CHAPTER V
THE SWORD FALLS
As Miss Whalley had predicted, Ina Rose's wedding was a very grand affairindeed. Everyone who was anyone attended it, and a good many besides. Ittook place in the midst of a spell of sultry weather, during which thesun shone day after day with brazen strength and the heat was intense.
It was the sort of weather Piers revelled in. It suited his tropicalnature. But it affected Avery very differently. All her customary energywilted before it, and yet she was strangely restless also. A greatreluctance to attend the wedding possessed her, wherefore she could nothave said. But for some reason Piers was determined that she should go.He was even somewhat tyrannical on the subject, and rather than have adiscussion Avery had yielded the point. For Piers was oddly difficult inthose days. Crowther's visit, which had barely run into forty-eighthours, seemed to have had a disquieting effect upon him. There haddeveloped a curious, new-born mastery in his attitude towards her, whichshe sometimes found it hard to endure. She missed the chivalry of theearly days. She missed the sweetness of his boyish adoration.
She did not understand him, but she knew that he was not happy. He nevertook her into his confidence, never alluded by word or sign to the changewhich he must have realized that she could not fail to notice. And Averyon her part made no further effort to open the door that was sostrenuously locked against her. With an aching heart she gave herself tothe weary task of waiting, convinced that sooner or later the nature ofthe barrier which he so stubbornly ignored would be revealed to her. Butit was impossible to extend her full confidence to him. Moreover, heseemed to shrink from all intimate subjects. Instinctively and whollyinvoluntarily she withdrew into herself, meeting reserve with reserve.Since he had become master rather than lover, she yielded him obedience,and she hid away her love, not deliberately or intentionally, but ratherwith the impulse to protect from outrage that which was holy. He was notasking love of her just then.
She saw but little of him during the day. He was busy on the estate, busywith the coming election, busy with a hundred and one matters thatevidently occupied his thoughts very fully. The heat seemed to imbue himwith inexhaustible energy. He never seemed tired after the most strenuousexertion. He never slacked for a moment or seemed to have a moment tospare till the day was done. He was generally late for meals, and alwaysraced through them at a speed that Avery was powerless to emulate.
He was late on the day of Ina Rose's wedding, so late that Avery, who haddressed in good time and was lying on the sofa in her room, began towonder if he had after all abandoned the idea of going. But she presentlyheard him race into his own room, and immediately there came the activepatter of Victor's feet as he waited upon him.
She lay still, listening, wishing that the wedding were over, morbidlydreading the heat and crush and excitement which she knew awaited her andto which she felt utterly unequal.
A quarter of an hour passed, then impetuously, without preliminary, herdoor opened and Piers stood on the threshold. He had the light behindhim, for Avery had lowered the blinds, and so seeing him she wasconscious of a sudden thrill of admiration. For he stood before her likea prince. She had never seen him look more handsome, more patrician, moretragically like that woman in the picture-frame downstairs who smiled soperpetually upon them both.
He came to her with his light, athletic tread, stooped, and lifted herbodily in his arms. He held her a moment before he set her on her feet,and then in his hot, fierce way he kissed her.
"You beautiful ghost!" he said.
She leaned against him, breathing rather hard. "I wish--I wish we needn'tgo," she said.
"Why?" said Piers.
He held her to him, gazing down at her with his eyes of fiery possessionthat always made her close her own.
"Because--because it's so hot," she said quiveringly. "There will be noone I know there. And I--and I--"
"That's just why you are going," he broke in. "Don't you know it will beyour introduction to the County? You've got to find your footing, Avery.I'm not going to have my wife overlooked by anyone."
"Oh, my dear," she said, with a faint laugh, "I don't care two strawsabout the County. They've seen me once already, most of them,--in a ditchand covered with mud. If they want to renew the acquaintance they cancome and call."
He kissed her again with lips that crushed her own. "We won't stay longerthan we can help," he said. "You ought to go out more, you know. It isn'tgood for you to stay in this gloomy old vault all day. We will really getto work and make it more habitable presently. But I've got such a lot onhand just now."
"I know," she said quietly. "Please don't bother about me! Lunch iswaiting for us. Shall we go?"
He gave her a quick, keen look, as if he suspected her of trying toelude him; but he let her go without a word.
They descended to lunch, and later went forth into the blazing sunshinewhere the car awaited them. Avery sank back into the corner and closedher eyes. Her head was aching violently. The sense of reluctance that hadpossessed her for so long amounted almost to a premonition of evil.
"Avery!" Her husband's voice, curt, imperious, with just a tinge ofanxiety broke in upon her. "Are you feeling faint or anything?"
She looked at him. He was watching her with a frown between his eyes.
"No, I am not faint," she said. "The heat makes my head ache,that's all."
"You ought to see a doctor," he said restlessly. "But not that ass,Tudor. We'll go up to town to-morrow. Avery," his voice softenedsuddenly, "I'm sorry I dragged you here if you didn't want to come."
She put out her hand to him instantly. It was the old Piers who hadspoken, Piers the boy-lover who had won her heart so irresistibly, socompletely.
