CHAPTER XVI
During the remainder of Gerhardt's stay he was shy in Jennie'spresence and endeavored to act as though he were unconscious of herexistence. When the time came for parting he even went away withoutbidding her good-by, telling his wife she might do that for him; butafter he was actually on his way back to Youngstown he regretted theomission. "I might have bade her good-by," he thought to himself asthe train rumbled heavily along. But it was too late.
For the time being the affairs of the Gerhardt family drifted.Jennie continued her work with Mrs. Bracebridge. Sebastian fixedhimself firmly in his clerkship in the cigar store. George waspromoted to the noble sum of three dollars, and then three-fifty. Itwas a narrow, humdrum life the family led. Coal, groceries, shoes, andclothing were the uppermost topics of their conversation; every onefelt the stress and strain of trying to make ends meet.
That which worried Jennie most, and there were many things whichweighed upon her sensitive soul, was the outcome of her ownlife--not so much for herself as for her baby and the family. Shecould not really see where she fitted in. "Who would have me?" sheasked herself over and over. "How was she to dispose of Vesta in theevent of a new love affair?" Such a contingency was quite possible.She was young, good-looking, and men were inclined to flirt with her,or rather to attempt it. The Bracebridges entertained many masculineguests, and some of them had made unpleasant overtures to her.
"My dear, you're a very pretty girl," said one old rake offifty-odd when she knocked at his door one morning to give him amessage from his hostess.
"I beg your pardon," she said, confusedly, and colored.
"Indeed, you're quite sweet. And you needn't beg my pardon. I'dlike to talk to you some time."
He attempted to chuck her under the chin, but Jennie hurried away.She would have reported the matter to her mistress but a nervous shamedeterred her. "Why would men always be doing this?" she thought. Couldit be because there was something innately bad about her, an inwardcorruption that attracted its like?
It is a curious characteristic of the non-defensive dispositionthat it is like a honey-jar to flies. Nothing is brought to it andmuch is taken away. Around a soft, yielding, unselfish disposition menswarm naturally. They sense this generosity, this non-protectiveattitude from afar. A girl like Jennie is like a comfortable fire tothe average masculine mind; they gravitate to it, seek its sympathy,yearn to possess it. Hence she was annoyed by many unwelcomeattentions.
One day there arrived from Cincinnati a certain Lester Kane, theson of a wholesale carriage builder of great trade distinction in thatcity and elsewhere throughout the country, who was wont to visit thishouse frequently in a social way. He was a friend of Mrs. Bracebridgemore than of her husband, for the former had been raised in Cincinnatiand as a girl had visited at his father's house. She knew his mother,his brother and sisters and to all intents and purposes socially hadalways been considered one of the family.
"Lester's coming to-morrow, Henry," Jennie heard Mrs. Bracebridgetell her husband. "I had a wire from him this noon. He's such a scamp.I'm going to give him the big east front room up-stairs. Be sociableand pay him some attention. His father was so good to me."
"I know it," said her husband calmly. "I like Lester. He's thebiggest one in that family. But he's too indifferent. He doesn't careenough."
"I know; but he's so nice. I do think he's one of the nicest men Iever knew."
"I'll be decent to him. Don't I always do pretty well by yourpeople?"
"Yes, pretty well."
"Oh, I don't know about that," he replied, dryly.
When this notable person arrived Jennie was prepared to see someone of more than ordinary importance, and she was not disappointed.There came into the reception-hall to greet her mistress a man ofperhaps thirty-six years of age, above the medium in height,clear-eyed, firm-jawed, athletic, direct, and vigorous. He had a deep,resonant voice that carried clearly everywhere; people somehow used tostop and listen whether they knew him or not. He was simple and abruptin his speech.
"Oh, there you are," he began. "I'm glad to see you again. How'sMr. Bracebridge? How's Fannie?"
He asked his questions forcefully, whole-heartedly, and his hostessanswered with an equal warmth. "I'm glad to see you, Lester," shesaid. "George will take your things up-stairs. Come up into my room.It's more comfy. How are grandpa and Louise?"
He followed her up the stairs, and Jennie, who had been standing atthe head of the stairs listening, felt the magnetic charm of hispersonality. It seemed, why she could hardly say, that a realpersonage had arrived. The house was cheerier. The attitude of hermistress was much more complaisant. Everybody seemed to feel thatsomething must be done for this man.
