be all right if everyone let
’
s him alone. Now go and have a warm by the fire and then finish your work.
”

Lunch was an uncomfortable meal for everyone but Kevin, who remained in the library, and had a tray sent in. When the meal was over Mrs. Desmond dismissed everyone, announcing that she wanted a private word with Mr. Cromwell.

He took her into Kevin
’
s study, and Biddy brought them some ill-made coffee, since Mrs. Desmond came from Dublin and was used to grand ways.

“
Ugh! Undrinkable,
”
Kate Desmond said, and proceeded at once to cross-examine Mark on every conceivable question relating to the family.

“
Of course,
”
she said,
“
I
’
ve tried from time to time to help Clancy. She
’
s my niece, and Clodagh has had hospitality of a sort here, but it
’
s quite impossible to do anything for the child with my brother refusing to give her any chances. He should have sent her to school long ago, as I
’
ve often told him. This old-fashioned idea of governesses, and now a tutor. Most peculiar, I consider it, to put your daughter in the charge of a young man. Anything might happen—if you weren
’
t the right type, I mean.
”

Mark wanted to laugh. He could understand what a thorn in the flesh the O
’
Shanes must find her, but he could not take her high-handedness very seriously.

“
Oh, I think it
’
s working out quite well,
”
he said politely.

“
Well, I w
i
ll say you seem to have the knack of managing people,
”
she conceded, speaking with the grudging
appreciation
of someone who had managed people all her life.
“
My brother listens to you, and even Clancy is less of a little hooligan than she used to be. Do you like the child?
”

“
Yes,
”
said Mark impassively,
“
I
’
m very fond of her.
”

“
H
’
m. And what did you think of my daughter?
”

“
Clodagh
’
s a very charming girl. When she
’
s settled down, she should make Conn an excellent wife.
”

“
If
she marries him. I don
’
t mind telling you, Mr. Cromwell, that I shall do everything in my power to stop this marriage.
”

Mark looked at her gravely.

“
Then, if you will forgive my saying so, Mrs. Desmond, you will be a very foolish woman. Clodagh is just the type to thrive on opposition. She and Clancy are alike in that.
”