“Eric, he frightens me!”
“But you’ll have to get over that. Unless you fight him and beat him, you’ll be troubled whenever he chooses to make a nuisance of himself to you. When you’ve convinced yourself that he has no more influence over you, he’ll go away and leave you in peace. You’d better see him, but you mustn’t let him bully you.”
Ivy sighed and walked in silence to the house. At luncheon Lady Pentyre began to make suggestions for disposing of her guests: if they did not all know Melbury Cathedral, she said, they ought to take this opportunity of seeing it. It was only an hour’s run in the car; they could have tea there, drive on to Wilmington Abbey and be back in time for dinner.
“Or, if you want to laze,” she added, “there are the two punts....”
“That sounds more like me,” said Gaymer. “Ivy, what do you say to exploring?”
She hesitated for a moment, but Eric gave her no lead.
“I don’t mind what I do,” she answered.
“I think I ought to put in a little work,” Eric told Lady Pentyre.
An hour later he watched the party dispersing. Amy Loring had undertaken to punt O’Rane to Croxton for tea; and, if he still entertained doubts of Gaymer, he was reassured at feeling that Ivy would have help within call. General Maitland and Carstairs retired to their rooms with letters to answer; the others drove away in the car.
“We shall be back for tea,” Ivy announced with an air of summoning witnesses. “I promised to help Aunt Connie with her letters.”