The Judas Kiss (5 page)

Adelaide could see that his inconsequence made his curate restive, but he was a dear old man and his parishioners respected him, even if they thought he lived in a different world from theirs. She had brought Garnet over in the little car George had given her and she waited to take him back.

"What did you think of it?" he asked as they started.

"It was all good, but rather muddled," she said. "Like having three excellent recipes for puddings and cooking them all together."

"And what is the effect on the congregation?"

"Did it have any?" she enquired.

"Probably not. That is the tragedy of it. The wasted opportunity. I strive to get them to the church and they are sent empty away."

Garnet's own methods were certainly different. He preached in the evening and his words rang through the church. He told of the Love of God and the Sinfulness of Man. His earnestness made Adelaide, and perhaps others, a little uncomfortable.

Adelaide's arrival did not only affect the Michelmore household, it created no little sensation in the village and the surrounding country. The women for the most part disapproved. George might wish to marry again, that was natural, but for him to bring home a bride of the same age as his children was entirely wrong. How could she guide and help them in the problems of life as an older woman would have done?

The men, however, when they saw how beautiful Adelaide was, did not blame him at all. Possibly they envied him. One lecherously remarked that for an old man to marry a young wife was the pleasantest form of suicide.

But George was not an old man. All agreed that he seemed to be enjoying a new lease of life. As was natural there were many tea parties and a few dinners at which he and Adelaide were the guests of honour. They returned the hospitality received and there was more entertaining than the small community had known for several years. Many of the ladies were curious about her, but the family told no one of their father's fatal hair-cut. They merely said the two had met abroad.

At one party given in the garden of the Vicarage (the vicar, Dr. Aitken, not to be confused with the Rev. Forbes Fortescue of the adjoining parish), an old soldier, Colonel Vatchell, managed to secure a cosy chat with Adelaide.

"You may not be aware of it," he said, "but I am your nearest neighbour. Your garden and mine adjoin."

"I think I have seen you," she replied.

"Had I seen you sooner," he said gallantly, "I do not think I should have done the foolish thing of which I have unfortunately been guilty."

"What is that?" she smiled.

"I have let my house. I generally do for the summer."

"But you will be coming back?"

"As soon as I can. Meanwhile be kind, but not too kind, to my tenants."

"Who are they?"

"Ever heard of Major Roger Bennion?"

"I don't think so."

"He has a wife and a baby of about a year old. Very charming people. At one time Bennion was quite famous as a sleuth."

"What is a sleuth?" Adelaide asked.

"A sort of amateur detective. He brought to justice a lot of criminals who dodged the police."

"He sounds rather frightening."

"He has given it up now, but don't start any mischief!"

"Do you think I am likely to?" she laughed.

"I don't know," he said, trying to look roguish, "but not perhaps in his line. Anyway I want him to enjoy himself. Tell him I said so and he certainly will."

Adelaide promised to do her best.

Another episode has to be recorded that did not turn out quite so well and it seriously threatened Pearl's devotion for her. Dr. and Mrs. Skelton, Peter's parents, asked George and his bride and Pearl to have dinner with them. The invitation was accepted and to Pearl's consternation her stepmother wore the costliest gown in which she had ever seen her, set off by a pair of diamond ear-rings and a handsome diamond star hanging from her neck on two fine gold chains.

What hurt was that they had been her mother's diamonds. It came as a shock to see them on someone else.

Mrs. Skelton was a kindly, homely woman and it was just a neighbourly meal. Surely, Pearl thought, apart from anything else, Adelaide might have known such splendour was uncalled for. But Mrs. Skelton was not disturbed.

"You look lovely, my dear," she said. "The grandest visitor we have ever had, isn't she, Peter? I am afraid you have to take us as you find us. We did have two maids when we first married, but on the whole we are happier without them. Never contented and always wanting more time off. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll dish up."

Peter Junior assisted her and so did Pearl. Everything was excellent of its kind, and the talk was amusing. The doctor had some good stories to tell and Adelaide, unconscious of her offence, responded gaily. George and Mrs. Skelton did their part but Pearl and Peter were rather silent. Pearl because of that star and Peter because he had little to say, since they were not alone.

When they had finished, Mrs. Skelton told them to go along the other room and she would bring the coffee there. Pearl insisted that she must help with the washing-up and Peter went with them.

"Do you know Arthur Dixon and his wife Esme?" Adelaide asked the doctor when she and George were alone with him.

"Of course I do. I saw him into the world. A pity he and Esme don't get on, but it is an instance of the sort of thing my wife was talking about. He loves the country, has a pleasant enough place with some shooting and fishing. Esme is a pleasant girl but they could get no domestic help. She has a little money of her own and said why should she become a maid of all work when she can afford to live in a London hotel, having everything done for her and enjoying the sort of life she likes?"

"No very deep affection," George remarked.

"She suffers from what is all too common in these days," Skelton shrugged; "sinkophobia."

"A disease without a remedy?" George asked.

"None that I can prescribe."

"Is there likely to be a divorce?" Adelaide enquired.

"No cause for it so far as I know," the doctor said. "If either of them can find a married couple or a decent working housekeeper, Esme will probably come back."

Pearl and Peter brought in the coffee and the subject was dropped. It was not until she got home that Pearl had a chance to speak to her father about the thing that was troubling her. Adelaide had gone up to her room. Pearl perched herself on the arm of his easy-chair, as she had often done in the past.

"I am fond of Adelaide," she said, "but was it necessary to give her those things?"

"What things, my dear?"

"Mummie's star and the ear-rings."

