CHAPTER XIII.
AN INVITATION.
Wednesday brought the return of the _Sylph_ from her cruise. The men,tanned and burned by exposure to wind and sun, were in great spirits,and declared themselves ready for any sport that might be suggested.The girls rallied forces, and in solemn conclave bade them extendtheir vacation one more week, that Miss Stuart might be amused andentertained. They drew a pathetic picture of her first week inHetherford, and maintained that it would be rank disloyalty to allowher to go away with such an impression of the beloved place.
In the confusion of tongues two voices were silent. Emily and Jeaneach had her own reason for wishing Miss Stuart a thousand miles away,and both looked a little contemptuous at the excitement that was beingmade over her. However, their lack of interest did not dampen theenthusiasm of the others, and the day was carried. The men did notneed a great deal of urging, for they had already met Miss Stuart, andwere eloquent in their praises of her. Dick Andrews succumbed at onceto the tender passion, much to everybody's amusement, for jolly Dickin the role of lovesick swain was a most diverting spectacle.
Andrews did not have it all his own way, however, for Miss Stuart,with an exception in Farr's favor, treated them quite impartially. Itwas conceded that Farr, as an old friend, had a prior right, and noone marveled that Miss Stuart's manner toward him was particularlygracious and amiable. They were much in each other's society, and sodiplomatic was Miss Stuart, that no one discerned that their frequent_tete-a-tetes_ were invariably of her planning.
It must be said, however, that Farr made no resistance and appearedeminently at ease with her. He was sorely wounded, and as angry withJean as it was possible for him to be; and in this dejected andunenviable frame of mind, he took small heed of what he did with histime. Monday night when, at Helen's request, Jean had left thedrawing-room, she had distinctly bade him hope. One hour later, shehad again veered round and had treated him with a contemptuousindifference which he felt he had in no way deserved. Even then he hadtried to believe that his imagination was at fault, but when she hadpurposely overlooked the hand which he had extended to her in parting,he could no longer deceive himself. Unfortunately, Miss Stuart hadseen the slight which Jean had put upon him, and the faint smile ofamusement in her eyes when she had said, "good-night" to him butdeepened the sting. In a tempest of rage he flung himself out of thehouse and strode furiously down the avenue, leaving poor Dudley farbehind, to wonder what on earth was the matter.
It was not easy for Farr with his nature to forgive a repulse, and onTuesday he kept to the _Vortex_, nursing his wrongs, and vowing hewould take no step to make matters right between them until Jeanshould show some sign of penitence. By Wednesday this determinationwas less firm, and during the hours of his work and leisure his heartwas pleading for Jean. When evening came he gave up the struggle, andat nine o'clock presented himself at the manor.
The light that streamed out through the open door and windows revealedquite a number of people on the veranda, and he remembered that he hadobserved the _Sylph_ riding at anchor in the harbor. They gave him ahearty welcome, and while Nathalie was rallying him for his unkinddesertion of them, he vainly tried to discover Jean's whereabouts. Hisinability to do so was soon explained.
"Where did Jean go?" Nathalie asked.
Eleanor answered from the corner of the veranda:
"She went in the house a little while ago."
"Send Susie up for her, Nathalie," Helen requested.
Farr took a seat on the railing at a point which commanded a view ofthe hall; and found himself face to face with Miss Stuart, who wastilting slowly back and forth in a deep rocker. They had interchangedone or two commonplace remarks when a maid tripped across the hall andstood in the doorway.
"Miss Jean begs to be excused," she announced briefly, and disappearedinto the darkened dining room beyond.
Farr drew a quick breath, and a frown contracted his brows. He couldscarcely believe that he had heard aright. With a characteristicgesture, he pulled his cap down over his eyes and set his teeth. MissStuart remembered the trick of old. She watched him furtively, with acurious light in her eyes. Suddenly he recalled her existence, butwhen he looked at her she had already averted her gaze and wasapparently quite unconscious that anything of importance had takenplace.
