PENDABURY
Steps led to the front door, that was under a portico composed
of Ionic pillars of Bath stone, that contrasted, as did the white
coigns, with the red sandstone of which the house was built, one
of the warmest and best of building materials. The long windows
had casements painted creamy white, and the roof of the house was
concealed by a balustrade of white stone.
At the steps the ladies dismounted, and the groom and a boy
who had run from the stables took the horses.
Then the two girls, gathering up their habits, mounted to the
door, and Joan, as she ascended, turned with a slight bow and a
smile of encouragement to the young man, feeling at the same time
not a little puzzled at the hesitation, even reluctance, that he
manifested in accompanying her within.
The butler opened the glass doors, and all then entered the
lofty hall, out of which the staircase ascended to the upper
apartments. It was a fine hall, rich with plaster work, and hung
with full-length portraits.
"Matthews," said Miss Frobisher, "will you kindly inform your
master that a gentleman is here—Mr. Beaudessart? Yet stay, we
will drink tea in the dining-room. Please to put cold meat and
wine on the sideboard."
"Yes, miss."
The man withdrew with a bow.
"Joan," said Sibyll," I am going to rid myself of my boots and
shed my habit."
"Have your tea first," urged. the elder. "There is no occasion
for such a hurry."
"Yes there is," answered the young girl. "It is all very well
for you to sit down at once to a meal—you have been muddling
along at a snail's pace on Ruby with a sore shoulder, but I have
been in the swim all day, and was at the finish. I say, Joan, am
I really much painted? It is rather horrible, is it not?—but
such fun to have Reynard's blood on one's cheek. Only I suspect
the painting was done in the slightest possible manner. I must
send for the keeper to dress the brush for me. What is put
on—borax? He will know. I will ring for Matthews to send after
him."
"You really must postpone changing for ten minutes. Papa will
be so interested to hear of your adventures and success."
"Oh, I shall run to him in the library on my way, and show him
the badges of war and trophies of victory. I must go—I shall be
down again in a trice. I have torn my skirt in a thorn bush, and
am plastered with mud. Tally-ho! ta-ra-ra!"
Then she departed, twittering, "We will all go a-hunting
to-day."
Joan turned to the young man with a pleasant smile, and
said—
"My sister is somewhat wilful. You must excuse her—she is the
spoilt child of the house. My father dotes on her, and every man, woman, and child in the place is her humble servant. Now look about you. Here all the faces and figures that adorn the walls are Beaudessarts, from that grim-visaged gentleman in trunk hose and spindle legs, which is the earliest portrait we have. Is there, by the way, anything you would like? A whisky and soda? Perhaps a wash above all things? I will call the footman. I shall be making tea, and you can come to me in the dining-room. Papa will be there. The servant, Joseph, will be your guide."
Joan expected her father to appear at once, but he did not
arrive. Matthews had not found him in the study, he had gone
forth into the grounds.
Sibylla, as well, was disappointed; she had bounded into the
library to display her spoils.
Joan put tea in the silver pot over the lamp, and saw that the
sideboard was well supplied with cold beef and pheasant, and that
spirits and wine were set out; then she went to a glass and
hastily arranged her hair.
Mr. Beaudessart was shown in by Joseph.
"Now," said the girl, "whilst the tea is brewing I am entirely
at your service to show you the pictures. That over the
mantelpiece is my father, and yonder is my mother, who was taken
from us sixteen years go. She was a beautiful woman when young, and you can see that in middle age the traces were not gone Yonder is the portrait I told you of, Squire Hector Beaudessart, the last of the family in Pendabury. After his death the property fell to papa, though how it came about I cannot inform you. I believe it was a complicated affair."