He held the hand tightly, and she thought his face quivered a little ashe said: "I don't mean to be a tyrant, dear. But somehow--somehow, youknow--I can't always help it. A man with a raging thirst willtake--anything he can get."
His eyes were still upon her, and her heart quickened to compassion attheir look. They seemed to cry to her for mercy out of a depth ofsuffering that she could not bear to contemplate.
She leaned swiftly towards him. "Piers,--my dear--what is it? What isit?" she said, under her breath.
But in that instant the look vanished. The old fierce flare of passionblazed forth upon her, held her burningly, till finally she drew backbefore it in mute protest. "So you will forgive me," he said, in a tonethat seemed to contain something of a jeering quality. "We are all human,what? You're looking better now. Egad, Avery, you're splendid!"
Her heart died within her. She turned her face away, as one ashamed.
The church at Wardenhurst was thronged with a chattering crowd of guests.Piers and Avery arrived late, so late that they had some difficulty infinding seats. Tudor, who was present and looking grimly disgusted withhimself, spied them at length, and gave up his place to Avery.
The bride entered almost immediately afterwards, young, lovely, with theair of a queen passing through her subjects. Dick Guyes at the altar wasshaking with nervousness, but Ina was supremely self-possessed. She evensent a smile of casual greeting to Piers as she went.
She maintained her attitude of complete _sang-froid_ throughout theservice, and Piers watched her critically with that secret smile at thecorners of his lips which was not good to see.
He did not seem aware of anyone else in the church till the service wasover, and the strains of the Wedding March were crashing through thebuilding. Then very suddenly he turned and looked at his wife--with thatin his dark eyes that thrilled her to the soul.
A man's voice accosted him somewhat abruptly. "Are you Sir Piers Evesham?I'm the best man. They want you to sign the register."
Piers started as one rudely awakened from an entrancing dream. Animpatient exclamation rose to his lips which he suppressed rather badly.He surveyed the man who addressed him with a touch of hauteur.
Avery surveyed him also, and as not very favourably impressed. He was asmall man with thick sandy eyebr
ows and shifty uncertain eyes. He lookedhard at Piers in answer to the latter's haughty regard, and Avery becameaware of a sudden sharp change in his demeanour as he did so. He openedhis eyes and stared in blank astonishment.
"Hullo!" he ejaculated softly. "You!"
"What do you mean?" demanded Piers.
It was a challenge, albeit spoken in an undertone. He stood like a mantransfixed as he uttered it. There came to Avery a quick hot impulse tointervene, to protect him from some hidden danger, she knew not what,that had risen like a serpent in his path. But before she could take anyaction, the critical moment was passed. Piers had recovered himself.
He stepped forward. "All right. I will come," he said.
She watched him move away in the direction of the vestry with that free,proud gait of his, and a great coldness came down upon her, wrapping herround, penetrating to her very soul. Who was that man with the shiftyeyes? Why had he stared at Piers so? Above all, why had Piers stood withthat stiff immobility of shock as though he had been stabbed in the back?
A voice spoke close to her. "Lady Evesham, come and wait by the door!There is more air there."
She turned her head mechanically, and looked at Lennox Tudor with eyesthat saw not. There was a singing in her ears that made the crashingchords of the organ sound confused and jumbled.
His hand closed firmly, sustainingly, upon her elbow.
"Come with me!" he said.
She went with him blindly, unconscious of the curious eyes thatwatched her go.
He led her quietly down the church and into the porch. The air fromoutside, albeit hot and sultry, was less oppressive than within. She drewgreat breaths of relief as it reached her. The icy grip at her heartseemed to relax.
Tudor watched her narrowly. "What madness brought you here?" he saidpresently, as she turned at last and mustered a smile of thanks.
She countered the question. "I might ask you the same," she said.
His eyes contracted behind the shielding glasses. "So you might," he saidbriefly. "Well,--I came on the chance of meeting you."
"Of meeting me!" She looked at him in surprise.
He nodded. "Just so. I want a word with you; but it can't be said here.Give me an opportunity later if you can!"
His hand fell away from her elbow, he drew back. The bridal processionwas coming down the church.
Ina was flushed and laughing. Dick Guyes still obviously nervous, but,also obviously, supremely happy. They went by Avery into a perfect stormof rose-leaves that awaited them from the crowd outside. Yet for onemoment the eyes of the bride rested upon Avery, meeting hers almost as ifthey would ask her a question. And behind her--immediately behindher--came Piers.
His eyes also found Avery, and in an instant with a haughty disregard ofTudor, he had swept her forward with him, his arm thrust imperiallythrough hers. They also weathered the storm of rose-leaves, and as theywent Avery heard him laugh,--the laugh of the man who fights with hisback to the wall.
They were among the first to offer congratulations to the bride andbridegroom, and again Avery was aware of the girl's eyes searching hers.
"I haven't forgotten you," she said, as they shook hands. "I knew youwould be Lady Evesham sooner or later after that day when you kept thewhole Hunt at bay."
Avery felt herself flush. There seemed to her to be a covert insinuationin the remark. "I was very grateful to you for taking my part," she said.
"It was rather generous certainly," agreed the bride coolly. "Dick, doget off my train! You're horribly clumsy to-day."
