PRESSING BUSINESS
Oliver Wyse had finished his letters and was smoking a last cigar before
turning in. Barber had brought him whiskey and soda water, and wished
him good-night, adding that, in case Sir Oliver should want anything in
the night, he had put Wigram, his chauffeur, who acted as valet also
when his master was on a visit, in the small room next the bathroom
which Sir Oliver was to use. "He said he liked to be within hail of you,
Sir Oliver."
"Wigram's been with me in a lot of queer places, Barber. He's got into
the habit of expecting midnight alarms. In fact he was a sort of
bodyguard to begin with; then a valet; now he's mainly a chauffeur--a
very handy fellow! Well, thank you, Barber--Good-night."
The cigar was pleasant; so was the whiskey-and-soda; he felt drowsily
content. The situation caused no disturbance either in his nerves or in
his conscience. He was accustomed to critical positions and rather liked
them; to break or to observe rules and conventions was entirely a
question of expediency, to be settled as each case arose--and this case
was now abundantly settled. The only real danger had lain in Bernadette
herself; and she shewed no sign of wavering. He had enjoyed the comedy
of her wise counsel to Arthur, though for his own part he cared little
whether the boy went or stayed; if need be, it could not be difficult to
put him in his place.
A low light knock came on his door. A little surprised, but fancying it
must be the devoted Wigram come to have a last look at him, he called,
"Come in!" Bernadette darted in and shut the door noiselessly. She held
up a finger, enjoining silence, and walked quickly across the room.
He threw his cigar into the grate, and advanced to meet her, smiling. "I
say--is this your 'tremendous caution'?" But then he perceived the
excitement under which she laboured. "What's the matter? Anything gone
wrong?"
"Yes, Arthur! He's found out! And I--somehow I couldn't deny it to him."
He smiled at her kindly and tolerantly, yet with a gentle reproof. Her
courage was failing her again, it seemed. It was a good thing that he
had come back to Hilsey--to keep her up to the scratch.
"Well? Did he turn nasty? Never mind, I'll quiet him. Where is he?"
"No, no, please don't go near him. He's not nasty; he's all broken up.
Oliver, he says he's in love with me himself."
He smiled at that. "Coming on, the young cousin, isn't he? But I'm not
much surprised, Bernadette."
"He--he's upset me dreadfully. I didn't mean it to happen like this.
It's too much for me. My nerves----"
She spoke all the time in quick agitated whispers. Oliver walked to the
door, turned the key, and came back to her. He took one of her hands in
his. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "He has been such a
friend really. He trusted me so."
"Well, I suppose he'll take your advice now--your wise advice--and pack
himself off to-morrow morning. Breakfast in bed, and you needn't see
him."
"Judith will guess--I know she will. Oliver, I--I can't keep it up, with
you here--not even though Arthur goes. I'm afraid of Judith now--even of
Godfrey!"
"I'm certainly not going to leave you here, up against it, all by
yourself." She was not to be trusted alone now. She had been shewn too
vividly the side of the shield which it was his task to hide from her
eyes--a task to which he alone was equal. Left to herself, she might go
back on the whole thing, very likely!
"Take me away from it all now, won't you?" she asked.
"What now--to-night?" His eyes lit up humorously. "Sharp work, isn't it?
Rather difficult to get out of the house to-night without risking--well,
encounters! And you wouldn't like that."
"Can't you think of anything? I can't stand these next few days."
He considered a moment, marshalling plans in his quick-moving mind.
"Look here, can you be sure of waking up early in the morning?"
"I wish I could be half as sure of going to sleep at all!"
"Well, get up at half-past five--Your servants won't be about
then?--pack what you want in a bag, leave it just inside your room, put
on your things, and meet me outside the hall-door just before six. We'll
go for a walk!"
"But the station? It's nearly three miles off! And there are no
trains----"
"Wait, wait! My man will fetch your bag--just a little risk there, not
much at that hour--hang my motor-coat over it, so that nobody can see it
isn't mine, and take it round to the garage with my traps. I suppose the
car'll be locked up, and he'll have to get the key from somebody. He'll
say that I'm suddenly called away, that I've walked on ahead, and he's
to pick me up at the east lodge. If you're seen, you're just putting me
on my way, don't you see? He'll give your fellow at the garage a
sovereign, and he won't be too curious!"