Jennie went about her work, but the impression persisted; his nameran in her mind. Lester Kane. And he was from Cincinnati. She lookedat him now and then on the sly, and felt, for the first time in herlife, an interest in a man on his own account. He was so big, sohandsome, so forceful. She wondered what his business was. At the sametime she felt a little dread of him. Once she caught him looking ather with a steady, incisive stare. She quailed inwardly, and took thefirst opportunity to get out of his presence. Another time he tried toaddress a few remarks to her, but she pretended that her duties calledher away. She knew that often his eyes were on her when her back wasturned, and it made her nervous. She wanted to run away from him,although there was no very definite reason why she should do so.
As a matter of fact, this man, so superior to Jennie in wealth,education, and social position, felt an instinctive interest in herunusual personality. Like the others, he was attracted by the peculiarsoftness of her disposition and her pre-eminent femininity. There wasthat about her which suggested the luxury of love. He felt as ifsomehow she could be reached why, he could not have said. She did notbear any outward marks of her previous experience. There were noevidences of coquetry about her, but still he "felt that he might." Hewas inclined to make the venture on his first visit, but businesscalled him away; he left after four days and was absent from Clevelandfor three weeks. Jennie thought he was gone for good, and sheexperienced a queer sense of relief as well as of regret. Then,suddenly, he returned. He came apparently unexpectedly, explaining toMrs. Bracebridge that business interests again demanded his presencein Cleveland. As he spoke he looked at Jennie sharply, and she felt asif somehow his presence might also concern her a little.
On this second visit she had various opportunities of seeing him,at breakfast, where she sometimes served, at dinner, when she couldsee the guests at the table from the parlor or sitting-room, and atodd times when he came to Mrs. Bracebridge's boudoir to talk thingsover. They were very friendly.
"Why don't you settle down, Lester, and get married?" Jennie heardher say to him the second day he was there. "You know it's time."
"I know," he replied, "but I'm in no mood for that. I want tobrowse around a little while yet."
"Yes, I know about your browsing. You ought to be ashamed ofyourself. Your father is really worried."
He chuckled amusedly. "Father doesn't worry much about me. He hasgot all he can attend to to look after the business."
Jennie looked at him curiously. She scarcely understood what shewas thinking, but this man drew her. If she had realized in what wayshe would have fled his presence then and there.
Now he was more insistent in his observation of her--addressedan occasional remark to her--engaged her in brief, magneticconversations. She could not help answering him--he was pleasingto her. Once he came across her in the hall on the second floorsearching in a locker for some linen. They were all alone, Mrs.Bracebridge having gone out to do some morning shopping and the otherservants being below stairs. On this occasion he made short work ofthe business. He approached her in a commanding, unhesitating, andthoroughly determined way.
"I want to talk to you," he said. "Where do you live?"
"I--I--" she stammered, and blanched perceptibly. "I liveout on Lorrie Street."
"What number?"
he questioned, as though she were compelled to tellhim.
She quailed and shook inwardly. "Thirteen fourteen," she repliedmechanically.
He looked into her big, soft-blue eyes with his dark, vigorousbrown ones. A flash that was hypnotic, significant, insistent passedbetween them.
"You belong to me," he said. "I've been looking for you. When can Isee you?"
"Oh, you mustn't," she said, her fingers going nervously to herlips. "I can't see you--I--I--"
"Oh, I mustn't, mustn't I? Look here"--he took her arm anddrew her slightly closer--"you and I might as well understandeach other right now. I like you. Do you like me? Say?"
She looked at him, her eyes wide, filled with wonder, with fear,with a growing terror.
"I don't know," she gasped, her lips dry.
"Do you?" He fixed her grimly, firmly with his eyes.
"I don't know."
"Look at me," he said.
"Yes," she replied.
He pulled her to him quickly. "I'll talk to you later," he said,and put his lips masterfully to hers.
She was horrified, stunned, like a bird in the grasp of a cat; butthrough it all something tremendously vital and insistent was speakingto her. He released her with a short laugh. "We won't do any more ofthis here, but, remember, you belong to me," he said, as he turned andwalked nonchalantly down the hall. Jennie, in sheer panic, ran to hermistress's room and locked the door behind her.