The adulteress

There were four Hassock girls and three boys. Hetty was quite different from all the others. I believed Farmer Hassock was very proud of her. I had heard him say only the other day "Our Het's been brought up like a lady."

While she sat there making light conversation I was struck by James Fenton's expression. He was watching her with obvious pleasure. I thought, He's halfway to falling in love with her—perhaps he is already there, and I felt pleased.

That night I mentioned it to Jean-Louis. He agreed with me that he had noticed.

"It would be a good thing for James to marry," he said, "and I think Hetty would make him a good wife. She is intelligent as well as pretty and she is different from so many of the girls around here. More likes James himself. I'd be glad to see James marry. He'd feel more settled. Let's hope something comes of it."

The matter about which Farmer Hassock wanted to see James turned out to be the strip of land between his farm and that of Farmer Burrows. Long ago it appeared there had been some controversy about this particular spot because there was uncertainty as to which farm it had originally belonged. My father—who had been a lover of peace and who had really been more interested in gambling than the estate—had solved the problem by saying that neither should have it. Therefore it had been fenced off and lay idle for some years.

Now Farmer Hassock wanted a little more space for his wheat and he was sure that Farmer Burrows had forgotten all about the controversy which had been in the time of his father. He wondered whether he might take down the fence and take in this strip of land.

James and Jean-Louis discussed it for a while and they both agreed that to allow the land to lie idle was rather foolish when Hassock, who was a better farmer than Burrows in any case, could make good use of it.

"Let Hassock have it," said James. "I'll tell him to go ahead and prepare the land. It will need a bit of work after all these years. He should get a start on it right away."

James rode over to the farm to tell Hassock the verdict and I had no doubt to have a word with Hetty while he was there.

It was a few days later when Dickon came over. We were at table still after the midday meal, for we liked to sit awhile and talk of the affairs of the estate and of the country as a whole.

Dickon appeared flushed and I was struck afresh by his handsome looks. He seemed to have grown a little every time I saw him.

He sat down unceremoniously and said: "Do you know what Hassock is doing? He's taken down the fence of that no-man's-land strip and is obviously intending to use it."

"That's right," said James. "He's going to extend his wheat field."

"But it's not his."

"He's been given permission," said James.

"Who gave him permission?"

"I did," answered James.

"But who said you might?" Dickon's voice was cold and haughty.

Jean-Louis said quickly: "I did. James and I discussed it and decided it was foolish to let the land lie idle and Hassock was the one to make the best use of it."

"I don't agree," said Dickon.

''You don't agree," cried James. He was less calm than Jean-Louis, and Dickon's behavior was certainly provoking.

"No," retorted Dickon, "I don't. Burrows has as much right to that land as Hassock. I've told him so."

"Dickon," said Jean-Louis, "I know how much you care about the estate, and you have been very helpful, but James and I must decide on these matters. It is our job to run the estate profitably."

"Hassock must be told to stop what he is doing immediately. James, you should tell him that before he goes too far."

"The matter has been decided," said James. "If Burrows is dissatisfied he had better come here to discuss it with Jean-Louis and me. There has been too much trouble in the past over that strip of land. It is very insignificant in any case."

"I have told Burrows that he shall have it since Hassock has taken it into his head to filch it."

"Filch it!" I could see that James's temper was rising. "This is absurd. You have been helping us on the estate for a few months and you think that you are fit to manage it ... going over our heads. We have had years of experience in these matters."

Dickon stood up. "We shall see," he said.

When he had left we looked at each other in amazement.

I said: "He has gone to my mother."

"Lady Clavering will understand that we are managing the estate," said James.

"I hope so. But she is inclined to indulge Dickon."

James shook his head. "She will see the sense of this."

"Shall I go over to see her this afternoon?" I asked.

"I'll come with you," said Jean-Louis.

My mother was delighted to see us as always and asked questions about Lottie, whom she hadn't seen for two whole days, which seemed a long time to her.

"We've come to talk business," I told her. "James is rather put out."

"Oh yes ... Dickon was saying that there had been a disagreement about that land. He's given it to Burrows."

"No," I put in. "Jean-Louis and James had decided that Hassock should have it."