The Red Cliffs (5 page)

“
Does that make you change your mind about living here?
”

“
No. There must, obviously, be more arresting males to the acre in London than out in the wilds. Also, males apart, London is my life.
”

“
But I don
’
t believe it
’
s mine,
”
said Alison.

At six-thirty that evening, Roger Falcon presented himself, with a bottle of sherry
a
nd a box of cigarettes. He still wore corduroys, but a tweed coat, an immaculate shirt and tie had replaced the sweater. He was handsome and quite at his ease.

Alison and Lucy had discovered a great stack of oak logs in the outhouse, and now a fire of them blazed on the living room hearth. The heavy curtains were drawn across the windows, and a magnificent arrangement of autumn leaves and berries made a splash of colour against the light wall.

“
Ah, now it looks as it used to look,
”
said Roger.
“
Were you often here?
”
asked A
l
ison.

“
Yes. I told you, Tom was my friend. I worked for him for a time.
”

“
I didn
’
t know that.
”

“
Well, I
’
m a bird of passage, you know. A bit of a rolling stone, not given to settling down in one place.
Something like Tom in that. I worked for him between jobs, and lunched here every day with Evelyn and him. But he didn
’
t make enough to keep a man permanently, and I can
’
t afford to work for love, so I found something else.
”

He was pouring sherry into glasses that Alison had produced in readiness, and when he had handed them round, he offered cigarettes and produced his lighter. They sat in chairs round the fire, and he said:
“
Of course everybody is wondering what you are going to do with this house, and whether you will come to live here.
”

“
And that includes you,
”
said Lucy, smiling.
“
No, actually it doesn
’
t.
I
can foresee already what will happen to the place.
”

“
Can you?
”
said Alison quickly.
“
Tell me, then.
”

“
I
’
d bet my last cent that Neil Edgerton gets it back. Everybody knows he wants it.
”

“
And does he always get what he wants?
”

“
Yes, I
’
d say he does. Wonderful, the power of money, you know.
”

“
But if I intend to keep the house? How will he get it then?
”

“
Do you really mean to keep it?
”
Roger
’
s eyes lit up, but whether with pleasure at the idea of Alison being there, or with delight at Neil being foiled, Alison did not know.
“
That would be good news indeed.
”

“
Why?
”

“
Any town could do with girls as pictorially satisfying as you two; and also I know that the last thing Tom would have done would be to let that cold-blooded devil get his hands on Combe Russet Cottage again. And I would like to see his sister backing him up.
”

“
Well, I haven
’
t decided yet,
”
said Alison.
“
I may let it for a time. You aren
’
t looking for a furnished house, Mr. Falcon?
”

“
Not unless it
’
s going for a song,
”
he laughed.
“
Are you married?
”

“
No. Rolling stones shouldn
’
t be cumbered with wives.
”
He got up to pour more sherry.
“
I
’
m in miserable digs in the town, but I have enough good friends not to be often there.
”
He replenished their glasses.
“
If you
’
re going to let, you ought to do it soon. It
’
s a pity to leave a house through the winter. Though, if you liked the idea, I could always keep an eye on things for you. Come up and open windows and light
fire
—that sort of thing.
”

“
That would be very kind of you, but I couldn
’
t expect you to bother yourself
...”

“
No
bother at all. I like coming here. I
’
ve had some happy times here with Tom—it
’
s a home from home for me. It would be a pleasure to do it. You just leave me a key, and I
’
ll look in from time to time and see that everything
’
s in order.
”

There was a loud knock on the front door, and they all looked at each other with enquiring glances.

“
Strange,
”
said Alison, getting up to answer the knock. She left the door open a little from the living room to the hall, and opened the front door to Neil Edgerton.

“
Good evening,
”
he said politely.

“
Good evening.
”
She did not open the door wider, or ask him to come inside, but his movement towards her made her step back automatically, and he was inside, gently closing the door.

“
May I come in?
”
he asked superfluously.
“
You may remember, Miss Springett, that I said I would contact you again, and seeing your car here this morning
...”

“
Which I presume you moved off the roadway
,”
she put in.

