However, when he could no longer doubt it, and when the lurking
figures and faces of at least two of the men who dogged him everywhere
had become sufficiently familiar to him, he wrote a short note to his
wife asking for an explanation.
But he got none--principally because his wife had already sailed.
The effect of Winifred's letters on an impressionable, sensitive, and
self-distrustful character, was never very quickly effaced.
Whatever was morbid in the man became apparent after he had received
such letters, and took the form of a quiet withdrawal from the circles
which he affected, until such time as mortification and shame had
subsided.
He had written briefly to Athalie saying that business would take him
out of town for a few weeks. Which it did as a matter of fact, landing
him at Spring Pond, Long Island, where he completed the purchase of
the Greensleeve tavern and took title in his own name.
Old Ledlie had died; his only heir appeared to be glad enough to sell;
the title was free and clear; the possibilities of the place
fascinating.
Clive prowled around the place in two minds whether he might venture
to call in a local builder and have him strip the protuberances from
the house, which was all that was necessary to restore it to its
original form; or whether he ought to leave that for Athalie to
manage.
But there remained considerable to be done; May was in full bud and
blossom already; and if Athalie was to enjoy the place at all that
summer it ought to be made livable.
So Clive summoned several people to his aid with the following quick
results: A New York general contractor took over the entire job
guaranteeing quick results or forfeiture. A local nurseryman and an
emergency gang started in. They hedged the entire front with privet
for immediate effect, cleared, relocated, and restored the ancient
flower garden on its quaint original lines; planted its borders
thickly with old time perennials, peonies, larkspurs, hollyhocks,
clove pinks, irises, and lilies; replanted the rose beds with
old-fashioned roses, set the wall beds with fruit trees and gay
annuals, sodded, trimmed, raked, levelled, cleaned up, and pruned,
until the garden was a charming and logical thing.
Fortunately the newness was not apparent because the old stucco walls
remained laden with wistaria and honeysuckle, and the alley of ancient
box trees required clipping only.
In the centre of the lawn he built a circular pool and piped the water
from Spring Brook. It fell in a slender jet, icy cold, powdering pool,
basin and grass with spray.
Where half-dead locust and cedar trees had to be felled Clive set tall
arbor vitae and soft maples. He was an expensive young man where
Athalie's pleasure was concerned; and as he worked there in the lovely
May weather his interest and enthusiasm grew with every fresh fragrant
spadeful of brown earth turned.