CHAPTER VII
THE EFFRONTERY OF RICHARD
Hunterleys took leave of his companion as soon as they arrived at theroulette rooms.
"Take my advice, Lane," he said seriously. "Find something to occupyyour thoughts. Throw a few hundred thousand of your dollars away at thetables, if you must do something foolish. You'll get into far lesstrouble."
Richard made no direct reply. He watched Hunterleys depart and took uphis place opposite the door to await his sister's arrival. It was aquarter to five before she appeared and found him waiting for her in thedoorway.
"Say, you're late, Flossie!" he grumbled. "I thought you were going tobe here soon after four."
She glanced at the little watch upon her wrist.
"How the time does slip away!" she sighed. "But really, Dicky, I am latein your interests as much as anything. I have been paying a few calls. Iwent out to the Villa Rosa to see some people who almost live here, andthen I met Lady Crawley and she made me go in and have some tea."
"Well?" he asked impatiently. "Well?"
She laid her fingers upon his arm and drew him into a less crowded partof the room.
"Dicky," she confessed, "I don't seem to have had a bit of luck. TheComtesse d'Hausson, who lives at the Villa Rosa, knows them and showedme from the window the Villa Mimosa, where they live, but she would tellme absolutely nothing about them. The villa is the finest in MonteCarlo, and has always been taken before by some one of note. Shedeclares that they do not mix in the society of the place, but sheadmits that she has heard a rumour that Grex is only an assumed name."
"I begin to believe that myself," he said doggedly. "Hunterleys knowswho they are and won't tell me. So does that fellow Draconmeyer."
"Sir Henry and Mr. Draconmeyer!" she repeated, raising her eyes. "Mydear Dick, that doesn't sound very reasonable, does it?"
"I tell you that they do," he persisted. "They as good as told me so.Hunterleys, especially, left me here only half-an-hour ago, and his lastwords were advising me to chuck it. He's a sensible chap enough but hewon't even tell me why. I've had enough of it. I've a good mind to takethe bull by the horns myself. Mr. Grex is here now, somewhere about. Hewas sitting with Mr. Draconmeyer and a fat old German a few minutes ago,at the next table to ours. If I had been alone I should have gone up andchanced being introduced, but Hunterleys wouldn't let me."
"Well, so far," Lady Weybourne admitted, "I fear that I haven't donemuch towards that electric coupe; but," she added, in a changed tone,looking across the tables, "there is just one thing, Dicky. Fatesometimes has a great deal to do with these little affairs. Look overthere."
Richard left his sister precipitately, without even a word of farewell.She watched him cross the room, and smiled at the fury of a littleFrenchman whom he nearly knocked over in his hurry to get round to theother side of the table. A moment later he was standing a few feet awayfrom the girl who had taken so strange a hold upon his affections. Hehimself was conscious of a curious and unfamiliar nervousness.Physically he felt as though he had been running hard. He set his teethand tried to keep cool. He found some plaques in his pocket and began tostake. Then he became aware that the girl was holding in her hand a noteand endeavouring to attract the attention of the man who was givingchange.
"_Petite monnaie, s'il vous plait_," he heard her say, stretching outthe note.
The man took no notice. Richard held out his hand.
"Will you allow me to get it changed for you?" he asked.
Her first impulse at the sound of his voice was evidently one ofresentment. She seemed, indeed, in the act of returning some chillingreply. Then she glanced half carelessly towards him and her eyes restedupon his face. Richard was good-looking enough, but the chiefcharacteristic of his face was a certain honesty, which seemedaccentuated at that moment by his undoubted earnestness. The type wasperhaps strange to her. She was almost startled by what she saw.Scarcely knowing what she did, she allowed him to take the note from herfingers.
"Thank you very much," she murmured.
Richard procured the change. He would have lifted every one out of theway if she had been in a hurry. Then he turned round and counted it veryslowly into her hands. From the left one she had removed the glove andhe saw, to his relief, that there was no engagement ring there. Hecounted so slowly that towards the end she seemed to become a littleimpatient.
