A SOLDIER AND A GENTLEMAN
When Nick returned to Redlands, he was alone. Olga had gone down again
to the shore. She wanted to be by herself a little longer, she said. He
didn't mind? No, Nick minded nothing, so long as all went well with her;
and, on her promise that all should be well, he left her with Cork for
guardian.
He went back to Redlands over the cliffs, entering his own grounds by a
low wire fence, and thence turning inwards towards the garden. The
sounds of gay voices reached him as he approached, and he speedily found
himself caught in a lively ambush that consisted of Peggy, Reggie, and
Noel. He naturally fled for his life, but was overtaken by the latter
and held down while the two accomplices rifled his pockets. By the rules
of the game all coppers found therein were confiscated, and this
regulation having been duly observed, the prisoner was allowed to sit up
and converse with his principal captor while the rest of the gang
divided the spoils.
"Have a cigarette?" said Noel.
"Thanks! Mighty generous of you!" Nick righted his tumbled attire and
accepted the proffered weed. "If it isn't a rude question, what are you
doing here?"
Noel's eyes laughed across at him gaily through the blue spectacles. "I
should have thought you might have guessed that I'm spending a night or
two with the Musgraves, but I am under a solemn oath to return to Max
by noon on Friday in order to have another dose of some infernal stuff
with which he is peppering my eyes. He didn't much want me to come away,
as it meant postponing the torture for a few hours. But I managed to get
on the soft side of him for once, though he is holding himself in
preparation for an immediate summons in case my vision should take
advantage of my absence from him to play any nasty tricks."
"I see," said Nick. "And how is the vision?"
"Oh, all right, so far as it goes. Gives me beans upon occasion, for
which Max always swears at me as if it were my fault. I'm not allowed to
see by artificial light at all, so after sunset I join the bats. Lucky
for me the sun sits up late just now. By the way, I had a positively
gushing epistle from old Badgers this morning. He seems almost
hysterical at the thought of getting me back again; says that married or
single, I've got to go." Noel stopped to take in a long breath of smoke;
then, very abruptly, "Where's Olga?" he demanded.
Nick nodded in the direction whence he had come. "Down on the shore."
Noel was on his feet in a second. "All right. You can be nurse for a bit
now. See you later!"
He would have swung away with the words, but Nick had also risen, and
with a swift word he detained him. "I say, Noel!"
Noel stopped. "Hullo!"
"Look here!" said Nick rapidly. "She isn't wanting anyone just yet. We
have just been to the Priory, she and I--in accordance with Sir
Kersley's advice, of which I told you. She is having a quiet think.
Don't disturb her!"
Noel stood still. He had stiffened somewhat at the words, but there was
no dismay discernible about him. He faced that which had to be faced
without flinching.
"You mean she knows?" he asked slowly.
"Yes," said Nick. "But I didn't tell her."
"Did she remember, then?"
"Yes. It all came back to her."
"What effect did it have? Was she--is she very badly upset?" The sharp
falter in the words betrayed more than the speaker knew.
Nick turned away from him, grinding his heel into the turf. "No. She
took it remarkably quietly on the whole--seemed relieved to know the
truth."
"And Max--did she mention him?"
"Yes. She seemed glad to know that he was not responsible, but rather
hurt that he had thought it necessary to concoct a lie for her benefit."
"Exactly what I should have felt myself," said Noel. He paused a moment;
then: "It was decent of you to let me into that secret," he observed.
"Oh, that was Sir Kersley's doing." Nick still spoke with his back
half-turned. "He tackled me on the subject, said you ought to know, but
that Max was averse to it. Then I told him why. It seems that he hadn't
the vaguest notion till then as to why the engagement was broken off."
Noel nodded. "Just like Max! He's a bit too clever sometimes. Well, what
did he say when he knew?"
"He said that if Max wouldn't take the responsibility of setting matters
right, he would. And he advised me to tell you everything straight away;
which I did," said Nick, "at peril of my life. I don't know how Max will
take it, but it will doubtless be on my devoted head that his wrath will
descend."
"You'll survive that," said Noel. "But look here! Tell me more about
Olga! Wasn't she horribly shocked--just at first?"
"It was touch and go," said Nick. "I followed Sir Kersley's advice
throughout. He didn't want me to tell her outright, and I didn't. The
whole thing came to her gradually. Yes, it was a bit of a strain to
begin with. But she has come through it all right. Give her time to
settle, and I don't think she will be any the worse."
"I see," said Noel. He relaxed very suddenly, and passed a boyishly
familiar arm around Nick's shoulders. "Well, that cooks my goose, quite
effectually, doesn't it? Lucky it's come to me gradually too. I
shouldn't have relished it all in a lump. The only person who is going
to have a shock over this little business is Max. And you'll admit he
deserves one."
"What are you going to do?" asked Nick.
"Do? Send him a wire of course."
"Who? Max?"
"Yes, Max. And I shall say, 'Come at once. Urgent. Noel.' That'll fetch
him," said Noel with a twinkle. "He's making a speciality of me just
now. He ought to be here before eight."
"And what about Olga?"
"Leave Olga to me!" said Noel.
Nick glanced up at him, and abruptly did so. "You're a sportsman, my
son," he observed affectionately. "But to return to Max, doesn't it
occur to you that it may not be precisely convenient for him to come
posting down here at a moment's notice? He's an important man,
remember."
But Noel here displayed a touch of his old imperious spirit. "Who the
devil cares for Max?" he demanded. "He's just got to come; and if he
doesn't like it, he can go hang. Surely a fellow may be permitted to
settle who is to be asked to his own funeral!"
