“This is a pact, then,” he said.

“We are going to meet often. You will tell me what you discover and we shall see if we can find a way out of this.”

We chatted then about the estate, of which I was becoming quite knowledgeable. That pleased him and he became very animated.

When we parted, he said: “I am anxious about Tamarisk, but we’ll find some way out and at least we have had a very pleasant time together.”

I frequently called at Grindle’s Farm. Danielle was an enchanting child and I took a very special interest in her. Rachel was happy too.

I think she was succeeding in forgetting the past and one of the main reasons was her absorption in Danielle.

Alas, this contentment did not last.

Soon after Crispin and I had talked in the Little Vixen, I went to see Rachel and realized that all was not well.

“Freddie,” said Rachel, ‘he’s been here. Gaston has been here. “

“Whatever for?”

“He said he wanted to be friends again.”

“What impertinence!”

“Oh, Freddie, it was awful. I’m frightened.”

“What happened?”

“He said, ” You used to love me, remember? ” I told him to go away. I did not want to see him ever again. He was horrible. He tried to put his arm round me. I was frightened. ”

” How did he get in?

He just called. One of the maids brought him to the sitting-room where I happened to be at the time. I thought he would never go. “

“Did you tell Daniel?”

“Yes. He was very angry. I think he would kill him if he saw him. It is not often Daniel is angry, but then he was.:

Oh, I do hope Gaston never comes here again. If her does. “

“He can’t harm you.”

“I am thinking about Danielle.”

“Did he guess?”

“Yes. I told him when I was going to have a child and I could see then that he didn’t care … only that it shouldn’t go and spoil his plans for Tamarisk.”

“He can’t hurt you now, Rachel.”

“He could tell people Danielle was his child. He could make a terrible scandal. Think what that would mean to her. People would talk of it for years. Oh, Freddie, what a mess I have made of everything!”

“It will be all right. There’s nothing he can do.”

She clung to me.

“I’m so afraid. I’m terribly afraid.”

I did not tell her so, but I was too.

How I hated that man! He caused misery wherever he went. I had thought everything had been comfortably settled when Daniel accepted and cherished the child. I could clearly see what harm Gaston could do to them. I railed against him to myself. If only he would go away! As if he would! He liked the luxury he enjoyed at St. Aubyn’s too well. He had schemed to marry Tamarisk and establish himself there and he meant to stay. He would fight to stay and he would not care what happened to anyone else as long as he had what he wanted.

There was a new development which caused a stir in the neighbourhood.

Harry Gentry had discovered that Gaston Marchmont was paying attention to his daughter Sheila. The girl was barely sixteen. Harry Gentry had come upon them together in the woodshed in his garden.

It was clear to Harry what Gaston’s intentions were towards his daughter and Harry was enraged. He declared he would kill the man.

Gaston had tried to make excuses, but Harry had gone into the house and come out with a shotgun which he used for shooting rabbits.

Gaston escaped and Harry fired into the air to warn him what would happen if he came near Sheila again. The neighbours had heard the shots and had come out to witness the scene.

People were now talking of the trouble at St. Aubyn’s. It had been very romantic, running away to Gretna Green, but look at the result of such goings-on. Mr. Crispin must be wondering how they were going to get rid of the fellow.

Rachel was growing more and more frightened. She could not bear that scandal should touch her family. Gaston Marchmont would not care. He would make trouble for anyone if he thought there was any advantage in it for himself.

Crispin came to the office one afternoon when he knew James Perrin would not be there.

“This goes from bad to worse,” he said.

“We really must get rid of this fellow.”

“Have you any idea how?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“He’s philandering around. So perhaps it won’t be difficult to find something against him.”

I trembled for Rachel. I wanted to make Crispin see how important it was to spare her from becoming involved, but I could not without her permission to tell, and I knew she would never give that.

He sat on the edge of the desk, swinging his leg, while he stared ahead, frowning. His attitude was one of despairing frustration. I understood his mood perfectly, because I shared it.

“You said you were having him watched,” I said.

“Yes. But that little flutter with Sheila is hardly any help.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” called Crispin.

