CHAPTER IX
THE WARNING
It seemed to Maud that in the days that followed her engagement Tobydeveloped with the swiftness of an opening flower. There was no talk ofher leaving them. She fitted into the establishment as though she hadalways been a part of it, and she took upon herself responsibilitieswhich Maud would never have laid upon her.
Watching her anxiously, it seemed to her that Toby was becoming moresettled, more at rest, than she had ever been before. The look of fearwas dormant in her eyes now, and her sudden flares of anger had whollyceased. She made no attempt to probe below the surface, realizing theinadvisability of such a course, realizing that the first days of anengagement are seldom days of expansion, being full of emotions toovaried for analysis. That Toby should turn to her or to Jake if sheneeded a confident she did not for a moment doubt, but unless the needarose she resolved to leave the girl undisturbed. She had, moreover,great faith in Bunny's powers. As Jake had said, Bunny was sound, and sheknew him well enough to be convinced that he would find a means ofcalming any misgivings that might exist in Toby's mind.
It appeared as if he had already done so in fact, for Toby was nevernervous in his presence. She greeted him with pleasure and went with himgladly whenever he came to seek her. They met every day, usually in theevening when Bunny was free, and the children gone to bed. Maud wouldwatch them wander out together into the summer solitudes, Chops walkingsedately behind, and would smile to herself very tenderly at the sight.She believed that Toby was winning to happiness and she prayed with allher soul that it might last.
Saltash came no more during these summer days. He had departed in hisabrupt way for his first pleasure cruise in _The Blue Moon_, taking nofriend, save the ever-present Larpent, to relieve the monotony. No oneknew whither they were bound, or if the voyage were to be long or short.He dropped out of his circle as a monkey drops from a tree, and beyond apassing wonder at his movements no one questioned either motive orintention. Probably he had neither in any appreciable degree. It was onlythe caprice of the moment that ever moved him. So his friends said. Heevidently found his new toy attractive, and he would not return until hewearied of it.
Meantime, the summer crowds came and went at Fairharbour. The AnchorHotel was crowded with visitors, and Sheila and her father began to talkof departure for Scotland.
Jake had gone to an important race-meeting in the North, and it seemedthat Bunny's suggestion to show them the stud had been forgotten. But onan afternoon in late August, after a hotly-contested polo match, as hestood with a fizzling drink in his hand, talking to Sheila, she abruptlyreminded him of it.
"It's quite a fortnight since you promised to show me the horses," shesaid.
He started. "Is it? I'm awfully sorry. I hadn't forgotten, but somehowI've had a lot to think about lately. You must come and have tea withMaud. When will you come?"
Sheila laughed a little. "Hadn't you better ask Maud first?"
"Good gracious, no!" said Bunny. "That'll be all right. She and Toby arealways at home just now, and of course she will be pleased to see you anytime. When can you come?"
"Well, we are leaving the day after to-morrow," Sheila said.
"To-morrow then!" said Bunny promptly.
"Your sister may not want us at such short notice," she said, hesitating.
"Oh, rats!" said Bunny, with a grin. "Of course she will! Have you seenthe Castle yet?"
"Yes. We lunched there with Lord Saltash before he left. It's a horriblygrim place. I didn't like it much."
"It's a magnificent place!" said Bunny stoutly. "It's completely thrownaway on Charlie of course, but I love every stone of it."
"What a pity it doesn't belong to you!" commented Sheila. "I wonder whereyou will live when you are married."
Bunny flushed a little. "We're not marrying at present, but I'm hoping tostick to my job when we do."
"Oh, are you? Does Miss Larpent like that idea?" Faint surprise soundedin Sheila's tone.
"I don't know why she shouldn't," said Bunny, quick to detect it. "She'skeen on the country, keen on riding and so on. She'd hate to live intown."
"Would she?" said Sheila, with a hint of incredulity.
Bunny turned on her. "Why do you say that? She's very young, hardly morethan a kid. She doesn't care for people and towns. Why should she?"
He put the question almost indignantly, and Sheila smiled at himpacifically. "I don't know in the least why she should. I only had a sortof idea that she might. She is very pretty, isn't she? And pretty girlsdon't generally care to be buried before they have had their fling--notalways then."
"Oh, you think she doesn't get any fun!" said Bunny, still somewhatresentful.
"No--no, of course I don't! You know best what she likes. I only wonderthat Maud didn't think of giving her just one season in town. It would berather good for her, don't you think?"
