The Mask of the Enchantress (36 page)

ell, doesn everybody?She went to the door, pausing there with her hand on the latch. ell,she went on, glad to see you and Mr. Malcolm seem to get on better together. It early days yet. But you used to be like a cat and dog snarling at each other. I think it got something to do with the castle. In the old days people used to fight over castles. All that boiling oil they used to pour down from the battlements and the battering rams and the arrows out of the windows They did all that to capture the castle. Now they have other ways.

t all settled now,I said.

She looked wary. ou were always set on being mistress of the castle. I always thought that was why you decided to marry Esmond. Then of course you got it without marrying him. Youe mistress of the castle now, and if Esmond had lived you would have had to share it with him. Not that you wouldn have had your way. I sure you would. But it different now. Youe in complete command.

es,I said; and it struck me as very strange that she should always be seeking me out and that she should talk to me in this way. But I dared not discourage her. I had learned more from Janet than from anyone. And I desperately needed to learn.

She said then: l be getting on and youl want to tidy up for luncheon.

I couldn help but be grateful to her. So Malcolm and I were old enemies. He wanted the castle. And he had believed that there was a possibility of his inheriting it on Esmond death. It must have been a blow to him to realize that Ir rather Susannahad come before him.

I had to be especially careful now. Malcolm knew Susannah but hadn seen her for some time. Fortunately they had never been very friendly and had in fact disliked each other; still he had all his faculties about him and nothing would delight him more than to discover this fraud.

This was my test. The rest of them had been comparatively easy compared with him. Emerald might have represented difficulties if she had not been half blind; with Malcolm it would be different. He was shrewd; moreover, nothing would please him more than to discover that I was an impostor, for since Susannah was dead he was in fact the true heir. Only a bogus one stood between him and the castle.

There were only three of us to luncheon and I was filled with trepidation. I wished that I had had longer to prepare for Malcolm.

Emerald at the head of the table peered at him. guessed you would soon be with us,she said.

didn know Susannah would be here, and I thought I would just take a look at the estate in case there was something I could do.

eff Carleton was pleased to see you, no doubt.

haven seen him yet. He was out so I went in search of Susannah.

could not have been more glad to see you,I told him.

ell, that is unexpected, I sure, Malcolm,put in Emerald.

t was. And in such circumstances! I think the Cringles should be spoken to. This was going a bit too far.

hope there is not going to be trouble,said Emerald, ecause it makes me feel quite ill. Wee had enough, heaven knows.

t was those Cringle boys, I assume,said Malcolm.

I thought I had been silent long enough so I cut in: was at Cringlesand one of the boys said his cat was trapped in the barn and asked me to help him free it. He took me to the barn and there was

t was a scarecrow, dressed like Saul,said Malcolm.

ow horrible!cried Emerald.

e was hanging there I said.

nd he had one of Saul old caps on,added Malcolm. must say it was realistic until the thing turned and you saw the face. It was a nasty shock.

should think so. That why youe been so quiet, Susannah.

he Cringles have got to put all that behind them,Malcolm put in. heye got to stop blaming you us for what happened. Saul wasn in his right mind, if you ask me.He was looking at me steadily. he reason he did it may be known to some but let it rest, I say.

es,said Emerald, hey should let it rest. The subject makes my head ache.

She then began to talk of a new recipe she had for headaches. She thought it very effective. here rosemary in it. Now you wouldn think that had restful properties, would you?

I started to talk animatedly about herbs and all the time I was saying to myself: I must find out what Susannah was doing at the time of Saul Cringle death. That she was involved in it I was sure.

We got through luncheon and Emerald went to her room to rest. I did not ask what Malcolm was doing, but I went to my room with the intention of looking through some of the castle papers.

I wished I could shut out the memory of that horrible hanging figure.

I had avoided reading Esmond diaries. I had felt reluctant to do so and had laughed at my scruples, which seemed incongruous in one who was perpetrating an imposture which was growing more and more like a criminal act.

