CHAPTER IV
MR HOLLAND FAILS
A Small young lady, daintily fashioned, with a child-like face. Shewas charmingly dressed; a big feather boa was round her neck. As shestood there, in spite of the perfection of her attire, she looked morelike a child than a woman. The men released each other. Mr Dumvilleexplained.
'I was only going to throw the fellow down the stairs.'
'Is that all? And what has'--there was a little hesitation; then theword was softened by a smile--'the fellow done? And who may the fellowbe?'
'I don't know. Some bounder, I suppose.'
Mr Dumville seemed slightly disconcerted, as if the situation had notquite shaped as he had expected. Mr Holland's hat and stick had fallento the floor. He stooped to pick them up. When he turned there came anexclamation from the little lady at the door.
'Guy!'
'Miss Bewicke.'
'Whoever would have thought of seeing you? Why, this is Mr Holland, afriend of my childish days.'
She advanced with a tiny gloved hand held out to him. Mr Dumville,whose hands were in his trouser pockets, seemed disposed to be grumpy.
'It wasn't my fault; he should have told me.'
'You hardly gave me an opportunity.'
'My dear Bryan, I believe you're a little mad; that is, I believeyou're a little madder even than I thought you were. Guy, this isBryan Dumville, a gentleman who thinks that he has claims on me.Bryan, this is Guy Holland, who was a friend of mine when I was quitea little child; and that--how long ago that is!'
'I don't see how I'm to blame. The porter was talking about the fellowwho has been such a nuisance, saying that he has been making himselfparticularly objectionable to-day, trying to force his way upstairs,and I don't know what; and he added that he was hanging about at thatvery moment, and if he turned his back he shouldn't be surprised ifthe blackguard made another try to get at you. I made up my mind thatif he did I would give him what for. So, when someone knocked at thedoor, and I found it was a man, I went for him.'
'Nothing could be more natural.'
If Mr Holland's tone was a little dry Mr Dumville did not seem tonotice it; but the lady regarded the speaker with laughter lightingall her pretty face.
'Guy, you must sup with us.'
'Thank you, I have not long dined.'
'That doesn't matter; you must eat with us again.' She rang the bell.A maid appeared. 'Bring another plate; Mr Holland will join us atsupper.' Miss Bewicke proceeded to remove her outdoor things, handingthem to Mr Dumville one by one, talking as she did so. 'Someone toldme that you were at the other side of the world--at the North Pole, Ithink.'
'Not the North Pole; but I have been to Africa. I only returned lastnight.'
'And you came to-day to see me? How perfectly delightful of you.'
Mr Holland winced. He was conscious that the lady might misapprehendthe situation.
'The fact is, I have something rather important which I wish to say toyou.'
'Indeed? How interesting! I like people to say important things to me.Say it while we're at supper. That is, if it's something Bryan may beallowed to listen to.'
'If I'm in the way I'll go.'
Mr Holland was silent. He felt that Mr Dumville was in the way, butthat he himself was hardly in a position to say so. Miss Bewicke spokefor him.
'My dear Bryan, when you're in the way we'll let you know. Now,people, will you please sit down?' They seated themselves at table.'What is this very important thing?--must it out?--or will it keep?'
Mr Holland reflected. He thought of Letty, and other things. MissBewicke seemed disposed to be friendly. Perhaps it was as well therewas a third person present. He decided to make the running.
'It's this way. My uncle's dead.'
'Your uncle? Mr George Burton? I hope you won't think me dreadful, butI cannot say I'm sorry. He was not a person for whom I entertainedfeelings of profound respect.'
'He--he's left rather a peculiar will.'
'I'm not surprised. I should be surprised at nothing he did which waspeculiar. I never knew him do anything which wasn't. Or worse.'
Mr Holland resolved to plunge.
'He says you have a ruby ring of his.'
'He says?--who says?'
'My uncle--in his will.'
Miss Bewicke laid down her knife and fork. 'Mr Holland, do Iunderstand that you intend to suggest that I have in my possessionanother person's property?'
'It's like this. He had a ruby ring, I know it very well. In his willhe says you have it. He may have given it to you for all I know; hedid queer things--'
'Thank you.'
'I don't mean that.'
'It doesn't matter. Go on.'
'Anyhow, it's a condition of his will that I'm to get it back fromyou, and if I don't get it back within three months of his death I'mto lose his money.'
'I don't in the least understand you. Will you please be so good as tomake yourself quite clear.'
He made himself as clear as he could, though he did not find it easy.Nor was his explanation well received.
'Then am I to gather that you have come to me at midnight, hot-footfrom Africa, in order to get from me--a ring; a ruby ring?'
'It doesn't sound very nice, but that's the plain truth of it.'
'It's very flattering.'
'Very!'
The chorus came from Mr Dumville, and was accompanied by a glare.
'I can only throw myself upon your mercy, Miss Bewicke, and imploreyou to let me have this ring to save my inheritance.'
Miss Bewicke resumed her knife and fork, which had all this time beenlying idle. There was a change in her manner, which, though subtle,was well defined to Mr Holland's consciousness.
'By the way, Mr Holland, the other day I heard your name associatedwith a person called, I think, Broad. Was it merely idle gossip, or doyou know anything of a person with a name like that?'
'I do. I know Miss Broad, and very well. I hope she will be my wife.She has promised that she will.'
'Ah, you and I know what is the value of such promises, don't we, MrHolland? Is she any relation to Broad, the teaman, in Mincing Lane?'
'She is his daughter; his only child.'
