The Night of the Absentee Agent

Chapter 16

Under the Arbour

Lunch at Mayberry's house was, thankfully, an informal affair, consisting of a cold buffet of meats, salad and preserves. There was a lemon tart for dessert. Artie strolled in, with Cat by his side, both of them still in their riding outfits, though they had removed their boots.

No one thought their appearance out of place; they were too interested in meeting the woman who had won Artie's heart. Cat gave everyone the slightly nervous smile of a woman who is shyly coping with being the centre of attention; and even Artie was almost taken in by her performance.

"Congratulations, to you both," Marsh said, giving Artie a strange look. He was obviously puzzled at his seemingly having made the engagement a real one, despite his conversation with Artie the previous afternoon. He couldn't know that Cat was in on it too.

Artie, looked up to see Joshua Manning standing across the room, staring at Cat with a stunned expression on his face. When he realised Artie was looking at him Josh pulled himself together and nodded to him, before turning away. 'What odd behaviour,' Artie thought. Then he glanced at Cat and realised that she was blushing and also looked a little stunned as she watched Manning talking to Clara. It was almost as if she and Josh recognised each other, but he knew that wasn't possible.

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After lunch, people began to drift through the french doors and into the garden. Mayberry and Marsh had gone back to work, leaving the others to an afternoon of making plans for their proposed business venture. They wanted to find a house and some land as soon as possible not least because they didn't want to outstay their welcome with Mayberry.

Artie and Cat had separated from the others and were talking in whispers to each other in a nearby arbour. After sitting quietly, lost in contemplation of the couple, Joshua broke into the talk about studs and horse breeding.

"You'll have to count me out," he said. "I've decided to return to America."

Clara was the first to protest. "You can't," she said. "It's not just that the stud needs you, I do too."

"I'm sorry, I don't want to discuss it," he said, standing up and going back into the house.

Clara got up to follow him but Sam took her arm to stop her. "I'll talk to him," he said.

Sam found Joshua in his room. He was standing gazing out of the window. Sam walked up to him and looked over his shoulder. Josh jumped and turned away, but not before Sam could see that he had been watching Cat.

"So that's the way the wind blows is it?" Sam said.

Joshua was embarrassed. "I'd be grateful if you didn't tell the rest," he said.

"That you're in love with my brother's fiancée. Don't worry, I won't say anything. I can see why you want to go home though."

"I was lost the moment I looked into her eyes," Joshua groaned. "And, if I stay here, I'll have to see them all the time. It's obvious she's persuaded Artemus to remain in England and, as your brother, he and Cat will be visiting the stud, once we set it up. I can't stand the thought of being in the same country as her, let alone the same house, knowing that she belongs to someone else."

"You have got it bad," Sam said, but there was definite sympathy in his voice. "I don't know if I'd want to carry on if Kate ever left me for someone else. Do you want me to make up some story for Clara or do you want to tell her the truth?"

"I don't want anyone to know the truth," Joshua said. "I'll deal with Clara. Just back me up, will you?"

"Of course. I know you don't want to be involved in our plans but how about coming back downstairs and lending us some of your expertise?"

"Alright."

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Under the arbour, Artie and Cat were making plans of their own.

"Damn, where have Josh and Sam gone?" Artie said. "I'm ready to begin and half our audience is missing."

"Here they come now," Cat said, one eye on the french window.

"Right, are you ready?"

"Yes."

Cat stepped back from him and raised her voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I can't believe you would think it, let alone say something like that," she said. Suddenly all eyes were upon her. "Huh!" With that she turned to leave Artie's presence and actually took a few steps toward the chairs where the others were sitting.

Artie grabbed hold of her arm and twisted her around to face him. "I am perfectly in the right," he hollered. "And you'd better get used to it," he added.

Cat lifted her arm and delivered an almighty slap across his left cheek. "I despise you!" she shouted and ran to the house.

Artie stood where she had left him, a smack of red colouring his cheek. "You little cat," he shouted after her. "Don't dare to show your claws to me or I'll make you pay."

He strode after his fiancée, intending to make sure she was all right and that she got back to Stonehurst safely. He hadn't reckoned on their performance being so persuasive.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her!" Joshua told him, just before laying him out with a fist to the left side of his jaw. He stood over Artie's prone figure, anger in his eyes, as he watched Artie wince wiping blood away from his mouth. "I guess I got off lightly," Artie said remembering a time when Jim West had done the same thing, over a woman, only he'd shot him with a gun.

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"Are you all right?" Kate asked kneeling down beside the sofa on which Artie was lying.

"I've felt better," he said, holding an ice compress to his face. "I suppose I should be grateful that they both picked the left side."

"I know it's not my place but it looked to me as if the whole thing was your fault."

"And yet, I'm the victim," Artie said, caustically.

"You should go over there and apologise," Kate continued, as if he hadn't spoken. I'm sure now she's had time to calm down she'll be ready to forgive you."

"Yes, but I could never forgive a woman who behaved like that," Artie assured her. "No, I'm afraid it's all over between us."

"But what about your engagement?"

"I entered into it too hastily and I don't intend to repent at leisure."

"Then you can't really have loved her at all," Kate pointed out.

"You're probably right," Artie said. "Anyway, now I'm recovered, I have to think about going back to America."

"I thought the doctor said you had to stay here for another month at least," Kate said.

"Yes, well..."

"Please stay. Sam was really looking forward to spending some time with you, get to know you better, and make up for lost time. Don't disappoint him."

"All right, I must admit I'd like to see him settled and the stud set up before I go."

"Thank you, Artie," Kate said, putting her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss on his right cheek.

"Hey, you do know that's not me, don't you?" Sam broke in, entering the room in search of his wife.

"Yes, of course, but Artie has just made me very happy."

"Has he now? I'll have to see about that."

"Stop teasing him, he has suffered enough," Kate said, kissing Sam on the lips.

"Seems to me he brought that on himself," Sam said.

Artie looked pained. He couldn't defend his behaviour toward Cat without giving away their secret.

"As you are here and not with Mrs Masters, does that mean there's no chance of a reconciliation?" Sam asked.

"There will be an announcement in the paper, I expect," Artie replied, knowing very well there would be.

"I'm so sorry," Kate said.

Sam had a thoughtful look on his face. "I have to go," he said. "I'll see you later, Kate."

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Joshua looked stunned when Sam told him Artie's engagement was off.

"You can stay in England now," Sam said. "This is the chance you wanted with Cat."

"But will she give me that chance? She was in love with Artemus this morning. You can't just turn love on and off like that."

"So what if it takes time for her to get over him? At least she won't be married."

Joshua tried very hard to take heart from Sam's words. He could give himself a reason to stay in England now. At least, in the short term, it would make his sister, Clara, happy. Maybe he should let the future take care of itself.

"All right, I'll stay." Suddenly something occurred to him. "Do you think Cat will forgive me for punching Artemus?"

"Seeing as she had a go at him first, I don't think she'll hold it against you that you took up her cause."

"I hope you're right," Joshua said, not wholly convinced. But for now, what he wanted was an excuse to meet Cat and see if he could take her mind off her ex-fiance.

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