Bird of Prey (6 page)

But she could see that Mrs. Creed was not listening attentively. She poked the fire and looked everywhere but at Caroline, before clearing her throat and saying a little portentously, “It’s hard to know how frankly to speak to you. After all, you are related to Mrs. Brant, but you don’t appear to be on intimate terms with her.”

“No, I hadn’t seen her for years,” Caroline admitted. “She’s older than I am, for one thing, and then she’s not a person who mixed much with people in a different social position from herself. I don’t fancy either that she has very strong family feelings,” she concluded thoughtfully.

“That’s exactly how I visualised the situation.” The housekeeper nodded in a satisfied manner. “And I must say that you can consider yourself lucky that you didn’t get the job of taking on Robin—for a more spoiled and exasperating child I’ve yet to meet! Oh, I grant he looks like an angel, but he’s mischievous and trouble-making. Of course, his mother won’t hear a word against him. I admit that they look as pretty as a picture when they’re together, but the child’s unnaturally precocious as the result of always being in the company of grown-ups. Not that he tries anything with Mr. Randall when he’s here—but then no one tries on anything with the master.”

Remembering the strange inscrutable expression that had flitted across Randall Craig’s eyes when he had mentioned Grace, Caroline asked curiously. “They know each other fairly well, then?”

Again the housekeeper coughed, as though preparatory to a confidence, and sipped at her cup. “Well, yes, I should think there’s no harm in telling you, but as far as I can see, Mrs. Brant has her eye on the master as her next husband. Of course she’s very lovely,” she added hurriedly, “so it’s not surprising that a man could fall head-over-heels in love with her, but there’s no doubt about it, it would be a sad day for Longmere if she were to come here as mistress. All her life she has had the best of everything and being used to men dancing attendance on her, hand and foot. She would make a demanding mistress, and I confess at my age I dread an upheaval in my way of life here at Longmere. It’s all very well being housekeeper to a bachelor, like Mr. Craig, who’s away from home so much, and who doesn’t bother his head over much about domestic trifles, but it would be a very different matter with someone like Mrs. Brant in complete control, I can tell you that. ”

Caroline looked at her in surprise. “Then Grace definitely intends to marry Mr. Craig?”

The housekeeper nodded. “There’s every likelihood of it, and no doubt they’d make a very handsome couple. But I don’t see myself being able to stay on once she takes over. As it is, she’s gone through I don’t know how many nursery governesses, trying to find one who’ll put up with that child of hers. None of

them stay longer than a few weeks.”

“But last night she had an excellent one and appeared perfectly satisfied with her.” Caroline remarked. “That’s why she wouldn’t take me.”

“Huh! ” The housekeeper laughed shortly. “You mark my words, excellent as she may be, she won’t be there very long. No one can put up with him, not when his mother backs him up in every sort of mischief and won’t hear a word of criticism. However,” the housekeeper concluded grimly, “it may be a different matter for that young man when his mother marries Mr. Randall. He’ll see he toes the line, I can tell you that.”

“So Grace is already engaged to Mr. Craig?” Caroline exclaimed.

“Oh, dear me, no.” The housekeeper brushed a crumb from her lap. “That’s not the situation at all. I’m afraid I’ve given you quite the wrong impression. How shall I put it? Mrs. Brant and Mr. Craig have been neighbours: they meet frequently at the same houses: they mix in the same set. After all, there’s not much choice of society in this lonely place, with the result that it’s got about that they’re very close friends, although mind you,” Mrs. Creed concluded austerely, “I always discourage gossip, but it’s natural people should talk, for Mrs. Brant’s a very forthright sort of person, and never one to hide her feelings, and she makes no pretence of not caring for him. It seems to me that she’d say ‘yes’ like a flash if he proposed to her.”

“And what about Mr. Craig?” Caroline asked curiously. “Is he in love with her, do you think?”

