A FRESH COMPLICATION
Immediately they were alone Geoff seized Evarne by both hands, and
holding her at arm's length, surveyed her from head to foot, as if for
the first time.
"Evarne, Evarne! to think that by to-morrow evening you will be my wife!
Can you realise it? I hardly can."
"I'm not going to try," she asserted. "It doesn't do to make too certain
of anything in this world. Perhaps we shan't be able to get a special
licence."
"Oh, it's quite simple. A friend of mine was married by that means. We
have to make solemn affidavits that there is no legal impediment. Then
it is essential that the ceremony shall take place in the parish where
one of us has lived for a certain length of time. You won't mind being
married in church?"
"Oh no."
"Besides getting the licence, then, all we have to do is to arrange with
a clergyman, and there need not be an hour's delay. It's not even
necessary to heed the canonical hours. I'd better go down to Doctors
Commons almost immediately and see about it."
Just then a girl's bright laugh fell upon their ears, footsteps were
heard mounting the stairs, and in a minute Maudie Meridith, Jack and
Pallister entered the studio. The little lady, though somewhat
breathless, was in high spirits. She evidently looked upon this visit
quite in the light of an adventure.
"Only fancy my getting here safe and sound, Mr. Danvers!" she exclaimed
in her gay voice. "It's just like a novelette, isn't it?"
Pallister speedily introduced the two young women to one another.
Although it was tacitly recognised that Geoff's engagement was not to be
made public knowledge just yet, Pallister had not been able to resist
the temptation of relating to Maudie the events that had arisen from
Winborough's visit to the studio on Monday afternoon. She therefore
gazed with the keenest interest upon the beautiful model who was one day
to become a countess, and greeted her with the utmost cordiality and
sweetness.
"Did you find it awfully difficult to escape by yourself?" inquired
Pallister, stumbling over the stand of his easel as he rushed about
making final preparations.
"It was fairly simple. I was so frightened at breakfast, for auntie
suddenly announced she was going out somewhere or other--anyhow, she
suggested that I should go with her. I was dreadfully upset, for I
couldn't think of any reasonable excuse for refusing."
"But an idea came at last?"
"Fortunately there was no need. Auntie, who was opening her letters,
came to one from Madame Constantia, her dressmaker, saying she should
call this morning. So I was able to slip away easily--lucky, wasn't it?"
"Rather! Now let's pose you for this wondrous picture."
After many different attempts, he turned to his friends with a satisfied
air: "I think that's perfect. What do you say, you others?"
Public opinion decided that the model's left arm had better be placed
negligently over the arm of the chair.
"Ah, that's a great improvement," confessed the artist.
"It can't possibly be altered for the better, I'm sure."
"How am I to pose my eyes?" inquired the docile model.
"That doesn't matter at present. Now, keep quite still."
Holding a stick of charcoal at arm's-length, Pallister unconsciously put
on a stern and impressive frown as he commenced to put leading lines
upon his big new canvas.
Geoff and Evarne once again sat down side by side on the divan, and in
low tones proceeded to discuss the prosaic business arrangements for the
eventful morrow. Evarne did not disguise her anxiety to leave England
immediately on the completion of the wedding ceremony, and thus Geoff
had now to make arrangements for the journey, find out times of trains
and boats, take tickets and telegraph to hotels, as well as procure the
licence and arrange with a clergyman.
The discussion of the many details that had to be considered occupied
some time, and at length the silence of the room, broken only by the
indistinct murmurs of this inaudible conversation, became boring in the
extreme to Miss Maudie.
"I wish I could see you working as I sit, Frankie; but of course that
isn't possible," she said somewhat plaintively.
"I'm afraid not," agreed Pallister. "But you must have plenty of rests,
and then you can see how I'm getting on, though you know it's never very
pleasant to show work in its early stages to any but a fellow-artist."
"But won't you do better than ever, knowing that I'm going to look at
it? Am I not an inspiration?"
"Of course you are, but you'll see yourself looking like a nightmare,
with black eyes and yellow cheeks and so on. But don't worry about that.
It's only at first. I feel that in the end I'm going to make this a
veritable masterpiece."
