Men and Angels by Elizabeth Cadell

Author:Elizabeth Cadell [Cadell, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Friendly Air Publishing
Published: 2017-10-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Dinner that night was not the usual sedate function to which Rae had become accustomed. Since Richard had given no notice of his coming, extra food had to be prepared; since he had not come alone, two places had to be added to the meal. The serious looking Edward, who had come, Richard informed them, for the weekend, stood talking to the General in the hall while the bustle of preparation went on around them.

“I suppose,” said the General, “you’re glad to be back in England.”

“Yes, sir—rather, sir” said Edward.

“Used to feel the same myself every time I got back. Always used to feel, somehow, that there was something in the air I could recognise —blindfold me, I used to say, and put me down in one country after another, and I’ll tell you the minute I smell England.”

This unusual way of recognising the mother country had obviously not struck Edward before, and he turned involuntarily to the open hall door and sniffed tentatively the English air.

“Clean sort of smell,” said the General. “Smell of home, somehow.—I suppose you’ve got a busy programme for your leave?”

Edward attempted to give some hint of the joys before him, but found Lady Ashton waiting to take him to his room and followed her upstairs. Richard produced from the suitcase a tin of ham and took it out to the gardener’s daughter. Refusing Rae’s offer of help, Miss Beckwith went into the kitchen to assist her and the General followed Rae into the drawing-room and stood in front of a window—his eyes appeared to be on the scene before him, but Rae knew that he was looking at her covertly and struggling to interpret the greeting she had received from his nephew.

Before he could bring the conversation round to Richard, Judy burst into the room. The sight of Richard’s car in the drive had informed her of his presence, and her first words to Rae plunged the General deeper into mystification.

“What did I tell you?” she said. “It worked! Where is the beast?”

“If you’re referring to your brother,” said the General, “he’s upstairs with your mother, showing his friend to his room.”

“Friend?” Judy swung round to Rae. “What friend?”

“The one we met—Edward.”

“Him! What in Christmas,” demanded Judy angrily, “did he want to bring him down for?”

“He’s brought him down for the week-end,” said the General. “He looks a harmless enough young man.”

“Of course he’s harmless,” said Judy irritably. “That’s what’s wrong with him. Who’s going to look after him, I’d like to know?”

“Since he’s Richard’s guest,” said the General, “I’ve no doubt Richard will.—What’s his name, by the way?”

“Name? Oh—Peake, or something,” said Judy. “Rae, did Richard say anything?”

A blush, which did not escape the General, overspread Rae’s cheeks.

“No, nothing in particular,” she said.

The door opened to admit Richard and his friend, and Judy gave her brother a cold glance.

“London too warm?” she enquired.

“By far,” said Richard with his usual lazy ease. “How’s the School of Art? Oh, by the way—you know Edward, don’t you?”

“I’ve met him, yes.

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