“Well, he seems to enjoy her company very much. He’s quite a changed man as soon as she’s here. That austere, brooding way he has seems to disappear. Of course, she’s very witty and outspoken and says exactly what’s on her mind. She’s not a scrap afraid of him as most people are, and sometimes I wonder just how far things will go with them. To my mind Mr. Randall’s not the marrying type, but then he’s not the kind of man you can understand easily. There’s always a sort of wall between him and yourself, if you know what I mean. He never lets you know what’s going on in his mind.”

Mrs. Greed sipped her coffee, a frown on her homely face. It was obvious that this enigmatic quality in her employer troubled the housekeeper: the knowledge that her future at Longmere was uncertain and rested wholly on the whims of the imperious Randall Craig.

However, now that she had unburdened herself, Mrs. Creed began to look more cheerful, and the rest of the conversation was confined to household matters and the meticulous running of Longmere, a subject that was obviously dear to her heart.

When Mrs. Creed had talked herself out and began to glance at the clock a little anxiously, Caroline decided that it would be as well to make a tactful withdrawal. The housekeeper offered no opposition when Caroline said it was time she returned to her duties.

“Yes, you may continue upstairs in the meanwhile,” Mrs. Creed conceded graciously, “and later we’ll get your duties ironed out. Don’t worry about the polisher,” she concluded. “I’ll set Fred to mending it this afternoon.”

For the next half hour Caroline worked busily and had just completed her chores when she saw Betty advancing along the corridor. “The master wants you in the small sitting-room immediately,” she announced without ceremony.

Caroline laid down her duster and swept back her hair. She felt grimy and dishevelled. “I’d better go and tidy up, then,” she said doubtfully.

Betty’s eyes opened incredulously. “You’d better do no such thing,” she remarked. “The master will be in a tearing humour if he’s kept waiting.”

But Caroline had no intention of presenting herself before the master of Longmere looking ungroomed and ill at ease.

“Well, I must say!” Betty gasped as she accompanied Caroline along the corridor, “you certainly have a mind of your own, but then it seems you’re Mrs. Brant’s cousin, and that makes a difference, no doubt.”

She sounded faintly sour and Caroline could see that the girl was considering her warily, no longer as one of the staff, but as a privileged member of the household.

As though impelled by an insatiable curiosity, she followed Caroline into her room and watched her as she brushed her hair. She gaped curiously around the room while Caroline tidied herself. “I expect you’ve left a boy-friend behind you?” she asked tentatively. “Never mind, there are plenty of nice boys in the village. It’s a good step from here, but every Saturday night there’s a dance. If you like to come along with me, I’ll introduce you around. They’re always on the lookout for a new face at Lynebeck,” she giggled.

Remembering Mrs. Creed’s remarks about Betty’s penchant for boy-friends, Caroline said a little cautiously, “Oh, I don’t expect I’ll have much time for that sort of thing.”

Betty appeared astounded at this information. “What do you intend doing with your time off?”

For a moment Caroline glanced through the window towards the rugged hills and the view of a lake. “Oh, I enjoy walking. And there’s so much to be seen around here. The scenery’s so beautiful. ”

Betty giggled incredulously. “Well, I never did! What a way to spend your time—walking! But if you change your mind, let me know. My boy-friend Jim would be only too pleased to bring someone along and we could make a foursome. ” Then, seeing that Caroline showed no enthusiasm for the idea, she said a little huffily, “Oh well, I’d better push off or old Creed will be on me like a flash. She’s a frightful old bully, so don’t let her make a doormat of you.” And with this parting exhortation and after giving Caroline instructions how to reach the sitting-room, she whisked away.

Rather than lose her way and keep her irascible master waiting longer, Caroline hurried down the main stairway, instead of obeying Mrs. Creed’s injunction to use the back staircase. As she approached the sitting-room she found that the door was slightly ajar and she could hear the deep mellow tones of Randall Craig and the high musical notes of an answering

voice, which she immediately recognised as Grace’s.

When she went in she was confronted by Randall, standing in front of the chimneypiece and was aware of Grace lolling back in a deep armchair, looking extraordinarily beautiful in an emerald-green corduroy trouser suit with a double row of large black buttons; a filmy black tinker scarf tied about her long white throat.

