CHAPTER XII.
EDDYING CURRENTS.
Monday dawned bright and clear. When Jean awoke the sunlight wasflooding the room, and through the open window came the sweet voicesof the birds as they merrily chirped and sang. As she sprang out ofbed she was filled with a sense of well-being and happiness. She couldeven find it in her heart to laugh a little scornfully at the fanciesthat had disturbed her, for they had vanished with the vanishingclouds. She dressed hurriedly and ran down to the dining room with asnatch of song upon her lips. By her plate on the breakfast table layan envelope addressed in a man's legible handwriting. She flushed asshe caught it up, and crossed to the window to read it. Farr hadwritten in great haste to say that the _Vortex_ would be in HetherfordHarbor by noon on Monday. When Jean had reached that point in his noteshe read no further. She stood very still, her hands holding the bitof paper closely, her breath coming hurriedly through her slightlyparted lips. For one moment thus--then the maid entered bearing thecoffee urn, Larry clattered noisily into the room, and Jean turnedback to the ordinary duties of everyday life. But her face was stillillumined, and in the depths of her shining eyes lingered thereflection of her soul's great happiness.
During the morning a telegram came from Helen saying that she and MissStuart would arrive by the afternoon express. Jean had just terminateda long interview with the cook, and was frowning portentously over herunusual duties as housekeeper, when Nathalie brought her the news. Shemade a grimace and then proceeded to inform Nathalie of theapproaching arrival of the _Vortex_, subduing as best she could thetremor of excitement in her voice. Nathalie was jubilant. At last thedull days were at an end, and they would start on a new round offestivities. While she was chattering volubly it suddenly occurred toJean that it would be a pleasant welcome to Helen and Miss Stuart toask Mr. Dudley and Farr to dinner. She made the suggestion timidly,for she feared that Nathalie would divine the true motive whichprompted her. Her mind was instantly set at rest, for Nathalie,overjoyed at the break in the monotony, gave her a friendly pushtoward the desk to hasten the writing of the notes. Jean laughinglyreminded her that the _Vortex_ had not yet arrived, and then they puttheir two heads together to concoct a dinner which should quite equalone of Helen's ordering.
That afternoon, as they were about starting for the station, Barnesbrought back the answer from the _Vortex_. Farr's was of so gratefuland rejoicing a nature that Jean laughed light-heartedly as she readit. It came to her suddenly, as they were bowling along the highroad,that in her note to him she had not mentioned the fact that MissStuart was with them, nor had she done so in the one letter she hadwritten him during his absence.
"It was just an oversight," she said to herself. "A mere chance."
A mere chance, and yet chance sometimes means fate.
Helen met them with so many questions about Gladys, the boys, and AuntHelen, that Jean had no opportunity to unfold her plan for dinneruntil Miss Stuart had gone to her room, and she had followed hersister into the nursery. Helen was tired and travel-worn, but she wasdelighted by Jean's thoughtfulness for Lillian's pleasure, andlistened interestedly while her sister anxiously submitted the menufor her approval.
"Everything is perfect, dear," she said, putting Gladys down from herlap and making her way out into the hall, "but before I go to dress Imust tell Lillian that we are to have guests to dinner," and sheturned away without noting the shadow that crossed Jean's face at themention of Miss Stuart's name.
Miss Stuart stood before her dressing-table arranging the silvertoilet articles which she had just taken from her trunk. She hadthoroughly enjoyed her stay at Newport, and was feeling in a goodhumor with all the world. She turned a bright glance of inquiry as thedoor opened to admit Helen, and betrayed a ready interest in herfriend's announcement.
"Who are the men?"
"Two officers from the Coast Survey schooner that is anchored here,Mr. Dudley and Mr. Farr; Valentine Farr."
The little vinaigrette Miss Stuart held in her hand dropped on thedressing-table. Her face contracted sharply, and she made a quickinstinctive movement away from the light.
"Valentine Farr," she repeated slowly, keeping her voice well undercontrol. "It must be the same of course."
"Do you know him?" Helen asked the question absent-mindedly, for shewas looking about her critically, to assure herself that everything inthe room was as it should be.
