CHAPTER X
AUSTRALIA IN SURREY
The three Australians came that afternoon; and, like many Australiansin the wilds of London with a vague idea of distances, having giventhemselves good time to catch their train, managed to catch the onebefore it; and so arrived at Homewood unheralded and unsung. Norahand Captain Hardress, who had been knocking golf-balls about, werecrossing the terrace on their way to tea when the three slouched hatscaught Norah's eye through the trees of the avenue. She gasped,dropped her clubs, and fled to meet them. Hardress stared: then,perceiving the newcomers, smiled a little and went on slowly.
"I'd like to see her doing a hundred yards!" he said.
The three soldiers jumped as the flying figure came upon them, round abend in the drive. Then one of them sprang forward.
"Harry!" said Norah.
"My word, I am glad to see you!" said Harry Trevor, pumping her hand."I say, Norah, you haven't changed a bit. You're just the same aswhen you were twelve--only that you've grown several feet."
"Did you expect to find me bald and fat?" Norah laughed. "Oh, Harry,we are glad to see you!"
"Well, you might have aged a little," said he. "Goodness knows _I_have! Norah, where's old Jim?"
"He's at Aldershot--but you can be certain that he'll be here as soonas he possibly can--and Wally too."
"That's good business." He suddenly remembered his friends, who wereaffecting great interest in the botanical features of a beech-tree."Come here, you chaps; Norah, this is Jack Blake--and Dick Harrison.They're awfully glad to see you, too!"
"Well, you might have let us say it for ourselves, digger," said thetwo, shaking hands. "We were just going to."
"It's lovely to have you all," said Norah. She looked over thetree--all tall fellows, lean and bronzed, with quiet faces anddeep-set eyes, Blake bore a sergeant's stripes; Dick Harrison's sleevemodestly proclaimed him a lance-corporal.
"We've been wandering in that funny old London like lost sheep," Blakesaid. "My word, that's a lonesome place, if you don't happen to knowany one in it. And people look at you as if you were something out ofa Zoo."
"They're not used to you yet," said Norah. "It's the hat, as much asanything."
"I don't know about that," Harry said. "No, I think they'd know wecame out of a different mob, even if we weren't branded."
"Perhaps they would--and you certainly do," Norah answered. "But comeon to the house. Dad is just as anxious to see you as any one."
Indeed, as they came in sight of the house, David Linton was seencoming with long strides to meet them.
"Hardress told me you had suddenly turned into a Marathon runner atthe sight of three big hats!" he said. "How are you, Harry? It's anage since we saw you."
"Yes, isn't it?" Harry shook hands warmly, and introduced his friends."You haven't changed either, Mr. Linton."
"I ought to be aging--only Norah won't hear of it," said Mr. Linton,laughing. "She bullies me more hopelessly than ever, Harry."
"She always did," Trevor agreed. "Oh, I want to talk about Billabongfor an hour! How's Brownie, Nor? and Murty O'Toole? and Black Billy?How do you manage to live away from them?"
"It isn't easy," Norah answered. "They're all very fit, only theywant us back. We can't allow ourselves to think of the day that we'llget home, or we all grow light-headed."
"It will be no end of a day for all of us," said Harrison. "Think ofmarching down Collins Street again, with the crowd cheeringus--keeping an eye out for the people one knew! It was fairly beastlymarching up it for the last time."
"It's not Collins Street I want, but a bit of the Gippsland track,"said Jack Blake. "You know, Dick, we took cattle there last year.Over the Haunted Hills--aren't they jolly in the spring!--and downthrough the scrub to Morwell and Traralgon. I'd give something to seethat bit of country again."
"Ah, it's all good country," David Linton said. Then they were at thehouse, and a buzz of conversation floated out to them from the hall,where tea was in progress.
"Your father simply made me promise to go on without you," said Mrs.West, as Norah made her apologies. "I said it was dreadful, but hewouldn't listen to me. And there are your friends! Dear me, howlarge they are, and so brown! Do introduce them to me: I'm planningto hear all about Australia. And a sergeant and lance-corporal!Isn't it romantic to see them among us, and quite at their ease._Don't_ tell them I'm a Colonel's wife, my dear; I would hate them tofeel embarrassed!"
"I don't think you need worry," said Norah, smiling to herself. Shebrought up the three newcomers and introduced them. They subsidedupon a sofa, and listened solemnly while Mrs. West opened all herconversational batteries upon them. Norah heard the opening--"I'veread such a _lot_ about your charming country!" and felt a throb ofpity for the three wanderers from afar.
Hardress came towards her with a cup of tea, his limb a little moreevident.
"You're tired," she said, taking it from him. "Sure you haven't donetoo much?"
