The next day, after a long and busy discussion, in which Laure took
eager interest, and during which plans were made as to stores, arms for
protection against the Indians of the coast they were to visit, lifting
and diving apparatus, and the like, the Cuban was installed at the
cottage, and that first night Dutch saw again upon his face that intense
admiration the dark, warm-blooded Southerner felt for the fair young
English girl. For girl she still was, with a girl's ways, prettily
mingled with her attempts to play the part of mistress of her own house.
The young husband felt a pang of jealous misery await him as he sat
back in the shade of his prettily-furnished drawing-room, seeing their
visitor hover about the piano while Hester sang, paying endless
attentions with the polish and courtesy of a foreigner, various little
refined acts--such as would never have occurred to the bluff young
Englishman.
"I'm a jealous fool--that's what I am," said Dutch to himself; "and if I
go on like this I shall be wretched all the time he is here. I won't
have it--I won't believe it. She is beautiful--God bless her! and no
man could see her without admiring her. I ought to be proud of his
admiration instead of letting it annoy me; for, of course, it's his
foreign way of showing it. An Englishman would be very different; but
what right have I to fancy for a moment that this foreign gentleman, my
guest, would harbour a thought that was not honourable to me? There,
it's all gone."
He brightened up directly; and as, with a pleasant smile, Laure came to
him soon afterwards and challenged him to a game of chess, the evening
passed pleasantly away.
The days glided on rapidly enough, with Dutch Pugh always repeating to
himself the stern reproof that he was unjust to his guest and to his
young wife to allow a single thought of ill to enter his heart; and to
keep these fancies away he worked harder than ever at the preparations
for the voyage, being fain, though, to confess that one thing that urged
him on was the desire to be rid of his guest.
"I don't think much of these furren fellows," said Rasp, one day, when,
after a shorter stay than usual at the offices, Laure had effusively
pressed Dutch's hand and gone back to the cottage. "How does Mrs Pug
like him?"