Taken At The Flood Part 7

He looked up the hill again and frowned.

"No, Frances," he said under his breath. "I think not. You've chosen a bad day," and he strode purposefully up the hill. bad day," and he strode purposefully up the hill.

He went through the gate and down through the azaleas - crossed the lawn, and came quietly in through the window of the drawing-room just lawn, and came quietly in through the window of the drawing-room just as Frances Cloade was saying: as Frances Cloade was saying: "-I wish I could make it all clearer. But you see, Rosaleen, it really is frightfully difficult to explain -" frightfully difficult to explain -"

A voice from behind her said: "Is it?"

Frances Cloade turned sharply. Unlike Adela Marchmont she had not deliberately tried to find Rosaleen alone. The sum needed was deliberately tried to find Rosaleen alone. The sum needed was sufficiently large to make it unlikely that Rosaleen would hand it over sufficiently large to make it unlikely that Rosaleen would hand it over without consulting her brother. without consulting her brother.

Actually, Frances would far rather have discussed the matter with David and Rosaleen together, than have David feel that she had tried David and Rosaleen together, than have David feel that she had tried to get money out of Rosaleen during his absence from the house. to get money out of Rosaleen during his absence from the house.

She had not heard him come through the window, absorbed as she was in the presentation of a plausible case. The interruption startled was in the presentation of a plausible case. The interruption startled her, and she realised also that David Hunter was, for some reason, in a her, and she realised also that David Hunter was, for some reason, in a particularly ugly mood. particularly ugly mood.

"Oh, David," she said easily, "I'm glad you've come. I've just been telling Rosaleen. Gordon's death has left Jeremy in no end of a hole, telling Rosaleen. Gordon's death has left Jeremy in no end of a hole, and I'm wondering if she could possibly come to the rescue. It's like and I'm wondering if she could possibly come to the rescue. It's like this -" this -"

Her tongue flowed on swiftly - the large sum involved - Gordon's backing - promised verbally - Government restrictions - mortgages - backing - promised verbally - Government restrictions - mortgages - A certain admiration stirred in the darkness of David's mind. What a d.a.m.ned good liar the woman was! Plausible, the whole story. But not d.a.m.ned good liar the woman was! Plausible, the whole story. But not the truth. No, he'd take his oath on that. Not the truth! What, he the truth. No, he'd take his oath on that. Not the truth! What, he wondered, was the truth? Jeremy been getting himself into Queer wondered, was the truth? Jeremy been getting himself into Queer Street? It must be something pretty desperate, if he was allowing Street? It must be something pretty desperate, if he was allowing Frances to come and try this stunt. She was a proud woman, too - Frances to come and try this stunt. She was a proud woman, too - He said, "Ten thousand?"

Rosaleen murmured in an awed voice: "That's a lot of money."

Frances said swiftly: "Oh, I know it is. I wouldn't come to you if it wasn't such a difficult sum to raise. But Jeremy would never have gone into the deal if it hadn't to raise. But Jeremy would never have gone into the deal if it hadn't been for Gordon's backing. It's so dreadfully unfortunate that Gordon been for Gordon's backing. It's so dreadfully unfortunate that Gordon should have died so suddenly -" should have died so suddenly -"

"Leaving you all out in the cold?" David's voice was unpleasant. "After a sheltered life under his wing." a sheltered life under his wing."

There was a faint flash in Frances' eyes as she said: "You put things so picturesquely!"

"Rosaleen can't touch the capital, you know. Only the income. And she pays about nineteen and six in the pound income tax." pays about nineteen and six in the pound income tax."

"Oh, I know. Taxation's dreadful these days. But it could be managed, couldn't it? We'd repay -" couldn't it? We'd repay -"

He interrupted: "It could be managed. But it won't be!"

Frances turned swiftly to Rosaleen.

"Rosaleen, you're such a generous -"

David's voice cut across her speech.

"What do you Cloades think Rosaleen is - a milk cow? All of you at her - hinting, asking, begging. And behind her back? Sneering at her, hinting, asking, begging. And behind her back? Sneering at her, patronising her, resenting her, hating her, wishing her dead -" patronising her, resenting her, hating her, wishing her dead -"

"That's not true," Frances cried.

