Marlford Read Free Page B

us.’
    â€˜You see, Mr Barton,’ Hindy explained, with careful patience, ‘we considered it most unlikely that Oscar would have made arrangements of this nature without consulting us. And Miss Barton, of course, would not presume such a thing. So we wondered how they’d come to be here.’
    â€˜Perhaps you could offer an explanation,’ Ata suggested.
    Ernest stared mournfully at the two of spades. ‘I thought it would be a jolly good thing, having them cleanup here and there. I asked them to pull some of the weeds from the drive and to sweep the paths. Nothing much – they’re only boys – but God knows a bit of help from time to time…’ Seeing their faces, his bravado failed him; he trailed off. ‘It was an experiment, that’s all.’
    The men seemed to consider this.
    â€˜I’m not sure it was a very agreeable one. Nor a very successful one,’ Hindy responded, finally. ‘It doesn’t seem like the way at Marlford.’
    â€˜Oh, for goodness’ sake – they’re Boy Scouts!’ Ernest puffed.
    Luden shook his head. ‘They’re an invasion.’
    â€˜They didn’t come anywhere near the hutments. I made sure of that. They fiddled around with a few weeds on the drive and I gave them a shilling.’
    â€˜But it’s not just the hutments, is it, Mr Barton?’ Ata smiled.
    â€˜We would contend that it’s something more,’ Hindy said. ‘We would suggest that it’s the principle of intrusion. After all, we share Marlford to everyone’s advantage, Mr Barton – for a long time, we’ve shared Marlford to everyone’s advantage – and we know what a place like this should be. All of us.’
    â€˜But a few Cub Scouts…’
    â€˜A disruption. Unnecessary and unwanted.’ Luden offered it as a final judgement.
    Ernest regathered the pack of cards and placed it in the middle of the table. ‘What do you want me to do, then?’
    â€˜It’s quite simple,’ Ata reassured him.
    â€˜We require an undertaking that no such thing will happen again,’ Hindy said. ‘We would like things to returnto normal. Otherwise – well, I believe we would be forced to end our happy years of faro together.’
    Ernest flinched. He wanted to rise from the table and walk away. But they had him trapped there between them, in his usual place, and he could not imagine how he might pull apart from them, not now, after all these years.
    â€˜But it was nothing.’
    He clutched his robe tight to his chest. They heard the slight rip of old fabric. ‘I don’t understand.’
    Luden hissed something in response, too low under his breath to be heard.
    â€˜What is it that confuses you, Mr Barton?’ Ata asked, with kindness.
    â€˜It does seem remarkably simple,’ said Hindy.
    â€˜No, it’s not simple,’ Ernest spat back, suddenly irritated. ‘Running this place, trying to work out what’s best for it – it’s a complete bloody riddle. For goodness’ sake, when I was a young man…’
    â€˜You are no longer a young man,’ Luden pointed out.
    â€˜I think we’re rather losing the point.’ Hindy spoke steadily. ‘Mr Barton, if you simply undertake to consider more carefully in the future, before you allow such—’
    â€˜I’m master here, you know. I’m master of Marlford.’
    All three of the men smiled at him, simultaneously, as if their mouths were drawn on a single thread.
    â€˜Quite so,’ Hindy agreed. ‘We would not wish to change that – it’s exactly as we would have it, Mr Barton. But if you consult, perhaps…’
    â€˜Then you’ll agree to play?’ Ernest was long ago defeated.
    They nodded in unison. ‘Then we will play with pleasure,’ Ata replied.
    Ernest reached for the pack again and riffled the cards, watching the magic-lantern