The Bell - Iris Murdoch [9]
Then with a deep shock she saw Paul coming towards her. His real presence glowed to her, striking her heart again, and she felt both afraid and glad to see him. He was a little changed, thinner and browned by the sun, and the blazing afternoon light revealed him to her in the splendour of his Southern look and his slightly Edwardian handsomeness. He was not smiling but looking at her very intently with a narrow stare of anxious suspicion. His dark moustache drooped with his sourly curving mouth. For a second Dora felt happy that she had done at least one thing to please him. She had come back. But the next instant, as he came up to her, all was anxiety and fear.
Paul was followed closely by Toby and his companion, who had evidently met him further down the platform. Dora could see them smiling at her over Paul's shoulder. She turned to him.
'Well, Dora -' said Paul.
'Hello,' said Dora.
Toby's companion said, 'Well met! I do wish we'd known who you were. I'm afraid we quite left you out of the conversation! We travelled up with your wife, but we didn't realize it was her.'
'May I introduce,' said Paul. 'James Tayper Pace. And this is Toby Gashe. I've got your name right, I hope? My wife.'
They stood in a group together in the sun, their shadows intermingled. The other travellers had gone.
'So very glad to meet you!' said James Tayper Pace.
'Hello,' said Dora.
'Where's your luggage?' said Paul.
'My God!' said Dora. Her mouth flew open. She had left the suitcase on the train.
'You left it on the train?' said Paul.
Dora nodded dumbly.
'Typical, my dear,' said Paul. 'Now let's go to the car. ' He stopped. 'Was my notebook in it?'
'Yes,' said Dora. 'I'm terribly sorry.'
'You'll get it back,' said James. 'Folk are honest.'
'That's not my experience,' said Paul. His face was harshly closed. 'Now come along. Why are you holding your hands like that?' he said to Dora. 'Are you praying, or what?'
Dora had forgotten about the butterfly. She opened her hands now, holding the wrists together and opening the palms like a flower. The brilliantly coloured butterfly emerged. It circled them for a moment and then fluttered across the sunlit platform and flew away into the distance. There was a moment's surprised silence.
'You are full of novelties,' said Paul.
They followed him in the direction of the exit.
CHAPTER 2
The Land-Rover, driven fast by Paul, sped along a green lane. The hedges, rotund with dusty foliage, bulged over the edge of the road and brushed the vehicle as it passed.
'I hope you're comfortable there in front, Mrs Greenfield,' said James Tayper Pace. 'I'm afraid this is not our most comfortable car.'
'I'm fine,' said Dora. She glanced round and saw James smiling, hunched up and looking very big in the back of the Land-Rover. She could not see Toby, who was directly behind her. She was still completely stunned at having left Paul's notebook on the train. And his special Italian sun hat. She dared not look at Paul.
'I tried to get the Hillman Minx,' said Paul, 'but his Lordship still hasn't mended it.'
There was silence.
'The train was punctual for once,' said James. 'We should be just in time for Compline.'
The road was in shade and the late sun touched the great golden yellow shoulders of the elm trees, leaving the rest in a dark green shadow. Dora shook herself and tried to look at the scene. She saw it with the amazement of the habitual town-dweller to whom the countryside looks always a little unreal, too luxuriant and too sculptured and too green. She thought of faraway London, and the friendly dirt and noise of the King's Road