‘Yes: half flash and half foolish!’ he said, handing her down the unevenly flagged steps on to the shaven turf. ‘We were used – my brother and I – to think him an irreclaimable jackstraw, and accorded him the roughest treatment on the rare occasions when we met him.’
‘It seems to me that you still do so!’
‘Not at all! I took him out to shoot rabbits this afternoon – my life in my hands! That’s quite enough for one day. Seriously, he’s a tiresome youth – what I should describe, if I were talking to one of my own sex, but not, of course, to you, as a shagbag.’
She said appreciatively: ‘No, of course not! And how would you describe him to me?’
‘As a quiz – and bumptious at that! But I’m beginning to think that the fault doesn’t lie altogether at his own door. Are you acquainted with his father? my uncle Cosmo?’ She shook her head. ‘Ah, then that is another treat in store for you! He is one of mother’s brothers, but she seems to suspect that he may be a changeling. Don’t be surprised if he asks you what you paid for your gown, and then tells you where you could have had it made up more cheaply!’
She was in a little ripple of amusement. ‘I won’t! You can’t think what a relief it is to me to know that you too have relations who put you to the blush! I’m covered with confusion every time I recall that shocking party in Mount Street, with poor dear Cousin Maria putting you out of countenance by saying in a voice to be heard all over London that you were very handsome; and that odious creature, Austin Lucton, trying to buttonhole you! My father was vexed to death when he heard that you did buy his horse! Is it a horrid commoner? Papa says that Austin can never judge a horse.’
‘Oh, not a commoner!’ he answered. ‘Just a trifle short of bone! You may see him for yourself: I had him brought down here, and have been hacking him.’
‘Not thinking him fit to go in Leicestershire!’ she said. ‘What can have possessed you to buy him? I fear your reputation will be sadly damaged!’
He chuckled softly. ‘No, will it? That’s famous!’ He read a surprised question in her eyes, and added: ‘No, I don’t mean that! The truth is that I was obliged to purchase the animal – having kept your cousin waiting such an unconscionable time for my decision. Do you hunt, Cressy?’
She shook her head. ‘No, I’m afraid I don’t. I have been out once or twice with Papa, but not in the shires. You, I know, are what Papa calls one of the Tally-ho sort! I hope you won’t require me to try to emulate you, for I am very sure I couldn’t do so. I like to ride, but I am not an accomplished fencer! To own the truth, I find it very hard to throw my heart over a bullfinch, and I hate drop-fences!’
‘Capital!’ he said cheerfully. ‘For my part, I hate hard-riding females! Of late years, I have had little opportunity –’ He caught himself up, and continued smoothly – ‘of observing the prowess of ladies on the hunting-field!’ He stood aside, to allow her to pass through a rustic arch overhung with trailing crimson ramblers. ‘Here, ma’am, we enter into our celebrated rose-garden! Do you like it?’
‘Oh, it is beautiful – exquisite!’ she exclaimed, standing at gaze for a minute, before moving forward swiftly to inspect more closely a new specimen, just bursting into full flower.
‘Tell Newbiggin so – he’s our head gardener – and you will have made a slave for life! I should warn you, however, that my dear Mama is firmly convinced that she, and she alone, made this garden! And it is perfectly true that it was she who conceived the notion. She was immersed in plans when I left for Constantinople, but –’
‘When you left for Constantinople?’ she repeated, looking quickly up at him.
‘To visit my brother,’ he said glibly.
‘Did you do that? How much I envy you!’
‘Are you fond of foreign travel?’
‘I have never done any – only in books!’ she said. ‘It was used to be my greatest ambition – to see the world a little – but Papa dislikes foreigners, and I never could persuade him to go even as far as to Paris. You visited your brother in Vienna too, didn’t you? I wish you will tell me about it!’
