CHAPTER XXIV
RICHARD PLAYS THE MAN
Lady Lavinia's frame of mind when she awoke next morning was hardlybefitting one who contemplated an elopement. A weight seemed to rest onher chest, hopeless misery was gathered about her head. She could notbring herself to drink her chocolate, and, feeling that inaction was theworst of all, she very soon crawled out of bed and allowed her maid todress her. Then she went with dragging steps to her boudoir, wonderingall the time where Richard was and what he was doing. She seated herselfat her window and looked out on to the square, biting the edge of herhandkerchief in the effort to keep back her tears.
Richard was in a no more cheerful mood. He, too, left his chocolateuntouched, and went presently down to the breakfast table and looked atthe red sirloin with a feeling of acute nausea. He managed to drink acup of coffee, and immediately afterwards left the room and made his wayto his wife's boudoir. He told himself he was acting weakly, and had farbetter avoid her, but in the end he gave way to his longing to see her,and knocked on one white panel.
Lavinia's heart leapt. How well she knew that knock!
"Come in!" she called, and tried to compose her features.
Richard entered and shut the door behind him.
"Oh--oh--good-morning!" she smiled. "You--wanted to speak withme--Dick?"
"I--yes--that is--er--have you the Carlyles' invitation?"
It was, perhaps, an unlucky excuse. Lavinia turned away and foughtagainst her tears.
"I--I believe--'tis in my--escritoire," she managed to say. "I--I willlook for it."
She rose and unlocked the bureau, standing with her back to him.
"'Tis no matter," stammered Carstares. "I--only--'twas but that I couldnot find it. Pray do not disturb yourself!"
"Oh--not--at all," she answered, scattering a handful of letters beforeher. "Yes--here 'tis." She came up to him with the note in her hand,extending it.
Carstares looked down at the golden head, and at the little face withits eyes cast down, and red mouth set so wistfully. Heavens, how couldhe bear to live without her! Mechanically he took the letter.
Lavinia turned away, and as she stepped from him something snapped inRichard's brain. The luckless invitation was flung down.
"No, by God you shall not!" he cried suddenly.
Lavinia stopped, trembling.
"Oh--oh, what do you mean?" she fluttered.
The mists were gone from his mind now, everything was clear. Laviniashould not elope with Lovelace. In two strides he was at her side, hadcaught her by the shoulders and swung her to face him.
"You shall not leave me! Do you understand? I cannot live without you!"
Lavinia gave a little cry full of relief, joy and wonderment, and shrankagainst him.
"Oh, please, please forgive me and keep me with you!" she cried, andclung to the lapels of his coat.
Carstares swept her right off the ground in the violence of his embrace,but she did not mind, although the crushing was ruinous to her silks.Silks were no longer uppermost in her brain. She returned his kisseseagerly, sobbing a little.
When Carstares was able to say anything beyond how he loved her, hedemanded if she did not love him?
"Of course I do!" she cooed. "I always, always did, only I was soselfish and so careless!"
He carried her to the sofa and sat down with her on his knee, trying tolook into her face. But she had somehow contrived to hide it on hisshoulder, and he did not succeed.
"Then you never loved that puppy?" he asked, amazed.
One hand crept up to his other shoulder.
"Oh, Dicky, no! And--and you--you don't love that horrid Mrs. Fanshawe,do you?"
He was still more amazed.
"Mrs. Fanshawe? Great heavens, no! You never thought that, surely?"
"I did--I did! Since you were always at her house, and so cold tome--how could I help it?"
"Cold to _you_? My dearest, surely not?"
"You were--you truly were--and I was so miserable--I--I thought I hadbeen so unreasonable and so horrid that you had ceased to I-love me--andI did not know what to do. And--and then you told me that you were goingto--to confess--and I lost my temper and said I would n-not stay withyou--But I never, never meant it--and when you seemed to expect me togo--I--I did not know what to do again!"
He patted her shoulder comfortingly.
"Sweetheart, don't cry! I had no idea of all this--why, I was sure thatyou loved Lovelace--I never doubted it--why in the world did you nottell me the truth?"
She sat up at that, and looked at him.
"Why, how could I?" she demanded. "I was quite certain that you lovedIsabella Fanshawe. I felt I had to go away, and I could not do italone--so--so--so, of course I had to elope. And I told Harold lastnight that I would go with him--and I'm afraid he didn't quite want mewhen he heard that I loved you. Oh, Dicky darling, you'll tell him thatI won't go with him, won't you?"
He could not help laughing.
"Ay, I'll tell him. 'Pon rep., sweetheart, I can find it in me to besorry for him!"
