It was an epoch-making afternoon for Jacqueline, and not the least part
of the enchantment was her first experience of automobiling. The
wheezing, coughing little equipage known to Professor Thorpe's friends
as the Ark had induced in her the belief that automobiles were a very
poor substitute for horses, and she scorned to enter it. But this
powerful, silent car of Farwell's, capable of such incredible speed and
yet controlled by a lever or a button quite as easily as she herself
could have handled a horse--it gave her the feeling that she was riding
a tamed whirlwind.
"Nice car, isn't it? I like it best of all Farwell's machines. It is to
be mine while I'm here," said Channing.
"Do you mean to say Mr. Farwell owns more than one of them?" asked
Jacqueline, awed. "How in the world did he ever get to be so rich? He's
an artist, isn't he? And I thought artists were never rich."
"It depends upon the kind of art. Farwell gives the people what they
want, which always pays."
"He must sell a lot of pictures to buy a machine like this!"
"Pictures!" He turned and stared at her. "Why, I don't believe you know
who he is!" He chuckled. "What a blow for Morty! I must tell him that
there's actually a girl in America who doesn't recognise him on sight.
He is _the_ Farwell--Mortimer Farwell himself, my dear."
Jacqueline looked blank.
"What, never even heard of him? Mortimer Farwell is--or was--the most
popular matinée idol on the stage. He's resting on his laurels at
present, but I don't think he will rest long. Between you and me, he
misses the footlights."
"On the stage! You mean he's an actor? And I'm going to his house! What
_will_ Jemmy say when she hears of this?" Jacqueline looked rather
alarmed.
Channing said, much amused, "Actors don't bite, my dear child. Farwell's
a gentleman. And I am here to protect you."
She still felt uneasy. Her experience of actors had been confined to the
barn-stormers who occasionally drifted into the nearest town and out
again as speedily as possible. Though the theatres of Frankfort and
Lexington were only a few hours away, they belonged to the life Mrs.
Kildare shunned.
"At least he's married," murmured Jacqueline with some relief. "Is she
on the stage, too? Will I like her?"
"His wife? Oh, Mrs. Farwell never comes here, you know. It's a bachelor
place. That's why he calls it Holiday Hill."
"Dear me!" she said, puzzled. "Don't they like each other, then?"
"Very much, I believe. It's an extremely comfortable arrangement. She
makes her engagements, he makes his; all very friendly and no questions
asked. Quite the ideal match."
Jacqueline looked doubtful. "But what about the children?"
"Oh, there aren't any children, of course. Fancy May Farwell with
children!"
"But if people are going to live that way, what is the use of getting
married?"
"There is none," said Channing, earnestly. "Believe me, there is none.
Many have made that discovery. I mean to profit by their example."
"You mean never to marry at all?" asked Jacqueline, and sighed a little;
so far and fast does maiden fancy roam once it slips the leash.
Channing was not unaware of that sigh, and not displeased by it. But
what he did fail to notice was the smile that immediately succeeded it;
a demure and secret smile which said more plainly than words, "We shall
see, Mr. Percival Channing! We shall see!"
The word "forbidden" had always upon young Jacqueline an opposite effect
to that intended.
Hours passed as if on wings. Farwell, so they were informed by a correct
man-servant at the door, was away for the afternoon and evening, so that
they had the house to themselves. Jacqueline went from room to beautiful
room of the bachelor establishment, lost in admiration of the
ivory-paneled walls, the charming pictures, the delicate French
furniture and brocade hangings of the bedrooms, each with a marble bath
attached that was luxurious enough for a Roman emperor.
"To think of just a man having things like this!" she marveled.
It was her first glimpse of luxury, a thing unknown to the rough and
simple comfort of Storm. Vaguely it oppressed her. She felt shy for the
first time in her life, self-conscious. It seemed to her that her
gestures were awkward, her voice too big and crude. Channing detected
the chagrin in her expressive face, and had the tact to lure her into
the music room, where she forgot herself entirely.
Music was far more of a passion with the girl than Kate Kildare was
capable of realizing. She had done what she could to cultivate in both
her daughters a taste that had been in her day part of the education of
every lady. She herself enjoyed music, and she intended to supplement
their singing and piano lessons with occasioned visits to Cincinnati to
hear grand opera. There was an excellent musical library at Storm, and
the best records to be had for the graphophone were sent to her
regularly. She felt that from a musical standpoint she was doing her
full duty by her children.
