Everyone laughed, and I joined in, not quite certain if the laugh was against me or not, wondering secretly what it was she had expected, and what had been Maxim's description.
And 'This is Giles,' said Maxim, prodding my arm, and Giles stretched out an enormous paw and wrung my hand, squeezing the fingers limp, genial eyes smiling from behind horn-rimmed glasses.
'Frank Crawley,' said Maxim, and I turned to the agent, a colourless, rather thin man with a prominent Adam's apple, in whose eyes I read relief as he looked upon me.
I wondered why, but I had no time to think of that, because Frith had come in, and was offering me sherry, and Beatrice was talking to me again.
'Maxim tells me you only got back last night.
I had not realised that, or of course we would never have thrust ourselves upon you so soon.
Well, what do you think of Manderley?'
'I've scarcely seen anything of it yet,' I answered; 'it's beautiful, of course.'
She was looking me up and down, as I had expected, but in a direct, straightforward fashion, not maliciously like Mrs Danvers, not with unfriendliness.
She had a right to judge me, she was Maxim's sister, and Maxim himself came to my side now, putting his arm through mine, giving me confidence.
'You're looking better, old man,' she said to him, her head on one side, considering him; 'you've lost that fine-drawn look, thank goodness.
I suppose we've got you to thank for that?' nodding at me.
'I'm always very fit,' said Maxim shortly, 'never had anything wrong with me in my life.
You imagine everyone ill who doesn't look as fat as Giles.'
'Bosh,' said Beatrice; 'you know perfectly well you were a perfect wreck six months ago.
Gave me the fright of my life when I came and saw you.
I thought you were in for a breakdown.
Giles, bear me out.
Didn't Maxim look perfectly ghastly last time we came over, and didn't I say he was heading for a breakdown?'
'Well, I must say, old chap, you're looking a different person,' said Giles.
'Very good thing you went away.
Doesn't he look well, Crawley?'
I could tell by the tightening of Maxim's muscles under my arm that he was trying to keep his temper.
For some reason this talk about his health was not welcome to him, angered him even, and I thought it tactless of Beatrice to harp upon it in this way, making so big a point of it.
'Maxim's very sunburnt,' I said shyly; 'it hides a multitude of sins.
You should have seen him in Venice having breakfast on the balcony, trying to get brown on purpose.
He thinks it makes him better-looking.'
Everyone laughed, and Mr Crawley said,
'It must have been wonderful in Venice, Mrs de Winter, this time of year,' and
'Yes,' I said, 'we had really wonderful weather.
Only one bad day, wasn't it, Maxim?' the conversation drawing away happily from his health, and so to Italy, safest of subjects, and the blessed topic of fine weather.
Conversation was easy now, no longer an effort. Maxim and Giles and Beatrice were discussing the running of Maxim's car, and Mr Crawley was asking if it were true that there were no more gondolas in the canals now, only motor-boats.
I don't think he would have cared at all had there been steamers at anchor in the Grand Canal, he was saying this to help me, it was his contribution to the little effort of steering the talk away from Maxim's health, and I was grateful to him, feeling him an ally, for all his dull appearance.
'Jasper wants exercise,' said Beatrice, stirring the dog with her foot; 'he's getting much too fat, and he's barely two years old.
What do you feed him on, Maxim?'
'My dear Beatrice, he has exactly the same routine as your dogs,' said Maxim.
'Don't show off and make out you know more about animals than I do.'
'Dear old boy, how can you pretend to know what Jasper has been fed on when you've been away for a couple of months?
Don't tell me Frith walks to the lodge gates with him twice a day.
This dog hasn't had a run for weeks. I can tell by the condition of his coat.'
'I'd rather he looked colossal than half-starved like that halfwit dog of yours,' said Maxim.
'Not a very intelligent remark when Lion won two firsts at Cruft's last February,' said Beatrice.
The atmosphere was becoming rather strained again, I could tell by the narrow lines of Maxim's mouth, and I wondered if brothers and sisters always sparred like this, making it uncomfortable for those who listened.
I wished that Frith would come in and announce lunch.
Or would we be summoned by a booming gong?
I did not know what happened at Manderley.
'How far away from us are you?' I asked, sitting down by Beatrice; 'did you have to make a very early start?'
'We're fifty miles away, my dear, in the next county, the other side of Trowchester.
The hunting is so much better with us.
You must come over and stay, when Maxim can spare you.