Changeling

“No … no. That would be too far away. They will go to Farnborough.”

“The point is,” said my grandmother, “what of High Tor?”

He smiled at us blandly. “Yes … I am sure they will sell.”

My grandmother and I exchanged glances of triumph.

“When will it be on the market?”

“If you are interested, you shall have the opportunity to buy before we put it there.”

“Thank you,” said my grandmother. “That’s what we hoped.”

“Well, are we not friends?”

“I am sure my husband and the Pencarrons will want to look at the place.”

“But naturally. Perhaps when the Stennings have left we can start to talk business.”

“Excellent,” said my grandmother. “More coffee?”

“Please, yes. It is delicious.”

I went over and took his cup. He smiled up at me and there was something secretive in his eyes.

“And when is the wedding to be?”

“Oh, not yet … not for some time yet. Mr. Cartwright is at college and will be there for another year or so.”

“And when he emerges … that will be the happy day?”

“Oh yes …”

“It is a pleasure for me to think that my old home will be yours.”

When he had taken his leave my grandmother looked at me with shining eyes.

“I don’t think there will be any difficulty,” she said. “Your grandfather and I want to give you the house as a wedding present, but there will be some argument for I happen to know the Pencarrons want to do the same.”

“How lucky we are! We do realize it, Granny. How many people about to get married have such lovely generous grandparents arguing over who is going to give them the most wonderful house in the world?”

“We are all so happy,” she said. “Because we are going to have you close to us for the rest of our lives.”

There was no talk of anything but the house. On the following Saturday Jean Pascal was invited to lunch. The Stennings were also invited. They talked a great deal about their imminent departure. Pedrek, with his grandparents, was present.

“I hope you will find the perfect place in Dorchester,” said my grandmother to the Stennings. “I hear it is a beautiful town.”

“We shall not be far from the sea, as we have been here. And we have been so happy in Cornwall, haven’t we, Philip?”

Mr. Stenning agreed that they had.

Pedrek and I exchanged glances throughout the meal. Marriage seemed so much closer now that we had a home in view.

After luncheon, when we were taking coffee in the drawing room, Jean Pascal talked to Pedrek and me.

“It’s not easy to assess a house when people are living in it. As soon as the Stennings leave you must come over.”

“Which pieces of furniture belong to your family?” I asked.

“Some rather heavy stuff. There is a fine old four poster bed which my parents would have liked to move, but it is rather ancient and they were not sure how it would stand up to the journey, so they left it. There are one or two heavy cabinets. Not a great deal. You must come over and see it. When they have gone we’ll make an appointment;”

“That will be wonderful.”

When our guests had gone we were still discussing the house. It had been agreed that the grandparents would buy it between them and it should be a joint present from the four of them.

I said: “We are so lucky.”

“Nothing but what you deserve, my dear,” said Mr. Pencarron. “Mind you … it’s got to be right. I’m still suspicious of these old places. There are some who think that a ghost or two make up for a leaking roof and crumbling walls. That’s not my idea.”

“There may be some repairs needed,” said my grandfather.

“We’ll get someone down to look at it.”

“As soon as the Stennings have left we can give the place a real overhaul,” said my grandmother.

In the middle of the following week, I left the house in the afternoon to take a short ride. As I rode out of the stables I met Jean Pascal.

“Hello,” he said. “I know you often take a solitary ride at this time and I hoped I’d meet you.”

“Why … has something happened?” I asked in alarm.

“Only this pleasant encounter.”

“I thought perhaps you had come over with some news.”

“Actually I came over in the hope of seeing you.”

“Because …”

“Because it seemed a good idea. Look. You are going for a ride. Why don’t I accompany you? We could talk as we go.”

“Then there is something. Is it about the house?”

“There is a lot to talk about on the subject, is there not? But there are other things.”

“Such as …?”

“General conversation. I always think it is amusing to let that take its own course.”

“How do you mean?”

“Let it flow … let it come naturally.”

“Where shall we go?”

“Not to High Tor. I believe you go there frequently. I mean you ride close by. Mrs. Stenning says she sees you.”

I felt a little uncomfortable that my naïve excitement about the house had been noticed.

“I am hoping, of course, that everything will go through satisfactorily,” I said.

“I should feel the same myself. It will be your new home.”

“Mr. Pencarron wants to have a surveyor to look at it. I hope you won’t mind.”

“No … no. I admire him. It is a wise thing to do. Who knows: the old mansion might be ready to crumble about your ears?”

“Oh, I don’t think that.”