Seven

Elinor Carlisle came out of the King’s Arms on the morning of Thursday, July 27th, and stood fora minute or two looking up and down the main street of Maidensford.

Suddenly, with an exclamation¹ of pleasure, she crossed the road.

There was no mistaking that large dignified² presence, that serene³ gait as of a galleon⁴ in full sail.

“Mrs. Bishop⁵!”

“Why, Miss Elinor! This is a surprise! I’d no notion you were in these parts! If I’d known youwere coming to Hunterbury I’d have been there myself! Who’s doing for you there? Have youbrought someone down from London?”

Elinor shook her head.

“I’m not staying at the house. I am staying at the King’s Arms.”

Mrs. Bishop looked across the road and sniffed⁶ dubiously⁷.

“It is possible to stay there, I’ve heard,” she allowed. “It’s clean, I know. And the cooking, theysay, is fair, but it’s hardly what you’re accustomed to, Miss Elinor.”

Elinor said, smiling:

“I’m really quite comfortable. It’s only for a day or two. I have to sort out things at the house.

All my aunt’s personal things; and then there are a few pieces of furniture I should like to have inLondon.”

“The house is really sold, then?”

“Yes. To a Major Somervell. Our new Member. Sir George Kerr died, you know, and there’sbeen a bye-election.”

“Returned unopposed,” said Mrs. Bishop grandly. “We’ve never had anyone but a Conservativefor Maidenford.”

Elinor said:

“I’m glad someone has bought the house who really wants to live in it. I should have been sorryif it had been turned into a hotel or built upon.”

Mrs. Bishop shut her eyes and shivered all over her plump aristocratic person.

“Yes, indeed, that would have been dreadful—quite dreadful. It’s bad enough as it is to think ofHunterbury passing into the hands of strangers.”

Elinor said:

“Yes, but, you see, it would have been a very large house for me to live in—alone.”

Mrs. Bishop sniffed.

Elinor said quickly:

“I meant to ask you: Is there any especial piece of furniture that you might care to have? Ishould be very glad for you to have it, if so.”

Mrs. Bishop beamed. She said graciously:

“Well, Miss Elinor, that is very thoughtful of you—very kind, I’m sure. If it’s not taking aliberty…?”

She paused and Elinor said:

“Oh, no.”

“I have always had a great admiration⁸ for the secretaire in the drawing room. Such a handsomepiece.”

Elinor remembered it, a somewhat flamboyant⁹ piece of inlaid marqueterie. She said quickly:

“Of course you shall have it, Mrs. Bishop. Anything else?”

“No, indeed, Miss Elinor. You have already been extremely generous.”

Elinor said:

“There are some chairs in the same style as the secretaire. Would you care for those?”

Mrs. Bishop accepted the chairs with becoming thanks. She explained:

“I am staying at the moment with my sister. Is there anything I can do for you up at the house,Miss Elinor? I could come up there with you, if you like.”

“No, thank you.”

Elinor spoke¹⁰ quickly, rather abruptly¹¹.

Mrs. Bishop said:

“It would be no trouble, I assure you—a pleasure. Such a melancholy¹² task going through alldear Mrs. Welman’s things.”

Elinor said:

“Thank you, Mrs. Bishop, but I would rather tackle it alone. One can do some things betteralone—”

Mrs. Bishop said stiffly:

“As you please, of course.”

She went on:

“That daughter of Gerrard’s is down here. The funeral was yesterday. She’s staying with NurseHopkins. I did hear they were going up to the Lodge¹³ this morning.”

Elinor nodded. She said:

“Yes, I asked Mary to come down and see to that. Major Somervell wants to get in as soon aspossible.”

“I see.”

Elinor said:

“Well, I must be getting on now. So glad to have seen you, Mrs. Bishop. I’ll remember aboutthe secretaire and the chairs.”

She shook hands and passed on.

She went into the baker’s and bought a loaf of bread. Then she went into the dairy and boughthalf a pound of butter and some milk.

Finally she went into the grocer’s.

“I want some paste for sandwiches, please.”

“Certainly, Miss Carlisle.” Mr. Abbott himself bustled¹⁴ forward, elbowing aside his juniorapprentice.

“What would you like? Salmon¹⁵ and shrimp¹⁶? Turkey and tongue? Salmon and sardine¹⁷? Ham andtongue?”

He whipped down pot after pot and arrayed them on the counter.

Elinor said with a faint smile:

“In spite of their names, I always think they taste much alike.”

Mr. Abbott agreed instantly.

“Well, perhaps they do, in a way. Yes, in a way. But, of course, they’re very tasty—very tasty.”

Elinor said:

“One used to be rather afraid of eating fish pastes. There have been cases of ptomaine poisoningfrom them, haven’t there?”

Mr. Abbot put on a horrified¹⁸ expression.

“I can assure you this is an excellent brand—most reliable—we never have any complaints.”

Elinor said:

“I’ll have one of salmon and anchovy¹⁹ and one of salmon and shrimp. Thank you.”

 

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