The Quiet Gentleman

The manor had been bought by the Earl’s father some years previously, upon his nephew’s advice. It contained two good farms, as well as some smaller holdings; and the manor-house, which, though not large, was respectable, had for some time provided one of his lordship’s indigent relations with an asylum. A couple of elderly servants, retired from service at Stanyon, waited on the old lady, and, after her death, which occurred within three months of the Earl’s own demise, remained there as caretakers. For the greater part of the year most of the rooms were shut up, their chairs swathed in holland covers, but not the least of the manor’s attractions were its excellent coverts, and, during November and December, the house was always in a state of readiness for the entertainment of shooting-parties from Stanyon. At other times, only Theo ever stayed at Evesleigh, although the Dowager had several times asserted, during the lifetime of its late tenant, that she wondered to hear Cousin Amelia complain that the house was damp, since it was in every way so agreeable a residence that she had frequently thought that she would like to live there herself.

The Earl’s arrival brought not only his two retainers on to the scene, but Theo’s groom as well, who came running from the stables, and went at once to the grays’ heads, looking very much surprised to see his lordship, and asking whether he should set out to find his master, and apprise him of this unexpected visit.

“Is Mr. Theo out?” the Earl enquired, casting off the rug from about his legs, and alighting on to the carriage-sweep.

“Yes, my lord. He rode out with the bailiff, a couple of hours ago. I don’t rightly know whether it was Dumbleton Farm he meant to visit, or Doebridge, or whether —

But I could saddle the cob, my lord, and find him, I dessay!”

“No, I’ll wait for him,” said the Earl. “If he has been gone for two hours, I imagine he will soon return.” He turned his attention to Mrs. Allenby, who beamed, and dropped her third curtsy to him. He was evidently no stranger to her, so he said, if not with truth, at least with the kindliness which endeared him to his dependants: “Surely I remember you? I am very glad to see you again!”

“Oh, my lord!” gasped Mrs. Allenby: “To think you should remember after all this time! And me only third chambermaid when you was sent off to school! Well, I declare!”

The Earl smiled, and glanced enquiringly at her husband.

“Yes, my lord, that’s Allenby, which was used to work in the garden, but you wouldn’t remember him!”said Mrs. Allenby, relegating her spouse to obscurity. “If only I’d known your lordship was coming to Evesleigh! Oh dear, Mr. Theo will be put about when he finds you here, and him not ready to receive you!”

Shaking her head over this, she ushered his lordship up the shallow steps to the front-door, and then into a parlour overlooking the carriage-sweep. She almost overwhelmed him with apologies for not having the drawing-room prepared for his reception, with promises of instant refreshment, and with solicitous enquiries after the state of his health. He got rid of her only by accepting her offer of home-brewed ale; and when he had drunk this she showed so marked a disposition to linger that he announced his intention of strolling out to look round the demesne.

It was fully an hour before Theo returned to the house. He came striding from the stables, and met his cousin on his leisurely way back from the shrubbery. At sight of that slim, elegant figure, still wearing a caped driving-coat, but with fair head uncovered, he called out: “Gervase! My dear fellow!” and hurried towards the Earl. “I had no notion you meant to come to Evesleigh!” he said. “If that fool of mine had had a grain of sense he would have fetched me an hour ago!”

“He would have done so, but I thought very likely he would miss you, and so told him not to go,” replied the Earl.

“Ay, that’s what he has just said to me. Has Mrs. Allenby looked after you? Why are you wandering about the garden? You should rather be resting in the parlour!”

“Oh, I am wandering in the garden because she looked after me only too well!”

Theo smiled. “I daresay! But come inside now! I will protect you from her, I promise you.”

The answering smile was perfunctory; Theo said, with a glance at the Earl’s face: “You are fagged to death, Gervase! And no wonder!”

“No, not as bad as that,” Gervase said, mounting the stone steps beside him. “I am really very much harder to kill than any of you can be brought to believe.”

“I know well you bear a charmed life, but to be taxing your strength in such a way as this — !” Theo flung open the door into the parlour. “Go in! Let me speak two words to Allenby, and I’ll be with you!”