Troubles - James Gordon Farrell [15]
“I was looking at the flowers which have run wild over by the summerhouse,” Sarah was saying, “and I heard the shots. Were you hunting that policeman? How peculiar! And then what was I doing? Yes, I was going to steal an apple and you caught me in the act.”
“Let me help you steal it,” the Major said. “I’m sure it will give you indigestion though.” He reached up to detach the apple and it fell with a flurry of leaves into Sarah’s lap.
“Thank you, thank you,” she exclaimed, sinking her pretty white teeth into the apple and making a face because it was so tart. “As a reward, Major, and you too, Ripon, I shall allow you to wheel me back to watch all those fat men playing tennis...or rather, no, the Major shall have the honour of wheeling me because I hurt his feelings just now by saying he wasn’t quite himself, and I want to make amends and, besides, he won’t think me so nasty if he wheels me.”
“Ah, she’s cruel,” thought the Major, his feelings hurt afresh. Nevertheless he took hold of the wheelchair and began to push her. And, curiously enough, he did feel a little better as he pushed her up the drive and thought that perhaps she was not quite as nasty as he had supposed.
“Actually,” Ripon said, “it was one of the appalling Shinners we were hunting, not the policeman.”
“Ah, a Shinner,” Sarah replied absently. “That’s a different matter altogether.” And she fell silent as they made their way slowly up the drive and round past the garages to where they could hear the ping of tennis rackets and the sound of voices in the still evening.
The Majestic’s grounds were laid out on such an expansive scale that the Major was surprised to find that Edward’s game of tennis was taking place on a rather cramped and grassless court tucked in the right angle formed by the dining-rooms and another wing of lighter and less weatherworn stone, evidently an addition to the main building to cope with the hotel’s former popularity. This court had an advantage for spectators, however: outside the French windows there was a terrace with comfortable deck-chairs which the Major, who was exhausted, eyed hopefully. Sarah had changed her mind about watching the tennis and had dismissed Ripon and himself before reaching their destination. No sooner was she out of earshot when Ripon had said: “She can walk perfectly well, of course, without that wheelchair. That’s just to get sympathy.” Seeing the Major’s disbelief, he added: “I’ve seen her walking perfectly well when she thought no one was looking. I know you don’t believe me but you’ll see, you’ll see.”
“What an odious young man,” thought the Major. “No wonder Angela didn’t mention him in her letters.” But nobody else was taking an interest in his arrival at the hotel, so for the moment he was obliged to remain in Ripon’s company. Besides, Ripon had at last made up his mind to head in the direction of the deck-chairs that stood invitingly unoccupied on the terrace and the Major was aching to sit down.
Before he could reach them, however, he was intercepted by a maid with the news that the ladies wanted to speak to him. Looking round, he saw that a number of elderly ladies were gathered round a table at the far end of the terrace in a corner sheltered from the breeze. They waved and beckoned eagerly as he looked in their direction; they had evidently been in considerable trepidation lest he pass by without seeing them. As he walked over to introduce himself their anticipation increased visibly.
“Yes, yes, Major,” one of the ladies said with a smile. “We already know who you are, we’ve heard such a lot about you from dear Angela and we do hope you’re better. It must have been very alarming for you.”
“Much better, thank you,” replied the Major and as he was introduced to Miss Johnston, Miss Bagley,