CHAPTER XX.
THE NEWS FROM TOWN.
I woke up feeling as fresh as a daisy. When Burton drew up the blindsthe sun came gleaming through the bedroom windows.
"There's been a slight frost, sir, but I think it's going to be a clearday."
From where I lay in bed the sky looked cloudless.
"It seems just the morning for a shoot."
"I think it is a shooting day, sir--there's no wind, and a good light."
As Burton said, it was a shooting day. When I had dressed I wentstraight down on to the terrace. There was a slight nip in the air, andthe faintest whisper of a breeze. It was the sort of day which makesone feel that it is good to be alive. I seemed to be the first onedown. I never felt more fit. I stood there drinking in great draughtsof the clear, cool air, with greater relish than I ever drankchampagne. If one always lived in such an atmosphere, with plenty ofmoney in one's pockets, one could afford to be a model of all thevirtues.
Some one spoke to me from behind. It was Dora.
"You are the first on the scene."
I turned. She was standing at the open window of the morning-room.
"Am I the first to whom you have wished good morning?"
"The very first. Good morning, Mr. Townsend."
She held out to me her hand. I retained it in mine. A wild impulseseized me to kiss her on the lips. It was all I could do to hold my ownagainst it. Her eyes were so provoking, her mouth so tempting. Sheallowed me to keep her hand in mine, though she might surely have seenmy desire showing through my face. And I have no doubt she did, for shesmiled at me.
"Well--good luck."
"I will keep my promise."
I released her hand. A gleam of colour was glowing on her cheeks. Idoubted if she was not making fun of me.
"After all, papa cannot come. He wishes you to shoot without him. Hesays that he will certainly be down tonight."
We shot without him. I do not think that he was missed. I had neverseen Sir Haselton Jardine handling a gun, but I should not fancy thathe was much of a performer. He did not strike one as being built thatway.
I spoke to Innes as we were strolling to cover.
"Innes, I'm feeling in first-rate shooting trim to-day. I don'tpretend, for a moment, to compare my shooting to yours, but would youlike to have a sporting wager?"
"How?"
One peculiarity of Innes's is that he never uses two syllables whereone will do.
"Bet you a pony that I kill more birds than you."
"Birds? or all in?"
"All in if you like."
"Done."
That decided it. I had not expected that he would bet. I had a sort ofsuspicion that he rather avoided making bets with me, but now that hehad bet, if I did not win his pony and keep my promise, luck would haveto be against me with a vengeance.
There were seven guns--the house lot, and a local. Innes, Archie, I,and the local had the best places. The local was a man named Purrier.He seemed to be something in the gentleman farmer sort of line. Hecould shoot, though he was a pot hunter if ever there was one. Sportdid not seem so much to his taste as killing. He potted ever so many ofhis birds before they had a chance of getting up. Archie shot wildly.He evidently had not taken my advice and gone to bed when I did. Whenhe is in form his gun can be relied upon. At his performances on thatoccasion, I saw Vicary, the head-keeper, more than once pulling a face.Innes, as usual, performed like a book. And his luck was better thanmine. The birds would rise his side. I never missed a chance. Yet, bylunch-time, he was nineteen pheasants, two rabbits, and a hare to thegood--twenty-one in all.
I was a bit surprised to find that luncheon was done in swaggerfashion. It was the first time I had shot at Jardine's. I had not beenaware that they did things in quite such style. There was a portablekitchen, and a tent, and a regular table, and a lot of servants, andthere were the ladies there. One doesn't care, if one is at all keen,for lunch being made a feature, when one is shooting. But I did notobject so much just then. Dora's face was welcome, though I had such apitiful tale to tell. We sat down anyhow. I planted myself beside her.
"I haven't kept my promise."
"Pray, how is that?"
"The stars in their courses have fought against me. The enemy istwenty-one ahead."
"That is nothing. You will keep your promise before you have finished.I know you will."
How she knew is more than I can say. She knew better than I did. Andshe knew quite right. I kept my promise. After lunch, I made up for allmy ill-luck of the morning. Her words may have had something to do withit--and the tone in which the words were uttered. I believe they had.Anyhow, I wound up by beating my friend, the enemy, with more than twoscore birds in hand.
The local made all the running at the start. He shot like a keeper, forthe larder, or like a dealer, for the shop, grassing bird after birdbefore it had a fair chance to stretch its wings. Some of the birdsseemed a trifle tame; they were either weak on the wing or else theyhad been overfed. They would not rise until they were compelled. Someof them had to be driven right on to our guns before they would get up.This was nuts for the local. When he had a chance to stop them theynever got up at all.
I began catching Innes all along. But it was in the last cover thetrick was done. The bag for the day was close upon two thousand. Ofthese over seven hundred were winged in that last cover. Vicary hadkept his _bonne bouche_ for the finish.
When we reached it Innes and I were about equal. When the slaughterbegan he did all he knew. But I did better. I brought them down as fastas I could get the guns; and I fancy that my guns were loaded quickerthan his. While it lasted it was as hot a bit as one could wish.
When it was over Innes came to me.
"You win."
"I think I do. What do you make your total?"
He told me. I told him that I made mine forty-seven more.
"I did not know that you were quite so many as that. But I knew thatyou were in front. The birds have broken on your gun in a crowd."
I owned that was so.
