Wakefield's Course by Mazo de la Roche

Author:Mazo de la Roche
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC000000
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Published: 2010-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

XV

YOUNG MAURICE

THEY HAD ARRIVED home on a Saturday. When Renny woke the next morning he had a moment’s puzzlement as to where he was. Was he at Cousin Dermot’s? In his London hotel? On board ship? Yes, it must be the last, for his bed was heaving. Then he opened his eyes and saw that Merlin had got on the bed with him and was walking heavily about. He could have laughed for pleasure. He put out his arms and drew the old fellow to him.

“Merlin — glad to have me home again?”

The spaniel snuffled against his face and made noises of pleasure. Merlin came as near to talking as any dog. Now he said: —

“Glad! Am I glad? I’ll show you!”

Old as he was, stout as he was, blind as he was, he gamboled over his master, leaving him and the bedclothes in a state of demoralization.

“Enough — enough!” gasped Renny. “You’re killing me, old man!” He caught him by the scruff and held him still.

Suddenly he remembered that it was Sunday. He had been to church only once in England. That was the day he had taken Adeline to Westminster Abbey. Now that he was home he must begin again. He turned his eyes to his father’s large gold watch that stood in a leather frame on the table beside the bed. It was eight o’clock. He could hear the children laughing upstairs. What a pretty laugh Roma had! He wondered if Alayne were awake. How pleased she’d been with the ring! For once he’d made a good choice in a present for her.

He went across the passage to her door and tapped. “May I come in?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He went in and sat on the side of the bed. He saw that she was wearing the new ring. He took her hand in his.

“I’m so glad you like it,” he said.

“I’d be a strange woman if I didn’t. Darling, you should not have bought anything so expensive.”

“Well, I treated myself to a horse, didn’t I?”

“I do love sapphires.”

“Alayne, did you miss me?”

Her fingers closed about his. She held his hand to her lips. “Terribly.”

“But you had a nice rest — I mean, with Adeline away. You’re looking lovely. I’d forgotten what beautiful pig-tails you have.” He took one in either hand. “Long and shiny! Are you coming to church?”

“Oh, don’t let’s go to church this morning!”

“Very well.” But he looked disappointed.

“Of course, if you want to go …”

“Well, old Fennel will expect me. You know, we’ve always gone to church the first morning we were home after a journey.”

She gave him a smile of mingled irritation and tenderness.

“If all men were like you,” she said, “the world wouldn’t be rocking.”

“Is it rocking? I hadn’t noticed.”

“What do they say in England about war?”

“A good many people think it’s coming. But you’ll find that Britain and France can handle the Germans.”

“I hope so, with all my heart.”

“Will you come with me to church?”

“Yes, I’ll go. We might go alone — just we two.

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