She gave him a few moments in which to recover himself, and thenaddressed to him some passing observation on a subject quite alien toHetherford or the Hetherford girls. Farr, animated by a strong desireto hide his pain and disappointment from every eye, braced himself andreplied in a vein of lightness which satisfied her that she had beenwise in the course which she had adopted. They drifted quite naturallyinto conventional small-talk, and every moment he gained moreassurance and ease. He was positively grateful for Miss Stuart'spresence, for it afforded him a refuge from intercourse with thosesimple-hearted Hetherford girls, which he felt would, just now, bevery disastrous to his self-control. No thought of danger assailedhim. He believed Miss Stuart's sentiment for him to be quite dead; andas for himself he had so completely outlived every trace of his boyishpassion as to have even lost all feeling of resentment against her. Hecongratulated himself with true masculine density that he had probedthe depths of Miss Stuart's nature, and could never be outwitted byher again. Some day, if things went well with him, he meant to tellJean all about that affair; in fact, he would have done so Mondayevening, had he not felt that it would scarcely be in good taste todiscuss the subject with Miss Stuart almost within ear-shot. In themeantime it did not distress him in the least to defer the telling ofthe story; for Jean, of course, knew nothing whatever of the matter,and it was extremely improbable that Miss Stuart would ever take thepains to enlighten her. In justice to Farr it should be said that hehad completely forgotten the incident of the shrubbery which had meantso much to Jean, and he was not aware of the words that she hadoverheard, and of the construction that she had not unnaturally putupon them.
And all this while poor little Jean lay on the sofa, in her darkenedroom, sobbing as if her heart would break. She had waited so patientlyon Tuesday, hoping against hope that he would come and explaineverything to her. For, of course, there was something to explain,else why had he so distinctly avoided all mention of Miss Stuart, evenwhen she had asked him if he knew her?
"He has a right to his past," she said to herself, with quiveringlips; "but, oh! if they were such old friends, if she calls him Val,if he remembers one evening with her even to the color of her gown, hemight--oh! he might have remembered to speak of her to me."
The more she thought it over the greater seemed the proofs of hisdeception. If he and Miss Stuart had been old friends and nothingmore, it would have been his natural impulse to speak of his surpriseand pleasure at meeting her at the manor. He had failed to do so, and,with despair in her heart, Jean told herself that he must have hadsome strong reason for his silence.
Tuesday wore away, and still no word had come from him. She determinednot to let Miss Stuart see how unhappy she was, so kept about with theothers, and entered into all their plans with forced gayety. Whenhalf-past nine struck on Wednesday evening, she gave up all hope ofseeing him, for they were very informal in Hetherford, and kept earlyhours. She went up to her room, and as she slipped on her wrapper, shefell to crying, and when Susie knocked and announced Farr, she was toodisfigured by her tears to think of going down. The disappointment wasvery keen.
"Please excuse me, Susie," she called through the closed door. "I amsorry, but I am lying down."
As she heard the maid's retreating step she would fain have recalledher, and sent some other message, but it was too late.
The next day, on the decks of the _Sylph_, Farr and Jean met for thefirst time since Monday. Jean came aboard fully resolved to tender anapology for having excused herself on the previous evening. She hadnever lacked self-confidence before, but to-day she could scarcelypluck up courage to speak to him. Timidly she made her first friendlyovertures, only to be met with an unmistakable rebuf
f. Farr answeredthe questions she put to him, but with a studied indifference whichmade her cheeks tingle; to make matters worse he presently saunteredoff from the group of which Jean made one, and joined Miss Stuart,who was seated a short distance away. Jean's face grew hard as shestifled the sob which rose in her throat, and she registered a vowthat never again would she give him an opportunity to treat her soslightingly. It was unmanly and unmannerly, and she had done with himforever. She did not flinch from the path she laid out for herself,and so successfully did she play the part that Dick and Mollie,walking home in the cool of the evening, declared that it was like thegood old days to have Jean so jolly and full of fun.
Miss Stuart meanwhile was content to keep Farr at her side, despitethe fact that he was a most morose and taciturn companion. She knewwherein lay her advantage, and although the knowledge was notflattering to her self-pride, it did not prevent her from making thebest of her opportunities. It was galling to her that Jean had thepower to make him so miserable, but the trouble between them servedher purpose very well for the present. As she talked to himpleasantly, she did not seem to notice that his replies weremonosyllabic, and that he watched Jean's every movement with gloomyeyes. She was a clever woman, with a rare gift of conversation, andere long her tactful efforts were rewarded, and Farr, roused from hisabstraction, shook himself out of his ill-humor. In the course of theday he made one or two attempts at a reconciliation with Jean, but asboth she and Miss Stuart had concentrated their energies to preventhis accomplishing his purpose, he failed signally.
As day followed day, the breach between Jean and her lover was nothealed, and no hand was stretched forth to stay its ever-wideninglimits.
* * * * *
"Lillian!"
Miss Stuart laid down her book, and looked expectantly up at Helen.
