Miss Marquand had only been working at "The Beck and Call" for a week
or so when Toby, Ben's youngest brother, paid his sister a visit.
"How nice to see you," said Ben, "but I hope you haven't come, like all
the others, to reproach me for opening the place."
"Not me," said Toby. "I'm all for it. I want you to be in business and
make money, because then I can borrow from you."
"My dear," said Ben, "are you broke again?"
"Absolutely," said her brother. "But have they really been pitching
into you?"
"All of them but Uncle Paul," said Ben. "Even Aunt Agatha, but of
course she doesn't count."
"Alicia, I suppose, wanted you to join her in Hove?" Toby inquired.
"Yes," said Ben, with surprise. "But how could you know?"
"I guessed it," said Toby. "I'm not such a fool as I look."
"I didn't know you were so clever," said Ben. "Did you also guess that
poor Bertrand is alive?"
"Alive? What on earth do you mean?" Toby asked.
"I don't mean anything on earth," said Ben. "That's just it. Alicia's
taken to spiritualism and she communicates with him every day."
Toby whistled. "That's topping," he said. "They ought to know
everything up there: I wonder if I could get her to ask him for a
winner."
"My dear boy," said Ben, "are you betting again?"
"Only now and then," he said. "And I have such rotten luck. It would
pay owners to make me an allowance to keep off their horses. But
what I came about," he went on, "is what is called my future. I wish
you'd talk to the governor about it. He's dead set on my going into
Uncle Arthur's office when I come down; but that means all kinds of
restrictions. And how am I to keep up my cricket? I want to play
seriously for a few seasons; they've got me down for Middlesex. I
can see now that I've been rather an ass not working harder. I might
have got a job then as a Sports Master at some big school, but even a
Sports Master, it seems, must know something. There's always a catch
somewhere. So far as the winter goes, I'm not so hopeless, because
you can get jobs now as Master of Ceremonies at the Swiss hotels--to
arrange dancing and ice competitions. I know two or three men who do
that and have a topping time."
It was at this moment that the door of Ben's room opened and Miss
Marquand's head appeared round it.
What else may be the answer to the poet's question, "Who ever loved
that loved not at first sight?" it is not Toby. For that had always
been his only way, and it happened again at that moment.
"Good Heavens!" he exclaimed when the door had closed again. "Who's
that?"
"That's one of my assistants," said Ben; "and you will oblige me by not
taking her out to lunch more than you can help, because we're busy.
Also, you can't afford it. Also, she may be already engaged."
"But she's beautiful," said Toby. "She's terrific. What's her name?"
"Her name is Viola Marquand," said Ben.
"Viola Marquand! Great Scott! Why, I know her brother. He's at New. She
isn't engaged, or if she is, he doesn't know it."
"Why should he?" Ben asked. "_You_ don't know all that _I_ do."
"He's told me about her," said Toby. "He said I should fall for her and
I have. Do ask her to come in again about something."
"Not unless you make a promise," said Ben.
"Well?" Toby asked.
"And keep it?" Ben said.
"Naturally," Toby replied. "If it isn't too difficult."
"Not to have another bet this year," said Ben.
"Oh, I say!" said Toby. "That's a bit thick."
"I mean it," said Ben.
Toby knitted his fresh and candid brows.
"I may go in for a Derby sweep or two?" he asked.
"Yes," said Ben. "I'll allow that. But no betting. Promise?"
Toby promised and Ben rang her bell twice.
The door opened again and Miss Marquand's piquant little face again
appeared.
"Oh, Miss Marquand," said Ben, "please come in. This is my brother
Toby, and if you have a minute will you let him see the morning paper.
He is interested in racing and wants to look at to-day's runners."
"My hat!" Toby gasped. "Ben, you're the limit." But his eyes were on
Miss Marquand, and if ever a second sight corroborated the judgment of
the first, it was then.
The introductions being completed, Ben relented. "Never mind about the
paper," she said. "I was only joking." Toby groaned.
"But," she went on, "what my brother really wants is to consult the
'Scholastic Register.' Will you let him see it?"
And the young people left together.