"Oh, he will not mind for long," she said philosophically. "He loves so_easily_, you see! But you, Dick--why did you go so often--so _very_often to see Mrs. Fanshawe?"
His face grew solemn.
"She knew--Jack--in Vienna--I--I wanted to hear all she could tell me ofhim--I could think of nothing else."
"Oh, Dicky! How--how wickedly foolish I have been! And 'twas that thatmade you so cold--and I thought--oh, dear!"
He drew her head down on to his shoulder again.
"My poor love! Why, 'tis the kindest lady imaginable, but as to lovingher--!" He kissed her hand lingeringly. "I love--and have alwaysloved--a far different being: a naughty, wilful, captivating littleperson, who--"
Lady Lavinia clasped her arms about his neck.
"You make me feel so very, very dreadful! I have indeed beennaughty--I--"
"And you'll be so many times again," he told her, laughing.
"No, no! I--will--try to be good!"
"I do not want you good!" Richard assured her. "I want you to be yourown dear self!" ... Lady Lavinia disengaged herself with a contentedlittle sigh, and stood up.
"How charming it is to be happy again, to be sure!" she remarkednaively. "To think that only half an hour ago I was wishing to be dead!"She went over to the glass and straightened her hair.
Richard looked at her rather anxiously.
"Lavinia--you--you quite understand, I am going to tell everyone thetruth--next Friday?" he asked.
"Yes, I do, of course--'tis dreadfully disagreeable of you, but Isuppose you will do it. I do _hope_ people will not refuse to recogniseus, though."
"No one would ever refuse to recognise you, dearest."
She brightened.
"Do you really think so? Well, perhaps after all, 'twill not be so_very_ horrid. And--and you will like to have Jack again, won't you?Yes--I knew you would. Oh, 'twill all be quite comfortable after alittle while, I make no doubt!"
* * * * *
His Grace of Andover arose betimes, and early sallied forth into thestreet. He called a chair, and drove to an address in the Strand, wherelodged a certain Colonel Shepherd. Half-an-hour did he spend with theColonel, and when he at length emerged from the house the curl of hislip betokened satisfaction. He did not at once hail a chair, but walkedalong in the direction of St. James's, entering the park in companywith one Dare, who, seven years before, had given a certain memorablecard-party.
Dare was pleasantly intrigued over Richard's latest oddity.
"Have you an idea what 'tis about, Belmanoir?" he inquired. "Has hewritten you to come as well?"
"I believe I did receive some communication from Carstares; yes--Iremember, Andrew brought it."
"Well, what does it mean? Fortescue is bidden, and Davenant. 'Tis verycurious."
"My dear Dare, I am not in Richard's confidence. We shall doubtless hearall that there is to hear at the given time. Mysteries do not inter
estme. But 'twill be a pleasant reunion.... Fortescue and Davenant, yousay? Strange! I have heard that Evans and Milward have also receivedtheir sum--invitations. It should be most entertaining."
"'Tis prodigious curious," repeated Dare. "No one can imagine what 'tisall about!"
"Ah?" His Grace's thin lips twitched.
Midway through the afternoon he repaired to Wyncham House and wasushered into the library.
Richard sat writing, but rose on seeing him, and came forward.
It struck his Grace that Carstares was looking quite happy.
"You seem cheerful, Richard!"
"I am," smiled his brother-in-law.
"I am much relieved to hear it. I have seen Shepherd."
"Shepherd?" interrogated Carstares.
"Lovelace's colonel, my dear Richard. You may count on Captain Harold'sdeparture--on an important mission--in, say, forty-eight hours."
"You may count on Captain Harold's departure in very much less, Tracy,"said Carstares, a twinkle in his eye.
The Duke started forward.
"She has gone?" he almost hissed.
"Gone? No! She is in the drawing-room with him."
"With Lovelace! And you permit it? You stand by and watch another man--"
"Say farewell to my wife. But I am not watching it, as you see."
The anger died out of his Grace's eyes.
"Farewell? Do you tell me you at last came to your senses?"
"We found that we both laboured under a delusion," replied Carstarespleasantly.
"I am delighted to hear you say so. I hope you will for the future keepa stricter hold over Lavinia."
"Do you?"
"I do. I think I will not undo what I have done; Lovelace were perhapsbetter out of the way for a time."
"Why, I have no objection to that," bowed Richard.
His Grace nodded shortly and picked up his hat.
"Then there remains nothing more to be done in the matter."
He looked piercingly across at Carstares. "She did not love him?"
Richard gave a happy little sigh.
"She loves me."
The heavy lids drooped again.
"You cannot conceive my delight. If she indeed loves you, she is safe. Ithought she had not got it in her. Pray bear my respects to her." Hishand was on the door-knob, when something seemed to occur to him.
