In a Fair Ground

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18076, 21 July 1930, Page 12

In a Fair Ground

(By L. G. Moberly.)

LEADING CHARACTERS. MARTIN DAMERSLEY: The struggling head of a genteel family. He unexpectedly finds himself to be Earl of Glenworth, with a great and beautiful Hall and estate. ESTHER: His wife, charming and sweet-dispositioned in trial or in prosperity. PATIENCE: The Earl’s sister, whose lover, John is too independent to live on her wealth and refuses to think of marriage now that he cannot expect to support her. JOHN HARMER: The independent lover, who regards Patience’s change of fortune as an insuperable barrier. MILES: Martin’s eldest son, who becomes Viscount Ralston, and,decides to have his fling in London. BRIAN: The younger son, who determines to study the estate and its management. ENID: The elder daughter, who renounces her title rather than give up Tom Jackson, whom she marries. LOIS: The younger daughter, who decides to enjoy herself and falls into the toils of an adventurer who promises to marry her. SIMON TREHERNE: A scheming individual who wins the affection of Lois, and deserts her on the eve of her marriage on hearing that a claimant to the earldom has apappeared. MISS PENELOPE CARSTAIRS: A pleasant old lady who warns Patience that the Dowager Countess is a dangerous woman. THE DOWAGER COUNTESS, who looks on the new Earl and his family with contempt, and leaves an unpleasant impression. (CHAPTER XVI. (Continued.)

“ I don’t know. He gave me no inkling of what was in his mind. He merely asked me to come and see you, and "• “ And find out what sort of a beauty Miles had married!” she put in shrewdly. “ All 'Tight, I don’t mind. You can go back to the Saint, and tell him I’m not black all through, and I’ve got a way with me on the boards that can get plenty of money out of managers; but I’ve no, objection to going overseas if he likes. Only,” she paused dramatically, “ don’t let him think, and don't you think yourself, that Miles is going to set the Thames on fire in any old office; nor that I’m going to live on four or five pounds a week, because I’m not. Little Pearl isn’t made that way, she wants lots of money flowing all the time. See? And all at once she sprang from amidst her cushions, scattering them right and left, and began pirouetting about the room, winding in and out amongst the close-packed furniture, /with amazing dexterity, her arms outstretched, her every gesture graceful and charming, her face alight with smiles. : “ Send the Saint along,” she said, sinking once more into the big armchair. “I- show him some of my best turns, and if lie knows managers in the Far West, or even in little old New York, he can send me to them; I’m game. But tell him Pearl isn’t taking any old City clerk as a husband. That’s that, and there it is.” Her eyes met mine fully, and I read in them unshakeable determination. “So you’re my aunt," Pearl exclaimed aft§r that long stare. “Do you know, I think you’re a good old sort? And you’re jolly good to look at too.” She talked as dispassionately as if I were a piece of sculpture, and though I flushed under her intent scrutiny I could not take offence. “ I can’t think why you are still Lady Patience Damersley,” the amazing creature continued. “ Men are as blind as bats, and as stupid as hippos. They just stick there with their mouths open and their eyes goggling; never seeing what’s right under their noses, else some man must have seen you.” “ Some man did,” I responded demurely. “ I'm going to be married before very long." “ I’m jolly g ad. One man has a bit of sense. Ask me to the wedding, I’d love to come; and,” her voice suddenly grew wistful, “ you don’t think I’m too utterly low class for Miles, do you? I don’t canter round with my heart pinned on my jumper, but I’ve got a heart, and Miles has the middle place in it.” “ I believe you are a splendid wife for Miles,” I felt moved to say, as we faced each other to say good-bye, “ only," I paused, wondering how best to word what I wanted to say, “ only don’t take away all his backbone by doing everything for him. Help him to make his own backbone stronger.” Then I kissed her, and to my great surprise she flung her arms round my neck and pressed her face against mine, and I could have been sure there were tears in her eyes. “ Righto,” was what she said, bu 1 the one foolish little word seemed" to hold a world of meaning, and I went away with a very warm corner in my heart for Miles’ Pearl. I I met Maurice at the appointed place, his eyes shone, there was a satisfied expression of achievement upon his “ How about your quest?” he asked, when he had manoeuvred me into a cosy corner and ordered tea. “ Mine has been an unqualified success.” “A success? How?" I asked, as he smiled mischievously. “ In that Mr John Hamer and I are in complete agreement. He thinks, as I do, that a special licence and an immediate marriage would meet the case far better." “An immediate marriage 1” I felt a little breathless. “ But why, Maurice? I can’t imagine why you are so anxious to hurry us, or why John should fall in at once with your wishes.” “ I gave you my main reasons yesterday,” he answered imperturbably, “ and now I have seen Barkis, and Barkis is willing,” he smiled whimsically at me, as he quoted the immortal phrase; “ and what’s more, Barkis is coming along shortly to join us and fix things up. I gasped, “ Do you always do things at such lightning speed on your side of the Atlantic?” I questioned. f “We hustle some,” he retorted gravely, though his eyes twinkled, then he became quite serious. “Do you know, Pat, 1 like that man of yours? I like him tremendousy. Eaten up by ungodly pride though he is, lie sure is. Still, he’s a wonderful line chap. He and I kind of took to one another.” “I can imagine you would take to one another,” I looked into Maurice’s grey eyes, and reflected how straight-

