Gossamer Cord

“Oh, you are determined to be tactful. At school, they became impatient with the two Js and dropped one of them. Jay. I am not sure that I like it. Jay! What is it! A bird. The dictionary says it is also a foolish person. A person who acts recklessly. One who crosses the road recklessly and is liable to be run over is a jay walker. You see, I am rather hoping that, apart from that artful bird, I am not very aptly named.”

“What’s in a name? What of Violetta?”

“What of it?”

“It happens to be mine.”

“It’s charming.”

“From the opera, of course. And my sister is Dorabella.”

“The twin. Also charming. I can’t speak for Dorabella, but you do not really bear a resemblance to La Traviata.”

We rode through the field.

“Keep clear of the trees,” he went on. “In case another should fall. I’ll have them inspected as soon as possible. There may well be others. I expect to be getting a list of damages on the farms, etc.”

We had passed through the fields and come to one of the winding lanes. When we reached the end of it we came to a wider thoroughfare.

He pulled up. “This marks the boundary between Tregarland and Jermyn land. We don’t trespass. Do you know where you are now?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Go straight along…you’ll soon see the sea. So I will say goodbye, or perhaps au revoir, because, if you come down to see your sister, we shall meet again. In secret, perhaps, because your sister will be a Tregarland. Would you agree to such subterfuge?”

“I think I might.”

He bowed his head and lifted his hat. “Then, Miss Violetta, au revoir.”

I started to thank him again but he cut me short.

“It has been a great pleasure for me,” he said.

“For me, too,” I told him.

He turned his horse with an air of reluctance, and, smiling, I did the same, and rode back to Tregarland’s.

There was consternation when I arrived. Where had I been? My mother was anxious. She had expected me back before this.

I told her briefly what had happened.

“Lost her shoe! Good Heavens, you might have had a bad fall!”

“She’s a wonderful horse. Mr. Jermyn said so.”

“Mr. Jermyn?”

Then it was necessary to tell her everything. Matilda Lewyth arrived and heard what had happened.

“He was very good,” I explained. “In fact he was particularly kind and helpful.”

“Did he know you came from Tregarland’s?”

“Oh, yes. I told him I was staying here. He knew something about Dorabella. He says there is a good news service and the blacksmith’s is one of the headquarters of it. After falling off…but not badly, because Starlight was stationary…it was rather fun and quite amusing.”

“Well, I am glad it turned out like that,” said my mother. “It might have been so different.”

Dorabella returned from Plymouth with a beautiful diamond ring which delighted her. She showed it round with great pleasure and that night, as she was officially engaged, champagne was brought up from the cellars and my afternoon’s adventure slipped into insignificance.

Dorabella did come to my room afterwards. She was extremely happy and kept glancing with delight at her engagement ring. She was only vaguely interested in my adventure.

“This Jermyn man sounds interesting,” she said.

“Oh, he was. I was fortunate that he came along when he did.” I told her about the origin of the feud and that did hold her attention for a little while.

“Walked into the sea!” she said. “It’s rather romantic in a way…”

“Romantic! It’s tragic.”

“But not as bad as what happened to the man. Fancy living for the rest of his life like that. And his name was Dermot.”

“It’s a family name evidently.”

“It is all very exciting, anyway. I am glad you had a little adventure, too.”

“This will be a visit we shall always remember,” I said, thinking of sitting in Smithy’s, drinking brandy.

“For ever,” echoed Dorabella, gazing rapturously at her diamond ring.

A few days later we left Cornwall.

It had been decided, after a good deal of discussion, that the marriage should take place at Christmas.

The First Wife

WE RETURNED TO WEEKS of feverish preparations. My mother had a few qualms of uneasiness. She thought it was too soon and they should have waited a little longer.

“Why?” demanded Dorabella. “Why should we wait? What’s the point? And being so far apart it isn’t easy to see each other.”

My mother said: “The spring would have been a good time. Or, say, May…or June…”

“Why? Why?” demanded Dorabella.

My mother looked at her and smiled. “Well, as you both seem so sure…”

“Of course we are sure.”

My mother left it at that, but when we were alone she talked to me, as she often did. She had always discussed a problem with me rather than with Dorabella.

She began: “I wish they had agreed to wait awhile.”

“Dorabella never wants to wait for anything.”

“I know. She is so impulsive. She doesn’t always see things clearly, she doesn’t look at all the possibilities.”

“But you liked the family in Cornwall. You got on very well with Matilda Lewyth.”

“Yes. And, of course, she is in charge. I can’t see any conflict between her and Dorabella over that.”