"The passion of love has a danger for very sensitive, reserved and
concentrated minds unknown to creatures of more volatile, expansive
and unreflective dispositions."
Dick Wantele walked with swinging nervous strides up and down the short
platform of the little country station of Redyford. He had already been
there some time, for the local train run in connection with the London
express was late. But he was in no hurry--there would always be time to
tell Jane that she would not see her lover for some hours.
Mrs. Maule had taken General Lingard over to the Paches to lunch. It was
a small matter, an altogether unimportant matter, and it was certainly
no business of Wantele's to care about it one way or the other. And yet
he did care. He was jealous for Jane in a way she never would be for
herself. And then--and then Lingard had allowed himself to be
bamboozled--no other word so well expressed it--as to the time of Jane's
arrival.
It had happened at breakfast. "Mrs. Pache is expecting us--you and
me--over to lunch," Athena said to Lingard.
And Wantele had cut in--"Jane is coming this morning."
"No, indeed she isn't! We shall be back long before she arrives," and
then Athena had gone on, addressing no one in particular, "Jane is the
most casual person in the world----"
Lingard, throwing back his head with a quizzical look on his face, had
exclaimed, "Yes, that's one of the good things about her." He had shot
out the words as a sword leaps from its scabbard.
There had followed a moment of silence. And then Athena had broken out
into eager praise of Jane--eager, inconsequent praise. But for once Hew
Lingard had seemed indifferent, hardly aware of the sound of her voice.
Instead he looked across to Wantele: "I wonder if you remember that
curious phrase of George Herbert? 'There is an hour wherein a man might
be happy all his life could he but find it--'"
Athena had stared at Lingard--what did he mean by saying such an odd
thing?
Then she had reminded Dick that the last time Jane had been coming to
Rede Place she had changed her mind not once but three times, and what
Athena said had irritated Wantele the more because she spoke the truth.
Jane was curiously uncertain and casual--women of her temperament often
are. She only made an effort to be mindful of her engagements when
dealing with those concerning whom most people would have said
punctuality did not matter--with those forlorn men and women adrift on
the dark sea of South London, to whose service she had given herself
since her brother's death.
For a moment he, Dick Wantele, and Hew Lingard, had been in that
wordless sympathy which between men means friendship. Wantele was eager
to be convinced that his suspicions were both base and baseless. If only
Athena would remove her disturbing presence from Rede Place! But he knew
her too well to hope that she would go--yet.
* * * * *
Here was the train at last, but where was Jane Oglander? Dick looked
before and behind him. No, she was not there. She hadn't come after all.
She had, as usual, changed her plans at the last moment. Athena was
right, Jane was really too casual! When he reached home he would find a
telegram from her explaining----
And then suddenly he saw her walking towards him from the extreme end of
the platform. And the mere sight of her dispelled, not only the
irritation of which he was now ashamed, but the anxieties, the
suspicions of the last ten days.
He had vaguely supposed that Jane would look unlike herself, that the
fact that she was going to be Lingard's wife would have produced in her
some outward change. But she looked as she always looked--set apart from
the women about her, especially from those of her own age, by the
greater simplicity, the almost austerity of her dress. An old cottage
woman had once said to Wantele, "Grey is Miss Oglander's colour, and if
she was 'appy perhaps light blue."
And as she came up to him, smiling, he remembered what the old woman had
said, for Miss Oglander was wearing a long grey cloak; it was open at
the neck, and showed some kind of white vest with a touch of blue
underneath. On her fair hair, framing her face, rested a Quakerish
little cap-like hat with strings tied under her soft chin.
"Dick," she said, "how kind of you to come and meet me! I'm so glad to
see you!"
And he saw with a queer feeling of mingled pleasure and jealous pain
that she did indeed look glad; also that there had in very truth come a
change over her face. Jane Oglander possessed that which is not always
the attribute of beauty, a great and varying charm of expression, but
Wantele had never seen her eyes filled, as they were to-day, with
gladness.
"I nearly came by the later train," she said. "For I had to see a child
off to the country, to a convalescent home, and its train went at the
same time as mine. But I found a kind, understanding porter, and so it
was all right. Working people are so good to one another, Dick. The
porter wouldn't take the sixpence I offered him for looking after the
little boy----" And in her voice there was still that under-current of
joyousness which was so new, and, to Wantele, so unexpected.
Jane Oglander looked as if the six last years had been blotted out,--as
if she were again a happy girl, pathetically, confidently ignorant of
the ugly realities of life.
They walked out of the station together, and with a simultaneous
movement they turned into the field path which formed a short cut to
Rede Place. Soon they fell into the easy, desultory talk of those who
have many interests and occupations in common. The young man had saved
up many little things to tell her--things that he thought would amuse
Jane, things about which he wished to consult her.