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forward was their glance, just as John’s was straightforward. “ Yoji' and John belong to the same plane of things. You and he. .Ah’ there he is,” I broke off as >1 saw John’s tall folrm making its way between .'the tables, “ fancy you persuading him to come here.”

“ Fancy me persuading him.” Maurice mocked faintly, “ the fellow was hotfoot to come away with me then and there, no persuasion was needed 1 Now then, come right here,” he rose and pulled out a chair for John, “we are going to have the cosiest tea party ever, and fix the date of the wedding.” John’s eyes met mine. There was such deep contentment in his, such radiance that I knew for certain that I could do nothing but acquiesce in whatever these two men chose to arrange ! Some of the deep contentment which I knew filled John’s soul began to overflow into mine. A deliciour sense of irresponsibility came over me. I would just sit back and allow these two masterful creatures to arrange my future as they pleased, to map out my destiny in whatever way seemed liest to them.

It was all very novel, very exciting; life had suddenly assumed a most enchanting aspect I and I actually listened in silence, whilst those two men gravely the most advisable date for my wedding. My wedding, if you please I “ Then shall we say October the foui’th?” Maurice turned to me at last —and I laughed outright. “ So I am to have a small voice in the matter,’.’ I- said. “ Yes," that graceless young man assented. “ I gather there will have to be a special license, as the fourth is only a week hence.” “ Do you really suppose I can agree to anything so preposterous as a wedding a week hence?” I exclaimed. “How could I? How could any of us be ready?” » “ Ready?” Maurice’s eyes twinkled afresh. “ You don’t mean to say you want to buy stacks of clothes?” “..I don’t know about stacks, but I want a few; and it is impossible to be hustled into matrimony in such a head- , long way. How could we do such a 'thing?” 1 looked to John for support, j but the support was not forthcoming, j “Is there any real reason why we j should not do as Mr Damersley suggests?” he asked—and the note of , wistfulness in his ’voice moved mo more than anything else could have I done. “ You don’t really want to worry over an extensive outfit, do you?” “Of course not. BuW-it all seems such a rush —and—what will Martin and Esther say?” I ended, inconsequently. “ They will be delighted,” Maurice asserted with decision. “ I can’t imagine anything that would please me much more; and there is no earthly reason why you should wait at all,” the contumacious young man continued; “it is quite unnecessary—unless of course you want.a splash wedding?’ “A splash wedding!” my tone was indignant; “I should like to have everything as quiet as possible—somewhere in London, in a church where nobody knows me.” “ Every word you utter makes my soheme more and more sensible,” Maurice asserted. “If you had wanted a splash wedding at Gledworth, I grant it would have complicated matters; but to be married quietly in some small London church, is as easy as winking!” . I began to feel as if the determined young man -was hypnotising me. My own hand seemed powerless to steer the course of my ship; the steering wheel was being twisted round exactly as Maurice chose, and John was acquiescing in all that Maurice proposed. Meanwhile I sat between them, feeling every minute less and less my own mistress, more and more in the power of these men who were calmlysettling my affairs for me over my head. “ Then we man consider the fourth as a fixed date," Maurice said suddenly, “ and will you leave me to make the arrangements?" “ Oh Maurice’s hypnotism .of John had been as effective as of me, for John intervened, before I could finish my sentence. . “ That’s very kind,” he said, “ Pat, my dear, I don’t see how we could do better than leave things in this kind of wizard’s hands?” I felt rather like old Mrs Taylor, one of our Women’s Institute members, whose one expression for overwhelming surprise is—" Well, there, you could ’a knocked me down with a feather.” lam sure a child could have knocked me down with a wren's feather at that moment, and I had. not a word to say to either of my two companions. A ludicrous mental picture of myself as the Dormouse at the Mad Hatter’s Tea-party, the mouse being firmly stuffed into the tea-pot by the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, rose before my eyes, and I found myself gigling faintly. Never surelyhad so momentous a decision taken place before in the commonplace surroundings of Stewart’s Tea Rooms! It all seempd like the inconsequent happenings of a dream. The clatter of china, the hum of voices, the pattering feet of the waitresses—all these formed the setting for the private little bit,of drama which-'we were arranging in our quiet corner. And before we pushed back our chairs and left the place, Maurice had clinchers—presumably to his own satisfaction—certainly to my bewilderment, and to John’s beatific delight! His face was one broad beam of radiance, and as we walked out of the shop he put his hand through my arm and squeezed it tightly. There was no time for words. Maurice’s car- was waiting, we were obliged to start immediately; and our farewells to John were necessarily verybrief. The drive home was -more like a dream drive than a real one. I was conscious of flying along the roads at a phenomenal pace, only slackening down occasionally, when ,1 presume Maurice saw r reason to fear- a police trap! and trees and fields and hedgegrows became blurred backgrounds to the words that danced all over them in letters of fire. “ You are to be married in a week—married in a week married in a week.”

