Chapter 14
Mr. Cantwell Acts in a Suspicious Manner
our essay on Hadrian is well-written,” Mana said, “but it lacks some polish. You need to back up your theories with more facts; for example, to support this thought, you might add a quotation from your history book.”
The sun shone in through the window on her smooth black hair. Miriam leaned her cheek on one hand as she considered her paper and Mana’s suggestions.
The governess handed the paper and the book to Miriam. The girl picked up her pen, thought for a minute, and composed a new paragraph in her mind. She stared out at the neat lawns, not really seeing them. In her mind, she pictured the Roman soldiers shivering beside one of the many gates in the wall.
She sat up. Through the window, Uncle Virgil and Mr. Cantwell walked into her line of vision, heading for the park on the side of the house. Mana, picking up another book from the table where they did lessons, glanced at Miriam and followed her gaze.
The two men were heading off, followed by one of the gardeners acting as gun-keeper by shouldering the rifles and a selection of bags. The two hunters were talking to each other and laughing.
Mana stood up and walked over to the window, beckoning for Miriam to follow.
“Be careful of that one,” Mana said softly, pointing to the new partner. “Your uncle is easy to follow, as he takes things for granted and makes many assumptions. But Mr. Cantwell…”
There was a creak outside in the hallway, and Mana quickly went to the door and looked outside. “No one,” she announced. Still, she closed the door behind her.
“Where are they going now?” Miriam wondered. “Oh, I see, they’re heading for the park.” Her guardian and his partner disappeared into the thick trees, followed awkwardly by the gardener, who kept dropping the bags. Miriam and Mana watched for a moment, but nothing else happened.
“Essay.” Mana returned to the table. Miriam sighed and sat down, and the history lesson continued. Eventually, the essay was reworded to Mana’s satisfaction, and she set Miriam to copying it out.
Lunch was sent up, and Miriam thankfully put her pen down. She loved writing when it came to stories, but when she had to pay attention to penmanship, her hand seemed to rebel and cause as many blots as possible.
Mana poured tea for herself and Miriam and put down the pot. “Here he is again,” she said calmly. Miriam looked up from her plate, and flew to the window in time to see Mr. Cantwell coming out of the woods. He stopped and peered over one shoulder. Mana, who had appeared behind Miriam, put one hand on her shoulder and drew her back into the folds of the curtain.
“Be careful,” she said, pointing at the man. Cantwell, appearing to be satisfied that no one could see him, left the park and headed for the back of the house. He craned his neck from side to side as he walked, appearing to check on something, and nodded his head to himself as if he were satisfied with what he saw.
“Secretive and careful,” Mana said. “And intelligent, which is the most dangerous thing.”
“Mana, can you do that thing to him like you did with those two, and make him reveal everything that he knows?” Miriam asked.
Mana laughed. “I suppose I could, if I wanted to play my entire hand right at the start,” she said. “For the moment, I’m content to stand back and watch. People reveal themselves when they are certain of their outcome before it happens.”
“Is that why you came here? To watch out for my guardians and that man?” Miriam demanded.
“I came here to take care of you, as you well know. Still, it is interesting that Mr. Cantwell left your uncle behind in the woods.”
“But what’s going on?” Miriam whispered loudly, forgetting to add, “And he’s not my uncle.”
“I’m not quite sure yet. Whoops – here comes your uncle.” Through the glass, they saw Virgil and the gardener appear out of the trees; Virgil put his hands to his mouth and halloed, obviously calling for Cantwell. He stopped after a bit and turned to the gardener, appearing to berate him by gesticulating wildly and pushing one finger into the man’s chest. After listening for a minute or two without expression, the gardener dumped his load of guns and bags at Virgil’s feet, turned, and walked away. His back plainly said, ‘Right, I’m off.’
Virgil let his mouth open in disbelief, before he began to shout again. His face turned a bright purple with his efforts. The gardener continued out of sight, ignoring Virgil. Miriam snorted with mirth into her fist.
