CHAPTER VIII.
STICK TO THE FRONTIER.
"We know our motives least in their confused beginning." --BROWNING.
Honor sat alone in the drawing-room, a basket of socks and stockingsat her elbow, her thoughts working as busily as her needle. This girlhad reduced the prosaic necessity of darning to a fine art; and sinceEvelyn's efforts in that direction bore an odd resemblance toill-constructed lattice windows, Honor had taken pity on themaltreated garments very early in the day.
Evelyn herself was at the tennis-courts, with the Kresneys and HarryDenvil, a state of things that had become increasingly frequent oflate; and a ceaseless murmur of two deep voices came to Honor's earsthrough the open door of the study, where Desmond was talking andreading Persian with his friend Rajinder Singh.
Honor enjoyed working to the accompaniment of that sound. It had grownpleasantly familiar during the past week, in which Desmond had beencut off from outdoor activities. When the Persian lesson was over, hewould come in to her for a talk. Then there would be music, andpossibly a game of chess; for Desmond was an enthusiastic player. Theyhad spent one or two afternoons in this fashion already, since thenight of the fire; and their intimacy bid fair to ripen into a verysatisfying friendship.
To the end of time, writers and thinkers will continue to insist uponthe impossibility of such friendships; and to the end of time, men andwomen will persist in playing with this form of fire. For it isprecisely the possibility of fire under the surface which lends itspeculiar fascination to an experiment old as the Pyramids, yeteternally fresh as the first leaf-bud of spring.
In the past five years Honor had established two genuine friendshipswith men of widely different temperaments; and she saw herselfnow--not without a certain quickening of heart and pulse--in a fairway to establishing a third.
The hum of voices ceased; there were footsteps in the hall; a fewhearty words of leave-taking from the Englishman, and two minuteslater he stood before her, his left sleeve hanging limp and empty; thearm and shoulder strapped tightly into place beneath the flap of hiscoat.
"Not gone out yet?" he said, a ring of satisfaction in his tone."Going to join Ladybird at the club later on?"
"No. As she had this engagement I stayed at home in case you might beglad to have some one to 'play with' after your long lesson was over."
"Just like you!" he declared, with a touch of brotherly frankness,which was peculiarly pleasing to this brother-loving girl. "I've beenrather overdoing the Persian this week. You must give me someBeethoven presently. And if you really mean to 'play with' me you mustalso leave off looking so aggressively industrious."
His eyes rested, in speaking, on the rapid movement of her needle, andhe became suddenly aware of the nature of her work.
"Look here, Honor," he exclaimed. "I draw the line at that! Ladybirdought not to allow it. We've no right to turn you into a domesticdrudge."
"Ladybird--as you so delightfully call her--knows me far too well totry and stop me when she sees I mean to have my own way! Shall youmind if I go shares in your special name for her? It suits her evenbetter than her own."
"Yes, it seems to express her, somehow--doesn't it?"
An unconscious tenderness invaded his tone, and his glance turned upona panel photograph of his wife in her wedding-dress that stood nearhim on the mantelpiece. Watching it thus, he fell into a thoughtfulsilence, which Honor made no attempt to break. Speaking or silent hiscompanionship was equally acceptable to her: and while she awaitedhis pleasure a great hole, made by the removal of one of Evelyn's"lattice windows," filled up apace.
Of a sudden he turned from the picture, and, drawing up a low chair,sat down before her, leaning a little forward, his elbow resting onhis knee. The urgency and gravity of his bearing made her at once laydown her work.
"Honor," he began, "I'm bothered ... about Ladybird, ... that's thetruth. I wonder if I can speak without fear of your misunderstandingme?"
"Try me! I am only too glad to help her in any way."
His intense look softened to a smile.
"You've made that clear enough already. I begin to wonder what shewill do when John comes back to claim you again. You so thoroughlyunderstand her, and thoroughly--love her."
"She is a creature born to be loved."
