Sister of the Housemaster (5 page)

“
Of course I will. Even this morning, although I
’
m already late for golf with Freddie Burling, I thought I must just pop in and see my dear Sylvia.
Besides, Freddie is such a bore. He has only one
topic of conversation
—
marriage, and seems to be quite unable to take no for an answer.
”

This was a slight shock to Sylvia, who was so determined that Patrick should have Pamela that she had almost forgotten the existence of other suitors. She looked doubtfully at Pamela.

“
Freddie Burling?
”
she said, appearing to consider Freddie Burling very carefully.
“
Are you fond of him, Pamela?
”

“
Not a bit,
”
said Pamela.

“
Oh, I
’
m so glad. You would be throwing yourself away on him. He
’
s not nearly good enough for you.
”

Pamela laughed.

“
A good thing he can
’
t hear yo
u
say so
—
he is quite sure he is good enough for any woman walking this earth. Oh dear no, I have quite other plans for myself. Or I suppose I should say hopes, rather than plans.
”

“
Really? Do tell me, Pamela.
”

“
Sylvia, you must have guessed. I
’
m sure you have. Sitting there looking so innocent, and you must know who it is I
’
m hoping about.
”

“
No, I assure you I don
’
t. I know whom I would choose for you, but as you are the person to choose and not me, that doesn
’
t count. Tell me who it is.
”

“
Perhaps it
’
s the same person,
”
said Pamela.

“
I hope it is.
”

“
Patrick
?
”

“
Patrick. Do you really want it to be Patrick?
”

“
Heavens, yes. I
’
m crazy about the man. I have been for ages, but of course I wouldn
’
t let anybody think so. Not, at least, until he shows a real interest in me.
”

“
But he does show a real interest in you.
”

“
Oh no, Sylvia. We
’
ve been on a very friendly basis for a long time. He always accepts if we ask him for a weekend, or to dine with us in London.
But I do know that he isn
’
t in love with me
—
not yet.
”

“
I
’
m not so sure about that,
”
said Sylvia consideringly.
“
Patrick isn
’
t an easy person to read, you know. He was always one to hide his real feelings. I think he is very fond of you.
”

“
Do you? You
’
re not just being kind?
”

“
You know, Pamela, I don
’
t think Patrick would bother about you unless he was ve
r
y fond of you. He is such a busy person
—
he only spares time for the people important to him.
”

This was not true, and Sylvia should have known it. Patrick was a man who spared too much of his time for people who wanted his help and advice.

“
Well,
”
said Pamela,
“
he has accepted our invi
tation for Bruce
’
s twenty-first birthday celebration next month, so
I
hope that is a good sign.
”
(
Br
u
ce was her young brother, and the apple of the family
’
s eye.)
“
And I do hope that you and Arnold will be there, too. You must speak nicely to your doctor and get him to allow it.
”

“
I shall try,
”
said Sylvia, who had every intention of being at such an important celebration.
“
But I think you may see Patrick before then. The model club here is staging some sort of show. It
’
s nothing important, but the boy who is secretary approached Patrick when he was down here, to come and do the judging. And he said he would, so he will soon be here again,
”

“
Fine. Let me know the date and we will ask him to dinner.
”

Sylvia looked at Pamela thoughtfully.

“
You know,
”
she said,
“
we
’
ve lived her a long time, and Patrick has never been a very frequent visitor. I can
’
t help feeling there must be some
special attrac
tion to bring him down again so
soon.
”

“
The model club,
”
replied Pamela, laughing.

“
Ah, I wonder
.”

“
Well, I hope you
’
re right, Sylvia. I certainly do.
”

At this moment, Ingrid came into the room with a tray.

“
I
’
ve brought you some coffee,
”
she said, smiling.
“
And as you have a visitor to entertain you, Sylvia, I
’
ll carry on with preparations for lunch, if you will excuse me.
”

“
Of course,
”
said Sylvia.