The bridegroom hastened to remove himself to a respectful distance, whileIna turned her pretty cheek to Piers. "You may salute the bride," shesaid graciously. "It's the only opportunity you will ever have."
Piers kissed the cheek as airily as it was proffered, his dark eyesopenly mocking. "Good luck to you, Ina!" he said lightly. "I wish you thefirst and best of all that's most worth having."
Her red lips curled in answer. "You are superlatively kind," she said.
Other guests came crowding round with congratulations, and they moved on.
Piers knew everyone there, and presented one after another to his wifetill she felt absolutely bewildered. He did not present the best man, whoto her relief seemed disposed to keep out of their way. She wonderedgreatly if anything had passed between him and Piers, though by thelatter at least the incident seemed to be wholly forgotten. He was in hisgayest, most sparkling mood, and she could not fail to see that he wasvery popular whichever way he turned. People kept claiming his attention,and though he tried to remain near her he was drawn away at last by thebridegroom himself.
Avery looked round her then for a quiet corner where Tudor mightfind her if he so desired, but while she was searching she came uponTudor himself.
He joined her immediately, with evident relief. "For Heaven's sake, letus get away from this gibbering crowd!" he said. "They are like a hordeof painted monkeys. Come alone to the library! I don't think there aremany people there."
Avery accompanied him, equally thankful to escape. They found thelibrary deserted, and Tudor made her sit down by the window in the mostcomfortable chair the room contained.
"You look about as fit for this sort of show as Mrs. Lorimer," heobserved drily. "She had the sense to stay away."
"I couldn't," Avery said.
"For goodness' sake," he exclaimed roughly, "don't let that young ruffiantyrannize over you! You will never know any peace if you do."
Avery smiled a little and was silent.
"Why are you so painfully thin?" he pursued relentlessly. "What'sthe matter with you? When I saw you in church just now I had apositive shock."
She put out her hand to him. "I am quite all right," she assured him,still faintly smiling. "I should have sent for you if I hadn't been."
"It's high time you sent for me now," said Tudor.
He looked at her searchingly through his glasses, holding her hand firmlyclasped in his.
"Are you happy?" he asked her suddenly.
She started at the question, started and flushed. "Why--why do you ask methat?" she said in confusion.
"Because you don't look it," he said plainly. "No, don't be vexed withme! I speak as a friend--a friend who desires your happiness more thananything else on earth. And do you know, I think I should see a doctorpretty soon if I were you. If you don't, you will probably regret it. GetPiers to take you up to town! Maxwell Wyndham is about the best man Iknow. Go to him!"
"Thank you," Avery said. "Perhaps I will."
It was at this point that a sudden uproarious laugh sounded frombelow the window near which they sat, Avery looked round startled,and Tudor frowned.
"It's that little brute of a best man--drunk as a lord. He's some sortof cousin of Guyes', just home from Australia; and the sooner he goesback the better for the community at large, I should say."
"Piers knows him!" broke almost involuntarily from Avery.
And with that swiftly she turned her head to listen, for the man outsidehad evidently gathered to himself an audience at the entrance of a tentthat had been erected for refreshments, and was declaiming at the top ofhis voice.
"Eric Denys was the name of the man. He was a chum of mine. Samson weused to call him. This Evesham fellow killed him in the first round. I'venever forgotten it. I recognized him the minute I set eyes on him, thoughit's years ago now. And he recognized me! I wish you'd seen his face."Again came the uncontrolled, ribald laughter. "A bully sort of squire,eh? I suppose he's a justice of the peace now, a law-giver, eh? Damnfunny, I call it!"
Tudor was on his feet. He looked at Avery, but she sat like a statue,making no sign.
Another man was speaking in a lower tone, as though he were trying torestrain the first; but his efforts were plainly useless, for the bestman had more to say.
"Oh, I can tell you a Queensland crowd is no joke. He'd have beenmanhandled if he hadn't bolted. Mistaken? Not I! Could anyone mistake aface like that? Go and ask the man himself, if you don't believe
me!You'll find he won't deny it!"
"Shall we go?" suggested Tudor brusquely.
Avery made a slight movement, wholly mechanical; but she did not turn herhead. Her whole attitude was one of tense listening.
"I think I'll go in any case," said Tudor, after a moment. "That fellowwill make an exhibition of himself if someone doesn't interfere."
He went to the door, but before he reached it Avery turned in her chairand spoke.
"He has gone inside for another drink. You had better let him have it."
There was that in her voice that he had never heard before. He stoppedshort, looking back at her.
"Let him have it!" she reiterated. "Let him soak himself with it! Youwon't quiet him any other way."
Even as she spoke, that horrible, half-intoxicated laugh came tothem, insulting the beauty of the summer afternoon. Avery shiveredfrom head to foot.
"Don't go!" she said. "Please!"
She rose as Tudor came back, rose and faced him, her face like death.
"I think I must go home," she said. "Will you find the car? No, I am notill. I--" She paused, seemed to grope for words, stopped, and suddenly abewildered look came into her face. Her eyes dilated. She gave a sharpgasp. Tudor caught her as she fell.