Of the physical reaction that music produces in some finely strung
temperaments, Kate knew nothing at all. Jacqueline's was a nature
similar to hers, but far less balanced, and lacking as yet an outlet for
its abounding energy. There were possibilities in her which would have
startled the mother, had she guessed them.
Percival Channing, with his carefully developed flair for character
study, guessed them from the first. Susceptibility to musical
intoxication was a thing which he understood, a thing to which he
himself was more or less subject. He knew the danger and the value of
it. Without some such susceptibility, he believed, artistic
accomplishment was not possible. He had been thrown much into the
company of singers, players, painters, people whose profession was the
charming of a capricious public, and he saw in the girl many of the
requisites for success--not only the voice, so far unspoiled by bad
training, but the sensitiveness, the beauty, even the splendid physical
strength necessary to that most strenuous of all professions, operatic
singing. It flattered his vanity to realize that he was the discoverer
of a possible celebrity.
Song after song they tried together, Channing playing the
accompaniments. He played well, and made the most of rather faulty
music. Jacqueline thought the songs wonderful. It was her introduction
to the sensuous, discordant harmonies of Strauss and de Bussy, of whom
Channing was an ardent disciple. They puzzled and stirred her oddly.
Now and then as she leaned over Channing's shoulder to interpret the
difficult manuscript score, he glanced up to meet her eyes, no longer
merry and mischievous as was their wont, but curiously somber, languid.
He saw that she was giving herself to music as an opium eater surrenders
to the drug he loves, indifferent to her surroundings, unaware of them,
perhaps; but not unaware of him. It was to him she sang, however
unconsciously. Jacqueline had found the audience she needed, and she was
singing as she had never sung in her life before.
It was with some difficulty that Channing kept his attention on the
score.
Unnoticed, the long August twilight had come into the room, and a
servant shut it out unobtrusively with silken curtains. Later he
returned and announced dinner. Jacqueline's eyes opened suddenly as if
from sleep.
"What did he say?" she asked.
The servant cleared his throat and repeated, "Dinner is served."
"Dinner?" Jacqueline started. "You mean supper? Why, it's dark, and the
candles are lighted! Mr. Channing, what time is it? Goodness, I must
hurry! Mother'll be home by this time."
"Please, no," he protested. "I took the liberty of telling the servants
you would dine with me to-night. Why not, Miss Jacqueline? Do take pity
on my loneliness. Farwell does not return till to-morrow."
She hesitated, longingly. "It would be fun."
"Of course it would. And perfectly harmless. Farwell's servants are
discreet. He has trained them. Nobody need know."
But it was not any doubts of propriety that made her hesitate. For
Jacqueline, conventions did not exist. Moreover, the breaking of bread
seemed too natural and simple a thing to take with any seriousness. It
was her democratic custom to present herself for a meal at any table
near which the meal hour happened to find her. Farmers, tenants, even
negroes in the field, had on occasion proudly shared their bacon and
corn-pone with the Madam's youngest daughter.
"It's Mother," she explained, "She has just come home, and I haven't
seen her for three days. If I am not there to pet her and make a fuss
over her, she will miss me, and worry.--No," she corrected herself,
"Mother never worries, but she'll wonder. I must go."
"There's to be a rum cake," murmured Channing, craftily. "And--do you
like champagne?"
Jacqueline's eyes sparkled. "I've never tasted it, or rum cake either. I
_would_ like to--" her eyes wandered wistfully toward the dining-room.
"Suppose I telephone and ask Mother whether she'd mind?"
"If you do that, she's sure to mind. Mothers always do. Besides, think
of the firm sister. Do you suppose she'll consent to your dining in a
strange actor's house? Never!"
Jacqueline tossed her head. "It's none of Jemmy's business. She's only
two years older than I am.--Besides, I needn't tell her where I've been,
need I?"
Channing had accomplished his purpose.
The girl's hunger for the things that were to him matters of everyday,
touched him. She stood a moment in the door of the dining-room, gazing
in delight at the long carven oak table, with Florentine candelabra at
each end and a strip of filet across the center, at either side of which
their plates were laid, separated by a vase of white alabaster, holding
a few hothouse roses, crimson as blood. Untrained as her eyes were, they
appreciated the æsthetic at sight.
"It is all so different," she said with a little sigh. "The very food is
different, and beautiful."
"Farwell does himself very well at what he calls his little backwoods
farmhouse. But why the sigh?"