"_And_ to be kept happy," he added very quietly. "But the vitalquestion is whether that is at all possible in Kohat, or in any otherof our stations; for Kohat is by no means the worst. She hates theplace, doesn't she? She's counting the days to get away to the Hills.You know you can't look me straight in the face and say she is happyhere."
The unexpected attack struck Honor into momentary silence. Desmond wasfatally quick to perceive the shadow of hesitation, transient as abreath upon glass; and when she would have spoken he silenced her witha peremptory hand.
"Don't perjure yourself, Honor. Your eyes have told me all I wanted toknow."
Distress gave her a courage that surprised herself.
"Indeed they have done nothing of the kind! You ask a direct question,and you are bound in fairness to hear my answer. The life here isstill very new to Evelyn, and she has not quite found her footingyet;--that is all. I have had it from her own lips that the placematters very little to her so long as she is--with you; and you go toofar in saying that she is not happy here."
But her words did not carry conviction. He was still under theinfluence of his wife's curious aloofness since the night of thefire.
"You're trying to let me down gently, Honor," he said, with a rathercheerless smile. "And you may as well save yourself the trouble.Only--this is where you must _not_ misunderstand me, please,--noshadow of blame attaches to Ladybird if she isn't happy. I had noright to bring her up to this part of the world, knowing it as I did;and I've no right to keep her here. That's the position, in anutshell."
"Do you mean you ought to--send her away?"
"No--_take_ her away."
Honor started visibly.
"But--surely--that's impossible?"
"I think not," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone that distressed hermore keenly than any display of emotion. "It's merely a question offacing facts. If I had money enough, I could throw up the Army andtake her home. But, as matters stand, I can only do the next bestthing, and give up--the Frontier, by exchanging into a down-countryregiment."
"_The Frontier...!_ Theo! Do you realise what you are saying?"
"Perfectly."
"Oh, but it's folly--worse than folly! To give up what you have workedfor all these years--the men who worship you--your friends, theregiment----"
"They would survive the loss. I don't flatter myself I'mindispensable. Besides, this isn't a question of me or my friends. Iam thinking of Ladybird."
The coolness of his tone, and the set determination of his mouth,chilled her fervour like a draught of cold air.
"Oh, if only Major Wyndham were here!" she murmured desperately.
"Thank God he is not! And if he were, it would make no difference. Ishouldn't dream of discussing such a matter with him or--any of them.When my mind is made up, I shall tell him; that is all."
He rose as though the matter were ended; but Honor had no mind to lethim shut the door upon it--yet.
"It is strange that you can speak so," she said, "when you must know,better than any one, what your leaving the regiment would mean--toMajor Wyndham."
"Yes--I know," he answered quietly, and the pain in his eyes made herhalf regret her own daring. "The only two big difficulties in the wayare my father--and Paul."
"_I_ see a whole army of others almost as big."
"That is only because you are always in sympathy with the man's pointof view."
"A matter like this _ought_ to be looked at first and foremost fromthe man's point of view. The truth is, Theo, that you have simplyappealed to me in the hope of having your own Quixotic notionconfirmed. You want me to say, 'Yes, go; you will be doing quiteright.' And--think what you will o
f me--I flatly refuse to say it!"
He regarded her for a few seconds in an admiring silence, the smiledeepening in his eyes. Then:
"Don't you think you are a little hard on me?" he said at length. "Itis not altogether easy to do--this sort of thing."
Honor made no immediate reply, though the strongest chords of herbeing vibrated in response to his words. Then she rose also, and stoodbefore him; her head tilted a little upwards; her candid eyes restingdeliberately upon his own. Standing thus, at her full height, sheappeared commandingly beautiful, but in the stress of the moment thefact counted for nothing with either of them. All the hidden forces ofher nature were set to remove the dogged line from his mouth; and hehimself, looking on the fair outward show of her, saw only a mindclear as crystal, lit up by the white light of truth.
For an instant they fronted one another--spirits of equal strength.Then Honor spoke.
