If John Gaunt had deliberately planned to fan his wife’s dawning
love into a fierce flame, he could not have acted in a manner more
calculated to bring this about, for when Lady Mildred saw that he was
deliberately avoiding every opportunity of intimate conversation, she
became utterly miserable, although she had led him to believe that this
was what she herself desired.
It was strange to her, this feeling of interest in her husband, and
all day she found herself wondering what he was doing. At first she
did not regret the attitude which she had taken up, but slowly it was
being revealed to her that all other considerations were as nought
when compared with love. With this realization there came a feeling of
timidity which restrained her impulse to go to Gaunt and tell him what
was in her heart.
What mattered his actions, however strange—what mattered his damaged
reputation, so long as he loved her with the deep passion of which she
had been permitted to catch a faint glimpse. She would force herself to
forget the many mysterious things which surrounded her, and would only
remember that he was her husband, and father of the child that she was
rapidly growing to worship.
Of one thing she was convinced, that there was nothing mean in Gaunt’s
nature. If he had been guilty of conduct which he was endeavoring to
hide, and which was preying on his mind, it was nothing of which he
need feel ashamed; and thus it will be seen that Lady Mildred did not
yet understand the nature of the man that she had married.
On the morning that the Baron had paid his second visit, she had
been communing with herself, and had decided to put an end to the
estrangement that existed, but when she went down to lunch, her husband
was not there.
Her sister and Edward Drake were present, and it very soon became clear
to her that the atmosphere was electrical, for each of them avoided
addressing any remark to the other.
Drake confined his attention to Lady Mildred, and the latter
immediately began to imagine that he had proposed marriage to Lady
Ethel, and had been refused.
At last the uncomfortable meal came to an end, and Lady Mildred rose
from the table.
“Will you come to my room, dear?” she said, and Lady Ethel followed her
obediently.
“What has happened?” Lady Mildred asked when they were seated.
“I hate him, he is a beast,” Lady Ethel said vindictively.
“I suppose you mean Mr. Drake. What has the poor man done?”
“He has been very rude, and I believe he looks upon me as a child,” she
cried passionately.
“You are not much more than a child, Ethel. But what is it all about?”
Lady Mildred asked with an indulgent smile.
“I really did it for the best. When the Baron left this morning I
followed, and went with him to the park.”
“It was a stupid thing to do. Baron de Croiseuil is not a desirable
acquaintance,” Lady Mildred answered disapprovingly.
“I only went for your sake, Mildred. I could see that you and John were
miserable, and I guessed that it was all owing to the Baron, so thought
I might help.”
Lady Ethel was crying quietly, so her sister suppressed the angry words
that were near her lips, and kissed her tenderly.
“There is no reason why you should make such a fuss about it,” she said
gently.
“I never imagined that Mr. Drake could be so rude. He told me that I
was a meddlesome little busybody,” Lady Ethel said hotly.
“They were rather strong words.”
“And I really didn’t mean to tell the Baron that you and John had
quarreled; it slipped out.”
“Mr. Drake was quite right,” Lady Mildred broke in vehemently.
“Besides, it is untrue that my husband and I have quarreled. I love him
dearly.”
“Well, you have a funny way of showing your affection,” Lady Ethel
broke in, and then began to sob in earnest.
Even at school she had been thoroughly spoilt, for her winning ways had
endeared her to all, and Drake’s strong words had come as a shock. Now
her sister was adding to her misery, but she quickly recovered herself
and sailed out of the room with rather a pitiable attempt at dignity.
Lady Mildred was annoyed at the occurrence, but she had more weighty
thoughts to occupy her mind, and could only wonder how John would
receive the advances which she had determined to make. To her great
disappointment he did not return, and so soon after six o’clock she
commenced to dress for dinner. Latterly she had taken but little
interest in her toilet, and her maid was surprised and pleased by the
care she took in choosing her gown. At last she was satisfied, and
critically examined her reflection in the long mirror. The least vain
of women, she knew that she was looking her best, and when she entered
the drawing-room, excitement had brought a becoming touch of color to
her cheeks.
It was a few minutes before Gaunt entered, and gave a quick glance
around the room.
“I haven’t much time to spare,” he said hurriedly, and as he spoke
dinner was announced.
During the meal Lady Ethel was particularly gracious to Captain Drake,
and practically ignored his brother.
“Drake, we must be going,” Gaunt said after a glance at his watch.
Lady Mildred also rose and accompanied them to the hall.
“Will you be very late, John?” she said nervously.
“No. I shall be back as soon as the meeting is over,” he answered, and
could not keep a note of surprise from his voice.