After a very few more minutes' silence she spoke again.
"What fun this is! I'm not really tired yet, and I've been sitting a
long time already, haven't I?"
"Oh Maudie, hardly that."
"What, haven't I? Dear me, I thought I had."
"Don't wriggle your head, there's an angel."
"Was I wriggling?" inquired the victim. "I'm so sorry; my neck felt
stiff."
"You must have a rest, then."
"Oh no, thank you. It doesn't matter. I can bear it."
But the tones of resignation were too touching. Pallister laid down his
brushes.
"Come along. Don't let yourself get thoroughly tired, or you'll not want
to come again. Besides, models sometimes faint if they have to go on
posing after they are tired out. You ask Miss Stornway if you don't
believe me."
Evarne corroborated Pallister's assertion, though in her heart she did
not think there was much danger of Maudie collapsing yet awhile.
Nevertheless the girl gladly descended from the throne, and almost
instantly her glance fell upon the diamond ring sparkling upon Evarne's
hand.
There seems something particularly attractive to "Sweet Seventeen" about
engagement rings.
"Oh, Miss Stornway," she cried, "do let me look at your ring. What a
perfect beauty!"
Evarne was pleased by this admiration.
"You ought to see it in the sunshine," she declared. "It is too lovely
for words then."
She rose from the divan, and crossed over towards the window. Standing
in the full flood of golden August sunlight, she held out her hand for
Maudie's continued inspection. For a time she too revelled in the
rainbow-hued scintillations of the diamonds, but after a few moments her
glance strayed casually down the street. Immediately she broke in upon
the girl's rapturous comments with a strangled little cry of mingled
dismay and surprise.
"What is it?" demanded Geoff, rising quickly to his feet.
Maudie gazed wonderingly out of the window. Suddenly she too uttered an
exclamation, then drew sharply back behind the curtains as she announced
in excited tones--
"Why, there's Lord Winborough coming down the road. He's making straight
for here. I know he's coming up. Oh, my word, now what shall I do?"
Jack was on the alert in a moment.
"Lord Winborough coming here?"
"Yes, yes. Whatever am I to do?"
"Why should you do anything? Does it matter?" queried Jack, considerably
puzzled.
"Matter!" retorted the girl somewhat tartly. "Of course it does. He
knows my father quite well, and he would be sure to tell him he had met
me here. Oh, I shall get into dad's black books, and so will auntie.
What can I do?"
"Ask him not to say anything about it," suggested Jack promptly.
Maudie waxed impatient.
"One can't do that sort of thing. It would only make it seem worse.
Can't I hide somewhere? Frankie, I do think you might have told me he
was coming."
"But he wasn't expected till this afternoon. You can't blame me,"
declared Pallister in expostulation.
In the midst of this fluster Evarne stood for a minute as if stunned.
Here was an entirely unforeseen _contretemps_ to be dealt with. Quite
heedless of Maudie's infinitesimal troubles, she bent all her thoughts
on safeguarding her own situation. What would be the result of this
visit? Morris would most assuredly hold himself released from his
promise of forty-eight hours' silence if he learnt from Geoff that the
forbidden marriage was to be actually celebrated within that time. Did
Geoff intend taking his cousin into his confidence? She must know that.
Concealing every sign of undue anxiety she whispered--
"Are we going to tell him about to-morrow?"
She breathed a sigh of relief at the answer.
"Not unless it becomes inevitable."
"Isn't there another way out, Mr. Danvers?" cried the distracted Maudie.
Geoff came to the rescue.
"Why not take Miss Meridith out by the back entrance, Pallister? You
know--out into Langthorne Place."
"He mustn't come with me," declared the girl emphatically. "I mustn't
have any of you with me. Somebody would be certain to see us. People one
knows always are about when one doesn't want them to be."
"But you can go this way by yourself if you like," said Geoff; and
getting the necessary key, he hastened down the little passage between
the plaster-room and the model's dressing-room, and unlocked and
unbolted the door at the end. Then returning he explained--
"Go down those stairs, and you'll find yourself in a corridor. Turn to
the left and go straight ahead; take the second turning on the left
again, and on the right you'll see another flight of stairs. That is the
Langthorne Place entrance to this block of flats. When you get into the
street, turn to the right, and then the first to the right again brings
you----"
Maudie interposed plaintively.