"Isn't it? I tell you I'm sick of you all! She's sick of you all. You'll get no money out of us, so you can stop coming and whining for it? money out of us, so you can stop coming and whining for it?

Understand?"

His face was black with fury.

Frances stood up. Her face was wooden and expressionless. She drew on a wash-leather glove absently, yet with attention, as though it was a on a wash-leather glove absently, yet with attention, as though it was a significant action. significant action.

"You make your meaning quite plain, David," she said.

Rosaleen murmured: "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry..."

Frances paid no attention to her. Rosaleen might not have been in the room. room.

She took a step towards the window and paused, facing David.

"You have said that I resent Rosaleen. That is not true. I have not resented Rosaleen - but I do resent - you!" resented Rosaleen - but I do resent - you!"

"What do you mean?"

He scowled at her.

"Women must live. Rosaleen married a very rich man, years older than herself. Why not? But you! You must live on your sister, live on the fat herself. Why not? But you! You must live on your sister, live on the fat of the land, live softly - on her." of the land, live softly - on her."

"I stand between her and harpies."

They stood looking at each other. He was aware of her anger and the thought flashed across him that Frances Cloade was a dangerous thought flashed across him that Frances Cloade was a dangerous enemy, one who could be both unscrupulous and reckless. enemy, one who could be both unscrupulous and reckless.

When she opened her mouth to speak, he even felt a moment's apprehension. But what she said was singularly noncommittal. apprehension. But what she said was singularly noncommittal.

"I shall remember what you have said, David."

Pa.s.sing him, she went out of the window.

He wondered why he felt so strongly that the words had been a threat.

Rosaleen was crying.

"Oh, David, David - you oughtn't to have been saying those things to her. She's the one of them that's been the nicest to me." her. She's the one of them that's been the nicest to me."

He said furiously: "Shut up, you little fool. Do you want them to trample all over you and bleed you of every penny?" all over you and bleed you of every penny?"

"But the money - if - if it isn't rightfully mine -"

She quailed before his glance.

"I - I didn't mean that, David."

"I should hope not."

Conscience, he thought, was the devil!

He hadn't reckoned with the item of Rosaleen's conscience. It was going to make things awkward in the future. going to make things awkward in the future.

The future? He frowned as he looked at her and let his thoughts race ahead. Rosaleen's future... His own... He'd always known what he ahead. Rosaleen's future... His own... He'd always known what he wanted... he knew now... But Rosaleen? What future was there for wanted... he knew now... But Rosaleen? What future was there for Rosaleen? Rosaleen?

As his face darkened, she cried out - suddenly shivering: "Oh! Someone's walking over my grave."

He said, looking at her curiously: "So you realise it may come to that?"

"What do you mean, David?"

"I mean that five - six - seven people have every intention to hurry you into your grave before you're due there!" into your grave before you're due there!"

"You don't mean - murder -" Her voice was horrified. "You think these people would do murder - not nice people like the Cloades." people would do murder - not nice people like the Cloades."

"I'm not sure that it isn't just nice people like the Cloades who do do murder. But they won't succeed in murdering you while I'm here to murder. But they won't succeed in murdering you while I'm here to look after you. They'd have to get me out of the way first. But if they did look after you. They'd have to get me out of the way first. But if they did get me out of the way - well - look out for yourself!" get me out of the way - well - look out for yourself!"

"David - don't say such awful things."

"Listen," he gripped her arm. "If ever I'm not here, look after yourself, Rosaleen. Life isn't safe, remember - it's dangerous, d.a.m.ned Rosaleen. Life isn't safe, remember - it's dangerous, d.a.m.ned dangerous. And I've an idea it's specially dangerous for you." dangerous. And I've an idea it's specially dangerous for you."

Chapter 7.

"Rowley, can you let me have five hundred pounds?"

Rowley stared at Lynn. She stood there, out of breath from running, her face pale, her mouth set. her face pale, her mouth set.