"If I _do_ seem hard on you, it is only because I want, above allthings, to convince you that your idea is wrong from every point ofview. You have paid me a very high compliment to-day. I want you topay me a still higher one: to believe that I am speaking the simpletruth, as I see it, from a woman's standpoint, not merely trying tosave you from unhappiness. May I speak out straight?"
"As plainly as you please, Honor. Your opinion will not be despised, Ipromise you."
"Well, then--is it fair on Evelyn to make her upbringing responsiblefor such a serious turn of the wheel? Would you give her no voice inthe matter--treat her as if she were a mere child?"
"She is very little more than a child."
"Indeed, Theo, she is a great deal more. She is a woman, ... and awife. The woman's soul isn't fully awake in her yet; but it may comeawake any day. And then--how would she feel if she ever found out----"
"She never would----"
"How can you tell? Women find out most things about the men they--carefor. It's a risk not worth running. Would she even acquiesce if youput the matter before her now, child as she is?"
"Frankly, I don't know. Possibly not. She isn't able to see aheadmuch, or look all round a subject."
"Shall you be very angry if I say that you haven't yet lookedthoroughly round this one? The idea probably came to you as animpulse--a very fine impulse, I admit; and, instead of fairly weighingpros and cons, you have simply been hunting up excuses that willjustify you in carrying it out; because, for the moment, Evelyn seemsa little discontented with things in general."
The hard lines about his mouth relaxed.
"You _are_ speaking straight with a vengeance, Honor!"
"I know I am. It's necessary sometimes, when people are--obstinate!"And she smiled frankly into his troubled face. "Oh, believe me, it'sfatal for the man to throw all his life out of gear on account of thewoman. It's putting things the wrong way about altogether. Inaccepting her husband, a woman must be prepared to accept his life andwork also."
"But, suppose she can't realise either till--too late?"
"That's a drawback. But if she really cares, it can still be done. Iam jealous for Evelyn. I want her to have the chance of showing thatshe has good stuff in her. Give her the chance, Theo; and if shedoesn't quite rise to it, don't feel that you are in any way toblame."
"I'd be bound to feel that."
"Then I can only say it would be very wrong-headed of you." Her eyessoftened to a passing tenderness nevertheless. "Let the blame, ifthere is any, rest on my shoulders; and we'll hope that the need maynever arise. Now, have I said enough? Will you--_will_ you leavethings as they are, and put aside your impossible notion for good?"
The urgency of her request so touched him that he answered with areadiness which surprised himself.
"No question but you're a friend worth having! I promise you thismuch, Honor. I will think very thoroughly over it all, since youaccuse me of not having done so yet! And we'll let the matter rest forthe present, anyway. I'd like to get you both to the Hills as soon aspossible. These Kresneys are becoming something of a nuisance. It'spast my comprehension how she can find any pleasure in their company.But she has little enough amusement here, and I'm loth to spoil any ofit. She'll enjoy going up to Murree, though, sooner than she expected;and as Mackay insists on my taking fifteen days before getting back towork, I can go with you, and settle you up there in about a week'stime. You'll see after her, for me, won't you, Honor? She's a littleheedless and inexperienced still; and you'll keep an eye on householdmatters more or less?"
"Of course I will, and make her see to them herself, too; though itseems rather like expecting a flower to learn the multiplicationtable! She is so obviously just made to be loved and protected."
"_And_ kept happy," he insisted, with an abrupt reversion to hisoriginal argument.
"Yes--within reasonable limits. Now, sit down, please, and light up.You've been all this time without a cigar!"
But the cigar was hardly lighted before they were startled by aconfused sound of shouting from the compound;--a blur of shrill anddeep voices, punctuated by the strained discordant bark of a dog;--abark unmistakable to ears that have heard it once. Desmond sprang outof his chair.
"By Jove! A mad pariah!"
Lifting Rob by the scruff of his neck, he flung that amazed anddignified person with scant ceremony into the study, and shut thedoor; then, judging by the direction of the sound, hurried out to thefront verandah, snatching up a heavy stick as he passed through thehall. Honor, following not far behind, went quickly into her own room.
