A Star Looks Down Part 16

Profess or, though how she got to hear of it I don't know.

' "Hear of what?

' asked Beth in a quiet voice which shook a little.

"They're both going to the knacker's tomorrow morning," he told her brutally.

She felt the blood drain from her face and it took her a few minutes to find her voice, for rage had choked it, but before she could speak the profess or said: "Indeed?

You are not an animal-lover, Mr Partridge?

How fortunate that I am in time to buy them from you--if you will state your price.

' "I have no intention of selling them.

' Philip had gone very red.

"Making a gift of them to the knacker?

In which case I can arrange to buy them from him.

' The profess or's smile was quite ferocious, although he spoke placidly enough.

"We won't trouble you further.

' It was Margaret Partridge who intervened.

"Of course my husband will sell them to you," she threw Beth a look of dislike.

"I suppose Elizabeth conned you into this well, we're well rid of them, eating their heads off I wish you joy of them!

' "Thank you, Mrs Partridge.

' He looked at his unwilling host.

"If you would name the sum you have in mind?

' It was Philip who answered this time, stating a ridiculously high sum which made Beth catch her breath.

The profess or was a kind man, but surely he wouldn't be prepared to go to such lengths to acquire two elderly animals.

He was quite prepared; he wrote a cheque without so much as a lift of the eyebrows and handed it over without comment.

"Perhaps I may telephone my house and arrange transport?

' he asked, and when he had done that: "And now if we might take a look?

' he suggested.

They all left the house and walked round the back to the stables, with the profess or maintaining a flow of small talk, just as though they were all on the best of terms, but his silence was eloquent when he saw how the mare and the pony were housed; neither had been groomed, and they stood dejectedly, their heads down, in a stable which hadn't been cleaned for a long time.

Beth, her teeth clenched against the things she wished to say and didn't because something told her that the profess or didn't want her to speak just then, stroked their well-remembered, elderly noses and was overjoyed when they remembered her, while the profess or grunted in disgust.

Presently she ventured in a small voice: "Could we wait until the horse box gets here?

' and was deeply satisfied by his decided: "We could and we shall.

' Which made it obligatory for Margaret to offer them coffee.

They sat uneasily in the sitting-room again, with the profess or in complete charge of the conversation; a gentle monologue for the most part, leaving them in no doubt as to William's success in his chosen profession, touching lightly on Beth's future career and hinting, too, at their pleasant social lives in London, and having made his point he suggested to Beth that she might like to go and have a few words with Mrs Trugg, adding that he would be sure and let her know when the horse-box arrived.

Beth almost laughed at his highhanded behaviour, but it gave her the opportunity of running down to the kitchen to wish her old friend goodbye.

Truggy was waiting for her, making a cake on the scrubbed kitchen table.

"Oh, Miss Beth," she said eagerly, "I did hope you'd be able to have a word with me-so lovely it is to see you again, dearie--and that nice gentleman, even if he is foreign.

' Beth perched on the table and began sc.r.a.ping the cake mixture from the bowl with a forefinger and licking it off.

"Truggy, do you know what he's done?

He's bought Sugar and Beauty we're waiting for transport for them he paid an unheard-of price for them.

' Her voice shook.

"Truggy, Philip said he was going to send them to the knackers!

' "That's right.

Miss Beth, and so he was.

Wicked, I call it, after all these years but now they'll be safe.

No heart, that stepbrother of yours, no heart at all.

' She looked so sad that Beth asked: "Truggy, when are you going to retire?

' "Well, love, I must wait until I can get my pension that's another year or more.

' "But, Truggy, why must you wait?

Couldn't Philip give you your pension now and there's the lodge at the back gates Father promised you that.

' Mrs Trugg snorted.

"That I know.

Miss Beth, but what your dear father promised and what your stepbrother does are two different things.

I'm not to have a pension nor get the lodge.

It's let, anyway, to some fancy friends of his who pay him a good rent for it.

' "But, Truggy your pension he must give you one.

' "There's no must about it, dearie, but don't you worry your head about me.

Tell me about Master William and that flat of yours and how came you here in the first place?

' Beth plunged into an account of William's success and how comfortably they were living in the flat, and if she painted their lives rather more vividly than they were, it was for Truggy's sake.

But while she talked she was wondering what she could do to help her old friend; to speak to Philip or Margaret would be of no use at all; she would have to talk to William when she got back to London.

She was still worrying about it when the sitting room bell jangled above the old-fas.h.i.+oned dresser--a signal that she should return to the sitting-room.

"I must go, Truggy," she spoke reluctantly, 'but William and I will think of something-some way.

' She kissed Mrs Trugg and went back upstairs.

The profess or got to his feet as she went in and greeted her with an easy: "Are you ready, dear girl?

Jack has just arrived with the horse box, shall we see it loaded and be off ourselves?

' Beth made her brief farewells and watched as the profess or made his; he wasn't being arrogant--not quite, but he wasn't being more than coldly polite either and underneath his bland exterior she sensed contempt, and thought that Philip did too.

Her stepbrother accompanied them to the stables, watching while Jack loaded Sugar and Beauty, and Beth, standing silently by the profess or, was terrified that at the last minute something would go wrong and Philip would refuse after all to let the profess or have them.

She sighed loudly as the land rover with the horse box in tow, disappeared down the drive on its way to Caundle Bubb, and her companion, making a second, cursory leave of Philip, looked at her and smiled, although he didn't speak to her as they got into the car.

It wasn't until they were driving through the village that he spoke.

"Well, that was a near thing, wasn't it?

' and then, gently: "Don't cry.

Miss Partridge.

' "The beast!

' said Beth on a furious sob.

"The b-beast, he was going to have Sugar and Beauty put down--they've been there ever since I can remember--how could he be so cruel and callous--and that stable, it was awful.

I could kill him!

' "Oh, indeed, so could I," the profess or spoke mildly, but all the same she believed him, 'but I fancy that with care and gentle exercise and a little attention from the vet, they will live for a number of years yet.

' Beth sniffed and mopped her eyes.

"T'll never be able to thank you enough.

You really do want them, don't you?

They will do for the children?

' "Of course.

I'm hoping that you will be able to give them their first lessons before you go back to St Elmer's.

' "That would be simply super.

' She relapsed into silence and began to, think about Mrs Trugg.

"Something is worrying you?

' He gave her a long, sidelong glance; the violet eyes were quite something even in her blotchy face.

"Tell me," he invited.

It seemed the most natural thing in the world to take him at his word.

"It's Truggy," she started, and out it all came; the lodge that Mrs Trugg wasn't to have after all; and no pension and nowhere to go, and how was she going to live on the OAP and the few pounds she had saved.

None of it was very lucid, but he seemed to understand and his questions, though few, cleared up the muddled bits.

"Quite shocking," he commented, and meant it, 'but there must be a solution, Elizabeth, and I have no doubt that we shall discover it.

' "Yes, I know, but I can't think what she would hate to come and live in London.

I'll have to think of something.

Thank you for being so kind about it.

' "There is a little time before your brother is likely to give her notice?

' "Oh, yes I believe so, even he wouldn't dare to give her a week's notice.

' "A great deal can be done in a week or two will you leave it to me, Beth, and try not to worry about it?

' "But I can't allow you.