"Oh, yes. I have known him for a long while." She had quite recoveredfrom her surprise, and spoke lightly, in her usual tone. "What a smallworld it is after all."
"Dinner at seven, Lillian," Helen said to her as she closed the door;and then she was alone.
"So Val is here," she murmured. "Val, of all people in the world." Sheflung back her head with a reckless laugh, and began to pace up anddown the room.
A flood of recollections swept over her; recollections which stirredher with a strange emotion. How long ago it seemed sincesunny-tempered strong-willed Val Farr had wooed her in so masterful away. What folly it had been, and yet a sweet folly withal! Miss Stuartpaused midway in the room. Her face softened, and her beautiful mouthdrooped tenderly. She had craved a splendid future which Val couldnot give her, so she had thrust his love out of her heart, and filledits place with the admiration and exactions of the gay world in whichshe moved. Val's misfortunes, his poverty, and his estrangement fromhis family gave her the opportunity which she sought to jilt him. Shefrowned with vexation as she recalled the look of scorn that he hadcast at her when she had laid bare to him the aims and ambitions towhich she had sacrificed their love. And after all, it had been auseless, needless exposure, for Val had come to her to give her herfreedom. She told herself that she had acted wisely, she laughed toscorn the sentiment that was so hard to stifle--but no other man hadever taken Val's place.
They had met from time to time in Washington, during the past fewyears, and at each fresh meeting Farr had found himself more and moredisillusioned concerning the woman whom he had once loved. Somethingof this Lillian Stuart divined, with a bitterness of spirit which shecould not quell. His indifference stung her to the quick, and shecould not renounce the hope that she might win him back, if onlycircumstances would give her the opportunity. Miss Stuart's thoughtsbrought her back to the present. She drew her brows together andstared meditatively before her, with eyes that saw nothing of the roomaround her:
"I wonder if Val is in love with one of these girls, and if so whichone."
Jean Lawrence's face flashed before her. She struck her hands sharplytogether, and an angry light gleamed in her eyes.
"That would be a curious way of punishing me. I have always detestedthat sister of Helen's."
She crossed to the mirror, and gazed critically at the picturepresented there. A smile, slow and cruel, touched her lips, and with asatisfied air of triumph she turned away and began to dress fordinner.
The hands of the little French clock on the mantel were close uponseven, when a knock came at the door and Helen entered. She startedback with a faint gasp of admiration, as Miss Stuart turned from thedressing-table and swept across the room to meet her.
"O Lillian," she cried, "how beautiful you look; but, my dear, youwill take away my guests' breath. You know we are thoroughly informalat Hetherford."
Miss Stuart raised her hands to clasp a string of pearls about herthroat, with slow deliberation.
"I am very sorry," she said distantly, "that my gown does not meetwith your approval. I can easily change it."
"Why Lillian, I find your gown charming, and would not have you changeit for the world; I exclaimed simply because I did not expect to seeyou _en grande toilette_."
"It did not occur to me that I was inappropriately dressed, but ofcourse I am not conversant with your customs here."
The covert sneer was not lost upon Helen, and she flushed painfully atthe sharp words. With her usual self-depreciation she felt reproachedfor what she considered her lack of tact and courtesy.
"I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am, Lil
lian," she murmured,with deep contrition, "for my inadvertent speech. I never knew you tolook lovelier. Won't you please believe me when I tell you that?"
The naivete of the compliment touched Miss Stuart, and she smiledgayly into Helen's troubled eyes.
"I admit that I did not understand you at first. I thought that I wasguilty of a social error. However, it is all right now."
Helen put her hand on her shoulder, and turned her gently around.
"I want to really see your gown. It is exquisite. What perfect tasteyou have, Lillian."
Miss Stuart's gown was of the palest shade of green velvet, made sosimply as to be almost severe in its lines. The low-cut bodice wasornamented with some fine cut jet, and a little dagger of the same wasthrust through the soft coil of auburn hair which crowned her smalland shapely head. Her neck and arms shone dazzlingly fair, and thecontour of the firm white throat would have delighted the eyes of anartist. The long straight lines of her gown accentuated her height,which was somewhat above the average, and she carried herself withregal grace.