"Not a bit," he said. "I'm a little tired, but it's the best day Ihave had for many a month. I don't know when I enjoyed anything asmuch as my motor-lesson this morning."
"Con says you'll be able to drive in Piccadilly in no time," saidNorah.
"He's hopeful," Hardress said, laughing. "Particularly as we neverstarted the car at all--he made me learn everything I could about itfirst. And did he tell you I rode Brecon?"
"No! How did you get on?" asked Norah delightedly.
"Well, I literally got on very badly--at first. The shop leg didn'tseem to understand what was wanted of it at all, and any steed butBrecon would have strongly resented me. But he stood in a pensiveattitude while I tried all sorts of experiments. In fact, I think hewent to sleep!"
"I told you you could rely on Brecon," Norah smiled. "What happenedthen?"
"Oh--I got used to myself, and found out the knack of getting on.It's not hard, with a steady horse, once you find out how. But Ithink Brecon will do me very well for awhile."
"Oh, we'll soon get you on to Brunette," Norah said. "You'd enjoyher."
"Is that the black pony?"
"Yes--and she's a lovely hack. I'm going to hunt her in the winter:she jumps like a deer."
"She looked a beauty, in the stable," Hardress said. "She ought tomake a good polo-pony." He sighed. "I wonder if I'll really everplay polo again."
"Of course you will," Norah told him. "This morning you didn't thinkyou would ever get on a horse again."
"No, I certainly didn't. You have put an extraordinary amount of hopeinto me: I feel a different being." He stopped, and a smile creptinto his eyes. "Listen--aren't your friends having a time!"
"Life must be so exciting on your great cattle ranches," Mrs. West wassaying. "And the dear little woolly lambs on the farms--such pets!"
"We understood you people over here prefer them frozen," Blake saidgently. "So we send 'em that way."
Norah choked over her tea. She became aware that Colonel West wasspeaking to her, and tried to command her wits--hearing, as sheturned, Mrs. West's shrill pipe--"And what _is_ a wheat-belt? Is itsomething you wear?" Norah would have given much to hear Blake'sreply.
"Delightful place you have here!" barked the Colonel. "Your fatherand I have been spending an agricultural afternoon; planning all thethings he means to do on that farm--Hawkins', isn't it? But I supposeyou don't take much interest in that sort of thing? Dances and frocksmore in your line--and chocolates, eh, what?"
"Then you've changed her in England," said Harry Trevor suddenly. "Isit dances now, Norah? No more quick things over the grass after across-grained bullock? Don't say you've forgotten how to use astockwhip!"
"It's hung up at Billabong," Norah said laughing. "But you wait untilI get back to it, that's all!"
"Dear me!" said Mrs. West. "And you do these wonderful things too! Ialways longed to do them as a girl--to ride over long leagues of plainon a fiery mustang, among your lovely eucalyptus trees. And do youre
ally go out with the cowboys, and use a lasso?"
"She does," said Harry, happily.
"Your wild animals, too," said Mrs. West. "It's kangaroos you ridedown with spears, is it not? And wallabies. We live in dear, quietlittle England, but we read all about your wonderful life, and are oh!so interested."
"What a life!" said Dick Harrison, under his breath.
"Quite. You know, I had a great friend who went out as A.D.C. to oneof your Governors. He had to return after a month, because his fatherdied and he came into the baronetcy, but some day he means to write abook on Australia. That is why I have always, as it were, kept intouch with your great country. I seem to know it so well, though Ihave never seen it."
"You do, indeed," said Blake gravely. "I wish we knew half as muchabout yours."
"Ah, but you must let us show it to you. Is it not yours, too?Outposts of Empire: that is what I call you: outposts of Empire. Isit not that that brought you to fight under our flag?"
"Oh, rather," said Blake vaguely. "But a lot of us just wanted a lookin at the fun!"
"Well--you got a good deal for a start," said Garrett.
"Yes--Abdul gave us all we wanted on his little peninsula. But he'snot a bad fighting-man, old Abdul; we don't mind how often we take teawith him. He's a better man to fight than Fritz."
"He could pretty easily be that," Garrett said. "It's one of theworst grudges we owe Fritz--that he's taken all the decency out ofwar. It used to be a man's game, but the Boche made it one accordingto his own ideas--and everybody knows what they are."
"Yes," said Hardress. "I suppose the Boche will do a good deal ofcrawling to get back among decent people after the war; but he'llnever live down his poison-gas and flame-throwers."
"And wouldn't it have been a gorgeous old war if he'd only foughtclean!" said Garrett longingly. They drew together and talked asfighting men will--veterans in the ways of war, though the eldest wasnot much over one-and-twenty.