CHAPTER XVII. As In a Dream. Martin and Esther not only fell in with Maurice’s scheme, they seconded it warmly. “Why not?” my brother said at once, “it is ridiculous to put off your wedding till January, if you can be, married at once. You have waited,!

long enough for your happiness, my dear; take it with both hands, and grasp it firmly, now that it Js within reach 1”

“Of course, Pat dear, Maurice • suggesting the very best and wisest plan," - Esther chimed in; "he is like some sort of fairy godfather, and I am sure he is right about this..” “But I don’t like leaving you in such a hurry, I said; “it feels as though I ■tvere rushing away, just when you are in trouble.” “We shall miss you dreadfully,” Esther’s blue eyes misted over, “but, after all, we shall soon all be back in -town, and quite within reach of each other; and it isn’t as if Martin and I would be alone—we shall have Lois.” “And Brian " I put in. “Not Brian,” she shook her head; “Maurice has asked Brian to stay on, first as a sort of assistant agent, and eventually as agent, in due course.” “Oh, I am gladl" I exclaimed, “Maurice and Brian have made such friends that it ought to ’be a very happy arrangement.” “Everything is happy, excepting for you and Esther,” I added, turning to my brother; “I can’t bear to think that you are leaving all this.” “Pat, dear, don’t worry about us, we shall manage quite well. The only thing that worries me is that I am still here at all. I feel I ought not to have accepted , Damersley’s offer. 1 ought to have left Gledworth when he first arrived. * “What treason fs this?" a gay voice at the door broke in upon our conversation, in the absorption of which we had not -seen Maurice enter. “My dear fellow,” it was Martin who spoke, “I do feel that w : e have not the smallest right to stay on here. You have been more than good to us in keeping us so long, but really there Is no reason why we should trespass on you any longer. Your claim is amply established; we are the merest interlopers and ” “And you are not going to stir from here yet, Maurice interrupted, with a sort of gay decisiveness against which there could be no appeal, “whilst I am obliged to be so much in town; interviewing these slow-footed men of law, I waht you to do me the great kindness of staying at Gledworth. It is against my principles to shut up this great place, and leave it to servants. You will do me a real kindness if you will stay on for a bit.” “All under false pretences,” Martin answered; “that is my feeling about it. I am simply a fraud here, under quite false pretences.” “You are simply nothing of the sort,” was Maurice’s laughing rejoinder; “don’t let us go back to this thrice-vexed question, but let us discuss instead the approaching marriage of Lady Patience and Mr John Harmer.” “Not Lady Patience, please,” I urged. “Not Lady Patience,” he repeated; “so be it. Miss Patience Damersley and Mr John Harmer propose to enter the bonds of holy matrimony on October the 4th. Why.bonds, by the way? I object to the use of the word bond in that connection; don’t you?” he turned suddenly to Lois, who sat on one side of the wide ’window seats in the library, looking rather listlessly out into the garden. “I don’t know,” she answered; "I suppose it is rather a silly word, though, of course, they are bonds in a-way aren’t they? The man and woman are bound to one another.” “Yes,” Maurice’s eyes rested upon

her down-bent head, and there was a great tenderness in his glance. “Yes, but that word ‘bonds’ sounds like prisoners who want to get free, and 1 can’t. Is that how you feel?” he turned quickly to me, “do you feel as if you were entering a prison on October fourth? a prison where John Harmer is keeper?"

“Certainly not,” I began laughingly, when the door opened, and Dunstan said in his best and most sepulchral voice:

“The Dowager Countess would like to speak to you a minute, my lord.” “The Dowager?" Martin glanced at Maurice, surprise in his voice, “1 thought she was abroad.” “I forgot to tell you I met her in the lane the other day,” I said, “something put it out of my head. She told 'me she was going away again at once.”

“Show her in here,’’ Martin ordered Dunstap, and a moment later she stood in the doorway, surveying us with a cool, insolent glance, which had never yet failed to give me the most ungodly sensations about faceslapping! ■, “Am I disturbing a family conclave?” she asked, looking from one to the other of us, until her glance reached , Maurice, who was standing hear the window seat, a little behind her. (To be Continued.)