"Yes, yes, I see!" she whispered eagerly.
"Starting then, we can be in town in lots of time to catch the afternoon
train to Boulogne. I'll wire the yacht to meet us somewhere else,
instead of Southampton. Ostend, perhaps--that'd do all right. Now how
does that suit you?"
Her eyes sparkled again. "Why, it's splendid!" How difficulties seemed
to vanish under his sure decisive touch! It was by this gift, more than
any other, that he had won and held her.
"I've managed trickier businesses than this. It's all perfectly easy,
and with luck you won't be exposed to meeting any of them again."
"Thank heaven!" she murmured.
"But you'd better not stay here now. One can never be sure somebody
won't come nosing about." He kissed her lightly. "Go, be quick, to your
room. I'll go and wake up Wigram now, and tell him what I want; you
needn't bother about him--he's absolutely reliable. Come along." He drew
her across the room with him, unlocked the door and opened it. "Don't
make a noise! Just before six, in the porch, remember!"
She nodded in silence and glided quickly along the passage, which was
dimly lighted by a single oil lamp; Godfrey would not hear of installing
modern illuminants at Hilsey. He gave her time to get to her room, and
then himself went in the other direction along the corridor, and knocked
on the door of the little room where the faithful and reliable Wigram
slept.
He was soon back--it did not take long to make Wigram understand what
was wanted of him--and sat down again at his writing-table. Some of the
letters had to be re-written, for he had dated them from Hilsey, and
that would not do now. He was smiling in a half-impatient amusement over
women and their whims. They were so prone to expect to get all they
wanted without paying the necessary price, without the little drawbacks
which could not be avoided. After all, a woman couldn't reasonably
expect to run away without causing a bit of a rumpus, and some little
distress to somebody! It was very seldom in this world that either man
or woman could get all they wanted without putting somebody else's nose
out of joint; if only that were honestly acknowledged, there would be a
great deal less cant talked.
He raised his head from his work and paused, with his cigar half-way to
his mouth, to listen a moment to a slow heavy tread which came along the
passage from the top of the stairs and stopped at a door on the opposite
side, nearer to the stairs. Arthur Lisle coming to bed--he had indicated
his own room in passing, when he was playing deputy-host and showing
Oliver his quarters. A good thing he hadn't come up a little sooner! He
might have met Bernadette coming out of a room which it was by no means
the proper thing for her to have been in. Another painful encounter that
would have been! Again his tolerant smile came; he was really a
good-natured man; he liked Arthur and was sorry for him, even while he
was amused. To-night the world was probably seeming quite at an end to
that young fellow--that young fool of a fellow. Whereas, in fact, he was
just at the beginning of all this sort of business!
"I suppose he wants my blood," he reflected. "That'd make him feel a lot
better. But he can't have it. I'm afraid he can't, really!"
Well, Arthur's was one of the sound and primitive reasons for wanting a
man's blood; nothing to quarrel with there! Only the thing would not
last, of course. Quite soon it would all be a memory, a bit of
experience. At least that would be so if the boy were--or managed to
grow into, to let life shape him into--a sensible fellow. Many men went
on being fools about women to the end. "Well, I suppose some people
would say that I'm being a fool now," he added candidly. "Perhaps I am.
Well, she's worth it." With a smile he finished off his work, got
himself to bed briskly, and was soon asleep.
Sick at last of the dreary and musty room, Arthur had slouched miserably
to bed--though he was sure that he could not sleep. He could not think
either, at least hardly coherently. The ruin which had swooped down on
him was too overwhelming. And so quick! All in a few hours! It seemed
too great to understand, almost too great to feel. It was, as it were, a
devastation, a clean sweep of all the best things in his life--his
adoration for Bernadette, his loyalty to Godfrey, the affection which
had gathered in his heart for these his kinsfolk, for this the home of
his forefathers. A dull numb pain of the soul afflicted him, such as a
man might feel in the body as he comes to consciousness after a stunning
blow. The future seemed impossible to face; he did not know how to set
about the task of reconstructing it. He was past anger, past resentment;
he did not want Oliver Wyse's blood now. Was he not now even as Oliver,
save that Oliver was successful? And Oliver owed no loyalty to the man
he robbed. In the extravagance of his despair he called himself the
meanest of men as well as the most miserable. "My God! my God!" he kept
muttering to himself, in his hopeless miserable desolation.