"I take it my presence at Wyncham on Friday will not be necessary?" hesaid cynically.
Richard flushed.
"It will not be necessary."
"Then I am sure you will excuse me an I do not appear. I have other,more important affairs on hand.....But I shall be loth to miss theheroics," he added pensively, and chuckled. "_Au revoir,_ my goodRichard!"
Richard bowed him out thankfully.
Presently the front door opened and shut again, and looking out of thewindow he saw that Captain Harold Lovelace had taken his departure.
He was now awaiting Mr. Warburton, whom he had sent in search of Johnsome days ago. He should have been here by now, he thought, but perhapshe had been detained. Richard was aching to hear news of his brother,longing to see him once more. But at the same time he was dreading themeeting; he shrank from the thought of looking into Jack's eyes,cold--even scornful. It was not possible, so he reasoned, that Jackshould feel no resentment....
"Mr. Warburton, sir."
Carstares turned and came eagerly forward to greet the newcomer.
"Well? Well?"
Mr. Warburton spread out deprecating hands.
"Alas! Mr. Carstares."
Richard caught his arm.
"What mean you? He is not--dead?"
"I do not know, sir."
"You could not find him? Quick! Tell me?"
"Alas! no, sir."
"But the Chequers--he said--Surely they knew something?"
"Nought, Mr. Carstares." Out came Mr. Warburton's snuff-box. Verydeliberately he took a pinch, shaking the remains from his finger-tips."The host, Chadber--an honest man, though lacking in humour--has not seteyes on my lord for well-nigh six months. Not since I went to advise mylord of the Earl's death."
"But Warburton, he cannot be far? He is not dead! Oh, surely not that?"
"No, no, Master Dick," soothed the lawyer. "We should have heard of ithad he been killed. I fear he has gone abroad once more. It seems heoften spoke of travelling again."
"Abroad? God! don't let me lose him again!" He sank into a chair, hishead in his arms.
"Tut! I implore you, Mr. Carstares! Do not despair yet. We have no proofthat he has left the country. I daresay we shall find him almost atonce. Chadber thinks it likely he will visit the inn again ere long.Calm yourself, Master Dick!" He walked up to the man and laid a hand onone heaving shoulder. "We shall find him, never fear! But do not--I know'twould grieve him to see you so upset, Master Dick--pray, do not--!"
"If I could only make amends!" groaned Richard.
"Well, sir, are you not about to? He would not wish you to distressyourself like this! He was so fond of you! Pray, pray do not!"
Carstares rose unsteadily and walked to the window. "I crave yourpardon, Mr. Warburton--you must excuse me--I have been--living inhell--this last week."
Warburton came over to his side.
"Master Dick--I--you know I have never cared for you-as--well--as--"
"You cared for him."
"Er--yes, sir, exactly!--and of late years I may, perhaps, have beenhard. I would desire to--er--apologise for any unjust--er--thoughts Imay have harboured against you. I--I--possibly, I never quiteunderstood. That is all, sir."
He blew his nose rather violently, and then his hand found Richard's.
* * * * *
Richard Carstares had plenty to occupy him for the rest of the week.Arrangements had to be made, a house acquired for Lavinia, Wyncham Houseto be thoroughly cleaned and put in order, awaiting its rightful owner.Once she had made up her mind to face the inevitable, Lavinia quiteenjoyed all the preparations. The new house in Great Jermyn Street shevoted charming, and she straightway set to work to buy very expensivefurniture for it, and to superintend all the alterations. In her presentpenitent mood she would even have accompanied her husband to Wyncham onMonday, to stand by him on the fateful Friday; but this he would notallow, insisting that she remain in town until his return. So shefluttered contentedly from Grosvenor Square to Jermyn Street, very busyand quite happy.
Carstares was to travel to Wyncham on Monday, arriving there thefollowing evening in company with Andrew, whom he was taking as far asAndover. His lordship had lately embroiled himself in a quarrel over alady when deep in his cups, and owing to the subsequent duel at BarnElms and the almost overpowering nature of his debts, he deemed itprudent to go into seclusion for a spell. Tracy disappeared from town inthe middle of the week, whither no one knew, but it was universallybelieved that he had gone to Scotland on a visit.
Monday at length dawned fair and promising. After bidding his wife avery tender farewell, and gently drying her wet eyelashes with his ownhandkerchief, Richard set out with his brother-in-law in the bigtravelling chaise soon after noon. Andrew had quite recovered hishitherto rather dampened spirits, and produced a dice-box from onepocket and a pack of cards from the other wherewith to beguile thetedium of the journey.