1951 - In a Vain Shadow Read Online Free PDF

white farm gate.
    ‘Is it.’
    I got out of the car and opened the gate.
    It was too dark to see the house. No lights were showing.
    I stood for a moment looking around. There was no sign of any other houses; no lights, just the dim outline of trees against the dark sky, and a loose gravel drive strangely white in the car’s headlights.
    I drove through the gateway, got out again and shut the gate. ‘The garage is there. Put it away and come in.’
    He walked of into the darkness.
    As I turned the car, the headlights picked out the house.
    They also picked out the awful colours of Sarek’s coat as he unlocked the front door.
    As far as I could see it was - smallish house, two storeys, white cast, Georgian and ugly.
    By the time I had manoeuvred the Austin into the garage, lights were showing, through the chinks in the curtains and came through the open front door.
    I didn’t hurry, guessing Sarek was breaking the news of my arrival to his wife. I thought she might need a little time to acclimatize herself to the idea.
    I was getting used to the darkness now, and could make out the outlines of a barn and other farm buildings opposite the house. They formed the letter L: the barn representing the long leg, the other buildings the short one. The garage was to the left of the gate and away from the house.
    I picked up my suitcase and stung the rucksack over my shoulder and walked towards the open front door. Beyond the doorway was a square-shaped hall furnished with a small table, a Windsor chair, a row of hooks for hats and coats and coconut matting on the floor.
    As I stood hesitating in the doorway, Sarek came out of a room nearby. There was a funny embarrassed little grin on his face and his eyes were irritable.
    ‘You come up now and see your room.’
    ‘Right.’
    I followed him up a flight of stairs, also covered with coconut matting and down a passage. I counted four doors before he paused before a door at the far end of the passage and facing the stairs.
    ‘Is not a bad room.’
    Bad wasn’t the word. It was small. There was an iron bedstead by the window, a pine chest-of-drawers, more coconut matting on the floor and a cane-bottom chair.
    ‘You believe in the Spartan life, Mr. Sarek.’
    He gave me a quick, dubious look.
    ‘Is not all right?’
    ‘It’ll do until something better shows up.’
    ‘I want you to be comfortable here: and happy.’
    ‘That’s nice to know.’
    He fidgeted, rubbing his forefinger along the side of his nose.
    ‘She don’t want you to have the other room.’
    ‘Is that so much better?’
    ‘Is the guest room.’
    ‘This is the skivvy’s room?’
    ‘Well, is the maid’s room.’
    ‘Forget it, Mr. Sarek. Why should I care? I don’t want to make trouble.’
    His dark, parrot’s face lit up.
    ‘She will get used to you. You know what women are. I should have warned her. Once she is used to you, she like you. Give her time, Mitchell.’
    I thought of the warm, comfortable bedroom I slept in last night with its soft lights, electric fire and sheepskin rugs.
    ‘Let’s hope she won’t take too long about it.’
    I grinned to take the curse of it, but I could see he didn’t like it.
    ‘I talk to her. Don’t worry.’
    I went over and poked the bed. It was about as soft and as comfortable as the bed they give you in the Scrubs.
    ‘Where do I wash?’
    ‘I show you.’
    He took me out into the passage.
    ‘Is Mrs. Sarek’s room. The one opposite is mine. The one next door to Mrs. Sarek’s room is the guest room. The bathroom’s the first door down the passage.’
    ‘I’ll guess I’ll wash up.’
    ‘Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.’
    ‘Do I eat in the kitchen?’
    He didn’t like this as I intended him not to like it.
    ‘You eat with us.’
    ‘Better ask Mrs. Sarek first.’
    ‘I don’t like it when you talk like that.’
    ‘I just don’t want to be in the way.’
    He gave me a long worried stare and went off down the passage. I waited until he was