Desmond found his sun-diffused compound abandoned to a tumult ofterror. Fourteen servants and their belongings had all turned out inforce, with sticks, and staves, and valiant shakings of partiallyunwound turbans, against the unwelcome intruder--a mangy-coatedpariah, with lolling tongue and foam-flecked lips, whose bones showedthrough hairless patches of skin; and whose bared fangs snappedincessantly at everything and nothing, in a manner gruesome to behold.A second crowd of outsiders, huddled close to the gates, was also veryzealous in the matter of shouting, and of winnowing the empty air.
As Desmond set foot on the verandah, a four-year-old boy, bent oncloser investigation of the enemy, escaped from the "home" battalion.His small mother pursued him, shrieking; but at the first snap thedog's teeth met in the child's fluttering shirt, and his shriekssoared, high and thin, above the deeper torrent of sound.
In an instant Desmond was beside him, the stick swung high over hishead. But a low sun smote him straight in the eyes, and there wasscant time for accurate aim. The stick merely grazed the dog'sshoulder in passing; and Desmond almost lost his balance from theunresisted force of the blow.
The girl-mother caught wildly at her son; and prostrating herself at asafe distance, babbled incoherent and unheeded gratitude. The dog, madwith rage and pain, made a purposeful spring at his one definiteassailant; and once again Desmond, half-blinded with sunlight, swungthe heavy stick aloft. But before it fell a revolver shot rang outclose behind him; and the dog dropped like a stone, with a bulletthrough his brain.
A shout of quite another new quality went up from the crowd; andDesmond, turning sharply on his heel, confronted Honor Meredith, whiteto the lips, the strong light making an aureole of her hair.
The hand that held the revolver quivered a little, and he caught it inso strong a grip that she winced under the pressure.
"It would be mere impertinence to say 'thank you,'" he murmured withlow-toned vehemence. But his eyes, that sought her own, shamed thefutility of speech. "The sun was blinding me; and if I'd missed thesecond time----"
"Oh, hush, hush!" she pleaded with a quick catch of her breath. "Look,there's Rajinder Singh coming back."
"He must have seen what happened; and by the look of him, I imagine_he_ will have no great difficulty in expressing his feelings."
Indeed, the tall Sikh, whose finely-cut face and cavernous eye-bonessuggested a carving in old ivory, bowed himself almost to the groundbefore the girl who had saved his admired Captain Sahib from thepossibility of a hideous death.
Bu
t in the midst of an impassioned flow of words, his deep voicefaltered; and squaring his shoulders, he saluted Desmond with a gleamof fire in his eyes.
"There be more things in the heart of a man, Hazur, than the tonguecan be brought to utter. But, of a truth, the Miss Sahib hath donegood service for the Border this day."
Desmond flung a smiling glance at Honor.
"_There's_ fame for you!" he said, with a lightness that was mere foamand spray from great deeps. "The whole Border-side is at yourfeet!--But what brought you back again, Rajinder Singh?"
"Merely a few words I omitted to say to your Honour at parting."
The words were soon spoken; and the crowd, breaking up into desultorygroups, was beginning to disperse, when, to his surprise, Desmond sawhis wife's jhampan appear between the gate-posts, and pause for amoment while she took leave of some one on the farther side.Instinctively he moved forward to greet her; but, on perceiving hercompanion, changed his mind, and stood awaiting her by the verandahsteps.
The dead dog lay full in the middle of the path; and Honor, stillholding her revolver, stood only a few yards away. At sight of thesethings the faint shadow of irritation upon Evelyn's face deepened todisgust, not unmixed with fear, and her voice had a touch ofsharpness in it as she turned upon her husband.
"Who on earth put that horrible dog there, Theo? And why is Honorwandering about with a pistol? I met a whole lot of natives comingaway. Has anything been happening?"