And as they walked side by side, Wantele kept reminding himself, with
deep, voiceless melancholy, that this was the last time--the last time
that Jane Oglander would be what she had been for so long, his chief
friend and favourite companion. Lingard--happy Lingard had been right.
More fortunate than Wantele, he had found that hour most men seek and
never find, the hour wherein a man may be happy all his life.
They were now close to the house, and as yet neither had spoken the name
of Jane's lover. "Shall we go in by the Garden Room?" asked Wantele.
Now had come the moment when he must tell her of Athena's and Lingard's
absence; also, when he must, if he could bring himself to do so, wish
her joy.
"You'll have to put up with me for a bit longer, Jane. Athena has taken
General Lingard to lunch at the Paches'. Of course you heard of the
accident?"
"Yes," she said. "Poor Patty!" And then, with a rather quizzical
expression in her kind eyes, "It's odd, isn't it, Dick, that Hew should
be related to the Paches----"
With no answering smile on his face, he exclaimed, "Amazing!"
He put the key in the lock, and turning it pushed open the glass door.
Then he fell back so that she should pass in before him.
"Jane," he muttered hoarsely, "Jane, you know what I would say to
you--how truly I wish you joy----"
She looked up, and then quickly cast down her eyes. Wantele had grown
very pale, across his plain face was written suffering and renunciation.
"I knew," she said in a low voice, "I knew that you would wish me joy."
Neither spoke again till they reached the Greek Room.
There Wantele left her, and then Richard Maule also said his word, his
dry word, of congratulation.
"I like your soldier, Jane! You know what I had hoped would happen--but
things that I hope for never do happen----"
But apart from these two interludes, the first afternoon of Jane
Oglander's stay at Rede Place passed exactly as had passed innumerable
other afternoons spent by her there in recent years. She took a walk
with Dick round the walled gardens which were his special interest and
pleasure; she read aloud for a while to Richard.
Nothing was changed, and yet everything was different. Last time Miss
Oglander had stayed at Rede Place, she had been almost daughter to
Richard Maule, almost wife to Dick Wantele. Now she was about to pass
for ever out of their lives, and on all three of them the knowledge lay
heavy.
* * * * *
At four o'clock the Paches' motor returned with a message that Mrs.
Maule and General Lingard were walking back and would not be home before
five.
Miss Oglander's first meeting with her lover at Rede Place took place in
the Greek Room. It was six o'clock, she had given the two men their tea,
and then, voicing what they were all thinking, "They're very late," said
Richard Maule, and as he uttered the words the door opened and the
truants walked in.
Wantele, sitting in his favourite place, away from the fire, close under
one of the high windows, noted with reluctant approval that Athena did
not overdo her surprise. "Why, Jane, I didn't expect you till the
six-twenty train!"--that was all she said as she came forward and warmly
greeted her friend.
Wantele went on looking dispassionately at his cousin's wife. To-day
Athena had chosen the plainest of out-of-door costumes. A girl of
seventeen might have worn the very short skirt and simple little coat,
but like everything she wore, they made her, at the moment, look her
best. The long walk, and the companionship in which she had taken the
walk, had exhilarated her--intensified her superb vitality. She looked
like some wild, lovely thing out of the woods, a nymph on whom Time
would never dare lay his disfiguring touch.
Lingard, hanging back behind her, showed himself no actor. He looked
moody, preoccupied, almost sullen.
"Has anything happened to-day?" asked Mrs. Maule. "Apart, I mean, from
the happy fact of Jane's arrival----" she smiled radiantly at the other
woman.
Her husband's voice unexpectedly answered her, and as he spoke he cast
on her a look of hate, and then his eyes rested with an air of rather
malignant, speculative curiosity on Lingard's dark, gloomy face and
restless eyes.
"Yes, something did happen during your short absence. I had a call this
morning from Mr. Kaye----" In an aside he muttered for Lingard's
benefit, "Mr. Kaye is our excellent clergyman," and then he went on,
"I'm sorry to say he brought bad news of his son."
All the caressing glow died from Athena's face; it became suddenly
watchful, wary.
Mr. Maule went on, "Bayworth Kaye, it seems, is lying very ill at Aden."
Mrs. Maule gave a slight sigh of relief. That was not what she had
thought, with a sudden overwhelming fear, to hear Richard say.
"The Kayes are thinking of going out to him, and they thought that I
should be able to tell them something about the place--how to get there,
and so on. But I advised them to wait a day or two for further news.
"I heard about Bayworth Kaye's illness some days ago," said Wantele
slowly. "But I forgot to tell you. I did, however, enquire about him
yesterday. They seemed to know very little then----"
* * * * *
"I have been longing, longing, _longing_ to see you, Jane! Now, at last
we can have a talk----"
Putting both her hands on Jane's unresisting shoulders, Mrs. Maule
gently pushed her friend down into a low chair, and then knelt down by
her.
