CHAPTER XXVI
MR. BLATHERWICK AS ST. ANTHONY
"I am afraid," Harcutt said, "that either the letter was a hoax, or thewriter has thought better of the matter. It is half an hour past thetime, and poor Mr. Blatherwick is still alone."
Wolfenden glanced towards the distant table where his father's secretarywas already finishing his modest meal.
"Poor old Blatherwick!" he remarked; "I know he's awfully relieved. He'stoo nervous for this sort of thing; I believe he would have lost hishead altogether if his mysterious correspondent had turned up."
"I suppose," Harcutt said, "that we may take it for granted that he isnot in the room."
"Every soul here," Wolfenden answered, "is known to me either personallyor by sight. The man with the dark moustache sitting by himself is aLondon solicitor who built himself a bungalow here four years ago, andcomes down every other week for golf. The two men in the corner are landspeculators from Norwich; and their neighbour is Captain Stoneham, whorides over from the barracks twice a week, also for golf."
"It is rather a sell for us," Harcutt remarked. "On the whole I am notsorry that I have to go back to town to-night. Great Scott! what apretty girl!"
"Lean back, you idiot!" Wolfenden exclaimed softly; "don't move if youcan help it!"
Harcutt grasped the situation and obeyed at once. The portion of thedining-room in which they were sitting was little more than a recess,divided off from the main apartment by heavy curtains and seldom usedexcept in the summer when visitors were plentiful. Mr. Blatherwick'stable was really within a few feet of theirs, but they themselves werehidden from it by a corner of the folding doors. They had chosen theposition with care and apparently with success.
The girl who had entered the room stood for a moment looking round asthough about to select a table. Harcutt's exclamation was not withoutjustification, for she was certainly pretty. She was neatly dressed in agrey walking suit, and a velvet Tam-o-shanter hat with a smart feather.Suddenly she saw Mr. Blatherwick and advanced towards him withoutstretched hand and a charming smile.
"Why, my dear Mr. Blatherwick, what on earth are you doing here?" sheexclaimed. "Have you left Lord Deringham?"
Mr. Blatherwick rose to his feet confused, and blushing to hisspectacles; he greeted the young lady, however, with evident pleasure.
"No; that is, not yet," he answered; "I am leaving this week. I did notknow--I had no idea that you were in the vicinity! I am very pleased tosee you."
She looked at the empty place at his table.
"I was going to have some luncheon," she said; "I have walked so muchfurther than I intended and I am ravenously hungry. May I sit at yourtable?"
"With much pleasure," Mr. Blatherwick assented. "I was expectinga--a--friend, but he is evidently not coming."
"I will take his place then, if I may," she said, seating herself in thechair which the waiter was holding for her, and raising her veil. "Willyou order something for me? I am too hungry to mind what it is."
Mr. Blatherwick gave a hesitating order, and the waiter departed. MissMerton drew off her gloves and was perfectly at her ease.
"Now do tell me about the friend whom you were going to meet," she said,smiling gaily at him, "I hope--you really must not tell me, Mr.Blatherwick, that it was a lady!"
Mr. Blatherwick coloured to the roots of his hair at the meresuggestion, and hastened to disclaim it.
"My--my dear Miss Merton!" he exclaimed, "I can assure you that it wasnot! I--I should not think of such a thing."
She nodded, and began to break up her roll and eat it.
"I am very glad to hear it, Mr. Blatherwick," she said; "I warn you thatI was prepared to be very jealous. You used to tell me, you know, that Iwas the only girl with whom you cared to talk."
"It is--quite true, quite true, Miss Merton," he answered eagerly,dropping his voice a little and glancing uneasily over his shoulder."I--I have missed you very much indeed; it has been very dull."
Mr. Blatherwick sighed; he was rewarded by a very kind glance from apair of very blue eyes. He fingered the wine list, and began to wonderwhether she would care for champagne.
"Now tell me," she said, "all the news. How are they all at DeringhamHall--the dear old Admiral and the Countess, and that remarkably sillyyoung man, Lord Wolfenden?"
