The Mask of the Enchantress (32 page)

ou seem to know all about it, Janet.

ell, the news came to Mrs. Mateland, you see, through those lawyers. Mr. Joel would have been the real heir after Esmond had gone if he hadn been disinherited. It made it neater all the same to have him out of the way, so to speak. Old Mr. Egmont was in a fine way when he realized he lost both his sons at the crack of a gun, as it were. He disinherited Master Joel and in any case there was Mr. Esmond. Who would have thought he would have died like that? I glad the little girl was with Miss Anabel. I was only with them a little while but it was heart-warming to see them together though it was wrong, of course. My poor Miss Anabel. She deserved better.

es,I said fervently. he did.

Janet looked at me sharply and I went on quickly: ell, it all over now.

o many deaths,added Janet. don like it. That volcano well, that an act of God. Poor Mr. Esmond, too. I wonder how long his room will be left. His mother don want anything disturbed. Are you going to stick to that, Miss Susannah? The papers in his desk his books and all that not to be touched left exactly as they were when he died. Well, that the way his mother wanted it.

el see, Janet,I said.

She looked at me dolefully and went out. When she had gone I sat on my bed staring into space.

Does she suspect something? I asked myself.

I got through the evening quite well. I could manage with Emerald, for in the first place she was partially blind and was unable to notice any difference between Susannah and me. Moreover she was a woman who was completely wrapped up in herself, which was a great help in a situation like this one. Any differences she might discover she gave little thought to beyond assuming they were due to the effects of travel.

It was different with the servants. Some of them had known Susannah since her childhood, but I think they were accepting me as Susannah though they thought I had changed.

The one I really had to fear was Janet. Janet knew too much.

She knew of the existence of Suewellyn. She might put two and two together. And then what?

That very first evening the fact of how easily I could slip up was brought home to me. Who would have believed I could be betrayed by such a simple thing as a pudding?

The dessert that night was ginger pudding. I felt disinclined to eat anything and I had some cheese and biscuits after the main dish, declining the pudding. Chaston, the butler, must have reported this, for after I had said good night to Emerald and was going to my room, about to mount the staircase, a flustered red-faced woman came from behind the screens and placed her ample body between me and the stairs.

s anything wrong?I asked.

es, Miss Susannah, there is.

hat?I asked.

like to know, miss, if you are of the opinion that I am no longer worthy to cook for this household.

Such a verbose statement, delivered in what I can only call a bellicose manner, was an indication that the ire of this lady had been most forcefully aroused.

I wondered why I should be confronted in this way and then I remembered that I was supposed to be Susannah, the mistress of this vast establishment.

hy, no,I said. thought the food was excellent.

hat was wrong with my ginger pudding that it should be sent back untouched?

othing, I am sure.

ut something for you to turn your nose up at! Why, it was done special for you, knowing as how you had always had a partiality for the same. I go to the trouble to make it on your first night knowing as how I always did when you come home from anywhere and there always be hardly any left when it come back to my kitchen. Not so much as a sliver taken.

h, M I had forgotten that I did not know her name. sorry. The fact is I too tired to be hungry tonight

o,she went on, ignoring my interruption. t comes out just as it was took in. I said to myself when I see that pudding coming out: ell, Mrs. Bates, it seems your cooking ain grand enough for them that is world travelers.I could tell you, miss, there some not very far from here who welcome in their houses someone who could make a ginger pudding like that one.

t only because I so tired, Mrs. Bates.

ou tired! You was never tired. And if that what traveling done for you, you do better to stay at home.

ill you make a ginger pudding tomorrow night, Mrs. Bates?I begged.

She sniffed a little but I could see she was beginning to be mollified. would if I was ordered.

hen I should be able to enjoy it. I just too worn out and too lacking in appetite to do it justice tonight.

ou had cheese, Chaston tells me,she said accusingly. ou passed by my ginger pudding for cheese! When I think of you, standing on a chair, with your fingers in the basin taking licks when I wasn looking Her face wrinkled into a smile. ou said to me, t the ginger, Mrs. Bates. The Devil tempted me.You was a caution, you was, and ginger pudding was always your favorite. Now it seems

h no, no, Mrs. Bates, I still like it. Please make one tomorrow.

