To-day he had the house to himself. The corn-dealers shop was closed,
as on a Sunday; the optician and his blind wife had locked up their
rooms and were spending Easter-tide, it might be hoped, amid more
cheerful surroundings. Hilliard sat with his door open, that he might
easily hear the knock which announced his guests at the entrance below.
It sounded, at length, but timidly. Had he not been listening, he would
not have perceived it. Eve's handling of the knocker was firmer than
that, and in a different rhythm. Apprehensive of disappointment, he
hurried downstairs and opened the door to Patty Ringrose--Patty alone.
With a shy but pleased laugh, her cheeks warm and her eyes bright, she
jerked out her hand to him as in the old days.
"I know you won't be glad to see me. I'm so sorry. I said I had better
not come."
"Of course I am glad to see you. But where's Eve?"
"It's so unfortunate--she has such a bad headache!" panted the girl.
"She couldn't possibly come, and I wanted to stay with her, I said. I
should only disappoint you."
"It's a pity, of course; but I'm glad you came, for all that." Hilliard
stifled his dissatisfaction and misgivings. "You'll think this a queer
sort of place. I'm quite alone here to-day. But after you have rested a
little we can go somewhere else."
"Yes. Eve told me you would be so kind as to take me to see things. I'm
not tired. I won't come in, if you'd rather----"
"Oh, you may as well see what sort of a den I've made for myself."
He led the way upstairs. When she reached the top, Patty was again
breathless, the result of excitement more than exertion. She exclaimed
at sight of the sitting-room. How cosy it was! What a scent from the
flowers! Did he always buy flowers for his room? No doubt it was to
please Eve. What a comfortable chair! Of course Eve always sat in this
chair?
Then her babbling ceased, and she looked up at Hilliard, who stood over
against her, with nervous delight. He could perceive no change whatever
in her, except that she was better dressed than formerly. Not a day
seemed to have been added to her age; her voice had precisely the
intonations that he remembered. After all, it was little more than half
a year since they were together in Paris; but to Hilliard the winter
had seemed of interminable length, and he expected to find Miss
Ringrose a much altered person.
"When did this headache begin?" he inquired, trying to speak without
over-much concern.
"She had a little yesterday, when she met me at the station. I didn't
think she was looking at all well."
"I'm surprised to hear that. She looked particularly well when I saw
her last. Had you any trouble in making your way here?"
"Oh, not a bit. I found the tram, just as Eve told me. But I'm so
sorry! And a fine day too! You don't often have fine days here, do you,
Mr. Hilliard?"
"Now and then. So you've seen Dudley at last. What do you think of it?"
"Oh, I like it! I shouldn't mind living there a bit. But of course I
like Birmingham better."
"Almost as fine as Paris, isn't it?"
"You don't mean that, of course. But I've only seen a few of the
streets, and most of the shops are shut up to-day. Isn't it a pity Eve
has to live so far off? Though, of course, it isn't really very
far--and I suppose you see each other often?"
Hilliard took a seat, crossed his legs, and grasped his knee. The girl
appeared to wait for an answer to her last words, but he said nothing,
and stared at the floor.
"If it's fine to-morrow," Patty continued, after observing him
furtively, "are you coming to Dudley?"
"Yes, I shall come over. Did she send any message?"
"No--nothing particular----"
Patty looked confused, stroked her dress, and gave a little cough.
"But if it rains--as it very likely will--there's no use in my coming."
"No, she said not."
"Or if her headache is still troubling her----"
"Let's hope it will be better. But--in any case, she'll be able to come
with me to Birmingham on Monday, when I go back I must be home again on
Monday night."
"Don't you think," said Hilliard carelessly, "that Eve would rather
have you to herself, just for the short time you are here?"
Patty made vigorous objection.
"I don't think that at all. It's quite settled that you are to come
over to-morrow, if it's fine. Oh, and I _do_ hope it will be! It would
be so dreadful to be shut up in the house all day at Dudley. How very
awkward that there's no place where she can have you there! If it
rains, hadn't we better come here? I'm sure it would be better for Eve.
She seems to get into such low spirits--just like she was sometimes in
London."
"That's quite news to me," said the listener gravely.
