Mingled With Venom

Chapter3

Headlands

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Because neither of them was related by ties of blood to Romula and because both of them were her dependents, Fiona and Ruby maintained an uneasy truce and were even, in some respects, in one another’s confidence.

On the morning after the dinner party both rose early and walked over to the stables where, without previous arrangement, they met.

Ruby arrived first. She greeted the groom: ‘Morning, Mattie. How’s tricks?’

‘You’d better take Brutus this morning. He can do with a gallop. Great doings up at the house, I hear. Seem Redruth was ferrying folks there and yon all day.’

‘Yes, we had a family get-together.’

Owing to their having shared a common background in that both had attended the same State school, although Ruby from an orphanage and Mattie by bus from her village home, there was a free-and-easiness still between the two young women, for Ruby was afraid of Mattie and dared not put on airs and graces in her presence.

‘What’s new, then?’ Mattie enquired, as she led Brutus out.

‘What’s new,’ said Ruby, ‘is that, unless we all take care, that black boy the other lot adopted is going to scoop the pool.’

‘Oh, yes? How come, then?’

‘Mrs Leyden has taken a fancy to him.’

‘She took a fancy to me once. Wanted me to go in for show jumping or eventing or something of that. “My neck’s my own,” I said. “I’ll break it my way, not yours”.’

‘This wretched boy is playing up to her.’

‘Not to worry. She’ll see through him in time if that’s what he’s up to.’

‘She hasn’t seen through me yet.’

‘That’s different. She’s got ambitions for you and I reckon they’re the same as you got for yourself.’

At this point Fiona turned up at the stables. Mattie, who was facing that way, had seen her leave the house. But for her breeches and boots, Fiona would have walked well, but in her riding clothes she needed to be in the saddle before she became graceful once more, thought Mattie.

‘Hullo,’ Fiona said, coming up to the other two. ‘Oh, I see Ruby is taking Brutus. What do I get, Mattie?’

‘Emperor. You’re longer in the leg than Ruby.’

‘I’d rather have Clytie.’

‘I had her out yesterday. Emperor needs a run. You’ll find him frisky. Don’t let him gallop you over the edge of the cliff.’

‘That’ll be the day.’ Fiona mounted and soon put the good-looking horse to a canter over the downland turf. The June morning was fresh and cool at that early hour, but there was a mist over the sea which gave promise of heat to come.

There was half a mile of level ground before the cliff-top dipped between the two headlands. The canter changed to a gallop, but as they approached the downward slope Fiona pulled up. The horse tossed his head and snorted, but otherwise stood steadily enough while his rider looked southward at the sea.

Far beyond her, the headland called Scar Point, craggy, dark and forbidding, stretched out its long neck towards a single rocky island. Around this the sea creamed and snarled. When, letting the reins fall slack, Fiona turned sideways in the saddle to look back, the great bulk of St Oleg’s Head stood guard over one of the many tiny coves by which the surf-thundering waters encroached, as far as the rock-coast would allow them, upon the turf-clothed land.

On the cliff-top clumps of gorse hid rabbit burrows.

Rabbit droppings and those of the downland sheep were everywhere. A solitary Scots pine, either an invader or the last sentinel left behind by an army of trees long gone, was growing almost on the edge of the cliff. The wide, unbroken sky was too nebulous and pale to be called blue and, so early in the morning, there was no distinction to be drawn between it and the misty sea, for the vague horizon could not be defined. A herring gull swooped, dipped and glided, and then took powerful wing towards the tiny harbour where the fishing boats came in.

There was the regular rhythmic drumming from the hoofs of a cantering horse and then Ruby reined in beside Fiona and said: ‘I want to talk to you.’

‘This is neither the time nor the place. I’m out for a ride, not an argument.’

‘You know how difficult it is to hold private conversations up at the house. Madame calls it ‘whispering in corners’. I suppose being so rich makes her suspicious when two of her hangers-on start getting together and going into a huddle.’

‘You may be a hanger-on; in fact I think you are one. I happen to work for what I get.’

Ruby was not prepared to take umbrage. ‘Look, I know you don’t like me very much,’ she said.

‘Sometimes, and this is one of them, I don’t like you at all. I suppose you want to talk about last night,’ said Fiona, regretfully resigned to abandoning her contemplation of cliffs, island, sea and sky.

‘Well, you and I are in the same boat, you know,’ said Ruby placatingly.

‘I am rather particular about my shipmates.’

‘Until the boat begins to founder. People are glad enough of them then, if only as companions in distress, which I reckon we are.’