The sudden hoot of a motor came from the drive, far-off; and thenanother, and another.
"Some one's joy-riding," said Harry Trevor.
The hooting increased, and with it the hum of a racing car. Thegravel outside the porch crunched as it drew up; and then came cheeryvoices, and two long figures in great coats dashed in: Jim and Wally,eager-eyed.
"Dad! Norah! Where's old Harry?"
But Harry was grasping a hand of each, and submitting to mighty patson the back from their other hands.
"By Jove, it's great to see you! Where did you come from, you oldreprobate? Finished Johnny Turk?"
Gradually the boys became aware that there were other people in thehall, and made apologies--interrupted by another burst of joy atdiscovering Garrett.
"You must think us bears," said Jim, with his disarming smile, to Mrs.West. "But we hadn't seen Trevor for years, and he's a very old chum.It would have been exciting to meet him in Australia; but inEngland--well!"
"However did you manage to come?" Norah asked, beaming.
"Oh, we got leave. We've been good boys--at least, Wally was until wegot your message this morning. Since then he has been wandering aboutlike a lost fowl, murmuring, 'Harry! _My_ Harry!'"
"Is it me?" returned Wally. "Don't believe him, Nor--it was all Icould do to keep him from slapping the C.O. on the back and borrowinghis car to come over."
"I don't doubt it," Norah laughed. "Whose car did you borrow, by theway?"
"Oh, we hired one. It was extravagant, but we agreed that it wasn'tevery day we kill a pig!"
"Thank you," said Harry. "Years haven't altered your power of puttinga thing nicely!" He smote Wally affectionately. "I say, you were akid when I saw you last: a kid in knickerbockers. And look at younow!"
"Well, you were much the same," Wally retorted. "And now you're ahardened old warrior--I've only played at it so far."
"But you were gassed, weren't you?"
"Yes--but we hadn't had much war before they gassed us. That was theannoying part."
"Well, didn't you have a little private war in Ireland? What aboutthat German submarine?"
"Oh, that was sheer luck," said Wally joyfully. "_Such_ a lark--onlyfor one thing. But we don't consider we've earned our keep yet."
"Oh, well, you've got lots of time," Harry said. "I wonder if they'llsend any of us to France--it would be rather fun if we got somewherein your part of the line."
"Yes, wouldn't it?" Then Jack Blake, who had been at school with theboys, came up with Dick Harrison, and England ceased to exist for thefive Australians. They talked of their own country--old days atschool; hard-fought battles on the Melbourne Cricket Ground;boat-racing on the Yarra; Billabong and other stations; bush-fires andcattle-yarding; long days on the road with cattle, and nights spentwatching them under the stars. All the grim business of life that hadbeen theirs since those care-free days seemed but to make their ownland dearer by comparison. Not that they said so, in words. But theylingered over their talk with an unspoken delight in being at homeagain--even in memory.
Norah slipped away, regretfully enough, after a time: herresponsibilities as housekeeper weighed upon her, and she sought Missde Lisle in the kitchen.
"What, your brother and Mr. Wally? How delightful!" ejaculated thecook-lady. "That's what I call really jolly. Their rooms are alwaysready, I suppose?"
"Oh, yes," Norah said. "I've told Bride to put sheets on the beds."
"Then that's all right. Dinner? My dear, you need never worry abouta couple extra for dinner in a household of this size. Just tell themaids to lay the table accordingly, and let me know--that is all youneed do."
"Mrs. Atkins had destroyed my nerve!" said Norah, laughing. "I camedown to tell you with the same scared feeling that I had when I usedto go to her room. My very knees were shaking!"
"Then you're a very bad child, if you _are_ my employer!" returnedMiss de Lisle. "However, I'll forgive you: but some time I want youto make a list for me of the things those big boys of yours like most:I might just as well cook them as not, when they come. And of course,when they go out to France, we shall have to send them splendidhampers."
"That will be a tremendous comfort," Norah said. "You're a brick,Miss de Lisle. We used to send them hampers before, of course, but itseemed so unsatisfactory just to order them at the Stores: it will beever so much nicer to cook them things. You _will_ let me cook, won'tyou?"
"Indeed I will," said Miss de Lisle. "We'll shut ourselves up herefor a day, now and then, and have awful bouts of cookery. How did youlike the potato cakes at tea, by the way?"
"They were perfect," Norah said. "I never tasted better, even inIreland." At which Katty, who had just entered with a saucepan,blushed hotly, and cast an ecstatic glance at Miss de Lisle.
"I don't suppose you did," remarked that lady. "You see, Katty madethem."