She had barely time to take in her surroundings when Randall Craig said grimly, “So you’ve decided to honour us with your presence at last! Did Betty not give you my message? What delayed you?”

Caroline was aware that she was being surveyed amusedly by Grace, and a feeling of rebelliousness bubbled up in her at this peremptory greeting.

“Yes, Betty told me, but I’d been dusting and I thought—” She paused, embarrassed at the idea of confessing that she had gone off to titivate herself before appearing in his presence.

“So you decided to pretty yourself before putting in an appearance, isn’t that it?” Grace put in smoothly. “Naturally, Randall, a girl doesn’t want to appear with her hair standing on end. ”

Randall Craig ignored this interjection. He stood, his hands behind his back, his eyes piercingly fixed on Caroline, who stood in the centre of the room feeling flushed and awkward at this reception.

“I don’t expect my staff to be beauty queens,” he said harshly. “In future, when I send for you, I’d be obliged if you’d come as quickly as possible.”

Caroline’s lips tightened mutinously.

But again Grace’s soft musical voice interjected, “You forget, Randall, that it was I who wanted to see Caroline.”

“In that case, I’ll leave you together for your chat,” he said brusquely.

“Oh no, don’t go,” Grace said swiftly. “What I have to say to Caroline concerns you to a certain extent.” She lowered her eyelids, letting the dark, silky lashes fan her cheeks, and

Caroline got the impression that, strange as it seemed, the confident Grace was faintly disconcerted and reluctant to proceed.

“All right, let’s have it.” A faint sardonic smile brushed Randall Craig’s long, rather cruel mouth. “But don’t keep her too long or you’ll have Mrs. Creed reading the riot act.”

“I can’t say how surprised I was when I heard that you are working here at Longmere. I had the impression that you were going straight home after you left my house. ” Grace began twisting a large opal ring on her finger and studying it intently.

“I was,” Caroline admitted, “but when Mr. Craig turned up at the station and offered me a job I was only too pleased to take it.”

“Well, I don’t know how you can be pleased, now that you see how things are here at Longmere. That Creed woman is a perfect dragon from all accounts. It’s beyond me how you can stand it,” Grace said a trifle acidly.

“If I were you I shouldn’t worry myself unduly concerning Caroline’s welfare,” Randall interjected dryly. “I’m perfectly certain she’s well able to take care of herself, and Mrs. Creed, dragon though she may be, is in her own way fairly just.”

“But we are sort of cousins,” Grace put in plaintively. “It’s only right I should be concerned that she’s happy in the place she’s working.”

“Just what are you getting at, Grace?” he asked a trifle grimly. “Don’t think for a moment I’m taken in by this show of cousinly concern for Caroline’s welfare.”

Again Caroline got the impression that Grace was slightly uncomfortable and that she was taking care to hide this by smiling brightly. “Would you believe it, Randall, but that woman, who was recommended so highly for Robin, has walked out on me. Just left this morning without as much as a good-bye to anyone, and now I’m left in the lurch again! Not that I’d have kept her anyway. She was so utterly cruel to the poor child; boxed his ears, simply because he’d been a little naughty.”

“What exactly did the little naughtiness amount to?” Randall inquired.

Grace shrugged. “Nothing at all really. He simply turned on the water sprinkler when she happened to be passing. I’m sure it was completely accidental, but immediately the wretched woman attacked the poor child. He cried for hours afterwards. I was simply furious when I heard the full story, but by then she had gone, without as much as a word of explanation or apology.”

“I see. and what has all this got to do with Caroline?”

“Well, I was wondering if I might have her. After all, that’s what she came for in the first place, and she’d be ideal for Robin. She’s young enough to understand a child and make allowances.”

“Is she indeed?” Randall said coldly. “Then Caroline must have got the wrong impression last night. It seems you told her she would be quite unsuitable: she was too young, if I understand correctly.”

Grace glanced up and shot Caroline an anything but friendly glance. “You seem to have been recounting our conversation in detail,” she said sharply.