Chapter Thirty-One

I don’t think anyone was surprised that the morning was dark and drizzly when Squod was laid to rest. It is always like that. There was a preacher because the old sot had maintained his rates with the parish. There was an undertaker and hired men to carry the casket. Someone was paying them. There was Varden under one black umbrella. There I was under another. There was Blathers huddled with his coat collar raised around his neck. He wouldn’t use an umbrella. He was afraid one of the spokes would poke his eye out. The only other mourners were two women, each standing alone under separate black umbrellas. One was quite elderly, the other younger looking but attired in such a way that it was difficult to guess an age. There was no sign of Jack Squod.

The elderly lady stood not far away from and slightly ahead of Blathers. The prayers were over in short order. The hired men lowered the casket, and the undertaker threw a symbolic shovel of dirt on it. The service was so short Blathers was hardly damp. As the elderly woman turned toward her carriage, she was facing Blathers. He said, “It was nice of you to come. I don’ believe I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance,” just like he was family of the deceased.

The lady bowed her head slightly. “I am Phil’s wife, what left him so many years ago and run off with a traveling man. You aren’t me own son Jack, is ya?”

“No, madam. I was an acquaintance of Mr. Squod when he owned the Black Lion.”

“Oh, dear! I comes here taday in hopes me own son, what I hasn’t seen all these years, would be at his own father’s burial. I has hoped ta see him one more time afore I passes meself.”

Just then, the other woman hurried toward Blathers and the old lady. As she neared them, she lowered her umbrella and folded it. Then she raised the folded umbrella, like she intended to strike the old lady, but then lowered it and strode away.

She crossed the grass, jumped on a horse tethered near the cemetery gate, and rode off like an accomplished horseman.

“Horseman!” Blathers said. “There goes Jack Squod.”