‘I don’t envisage any distress.’

‘Then there’s something wrong with your eyesight. Madame talked nothing but family last night and has obviously taken a fancy to that black boy, into the bargain.’

‘Well, he is family, I suppose. It’s a legal adoption and he counts as Bluebell’s son.’

‘The little beast was sucking up to Madame the whole evening.’

‘No, I don’t believe it was that. I think they simply got on well together. I was watching them.’

‘You know how easily she’s flattered.’

‘I have no doubt you do.’

‘You won’t gain anything by quarrelling with me. We’ve got to get together and protect our interests.’

‘Look, Ruby, I am not quarrelling, neither am I a gold-digger. This question of gain is as unimportant to me as it seems to be obsessive with you.’

‘You’ll find it important enough when Headlands is sold up and whichever one of them has been left the property slings us out on our ear. Wake up! We’ve got to do something about it,’ said Ruby.

At the house itself another colloquy had taken place the night before.

‘So we are all on probation, mother,’ said Maria. ‘Do you think that’s quite fair?’

‘I fail to understand you. Am I being taken to task?’

‘No, of course not. I meant only that you may have raised false hopes in several breasts.’

‘Why false hopes?’

‘Well, you will hardly intend to divide up your property equally. In fact, you as good as said that you would not.’

‘As good as saying is not precisely saying.’

‘That is what I consider unfair. It was a time to say everything or to say nothing. You spoke of my marriage when the others had left, and referred obliquely to Garnet and Blue, my children. You spoke of Garnet’s bachelorhood and mentioned your obligation to maintain Fiona and Ruby. Then you insulted Rupert by your very unkind remarks about his father—as though it is Rupert’s fault that he was born out of wedlock—and finished up by claiming in the most derogatory way that I was completely dependent upon you.’

‘Well, so you are,’ said Romula. ‘I no longer hold it against you that you made a foolish marriage, but the fact remains that you did and, as a result, are left penniless on my hands.’

‘I work hard enough here for my keep and so does Fiona. How would you like it if we both walked out on you?’

‘I should not like that at all. Fortunately for all three of us, there is npt the slightest chance of it.’

‘I would not be too sure of that if I were you. Everybody has a breaking point and I have nearly reached mine.’

‘Don’t talk so foolishly. Where could you go if you left me?’

‘To my son and daughter, of course.’

‘You would impose yourself upon Blue and Parsifal? I think they would scarcely thank you for that. They can hardly make ends meet as it is. Parsifal begs from me, as you must be aware.’

‘Garnet is there, too, and I believe his books assure him of more than a competence. He is my son, not Parsifal.’

‘Oh, well, if being here does not satisfy you, you must do as you please, but don’t think you can return here later on.’

‘That is a threat, is it?’

‘Yes, it is,’ said Romula with spirit. ‘If you dare to walk out of my house for no better reason than that I do not disclose to you the terms of my Will, you need never enter it again, whether I am alive or dead.’

‘I said nothing about the terms of your Will with reference to myself. I was speaking of the general confusion and discontentment you have caused by saying so much and yet so little to us all. It was ignoble of you and very embarrassing for your family.’

‘Oh, well,’ said Romula, seating herself in her favourite armchair and contriving to look old and frail, ‘perhaps my sense of fun has led me astray. Later on—in the autumn, perhaps—we will have another dinner party and my lawyer shall come and put an end to all uncertainty. Perhaps people would prefer to know that they have been left out, rather than go on hoping that they are still in.’

‘Left out? Still in? Is that another threat?’

‘Oh, a nod is as good as a wink if you think along those lines,’ said Romula, closing her eyes as a signal that the interview was over.

Maria, however, had not finished. ‘If nothing else,’ she said, ‘I think you owe it to all of us to tell us what you propose to do about the coloured youth.’

‘Yes, he is coloured; most delightfully coloured,’ said Romula, opening her eyes. ‘Black is beautiful. That is what he said and I agree with him.’

‘He came from an orphanage.’

‘So did Ruby. Both seem to be turning out well.’

‘I wish you joy of them! If you are thinking of introducing Gamaliel as well as Ruby into your household, there certainly will be no place here for me.’

‘You really are leaving me, then?’

‘Oh, mother, how can you be so heartless!’

‘I had a good marriage prepared for you, but you preferred to go off with that mountebank.’

‘At any rate, I did better than Basil. I did at least get married and have children who are legitimate.’

‘I don’t want to hear Basil’s name mentioned.’

