The Devil on Horseback (5 page)

“The salmon is good,” he said.

“Have you tried it?”

“Joel,” put in Maria, ‘if you wish to look after our guests, I know Minella will excuse you. “

I am sure she would if I had that wish,” replied Joel, smiling at me.

But it happens that I have not. “

“Perhaps you think you ought to …”

Tonight I am bent on pleasure. “

I warmed towards him. I knew that Maria was reminding him that he need not treat the schoolmistress’s daughter as an ordinary guest, which was typical of her. Whether he was aware of her meaning or not, I did not know, but I liked him for his response to it.

The conversation centred on trivialities, and I could see that Joel, who was clearly a serious-minded young man, would have preferred to go on with our discussion.

Sybil said: “Mama says that when you leave, Minella, she will send someone to escort you to the schoolhouse. You must not go back alone.”

“That is kind of her,” I said.

“I will take Miss Maddox back to the house,” said Joel quickly.

“I think you will be needed here, Joel,” Maria pointed out.

“You overrate my importance, sister. Everything will run just as smoothly whether I am here or not.”

“I think Mama expects …”

Joel said: “Tom, do try the marchpane. Our cook is proud of it.”

Since Maria had put the idea into my head, I now began to wonder whether it was time for me to leave. It was half past ten and I must certainly not be the last to go.

I turned to Joel.

“It is good of you to offer to take me. Thank you.”

“It is I who should thank you for allowing me to do so,” he replied gallantly.

“Perhaps I should find Lady Derringham and thank her now.”

D.

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33 B

i “I’ll take you to her,” said Joel.

Lady Derringham received my thanks graciously, and Sir, John said he thought it was extremely good of me to come at such short notice. :

I could not see the Comte anywhere and I wondered whether he had not returned after leaving with Sir John. I did see Margot, though. She was clearly enjoying herself in the company of a young man who seemed to be enchanted with her and she with him. I Joel and I walked the half a mile or so from the Manor to the schoolhouse.

There was a half moon in the sky which shed a pale and;

eerie light on the bushes. I felt as though I were in a dreams Here I was out late at night with Joel Derringham who showed me clearly that he enjoyed my company. It must have been obvious, otherwise Maria would not have been so put out. I wondered what my mother would say for she would be sitting up waiting for me. She would be expecting one of the servants from the Manor to escort me and when she realized it was the son and heir I could imagine her excitement.

It meant nothing . simply nothing. It was like the Comte’s kisses.

I must remember that, and make her realize it too.

Joel said what a pleasant evening it had been. His parents gave these musical soirees fairly frequently, but this was one he would always remember.

“I shall certainly remember it,” I replied lightly.

“For me it is the first and only one.”

The first perhaps he suggested.

“You do enjoy music, I know. What a sky! It’s rarely so clear. The moon dims the stars somewhat, though.

Look at the Pleiades over there to the north-east. Did you know that when they appear it’s a sign of the end of summer? They are not welcome for that reason. I have always been interested in the stars.

Stand still a moment. Look up. Here are we two little people looking into eternity. It’s rather overwhelming. Do you find it so? “

As I stood there, looking up with him, I felt quite emotional. It had been such a strange evening quite different from anything I had known before and something told me that big events were closing in on me, that I had reached the end of a road, the passing of a phase, and that Joel Derringham and perhaps even the Comte Fontaine Delibes were not merely passing acquaintances but that my future was caught up with theirs in some strange way and it was a beginning.

Joel went on: “They are supposed to be the seven daughters who were pursued by the hunter Orion. When they appealed to the gods to save them from Orion’s lustful embraces, they were changed into doves and placed in the sky.”

“A fate presumably preferable to that which is said to be worse than death,” I commented.

Joel laughed.

“It has been good to meet you,” he said.

“You are so different from other girls I normally meet.” He continued to look up at the sky.

“All the Pleiades married gods, except one, Merope, who married a mortal. For that reason her light was dimmed.”