"Because--" she looked away shyly, then looked at him again. "I was
thinking that I don't belong in this sort of place, and--and you do."
"Nonsense!" He leaned across the table, and laid his hand on hers. "You
belong wherever things are most beautiful, my dear. As for environment,
you can make it what you choose," he said. "Don't you realize that?
Whatever you choose, Jacqueline."
"Can I?" Her eyes met his in a long gaze. The languor of the music was
still in them, but he saw another expression growing there, a grave and
womanly sweetness. "I wonder--" The hand under his turned so that the
warm fingers clasped his.
At that moment the discreet servant entered with a small bottle wrapped
in a napkin. Channing withdrew his hand abruptly.
"Of course you can!" he smiled and lifted a glass shaped like a lily,
filled with sparkling gold. "To your future career!" he said, and drank.
She echoed the toast, "To my future career."
Perhaps the career she had in mind was not entirely an operatic one,
however.
Very shortly afterwards, he took her home. She went rather reluctantly,
glancing in at the music-room with a wistful sigh. But he was adamant.
He had no idea of arousing maternal watchfulness.
"I wish we had time for a little more music," she said.
"We shall have a great deal more music before we are done with each
other, little girl," he assured her.
She answered naïvely, "But it will never be quite like this again. The
next time I come, Mr. Farwell will probably be here."
Channing laughed. "I can promise you he won't! Morty's an awfully good
sort, and not keen on music. We shall have his music-room to ourselves
whenever we like."
She nestled against him in the machine confidingly, feeling the reaction
of the day's excitement, and perhaps of the champagne, to which Basil
Kildare's daughter had taken very kindly.
"I feel so tired all of a sudden," she murmured. "Do you mind if I put
my head on your shoulder?"
Channing did not mind. "Make yourself comfortable!"
She lay there, gazing up happily at the stars that were beginning to
show in the wide curve of the sky, and singing under her breath,
"When you come to the end of a perfect day--"
"I wish," she said presently, half to herself, "that this day could just
have gone on forever."
Channing did not answer. He was beginning to congratulate himself on the
self-control that kept his hands to the steering-wheel. Jacqueline,
drowsy and sweet as a tired child, was rather hard to resist; but
Channing had certain inconvenient ideas as to the duties of a host and a
gentleman, ideas that were the sole remnant of a careful New England
upbringing.
She lapsed into contented silence, and they did not speak again until
they reached the foot of Storm hill. There Channing stopped his car.
"Wake up, and run along home now, little girl," he said, his voice more
tender than he meant it to be.
She roused herself and smiled at him, a wonderful, wide smile. She was
very grateful to this new friend of hers for his sympathy, his
understanding, grateful for the glimpse he had given her of a world
hitherto unguessed, grateful for the look in his eyes at that moment.
"I do wish," she said, holding out both hands, "that I knew how to--to
thank you!"
Channing's admirable self-control slipped a cog. He took the hands. "I
can show you how to thank me," he said, quite hoarsely for a mere
collector of impressions.
She jerked her hands away, dimpling, and jumped out of the car. The
imminent prospect of being kissed had not shocked her--in fact, she was
rather surprised that she had not been kissed before. But she had her
instincts of the sex that flees. So she turned and ran, neither very
fast nor very far--
"Dear me!" she whispered presently against Channing's lips, "what would
old Philip say to this? He told me I couldn't be too careful with
strange men. I'm not being _very_ careful, am I?"
"Damn Philip! Kiss me again," said the author.
Breathless and radiant, she ran her blithe way up the dark hill road.
She had been hungry for other things than music and sympathy and
friendship, this youngest of the wild Kildares of Storm.
Her mother was standing in the door, Philip Benoix beside her.
"There you are, Jacky girl! I was just about to send Philip out to find
you, gadabout. Have you had any supper?"
"Oh, yes, Mummy darling, I took some with me." It was the first lie of
Jacqueline's life, and the ease with which it came surprised her. She
ran into her mother's arms and hugged her close. "Oh, Mummy, I am so
happy, happy!"
"There, there," murmured Kate, moved. "Glad to have me home again, my
precious? But you needn't crack my ribs in your belated ardor. Where
have you been so late?"
"Oh, just roaming around," she said vaguely. "The twilight was so
lovely."
"Little dreamer!" Sighing, she knew not why, Kate drew the glowing face
to her own.
But for once Jacqueline of the eager lips turned her cheek, so that her
mother's kiss should not disturb the memory of certain others.