At times I had the desire to pack a bag and disappear, leaving a note behind To whom? To Malcolm, telling him that Susannah was dead and I had stepped into her shoes. I had no right here and was going away.

But where to? What should I do? I would quickly be without the means to support myself. Perhaps I could do what I should have done in the beginning: stay with the Halmers until I could find some sort of post.

I could not stay in my room. I felt stifled. So I went out and across the fields to the woods. And there I lay down on the spot where I had stood long ago with Anabel and looked at the castle.

The intensity of my feeling amazed and alarmed me. I was caught in the spell of the castle. I would never willingly give it up. If I did I would yearn to be back forever.

It had bewitched me. I realized that it must have had the same effect on Susannah. She had been ready to marry Esmond to get it; and from what I had heard of Esmond it was becoming increasingly clear to me that she could never have been in love with him. She would have that mild, teasing affection for him which I had associated with her and Philip.

I kept imagining her going into Esmond room, naked beneath her robe. I sensed his bewilderment and delight. Poor Esmond!

And Susannah? She wanted to be admired, adored. I had been aware of that from the first. I wondered why she had stayed so long on the island. Because of Philip, of course.

Somehow in the shadow of the woods I felt safe. It was as though the spirit of my father and mother hovered over me. I thought back to the first moment of temptation and wondered why I who had hitherto been so law-abiding should have become involved in this trickery. I tried in vain to make excuses for myself. I had lost all whom I had loved. I was without means to support myself. Life had dealt me a cruel blow and then this had presented itself to me. Carrying it out had drawn me out of that depression from which I had felt I could never escape. It had made me forget for moments my parents and all that I had lost. But there is no excuse, I told myself.

And yet, as I lay there in the shadow of the trees, I knew that if I had the chance to go back I would do it all over again.

I was startled by the crackle of undergrowth. Someone was close. My heart started to beat uncertainly as Malcolm came through the trees.

ello,he said. saw you come this way.He threw himself down beside me. oue upset, aren you?He went on scrutinizing me earnestly.

ell,I temporized, t was rather an upsetting experience.

He looked at me quizzically. n the old days he began and stopped. I waited apprehensively for him to go on.

es?I couldn stop myself prompting him although I was feeling so uneasy.

h, come, Susannah, you know what you were like. Pretty heartless. Cynical too. I should just have thought you would have looked on it as a sort of practical joke.

joke! That!

ell, perhaps even you would have balked at that. But I wouldn have expected you to have the vapors.

had no such thing.

He laughed. n exaggeration. But Garth used to say, usannah armor-plated throughout. Shel go through life unscathed by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Not that she ever let it be outrageous to her.Do you remember that?

h, Garth,I said evasively.

agreed with him, you know. But it now looks as though that thing in the barn pierced the armor.

I yawned. think I should get back.

ell, you were never very fond of my company, were you?

ust you harp on the past?

feel the inclination to because you seem to be different somehow.

eople often seem different after you haven seen them for a long while.

o I?

l tell you later when Ie had time to make up my mind.

I stood up.

on go yet, Susannah,he said.

I stood waiting while he looked at me with that puzzled expression in his eyes which destroyed my peace of mind.

wanted to talk to you,he added.

hat about?

he estate, of course. Youl have to be serious now.

am serious.

ince youe been away I have been here a good deal with Jeff and Esmond. Esmond asked me to help. The estate needs a lot of care and attention particularly care, if you know what I mean. Youe dealing with people. You have to care about them and their troubles.

know that.

never thought you realized it.

t seems you thought a lot of odd things about me.

He had leaped to his feet and was standing very close to me. I found his proximity distinctly disturbing.

ow you are back, do you want me to go?he asked.

I don know what possessed me then. It might have been some spirit of adventure in me. I knew very well that his arrival had put me into imminent danger. But he excited me. Perhaps I was a true adventurer and the thought of danger added a zest to my life. In any case I heard myself saying: -no. I don want you to go yet.

He gripped my hand and held it firmly for a second or so.

ll right, Susannah,he said. l stay. I want to, you know, even now youe come back.

