The Black Moon by Winston Graham Read Free Book Online Page A

to have my own opinion on that I think, ` I even venture to think that you might yourself have been happier. I am not an ogre. Mo st people think me personable enough. And I have some importance in the world. You could have had a ful l life, and a most interesting one. Even if you did not love me I believe it would have been a splendid alliance. Far better than the life yo u are now leading, here, alone, far from your London and Oxfordshire friends `And nursing a sick old man' said Caroline. `Oh, yes, I should have had a different life. And so would you. But this is true o f all decisions. If I go riding tomorrow I am not sitting by the fire. If you had not come to see Uncle Ray this morning you woul d not run the risk of being soaked on the way home. We make our choice. Isn't that what parsons mean when they talk of Free Will? Unwin's bottom lip jutted. He did not admire this sort of flippancy. `True, my de ar, But all decisions, are not irrevocable. If you felt so inclined the option is still open.
    Horace, stirred' by his mistress's foot, rolled o ver again and yapped-once. Thereafter there was silence, except for the patter of rain and a drip somewhere where water was coming through the, roof.
    `To marry you, Unwin? What makes you think I may have changed?'
    'I don't assume so. But we are both older. What we said in heat tw o years ago was not necessarily final. In the meantime you have not married; I have not married. It could still be.'
    Caroline smoothed the Mechlin lace at her wrists. Her fine eyes looked misty for a moment, and he thought she was going to yield. Then she vigorous ly shook her head. `Thank you, no. Unwin, it could not be. For, me it could not be. When we parted that May evening after your brother's reception I perhaps expressed myself a little forcibly, a, thought
    unflatteringly. If you wish to excuse me for that you may put it down to my temperament and my youth. But - the decision has not changed. I couldn't marry you. I'm sorry. But thank you for the compliment of asking me again.'
    Unwin took a sip of his, brandy. He stretched his long, legs and stared at a splash of mud on his shining boots. He swallowed the other half of the biscuit. `Well so, that, is your choice. I'll not presume to ,argue with it. But perhaps we might agree that until one of us marries another the door is not altogether closed. If at, any time you should change your mind and I should not be in Cornwall, John will know my address.'
    `Thank you Unwin.' She was going to tell him that nothing would ever induce her to write, but a maturer appreciation of other people's feelings kept her silent. `And I'll tell my uncle you called.'
    It had just stopped raining, and a rent in the cloud cover showed the blue skin of the sky. But drops were still lining up on the window sash.
    Unwin said: `I thought that young doctor, attended your uncle. What was his name? Enys. Dwight Enys.'
    Caroline wondered whether the question was loaded. It was impossibie to tell how far gossip had travelled, how far her name had ever been linked with Dwight's outside a small closed circle. `Dr Enys is one of those who have already gone to fight. He joined the Navy at Christmas, as a surgeon, of course, and he' is now on patrol duty with the Western Squadron. My uncle greatly misses, his medical care.'
    `Indeed. I hope he was not involved in the fighting of last, week.'
    `What fighting? I had not heard.'
    `I was in Falmouth yesterday; and all the talk was of it. Ned Pellew's squadron. They say, the battl e lasted eleven hours and took place in a furious. gale. A great man, - Sir Edward. We need more like him.'
    Horace was snuffling and snoring now as if suddenly asleep. After a moment Caroline said: 'One receives all news so late here. Do tell me more details if you have them.'
    `Details? Oh,' of this naval affair., Well, they were, scant enough, Pellow was commanding the Arethusa, I believe, and two other ships, and they sighted and attacked a French ship of