‘No, I don’t suppose you do. A suicide in the family is not much of a recommendation, is it?’

‘If you are intending to leave my house, you had better go soon.’

‘Very well. You’ll miss me, but that can’t be helped. I have done all I can for you, it seems.’

‘You have done nothing that Ruby, Fiona and Maybury could not do.’

‘Ah, yes, Maybury,’ said Maria, referring to Romula’s personal maid. ‘You know, of course, that Ruby is Maybury’s natural daughter, I suppose?’

‘Yes, and I dare say I could tell you who the father was, unless you know already,’ said Romula.

Maria turned plum colour. ‘It’s a lie!’ she said thickly. ‘Really, mother, I wonder you could bring yourself to listen to such calumny.’

‘So you did know,’ said Romula. ‘You should have confided in me. I would have helped you. Anyway, it seems I was right to advance the girl and also to have her present at the dinner. She has some sort of family connection with us, dubious though it may be.’

Maria gave her mother a look of hatred and walked towards the door. There she turned. ‘You need give me your charity no longer,’ she said. ‘I shall not forgive you for this. I shall leave your house.’

‘My daughter and I had a set-to last night,’ said Romula, when Fiona came back from her ride.

‘You quarrelled with Maria?’

‘Yes, when the party was over. It was on account of the coloured youth. She thought I favoured him unduly.’

‘Well, you did make rather a pet of him, I must say.’

‘Maria attempted to take me to task and that I will not suffer in my own house and from a pensioner.’

‘How can you say that? Maria earns her keep. You have pensioners, but she is not one of them, and neither am I.’

‘I think Maria will leave me.’

‘Go out of this house, do you mean?’

‘Yes, I mean that.’

‘I think you would do well to make your peace with her. Look, madre, we were all a little on edge last night. I expect you both said more than you meant.’

‘I took a skeleton out of its cupboard, dusted it and gave it articulation.’

‘You intrigue and alarm me, madre. What on earth do you mean?’

‘I shall not tell you. There are lengths to which even I am not willing to go. I am sorry now that I said as much as I did.’

‘It must have been something pretty awful for you to admit to feeling sorry that you said it.’

When Fiona met Maria, she said: ‘Oh, there you are! Maria, I’ve been having a heart-to-heart with Ruby… You look startled. What have I said?’

‘Nothing, nothing. What did you talk about?’

‘Madre, of course. What else? Madre and her wretched testamentary dispositions.’

‘What had Ruby to say about those?’

‘I think she wants us to close the ranks and keep young Gamaliel out. As though it’s any business of hers!’

‘I think I have queered everybody’s pitch except yours,’ said Maria, going off at a tangent. ‘Perhaps I have gone too far.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Look, ’ said Maria, ‘please don’t take anything I say personally. I liked you from the beginning. I shall always like you and I don’t begrudge you anything. If she remembers you in the Will that’s all right so far as I am concerned and I want you to know it.’

‘All the same, when you came here ten years ago, you did not expect to find me installed, did you?’

‘Well, no. I hadn’t been in her confidence for ages and I knew nothing about you until she gave me a home.’

‘A thing I’ve always wanted to ask you,’ said Fiona, ‘is why Garnet bought Seawards instead of coming with you to live here. I know madre suggested he should come. Why didn’t he?’

‘He said she would never allow him to go on with his writing.’

‘Oh, but, surely!’

‘No, I think Garnet was right. She would have expected him to dance attendance in return for board and lodging. Now, in a sense, the boot is on the other foot. Blue and Parsifal dance attendance on him, ably seconded, I have no doubt, by Gamaliel. Besides, Garnet and Blue are very fond of one another. Even as children they always said that they would live together when they grew up. They are twins, as I expect you know.’

‘Yes, I do know. Garnet told me.’

‘How I wish he would marry you, Fiona!’

‘Small chance of that with Mrs Bosse-Leyden in the field.’

‘Whatever do you mean?’

‘Oh, surely you know that that affair has been going on for months.’

‘I didn’t know. Really, what with Blue marrying a man who can’t keep her and never will be able to, and their adopting Gamaliel, which, in their circumstances, they had no right to do…’

‘The adoption society must have thought it was all right, or they would never have allowed it.’

‘My dear Fiona, don’t you ever read the papers? These child-care people do the most extraordinary things. But tell me about Garnet and Diana. They must both be mad!’

‘With Garnet I think it’s sheer infatuation. With Diana I expect it’s just to score off Rupert. But what’s all this about your queering the pitch?’