“
I shouldn
’
t really stay,
”
said Pamela.
“
Freddie is waiting for me at the clubhouse. Oh, never mind, he can wait.
”

When Ingrid had gone, Pamela said:

“
I suppose I ought to ask your sister-in-law for Bruce
’
s celebration. It would be odd to ask Arnold and not his sister.
”

“
I don
’
t think it
’
s necessary
—
after all, she has never met Bruce.
”

“
Still, it would look better. Couldn
’
t we ask that nice young master here for her? They
’
re quite friendly, aren
’
t they? They could amuse each other and relieve us of the job.
”

“
Laurence Pinder? Yes, he seems very devoted to her.
”

“
I
’
ll do that then. Now I must drink my coffee and go and find Freddie. Oh Sylvia, I do hope you are right about Patrick. You
’
ve no idea how he haunts all my waking hours.
”

“
I feel sure I am right,
”
said Sylvia, who, because she willed it so, was determined that it should be so.

Patrick himself would have been aghast at the way these women planned concerning him. He had had no other motive in accepting the invitation of the boy secretary of the model club, than to encourage the initiative of the boys. Moreover,
he
li
ked the atmosphere surrounding the entire school. It was, on the whole, a very happy school; and connected as closely as it was with the Cathedral, most of the school buildings being actually within the precincts, it had an added nobility, an added beauty and grandeur that could not fail to affect the lives of all who spent their time there. There was yet another reason for so prompt a return visit. His sister, when she was well, was active and busy, and he did not need to feel concern for her. Now that she was forced to be idle, and was probably bored, he felt that he should go oftener to see her. Pamela, as a special attraction, had never entered his thoughts.

So he arrived once more at the cathedral town on a clear and frosty evening, when all the lights shone brightly in the cold air, and most of the streets were deserted. The main gates would be closed. he knew, so he made his way along one of the narrow, twisting side streets to another gate, and entered a large, dark, peaceful courtyard. Tall, black buildings, pierced with the light from many windows, rose all round. A single old
-
fashioned lamp throw light on to a beautiful Norman archway, and under this Patrick passed on his way to Arnold
’
s House. As he walked, there began a sudden stampede of boys on their way to supper. The courtyard came suddenly alive with clattering feet and chattering voices. If I have sons, thought Patrick suddenly, I shall send them here.

He came to Arnold
’
s House. A few stragglers were still going through the hall, on their way to supper. Patrick turned away from the school quarters
’
, along a short passage to his left, and entered the small vestibule leading to Arnold
’
s living-room. Arnold, who had heard his approach, opened the door and came to greet him. He was drawn into the room, so comfortable and homely, with its velvet curtains drawn, its fire blazing. Sylvia on her couch, wa
s
smiling delightedly at him
.

After the preliminary greetings, Patrick turned
t
o Arnold.

“
Why aren
’
t you in Hal
l?”
he asked,
“
I saw the supper stampede in progress
.
”

“
Not tonight
,”
smiled Arnold.
“I
am having dinner here this evening. Dinner, mark you. Not supper. It is a little celebration in your hono
u
r. Sylvia and Ingrid have been busy for it all day.
”

“
Ingrid is still with you, then?
”

“
Yes, I am happy to say, Sylvia is very much improved, and I hope we can keep Ingrid for quite a time yet. The household has been running on smooth clockwork. Ingrid will be here in a few minutes
—
she is engaged on delicate and important operations in the kitchen.
”

Patrick saw now that, instead of the small table which was usually drawn up to his sister
’
s couch, the dining table was being used, and was set for dinner for four. There was a lace cloth, there were fragrant spring flowers, and a good deal of silver was on display.

“
It looks quite beautiful,
”
he said.

“
Ingrid
’
s handiwork,
”
said Arnold, smiling.

“
U
nder my instruction,
”
said Sylvia.
“I
must take some of the credit
.
I can
’
t do it myself, but I can tell Ingrid exactly what to do.
”

Arnold was silent He did not know who was responsible for the attractive arrangement. Both Sylvia and Ingrid were capable of it He simply thought that it would have been kinder and more gracious of Sylvia if she had not felt impelled to
add her words. He already felt the sharp difference between his sister and his wife.

Ingrid came in then. She was wearing a dress of dark red
moiré
silk, not an evening dress, not a day dress. Something that Patrick supposed was called a cocktail dress. It suited her dark hair and eyes very well, and as she came, she was smiling, so that he suddenly thought how very attractive she was. Vital, glowing. He had seen her looking like this that afternoon in the town, when she was talking to the young giant who taught languages and looked as if he belonged only on the sports field. Pinder. Yes, that was it. Laurence Pinder.

A nice young fellow who seemed very devoted to her.

“
Good evening, Ingrid,
”
he
s
aid
.
“
T
he bad penny has turned up again, you see.
”