He said soothingly and rather as he would speak to a horse: "There, there, ease up, old girl. What's all this about?"

"I want five hundred pounds."

"I could do with it myself, for that matter."

"But Rowley, this is serious. Can't you lend me five hundred pounds?"

"I'm overdrawn as it is. That new tractor -"

"Yes, yes -" She pushed aside the farming details. "But you could raise money somehow - if you had to, couldn't you?" money somehow - if you had to, couldn't you?"

"What do you want it for, Lynn? Are you in some kind of a hole?"

"I want it for him -" She jerked her head backwards towards the big square house on the hill. square house on the hill.

"Hunter? Why on earth -"

"It's Mums. She's been borrowing from him. She's - she's in a bit of a jam about money." jam about money."

"Yes, I expect she is." Rowley sounded sympathetic. "d.a.m.ned hard lines on her. I wish I could help a bit - but I can't." lines on her. I wish I could help a bit - but I can't."

"I can't stand her borrowing money from David!"

"Hold hard, old girl. It's Rosaleen who actually has to fork out the cash. And after all, why not?" And after all, why not?"

"Why not? You say, 'Why not,' Rowley?"

"I don't see why Rosaleen shouldn't come to the rescue once in a while. Old Gordon put us all in a spot by pegging out without a will. If while. Old Gordon put us all in a spot by pegging out without a will. If the position is put clearly to Rosaleen she must see herself that a spot the position is put clearly to Rosaleen she must see herself that a spot of help all round is indicated." of help all round is indicated."

"You haven't borrowed from her?"

"No - well - that's different. I can't very well go and ask a woman for money. Sort of thing you don't like doing." money. Sort of thing you don't like doing."

"Can't you see that I don't like being - being beholden to David Hunter?" Hunter?"

"But you're not. It isn't his money."

"That's just what it is, actually. Rosaleen's completely under his thumb." thumb."

"Oh, I dare say. But it isn't his legally."

"And you won't, you can't - lend me some money?"

"Now look here, Lynn - if you were in some real jam - blackmail or debts - I might be able to sell land or stock - but it would be a pretty debts - I might be able to sell land or stock - but it would be a pretty desperate proceeding. I'm only just keeping my head above water as it desperate proceeding. I'm only just keeping my head above water as it is. And what with not knowing what this d.a.m.ned Government is going is. And what with not knowing what this d.a.m.ned Government is going to do next - hampered at every turn - snowed under with forms up to to do next - hampered at every turn - snowed under with forms up to midnight trying to fill them in sometimes - it's too much for one man." midnight trying to fill them in sometimes - it's too much for one man."

Lynn said bitterly: "Oh, I know! If only Johnnie hadn't been killed -"

He shouted out: "Leave Johnnie out of it! Don't talk about that!"

She stared at him, astonished. His face was red and congested. He seemed beside himself with rage. seemed beside himself with rage.

Lynn turned away and went slowly back to the White House.

"Can't you give it back, Mums?"

"Really, Lynn darling! I went straight to the bank with it. And then I paid Arthurs and Bodgham and Knebworth. Knebworth was getting quite Arthurs and Bodgham and Knebworth. Knebworth was getting quite abusive. Oh, my dear, the relief! I haven't been able to sleep for nights abusive. Oh, my dear, the relief! I haven't been able to sleep for nights and nights. Really, Rosaleen was most understanding and nice about and nights. Really, Rosaleen was most understanding and nice about it." it."

Lynn said bitterly: "And I suppose you'll go to her again and again now."

"I hope it won't be necessary, dear. I shall try to be very economical, you know that. But of course everything is so expensive nowadays. you know that. But of course everything is so expensive nowadays. And it gets worse and worse." And it gets worse and worse."

"Yes, and we shall get worse and worse. Going on cadging."

Adela flushed.

"I don't think that's a nice way of putting it, Lynn. As I explained to Rosaleen, we had always depended on Gordon." Rosaleen, we had always depended on Gordon."

"We shouldn't have. That's what's wrong, we shouldn't have." Lynn added, "He's right to despise us." added, "He's right to despise us."

"Who despises us?"