“
In order to be able to pass,
”
he added.

“
You might have left it in a better place,
”
she said.
“
We had the greatest difficulty in getting off. The wheels spun round and round getting deeper in the mud.
”

“
Would you rather I parked your car on your strip of lawn, making ruts for you? I should like to point out that I must be able to use my own drive
and if the approach to your garage is such a morass, why not put the car insid
e the garage?”

He was so obviously in the right in this .instance that Alison had no reply. She gestured towards the living room, asking him to go in.

The brightness, warmth and comfort of the room took him by surprise. Lucy, sitting by the fire, smiled up at him welcomingly as Alison introduced them; and he smiled back at her—surely the first time that Alison had seen him smile.

“
And do you know Mr. Falcon?
”
asked Alison. Neil turned, at the moment that Roger turned from the side table where the sherry was. The smile was gone now, although there was something sardonic that might have passed for a smile on Roger
’
s face.

“
Yes, I know Mr. Falcon,
”
said Neil, and his dry tone seemed to imply that he wished he didn
’
t.

“
Hallo, Neil,
”
said Roger.
“
Nice to see the place lived in again, isn
’
t it? and by one of the family? Quite like old times. May I give you a sherry?
”

“
No, thanks.
”
Neil
’
s voice was clipped.
“
I came to speak to Miss Springett, but I had no idea she had company. I
’
ll come again another time, when she
’
s not so busy.
”
He turned to Alison.
“
I
’
m sorry to intrude, Miss Springett. Goodnight.
”

“
Goodnight,
”
said Alison.

“
There
’
s no need to hurry away,
”
said Lucy.
“
Stay and have some sherry.
”

“
No, thank you.
”

“
Then I
’
ll see you out,
”
she said, and she closed the door into the hall firmly. When she opened the front door, she said:
“
Oh, what a lovely soft night,
”
and went out into the garden to walk with him to the gate.
“
Quite different from last night, when we drove down from London. That was terribly wild.
”

“
You drove all night?
”
he asked.

“
Yes, we took it in turns, two hours each time.
”

“
A long journey in such a small car.
”

“
Yes, quite an adventure for us. Alison likes night driving, but I find myself getting sleepy.
”

“
You know Miss Springett well?
”

“
I
should, we
’
ve lived together for years.
”

“
Then I wonder if you know what she intends to do with Combe Russet Cottage?
”

“
No, I don
’
t know,
”
said Lucy.

“
If you live together, you surely must have discussed it.
”

“
I could almost say we
’
ve discussed little else, but I still don
’
t know what she is going to do.
”

“
Is that because she doesn
’
t yet know herself?
”

“
It could be,
”
admitted Lucy, realising that she was by no means dealing with a simpleton.

“
Miss Conway,
”
he said,
“
I seem to detect a note of sympathy in your attitude which is lacking in Miss Springett
’
s. Is that so?
”

“
You are very observant. I haven
’
t her adequate reasons for feeling unsympathetic.
”

“
And what are they?
”

“
Her reasons? Surely you don
’
t need telling that, Mr. Edgerton?
”

“
But I do. Why is she so hostile?
”

“
She might ask why you are so hostile.
”

“
I don
’
t mind telling you. I considered her brother responsible for all that happened to Evelyn, my sister.
”

“
And she holds you responsible for all that happened to her brother. It seems to me you
’
re quits on that score.
”

“
You are obviously not in possession of all the facts. But I have no quarrel with you, Miss Conway. I simply hope that if you can help, by putting in a word or two, you might persuade Miss Springett to sell me a property that ought never to have gone out of the family.
”

“
I might do that,
”
said Lucy,
“
because I want her to come back to London; but I warn you she can be very obstinate.
”

“
Then she is like her brother in that. He had all the unreasoning obstinacy of a weak man.
”

“
Well, don
’
t make the mistake of thinking Alison a weak woman,
”
said Lucy. She was enjoying herself. She did not want to go back into the house. She said:
“
It
’
s such a lovely night that I think I will walk along your drive a little, if that
’
s permitted?
”