Berry and Co.   By: Dornford Yates (1885-1960)

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Published by Ward, Lock & Co.: BERRY AND CO. JONAH AND CO. MAIDEN STAKES. THE STOLEN MARCH. ANTHONY LYVEDEN. VALERIE FRENCH. AND FIVE WERE FOOLISH. AS OTHER MEN ARE. THE BROTHER OF DAPHNE. THE COURTS OF IDLENESS.

Published by Hodder & Stoughton: BLIND CORNER. PERISHABLE GOODS. BLOOD ROYAL. FIRE BELOW. ADÈLE AND CO.

BERRY AND CO.

BY

DORNFORD YATES

WARD, LOCK & CO., LIMITED

LONDON AND MELBOURNE

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY PURNELL AND SONS PAULTON (SOMERSET) AND LONDON

DEAR VALERIE,

When a writer admits that he has an affection for something which he has written, it is high time to pray for his soul. Yet I make bold to confess that there are in this book some passages which I hold dear a seeming vanity, which must be explained.

Many times you have found me at work upon these chapters. Often you have taken ill written pages of manuscript from my table and, sitting down in a chair, deciphered them for what they were worth. Once or twice, whilst you read, you have fallen into silvery laughter.

Do you wonder that I treasure the sentences which drew forth such music?

This is my dedication.

As many as see you are glad of the sight. All who know you are proud of the honour. But the man whose efforts your mirth has commended is the proudest and happiest of the lot.

Need I say that your name is not Valerie? I think not. You will know whom I mean.

Most faithfully yours,

DORNFORD YATES.

Pau, November, 1920.

CONTENTS

I HOW WILL NOGGIN WAS FOOLED, AND BERRY RODE FORTH AGAINST HIS WILL

II HOW DAPHNE WROTE FOR ASSISTANCE, AND MR. HOLLY WAS OUTBID

III HOW A MAN MAY FOLLOW HIS OWN HAT, AND BERRY TOOK A LAMP IN HIS HAND

IV HOW NOBBY CAME TO SLEEP UPON MY BED, AND BERRY FELL AMONG THIEVES

V HOW JILL'S EDUCATION WAS IMPROVED, AND DAPHNE GAVE HER HUSBAND THE SLIP

VI HOW NOBBY ATTENDED A WEDDING, AND BERRY SPOKE NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

VII HOW JONAH OBEYED HIS ORDERS, AND DAPHNE AND KATHARINE FESTIVAL BACKED THE SAME HORSE

VIII HOW JILL SLEPT UNDISTURBED, AND NOBBY ATTENDED CHURCH PARADE

IX HOW ADÈLE FESTE ARRIVED, AND MR. DUNKELSBAUM SUPPED WITH THE DEVIL

X HOW ADÈLE BROKE HER DREAM, AND VANDY PLEYDELL TOOK EXERCISE

XI HOW NOBBY MET BLUE BANDALA, AND ADÈLE GAVE JONAH A KISS

CHAPTER I

HOW WILL NOGGIN WAS FOOLED, AND BERRY RODE FORTH AGAINST HIS WILL.

"Who's going to church?" said Daphne, consulting her wrist watch.

There was a profound silence.

My sister turned to Jill.

"Are you coming?" she said. "Berry and I are."

"I beg your pardon," said her husband.

"Of course you're coming," said Daphne.

"Not in these trousers. This is the first time I've worn them, and I'm not going to kneel in them for any one."

"Then you'll change," said his wife. "You've plenty of time."

Berry groaned.

"This is sheer Bolshevism," he said. "Is not my soul my own?"

"We shall start," said Daphne, "in twenty minutes."

It was nearly half past ten in the morning of a beautiful summer day, and we were all taking our ease in the sunshine upon the terrace. It was the first Sunday which we had spent all together at White Ladies for nearly five years.

So far as the eye could see, nothing had changed.