Then She Fled Me by Sara Seale Page A

he thought it important, like a death or something. So Willie takes them . He must have given yours to someone. I expect it will turn up tomorrow. ”
    “ I see, ” he said. “ Rather a haphazard method of communication, don ’ t you think? ”
    “ It suits us, ” Sarah replied, then added rather hastily: “ But I ’ m sorry you had that wait at the station. I would have met you myself with the car, of course, and taxis always will come the north road because it ’ s the longest way round . I hope Cribben didn ’ t sting you too badly. ”
    “ Your tone rather implies that you hope that he did, ” he remarked mildly. “ Now, let ’ s get this straight. You say, you are the proprietress but I really can ’ t talk business with you. ”
    “ Why not? ”
    “ I ’ m not used to dealing with children. ”
    “ I ’ m no child, ” said Sarah angrily. “ I ’ m eighteen. ”
    His eyebrows went u p.
    “ As much as that? Still, it ’ s not a very great age, is it? ”
    “ Quite old enough to run this house and this family. I don ’ t think you ’ re going to suit Dun Rury, Mr. Flint. ”
    The corner s of his mouth twitched.
    “ Well, you can ’ t turn me out before the end of the week, you know. I b o oked for that period with an option to stay on if I wished. To clinch the matter, perhaps you ’ d like my rent in advance. It ’ s usual in some places, I believe. ”
    “It’s not necessary,” she said loftily. “At least —”
    There was Casey’s bill in again, and if Flint was going to stay they would need more whisky, and possibly more groceries.
    “I think we’ll settle it now,” he said, counting notes from his wallet. “Five guineas a week, I think you said, and the extras — ?”
    “ If you want your meals in your room, it will be two guineas extra, ” she said firmly. She thought he looked a little surprised and added defiantly: “ There ’ s a lot of work running up and down with trays four times a day. ”
    “ I ’ m sure there is, and it will be three, not four. I don ’ t take tea. Seven guineas in all. ”
    “ Thank you. ” She scooped up the money and stuffed it in her trouser pocket.
    “ A receipt, please. ”
    She stared at him.
    “ A receipt? ”
    “ It ’ s usual. ”
    “ Our other lodger—I mean guest—doesn ’ t expect receipts. We never bother. ”
    “ Must unbusiness-like. Bring it to me in the morning. ” There was a definite note of dismissal in his voice and he walked over to the table and began rearranging books and papers.
    Sarah observed him angrily. He was tall, and had a trick at times of massaging his finger joints, as Aunt Em did when she had rheumatism. Good English tweeds, the sort of shoes Joe could never have afforded, and not a fair hair out of place. She disliked him very much .
    “ Oh, Miss Riordan —” He turned as if expecting to see her leave the room. “ I would like it clearly understood that I wish to be disturbed as little as possible. I quite appreciate that my room must be free at certain times for cleaning, but we can work out a timetable tomorrow. You won ’ t find me exacting. I simply want to be left alone. ”
    Sarah thought his wish would be shared by everyone. Timetables, indeed!
    “ You made that clear in your letters, ” she said stiffly. “ I think you said you were ill. ”
    “ I ’ m not ill. I had a breakdown several months ago but that ’ s behind me now. ”
    As he moved back into the circle of lamp light, she saw that he looked very tired, and for a moment his eyes held the same weariness which she had seen in the eyes of country people who had known much bitterness.
    ‘ I ’ m glad, ” she said softly, and the impression vanished at once.
    “ I shan ’ t be making calls on either your sympathy or your nursing abilities, ” he said with that odd little edge to his voice, and she almost expected to hear him add: “ Please do not expect me to respond to your offer of home comforts which I do not