“Where would it be to, Master Highworth?”
“Could we speak out of doors somewhere?”
“It’s a bit unsettled out of doors, sir. We could slip into the church for a bit.”
“Let us go there, then.”
’Zeke said something with gestures to Isabella, who seemed suspicious and not well pleased. She questioned ’Zeke several times before she let them out. She then followed him to the stair-head with questions, which ’Zeke put from him with gestures and ejaculations. She was not satisfied with these replies, because she went back to the room, growling. Glancing upwards as he entered the Close, Hi saw her head and shoulders craned from the window to see where they were going.
In the almost complete darkness of the church, Hi told ’Zeke what was wanted.
“I been to ’Carnacion,” he said. “It was there I went with my bull, where the rabbits were. It was this Don Manuel owned my bull; only I didn’t go so much by land, as by sea, to Port ’Toche. I know the way to Anselmo; it’s by the Foxes Inn. And I know the Mr. Elenas at Anselmo, Mr. George and Mr. William, only they don’t pronounce it like that. They breed horses, the Mr. Elenas.
“I did a job of work for the Misters Elenas one time. You see, Mr. Highworth, they got a stallion one time; my word, he were a horse, only he wasn’t what we would call a stallion, you understand, being for draught. Not a shire horse, neither, but one of they French sort, really. ‘Whicker,’ he went, and ‘Whicker,’ he went, oh, it was a treat to hear him: down he would go and up he come; and all in play, really: only he hate his grooms, Mr. Highworth, one after the other. It was all in play, really, only they didn’t understand him, that was what it was, really. You know he couldn’t abide velvet, this velvet stuff the grooms wear. You’ve heard of the red rag to a bull? Well, it was the same with him, only velvet. That was all it was. When I showed ’em, they left off this velvet, then he didn’t eat them, except, maybe, now and then a pinch and that. And is that all I’m to say to the Misters Elenas and to Mr. Manuel, just Dorothea, and he’s to come at once?”
“Yes, that’s all. How soon could you reach Anselmo?”
“Three hours and that. But I’ll get a horse out along the road, maybe.”