"I don't know," said Bunny rather shortly. "Maud isn't keen on town. Ithink she's better where she is."
Sheila laughed. "You're afraid she'd slip through your fingers if she sawtoo much of the world?"
"No, I'm not!" declared Bunny, frowning. "I hadn't thought about it.But I'd hate her to get old and sophisticated. Her great charm is inbeing--just what she is."
"Oh, she has plenty of charm," Sheila admitted, and her own brows drew alittle in thought. "I wish I could remember who it is she reminds me of.That is the worst of having such a large circle."
"She isn't like anyone I've ever met," declared Bunny, and gulped downhis drink abruptly. "Well, I must be going. You'll come up to-morrowthen, you and the General. I shall be there, and I'll tell Maud you'recoming."
"You are sure we had better come?" Sheila said, as she gave him her hand.
He gripped it. "Of course! Maud will be delighted. I'm sorry you weren'tasked before. About three then--if that suits you! Good-bye!"
He smiled his pleasant, boyish smile, and departed.
But as he raced back from Fairharbour in his little two-seater car tomeet his young _fiancee_ on the downs, the memory of Sheila's word cameback to him and he frowned again. It was true that they were not thinkingof marriage for the next few months, and their plans were still somewhatvague, but the idea of waiting while Toby had her fling for a wholeseason in town revolted him. He could not have said definitely wherefore,save that he wanted to keep her just as she was in his eyes--fresh andyoung and innocent. He was angry with Sheila for having suggested it, andhe wanted to thrust the matter from his mind.
Yet when he found himself alone with Toby, walking along the brow of thefurze-strewn down, he attacked the subject with characteristicdirectness.
"Sheila Melrose thinks you ought to have a season in town before we getmarried. Would you like to do that?"
Toby looked up at him with her clear eyes wide with surprise. "Whatthe--blazes has it to do with Sheila Melrose?" she said.
He laughed briefly. "Nothing, of course. Less than nothing. It's just apoint of view. She thinks you're too pretty to be buried before you'vehad your fling--rot of that sort."
"My--fling!" said Toby, and with a sudden gesture that was almost ofshrinking drew his arm more closely round her shoulders. "I should loatheit and you know it," she said with simplicity.
He held her to him. "Of course you would. I should myself. I hate thesmart set. But, you know, you are--awfully pretty; I don't want to doanything unfair."
"Rats!" said Toby.
He bent his face to hers. "Are you beginning to care for me--just alittle--by any chance?"
She laughed and flushed, twining her fingers in his without replying.
Bunny pursued his point. "You'd sooner marry me out of hand than gohunting London for someone more to your liking? Would you?"
"Oh, much," said Toby. "But, you see, I hate London."
"And you don't hate me?" persisted Bunny, his dark eyes very persuasive.
She dropped her own before them, and was silent.
"Say it, sweetheart!" he urged.
She
shook her head. "Let's talk about something else!" she said.
"All right," said Bunny boldly. "Let's talk of getting married! It's hightime we began."
"Oh, I didn't mean that!" said Toby quickly.
He laughed at her softly. "Of course you didn't! But you were thinkingabout it all the same. Do you know old Bishop is going to clear out andgo and live in Fairharbour? I shall be left alone then. It's ratherbeastly living alone, you know, darling."
"You haven't tried it yet," said Toby.
"No. But I know what it'll feel like. I shall hate it." Bunny spoke withgloomy conviction.
Toby suddenly laughed. "No one to grouse to! It would be rather dullcertainly. Why didn't you fall in love with Sheila Melrose?"
"Sheila Melrose! Why on earth should I?" Bunny spoke with some sharpness.
Toby lifted mischievous eyes. "She's pretty and graceful andaccomplished. She'd make a charming Lady Brian, and she has an estate ofher own for you to manage. It--it would be--a highly suitable arrangementfor you both."
"Don't talk rot!" broke in Bunny with sudden heat.
His hold tightened upon her, and she made a quick, instinctive movementas though to free herself. "I'm not! You know I'm not! You know--quitewell--that if--if--if it hadn't been for me--because you chanced to meetme first--you certainly would have--have fallen in love with her!"
Toby spoke breathlessly, stammering a little as her habit was whenagitated. Her face was averted, and she was trying very, very hard toresist the closer drawing of his arms.
But there were times when Bunny would not endure resistance, and this wasone of them. He simply ignored it, till abruptly she yielded to hismastery. And then in a moment he was tender again.
