Sister of the Housemaster (10 page)

“
And I
’
m quite used to hard work, after all
.
You don
’
t need to worry about me.
”

“
I told Arnold that, too. But we both think that you ought to go out a little more
—
even pop off for a week-end to see your friends. We don
’
t want to make a slave of you.
”

“
It would be nice to go back and see the girls,
”
said Ingrid,
“
and hear what is happening in the world of radiography.
”

“
There! And you didn
’
t think of going! Now you go this very week-end, and enjoy yourself; and you will come back all the fresher into the stuffy atmosphere of school.
”

“
Thank you, Sylvia. That will be lovely. Not that I find school atmosphere stuffy
—
I find it most interesting and attractive.
”

“
That hasn
’
t had time to wear off yet. It would in time.
”

She turned back to talk to Pamela, thinking that she would ask Minnie Goodell to come for the week-end, since Minnie, a strong support of many women
’
s organizations and an energetic spinster, liked nothing better than to be a ministering angel; and although she would be exasperating beyond words for more than a few days, she would be extremely useful for the week-end.

Later, when Arnold returned and Pamela had gone, Sylvia told him what had been arranged.

“Ingrid insists
that she isn
’
t overworked, but she is going back for the week-end to see her friends.
”

“
I
’
m quite looking forward to it,
”
said Ingrid.

“
We mustn
’
t take you for granted,
”
Arnold
told his sister.
“
You are helping us tremendously,
and the doctor is very pleased with Sylvia. The
rest is already making a great improvement. But
when you want to be on the wing again
—
when
you feel you must get back to your work, let me know.
”

Ingrid smilingly said she would, and went away to telephone the friends in whose flat she had spent much time, when she was training to be a radiographer. It was on the evening before her departure, when she and Sylvia and Arnold were having their coffee before the fire, that Sylvia suddenly said:

“
Bother! I forgot to give Pamela the cuff links to take to Patrick.
”

“
W
hy don
’
t you send them?
”
suggested Arnold.

“
Well, they are valuable, and I thought it would be a better idea for Pamela to take them to him. He wants them.
”

“
Let Ingrid take them,
”
suggested Arnold.
“
If Patrick specially wants them, Ingrid will be just as trustworthy a messenger.
”

“
Oh, it doesn
’
t matter,
”
said Sylvia.

“
I
’
ll take them,
”
said Ingrid.
“
I needn
’
t stay, need I? I could just hand them in.
”

“
I don
’
t suppose he wants them as desperately as all that.
”

“
It won
’
t be any bother,
”
Ingrid assured her.

Sylvia gave way with bad grace. Ingrid fetched the cuff links and put them in her handbag, determining to hand them in at the door of Patrick
’
s house and go away again. I

Patrick had had an extremely busy week, and had gone to town to spend a relaxed week-end in his flat. He had faced a difficult meeting the day before, with his new designs, but had felt for the first time that the members of the board were beginning to come round to his way of thinking. That very morning, he had been called suddenly to the Chairman
’
s office to discuss the new plane
’
s operational economy, and had thought, for an unpleasant hour, that he was back again where he had started. It had needed clarity and firmness and a good deal of confidence in his designs to carry him through. He had felt afterwards as if he had been wrung out and was quite limp, and the thought of the flat had been a solace.

He had often thought of giving up the flat, since he was nearly always away from it, but at times like this, when it was a quiet refuge, he determined to keep it. This time, however, it was not a complete refuge, for Walters and Trubody had sought him out. They worked in the same aircraft concern, as designers, but were considerably junior to Patrick. They had come to town for much the same reason as Patrick
—
complete relaxation, although they intended to get theirs with two pretty girls, and dinner and theatre and dancing. They had called in to see Patrick, chiefly for a drink and a chat, and now all three, forgetful of the relaxation they had been seeking, were deep in discussion. In the middle of this discussion, the bell of the front door rang, and Patrick looked up in surprise.

“
Are you expecting somebody?
”
asked Trubody,
“
because if you are, we
’
ll clear off.
”

“
No,
”
said Patrick.
“
I
’
m not expecting anybody. Don
’
t disturb yourselves. Excuse me a moment
.”