“Then will you come to my room?” she said in a low voice.
“Very well, dear,” he answered, and gave her a quick look, but her
face was turned away, and he uttered a faint sigh which failed to reach
her ears.
Lady Ethel had followed more slowly, and she did not appear to notice
Edward Drake who was standing near.
“I hope you have recovered,” he remarked with a smile. “Perhaps I was
a little hard, but you really deserved all that I said. I can see that
you are still angry with me, but if you take a night to think it over,
you will arrive at the conclusion that I was right.”
“I was not aware that Mr. Gaunt had appointed you father confessor to
the whole family. Mr. Drake, you really take too much upon yourself,”
she said haughtily.
“Come along,” Gaunt cried impatiently.
For a time Lady Ethel sat with her sister, but she was ill at ease, and
at an early hour expressed her intention of going to bed. Lady Mildred
was relieved by her departure, for she wished to be alone with her
thoughts.
A clock chimed ten o’clock, and she went to her bedroom, where she
summoned her maid and clothed herself in a dressing-gown covered with
clouds of filmy lace that was priceless. Every jewel was removed except
her wedding-ring, and at last she was satisfied with her appearance.
“If it were my last mistress, I should say that my lady was about to
receive her lover,” was the maid’s unspoken thought.
“May I say that my lady is very beautiful to-night?” the maid remarked
respectfully, and she regarded her mistress with the eye of an expert.
It was the first time that she had dared venture upon a compliment, and
she half expected a rebuke as a reward, but Lady Mildred only smiled
faintly.
“There are some deep red roses, my lady. At your breast they would give
the one finishing touch that makes perfect. May I fetch them?” the maid
asked eagerly.
“Am I a simple little fool?” Lady Mildred asked herself when she once
again entered the room to which she had invited her husband.
Time passed slowly, and once or twice she took up a book only to throw
it down again with a sigh of impatience. Eleven o’clock struck, and she
began to wonder if he would fail to come.
But at last there was a knock at the door, and in answer to her call
John Gaunt strode into the room. His face was drawn and he had the
appearance of a man who was exhausted physically and mentally. But his
eyes lighted up with admiration and passionate love when they rested on
his wife.
“Sit down, dear,” she said nervously. “You look very tired. Did you
have a successful meeting?”
As she spoke she took up a cushion, and placed it beneath his head.
“I don’t often wait on you, John,” she said in a low voice.
He could not keep the wonder from his face, for never had she been
so gentle, and so entirely fascinating. But he remembered his
determination, and kept a tight hold upon himself.
Then she sank down on the rug beside him and rested her elbows on his
knees. At first her eyes were cast down, but suddenly she raised them
and looked straight at him.
“Mildred,” he whispered hoarsely.
“John, dear, let me tell you what is in my heart,” she began
tremulously. “I don’t think that I am the same woman that you married,
for I feel——Forgive me if I say a lot about myself, for that is the
only way in which I can make you understand. When we married, I did not
care for you, I’m not sure if I even liked you, for at times you made
me afraid. However, I was watching you and learning. But I was blind
and selfish until baby came, and it was not till then that I began to
understand something of what life can contain.”
John Gaunt scarcely dared to breathe as he listened. He knew how deeply
she must be moved to reveal herself so openly to him.
“Since baby came it has been a gradual awakening. Even when I asked
you to take me away on the yacht, I did not fully understand. I only
knew that my feelings towards you had changed, and that you occupied my
thoughts almost entirely.”
As she continued her voice took a deeper tone, and her eyes were not
removed from his, so that he could see their changing expression and
gathering passion.
“And then you refused to go away with me, and I was deeply hurt, for I
naturally thought that you did not want me. I even feared that I had
lost your love, and it was agony—agony.”
He could feel the trembling of her arms, and he longed to clasp her to
him. But dare he do so, with his past unconfessed? He had decided that
he would not again seek her love until he could go to her with clean
hands, and yet———
“But soon it was revealed to me that the world was nothing. If you have
sinned in the past, if you fear that people will make charges against
you, that could not affect you and me, John.” Her voice was tremulous,
and there was a wild appeal in her eyes.
“John, it is difficult to say the words, but I love you, body and soul,
even as I believe that you love me.”
She rose to her feet and looked down at him with an air of pride in
this declaration of her love.
“All petty considerations have vanished. I make no conditions. I ask no
favor of you, save that you shall love me.”
He remained silent, and a great fear clutched at her heart.
“John,” she whispered faintly.
With a cry of passion he took her in his arms and crushed her to him.
“Mildred.”
And her lips sought his, for the first kiss of acknowledged love.