But he was young and very weary, exhausted with his suffering. He had
sworn to himself that sleep was impossible, but nature soon had her way
with him. Yet he struggled against sleep, for on it must follow a bitter
awakening.
When he did awake, it was broad daylight. From his bed, which stood
between the two windows of the room, he could see the sunlight playing
on the opposite wall to his right; to the left the wall was still in
shadow. It seemed that he must have pulled up the blind of one window
and not of the other, before he got into bed, though he did not remember
doing it. Indeed at the first awakening he recollected nothing very
distinctly. The memories of the night before took a minute or two to
acquire distinctness, to sort themselves out. Presently he gave a low
dull groan and turned on his side again, refusing to face the
morning--the future that awaited him inexorably. But another memory came
to him in a queer quick flash--Judith's smile when she told him that
Godfrey had taken to his bed. With a muttered curse he drew his watch
from under the pillow. Half-past seven!
He raised himself on his elbow, his back turned to the light. Everything
became clear to memory now; and the end of it all was that he had to go,
and go quickly, as soon as he could, by the earliest train possible. He
did not want to see anybody; above all he must not see Bernadette; he
had promised her that, practically; nor could he himself bear another
meeting and another parting. Joe Halliday and Wills and Mayne won the
day--by the help of an alliance most unlooked-for!
A voice spoke from the window to his right--where the blind was pulled
up and the fresh morning air blew in through the opened sash. "So you're
awake at last, Arthur!"
He rolled over on to his other elbow in surprise, blinking at the strong
light. Judith was sitting on the broad low seat beneath the window. She
wore a walking dress and out-of-door boots, but her hair was only
carelessly caught together; she wore no hat. She smiled at him, but her
eyes looked red and she held her handkerchief tightly squeezed in one
hand.
"Why, what are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Well, I've been crying--not that that's any use. I've been here nearly
half-an-hour. I meant to wake you, but you looked so awfully tired.
Besides, it was too late."
"Too late for what?"
"He's taken her away, Arthur."
He did not move; propped up on his elbow, he looked at her with a morose
steadfastness.
"I'm generally out before breakfast, you know, with Patsy. I didn't
sleep well last night, and I was earlier than usual. I was out by
half-past six, and went for a walk in the meadows. Coming back, I passed
the garage; Stokes was cleaning the car and I stopped to speak to him
about the new puppy--he's not very well. I noticed Sir Oliver's car
wasn't there, and he told me that Sir Oliver's man had knocked him up
and made him unlock the garage an hour before. The man brought Sir
Oliver's luggage from the house, Stokes said, and told him that Sir
Oliver had walked on ahead, and he was to pick him up. Stokes asked
where they were going, and the man said home, he supposed, but Sir
Oliver hadn't told him. The man was rather short with him, Stokes said,
and seemed in a hurry. I thought it all sounded rather funny, especially
Sir Oliver walking on ahead--at six in the morning!--but I said nothing
to Stokes, though I think he thought it a bit queer too. So when I got
back I went to Bernadette's room. I didn't exactly suspect that she'd
gone too, but I had a sort of uneasy--well, I wanted to be quite sure,
don't you know? I opened the door quietly--a little way--and I saw that
the room was quite light. That told me directly; she can't bear a chink
of light in her room. So I went in. She wasn't there; she hadn't been to
bed, she'd only lain down on the outside. Most of the things on her
dressing-table were gone, and I couldn't see the dressing-bag that
always stood by her big hanging-cupboard. I thought I'd better come and
tell you. On the way I met Barber, just up, I suppose, in his apron and
shirt-sleeves. He told me that Sir Oliver had gone and Wigram--his man,
you know--too."
"But Stokes didn't see either of them?"
"No. They must have walked on together, and got into the car when it
came up. Only just then I remembered that I'd found the front door
unlocked and had meant to scold Barber for being so careless. It had
gone out of my head till then." She paused a moment. "Did you see her
last night? She wanted to see you--asked where you'd gone, you know."
"Yes; she came to me in the smoking-room."
"Did she say anything that sounded like--like----?"
