"I shall be back in Mexico long before then. I don't think I shall take
more than three months' holiday this time. One gets tired of loafing
after a busy life. I shall want to get back to work."
"Miles, how can you!" cried his sister shrilly. "Three months! In
another seven weeks--it's impossible! We have hardly had time to
realise that you are home. We made sure that you would be with us till
after Christmas at least. Three months' holiday after all these years!
Oh, Miles, you can't mean it!"
"I came home to see you all, Betty, and to satisfy myself that you were
well; when that's done there's no more excuse for lazying. I am
entitled to a year's rest, if I like to take it; but if I go back now I
shall be nine months nearer my next visit; and if the mine does all that
we expect, I shall be back sooner than you imagine. Three years--even
two--may see me home again, and then--things may be changed--it may be
easier to stay--!"
He kept his eyes lowered as he spoke, but Betty understood. Perhaps
Cynthia did too, for her pale cheeks flushed, and she made not a word of
comment.
When Miles rose a few minutes later, she said "Good-bye" to him in
exactly the same words which she had used six years before--
"Good-bye, Miles. I won't forget!"
And Miles crushed her little hands in his, and walked silently away.
At the gate Mrs Alliot was awaiting him, as on the morning of his first
visit. She looked wistfully at the stern, white face, then laid her
hand on his arm, and said in a tremulous voice--
"Mr Trevor--I--I want to thank you! You have been very brave and kind.
Don't think I have not understood--mothers always understand--but for
Cynthia's sake I was obliged to be selfish. It might have undone all
she has gained, to have had any great excitement or agitation. She is
very young yet--only twenty-two--and she looks upon you as a friend of
her school-days. It was better for every reason that your relations
should remain unchanged."
Then Miles faced her, a tall imposing figure drawn to his full height,
with shoulders squared and flashing eyes.
"For the present, yes! I have respected your wishes, and put my own
hopes on one side. Now I am going back to work like ten men rather than
one. If things go as we expect--as we have a right to expect--in a few
years' time I shall be able to live where I please, to choose my home
where it best suits myself--and others. If I live, Mrs Alliot, I shall
be home again in a few years' time, and then I warn you that nothing and
nobody shall keep me apart from Cynthia if she will be my wife. If she
has recovered--well! If she is ill--I will take care of her! I have
served for her six years already. I will serve six more if needs be,
but I shall claim her in the end!"
"And if it is God's will that she lives and loves you, I will give her
to you gladly. You are a good man, Miles. God bless you! All good go
with you!" said Mrs Alliot warmly.
Then they shook hands and parted. For how long? It was impossible to
say. Before Miles lay the far country, danger by land and sea, a hard,
adventurous life; before Cynthia years of what at the best must be a
slow, difficult convalescence, with the ever-present danger of a relapse
into her old condition. Only God knew, Who holds the issue of time.
Their greatest stronghold lay in their confidence in Him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
That evening Betty sat beside Will Gerard on the sloping beach, and
watched the sun set in a silence tinged with melancholy. Miles'
announcement of a speedy return to America had planted a dart in her
heart which was not solely on his own account; for if he went, would not
his partner go too, leaving her to a life of such blank emptiness as was
terrifying to contemplate? All day long the thought had haunted her;
she had longed yet dreaded to speak on the subject, and now that evening
was here, she felt it impossible to face the long hours of the night
without some certain knowledge.
A few minutes before, Miles had taken Jill for a walk along the sands;
in a short time they would return, and the opportunity for quiet
conversation would be over. Betty turned slowly, to meet her
companion's deep-set eyes fixed intently on her face. He had fallen
into a habit of watching her in this earnest manner, and was often able
to divine her thoughts even before she spoke.
"What is it?" he asked gently. "Something is troubling you. Won't you
tell me what it is?"
"It's Miles! He said this morning that he intended to take only three
months' holiday--that means to leave England in six or seven weeks from
now. I can't believe it. We counted on six months or more,--possibly
even a year. Do you think he seriously means to go?"
"I am sure he does, and I think he is right. If you want to be really
kind, Miss Trevor, you won't ask him to stay."
Betty's lips trembled.
"Oh, perhaps not, but it is hardest of all to feel that he _wants_ to
go; that with all our love and care we are so much outside his life that
we can't make him happy or satisfied. Poor mother! It must be dreadful
to bring up a child all those years, and to long and long for his
return, and then see him in a hurry to rush away again, just because--
oh, I know that you know the real reason--because of a girl of whom,
after all, he has seen very little! It's very hard!"
