The Stranger Came (8 page)

'You
met
my
husband
just
by
chance
then?'
His
look
seemed
to
her
to
parody
surprise.
She
cried,
'I
know
you
said
you
got
talking
on
the
train.
Only
I
wondered
if –
I
thought
perhaps
you
might
have
met
before.’

'No,
I'm
just
a
stray.
This
isn't
the
first
time
Maitland's
brought
one
of
them
home,
I'm
sure.’
He
took
up
the
pot,
offering
her
more,
and
on
her
refusal
poured
his
own.
'He's
a
remarkable
man.
And
I
don't
say
that
just
because
he's
offered
me
a
job.’

Was
there
something
at
the
University,
something
in
the
office?
He
didn't
seem
the
academic
type,
nor
even
educated,
not
like
Lucy’s
idea
of
a
properly
educated
man
–
and
if
that
was
snobbery
it
was
based
on
signals
from
him
she
could
sense
but
not
analyse.
Signals
though
that
Maitland
for
all
his
cleverness
might
not
pick
up,
perhaps
because he
spent
so
much
of
his
life
with
students.
Could that be it? Could Norman be a student, some kind of mature student? No one had said what he did. It would explain a good deal. Perhaps Maitland had offered him a little work; helping with the research on his book, reading through material in a library, but that wouldn't pay much.
'Late
last
night,
after
you'd
gone
to
bed,'
he
said
as
if
answering
a
question.
'He
wants
me
to
work
for
the
Trust.’
She
stared
at
him
in
disbelief.
'I
understood
the
Professor
spent
a
lot
of
his
time
on
it
…
'
For
a
moment, his
certainty
wavered.

'Are
you
talking
about
the
Gregory
and
Rintoul?'

'That's
right!'
He
gave
it
an
emphasis
of
relief.

'What
on
earth
has
he
promised
to
you?'

He
regarded
her
thoughtfully.
'I'm
going
to
raise
funds
for
them.
We
haven't
quite
settled
on
a
title
for
what
I'll
be
doing.’

'Mr
Norman,
the
Gregory
and
Rintoul
already
has
an
administrative
secretary.
A
very
good
one,
I
believe.’

'Didn't
realise
it
was
something
you
were
involved
with. I
thought
it
was
just
an
interest
of
your
husband's.’

The
first
foretaste
of
nausea
came
as
a
premonition
–
a
shimmer
on
the
edge
of
vision
like
a
shadow
passing
across
a
hill
slope
before
the
storm
breaks.
God! she prayed, don't let me be ill. Not now. Not in front of him.

Since
nothing
mattered
now
but
to
be
well,
she
explained
softly,
in
a
tone
that
seemed
like
indifference,
'Rintoul
is
my
maiden
name.
The
Trust
was
founded
by
my
grandfather.
By
him
and
Charles
Gregory.
There
aren't
any
of
the
Gregorys
left.
Charles
Gregory
had
no
children
of
his
own.
After
his
death,
his
younger
brother
took
over
his
part
in
the
Trust.
And
then
he
had
a
son
who
carried
it
on
after
a
fashion
–
but
they
emigrated
to
Australia,
the
son
and
his
family
I
mean,
and
since
then
…
' The
headache
had
begun
or
rather
its
faintest
preliminary
touch,
not
anything
to
fear
or
dread
in
itself;
only
it
meant
that
what
was
coming
was
inevitable
and
that
made
it
cruel
and
like
a
mockery.

'I
didn't
know.
He
didn't
say.
Not
about
you
being
the
Rintoul
in
Gregory
and.’

'I
don't
take
an
active
part.
But
Maitland,'
she
could not
resist
her
pride
in
that,
'has
made
all
the
difference.
Things
had
been
allowed
to
slide.
With
the
Gregory’s
planning
to
go
abroad
–
I
don't
think
you
make
up
your
mind
to
something
like
that
overnight
.
I'm
sure
you
have
it
grow
on
you,
and
you
get
gradually
less
and
less
involved
with
things
in
the
country
you're
preparing
yourself
to
leave.
And
my
father
was
dead
by
then
–
and
I
was
too
young
–
still
at
University
.’
The
lights
at
the
corner
of
her
vision
slowed
and
dimmed.
Perhaps
it
was
going
to
be
all
right.
Without
any
transition,
she
said
abruptly,
'With
the
best
will
in
the
world
my
husband
can't
simply
offer
you
a
job.
There
is
a
Committee
which
is
responsible
for
the
running
of
the
Trust.’

Unexpectedly
he
grinned.
'From
what
he
said
last
night that
shouldn't
be
a
problem.
The
Professor
gave
me
the
impression
they'll
do
whatever
he
tells
them
to
do.’

Like
a
salesman,
she
thought,
but
one
who
is
quite
sure he
has
made
his
sale.