"I have a suggestion to make for this afternoon. How would you like todrive over to Crescent Beach to call on Mrs. Maynard?"
"I agree to the drive," replied Miss Stuart, stifling a yawn, "but whymust we call on that stupid woman? She always bores me to death."
There was a ring of annoyance in Helen's voice as she answered:
"Oh, it is not at all necessary for you to go with me. One of mysisters would be delighted to do so."
"So much the better, my dear," said Miss Stuart indifferently, as shepicked up her book and resumed her reading.
"Why are you so down on little Mrs. Maynard?" queried WendellChurchill, emerging from a recess of the window where he and Nathaliehad been whiling away the morning hours with mandolin and banjo.
"I am not down on her in the least, but I think she is uninterestingto a degree."
She paused until the portieres had closed on Helen's retreatingfigure, and then met Churchill's eyes with a meaning smile.
"It is not surprising, is it, that her husband should find Mrs.Desborough a pleasing contrast?"
In her far-away corner hot-tempered Nathalie caught the words andflared up in defense of her friend:
"Oh, I think it is a shame to speak so. Mrs. Maynard is unhappy, butno woman ever bore unhappiness with greater dignity. It seems to meincredible that everybody's sympathies are not enlisted on her side."
"I am very unfortunate," returned Miss Stuart with thinly veiledsarcasm. "This is the second time I have erred in this way. I must bemore careful in future not to give expression to my opinions."
Churchill saw that some unpleasantness was imminent, and, manlike,rushed in only to make matters worse.
"Don't you think Miss Nathalie looks very much like Mrs. Desborough? Ihave so often noticed the resemblance."
With blazing eyes, Nathalie started up from the low window-seat.
"From all I know of her, I cannot feel flattered by the compliment,"and, with this parting shot, she thrust open the French windows andflew out on the veranda.
"Dear, dear," murmured Miss Stuart in mock dismay, "what a tempest ina teapot. Those girls are terribly spoiled, and it is all Helen'sfault. She is unpardonably weak with them."
Churchill was very much embarrassed by the position in which he foundhimself. He extricated himself by muttering something barelyintelligible, to the effect that the Lawrences were so much attachedto each other, and then retreated hastily to find Nathalie andreinstate himself in her good graces.
When afternoon came Miss Stuart relented and she and Helen, withlittle Gladys between them, started off in the buckboard for CrescentBeach. It was a beautiful drive. For a short distance the road woundthrough fragrant meadows and wooded lanes until it came out upon thebeach, where for several miles it led straight away over the hardenedsands. They bowled swiftly along, the fresh salt wind blowing in theirfaces, the soothing sound of the ebb and flow of the restless watersbreaking softly on their ears.
Miss Stuart, exhilarated by the clear air, the brilliant sunshine andthe congenial companionship of this friend whom she really loved, hadnever appeared to a greater advantage. It was the Lillian Stuart whomight have been whose cleverness and glancing wit held Helen's mindenthralled, as they talked of all the subjects dear to women's hearts.All too soon they reached their destination. As they drew up under the_porte-cochere_ of the hotel, Helen found herself wishing with all herheart that Lillian might continue in so charming a mood.
Presently Mrs. Maynard joined them in the vast hotel parlor, and asMiss Stuart went forward to greet her with great cordiality, Helen hadno fault to find with her manner. They chatted together for some fewmoments when Miss Stuart recognized some friends of hers in a party ofpeople who had wandered in from the piazza. She excused herself, andas she joined them Mrs. Maynard turned to Helen.
"Don't you want to come up to my room for a few moments, Helen? I amsure that Dorothy would be very glad to see Gladys."
The child jumped instantly down from her chair, her chubby facebeaming with eager anticipation.
"Gladys has accepted for me," said Helen with an amused smile, and thetwo made their way upstairs.
"What a lovely view you have!" exclaimed Helen as she dropped into achair near the open window.
"It is pretty," Mrs. Maynard assented, pushing open a door which ledinto the next room.
A beautiful little child sat in the middle of the floor, hugging a bigwoolly lamb close to her heart.
"Dorothy, will you please come here, and speak to little GladysLawrence, who has come to see you?"
At her mother's bidding, Dorothy struggled to her feet, and clutchingthe lamb tightly in both hands, ran toward the open door. Then shecaught sight of Helen, and the big violet eyes were swiftly veiled,and the little head with its tangled mass of golden curls was hiddenin the folds of her mother's skirt. Mrs. Maynard smiled in gentlereproof as she lifted the child's face.