'Indeed! His only child? How delightful! Old Broad has bushels ofmoney. How nice for you, of all men, to be received in such a family.'
The airy insolence of the tone was meant to sting, and did, though heendeavoured to conceal the fact.
'You haven't answered my question.'
'Haven't I? What was your question?'
'Will you let me have the ring, to save my inheritance?'
'It's such an odd question--isn't it, Bryan? So mysterious.Melodrama's not at all my line. They say I'm too small. Do you thinkthat I'm too small?'
'I should imagine that you were better fitted to shine in domesticcomedy.'
His words conveyed a meaning which this time stung her, although shelaughed.
'But, my dear Mr Holland, what do you want with an inheritance whenyou are going to marry a rich wife--the only child of her father, andhe a widower. I'm told that old Broad's a millionaire.'
'I'm not marrying her for her father's money; nor for her own. Nor doI intend to go to her empty-handed.'
'How chivalrous you are! So changed!'
'Am I to have the ring?'
'Really, Mr Holland, you speak to me as if it were a case of stand anddeliver. You can hardly know how your uncle behaved or I do not thinkyou would broach the subject to me at all. In any case it is not onewhich I can discuss with you. Talk it over with Mr Dumville. Whateverhe wishes I will do. I always act on his advice; he is so very wise.Good-night, Mr Holland. So glad to have seen you. Come soon again.Goodnight, Bryan, dear.'
'But you haven't had any supper.'
'Mr Holland has taken my appetite away; he has caused my mind totravel back to events which I am always endeavouring to forget. But itdoesn't matter. Hear what he has to say, and decide for me.
King willlet you both out when your discussion's finished.'
Mr Holland stood up.
'Miss Bewicke, I am very sorry if I have said anything which has givenyou pain or offence. Nothing could have been further from myintention.'
'Thank you.'
'But this matter which you treat so lightly--'
'Lightly!'
'Is to me almost one of life and death. I believe that my uncle hasleft something like a quarter of a million.'
'What a sum, Bryan! Doesn't it sound nice?'
'If I can hand this ring to Mr Collyer--'
'To whom?'
'To Mr Collyer, my uncle's solicitor, the money is mine. I have onlyfour days left to do it in.'
'Four days! Just now you said three months.'
'The time appointed is three months after my uncle's death. He died onthe 23rd of February. I have only just become acquainted with theterms of his will. So in four days it will be decided if I am to be arich man or a pauper. You see, Miss Bewicke, that my fate is in yourhands.'
'I really cannot discuss the matter with you now. It would make meill. The strain would be too much for me. I refer you to Mr Dumville.Bryan, dear, I leave the matter entirely in your hands.'
'Miss Bewicke--'
Mr Dumville rose.
'Mr Holland, you have heard what Miss Bewicke has said. So far as sheis concerned the discussion is closed. My dear, let me open the doorfor you.'
He opened the door for her. She passed out, with her handkerchief toher eyes. A fact on which Mr Dumville commented.
'You see what you have done, sir--affected her to tears.'
'To what?'
'To tears!'
'Oh!'
'Well, sir, what have you to say to me?'
'To you?'
'Yes, sir, to me. You have said more than enough to Miss Bewicke. Now,perhaps there is something which you would like to say to me, as heraffianced husband.'
'There are one or two things which I should like to say to you, but Iam inclined to think that I had better not say them to you here. Nordo I quite see my way to ask you to come outside, though I should liketo.'
Mr Holland was savage, and unwise enough to show it. Mr Dumville,having polished his eyeglass, replaced it in his eye so that he mightscan the speaker with a greater show of dignity.
'What on earth do you mean by talking to me like that? If that's thekind of remark you wish to make the sooner you get away the better.'
'I am quite of your opinion, Mr Dumville. I shall always remember withpleasure that I was able to get away from you.'
Mr Dumville strode forward.
'You be hanged, sir!'
'After you, Mr Dumville, after you.'
'You had better be careful; although I don't want to have a vulgar rowwith you here.'
'Would you mind mentioning a place at which you would? I will try tomake it convenient to be there.'
Mr Dumville turned and rang the bell.
'What's that for?'
'For the servant to show you out.'
Mr Holland laughed, showing himself out without another word. He wasconscious of two things--that he had not been particularly discreet,and that he would like to make his indiscretion greater by 'taking itout' of somebody. It was not often his temper gained the upperhand; when it did he was apt to be dangerous both to himself andothers.
Nor was his mood chastened by a little incident which took place as hewas about to descend the staircase. From a door which opened behindhim Miss Bewicke addressed him in mellifluous accents.
'Oh, Mr Holland, will you give my fondest love to dear Miss Broad?It's true that I don't know her, but if you tell her what good friendsyou and I used to be I'm sure that she won't mind. I hope to make heracquaintance one of these days, and then I'll tell her how fond youand I were of one another. Good-night.'
Before he had a chance to answer the door was closed. He went down thestairs in a rage.
'The little cat!' he muttered. 'The little cat! who would have thoughtshe had such claws?'
As he was going out into the street a woman, running against him,almost knocked him over. She was entering the house, apparently inhot, unseeing haste; putting up her hand as if to prevent hisobservation of her features; flying up the stairs as if danger washard upon her heels.
Mr Holland adjusted his hat, which she had knocked almost off withoutoffering the least apology.
'I wonder what mischief you have been up to? Women are beauties, realbeauties!'
Having indulged himself in this very cheap piece of cynicism, he,metaphorically, shook the dust of the house from off his feet, but hadnot gone a dozen paces when he found himself face to face with hiscousin, Horace Burton.