One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
evening of a renewed instance of Skepsey’s misconduct.
Priscilla Graves had hurried away to him at the close of Mr.
John Cormyn’s Concert, in consequence; in grief and in sympathy.
Skepsey was to appear before the magistrate next
morning, for having administered physical chastisement to
his wife during one of her fits of drunkenness. Colney had
seen him. His version of the story was given, however, in the
objectionable humorous manner: none could gather from it
of what might be pleaded for Skepsey. His ‘lesson to his wife
in the art of pugilism, before granting her Captain’s rank
among the Defensive Amazons of Old England,’ was the
customary patent absurdity. But it was odd, that Skepsey
always preferred his appeal for help to Colney Durance. Nesta
proposed following Priscilla that night. She had hinted her
wish, on the way home; she was urgent, beseeching, when
her father lifted praises of her: she had to start with her father
by the train at seven in the morning, and she could not
hear of poor Skepsey for a number of hours. She begged a
day’s delay; which would enable her, she said, to join them
in dining at the Blachingtons’, and seeing dear Lakelands
again. ‘I was invited, you know.’ She spoke in childish style,
and under her eyes she beheld her father and mother exchange
looks. He had a fear that Nataly might support the
girl’s petition. Nataly read him to mean, possible dangers
among the people at Wrensham. She had seemed hesitating.
After meeting Victor’s look, her refusal was firm. She tried to
make it one of distress for the use of the hard word to her
own dear girl. Nesta spied beneath.
But what was it? There was a reason for her going! She had
a right to stay, and see and talk with Captain Dartrey, and
she was to be deported!
So now she set herself to remember little incidents at
Creckholt: particularly a conversation in a very young girl’s
hearing, upon Sir Humphrey and Lady Pottil’s behaviour to
the speakers, her parents. She had then, and she now had, an
extraordinary feeling, as from a wind striking upon soft summer
weather off regions of ice, that she was in her parents’
way. How? The feeling was irrational; it could give her no
reply, or only the multitudinous which are the question violently
repeated. She slept on it.
She and her father breakfasted by the London birds’ first
twitter. They talked of Skepsey. She spoke of her going as
230