I turned away. I was trying to fight some foolish emotion which would not be suppressed. It was extraordinary, the effect this man had on me.

We walked back to the castle together and we went on talking about the estate.

He did not appear at dinner that evening. He left word that he was dining with Jeff Carleton. I was disappointed yet faintly relieved. It was restful to be alone with Emerald, for she made few demands on me.

She was a little scathing about Malcolm. e getting everything out of Jeff,she said. e got into the way of acting as though the castle were his over the last years when my poor dear Esmond was so poorly.

oor Esmond,I said tentatively. e never really got over that first illness.

She nodded. l never forget how ill my poor boy was that first time. But you remember as well as I do.

h yes.

o ill he was, I didn see how he could survive and it was painful to watch him. I was with him as much as my own health would allow. And then that recovery and the horrible affair of Saul Cringle which shook as all so badly. Then you going off to your father.

ou bring it all back so vividly,I said.

t something I shall never forget. It my belief that, after that illness of Esmond, Malcolm had hopes. He really believed he must be the next. Your grandfather was a mischievous man. I believe it amused him to let Malcolm hope. He always loathed his brother and he said once that Malcolm was the image of him. I wondered what he said to Malcolm on the quiet. It wouldn surprise me if he raised his hopes so when Esmond was ill he naturally thought

e would,I said.

e was here a great deal while you were away. He did more on the estate than Esmond did. Esmond was glad to leave it to him. Poor lamb, he must have been feeling weak at the time.

oor Esmond,I said again.

ou shouldn have left him so long, Susannah.

o, I shouldn.

I changed the subject by asking about her backache and as usual that never failed to absorb her interest. When I retired to my room I was feeling quite wide awake.

There was something I really must do. I must abandon my remaining scruples and read what Esmond had written about that period when he was taken so ill and Saul Cringle had died, and Susannah had left the castle to go in search of her father.

I undressed, got into bed and took the diaries with me.

I found the one I needed. It was dated some two years ago.

A restless night, [I read]. I waited for S. She did not come. I wish she would agree to our marriage. She keeps saying, ot yet.Garth is here. He and S. are at loggerheads. I have tried to remonstrate but she calls him an upstart. Feel bewildered by S. She takes such violent dislikes to Garth and of course Saul C. for instance.

Malcolm has arrived. He and S. seem to dislike each other in a cold sort of way. She is disdainful towards him and he ignores her, or pretends to. I don believe anyone can be really indifferent to S.

S. out all afternoon. I wonder where. No use asking. She hates what she calls being spied on. Saw her riding in later. She came out of the stables and met Garth. They talked for a while. I watched from my window. I am always uneasy when they are together. I am always afraid she will say something unforgivable to him and therel be trouble. They seemed to be on slightly better terms though. Then she came in and he went on. I went down to meet her. She looked hot, I thought. I commented on this and she said sharply: ell, it scarcely midwinter!in that sharp voice of hers which she uses when she angry. atching, were you?she said. es,I answered, saw you meet Garth. I was glad you seem a little less irritated with him than usual.h, did I?she answered. es,I said, uite affable.ffable!she screamed at me. never be affable with that man.Then she laughed and kissed me. When S. kisses me I don think of much else. I wish it was always like that.

S. came last night. I never know when to expect her. She does such extraordinary things. She brought a bottle of cider which Carrie Cringle had given her. oor Esmond, I believe you feel terrible when I come to your room like this. I won, you know, if you don want me to.That is like S. She knew that I wanted her more than anything in the world and sometimes that seems to please her, at others it irritates her. She said, his will arouse your ardor. It will stifle your scruples. Come on. Wel both drink it.She poured it into two glasses which she had brought with her. She brought mine to me, making me drink it, holding it to my mouth and taking a little sip from the glass herself. It was intoxicating. When I awoke next morning she was gone. There is a poem by Keats which reminds me of S. La belle dame sans merci. S. has me in thrall. There is no doubt about that.