"All right. Only we don't want her pinched." With a yawn I rose to my
feet. "And now I suppose I'd better go and turn her out."
"Right oh," said Jonah, picking up his paper again.
I strolled into the house.
We were proud of the car. She was a 1914 Rolls, and we had bought her at
a long price less than a week ago. Fresh from the coach-builder's, her
touring body was painted silver-grey, while her bonnet was of polished
aluminium. Fitted with every conceivable accessory, she was very
good-looking, charming alike to ride or drive, and she went like the
wind. In a word, she did as handsome as she was.
It was eight minutes to eleven as we slid past the lodge and on to the
Bilberry road.
Before we had covered two furlongs, we swung round a corner to see a
smart two-seater at rest by the dusty hedgerow, and a slight dark girl
in fresh blue and white standing with one foot on the step, wiping her
dainty fingers on a handful of cotton-waste.
"Agatha!" cried Daphne and Jill. "Stop, Boy, stop!"
Obediently I slowed to a standstill, as my lady came running after us.
"You might have told me," she panted. "I never knew you were back. And I
am so glad."
"We only arrived on Friday, dear," said Daphne, and introduced Berry and
me. Jonah, it appeared, had met Miss Deriot at tennis in 1914.
"But you had your hair down then," he said gravely.
"It's a wonder I haven't got it down now," said Miss Deriot. "Why didn't
you come along ten minutes earlier? Then you could have changed my
tire."
"And why are you driving away from church?" said Jill.
"One of the colts has sprained his shoulder, and we're out of
embrocation; so I'm going to get some from Brooch."
"I'll come with you," said Berry eagerly, preparing to leave the car. "I
don't like to think of you----"
"Nonsense," said Daphne, detaining him.
"But supposing she has another puncture?"
"Yes, I can see you mending it on a day like this."
"It's very kind of you," said Miss Deriot, with a puzzled smile.
"Don't thank the fool," said my sister. "If I thought he'd be the
slightest use to you, I'd send him; but he only wants an excuse to get
out of going to church."
"Poor Jade," said her husband. "I am a knight, a simple starlit knight,
a Quixote of to-day. Your brutish instincts----"
"Carry on, Boy," said Daphne. I let in the clutch. "And come over this
afternoon, Agatha, and we'll tell you all about everything."
"Yes, do," cried Jill.
"All right," said Miss Deriot. "So long."
Three minutes later I was berthing the car close to the lich-gate in the
shade of sweet-smelling limes, that made a trembling screen of foliage
within the churchyard wall.
As luck would have it, Will Noggin, once a groom in our service and now
a trooper of the Dragoon Guards, was leaning lazily against the grey
wall, taking his ease. As we drew abreast of him, he stood to attention
and saluted, a pleased grin of recognition lighting his healthy face. We
greeted him gladly.
"Glad to see you're all right, Will," said Jill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account