Helen gazed at her a moment in silent admiration. She absolutelyworshiped beauty, and its power over her was very great. Had anyonehinted to her that it was chiefly this in Miss Stuart which so charmedher, she would have indignantly refuted the accusation, and yet in agreat measure it was true. Many and many a time she had cause topuzzle over her friend--aye, almost to distrust and fear her; but thepower of the girl's great beauty blinded her and left her helpless tocondemn one who possessed such infinite attraction.
The silence lasted but a moment, yet Miss Stuart had read Helen'sverdict in her transparent face, and her pulses quickened withtriumphant hope.
"Well, well," she cried laughingly, at length, "are you spellbound,and have you forgotten your guests?"
Helen cast a hurried glance at the clock.
"Why, it is seven. I must run down at once. Follow me as soon as youcan, dear."
Down in the drawing-room, Jean was wandering restlessly about, tooexcited to keep still for one moment. She wore the simplest of hergowns, but one which Farr had once told her he liked. Jean was almostwithout vanity, but to-night, as she passed the long mirror over themantel, she could not refrain from glancing therein. She was countingthe slow-footed moments, and at every turn her eyes consulted the oldDutch clock in the corner. At last a carriage drove up the graveledroad, there were steps upon the veranda, and the front door opened andclosed again. She longed to run out into the hall, but an overwhelmingshyness deterred her; and even as she halted, irresolute, theportieres were pushed apart, and, as in a dream, she saw Farr comingtoward her. Her heart beat so she could not trust her voice to speakhim greeting.
He caught both her hands in his, and held them closely.
"Jean, do you know how glad I am to see you again?" he whispered.
Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his. The depth of her emotion paledher cheek, and her young face wore a look of awe. Farr's heart boundedwith joy, and he would have spoken, but suddenly she flushed crimsonand, wrenching her hands from his, started forward to meet Dudley, whostood in the doorway, uncertain whether to advance or beat a retreat.Jean covered her embarrassment as best she could; although Dudleytried valiantly to put her at her ease, there was a merry twinkle inhis blue eyes which she found very disconcerting. At that moment Helenand Nathalie made their entrance, and Jean moved a little apart fromthe others, struggling to regain her self-possession.
Farr had turned to appeal to her for confirmation of some statementwhen a sudden lull fell upon the buzz of conversation. Miss Stuartstood in the doorway, her brilliant figure strikingly set against thedark background of the dimly lighted hall-way. She surveyed them for abrief instant with apparent nonchalance, but that brief glance toldher that it was with Jean that Farr was talking. With slow grace shecrossed the room and gained Helen's side.
Farr's eyes followed Jean's, and as they reached Miss Stuart hisexpression underwent a sudden change. She was looking directly at him,and smiled faintly at the dismay in his face.
"Well, Mr. Farr, is it so great a surprise to you to see such an oldfriend in Hetherford?"
Farr recovered himself, instantly, and met her challenging glance withan impenetrable smile.
"It is, indeed, an unexpected pleasure, Miss Stuart," he said withgrave courtesy, and Miss Stuart was conscious of feeling curiouslybaffled.
To Jean, watching them with dilating eyes, that apparently meaninglessincident seemed fraught with significance. All the haunting doubts andfears, that not twelve hours ago she had scorned as morbid fancies,returned upon her with redoubled force. Love, which makes us strangelyblind, makes us also strangely alert; and Jean's eyes had seen thechange in Farr's face, and as he spoke those few conventional words,her quick ears had detected an unnatural ring in his voice. MissStuart had called herself an old friend, and yet Farr had never spokenof her. Jean searched her memory to see if it were possible that shehad never mentioned Miss Stuart's name to him, and, as she thuspondered, a chance sentence of Nathalie's reached her:
"You go through the shrubbery----"
She heard no more. In an instant the scene was clear before her--thelong stretch of lawn beyond the shrubbery, bright in the silvermoonlight, the sound of voices from the parsonage, breaking softlyupon the evening stillness, through which Farr and she walked slowlyside by side. Then she had spoken of Miss Stuart, and he had certainlydisclaimed any acquaintance with her. Her heart grew cold as her firstdoubt of her lover found lodgment there. As if in consummation of herthoughts, she looked up to see Farr offer Miss Stuart his arm. With asense of foreboding she followed them slowly into the dining room,smiling a little drearily as she remembered with what eagerness shehad anticipated this dinner.