"Oh, if you put it like that--" said Nick.
"Well, it is like that; see?" There was a comic touch to Noel's tragedy
notwithstanding, and Nick divined with a satisfaction that he was
careful to conceal that the _rôle_ he had taken upon himself was not
altogether distasteful to him. The funeral arrangements obviously had
their attractive side.
"Well, my boy, fix it up as you think best!" he said, giving him as
ample a squeeze as his one arm could compass. "You're a soldier and a
gentleman, and whatever you do will have my full approval."
"What ho!" said Noel, highly gratified.
They parted then, going their several ways. Noel to send his message,
Nick in pursuit of the two children. And so the rest of the afternoon
wore away.
Muriel had tea laid in the old oak-panelled dining-room, and thither
Nick presently marshalled his charges, to find his wife serenely waiting
for them in solitude.
"Hasn't Olga come in yet?" he asked.
"Yes, dear, some time ago. But she looked so tired, poor child!" said
Muriel. "I persuaded her to go up to her room and lie down. She has had
some tea."
"She will be all right?" asked Nick quickly.
"I think so. She looks quite worn out. She seems to need a sleep more
than anything," said Muriel.
He gave her a quick look. "You saw Noel?"
"Yes. He came in and talked for a few minutes after he left you. He
seems a very nice boy." A faint smile touched Muriel's lips.
Nick laughed, pulling her hand round his neck as she brought him his
tea. "Lost your heart to him, eh? It's quite the usual thing to do.
Where has he gone?"
"He came over in Jim's motor, and has gone away in it again. He didn't
say where he was going."
"Gone away without me!" ejaculated Peggy in consternation.
"He'll come back again, my chicken. Don't you worry!" said Nick. "Here!
Have a jam sandwich!"
"I want Noel," said Peggy. "Where is Noel?"
"He has gone out on business," said Nick. "Which reminds me," he added
to Muriel. "His brother Max will probably be here this evening to spend
the night."
"Max!"
"Yes. Don't mention it upstairs! Noel is pulling the wires, so be
prepared for anything."
"What wires is Noel pullin'?" Peggy wanted to know.
"Telegraph wires," said Reggie brightly.
"Yes, telegraph wires," chuckled Nick. "I think I'll just go up for a
second, Muriel. I shan't wake her up if she's asleep."
He was gone with the words, swift and noiseless as a bird on the wing,
and five seconds later was scratching very softly at Olga's door.
Her voice bade him enter immediately, and he went in.
She was lying on her bed, but the blind was up and the windows wide. She
held out her arms to him.
"Nick--darling!"
"Ever yours to command!" said Nick. He went to her, stooping while the
arms wound round his neck.
She held him tightly. "Nick," she whispered, "is Noel still here?"
"No, darling. Do you want him?"
She drew a sharp breath. "I--I'm afraid I--dodged him a little while
ago. I simply couldn't meet him just then. Has he been looking for me?
Did he wonder where I was?"
"Don't think so," said Nick. "He was playing with the kids. He is
spending a couple of nights with the Musgraves, and he brought Peggy
over."
"And he has gone again?" Faint wonder sounded in her voice.
"Only temporarily. He wanted to send a message to someone from the
post-office; but he is coming back--presumably--for Peggy."
"I see." She was silent for a few moments, and Nick sat down on the
edge of the bed. "Nick," she said at length, speaking with obvious
effort, "will he--will he be very hurt, do you think, if--if I don't see
him to-day?"
"Shouldn't say so, darling," said Nick.
She slipped her hand into his. "I've got to do a lot of thinking, Nick,"
she said rather piteously.
"Can I help?" said Nick.
She shook her head with a quivering smile. "No, dear. It's a--it's a
one-man job. But, if you don't mind, tell Noel I'm rather tired, but
I'll come over to Weir in the morning. I'm going to tell him
everything," she ended, squeezing his hand very tightly.
"Quite right, dear," said Nick.
"Yes, but--before I tell him--I want to--to write to Max." Olga's voice
was very low. "I must put things right with him first. I must ask him to
forgive me."
"Forgive you, sweetheart!"
"Yes, for--for being very unkind to him." Olga's lips quivered again,
and suddenly her eyes were full of tears. "I feel as if--as if I've been
running into things in the dark, and doing a lot of harm," she said. "Of
course everything is quite over--quite over--between us. He will
understand that. But I want--I want to be friends with him--if--he--will
let me. Nick dear, that's all. Hadn't you better go and have your tea?"
"And leave you to weep?" said Nick, with his face screwed up. "No, I
don't think so."
"I'm not going to," she assured him. "I'm going to be--awfully sensible.
Really I am. Kiss me, Nick darling, and go!"
He bent over her. "You mustn't cry," he urged pathetically.
She clasped him close. "No, I won't! I won't! Nick--dearest, you're the
very sweetest man in the world. I always have thought so, and I always
shall. There!"
"Ah, well, it's a comparatively harmless illusion," said Nick, with his
quizzical grimace. "I'll endeavour to live up to it. Sure you want me to
go?"
"Yes. You must go, dear. I'm sure Muriel is wanting you. I've
monopolized you long enough. You--you'll tell Noel, won't you? Is he all
right?"
"At the very top of his form," said Nick.
She smiled. "I'm so very glad. Give him my love, Nick, my--my best
love."
"I will," said Nick. He stood up. "He's a fine chap--Noel," he said. "He
deserves the best, and I hope--some day--he'll get it."
With which enigmatical remark, he wheeled and left her.