“So social distinction exists in the heavens!”

That is just the legend. “

“It spoils it in my opinion. I should have liked Merope to shine more brightly because she was more adventurous and independent than her sisters. But of course no one would agree with me.”

“I do,” he assured me.

I felt exhilarated, excited, and the feeling that I was on the threshold of adventure increased.

“You must not be late in returning,” I warned him, ‘or they will wonder what has become of you. “

We were silent as we made our way to the schoolhouse.

As I had guessed my mother was waiting up for me. Her eyes widened with delight when she saw my companion.

He declined to come in but handed me to her as though I were some valuable object to be safely deposited. Then he said good night and was gone.

I had to sit up for a long time telling my mother every detail. I did, but I omitted to mention the Comte.

II

The excitement in the schoolhouse continued. My mother went about with a faraway look in her eyes and there was a smile and contentment on her lips. I knew very well what was in her mind and I was mildly appalled at her temerity.

The fact was that Joel Derringham was determined to be friendly. I was eighteen years of age and in spite of a lack of worldly experience appeared to be quite mature. This was ^ probably due to my having a more serious nature than the! Derringham girls-and certainly than Margot. I had had it’I brought home to me that I must acquire the best education! available to me with the purpose of earning my living through ^ it; this had been so impressed on me by my mother since the death of my father that I had accepted it as my way of life. I ) had read extensively anything that came to hand; I had felt it i my duty to know something of any subject which might be ;

mentioned; and it was no doubt due to this that Joel found me different. Ever since our meeting, he had sought my company When I went for my favourite walk across the meadows I would find him seated on a stile over which I had to cross, and he would join me in my walk.

He was often riding past the schoolhouse and on several occasions he called in. My mother received him graciously and without fuss, and the only reason why I knew she was inwardly excited was by the faint colour in her cheeks. She was delighted. This most prosaic of women was vulnerable only where her daughter was concerned, and it became embarrassingly clear that she had decided that Joel Derringham should marry me. Instead of at the schoolhouse my future was to be at This was the wildest dream” for even if Joel thought it a possibility, his family would never permit it.

Yet in the space of a week we had become very good friends. I enjoyed our meetings, which were never arranged but seemed to come about naturally, though I suspected they were contrived by him. It was amazing how often I would go out and come upon him. I rode Jenny, our little horse which drew the jingle-our only means of transport. She was not young but docile and my mother had been anxious for me to ride well. Several times when I rode out on her I would come upon Joel on one of the fine hunters from the Derringham stables. He would ride beside me and it invariably happened that where I proposed to go was just where he was going also. He was so gracious and charming as well as informative and I found his company interesting. I was flattered, too, that he should seek me out.

Margot told me that her parents had left England because of the way things were going in France; she did not seem to be very perturbed and was delighted to be left alone in England. Vaguely I wondered about Margot, who was very merry and abandonedly gay one day and subdued and serious the next. Her changes of moods were quite unpredictable, but being absorbed in my own affairs, I put it down to her Gallic temperament and forgot her.

It was Joel who told me about the reason for the Comte’s sudden departure. I had ridden out on Jenny for I used to exercise her after school in the evenings, so the time when I would be at liberty to ride was almost certain to be early evening. Invariably I would see the tall figure coming towards me through the trees and it happened so often that I came to expect it.

Joel looked grave when he discussed the Comte’s departure.

“There is a great scandal brewing at the Court of France,” he told me.

“Some members of the nobility seem to be involved in it and the Comte thought it would be wise for him to go back to be on the spot. It involves a diamond necklace which the Queen is said to have acquired with the assistance of a Cardinal and that in exchange for his services he hoped to become her lover … might, indeed, have been her lover. Of course it is denied by the Queen, and the Cardinal de Rohan and his accomplices have been arrested. It is going to be a cause celebre.”

“And does this concern the Comte Fontaine Delibes?”