He waited a while before he answered the unfinished question. "She said
nothing about this morning."
"But did she say----?"
Arthur nodded his head.
"Oh then, it's quite clear!" said Judith.
"I didn't think she meant to go this morning. I was to go. We said
good-bye."
"She has gone, though. I'm sure of it. Well, I've thought she would for
some time past, so I don't quite see why I've been crying. How could we
help it? Could we give her what she wanted? Could Godfrey? Could I?
Could you? Margaret was the only chance, but poor little
Margaret's--well, Margaret! She wasn't enough to keep her." She rose
from her seat. "Well, I'll go, because you must get up."
Arthur paid no heed. "I think it's because of me that she's gone this
morning," he said slowly.
"Why? Did you quarrel? Did you talk about--about Sir Oliver?"
"Yes, at first. Then I told her I was in love with her."
She raised her hands and let them fall in a gesture of despairing
irritation. "In love, in love! Oh, I've had enough of it for the
present! Get up, Arthur!"
"Yes, I'll get up--get up and clear out," he said in sullen bitterness.
"I'll go back to work; that's the best thing I can do. I meant to go
this morning, anyhow."
She had moved towards the door, but she stopped now, facing him, between
bed and door. "You mean that you're going away--now--this morning?" He
nodded his head. She waited a moment and then smiled. "Oh, well, I think
I'll come too. After all, it won't be very lively here, will it?"
He started in surprise. "You go? You couldn't think of that, Judith?
Why, what's little Margaret to do? And Godfrey? Oh, you can't go!"
"Why can't I? I'm a Lisle, aren't I? I'm a Lisle, just as much as you
and Godfrey! Why aren't I to behave as a Lisle then--go to bed or run
away when things get difficult and uncomfortable? I rather wish I had a
real man to run away with--like Bernadette!"
"God help him if you had!" growled Arthur, to whom the insinuation was
not grateful.
"That's better! You have got a bit of a fight somewhere in you," she
mocked. "And anyhow--get up!"
"Well, I'm going to--if you'll clear out, and be----"
"And be damned to me? Yes, I know! You can say that as often as you
like, but you've got to help me to face this business. You've got to be
the Man of the Family!" She smiled rather scornfully. "It's the least
you can do, if you really did try to make love to Bernadette."
He flushed a little, but answered calmly: "As I don't suppose you'll be
able to think of anything to say more disagreeable than that, you may as
well go, and let me dress."
"Yes, I will." She turned to the door, smiling in a grim triumph. Just
as she went out, she looked over her shoulder and added, "You'll have to
tell Godfrey."
That gave him a chance. He cried after her, "You're in a funk too,
really!"
She smiled at him. "Didn't I say I was a Lisle--or half a one--like you,
Arthur?" She pulled the door to, with a bang, and he heard her quick
decisive steps retreating along the corridor.
The next moment Barber entered the room, bringing hot water. He had seen
Judith as she came out. Only another of the queer things happening this
morning! He wore an air of tremendously discreet gravity. But Arthur
guessed from his face that wonder and surmise, speculation and gossip,
were afloat in the house already.
He dressed quickly and went down to breakfast. Judith was there alone;
Margaret was having breakfast upstairs with the nurse, she told him--out
of the way of chattering tongues, her look added--as she poured out
coffee.
Barber came in with a telegram, and laid it by her. "The boy's waiting,
miss."
She read it. "No answer, Barber."
"Oh, I want to send a wire. Bring me a form, will you?" said Arthur.
When he had written his message, Judith rose and came round to him,
carrying his coffee in one hand and the telegram in the other; she gave
him the latter to read--"Don't expect me back. Shall write you." There
was no signature.
"What does she want to write about?"
"Oh, her things, I suppose. What did you say in your wire?"
"I said 'Awfully sorry can't come. Pressing family business.'"
"It is--very. I'm afraid I was rather disagreeable, Arthur."
He looked up at her with a rueful smile as he stirred his coffee.
"You're like a cold bath on a freezing morning--stinging but hygienic."
There was a sudden choke in her voice as she answered: "I'd have said
and done anything rather than let you go. And if I've ruined your play
and your prospects, I can't help it." She walked quickly away to the
window and stood there a moment with her back towards him. Then she
returned to her place and ate a business-like breakfast.