They were in Jane's bedroom, and it still wanted three-quarters of an
hour to dinner.
Jane's eyes filled with happy tears. She was moved to the heart. How
good they all were to her!
She could still feel the clinging, the convulsive, grasp of Lingard's
hand. She had not seen him alone, even for a moment, but now, at last,
they were under the same roof, and each of his letters from Rede Place
had been a cry of longing for her.
"We ought not to have gone to the Paches'," cried Athena remorsefully.
"But honestly it never occurred to me that you would come till the
evening train, Jane."
Jane laughed through her tears. "I'm very glad you went! I enjoyed my
quiet day here. And oh I am so glad to see you, Athena! I was afraid
that you might be away."
"Do you really think I should leave Rede Place--now?" Athena looked
searchingly into Jane's face. "I know we are none of us conventional,
but still the proprieties have to be respected--sometimes!"
Jane reddened uncomfortably. She had not thought of it in that way. She
and Hew had been so happy together alone in London. But no doubt Athena
was right.
Athena rose slowly, gracefully, from her knees, and stood looking down
at her friend with a rather inscrutable smile. Jane moved uneasily, she
felt as if the other woman was gently, remorselessly stripping her soul
of its wrappings....
"You look just the same," said Mrs. Maule, still smiling that probing,
mysterious smile, "just as much a white and grey nun as you did before,
Jane. But I think this is the first time I ever saw you blush. Go on
blushing, dear--it makes you look quite pretty and worldly!"
Jane flinched beneath the intent questioning gaze. She felt suddenly
defenceless against a form of attack she had not expected from her
friend. She could not bear the lightest touch of raillery, still less
any laughing comment, on what was so deep and sacred a thing to herself
as her relation to Lingard.
She got up, walked over to a window, and pulled back the curtain.
Athena moved swiftly after her, and with a gentle violence put her soft
arms round Jane and pillowed the girl's head on her breast.
"Jane!" she whispered, "do forgive me--I understand, indeed I do!
But--but the sight of your happiness makes me a little bitter. Richard
has been worse than ever this time. And Dick has been--well, Dick at his
very worst. I can't think why he dislikes me so--but to be sure I have
never liked him either!"
Jane heard her in troubled silence. Her feelings of restful happiness,
of exquisite content, had gone.
"I'm sure that General Lingard must have noticed Richard's extraordinary
manner to me," Athena spoke musingly. "Has he said anything about it in
any of his letters to you?"
"No, never." Jane released herself from Mrs. Maule's circling arms.
"I like your man so much," went on Athena, stroking Jane's hair, "so
very, very much! I think I like him more than I ever thought to like a
man again. But then he's so unlike most men, Jane."
Jane did not need Athena's words to convince her that Hew Lingard was
unlike other men. But still her friend's words touched and pleased her.
"He's been so awful good to me these last ten days! He's made everything
easier. Fortunately Richard took a great fancy to him. And he and I--I
know you won't be jealous, Jane--have become true friends. When Dick
isn't looking, we call each other Hew and Athena!"
"I am so glad," said Jane in a low voice; and indeed she was glad that
the two had "made friends."
But again she was touched with vague discomfort, again she shrank, when
Mrs. Maule, leading her back into the room, rained eager, insistent
questions on her----
"Do tell me all about it! How did it all begin? How did you ever come to
know each other so well before he went away? What made him first write
to you? Were they love letters, Jane? Come, of course you must know
whether they were love letters or not! You're not so simple as all that
comes to--no woman ever is!"
But at last, driven at bay, her heart bruised by the other's indelicate
curiosity, Jane said slowly, "I dare say I'm foolish--but I would rather
not talk about it, Athena."
A look of deep offence passed over Mrs. Maule's face. Later on--much
later on--Jane wondered whether she had been wrong in saying those few
words--words said feelingly, apologetically.
"Of course we won't speak of your engagement if you would rather not.
I'm sorry. I had no idea you would mind. I must go and dress now. But
just one word more, Jane. Of course you and General Lingard will like to
be a good deal alone together--I'll give Dick a hint."
"No, no!" cried Jane. "Please don't do that, Athena. I don't want
anything of the sort said to Dick."
But Mrs. Maule went on as if she had not heard the other's words, "And
you can always sit together in my boudoir. Mrs. Pache was saying to-day
that it was a pity I didn't use the drawing-room more than I do. She
thought--it was so like an Englishwoman to say so--that it smelt damp!"
"As if we should think of turning you out of your own room! How can you
imagine such a thing? I don't want you to make the slightest difference
while I'm here. Hew and I will have plenty of opportunities of seeing
one another when we get back to London. Please don't speak to Dick--I
should be very, very sorry if you spoke to Dick, Athena."