Then she giggled as Mr. Carver shook with silent laughter, holding on to the brim of his hat the whole while.
“Perhaps we should go down again,” Philip suggested. “It does not seem to be windy at ground level, but it isquite gusty up here.”
“I find it most invigorating,” Harriet announced, turning to face the wind and allowing it to blow against the flimsy muslin of her dress. She showed to great advantagewith the fabric thus molded to her figure. She still clung toChristopher.
Rebecca looked down to the river and one corner of the grassy bank that was enclosed by a horseshoe of trees. Itwould be peaceful down there, quiet, sheltered. If shewalked there, circling the wall of the castle until she cameto the narrow, overgrown path that led down, she wouldbe able to sit and think for a while, the only sounds therushing of the water and the singing of birds.
“We really could not come all this way without going down there,” Harriet was saying.
“Oh, no,” Ellen said. “Not me. You would not be able to drag me down to the dungeons. Please let us forgetabout it, Harriet.”
“No one is compelled to come, of course,” Harriet said, smiling gaily around at the group. “But I shallcertainly have a poor opinion of anyone who fails to doso.”
“Those steps were dangerous when I was a boy,” Christopher said. “They can only have got worse sincethen. I think we had better find some other diversion, MissShaw. A walk around the base of the hill, perhaps?”
“I could have stayed at home to walk,” Harriet said rather petulantly. “What a poor-spirited lot you all are.Will no one dare go to the dungeons with me?”
“I would, Harriet,” Julian said, rather shame-faced, ‘‘but Papa would have my head if I took the girls intodanger like that. I am for the walk.”
Harriet released Christopher’s arm and swept across to the steps leading down to the grassy courtyard. “I thoughtpeople’s wishes were catered to on their birthdays,” shesaid. “I see I was mistaken.” She began to descend thestairs without assistance.
Mr. Bartlett leapt to her aid and the others, more subdued than they had been a few minutes before, followed. Philip laid a hand on Rebecca’s arm as she turned towardthe steps.
“Let them go,” he said. “I see no need for us to become involved in that argument. I shall be so glad,Rebecca, to take you away from that little hussy. It may beher birthday, but she behaves like a perfectly odious child.”Rebecca waited for the blame to be laid at Maude’sdoor, but Philip said no more. He turned and placed hisarms along a fairly solid part of the parapet.
“Would you be very upset if we were to move away from here?” he asked.
“You mean permanently?” Rebecca asked.
“Yes,” he said, “I think it might be good for you, Rebecca, to be taken away from your family’s shadow.And I think I might like to start again, perhaps in asomewhat larger place, though size does not really matter.”Rebecca was stunned. Somehow she had never thoughtof moving away. She belonged here. Her roots and hermemories were here. If she moved away, she would be cutoff forever from Christopher. She would never see himagain, never hear of him again. It was when she caughtherself in these thoughts that she looked at Philip andanswered.
“I am going to be your wife, Philip,” she said steadily. “I shall go with you wherever you wish to go.”
He flashed her a look of gratitude and held out an arm to her. When she came closer, he put the arm around hershoulders and drew her close to his side. “You are a good woman, Rebecca,” he said. ‘‘I shall try to be worthy of you. I shall try to make you happy.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. They burned behind her eyelids.
When they came down to the courtyard several minutes later, all was deserted except for the four card players,who were still engrossed in their game. Rebecca could tellby the condescension in her uncle’s manner that he waswinning. Mr. Sinclair looked weary.
“Ah, Reverend,” he called in obvious relief, “how would you like to take my hand? I am so accustomed totaking a rest after luncheon that I am finding it deucedhard to keep awake. If I were more alert, his lordship herewould have to work harder for his points.”
“Hmm!” was the baron’s opinion.
Philip obligingly crossed to the group, though he looked like a man going to his own execution, Rebecca noticed ina quick glance. Maude’s head was bent over her cards,which she was inspecting with minute care.
“Where did the others go?” Rebecca asked.
“Oh, walking somewhere,” Mr. Sinclair replied, finding himself a place in the sun to recline and close his eyes. “Can’t think how the young find so much energy all thetime.”
Poor Harriet, Rebecca thought. So she had lost on this occasion. She would not like that. It was likely to makeher cross for the rest of the day. It looked as if she wouldhave her own wish, though. The walkers had gone off insome unknown direction, though she supposed it wouldnot be at all difficult to find them if she wished to do so.The card players needed to concentrate on their game. Mr.Sinclair certainly did not need any company. She wouldslip down to the river, see if it was the way she remembered it.
She should not, of course. Some parts of the past were best not relived, and she had trained herself years ago notto relive that particular episode. She was to marry Philipvery soon and it seemed likely that he would take her awayto an entirely new place. She would be able to begin lifeanew, the slate of the past wiped completely clean. Sheshould practice for that future now. She had to let go ofthe past. Yet even as she told herself this, she walked outthrough the archway and around the base of the castle untilshe was at the top of the steep path that led downward.
The pathway was almost totally obliterated now. It was seven years since she had walked it, and obviously notmany people had used it since. Of course then it had beenlate autumn; the grass had not been as thick as it was nowin August. She stood looking down to the cluster of treesbelow and eventually sighed and began to descend. Sheknew she had to go. Why delay the inevitable? She couldnot stay long, anyway. The others would worry about herif they returned and she was missing.
The trees opened out quite suddenly to reveal a grassy bank beside the fast-flowing waters of the river. It was anenchanted place, enclosed on three sides by the trees andon the fourth by the wide expanse of water. Sounds seemedto be cut off; the world receded. One could imagine oneself totally alone, completely private.
Rebecca stood with her back against a tree, staring at the carpet of grass and wild flowers at her feet. She put herhead back against the tree trunk. Almost seven years!Time had seemed to pass quickly, yet it was like a scenefrom another lifetime, the one she was seeing in her mind.She was seeing herself and Christopher here, both wrapped warmly against the crisp chill of a glorious autumn afternoon, both flushed and happy at a stolen day together.
