The English Tutor Read Online Free Page B

be admirable, and he writes a good letter himself. No, I should say he ’ s just the man for us. ”
    Clancy nearly stamped in her impatience.
    “ But aren ’ t you going to read us what he says? Is he old? What ’ s his name? ”
    “ His name? ” This seemed to amuse Kevin afresh. “ Ah, no, I ’ ll not spoil the joke by telling you. I ’ ll send him a wire and he ’ ll be here by the end of the week. You can wait till then for your information. Now give me the paper and leave me in peace. ”
    Brian silently handed over the papers, and Clancy sighed but said no more. She knew her father in this mood. He would tell them nothing until he was ready.
    Aunt Bea got up.
    “ I ’ m going to give my orders in the kitchen. Will you be in for lunch, Kevin? ” she said.
    He did not look up from his paper, but replied that he would not. It was market day in Duneen, he said, and he had business there.
    Clancy leant across the table.
    “ Take me with you, Kilmallin, ” she pleaded. “ Just this once— please. I love to hear you bargain and make a good deal. Please, Kilmallin —let ’ s go roystering. ”
    He gave in, why, he was not quite sure.
    “ Oh, very well. Be ready by half-past ten. What about you, Brian? We might as well make it a family occasion. ”
    But Brian did not want to go. A whole day in his father ’ s company, even though Clancy would be there to lend support, filled him with dismay. He looked quickly at his aunt, saying:
    “ I think I ’ ll stay with Aunt Bea, if you don ’ t mind. ”
    “ Much more sensible, ” Aunt Bea said as she left the room.
    Kevin, turned back to his paper with a deep sense of irritation. He knew quite well that had Brian asked if he could come in the first place, he would never have hesitated to grant the small favour as in his daughter ’ s case, and he felt at once unjust and ill-served by both his children.
    “ Be ready by half-past ten, ” he said again to Clancy. “ I won ’ t wait a minute after. ”
    T o Clancy it was one of the halcyon days to be remembered forever after for the little things. The way the thin brittle sunshine struck through the loch mist, as they rattled down the drive in Kevin ’ s old V8; the soft grey sky curving to the hills, the little, ho rn ed mountain sheep with their long tails, skipping out of their way on the moorland road.
    The little grey town of Duneen was always a source of delight, and Clancy and Brian would sometimes walk to the village and take the old ramshackle bus and spend a happy day idling in the market and the shops with no money to spend. But to come with Kilmallin was entirely different. Everything had a flavour of adventure, and she loved to watch her father making a purchase or a deal, striking the bargain so dear to Irish hearts if it was only the matter of a hundredweight of maize. He would greet his friends with increasing bonhomie as the day wore on and the whisky flowed. Clancy sat in a corner of the saloon and listened to their racy stories and sometimes one of them would come over and speak to her, and Kevin, if he was in a good mood, would introduce her all round and she would fancy there was pride in his voice.
    “ Ah, Clancy ’ s a son to me, ” Kevin said, and pride and pleasure brought the tears pricking to her eyes.
    But one of the men said quietly:
    “ I ’ d not be wanting a son, Kilmallin, if I ’ d a daughter like this one. ”
    It was the first compliment she had ever received and she was bewildered. Had not she, as well as Kilmallin, all her life wished she had been a boy?
    “ You ’ ll be marrying her off one of these days to a fine young fellow, ” the dealer said, his shrewd bright eyes tw in k lin g. “ And there ’ ll be no lack of suitors, I ’ m thinking. What news have you of Conn Driscoll? ”
    Kevin laughed and ordered another round of drinks, and Clancy turned to the dealer with eagerness and began to tell the story of Conn ’ s grey mare who had lost him the best