"Why did you say that?" he said, bending low to look into her downcastface. "Tell me why you said it! Are you--jealous--by any chance?"
"Oh, no!" declared Toby with vehemence. "No--no--no!"
"Then why?" he persisted. Then with sudden intuition: "You don't likeher, do you?"
Toby's face was burning. "It--it's she that doesn't like me," she said.
"Oh, that's a mistake," said Bunny, decidedly. "Everyone likes you."
She shook her head. "She doesn't. She thinks I'm bad form, and I daresayshe's right. She also thinks--" she lifted her face suddenly, challenginghim--"she also thinks that I set out to catch you--and succeeded."
"She doesn't!" declared Bunny. "That's rot--damn' rot! You are not to sayit. She's a very nice girl and ready to be friendly with you if you'lllet her."
Toby made a rude face. "I knew you were getting fond of her! She's prettyand stylish and--and much more in your line than I am. Why don't you goand ask her to marry you? She wouldn't say No."
She flung the words with a little quivering laugh. She was trembling inhis hold.
Bunny's eyes had flashed to sudden anger. He had taken her by theshoulders almost as if he would shake her.
"Toby, be quiet!" he commanded. "Do you hear? You're going too far! Whatdo you mean by talking in this strain? What has she done to you?"
"Nothing!" gasped back Toby, backing away from him in a vain effort toescape. "She hardly knows me even. It's just instinct with her and shecan't help it. But she likes you well enough not to want you to marry me.You don't suppose--you don't suppose--" the words came breathlessly,jerkily--"you--you really don't suppose, do you, that--that she made thatsuggestion about a season in town for my sake?"
"What other reason could she have had?" demanded Bunny sternly.
Toby was laughing, but her laughter had a desperate sound. "How green youare! Must I really tell you that?"
"Yes. Go on! Tell me!" His voice was hard. Hard also was the grip of hishands. He knew that in the moment he released her she would turn and fleelike a fleeing hare.
There was fear in the blue eyes that looked up to his, but they held aglare of defiance as well. Her small white teeth showed clenched betweenher laughing lips.
"Go on! Tell me!" he reiterated. "You shan't go--I swear--until you tellme."
"Think I'm--think I'm afraid of you?" challenged Toby, with boyishbravado.
"I think you'll answer me," he said, and abruptly his tone fell level,dead level. He looked her straight in the eyes without anger, withoutmercy. "And you'll answer me now, too. What other reason could MissMelrose have for making that suggestion if it was not intended for yourbenefit? Now answer me!"
His face was pale, but he was master of himself. Perhaps he had learnedfrom Jake that fundamental lesson that those who would control othersmust first control themselves. He still held her before him, but therewas no violence in his hold. Neither was there any tenderness. It wasrather of a judicial nature.
And oddly at that moment a sudden gleam of appreciation shot up in Toby'seyes. She stood up very straight and faced him unflinching.
"I don't mind answering you," she said. "Why should I? Someone willtell you sooner or later if I don't. She said that because she knew--andshe wanted you to know--that I am not the sort of girl that men wantto--marry."
She was quite white as she spoke the words, but she maintained her tenseerectness. Her eyes never stirred from his.
Bunny stood motionless, staring at her. He looked as if he had beenstruck a blinding blow.
"What--on earth--do you mean?" he asked slowly at last.
The tension went out of Toby. She broke into her funny little laugh. "Oh,I won't tell you any more! I won't! She thinks I'm too attractive, that'sall. I can't imagine why; can you? You never found me so, did you,Bunny?"
The old provocative sweetness flashed back into her face. She went withinthe circle of his arms with a quick nestling movement as of a smallanimal that takes refuge after strenuous flight. She was still panting alittle as she leaned against him.
And Bunny relaxed, conscious of a vast relief that outweighed every otherconsideration. "You--monkey!" he said, folding her close. "You're playingwith me! How dare you torment me like this? You shall pay for it to thelast least farthing. I will never have any mercy on you again."
He kissed her with all the renewed extravagance of love momentarilydenied, and the colour flooded back into Toby's face as the dread recededfrom her heart. She gave him more that day than she had ever given himbefore, and in the rapture of possession he forgot the ordeal that shehad made him face.
Only later did he remember it--her strange reticence, her odd stumblingwords of warning, her curious attitude of self-defence. And he felt asif--in spite of his utmost resolution--she had somehow succeeded inbaffling him after all.