“There is a strong feeling that it might concern the whole of France.

The royal family cannot afford a scandal at this time. Perhaps I am wrong . I hope so. My father thinks I exaggerate, but as I told you I sensed a seething unrest in the country when I was there. There is a great deal of extravagance. The rich are so rich and the poor so poor.

”

“Is that not the case everywhere?”

“Yes, I suppose so, but there seems to be a growing resentment throughout France. I believe the Comte is very much aware of it. It was for this reason that he decided to return without delay. He made arrangements to leave on the night of the soiree.”

I thought about; his leaving in haste and supposed he had not given me another thought. And that, I told myself, is the last I shall see of the distinguished gentleman, and that is not such a bad thing. Something told me that his acquaintance would bring me no good.

I must dismiss him from my mind. That should not be difficult, for at this time I was enjoying a very pleasant friendship with the most eligible young man in the neighbourhood.

We did not speak much of the Comte after that. Joel was interested in the country’s affairs and was hoping one day to become a Member of Parliament. His family were not eager for , this.

“They think that I, being the only son, should give my attention to the estate.”

“And you have other ideas.”

“Oh, I am interested in the estate, but it is not enough to occupy a man’s lifetime. One can delegate to managers. Why should a man not go out and take an interest in the governing of the country?”

“I dare say Mr. Pitt makes a full-time job of his parliamentary career.”

“Ah, but he is Prime Minister.”

“Surely you should aim for the highest office.”

“Perhaps I should.”

“And delegate more and more of estate matters to your managers?”

“That could be. Oh, I like the country. I am interested in managing affairs here, but these are uneasy times. Miss Maddox. They are fraught with danger. If there was trouble on the other side of the Channel…”

“What trouble?” I asked quickly.

“You remember the ” ‘rehearsal I mentioned. What if that really should have been a rehearsal with a full-scale performance to come? “

“You mean a kind of civil war?”

“I mean that the needy might rise against the affluent … the starving against the extravagant spendthrifts. I think that could be a possibility.”

I shivered, picturing the Comte, proud in his chateau and the mob marching . the bloodthirsty mob . My mother said that I allowed my imagination to run away with me.

“Imagination is like fire,” she used to say.

“A good friend but a bad enemy. You must learn to direct it in the way it can serve you best.”

1 asked myself why I should be concerned about what happened to that man. I was sure that if an evil fate overtook him he would deserve it, but 1 imagined no ill fate would ever overtake him. He would always be the winner.

Joel went on: “My father always reproves me if I talk of these things.

He believes there is a good deal of speculation which means nothing. I expect he is right. But in any case the Comte did think he should return. “

“Is it significant that he has left his daughter here?”

“Not in the least. He approves of the tuition she is getting in English. He says that since she studied at your school she speaks far better English than he does. He wants her to perfect it. You can rely on her being with you for another year.”

“My mother will be pleased.”

“And you?” he asked.

“I have a fondness for Margot. She is very amusing.”

“She is very … young …”

“She is growing up fast.” ‘. and lighthearted,” he added Joel was scarcely that, I reflected. He took life somewhat seriously.

He loved to talk politics to me as I was aware of what was happening in the country. My mother and I always read any newspaper which came into our hands. Joel warmly admired Mr. Pitt, that youngest of our Prime Ministers, and he talked of him glowingly, how clever he was, how the country had never been better served, and he believed his introduction of the Sinking Fund would gradually reduce the National Debt.

When there was an attempt on the King’s life, Joel actually called at the schoolhouse to tell us about it. My mother was delighted to see him and brought out a bottle of her homemade wine-kept for special occasions and some of the little wine cakes she took such a pride in.

She was almost purring as we sat down at our parlour table and Joel told us about the demented old woman who had waited for the King as he alighted from his post chariot at the garden gate of St. James’s on a pretext of handing a petition to him, and had tried to stab him in the chest with a knife she had concealed.