‘If I go to Garnet, as I intend to do, mother will cut us both out of the Will. She can’t stand Diana and she despises Rupert. That leaves you and Ruby, Rupert’s children (possibly) and Gamaliel. I am determined she shall not favour him by taking him up and making a sedulous ape of him.’

‘Why should she, anyway?’

‘Oh, Fiona, you know how she does take up people. Look at you and Ruby! I felt certain last night that she was utterly charmed with Gamaliel and I dare say the youth was fully aware of that. It would flatter any adolescent of his age to be taken up and made much of by a woman as rich as mother.’

‘He did not strike me as a young man whose head would be turned by early marks of favour. I think he is simple and goodnatured and perhaps had his own way of showing gratitude for a very good dinner. Food looms large on the horizons of healthy boys.’

‘Yes, but even if he himself is too inexperienced to cash in (literally, I mean) on his advantages, Parsifal the Parasite is not so naïve. That is one reason why I am going over there as soon as I can. Garnet will have to support me and that will settle matters.’

‘You don’t really intend to put a spoke in Garnet’s wheel? But why? He is, after all, your son.’

‘I can’t forgive Blue for marrying Parsifal, who is worthless,’ said Maria, changing the subject slightly.

‘Oh, I don’t think that’s true, Maria. He can’t help being poor.’

‘He is a weakling and a failure. She could have done much better.’

‘I begin to see you as madre’s daughter.’

‘Oh, well, perhaps I do understand mother’s point of view about my marriage. Also, I can’t forgive Blue for adopting Gamaliel. It was her idea, you know. Parsifal had nothing to do with it. I ought to have had proper grandchildren, and obviously there’s no chance of that now. But what about you and Ruby? What do you mean?’

‘If you have indeed queered everybody’s pitch, as you claim, except for myself and Ruby, Ruby’s wishes will have been fulfilled. She is not really after madre’s money as such. What she wants is to complete her music studies and be given her chance.’

‘As a singer?’

‘Of course.’

‘I want to talk to you, Fiona,’ said Romula, coming downstairs at eleven.

‘I thought you wanted these letters to catch the post. They need your signature.’

‘Oh, there’s time for all that.’

‘Very well, although perhaps I ought to remind you that there is only one postal collection each day from the village.’

‘Oh, if that is all, you can drive into Truro this afternoon and post the letters there. An outing will do you good and you could do a little shopping. Perhaps I will come with you and Lunn can drive the car. He has far too much time on his hands. In fact, I am thinking of dispensing with Mattie and getting him to look after the horses as well as the car.’

‘That won’t suit either of them.’

‘Why not? She can still live in his cottage. I should make no objection to that. But I don’t want to talk about the Lunns. Have you spoken to Maria this morning?’

‘Yes, of course. I always do.’

‘You are misunderstanding me wilfully. Don’t be impertinent. What did she have to say?’

‘Are you deliberately driving her out of this house?’

‘Is that what she said?’

‘Not in so many words. It amounted to that, I thought.’

‘Is she really going?’

‘Such appeared to be her intention when she left me.’

‘I am not driving her away. She is in a mood. I think she is angry because I did not disclose the contents of my Will last night. Why should I?’

‘Well, when you began to speak, I think we all expected to hear something about it. I must say that you gave me to understand as much when you told me to issue the invitations. We all concluded that that was the reason for calling us all together.’

‘Yes, well, I had some such intention in mind, but, over dinner, I abandoned it.’

‘With Gamaliel in mind, one assumes.’

‘You have no right to assume anything of the kind, Fiona. Where did you sleep last night?’

‘Oh, so that is what you wanted to see me about, and not Maria’s doings at all.’

‘I should like an answer to my question.’

‘It is an impertinent one and I do not feel disposed to answer it. However, if you want to know, I slept in my own room, as usual.’

‘With whom?’

‘I had very little choice so I slept with Rupert. I think you knew I would when you agreed to his spending the night here.’

‘He will get a divorce, I suppose.’

‘What about his children? Divorce would come hardest on them and neither he nor I would want to cause them distress. Children, for all their nuisance value, are helpless and should be shown mercy.’

‘Those particular children would be better away from their parents, it seems to me—from both parents.’

‘Oh, you know about Diana and Garnet, as well as about Rupert and me, do you? Can none of us keep our indiscretions a secret?’

‘I did not know, but I know now. Fiona, you had better leave my house. What Diana and Garnet get up to is their business, but I will not condone your goings-on and under my roof.’