much longer we can keep what is going on from him. I only hope he does not take it into that thick Scotch head of his that we are eloping, or worse, that I am taking advantage of you.’
‘It is rather the other way around,’ I said.
Bertram looked pained. ‘Please, do not say anything like that in front of McLeod. It is liable to prove painful for me.’
[15] I confess, when I read this I had no conception of what Fitzroy was referring to.
Chapter Fifteen
In which Rory becomes a bit of a problem
The journey to Southampton was long. Bertram’s automobile was doubtless an expensive one, but whether it was his vehicle, the general state of the kingdom’s roads, or even Rory’s driving, I found travelling an exhausting experience. This is a mystery to me, as one is doing nothing but sitting during the whole procedure and looking out of the window or talking in veiled terms to one’s companion. Perhaps it is something to do with taking in more and more views of the world that tires the brain.
We broke the journey at a mediocre hotel. I did not enquire where we were, but merely tumbled into bed after a tasteless supper. Despite my exhaustion the lumpiness of the mattress disturbed my rest terribly. So it was when we finally reached Southampton the next day, I only wanted my supper and my bed.
It was late afternoon and Bertram was eager to go down the shipping office and start enquires. ‘I should think we have a full hour or more before they close,’ he said.
‘I am sorry,’ I said. ‘I wish to bathe, eat, and get a decent night’s sleep. Until I have these I will not be good for anything.’
Bertram pestered and pestered me until I finally told him he could start the initial enquiries without me. Little did I realise that in so doing I had opened myself up to a most unpleasant experience.
I had had my bath and was in that lazy, warmed state of being that comes only from being immersed in gloriously hot water. All the smuts from the journey were gone and my hair no longer held that peculiar metallic smell that is produced by the fumes of automobiles. I had dressed, for I was intending to go down to dinner. The food one is served in one’s room is never the chief’s best and I was very hungry. When there was a sharp knock on my door, and before I even had time to ask who it was, the door was flung open and an angry Scotch man strode into my room.
It only took one look at his face to see that Bertram’s fears had been well founded. Rory must have learned Bertram had gone down to the shipping office and decided we were planning to sail away together. I decided to tackle him head on.
‘If we were going to elope we would hardly take you with us,’ I said coldly.
Rory, who had obviously been prepared for many responses, had not included in his imaginations my cold dismissal of his thoughts before he had even spoken. He looked startled and more than a little confused.
‘If you would be as good as to close the door before you begin berating me,’ I said.
‘That wouldnae be right,’ he said. ‘You and me in a hotel room alone.’
I marched over to the door and closed it. ‘Well, you should really have thought of that before you came up here,’ I snapped. ‘I have no intention of letting the rest of the hotel guests and staff know my business.’
‘And what is your business,’ said Rory, trying to grab control of the situation.
‘I am executing a will,’ I said with as much ice in my voice as I could muster. I had already thought through what I might say when Rory challenged me, as I knew he would. If I could manage it, I would tell him as little as possible. This desire was partly inspired by Fitzroy’s command that I keep the situation to myself and also because I knew full well that when Bertram and Rory worked side by side, rather than as master and servant, they were prone to come to loggerheads.
My determination survived less than ten minutes. Rory was relentless in his questions and,
‘It is rather the other way around,’ I said.
Bertram looked pained. ‘Please, do not say anything like that in front of McLeod. It is liable to prove painful for me.’
[15] I confess, when I read this I had no conception of what Fitzroy was referring to.
Chapter Fifteen
In which Rory becomes a bit of a problem
The journey to Southampton was long. Bertram’s automobile was doubtless an expensive one, but whether it was his vehicle, the general state of the kingdom’s roads, or even Rory’s driving, I found travelling an exhausting experience. This is a mystery to me, as one is doing nothing but sitting during the whole procedure and looking out of the window or talking in veiled terms to one’s companion. Perhaps it is something to do with taking in more and more views of the world that tires the brain.
We broke the journey at a mediocre hotel. I did not enquire where we were, but merely tumbled into bed after a tasteless supper. Despite my exhaustion the lumpiness of the mattress disturbed my rest terribly. So it was when we finally reached Southampton the next day, I only wanted my supper and my bed.
It was late afternoon and Bertram was eager to go down the shipping office and start enquires. ‘I should think we have a full hour or more before they close,’ he said.
‘I am sorry,’ I said. ‘I wish to bathe, eat, and get a decent night’s sleep. Until I have these I will not be good for anything.’
Bertram pestered and pestered me until I finally told him he could start the initial enquiries without me. Little did I realise that in so doing I had opened myself up to a most unpleasant experience.
I had had my bath and was in that lazy, warmed state of being that comes only from being immersed in gloriously hot water. All the smuts from the journey were gone and my hair no longer held that peculiar metallic smell that is produced by the fumes of automobiles. I had dressed, for I was intending to go down to dinner. The food one is served in one’s room is never the chief’s best and I was very hungry. When there was a sharp knock on my door, and before I even had time to ask who it was, the door was flung open and an angry Scotch man strode into my room.
It only took one look at his face to see that Bertram’s fears had been well founded. Rory must have learned Bertram had gone down to the shipping office and decided we were planning to sail away together. I decided to tackle him head on.
‘If we were going to elope we would hardly take you with us,’ I said coldly.
Rory, who had obviously been prepared for many responses, had not included in his imaginations my cold dismissal of his thoughts before he had even spoken. He looked startled and more than a little confused.
‘If you would be as good as to close the door before you begin berating me,’ I said.
‘That wouldnae be right,’ he said. ‘You and me in a hotel room alone.’
I marched over to the door and closed it. ‘Well, you should really have thought of that before you came up here,’ I snapped. ‘I have no intention of letting the rest of the hotel guests and staff know my business.’
‘And what is your business,’ said Rory, trying to grab control of the situation.
‘I am executing a will,’ I said with as much ice in my voice as I could muster. I had already thought through what I might say when Rory challenged me, as I knew he would. If I could manage it, I would tell him as little as possible. This desire was partly inspired by Fitzroy’s command that I keep the situation to myself and also because I knew full well that when Bertram and Rory worked side by side, rather than as master and servant, they were prone to come to loggerheads.
My determination survived less than ten minutes. Rory was relentless in his questions and,
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