Farr's place at table was between Miss Stuart and Jean, and as theytook their seats, he spoke to the latter in a carefully lowered tone:
"You can't imagine how delightful it is to be here again. I wasabsolutely homesick for the manor while I was away."
"Indeed? How unhappy you must have been."
"I was," he replied gravely, observing for the first time the girl'sair of disdain, and wondering at the cause thereof, "and I shall havea new cause for sorrow if you look at me as you are now doing."
Jean's levity was somewhat forced as she replied:
"I am very sorry you are not pleased. I do not find it easy to changemy expression."
"No?" He bent a very direct and earnest gaze upon her. "Why, MissJean," he said softly, "I thought we were friends when I went away;and only to-night you seemed glad at my return."
The last spark of resentment died out of Jean's heart. Her distrust ofhim seemed suddenly both groundless and foolish. Ashamed and contrite,she was about to speak, when Miss Stuart's suave voice broke in uponthem:
"Mr. Farr, have you heard anything of the Saunders since you leftWashington?"
Farr had no alternative but to reply to so direct a question, andJean, although annoyed at the unwelcome interruption, waitedpatiently, confident that he would seize upon the first opportunity toresume his conversation with her. As the moments passed, however, andhis undivided attention was still given to Miss Stuart, she was firsthurt, and then bitterly angry. A lump rose in her throat, and for onemiserable moment she thought she was going to cry; then her pride cameto her rescue, and under an almost reckless gayety of speech andmanner she hid her momentary weakness. It was unjust and unreasonableto blame Farr, but Jean was in no frame of mind for logical argument.He had turned away from her to speak to Miss Stuart, and although shehad given him ample time to take up the broken thread of theirdiscourse, he had failed to do so. As she talked on excitedly withDudley, her cheeks burning, her eyes dark and restless, she wasmentally comparing herself with Miss Stuart, whom she had alreadyalmost unconsciously begun to regard as her rival. She had alwaysknown that Helen's friend was beautiful, but to-night her newlyawakened jealousy caused her to lay great stress on the brilliancy andfascination of their guest. She recalled, with curious distinctness,th
e image of herself which the mirror had shown her while she awaitedFarr's coming, and her heart contracted as she thought how colorlessshe must appear in contrast with Miss Stuart's rich and vivid beauty.
When at length Farr was once more at liberty to address her, she hadworked herself up to such a pitch of miserable jealousy that she wouldhave none of him, and took an almost savage delight in thwarting hisevery attempt at speech with her. He was too reserved to let her seehow deeply he was wounded by her flippancy and incivility, and, in hisapparent indifference, Jean found an added proof of his disloyalty andof her own unpardonable folly. She had almost come to the end of hercourage, when Helen rose, giving the signal to the ladies to withdraw.
Helen sat down before the open piano, and Nathalie picked up hermandolin from the music stand and began to tune it. When she hadfinished she spoke in a low tone to her sister:
"Let's play Guy's old favorite, will you, dear?"
Helen complied, but not before she had cast a half-guilty glanceacross the room to where Miss Stuart was gracefully reclining in ahuge armchair, to satisfy herself that the mention of her lover's namehad escaped her friend's notice. The piano took up the accompanyingstrains of a soft _andante_, the mandolin carrying the air with itstremulous and strangely human wail.
Jean leaned her face on her hand as she nestled down among thecushions on the divan. Her good angel was whispering to her in thesweet harmony of the music, and gentler thoughts of her lover wereprevailing against the cruel doubts of him which her jealousy hadtaught her. After all, had not Miss Stuart been chiefly at fault, andhad he not honestly striven to make amends?
"It is entirely the result of my morbid dislike of that girl," shesaid to herself; and when the officers came out from the dining room,she gave Farr a bright glance of welcome, and when he had joined her,she talked to him until her persistent gentleness had completelymelted away the barrier of reserve which had crept between them. Onceor twice it was on the tip of her tongue to say, "Why did you nevertell me that you knew Miss Stuart?" but the words, held back by afoolish sentiment of pride, never passed her lips.