"What else should I have done with them?"

"I suppose you did not know what they meant to us. That star was Mummie. We grew up used to seeing it on her and we loved it."

"You want it?"

"No, Daddy. Don't say that. I would like Emerald to have it; or Garnet's wife, if he marries. Someone who knows how we felt about it. Someone Mummie would like to see wearing it."

"Well, my dear, I did not realise you regarded it like that and I am sure Adelaide did not. Your mother was not fond of jewellery. That was my first and almost my only present to her of real value. She refused other things. I must think it over and see what can be done about it."

Pearl kissed him and it was left at that.

How often it is true that the tail wags the dog. Penelope Ann had not benefitted as much as had been hoped by her stay in Cornwall. Roger had gone to Northumberland by himself to play his part in the amazing affair of "Slippery Dick." For Ruth the rest had been good, but little Penny had not gained much in strength. She was healthy enough but a bit below weight. A long wet spell had not helped. So it was for her sake her parents decided to spend part of the summer in the bracing air of Suffolk. Colonel Vatchell was an old friend and the chance to take his house at Beckford was too good to lose.

Ben and Bessie Orgles arrived a little in advance to get things ready and Roger, Ruth and Penny, with the faithful Nannie soon followed. They were pleased with the house and all its surroundings. A few minutes' run would take them to the sea or to one of several golf courses. They anticipated a quiet, health-giving holiday. How little they knew!

Ruth and Roger were sitting on the verandah one sunny morning, two days after their arrival, when they saw the garden gate open. A slim, elegant figure approached them. That she was young and very good-looking was at once apparent. Roger rose as she joined them.

"Is it Major Bennion?"

"It is."

"I am from next door. Mrs. Michelmore. I hope I am not being a nuisance coming so early. Colonel Vatchell told us you had taken the house and said we must do all we could to make your stay comfortable. I do not suppose there is anything, but please let us know if there is. We shall be glad to help in any way we can."

Adelaide was not wearing a hat and her pleasant smile could not have failed to make a good impression.

"Very kind of Colonel Vatchell and of you," Roger said. "Won't you sit down? This is my wife."

The two young women murmured words of polite greeting and Adelaide took the seat by her.

"I expect you know a lot more of housekeeping than I do," she said, "but I could tell you about the local tradespeople."

"You are very good," Ruth answered, "but Colonel Vatchell left us a list."

"That's all right. We mostly have the same as he does. Oh, is that your baby? What a darling!"

She dropped her voice to a whisper. Nannie was pushing the pram past them and its little inmate was fast asleep. They did not speak again until there was no risk of rousing her.

"Your only one?" Adelaide asked.

Ruth nodded.

"I have four," the visitor said. "My youngest is twenty-two."

"And your oldest?" Roger smiled.

"About my own age. I am Mr. Michelmore's second wife. I have only been here a few weeks. That is partly why I rushed in on you so soon. Everyone has been very kind, but I thought how wonderful it would be to have a friend of my very own."

"Lucky for us, too," Ruth said, liking her straightforward way of speaking.

"We are having a small tennis party on Saturday," Adelaide went on. "Could you possibly come?"

"I expect you would be far too good for us. I was never up to much. Roger has played in first-class matches, but it was years ago."

"Oh, do say you will come, Major Bennion."

"Charming of you to ask us," Roger replied. "I am sure it would be very pleasant, even if we only looked on."

"Oh, thank you," Adelaide said. "And of course you must play. I do not, and the others are not terribly good. They will be thrilled when I tell them. You know, Major Bennion, Colonel Vatchell made me rather frightened of you."

"Very wrong of him. How did he do it?"

"He said you had caught a lot of criminals that the police let slip through their fingers."

"That is done with," Ruth said.

"Yes," Roger agreed. "Please do not talk about it. In a peaceful spot like this we want to forget there is such a thing as crime. Do any of you play golf?"

"My husband. He would love to play you sometime. He wants to teach me, but I didn't start young enough."

They chatted for quite a time. When Adelaide rose to go she handed a small parcel to Ruth.

"A few eggs. I know you have no hens and ours lay more than we need. They are really fresh as I took them from the nests this morning. Now I shall have to face Teague, the gardener, and confess. He rules us with a rod of iron."

They all laughed and there were appropriate words of thanks. Roger walked with her to the gate.

"Saturday at three," were her parting words.

"That is neighbourly," Roger said when he returned to the verandah. "What do you think of her?"

"I don't quite know," Ruth answered. "She is very pretty, almost beautiful, but it must be rather a queer household with four stepchildren of about her own age. I wonder what the husband is like? Did you notice the way she puts her tongue out and licks her lips?"

"Costly in lipstick," Roger laughed. "That is an idea for a fortune. Let us produce a new lipstick. You not only select your shade but your flavour. Cherry, raspberry, whatever you like. Would it take on?"

"You are not supposed to swallow it," Ruth said. "But many women do; otherwise it would not want renewing so often. It is worth thinking about."

At lunch Adelaide told the family of her new acquaintances and of the match arranged for Saturday. On the whole they were pleased; new blood is always welcome.

"1 hope they are reasonably good," Emerald remarked. We don't want more pat-ball!" She was thinking of some of their friends whose efforts were very third-rate.

"Major Bennion won county championships when he was younger," Adelaide told her. "He may be as good as Mr. Gore-Black."

"Did you say Bennion?" her husband asked her. "There was a Major Bennion who made a stir in these parts years ago. He cleared up a remarkable murder case and ended by marrying one of the daughters of the Dean of Fenchester. Ruth, I think her name was."