Wolfenden received a kick under the table, and Harcutt's face positivelybeamed with delight. Mr. Blatherwick, however, had almost forgottentheir proximity. He had made up his mind to order champagne.
"The Ad--Ad--Admiral is well in health, but worse mentally," heanswered. "I am leaving for that very reason. I do not conceive that infairness to myself I should continue to waste my time in work which canbring forth no fruit. I trust, Miss Merton, that you agree with me."
"Perfectly," she answered gravely.
"The Countess," he continued, "is well, but much worried. There havebeen strange hap--hap--happenings at the Hall since you left. LordWolfenden is there. By the bye, Miss Merton," he added, dropping hisvoice, "I do not--not--think that you used to consider Lord Wolfenden sovery silly when you were at Deringham."
"It was very dull sometimes--when you were busy, Mr. Blatherwick," sheanswered, beginning her lunch. "I will confess to you that I did try toamuse myself a little with Lord Wolfenden. But he was altogether toorustic--too stupid! I like a man with brains!"
Harcutt produced a handkerchief and stuffed it to his mouth; his facewas slowly becoming purple with suppressed laughter. Mr. Blatherwickordered the champagne.
"I--I was very jealous of him," he admitted almost in a whisper.
The blue eyes were raised again very eloquently to his.
"You had no cause," she said gently; "and Mr. Blatherwick, haven't youforgotten something?"
Mr. Blatherwick had sipped his glass of champagne, and answered withouta stutter.
"I have not," he said, "forgotten you!"
"You used to call me by my Christian name!"
"I should be delighted to call you Miss--Blanche for ever," he saidboldly. "May I?"
She laughed softly.
"Well, I don't quite know about that," she said; "you may for thismorning, at least. It is so pleasant to see you again. How is the workgetting on?"
He groaned.
"Don't ask me, please; it is awful! I am truly glad that I amleaving--for many reasons!"
"Have you finished copying those awful details of the defective armourplates?" she asked, suddenly dropping her voice so that it barelyreached the other side of the table.
"Only last night," he answered; "it was very hard work, and soridiculous! It went into the box with the rest of the finished work thismorning."
"Did the Admiral engage a new typewriter?" she inquired.
He shook his head.
"No; he says that he has nearly finished."
"I am so glad," she said. "You have had no temptation to flirt then withanybody else, have you?"
"To flirt--with anybody else! Oh! Miss--I mean Blanche. Do you thinkthat I could do that?"
His little round face shone with sincerity and the heat of theunaccustomed wine. His eyes were watering a little, and his spectacleswere dull. The girl looked at him in amusement.
"I am afraid," she said, with a sigh, "that you used to flirt with me."
"I can assure you, B--B--Blanche," he declared earnestly, "that I neversaid a word to you which I--I did not hon--hon--honestly mean. Blanche,I should like to ask you something."
"Not now," she interrupted hastily. "Do you know, I fancy that we mustbe getting too confidential. That odious man with the eyeglass keepsstaring at us. Tell me what you are going to do when you leave here. Youcan ask me--what you were going to, afterwards."
Mr. Blatherwick grew eloquent and Blanche was sympathetic. It was quitehalf an hour before they rose and prepared to depart.
"I know you won't mind," Blanche said to him confidentially, "if I askyou to leave the hotel first; the people I am with are a littleparticular, and it would scarcely do, you s
ee, for us to go outtogether."
"Certainly," he replied. "Would you l--like me to leave you here--wouldit be better?"
"You might walk to the door with me, please," she said. "I am afraid youmust be very disappointed that your friend did not come. Are you not?"
Mr. Blatherwick's reply was almost incoherent in its excess ofprotestation. They walked down the room together. Harcutt and Wolfendenlook at one another.
"Well," the former exclaimed, drinking up his liqueur, "it is a sell!"
"Yes," Wolfenden agreed thoughtfully, with his eyes fixed upon the twodeparting figures, "it is a sell!"