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Guinevere's Lover
Guinevere's Lover
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CHAPTER I
APRIL 1905
HALF an hour ago the butler announced, " Sir Hugh Dremont." I was helping Harriet, the head housemaid, to arrange the ground-floor library curtains as I liked, and was up on the step-ladder, quite unprepared for visitors, but Harriet went out of the room hurriedly and I got down and shook hands.
" I have disturbed you," Sir Hugh said, but he made no apology, so I answered as well as I could.
" You are such a near neighbor. I am very glad to see you — won't you sit down? "
He looked bored, but he sank into one of the uncomfortable chairs.
" I did not know if you were ready to receive visitors yet," he said, " but I was riding past, and was only going to leave a card, when your servant said you were at home."
" I am arranging this room," I answered. " The house has been neglected for so long. My husband has not been here for twenty years, and I had never seen it before a fortnight ago, when we came."
We said a few more ordinary things, and I had time to take in his appearance.
He is very tall and thin, and stoops rather, which is what I do not like, his face is as stern as a face can be, and he has very small whiskers, cut very close, which give him a strange, old-fashioned look. One expects to see a stock. His nose is large and rather aquiline, and his eyes are large and deeply set, but I do not know of what color they are — dark-blue or gray, I expect. He looks indifferent and disagreeable.
He must be at least thirty-five, because I remember Humphrey speaking of his coming of age, as an event which took place just before our marriage, and that will be fourteen years ago this May.
It is absurd that I should find thirty-five old, considering that I am nearly thirty-one myself, but I have never had anything but old people about me — who are cross or tired of life, and I long for something young and joyous, who still believes in things.
Algernon is only thirteen, but he does not believe in very much more than Humphrey does. They are distressingly alike, my son and his father. Sir Hugh did not seem to be taking much interest in our conversation. He stared out of the window most of the time, and then he said suddenly:
" There is the General coming across the courtyard. By Jove! How little changed he is!"
My gaze followed his, and it seemed that I took in Humphrey with fresh eyes, and I realized it was true, for except that his hair is white in places, and his glance is more fierce, and the sardonic expression round his mouth is now cut in two deep lines, he does not look very different from the beau sabreur, whom my father brought into the schoolroom, and afterwards told me I was to marry in a few weeks.
Humphrey was forty-five then, and I was nearly seventeen. But I always hate to think of those old days. How frightened I was of him — and am still!
His rasping voice and arrogant martinet manner have increased with time. My sister Letitia says he was very attractive when I married him, and had been the lover of a number of desirable women, but I never was able to see his charm.
" You have been out of England for years, have you not?" Sir Hugh asked, as Humphrey disappeared from view, going to the entrance. " And your tenants were seldom here. The villagers will be glad you have come back at last."
" Humphrey always said a home was a discouragement to his military duty," I answered, " and he would not return until he was free. Then since he left the Army we have wandered about abroad for the last three years, because the Morleys' lease was not yet up — but now, I suppose we shall remain here for the rest of our lives!"
" This part of the world is very isolated. You will find there are hardly any neighbors, and only one or two of the old people left, besides myself," and Sir Hugh looked at me suddenly, and showed singularly strong white teeth, as he smiled a little. Perhaps he is not so disagreeable, after all.
" I like solitude. That is why I spend so much time at Minton Dremont," he went on. " Your husband is such an old friend of mine. I hope you will come and dine with me some day soon."
At that moment, Humphrey opened the door, and came in with a crisp, hearty greeting.
They talked about the world they knew, and then of horses, and what were the hunting prospects of next season, and what had been the record of last.
It must be nice to have some absorbing interest like that, which makes you friendly with people at once, and bridges the years. I felt stupid and stiff while I spoke to Sir Hugh alone. I have always been obliged to conceal my real feelings and tastes, and never have been allowed to enjoy them, so that now I seem always to wear a mask, and answer like an automaton....
CHAPTER I
APRIL 1905
HALF an hour ago the butler announced, " Sir Hugh Dremont." I was helping Harriet, the head housemaid, to arrange the ground-floor library curtains as I liked, and was up on the step-ladder, quite unprepared for visitors, but Harriet went out of the room hurriedly and I got down and shook hands.
" I have disturbed you," Sir Hugh said, but he made no apology, so I answered as well as I could.
" You are such a near neighbor. I am very glad to see you — won't you sit down? "
He looked bored, but he sank into one of the uncomfortable chairs.
" I did not know if you were ready to receive visitors yet," he said, " but I was riding past, and was only going to leave a card, when your servant said you were at home."
" I am arranging this room," I answered. " The house has been neglected for so long. My husband has not been here for twenty years, and I had never seen it before a fortnight ago, when we came."
We said a few more ordinary things, and I had time to take in his appearance.
He is very tall and thin, and stoops rather, which is what I do not like, his face is as stern as a face can be, and he has very small whiskers, cut very close, which give him a strange, old-fashioned look. One expects to see a stock. His nose is large and rather aquiline, and his eyes are large and deeply set, but I do not know of what color they are — dark-blue or gray, I expect. He looks indifferent and disagreeable.
He must be at least thirty-five, because I remember Humphrey speaking of his coming of age, as an event which took place just before our marriage, and that will be fourteen years ago this May.
It is absurd that I should find thirty-five old, considering that I am nearly thirty-one myself, but I have never had anything but old people about me — who are cross or tired of life, and I long for something young and joyous, who still believes in things.
Algernon is only thirteen, but he does not believe in very much more than Humphrey does. They are distressingly alike, my son and his father. Sir Hugh did not seem to be taking much interest in our conversation. He stared out of the window most of the time, and then he said suddenly:
" There is the General coming across the courtyard. By Jove! How little changed he is!"
My gaze followed his, and it seemed that I took in Humphrey with fresh eyes, and I realized it was true, for except that his hair is white in places, and his glance is more fierce, and the sardonic expression round his mouth is now cut in two deep lines, he does not look very different from the beau sabreur, whom my father brought into the schoolroom, and afterwards told me I was to marry in a few weeks.
Humphrey was forty-five then, and I was nearly seventeen. But I always hate to think of those old days. How frightened I was of him — and am still!
His rasping voice and arrogant martinet manner have increased with time. My sister Letitia says he was very attractive when I married him, and had been the lover of a number of desirable women, but I never was able to see his charm.
" You have been out of England for years, have you not?" Sir Hugh asked, as Humphrey disappeared from view, going to the entrance. " And your tenants were seldom here. The villagers will be glad you have come back at last."
" Humphrey always said a home was a discouragement to his military duty," I answered, " and he would not return until he was free. Then since he left the Army we have wandered about abroad for the last three years, because the Morleys' lease was not yet up — but now, I suppose we shall remain here for the rest of our lives!"
" This part of the world is very isolated. You will find there are hardly any neighbors, and only one or two of the old people left, besides myself," and Sir Hugh looked at me suddenly, and showed singularly strong white teeth, as he smiled a little. Perhaps he is not so disagreeable, after all.
" I like solitude. That is why I spend so much time at Minton Dremont," he went on. " Your husband is such an old friend of mine. I hope you will come and dine with me some day soon."
At that moment, Humphrey opened the door, and came in with a crisp, hearty greeting.
They talked about the world they knew, and then of horses, and what were the hunting prospects of next season, and what had been the record of last.
It must be nice to have some absorbing interest like that, which makes you friendly with people at once, and bridges the years. I felt stupid and stiff while I spoke to Sir Hugh alone. I have always been obliged to conceal my real feelings and tastes, and never have been allowed to enjoy them, so that now I seem always to wear a mask, and answer like an automaton....
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