There was no difficulty about this; and as they strolled companionably down the paths that separated the rosebeds Kit soon found that her reading had taught Cressy a great deal. She listened eagerly, interpolating an occasional question; and from time to time Kit paused to break off a particularly fine bloom to give to her. When they made their way back to the house she held quite a bouquet, and said, conscience-stricken: ‘If we should meet your gardener now he will become my enemy, not my slave! Tell me, Denville, did your father make the Grand Tour when he was young? Don’t you wish you had grown up then, before the war, when it was thought to be part of a young man’s education to travel abroad, learning to speak foreign languages, seeing how people live in other countries?’
‘Except that if my father’s Grand Tour is anything to judge by they went at too early an age, and were hedged about by tu
tors. As far as I could ever discover from the things my father told me, he went from one large city to another, armed with introductions to the ton, and spent his time between studying with his tutor and attending balls and routs – which he might as well have done in London!’
She said thoughtfully: ‘Yes, but I have a melancholy suspicion that our fathers – and even more our grandfathers – had very little interest in the beauties of nature, and still less in the customs of the people. My own grandfather kept a diary of his Grand Tour, and it is composed almost entirely of great names, and social functions which he attended: I was never more disappointed, when Papa gave it to me to read! For he must have passed throughout the grandest scenery, you know!’
‘Did he record that he took care to wear lambswool next to the skin when travelling over an Alpine pass?’
She burst into laughter. ‘Yes, he did! Oh, dear! How sad that our forebears should have had such opportunities, and should have wasted them so shockingly!’
They had reached the terrace-steps by this time. As they mounted them, Kit said: ‘Have you taken Miss Clara Stavely’s place in attendance on your grandmama, Cressy? My mother wasn’t perfectly sure if she would be accompanying you, or not.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry! I should have told her. Yes, I always go with Grandmama to Worthing at the end of the Season, so that Clara may enjoy what is known in the family as her holiday! In fact, she has gone to fetch and carry for my Aunt Caroline – and will very likely be required to take charge of the children as well, if I know my Aunt Caroline!’ She smiled. ‘Don’t look so shocked! Let me tell you that my Aunt Elizabeth, who is the kindest creature imaginable, was used to think it as abominable as I can see you do that Clara should become a mere drudge. She invited her once to spend the summer in Hertfordshire, determined that she should enjoy a holiday of ease and comfort. Clara had nothing to do but be cosseted and amused – and had almost moped herself into a decline (as she later confided to me) when Aunt Eliza summoned her to come instantly to her aid, one of her children having thrown out a rash; her eldest son, my cousin Henry, having taken a toss, and broken his arm; and her housekeeper having been obliged to leave at a moment’s notice to succour her ailing mother, who had been laid low with a palsy-stroke. Aunt Eliza told me that Clara packed her trunks in the twinkling of a bedpost, and was on her way to Lincoln while she, and her very attentive children, were still trying to prevail upon her to remain at Stoborough Hall! I collect that there was all to do in Lincoln, and I know how exacting is my Aunt Caroline, but I promise you that when Clara resumed her post beside Grandmama she was wonderfully refreshed!’
He was obliged to laugh at this lively history, but he said, cocking an eyebrow at her: ‘Yes, I too have an aunt who – according to what my mother tells me – derives immense satisfaction from immolating herself on the altar of family duty. But I hope you don’t mean to try to bamboozle me into believing that you are of this cut!’
‘Not in the least!’ she replied. ‘Nor do I immolate myself. The worst I have to suffer when I go to Worthing with Grandmama is – is a certain tedium! And even that is alleviated by Grandmama’s tongue.’ He had opened a door that gave access to the terrace from the house, and she said, pausing before she stepped across the threshold: ‘Thank you for my roses! Do you keep country hours at Ravenhurst? Will you desire one of the servants to take me to my room, if you please? It must be time I made myself ready for dinner.’
‘We’ll find my mother,’ he replied. ‘She will certainly wish to take you up herself.’
Lady Denville was not far to seek, for she was coming down the stairs as Kit conducted Cressy into the main hall. She was looking a trifle harassed, but when she saw Cressy her face brightened, and she came quickly down the remaining stairs to fold the girl in a scented embrace. ‘Dearest child! I was wondering where you were, for I haven’t exchanged above two words with you!’