He left the lane behind him and came out on to the village green. As he passed across it men looked at him suspiciously, and a woman carrying a basket stepped hastily to one side as if she feared contact with him. Peter smiled brilliantly, and raised his hat with an air of almost exaggerated courtliness. One man spat on the ground and muttered something that sounded like a curse, but Peter went on his way apparently unheeding.
He passed the lodge gates and went up the drive, under beeches green, copper, and purple, their trunks emerald and silver in the sunlight. On the terrace to the right of the house he saw two figures, one in white and one in some neutral colour. As he drew near the white-robed figure raised her hand, beckoning him to approach.
Peter came up to the terrace, standing just below on the gravel path. He swept off his [Pg 108]hat and stood bareheaded. Then he looked up and saw Lady Anne Garland watching him.
Peter’s heart gave a jump, and for no reason in the world that he could ascribe, beyond the fact that she was beautiful, oh! but undeniably beautiful. She was a young woman, tall and slender, in a white dress, and a crimson rose tucked in her waist-belt. She wore no hat. Her hair shone blue-black, warm and lustrous in the sun.
Of the other woman Peter took little note, beyond observing that she was elderly and looked at him with evident disapproval.
“So you are Peter the Piper?” said Lady Anne in her low, distinguished voice.
“At your service,” said Peter.
Lady Anne looked at him curiously. He was altogether different from what she had expected, this man in the shabby clothes, with the brilliant peacock feather, and with the bronzed clear-cut face and sad eyes.
“We have heard,” said Anne, and there was an air of royal graciousness in the words, “that you are a marvellous piper. Are you willing to pipe for us?” She smiled at him as she spoke. [Pg 109]And again Peter’s heart jumped, and began to beat at a fine rate.
“With all the pleasure in the world,” he replied, and he drew the pipe from his pocket.