He went to open the door. He found Ingrid, in a trim little black suit and wearing an adorable little hat, waiting on his doorstep. She had a bunch of violets high on her lapel, and their fragrance struck him immediately.

“
What a very nice surprise,
”
he said, holding out a hand to her.
“
Come in.
”

“
No,
”
said Ingrid,
“
I won
’
t come in.
”
Bu
t
he had already taken possession of her hand and drawn her into the small hall.
“
I only came to bring you your cuff links because Sylvia said you wanted them specially.
”

“
Oh, did I?
”
he asked absently. He wasn
’
t thinking about cuff links. He was thinking how elegant Ingrid looked in her town clothes.
“
Well, after being so kind, you must come in for a drink.
”
He smiled at her, putting a hand on her elbow.
“
Straight ahead there, through that door. There is only one fair-sized room in this fiat, and this is it.
”
They
w
ere in the room now, in spite of Ingrid
’
s determination not to be persuaded in, and Walters and Trubody had risen to their feet.

“
You are busy,
”
said Ingrid,
“
I would rather not stay.
”

“
Busy? No, certainly not.
”

“
Certainly not,
”
confirmed Trubody.
“
We are just going, as a matter of fact. Called in for a free drink, you know.
”

“
No please don
’
t go,
”
said Ingrid.
“
Don
’
t let me drive you away.
”

“
It
’
s time we were driven away,
”
said Walters.
“
We have two gorgeous girls waiting for us. Come to think of it, we are late already. That
’
s what comes of starting to talk shop. Come on, faithful and true. We
’
d better get going.
”

Trubody rose at once. They said their goodbyes, insisted they could see themselves out, and departed in haste. Patrick, co
m
ing back
from the
front door, smiled again at Ingrid,

“
Well,
”
she said,
“
did I frighten them? They
we
re in a hurry.
”

“
Nothing will ever convince them now,
”
said Patrick,
“
that I wasn
’
t expecting you. They
’
ve gone off
embarrassed
, because they think they have stumbled on one of my secrets
—
a bit of my private life.
”

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
said Ingrid.
“I
hope you aren
’
t
annoyed.
”

“
Not at all. You would be a most attractive addition to anybody
’
s private life. Now do sit down, and let me give you a drink. What will you have? Sherry? Martini?
”

“
A sherry, please, but I mustn
’
t stay long. Here are your cuff links, before I forget them.
”

“
Oh yes. Thank you. I
’
d forgotten all about them
—
there was no urgency for them.
”

Ingrid saw at once that Sylvia had wanted Pamela to bring them. Poor Patrick, she thought, to get me instead
—
I would not have offered to bring them if I
’
d thought of that.

She accepted her drink, and Patrick sat on the a
r
m of a chair and raised his glass to her.

“
What are you doing here?
”
he asked.
“
Have
you left Sylvia
’
s?
”

“
No. I think I shall be there for some time yet. But Sylvia and Arnold suggested I should have a week-end off. They seemed to think I was working too hard, which was nonsense.
”

“
A quick round of gaiety?
”
he asked.

“
No. Nothing like that. Chats
—
and walks
—
with the girls. Catching up on the news.
”

“
No young men
?
”

“
No young men.
”

“
Ah, of co
u
rse, you have left him at school.
”

Ingrid raised her eyebrows, and did not answer
.

“
Then we will go out and have dinner together,
”
said Patrick.

Ingrid shook her head.

“
Yes, we will,
”
he insisted.
“
It would be an act of Christian charity on your part. I have had a hectic week
—
I have faced the Inquisition more than once. I have been pulled through the wringer and am limp and dejected. In other words, I don
’
t want to have dinner alone. Come and have it with me.
”

“
You don
’
t look limp and dejected,
”
said Ingrid doubtfully.

“
I assure you I am.
”

He looked far from limp, she thought. His shoulders were always effortlessly squared, his golden head well up. The smile that was irresistible to most people was as confident as ever. Yet there was something of tiredness in his face, around his eyes, and Ingrid hesitated: and, hesitating,
w
as lost.

“
Good,
”
said Patrick.
“
Drink up your sherry, and we will go.
”