"What a baby, darling! Please be a good little girl and say'how-do-you-do' to Gladys."
Dorothy still hung back, clinging fast to her mother's hand; butGladys, who was the most friendly little creature in the world, soonsucceeded in overcoming her shyness. Presently they were chatteringtogether as happily as possible, and Dorothy went so far as to produceher box of paper dolls and to dress them for Gladys' benefit.
Mrs. Maynard's face lighted up with sympathetic interest as Helengave her a graphic account of the week's gayeties. She had known MissStuart for several years, and could well understand Helen's desire tomake her visit enjoyable. Miss Stuart, bored, might be a verydifficult companion.
"I am so glad for you, Helen, dear, that you have had such pleasanttimes. I wish you would let me feel that I had contributed in a smallway toward helping you to entertain Miss Stuart, and, if you wouldenjoy it, I would love to have you all come over here for the dance onSaturday evening. I believe they are to have very good music, and wewill arrange to have a pleasant little supper together. My husbandwill be here, and I expect Mr. and Mrs. Endicott, whom you mayremember."
"Yes, indeed, I do, and I know that I can accept for all of us. Itwill be moonlight, so the drive over will be delightful."
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p; On the way home little else was talked of between the girls but theprospective dance. Miss Stuart expressed herself as very much pleasedwith the idea, and the plan having received the sanction of herapproval, Helen forthwith determined that every arrangement should beas perfect as her careful forethought could make it.
When they reached the manor, the girls were having tea on the upperporch. They joined them at once, and the question of the dance waslaid before them.
"Glorious!" exclaimed Nathalie, ecstatically, and her verdict wasloudly echoed by the others.
Helen drew a chair up close to the tea-table over which Jean waspresiding, and pulling off her gloves smoothed them out on her kneewith the palm of her hand.
"I want to consult you in regard to the drive, Jeanie," she said in alowered tone.
Jean nodded, and leaned across her, to hand a cup of tea to MissStuart.
"Nathalie," said Helen, "please give Lillian some of that hot toast."
"Toast and jam!" exclaimed Nan in accents of scorn, as she helpedherself generously to both. "What sordid considerations, when there isa _bona fide_ ball in view."
"Leave a slice for me, Nancy," laughed Eleanor. "I must fortify myselfif you are going to wax eloquent."
"Stop your nonsense, girls," and Nathalie waved an imperious hand atthem. "The question is, how shall we drive over?"
Jean turned to Helen.
"If it is a fine night we might go in the wagonette."
"Why, Jean, it would not begin to hold us all," interposed Emily."There are fourteen of us, counting the men from the _Vortex_."
"I did not include them," Jean replied quietly.
Miss Stuart stared curiously at her over the edge of her teacup.
"It seems to me that a dance without men is rather a tame affair, andI don't imagine the hotel will yield a very plentiful supply."
Jean lifted her chin defiantly.
"I was not speaking of the dance but of the drive over."
"Well, that is perfectly absurd," Emily broke in. "The idea of ourgoing over in one conveyance, and those poor men in another. What areyou thinking of, Jean?"
Miss Stuart laughed softly, while Jean vouchsafed never a word.
A glance of intelligence was flashed from Nan to Eleanor, and Nanspoke up in good-natured raillery.
"Em, dear, have you ever heard that 'enough is as good as a feast.'Jean probably remembered that it it is fully twelve miles there andback and felt some qualms for fear her conversational ability woulddesert her."
The laugh was general, for it was a joke of long standing that Jeancould talk to anyone, at any time, and under any circumstances,however trying.
Helen looked from one to the other with puzzled eyes. She had anuncomfortable consciousness that there was something in the air whichshe did not understand. She put an end to the discussion with quietdecision.
"There will be quite time enough to talk this over later. We must waitand see how the weather turns out. Now, suppose we go downstairs andhave some music before we break up."
Later that evening she opened the subject again to Miss Stuart.
"I will tell you what I have decided, Lillian. We will hire theHetherford stage and all go over in that."
And Miss Stuart answered, with a tinge of triumph in her voice:
"That is certainly a most sensible plan, my dear."
So it was settled. Jean accepted the decision without a protest. Deepin her heart she still cherished a strong hope that themisunderstandings between Farr and herself might one day be clearedaway. She had acted contrary to her own wishes in excluding him fromthe drive to Crescent Beach, and she admitted to herself,shamefacedly, that she was glad the matter had been taken out of herhands.