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Page 30
"Yes. Of course, it's a delightful house, and there's plenty to
do, and opportunities for every game or sport that's ever been
invented, and, as I say, one gets awfully well done; but with it
all, Tony, there's a faint sort of feeling that well, that one is
on parade, as it were. You've got to do as you're told."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, Mark fancies himself rather at arranging things. He
arranges things, and it's understood that the guests fall in with
the arrangement. For instance, Betty--Miss Calladine--and I were
going to play a single just before tea, the other day. Tennis.
She's frightfully hot stuff at tennis, and backed herself to take
me on level. I'm rather erratic, you know. Mark saw us going
out with our rackets and asked us what we were going to do.
Well, he'd got up a little tournament for us after tea--handicaps
all arranged by him, and everything ruled out neatly in red and
black ink--prizes and all--quite decent ones, you know. He'd had
the lawn specially cut and marked for it. Well, of course Betty
and I wouldn't have spoilt the court, and we'd have been quite
ready to play again after tea--I had to give her half-fifteen
according to his handicap--but somehow--" Bill stopped and
shrugged his shoulders.
"It didn't quite fit in?"
"No. It spoilt the effect of his tournament. Took the edge off
it just a little, I suppose he felt. So we didn't play." He
laughed, and added, "It would have been as much as our place was
worth to have played."
"Do you mean you wouldn't have been asked here again?"
"Probably. Well, I don't know. Not for some time, anyway."
"Really, Bill?"
"Oh, rather! He's a devil for taking offence. That Miss Norris,
did you see her? She's done for herself. I don't mind betting
what you like that she never comes here again."
"Why?"
Bill laughed to himself.
"We were all in it, really--at least, Betty and I were. There's
supposed to be a ghost attached to the house. Lady Anne Patten.
Ever heard of her?"
"Never."
"Mark told us about her at dinner one night. He rather liked the
idea of there being a ghost in his house, you know; except that
he doesn't believe in ghosts. I think he wanted all of us to
believe in her, and yet he was annoyed with Betty and Mrs.
Calladine for believing in ghosts at all. Rum chap. Well,
anyhow, Miss Norris--she's an actress, some actress too--dressed
up as the ghost and played the fool a bit. And poor Mark was
frightened out of his life. Just for a moment, you know."
"What about the others?"
"Well, Betty and I knew; in fact, I'd told her--Miss Norris I
mean--not to be a silly ass. Knowing Mark. Mrs. Calladine
wasn't there--Betty wouldn't let her be. As for the Major, I
don't believe anything would frighten him."
"Where did the ghost appear?"
"Down by the bowling-green. That's supposed to be its haunt, you
know. We were all down there in the moonlight, pretending to
wait for it. Do you know the bowling-green?"
"No."
"I'll show it to you after dinner."
"I wish you would .... Was Mark very angry afterwards?"
"Oh, Lord, yes. Sulked for a whole day. Well, he's just like
that."
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