"That is quite all right," she said. "It was very kind of you totrouble."
She spoke very correct English with the slightest of foreign accents. Helooked once more into her eyes.
"It was a pleasure," he declared.
She smiled faintly, an act of graciousness which absolutely turned hishead. With her hand full of plaques, she moved away and found a place alittle lower down the table. Richard fought with his first instinct andconquered it. He remained where he was, and when he moved it was inanother direction. He went into the bar and ordered a whisky and soda.He was as excited as he had been in the old days when he had rowedstroke in a winning race for his college boat. He felt, somehow orother, that the first step had been a success. She had been inclined atfirst to resent his offer. She had looked at him and changed her mind.Even when she had turned away, she had smiled. It was ridiculous, but hefelt as though he had taken a great step. Presently Lady Weybourne, onher way to the baccarat rooms, saw him sitting there and looked in.
"Well, Dicky," she exclaimed, "what luck?"
"Sit down, Flossie," he begged. "I've spoken to her."
"You don't mean,--" she began, horrified.
"Oh, no, no! Nothing of that sort!" he interrupted. "Don't think I'msuch a blundering ass. She was trying to get change and couldn't reach.I took the note from her, got the change and gave it to her. She said,'Thank you.' When she went away, she smiled."
Lady Weybourne flopped down upon the divan and screamed with laughter.
"Dicky," she murmured, wiping her eyes, "tell me, is that why you aresitting there, looking as though you could see right into Heaven? Do youknow that your face was one great beam when I came in?"
"Can't help it," he answered contentedly. "I've spoken to her and shesmiled."
Lady Weybourne opened her gold bag and produced a card.
"Well," she said, "here is another chance for you. Of course, I don'tknow that it will come to anything, but you may as well try your luck."
"What is it?" he asked.
She thrust a square of gilt-edged cardboard into his hand.
"It's an invitation," she told him, "from the directors, to attend adinner at La Turbie Golf Club-house, up in the mountains, to-night. Itisn't entirely a joke, I can tell you. It takes at least an hour to getthere, climbing all the way, and the place is as likely as not to bewrapped in clouds, but a great many of the important people are going,and as I happened to see Mr. Grex's name amongst the list of members,the other night, there is always a chance that they may be there. Ifnot, you see, you can soon come back."
"I'm on," Richard decided. "Give me the ticket. I am awfully obliged toyou, Flossie."
"If she is there," Lady Weybourne declared, rising, "I shall considerthat it is equivalent to one wheel of the coupe."
"Have a cocktail instead," he suggested.
She shook her head.
"Too early. If we meet later on, I'll have one. What are you going todo?"
"Same as I've been doing ever since lunch," he answered,--"hang aroundand see if I can meet any one who knows them."
She laughed and hurried off into the baccarat room, and Richardpresently returned to the table at which the girl was still playing. Hetook particular care not to approach her, but he found a place on theopposite side of the room, from which he could watch her unobserved. Shewas still standing and apparently she was losing her money. Once, with alittle petulant frown, she turned away and moved a few yards lower downthe room. The first time she staked in her new position, she won, and asmile which it seemed to him was the most brilliant he had ever seen,parted her lips. He stood there looking at her,
and in the midst of ascene where money seemed god of all things, he realised all manner ofstrange and pleasant sensations. The fact that he had twenty thousandfrancs in his pocket to play with, scarcely occurred to him. He waswatching a little wisp of golden hair by her ear, watching her slightlywrinkled forehead as she leaned over the table, her little grimace asshe lost and her stake was swept away. She seemed indifferent to allbystanders. It was obvious that she had very few acquaintances. Where hestood it was not likely that she would notice him, and he abandonedhimself wholly to the luxury of gazing at her. Then some instinct causedhim to turn his head. He felt that he in his turn was being watched. Heglanced towards the divan set against the wall, by the side of which hewas standing. Mr. Grex was seated there, only a few feet away, smoking acigarette. Their eyes met and Richard was conscious of a suddenembarrassment. He felt like a detected thief, and he acted at thatmoment as he often did--entirely on impulse. He leaned down andresolutely addressed Mr. Grex.
