Return to Jalna by Mazo de la Roche

Author:Mazo de la Roche
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC000000
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Published: 2010-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

XVII

THE THEFT

RENNY HAD GIVIVEN much thought to Mr. Clapperton and to the closely looming village of Clappertown. In fact, he thought of little else. In these early days of his return, when he had expected to be completely happy, Mr. Clapperton’s presence at Vaughanlands hung over him like a well-groomed cloud. He and Piers talked of him by the hour but Piers could offer no counsel save resignation. The resignation of all the family to the catastrophe was a mystery to Renny. He felt that something might be done about it, if only he could discover that something. But no amount of pondering brought revelation.

In the meantime a new little house was brightly springing into view. In spite of the obstacles to wartime building, Eugene Clapperton seemed able to get both materials and builders. Renny would perch on the boundary fence and watch the tiny settlement with malevolent interest. The little trees in the little street were growing fast. The baby in the nearest house was screaming louder. The radio in the next little house never stopped grinding out raucous music. He pictured how, as the city grew, more and more people would be inclined to come here till at last there would be no privacy and no peace. He loved the old village of Weddles. It was enough.

He had other things to worry about besides his neighbour’s activities. All his expenses had risen, yet his income was considerably less than it had been. Piers must have his share from the farmlands or he could not live. What a blessing that Mooey was to inherit Cousin Dermot’s fortune and what a pity he had not possession of it now. With help so scarce, the farm brought in less than before the war. With the big horse shows no longer held, the stables were only a loss. The Wragges had demanded higher wages and they were incorrigibly extravagant. It cost an excessive amount to run the table. Then there were Adeline’s school fees. It was an expensive school and there always were extras. Now he had promised Roma that she should go to school with Adeline. It was no more than fair, he thought. Alayne deplored this added outlay but in her heart she was deeply glad that Roma would be out of the house for the greater part of the year. Though Roma was so quiet, Alayne always was conscious of her presence. She seemed always to be coming upon Roma unexpectedly. Both would start. Then the child would fade away but soon Alayne would come upon her again, looking at a book in the library — not reading but just handling it. Or she might find her peeping into a cabinet in the drawing-room or stealing a little biscuit or a lump of sugar from the sideboard. She was not an outdoor child like Adeline.

Between brooding on Mr. Clapperton’s village and worrying over money matters, Renny was absentminded in these hot August days. On this particular morning he had promised to write a cheque for the grocer whose account had been rendered several times.

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