"Wasn't she good, now, to let me, Miss Norah?" Katty asked. "There'sthem at home that towld me I'd get no chance at all of learning undera grand cook here. 'Tis little the likes of them 'ud give you to doin the kitchen: if you asked them for a job, barring it was to washthe floor, they'd pitch you to the Sivin Divils. 'Isn't the scullerygood enough for you?' they'd say. 'Cock you up with the cooking!'But Miss de Lisle isn't one of them--and the cakes to go up to thedrawing-room itself!"
"Well, every one liked them, Katty," Norah said.
"Yerra, hadn't I Bridie watching behind the big screen with the crackin it?" said the handmaid. "She come back to me, and she says,'They're all ate,' says she: ''tis the way ye had not enough made,'she says. I didn't know if 'twas on me head or me heels I was!" Shebent a look of adoration upon Miss de Lisle, who laughed.
"Oh, I'll make a cook of you yet, Katty," she said. "Meanwhile you'dbetter put some coal on the fire, or the oven won't be hot enough formy pastry. Is it early breakfast for your brother and Mr. Wally, MissLinton?"
"I'm afraid so," Norah said. "Jim said they must leave at eighto'clock."
"Then that me
ans breakfast at seven-thirty. Will you have yours withthem?"
"Oh yes, please--if it's not too much trouble."
"Nothing's a trouble--certainly not an early breakfast," said Miss deLisle. "Now don't worry about anything."
Norah went back to the hall--to find it deserted. A buzz of voicescame from the billiard-room; she peeped in to find all the soldierstalking with her father listening happily in a big chair. No one sawher: she withdrew, and went in search of Mrs. West, but failed to findher. Bride, encountered in her evening tour with cans of hot water,reported that 'twas lying down she was, and not wishful for talk: herresht was more to her.
"Then I may as well go and dress," Norah said.
She had just finished when a quick step came along the corridor, andstopped at her door. Jim's fingers beat the tattoo that was alwaystheir signal.
"Come in, Jimmy," Norah cried.
He came in, looming huge in the dainty little room.
"Good business--you're dressed," he said. "Can I come and yarn?"
"Rather," said Norah, beaming. "Come and sit down in my armchair.This electric heater isn't as jolly to yarn by as a good old log fire,but still, it's something." She pulled her chair forward.
"Can't you wait for me to do that--bad kid!" said Jim. He sat down,and Norah subsided on the rug near him.
"Now tell me all about everything," he said. "How are things going?"
"Quite well--especially Mrs. Atkins," said Norah. "In fact she'sgone!"
Jim sat up.
"Gone! But how?"
Norah told him the story, and he listened with joyful ejaculations.
"Well, she was always the black spot in the house," he remarked. "Itgave one the creeps to look at her sour face, and I'm certain she wasmore bother to you than she was worth."
"Oh, I feel twenty years younger since she went!" Norah said. "Andit's going to be great fun to housekeep with Miss de Lisle. I shalllearn ever so much."
"So will she, I imagine," said Jim, laughing. "Put her up to all theAustralian ways, and see if we can't make a good emigrant of her whenwe go back."
"I might," Norah said. "But she would be a shock to Brownie if shesuggested putting her soul into a pudding!"
"Rather!" said Jim, twinkling. "I say, tell me about Hardress. Doyou like him?"
"Oh, yes, ever so much." She told him of her morning's work--indeed,by the time the gong boomed out its summons from the hall, there wasvery little in the daily life of Homewood that Jim had not managed tohear.
"We're always wondering how you are getting on," he said. "It's jollyover there--the work is quite interesting, and there's a very nice lotof fellows: but I'd like to look in at you two and see how this showwas running." He hesitated. "It won't be long before we go out, Nor,old chap."
"Won't it, Jimmy?" She put up a hand and caught his. "Do you knowhow long?"
"A week or two--not more. But you're not to worry. You've just gotto think of the day when we'll get our first leave--and then you'llhave to leave all your Tired People and come and paint London red."He gave a queer laugh. "Oh, I don't know, though. It seems to beconsidered the right thing to do. But I expect we'll just amble alonghere and ask you for a job in the house!"
"Why, you'll be Tired People yourselves," said Norah. "We'll have tolook after you and give you nourishment at short intervals."
"We'll take that, if it's Miss de Lisle's cooking. Now don't thinkabout this business too much. I thought I'd better tell you, butnothing is definite yet. Perhaps I'd better not tell Dad."
"No, don't; he's so happy."
"I wish I didn't have to make either of you less happy," Jim said in atroubled voice. "But it can't be helped."
"No, I know it can't, Jimmy. Don't you worry."
"Dear old chap," said Jim, and stood up. "I had better go and makemyself presentable before the second gong goes." He paused. "You'reall ready aren't you? Then you might go down. Wally will bewandering round everywhere, looking for you."