Mana stood up and said, “A very interesting little scene. Now, finish your lunch.”
“Are you going to keep an eye on them all?” Miriam asked, sitting down and picking up her knife.
Mana sat opposite her. “Listen, Miriam; for the moment, forget about what we saw today. As far as you’re concerned, I’m simply a governess.”
“But what is –” Mana shushed her again and drew Miriam’s original essay towards her. She wrote something in the margin and slid it back across the table.
Miriam read, I am watching your guardians closely.
Why? Miriam wrote back.
Something is going on.
They’re doing something?
Yes.
Something to do with me?
No.
Something to do with my dad?
Yes.
With his company?
Yes.
Is it happening in the house?
In a way…
Is there anything I can do to stop it?
No. Not now.
Does it have anything to do with Lampala?
Yes.
And if you find out what it is, will you leave?
Mana read the question and looked at Miriam over the top edge of the essay, as if uncertain of what to say. Finally, she put down the paper and began to write, but loud footsteps sounded in the hall, headed their way. With smooth movements, Mana tore the sheet into quarters and went over to the fireplace. She threw the pieces in and poked them into the heart of the flames, just as Theodosia opened the door to the schoolroom.
“What’s going on in here?”
“Lessons, madam.” Mana turned from the fire with a look of genteel surprise.
“Do you really need a fire during the day? Seems like a waste of coal to me.” Theodosia looked suspiciously at the hearth.
“It was a bit chilly this morning,” Miriam offered, looking up from the book she had seized when her aunt walked into the room.
Theodosia sniffed, peered at the books on the table, and said, “Miriam is to come down for tea again this afternoon. Do her hair properly today, please; I don’t want her looking as wild as she did yesterday.”
“Very well,” Mana said, but Theodosia had already closed the door.
Miriam rose from her seat, her indignation expanding her chest. “That old –”
“Stop it.” Mana pointed to the unfinished lunch. “Eat your bread, and you may work on your story for a bit.”
Miriam brightened. “Right,” she said. She was working on a description of a kingdom of dragonflies that were waging a war against an army of wasps, and she had reached the most exciting part – the dragonfly princess was going to disguise herself as a soldier so she could go to war and help her kingdom. She bent her head over her plate, dreaming of buzzing over ponds grown as huge as oceans, the sun flashing off her green and silver wings.
At tea that afternoon, Miriam continued the tactic of being polite and as quiet as possible. She hid her amusement as Cantwell apologized for getting lost in the park and not getting any game. “I am such an idiot about directions,” he said, throwing a melting look at Theodosia. “Maybe you could walk me around the estate tomorrow.”
“Oh, why, certainly,” Theodosia said.
“Such a delightful stay I’m having,” he said. “I don’t know when I’ve felt more relaxed! I only wish I could – well, perhaps not.”
“What is it?” Theodosia asked, putting down her cup and saucer. “You need only ask.”
She fancies him, M
iriam thought, watching the concerned way Theodosia looked into Cantwell’s eyes.
“I was just going to say that, I wish I could intrude on your hospitality and invite my sister here for a stay when I return,” Cantwell continued, holding out his glass for Virgil to refill it. “I know she’d be delighted to meet you.”
“But I would love to meet your sister!” Theodosia exclaimed. “Wouldn’t we, Virgil?”
“Of course, dear fellow,” Virgil said, sloshing liquid into his own glass.
Watching them, Miriam thought with a rising tide of exultation that Mana was wrong; they were all pretty stupid. All she and Mana had to do was to sit tight and watch them closely, and soon they’d reveal what they wanted.
She looked at Simon, who was nudging Neil. He saw Miriam and rolled his eyes at her, plainly intimating, “Oh, no, not another one.”
Miriam felt a surge of liking for him, and grinned. He grinned back at her. He reverted to his usual bored attitude as his mother eyed him and Miriam suspiciously.