"I should be glad, sir, if you would allow me to speak to you for amoment."
Mr. Grex's expression was one of cold surprise, unmixed with anycuriosity.
"Do you address me?" he asked.
His tone was vastly discouraging but it was too late to draw back.
"I should like to speak to you, if I may," Richard continued.
"I am not aware," Mr. Grex said, "that I have the privilege of youracquaintance."
"You haven't," Richard admitted, "but all the same I want to speak toyou, if I may."
"Since you have gone so far," Mr. Grex conceded, "you had better finish,but you must allow me to tell you in advance that I look upon anyaddress from a perfect stranger as an impertinence."
"You'll think worse of me before I've finished, then," Richard declareddesperately. "You don't mind if I sit down?"
"These seats," Mr. Grex replied coldly, "are free to all."
The young man took his place upon the divan with a sinking heart. Therewas something in Mr. Grex's tone which seemed to destroy all hisconfidence, a note of something almost alien in the measured contempt ofhis speech.
"I am sorry to give you any offence," Richard began. "I happened tonotice that you were watching me. I was looking at yourdaughter--staring at her. I am afraid you thought me impertinent."
"Your perspicuity," Mr. Grex observed, "seems to be of a higher orderthan your manners. You are, perhaps, a stranger to civilised society?"
"I don't know about that," Richard went on doggedly. "I have been tocollege and mixed with the usual sort of people. My birth isn't much tospeak of, perhaps, if you count that for anything."
Something which was almost like the ghost of a smile, devoid of anytrace of humour, parted Mr. Grex's lips.
"If I count that for anything!" he repeated, half closing his eyes for amoment. "Pray proceed, young man."
"I am an American," Richard continued. "My name is Richard Lane. Myfather was very wealthy and I am his heir. My sister is Lady Weybourne.I was lunching with her at Ciro's to-day when I saw you and yourdaughter. I think I can say that I am a respectable person. I have agreat many friends to whom I can refer you."
"I am not thinking of engaging anybody, that I know of," Mr. Grexmurmured.
"I want to marry your daughter," Richard declared desperately, feelingthat any further form of explanation would only lead him into greatertrouble.
Mr. Grex knocked the ash from his cigarette.
"Is your keeper anywhere in the vicinity?" he asked.
"I am perfectly sane," Richard assured him. "I know that it soundsfoolish but it isn't really. I am twenty-seven years old and I havenever asked a girl to marry me yet. I have been waiting until--"
The words died away upon his lips. It was impossible for him tocontinue, the cold enmity of this man was too chilling.
"I am absolutely in earnest," he insisted. "I have been endeavouring allday to find some mutual friend to introduce me to your daughter. Willyou do so? Will you give me a chance?"
"I will not," Mr. Grex replied firmly.
"Why not? Please tell me why not?" Richard begged. "I am not asking foranything more now than just an opportunity to talk with her."
"It is not a matter which admits of discussion," Mr. Grex pronounced. "Ihave permitted you to say what you wished, notwithstanding the colossal,the unimaginable impertinence of your suggestion. I request you to leaveme now and I advise you most heartily to indulge no more in the mostpreposterous and idiotic idea which ever entered into the head of anapparently sane young man."
Richard rose slowly to his feet.
"Very well, sir," he replied, "I'll go. All the same, what you have saiddoesn't make any difference."
"Does not make any difference?" Mr. Grex repeated, with arched eyebrows.
"None at all," Richard declared. "I don't know what your objection to meis, but I hope you'll get over it some day. I'd like to make friendswith you. Perhaps, later on, you may look at the matter differently."
"Later on?" Mr. Grex murmured.
"When I have married your daughter," Richard concluded, marchingdefiantly away.
Mr. Grex watched the young man until he had disappeared in the crowd.Then he leaned hack amongst the cushions of the divan with folded arms.Little lines had become visible around his eyes, there was a slighttwitching at the corners of his lips. He looked like a man who wasinwardly enjoying some huge joke.