"The dog was mad, and Honor shot him," Desmond answered, with coolabruptness. Her manner of parting from Kresney had set the bloodthrobbing in his temples. "I only had a stick to tackle him with; andshe very pluckily came to my rescue."
While he spoke, Honor turned and went into the house. She wasconvinced that Evelyn would strike a jarring note, and in her presentmood felt ill able to endure it.
Evelyn frowned.
"Oh, Theo, how troublesome you are! If the dog had bitten a fewnatives, who'd have cared?"
"Their relations, I suppose. And there was a child in danger, Evelyn."
"Poor little thing! But you really can't go about trying to get killedfor the benefit of any stray sort of people. I am thankful I wasn'there!"
"Yes--it was just as well," her husband answered drily, as he handedher out of the jhampan. "What brought you back so early?"
"The sun was too hot. I had a headache; and we were all playingabominably. I'm going in now, to lie down."
She paused beside him, and her eyes lingered upon his emptycoat-sleeve. Lifting it distastefully between finger and thumb, sheglanced up at him with a droop of her delicate lips.
"When is it going to be better? I hate to see you looking allone-sided like that."
"I'm sorry," he answered humbly. "But Nature won't be persuaded tohurry herself--even to please you." He scrutinised her face with ashade of anxiety.
"You do look white, Ladybird. How would it be if I took you to Murreein a week's time?"
"It would be simply lovely! _Can_ you do it--really? Would you _let_me go so soon?"
"_Let_ you go? Do you think I want to keep you here a moment laterthan you care to stay?"
"Theo!" Instant reproach clouded the April brightness of her face."How horrid you are! I thought you liked to have me here as long aspossible."
He laughed outright at that. He was apt to find her unreasonablenessmore charming than irritating.
"Surely, little woman, that goes without saying. But if the heat istroubling you, and headaches, I like better to have you where you canbe rid of both; and as the notion seems to please you, we'll considerthe matter settled."
* * * * *
Between nine and ten that evening, when the three were sittingtogether in the drawing-room, the outer stillness was broken by asound of many footsteps and voices rapidly nearing the house. Nonative crowd this time. The steps and voices were unmistakablyEnglish; and Desmond rose hastily.
"This must be Rajinder Singh's doing! It looks as if they meant tooverwhelm us in force."
Evelyn had risen also, with a slight frown between her brows.
"Can't I go to bed before they come, Theo? I'm very tired, and they'resure to make a dreadful noise."
"I'm afraid that won't do at all," he said decisively, a rare note ofreproof in his tone. "They probably won't stop long, and you mustplease stay up till they go."
As he spoke, Harry Denvil in white Mess uniform, scarlet kummerband,and jingling spurs, plunged into the room.
"I'm only the advance guard! The whole regiment's coming onbehind--even the Colonel--to drink Miss Meredith's health!" He turnedupon the girl and shook hands with her at great length. "All the same,you know," he protested laughing, "it's not fair play for _you_ to godoing that sort of thing. Wish I'd had the chance of it myself!"
Such speeches are impossible to answer; and Honor was thankful thatthe main body of troops arrived in time to save her from the futileattempt.
But she was only at the beginning of her ordeal.
By the time that Mrs Olliver and six men had wrung her hand withvarying degrees of vigour, each adding a characteristic tribute ofthanks and praise, her cheeks were on fire; and a mist, which shetried vainly to dispel, blurred her vision.
Through that mist, she was aware of Frank vigorously shaking handswith Desmond, scolding and blessing him in one breath. "Ah, Theo, man,you're a shocking bad lot!" was her sisterly greeting. "Never clearout o' one frying-pan till you're into the next! Thank the Powers MissMeredith was handy." And swinging round on her heel she accosted thegirl herself. "No mistaking the stock _you_ come of, Honor, me dear!"
Submerged in blushes, Honor could scarce command her voice. "Butreally--I only----"
"You only hit the bull's eye like a man, Miss Meredith," CaptainOlliver took her up promptly. "The Major never told us he was adding acrack shot to the regiment!" And he swept her a bow that reduced herto silence.