She was beginning to twinkle. couldn make it out,she said, hen I see that pudding going out just as it had come in. It was enough to break any cook heart.

She was mollified. She accepted my excuses. But what a fuss over a pudding. How careful I had to be!

I was exhausted when I reached my bedroom. I had learned a great deal and the most important thing I had discovered was how easily I could be betrayed.

I slept well. I suppose I was worn out physically and mentally. I awoke with the feeling which was becoming commonplace to me now mingling of terrible apprehension and excitement. Any hour could bring my deception out into the open, I realized. I should be lucky to survive for a few weeks.

I rose and went down to breakfast. I had an idea that this was taken any time between eight and ten and that one just helped oneself from the sideboard. I went into the room where we had dined the previous night. Yes, the table was set for breakfast and food was sizzling on the sideboard in silver dishes.

I helped myself and sat down, grateful to be alone. I was hungry in spite of the internal uneasiness.

While I was eating Janet looked in.

h, early,she said in that familiar way of hers. ot like you, Miss Susannah, to be up at this hour. What happened to you? Changed your habits since abroad? Miss Lie-abed has become Miss Early Bird.

So once again I had slipped. I must remember that.

don suppose Jeff Carleton will be here till ten,she went on. e won be expecting you to want to look round the estate with him at this hour, I can tell you. He was saying how glad he was that you were coming home. He says it a great responsibility to have when he can get permission for what he wants. Though, mind you, Mr. Esmond gave him more or less a free hand. He says he doesn expect that from you.

I listened. So this morning I was to go round the estate with Jeff Carleton, the farm manager. I had to thank Janet for giving me plenty of information. I felt quite exhilarated to pick up so much. I was learning to keep my eyes and ears open.

I said: l be ready when he comes. Ten olock, you say.

ell, that was the time you and Mr. Esmond used to go with him, wasn it?

h yes,I said.

e told Jim to get Blackfriar saddled for you. He so certain youl want to go round the estate at once.

I said again: h yes.

don suppose Blackfriar will have forgotten you. They say horses never forget. He was always good with you, though.

There was a warning in this. I felt a momentary qualm. What if the horse rejected me? There was an implication in Janet words that Blackfriar, though good with Susannah, was inclined to be less so with others.

l leave you to your breakfast,said Janet.

I went up to my room and changed into riding kit. I uttered a prayer of thanksgiving to my father for bringing a couple of horses to the island and to the Halmers for making me ride so often on the property. They were all such expert riders and galloping through the bush with them and trying to keep up with their skill had given me confidence and a certain expertise.

Just after ten olock Jeff Carleton arrived at the house. I went down to meet him.

ell, Miss Susannah,he said, seizing my hand, t is good to see you back. We been hoping you come before. This has been a terrible tragedy.

es,I said, errible.

t was all so sudden. Only a week before I was riding round the place with him and Mr. Malcolm and then he gone.

I shook my head.

orgive my speaking of it. Wee got to go on from there, haven we, Miss Susannah, and I just wondering if you have any ideas about the estate.

ell, I just like to look at thingsI wasn sure whether to call him Jeff, Carleton or Mr. Carletono I called him nothing.

oul be wanting to take a hand, I reckon,he said with a laugh.

h yes, I suppose so.

We came to the stables. The groom stepped forward and said: ood day to you, Miss Susannah. Ie got Blackfriar ready.

hank you.I wished I knew the names of these people. It was a great handicap to be in the dark.

I identified the horse. His name was useful. He was beautiful with his black coat in which were a few white flecks about the neck. His name suited him.

here one who will be glad to have you back, Miss Susannah. He was always your horse, Blackfriar was. Il swear he pined when you went away. Of course he got used to your being away when you were in France.

hat right,I said.