"Yes, it is hard--but it is the natural course of events, and I am sure
Mrs Trevor realises that Miles is one of the best sons that it is
possible for a woman to have. He doesn't love you any the less because
he feels the need of getting back to his work. A man must work if he
has any trouble weighing upon him; it is the only safe way of letting
off steam. Fortunately there is plenty for him to do, and the chances
are good for a speedy return."
He paused, and Betty turned her head aside, and gazed over the darkening
sea.
"And--you?" she asked softly. "Will you go too?"
"That depends."
"On business?"
"Partly. If things go on as well as they have started, the company will
be floated in another month, and I shall be of more use at the other end
than here. I have made no plans, however. There are other
considerations which come even before business."
He paused again, as if waiting to be questioned, but Betty did not
speak. The gentle break of the water was the only sound which broke the
silence. Afar off she could just distinguish the dark, retreating
figures of Miles and Jill. She stared at them, at the sea, the sky,
anywhere except at that pale, eager face which was watching her so
intently.
"Betty," breathed a low voice by her side, "you know what I mean! You
know that my going or staying depends upon yourself--that the happiness
of my life is in your hands! Are you going to be kind to me, Betty?
Will you let me love you?"
She drew herself away from him with a cry of protest, almost startling
in its suddenness.
"Oh no, no! I cannot--I must not listen! It is quite impossible.
Please don't say any more. I cannot listen to you!"
"But, Betty,"--he put out his hand and took forcible possession of the
little cold fingers--"I must speak. We must have this out, and be
honest with each other. Dear!--don't think me presumptuous, but lately
I have fancied that you did care a little bit for me, and were not
perfectly indifferent whether I came or stayed. Was I quite mistaken?
Can you look me in the eyes, Betty, and say that I am no more to you
than any other man?"
Betty did not attempt to meet his eyes, and her disclaimer was
transparently artificial.
"Oh, of course you are Miles' friend, naturally it is different--but I
can't be engaged to anybody. It's impossible. Please, please believe
that I know what I say!"
"Not unless you tell me the reason why it is impossible. Is there
someone else, Betty? Someone whom you love better than me?"
"No--yes! I don't know if I love him, but I have always felt as if I
belonged to him, and must wait till he came back. You would think me
mad if you knew the whole story. I sometimes think I am mad myself, but
I feel as if I should be betraying a trust if I married another man."
Will Gerard sat very still for a moment. Then: "Tell me about it!" he
said hoarsely. "Tell me! I ought to know. Perhaps I shall
understand."
"I don't understand myself," said Betty sadly. "I have tried not to
care for you, but I do care in spite of trying. When I thought of you
going away, my heart stood still, but the other thing has gone on so
long; it has been part of my life, and even for your sake I can't forget
it. If I could be sure that he was well and happy, and had found
someone else to love him, then to be your wife would be the greatest
happiness in the world; but until I hear, I feel--_bound_! We only met
once. That sounds mad enough, doesn't it? And I know nothing of him
but his Christian name. It was an evening more than six years ago; we
had been at a concert at the Albert Hall, and when we came out there was
a black fog, and I lost Miles, and met this man, who brought me home
instead. He was in great trouble--I found it out from something he
said--in such terrible trouble that he had lost all hope, and made up
his mind to commit suicide. That was the first time that I had ever
been brought face to face with real trouble, and it changed my whole
life. Think of it! I was coming back to my happy home from an
afternoon's pleasure, and he--was going to the river..."
Will Gerard had been sitting listening to her with his head buried in
his hands, but at the sound of that last word he raised his face, and
turned towards her with a sudden, passionate gesture.
"And you came to him like a good angel in the midst of the darkness--
came to him without a face or a name,--just as a girl's sweet voice
bidding him take courage, and sending him out to a fresh battle! And
all these years you have treasured him in your faithful heart, and
waited for his return; and he has waited too, Betty, and worked hard--
worked for you with the thought of you before him! And now that he can
repay his debts and look the world in the face once more, he comes to
you for his reward. Betty, Betty, a man may have more names than one--
is my face quite strange to you? Have you never seen it before--in a
half light like this, lit by a flickering flame? Betty, _look_! What
do you see?"
She gave a little gasp of incredulity--rapture--relief, and held out her
hands towards him.
"Ralph, Ralph! It is you--you have come home!"
So the long dream was fulfilled, and the fairy prince threw off his
disguise, and showed himself in the shape of the struggler who had
bravely redeemed a past offence. In loving one, she could love both.
Past and present united in bestowing a perfect happiness. Betty held
Ralph's hands in her own, and looked deep into his eyes.