One of the labourers from the home farm entered.

“I was passing the cottage when Miss Lucy called to me,” he stammered.

“She said to come and tell you, sir, right away, will you go there? Something’s happened.” Crispin said: “I’ll come right away.” He ran out and leaped on to his horse.

“I’ll follow you,” I said, ‘in case I can be of any help. ” When I arrived I ran into the cottage. Flora was with Lucy and Crispin in the kitchen.

Flora looked frantic and Lucy said again and again: “It’s all right. Flora. It’s all right.”

Crispin was also trying to soothe her, but Flora could not be soothed.

She was crying: “He took the baby. He took him. He was going to hurt him. He said he would if I didn’t… if I didn’t…”

“Don’t cry,” said Crispin.

“It’s all over now.” She shook her head.

“No, no. He said, ” Tell . tell . and you shall have the baby back. ”

“And you told,” said Lucy in a flat voice.

“It’s not a secret any more. Never be told … but it was the baby he was going to hurt the baby.”

I knew instinctively of whom she was speaking. It was Gaston, of course. Hadn’t I seen him here several times?

He had been interested in Flora. Intrigued . determined to discover that secret which was never to be told. And he had found a way of learning what it was. Oh, poor Flora!

She had shown him the picture of the magpies just as she had shown me, and he had determined to force the secret from her.

Why was he so interested in Flora’s rambling? I wondered. Why, when he was only concerned with that which could bring advantage to himself ?

Lucy took Flora to her room. Crispin stayed behind to help, and I left them, since I could be of no use.

All through the day I thought about what had happened and that night I had a frightening dream. I was in Barrow Wood, lying helpless on the ground and Mr. Dorian was coming towards me. I called out for help.

There was a murmur in the trees. It wasn’t Mr. Dorian who had come to me. It was the seven magpies. They settled on a tree and watched malevolently; and I was struck with terror, as I had been by Mr. Dorian.

I awoke in a panic. It was only a dream, a muddled, silly dream. How could I have been so frightened by a few birds?

The day passed. I wanted to see how Flora was, but I guessed I might not be welcome. I hoped Crispin might come into the office, but he did not. I was glad James did not notice my preoccupation.

The next morning, when we were at breakfast, the postman called. If he had time to stop for a cup of tea when he came. Lily gave it to him in the kitchen. On this occasion, she brought him in to us. Her eyes were round with that horror and excitement which only bad news can bring.

Tom’s just told me,” she said, ‘that Gaston Marchmont’s been found shot in the shrubbery at St. Aubyn’s.”

I felt suddenly faint.

“Yes,” went on Tom.

“He was found this morning in the shrubbery. You know, near the back of the house. One of the gardeners found him there. Must have been there all night.”

This is going to be a bit of a how-de-do,” said Lily. I heard myself stammer: ” How? Who? ”

” That,” said Tom, ‘is something they’ll have to find out.”

So, it had happened. There were several people who had wanted him out of the way. I was very much afraid, for I feared someone I knew might be guilty of murder.

My first thoughts had gone to Daniel. I could not believe that that gentle man could be capable of murder. It was unbearable. It would mean the end of Rachel’s happiness.

Harry Gentry? He had threatened Gaston Marchmont with a gun. He had actually fired it.

Tamarisk? She had come to hate him. He had deceived her; he had humiliated her. She was unpredictable, reckless and above all things she hated to be humiliated.

Crispin hated him. He had said more than once that he would like to be rid of him. He was a menace to everyone. He had even disturbed poor Flora. He created unpleasantness wherever he went.

Not Crispin, I kept saying to myself. That would be unbearable beyond everything.

For the first time, I faced my true feelings for him. He had attracted me from the moment I saw him; and when I: he had made that unfortunate remark it had hurt more because it came from him. Barrow Wood? Well, that had affected us both deeply. For myself, I could never forget his wrath when he had thrown Mr. Dorian from him. Nor could I forget his tenderness when he turned to me and picked me up. How I had enjoyed those lunches at the Little Vixen. I had tried to disguise from myself how much I looked forward to his coming to the office.