I was thankful that I had always had a rapport with horses and was able to approach Blackfriar confidently. I patted him cautiously. His ears went back. He was alert.

lackfriar,I whispered, t Susannah come back for you.

There was a tense moment while I was not sure whether he was going to reject me. I patted him and said: ou haven forgotten. You know me.My voice was soothing. I brought a lump of sugar from my pocket. Susannah had always done that with our horses. They were creatures she was really gentle with.

hat done it,said the groom. e remembers that all right.

I leaped into the saddle and, patting him again, murmured: ood old Blackfriar.

I wasn sure whether he knew I was not Susannah, but I did know that he liked me; and I felt a sense of triumph as we rode out of the stables.

here would you like to go first?asked Jeff Carleton.

l leave that to you.

thought we look in at Cringles

es,I replied, f you think that a good idea.

I deliberately allowed him to go ahead. We came into the road which led past the woods and walked our horses side by side.

oul find a few changes, Miss Susannah.

expect to.

t been quite a long time since you were here.

uite a long time. Of course there was that short time when I was home after France.

es, and then away again. Therel be certain things youl be wanting to change possibly.

l have to see.

ou always had ideas about the estate, I know.

I nodded, wondering what ideas Susannah had had.

f course we never thought

f course not. But these things happen.

r. Malcolm was very interested. He was here about a month ago, I think it was.

h, was he?

think he had ideas he being a man of course. When Mr. Esmond died he probably thought you wouldn want to concern yourself with the running of things. I thought to myself, You don know Miss Susannah!

I gave a short laugh.

f course,went on Jeff Carleton, ith an estate like this people might think if there a man in the family he should be the one to concern himself with it.

nd you think Malcolm had that notion.

ure of it. He thought he might be the next when Esmond died on account of your being a lady, even though he knew, like the rest of us, that your grandfather would hesitate to name him because of that long-ago quarrel.

es,I said.

our grandfather younger brother could, you might say, have a claim on the estate and that claim might go down through his son and grandson. There some sense in it. Some families don let the ladies inherit. It different with Matelands.

es, different with Matelands.

I had at least established Malcolm claim. He was the grandson of Grandfather Egmont younger brother. A definite claim. He was the one I was cheating out of his inheritance.

A tremor of alarm ran through me. But it was such a lovely day. The fields were gay with buttercups and daisies; and the birds were going wild with joy because the sun was up there in the sky and spring was advancing into summer.

I couldn help feeling exhilarated.

he farms are showing a good profit,went on Jeff Carleton. ll except Cringles I don know what you feel about them and if you could suggest anything.

ringlesI said, as though I were pondering the matter.

hey went to pieces after the tragedy.

h yes.

What tragedy was this? I must feel my way with caution.

he old man has never been the same since. It seems to have hit Jacob more than any of them. Of course Saul was his brother. They were twins, I think always closer. Jacob always used to depend on Saul. It was a great blow to him.

t must have been.

nd the farm has consequently suffered. I suggested taking it away from them. Theye not getting the best out of the land. Esmond wouldn hear of it. He had a kind heart, Mr. Esmond. They all knew they could take their troubles to him. I know you used to get a bit impatient with him at times.

es,I murmured.

o I think they may be expecting changes. There Granny Bell in the cottages who wants her roof done. It should be attended to. Shel have the rain in if we get any heavy stuff. She was going to ask Esmond to do it, but he was taken ill on the very day I was going to put it before him. So nothing been done. Would you like to look at the roof?

o,I said. o ahead and do it.

t would be wise really. But to get back to Cringles I looked about me. I could see fields of wheat and in the distance sheep grazing. The farmhouse lay in a valley. hey don really take care of the property. Saul was the one. He was a good worker, Saulne of our best. It was a great pity. No one ever seemed to get to the bottom of it.