"Doesn't she let you know? Then I'm so sorry I mentioned it. You won't
tell her I said anything?"
"Wait a moment. Does she say that she is often in low spirits?"
Patty faltered, stroking her dress with the movement of increasing
nervousness.
"It's better I should know," Hilliard added, "I'm afraid she keeps all
this from me. For several weeks I have thought her in particularly good
health."
"But she tells me just the opposite. She says----"
"Says what?"
"Perhaps it's only the place that doesn't agree with her. I don't think
Dudley is _very_ healthy, do you?"
"I never heard of doctors sending convalescents there. But Eve must be
suffering from some other cause, I think. Does it strike you that she
is at all like what she used to be when--when you felt so anxious about
her?"
He met the girl's eyes, and saw them expand in alarm.
"I didn't think--I didn't mean----" she stammered.
"No, but I have a reason for asking. Is it so or not?"
"Don't frighten me, Mr. Hilliard! I do so wish I hadn't said anything.
She isn't in good health, that's all. How can you think----? That was
all over long ago. And she would never--I'm _sure_ she wouldn't, after
all you've done for her."
Hilliard ground the carpet with his foot, and all but uttered a violent
ejaculation.
"I know she is all gratitude," were the words that became audible.
"She is indeed!" urged Patty. "She says that--even if she wished--she
could never break off with you; as I am _sure_ she would never wish!"
"Ah! that's what she says," murmured the other. And abruptly he rose.
"There's no use in talking about this. You are here for a holiday, and
not to be bored with other people's troubles. The sun is trying to
shine. Let us go and see the town, and then--yes, I'll go back with you
to Dudley, just to hear whether Eve is feeling any better. You could
see her, and then come out and tell me."
"Mr. Hilliard, I'm quite sure you are worrying without any cause--you
are, indeed!"
"I know I am. It's all nonsense. Come along, and let us enjoy the
sunshine."
They spent three or four hours together, Hilliard resolute in his
discharge of hospitable duties, and Miss Ringrose, after a brief spell
of unnatural gravity, allowing no reflection to interfere with her
holiday mood. Hilliard had never felt quite sure as to the limits of
Patty's intelligence; he could not take her seriously, and yet felt
unable to treat her altogether as a child or an imbecile. To-day,
because of his preoccupied thoughts, and the effort it cost him to be
jocose, he talked for the most part in a vein of irony which impressed,
but did not much enlighten, his hearer.
"This," said he, when they had reached the centre of things, "is the
Acropolis of Birmingham. Here are our great buildings, of which we
boast to the world. They signify the triumph of Democracy--and of
money. In front of you stands the Town Hall. Here, to the left, is the
Midland Institute, where a great deal of lecturing goes on, and the big
free library, where you can either read or go to sleep. I have done
both in my time. Behind yonder you catch a glimpse of the fountain that
plays to the glory of Joseph Chamberlain--did you ever hear of him? And
further back still is Mason College, where young men are taught a
variety of things, including discontent with a small income. To the
right there, that's the Council Hall--splendid, isn't it! We bring our
little boys to look at it, and tell them if they make money enough they
may some day go in and out as if it were their own house. Behind it you
see the Art Gallery. We don't really care for pictures; a great big
machine is our genuine delight; but it wouldn't be nice to tell
everybody that."
"What a lot I have learnt from you!" exclaimed the girl ingenuously,
when at length they turned their steps towards the railway station. "I
shall always remember Birmingham. You like it much better than London,
don't you?"
"I glory in the place!"
Hilliard was tired out. He repented of his proposal to make the journey
to Dudley and back, but his companion did not suspect this.
"I'm sure Eve will come out and have a little walk with us," she said
comfortingly. "And she'll think it so kind of you."
At Dudley station there were crowds of people; Patty asked leave to
hold by her companion's arm as they made their way to the exit. Just
outside Hilliard heard himself hailed in a familiar voice; he turned
and saw Narramore.
"I beg your pardon," said his friend, coming near. "I didn't notice--I
thought you were alone, or, of course I shouldn't have shouted. Shall
you be at home to-morrow afternoon?"
"If it rains."
"It's sure to rain. I shall look in about four."