More overwhelming than all were the few direct words from ColonelBuchanan himself; a tall, hard-featured Scot, so entirely absorbed inhis profession that he never, save of dire necessity, set foot in alady's drawing-room.
Paul Wyndham introduced him, and moved aside, leaving them together.For an instant he treated the girl to the quiet scrutiny of clear blueeyes, unpleasantly penetrating. He had scarcely looked at her tillnow. Still unreconciled to Desmond's marriage, he had resented theintroduction of a third woman into the regiment; and he found himselfmomentarily bewildered by her beauty.
"I ought to be better acquainted with you, Miss Meredith," he said alittle stiffly, sincerity struggling through natural reticence, like alight through a fog. "I'm no lady's man, as you probably know, but Ihad to come and thank you to-night. Desmond's quite my finestofficer--no disrespect to your brother; he knows it as well as Ido----"
"Here you are, Colonel!" Geoff Olliver thrust a long tumbler into hissenior's hand. "We're going to let off steam by drinking MissMeredith's health before we go back."
Honor looked round hastily, in hopes of effecting an escape, and wasconfronted by Desmond's eyes looking straight into her own. He liftedhis glass with a smile of the frankest friendliness; and the restfollowed his example.
"Miss Meredith, your very good health."
The words went round the room in a deep disjointed murmur; and FrankOlliver, stepping impulsively forward, held out her glass to the girl.
"Here's to your health and good luck, with all my heart, Honor, ...the Honor o' the regiment!" she added, with a flash of her whiteteeth.
Uproarious shouts greeted the spontaneous sally.
"Hear, hear! Well played, indeed, Mrs Olliver! Pity Meredith couldn'thave heard that."
Olliver laid a heavy hand on Desmond's shoulder.
"Tell you what, old chap," he said. "You must come back with us; and,by Jove, we'll make a night of it. Finest possible thing for you aftera week's moping on the sick list; and we'll just keep Mackay hanginground in case you get knocked out of shape. I'll slip into uniformmyself and follow o
n. That suit you, Colonel?"
"Down to the ground; if Mackay has no objection."
But Mackay knew his men too well to have anything of the sort; andDesmond's eyes gleamed.
"How about uniform for me, sir?" he asked. "I could manage it after afashion."
Colonel Buchanan smiled.
"No doubt you could! But I'll overlook it to-night. The fellows wantyou. Won't do to keep them waiting!"
Followed a babel of talk and laughter, in the midst of which Honor,who had moved a little apart, became aware that Desmond was at herside.
"Never mind them, Honor," he said in a low voice. "They mean it verywell, and they don't realise that it's a little overwhelming for usboth. I won't pile it on by saying any more on my own account. _Wait_till I get a chance to repay you in kind--that's all!"
His words spurred her to a sudden resolve.
"You have the chance now, if it doesn't seem like taking a meanadvantage of--things."
"Mean advantages are not in your line. You've only to say the word."
"Then _stick to the Frontier_!" she answered, an imperative ring inher low voice. "Doesn't to-night convince you that you've no right toleave them all?"
His face grew suddenly grave.
"The only right is to stand by Ladybird--at all costs."
"Yes, yes--I know. But remember what I said about her side of it. Giveher the chance to find herself, Theo; and give _me_ your word now tothink no more about leaving the Border. Will you?"
He did not answer at once, nor did he remove his eyes from her face.
"Do you care so much what I do with the rest of my life?" he said atlast very quietly.
"Yes--I do; for Ladybird's sake."
"I see. Well, there's no denying your privilege--now to have somevoice in the matter. I give you my word, and if it turns out amistake, the blame be on my own head. The fellows are making a movenow. I must go. Good-night."
The men departed accordingly with much clatter of footsteps andjingling of spurs; and only Mrs Olliver remained behind.
Evelyn Desmond had succeeded in slipping away unnoticed a few minutesearlier. She alone, among them all, had spoken no word of gratitude toher friend.