Read Online Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D. E. Stevenson - Free Book Online Page A

M.’s favourite mare is black with a white nose and is called Nora.
    Coming back from the stables I find myself walking with Lady Angela; she evidently knows her way about and leads me into the vinery which is very warm and steamy. Lady Angela says she is an enemy of convention and an apostle of free love. Goes into embarrassing details. Feel extermely hot but cannot decide whether this is the effect of Lady Angela’s confidences or the tropical temperature of the vinery. Try to maintain an aloof and noncommittal attitude towards Lady Angela’s revelations, but Lady A. will have none of it. She says I need not fear her , and that she knows all about it, and sympathises with my attitude with all her heart, etc., etc.
    Am completely mystified by these hints and innuendoes. Finally in disgust at my pretended(?) ignorance of her meaning, Lady Angela says that she saw Tony Morley coming out of my bedroom at 1 a.m. Am so astounded at the implication that I can do nothing but laugh. Lady Angela seems surprised at my levity and obviously thinks I am old in sin.
    At last I recover sufficiently to gasp out that Major Morley merely came to speak to Tim about the race, and that we all sat talking by the fire and forgot the time.
    Lady Angela says that anyone with ‘half an eye’ can see that Tony is in love with me. Reply hastily that she is entirely mistaken in all her surmises, but I can see that she neither believes me, nor wishes to believe me.
    The booming of the gong for lunch puts an end to our interesting conversation. Am thankful to escape from the heat and embarrassment of the vinery and Lady Angela combined.
    Have no opportunity to tell Tim of my lost reputation until he is dressing for the race. Tim is horrified and shocked. Keeps on saying that ‘This must be put right,’ and that he will ‘speak to Morley’. Beseech him to refrain. Tim says, ‘But good heavens, Hester, that hag will tell everyone.’ Reply that she has probably done so already, and that if Tim fusses about it he will make us the laughing stock of the party. Frightful argument ensues and continues until Major M. bangs on the door and says it is past two o’clock and is Tim a nineteenth-century débutante dressing for her first ball?
    We rush downstairs and pack ourselves into various cars which are waiting at the door. Manoeuvre with great guile for a seat in one which does not contain Major M. as I feel I can’t face him at present. Find myself next to Commander Grey who is sulky because he hoped to sit next to Mrs. Winthrop whose seat I have taken.
    We arrive at the course and find a crowd of tweedy county people with loud voices and weatherbeaten complexions. The horses are being walked up and down by grooms. Fireguard looks splendid with a ripple of muscles beneath his silky coat.
    Major M. appears at my elbow and asks if I want to put something on. Reply ‘Yes, on Fireguard.’ He goes away to do it.
    â€“ Seize a good-looking boy who goes by the name of Smuts – real name unknown – and ask eagerly if he will show me where to get a good view. He looks surprised but quite pleased, and we sneak off together through a small wood to one of the jumps. Here Smuts hoists me on to the branch of a tree and scrambles up beside me. He points out that we can see two of the jumps and have a good view of Start and Winning Post. I compliment him on his sagacity and congratulate myself on having escaped from Major Morley and hidden myself successfully. Smuts very entertaining, he reminds me of Bryan in some ways, but his superior age is in his favour.
    The first race is very exciting and is won by a man with a long nose riding a horse with a long neck. Point out to Smuts the advantage of a horse with a long neck in a close race. Smuts sees my idea and agrees that racehorses should be bred with that end in view. We laugh at the pun.
    Smuts says he sees ‘the major’ looking for me and adds