"I forget already what you said first. I'm sure to get lost."
At this moment the electric bell rang out.
"Shall I come with you, and put you safely into a taxi?" suggested
Evarne suddenly.
This offer was accepted with alacrity.
"Oh, that is kind of you, Miss Stornway. You must think I'm a silly
little baby, but----"
Evarne did not listen. She picked up her hat.
"I wish he had not come," she said softly to Geoff as she inserted
hatpins. "Don't let him talk about me, will you, or you may quarrel, and
I should be so worried about that?"
Here the bell rang out again--a long insistent strain. Evarne stepped
hurriedly with Maudie into the little corridor, closing the studio door
after her. Geoff waited a minute or two to allow them time to get clear
away, then admitted his cousin.
The course Evarne had thus adopted was indeed prompted by cowardice, but
it was also upheld by policy. At the sound of Winborough's first ring, a
terrible shudder of repulsion had thrilled through her every nerve. The
necessity of again beholding that man who stood without seemed
absolutely overwhelming. She clenched her hands violently at the
remembrance of his brutal and gratuitous insults of the previous
evening. Had she the strength, the fortitude to meet him once more and
remain impassive? She mistrusted herself. Ah, if she only dared flee
before him as Maudie was doing.
And from this desire had sprung the thought that she would probably
really safeguard her own cause by being absent at this moment--that her
presence in the studio, far from being necessary, would be a decided
additional menace to her safety. At the present moment Morris was under
a pledge of silence concerning her; Geoff, too, had a secret he was not
anxious to divulge. Unless provoked by some exterior event, it was more
than probable that her name would be deliberately avoided by both men.
Moreover, the presence of Jack and Pallister would further suffice to
prevent the cousins willingly introducing a subject that was likely to
lead to contention.
But were she actually in the room with them, who could tell what might
not result from so painful and awkward a situation? A hundred unforeseen
complications might easily ensue, leading to defiance, loss of
self-control, disregard of promises, betrayal! No, this precious chance
so innocently offered her by Maudie of getting out of the place for a
time was not to be neglected.
Yet no sooner had she taken the decisive step than she half regretted
her choice. After all, there had been but scant time for consideration.
Was she indeed acting wisely? Sudden suspicion clamoured loudly. Was
Morris's promise to be relied on? Why had he come that morning? She
hesitated, and stood still. A cold fear seized her, causing her heart to
throb still more painfully. Then, regardless of what her companion might
think, she very softly turned the handle of the studio door, pushed it
an inch or two ajar, and stood listening.
Winborough was apparently in an amiable frame of mind. He greeted the
three young men with the utmost friendliness, and after a few desultory
remarks concerning the weather, proceeded to explain the reason of his
unexpected arrival.
"It is not convenient for me to spare any time this afternoon, Mr.
Hardy. I should prefer that you perform your operations upon me
immediately, if possible."
Jack remained speechless, quite disconcerted by this unexpected demand.
"The life-mask?" queried Pallister.
"Yes. What do you say, Geoffrey?"
"Certainly. Just as you choose. Jack has got all the materials ready and
waiting for this afternoon, haven't you?"
"Oh yes, indeed I have. I can do it just as well at once," assented that
young man, finding his tongue.
Evarne waited to hear no more. It was with the most cordial
thanksgivings that she listened to the very simple explanation of this
visit that a moment ago had seemed so sinister. She sped before the
sound of Jack's approaching footsteps, locking the outer door very
gently with the key that Geoff had left in the lock.
The wondering and decidedly shocked Maudie was waiting patiently
outside. Concealing the sick anxiety that she must feel so long as those
two men were together, Evarne said cheerily--
"Just fancy, Lord Winborough is going to have his life-mask taken
immediately. Mr. Pallister will be interested. He is so clever at
modelling, isn't he? I should think he would be very successful some
day."
Maudie swallowed the bait, and forbearing to ask awkward questions,
commenced to chatter brightly about Frankie's marvellous talents.
Thus they wended their way downstairs, and gained the street.