Meanwhile Farr, although touched by the sweet friendliness, was moredisheartened than he quite cared to own. He had allowed his hope togrow too quickly, founded on that one honest glance from Jean's eyes,a glance so full of love and trust that he had felt he could not bedeceived. Scarcely had he told himself that his happiness was assuredwhen Jean's coldness had denied the love which her eyes had bespoken.No suspicion of the truth had crossed his mind, and as Jean had neverbeen given to moods, he was left to the discouraging conclusion thathe had been too hasty and that she was resenting it. She was willingnow to treat him with her old-time cordial frankness, for having onceclearly defined their relative positions, she was too courteous tocontinue a course of treatment which she must have seen had greatlypained him. Never until he had reached this unhappy decision had herealized how strong and deep-rooted was his love for Jean. As his eyesrested on her, a longing seized him to take her in his arms, and tobring back to her face that look which had given him such promise ofjoy.
His unexpected meeting with Miss Stuart had brought back to his memorythe foolish impetuosity, the passionate unrest of his boyish love forher, and he thanked God for the wholesome lesson he had learned, andprayed earnestly for the love of this young girl, whose truth andsincerity stirred all the dormant possibilities of his higher nature.With these thoughts in his mind his eyes wandered across the room towhere Lillian Stuart sat talking with Dudley. He acknowledged theforce and charm of her rare exotic beauty, but it moved him not atall. Her effective pose was studied and artificial. Her face, soperfect in contour, was lacking in any suggestion of tenderwomanliness, and her glorious eyes, now raised to Dudley's, althoughfull of the power of expression, revealed no depth of soul.
It was refreshing to him to turn once more to Jean, to meet the dearlaughter-loving eyes, to watch the fleeting changes of expression onher bonny face, to mark the unconscious grace of every movement of herlithe, slender figure. Yet, the secret of Jean's strong hold on hisheart lay not in these superficial attractions, nor in her franksimplicity of manner, nor yet in her girlish freshness, which was hergreatest claim to beauty, but in the knowledge he had gained of hertrue nature; a nature so honest, so unfailing in loyalty, sounselfish, so charitable, so responsive in its sympathies, that bothrespect and reverence were blended with his love for her. And yet hewas not wholly blind to her faults. He knew that she was impatient andhot-tempered, and that, in anger, she was often sarcastic and cutting;but he also saw that she made a brave effort to hold herself in check,and that, however she might be worsted, she never ceased to strugglefor the mastery. His meditations had carried him far adrift of theconversation, but although Jean had observed his abstraction, she didnot resent it. She was living in a day-dream herself, a dream that wasall the happier for that miserable hour at the dinner-table. She rosewith a regretful sigh when Helen asked her to go up with a message toAunt Helen. She looked up at Farr as he held back the portiere for herto pass, and impulsively put out her hand to him.
"We are friends again, are we not?" she asked scarcely above herbreath.
Farr gripped the little hand so tightly it almost hurt her.
"Only friends, Jean?" was all he said; but Jean was satisfied.
Aunt Helen detained her for some few moments with questions about thedinner, and when at last she was free Mary called to her to pleasestep into the nursery, for Larry was wakeful and naughty and would notbe quiet. Quite a half-hour had passed before she re-entered thedrawing-room.
She paused on the threshold, attracted by Farr's voice. He was seatedjust within the doorway. His back was turned toward her and he facedMiss Stuart, who was leaning slightly forward in her chair.
"You are mistaken," he was saying. "I remember everything about thatevening, to the color of the gown you wore."
Before the conclusion of this sentence Miss Stuart had detected Jean,half hidden by the heavy portiere.
"Those were pleasant days in Washington, Val," she said, accompanyingthe words with a faint sigh.
Jean, never dreaming that she had been seen, retreated precipitatelyto a far corner of the hall, and when she once more entered the roomher face was pale, but she held her head well up, and with a low "Ibeg your pardon," swept by the two, who still maintained theirpositions.
That night Miss Stuart's light burned until a late hour, and inresponse to Helen's gentle inquiry as to the cause thereof she gavethrough the closed door, but a curt "Good-night."