A Happy Meeting Part 18

"You are very kind, but I can't stop. I came to see if Cressida is here?"

The smile became fixed.

"Certainly not. She walked out of this house and she can stay out of it."

"But has she been here recently?"

"Why do you want to know?" and when he didn't answer, and just stood there looking at her, she said, "She came here two days ago, if you must know." She added sulkily, "She wanted to borrow money to buy Miss Mogford's sister's cottage, if you please. I sent her packing."

"Back to Miss Mogford's?" The doctor's voice was very quiet.

"How should I know? The old woman's got all she deserves anyway, leaving me in the lurch it's impossible to get servants nowadays."

"I'm sorry to have disturbed your morning," said Aldrik smoothly and bade her goodbye. His poor little Cressida, he thought, getting into his car and taking the road to his grandmother's house. While he had been with Mrs. Preece he had been thinking; contacting Mr. Tims might be the best thing to do. It wasn't much use seeing Cressida unless he knew exactly how matters stood.

Lady Merrill was delighted to see him.

"Lunch," she told him briskly, 'you're worn out. Why are you here?

Something to do with Cressida, I'll be bound. "He told her over lunch."I think I'd better get hold of Tims," he finished, 'now. "Mr. Tims made everything plain in a few as dry-as- dust sentences."Can I buy the place?" asked the doctor."Will this man sell?""If the price is attractive, yes.""Will you phone him, ask him what price he wants, and buy it?"Mr. Tims was shocked."My dear Aldrik, aren't you being a bit hasty? A little bargaining..."

"Will you hasten and phone him now and ring me back? I'll be here forthe next hour or so.""Very well. You're throwing money away..."Mr. Tims hung up and began to dial another number. He had always been impressed by Aldrik's calm manner and good sense but he had sounded very un like himself. Half an hour later he phoned Lady Merrill's house.

"Well, you have your cottage," he told the doctor, 'and you've paid double its worth. " He sounded faintly disapproving but Aldrik took no notice.

"Splendid, and thank you now there's one thing more..." He began to speak and Mr. Tims, listening, permitted himself a smile. Cressida was putting on the kettle for a cup of tea Moggy liked her tea sharp at four o'clock when the knocker was thumped and a small boy handed her an envelope. It was addressed to her and she turned it over in a useless sort of way while he waited. His fidgeting roused her, though; she found her purse and gave him twenty pence and went back to the kitchen where she opened it. It was from Mr. Tims asking her to go to the office; if she would go to Brown's Garage a car would take her. He would expect her within the next half hour.

Cressida read it twice, roused Moggy from her nap and read it to her and then went to get her outdoor things.

"That nephew of your sister's has changed his mind," she declared.

"I dare say he's at Mr. Tims's office now. But I wonder why it's just me he wants?"

"I dare say you'll understand what's being said better than me," said Moggy.

"Don't you waste a moment, Miss Cressy; 'e'd never 'ave a taxi for you if it weren't important."

Mr. Tims's office was in a side-street, its windows discreetlycurtained and the door knocker splendidly polished. Cressida beat atattoo on it and was admitted by a clerk and told to go upstairs to Mr.Tims's room. Outside the door she took a deep breath and knocked, and,requested to enter, did so.

Mr. Tims was sitting behind his desk and the doctor was lounging against the window, his large person obscuring most of the light of a fading day.

"Oh," said Cressida inadequately, but since she had lost her breath for a moment it would have to do.

"h.e.l.lo, Cressy," said the doctor in a voice of such tenderness that she lost her breath again, which gave Mr. Tims the chance to speak.

"I have asked you to come here at Dr. van der Linus's request. He has purchased the cottage in which Miss Mogford is at present living so that she may stay there for the rest of her life."

He glanced up. Neither of the two people with him were listening, or so it seemed to him, they were looking at each other in a manner which suggested that they were unaware of him, or anything else for that matter.

"The doctor will explain," he said in his dry voice, and went out of the room.

"I'll explain later," said Aldrik and crossed the room in two strides to wrap Cressy in his great arms, 'and we'll have no more of this, you'll marry me so that I know where you are and what you are doing.

You've been disrupting my whole life I have never met such a girl. "

He kissed her very hard and then again, gently this time.

"My darling tiresome girl, I love you." He smiled down at her.

"Will you marry me?"

She smiled, her ordinary face suddenly beautiful.

"Well, yes, I should like that very much, but first shouldn't you

explain?"

"A waste of time," said the doctor testily, 'there are other things more important. " "If you say so, dear Aldrik." She sounded meek but her eyes sparkled.

The doctor studied her face with great satisfaction.

"My beautiful girl," he said, and fell to kissing her once more.

It was nice to be called beautiful, reflected Cressida, kissing him

back with goodwill, even though it wasn't true, and, anyway, she felt

beautiful. With what breath she had left she said, "Aldrik..." '"For G.o.d's sake hold your tongue, and let me love" ," growled the doctor, and meant every word; John Donne's age-old plea seemed exactly right for the occasion.

service to yaw!

"There weliiuHtf leicfra-keaeflts .itctwttifg^a.if I'ice

AaA^^&^El'e^'tRtM^

^KS) 9W828^2SS8i (Ireland 91 278 2962.