"I know that the luck has been mine. Of course, as a shot I am not tobe compared to you. It was like my cheek to back myself. But, somehow,I seemed to know, in advance, that I should have the luck."
"It has not, by any means, been all luck. You're a good shot, Mr.Townsend."
Archie came slouching up. He had lost his temper--as he was wont to dowhen he had been making an ass of himself.
"Did you ever see anything like my shooting? I can't hit a haystack."
He was looking at Vicary, but whether he was speaking to him is morethan I can say. Vicary chose to think that he was. Evidently Jardine'shead man knew his business--he had given us a first-rate day. But hewas one of those keepers who like to see their birds shot. When theywere missed, and the principal offender gave him such a chance as that,he was not likely to let it pass him.
He looked at Archie. His face assumed an expression of rusticstupidity--it was a distinct assumption. Nature had made him look assharp as a ferret.
"Well, sir, I did understand from Sir Haselton as how you could hithaystacks."
Archie went red all over, then went white to the lips.
I take it that last spinney was a good four miles from the house. So wedrove home. It had kept clear, but it had again turned frosty. Therewas a keen bite in the air. They had sent our coats in the brake. Theladies were having tea when we got back. When we had changed we joinedthem--all but Archie, who, I imagine, stayed in his room to sulk. Innesand I got in together. The others were already in evidence, includingthe local, who was to stop and dine.
Mary Porteous called out as we came in--
"So you've had a good day?"
I answered. Innes, if he could, always saved his words.
"First-rate."
"And I hear that you've gained all the honours, Mr. Townsend."
"I've had a good deal of luck, Lady Mary--more than my share. But, Ibelieve,
as a matter of fact, that Mr. Purrier heads the score."
Mr. Purrier disclaimed the soft impeachment.
"I doubt it. I never saw better shooting, Mr. Townsend, than yours."
"It's very good of you to say so. You all seem very nice andcomplimentary."
Mary Porteous laughed.
"How modest we are!"
People went into the billiard-room after tea. I stayed for a moment ortwo behind with Dora. I had not had a chance of a word with her at tea.She had been entertaining Silcox and Purrier--it was she who sent themto billiards. The rest trooped after them. We were left alone. I hadbeen sitting a little in the shadow, on the other side of the room. Icrossed to her.
"I've kept my promise."
"Thank yon. It is almost as if you had done me a special and a mostparticular favour. But I knew you would."
"You seem to know me very well."
"I know you much better, perhaps, than you imagine."
"But, I assure you, I do not always necessarily keep promises which Imake."
"Of that I am certain. But, before you make a promise to me, I shallknow--know, mind!--if you will keep it. And I shall never ask you tomake a promise which I do not know that you will keep."
"Are you a seer?"
"So far as you are concerned, I am."
She touched my arm lightly with her hand. I protest that she set me alla-trembling. There was a pause. She removed her hand. I do not believethat I could have spoken while she had it there.
"Papa has telegraphed that we are not to wait dinner for him, so weshall dine at eight. Papa says that he will dine alone, as he isbringing work with him from town. It seems to me that life is coming tomean, more and more, to him, nothing but a synonym for work."
I made up my mind, on the instant, that I would--if I could--put thematter to the touch before Sir Haselton Jardine appeared upon thescene. I felt that I could not hold myself in much longer, even if Itried. I was beginning to feel a longing for this girl such as I hadnever felt for a woman before--and I own that, in my time, I havelonged for particular women now and then. Apart from all otherconsiderations, I yearned to have her, to win her, to call hermine--for herself, and for herself alone. She always had exercised overme a sort of cerebral attraction. This attraction had grown andstrengthened. It was both intellectual and physical. It was beginningto overwhelm me. I knew that, when the moment came in which we shouldsee each other eye to eye, for the first time in my career I shouldlook upon the face of my undoubted master. I had met my master in mymistress, if the fates would but let me win her for my wife. If butDame Fortune had that crowning mercy to bestow! The knowledge thatshe was my master was beginning to fill my veins with a frenzy ofdesire--we should be so fairly mated.
As I was dressing, the look which I had seen in her glances washaunting me. I told myself that, after dinner, I would put my fortuneto the touch, and lose or win it all.
And so I did!
We were a lively lot at dinner--all but Archie. He was black as blackcould be. Tommy Verulam began chaffing him about his shooting. Tommyhimself, I should say, could shoot as well with one end of his gun aswith the other. But that did not prevent his being down on Archie. Theworse a man is at a thing himself, the more disposed he seems to be toexploit the deficiencies of others, especially if he is a fool of thetranscendental sort. Tommy had heard Vicary's remark about thehaystack. So he told the tale--with embellishments of his own. Ithought Archie would have thrown a plate at his head. There would havebeen a row royal if the ladies had not been present. Trying to snubTommy--I expected that Vicary would hear something from headquartersabout that little slip of his tongue--Dora endeavoured to extend hersympathies to Archie. But Archie would have none of it. The light hadgone out of the world for him.
Directly the ladies' backs were turned the band did begin to play.Leaning his arms on the table, Archie addressed himself to Tommy.
"Mr. Verulam, have you ever had your head punched?"
Tommy gaped.
"What the doose do you mean?"
"What I say. If you haven't, consider your head punched now."
Innes interposed.
"For shame, Beaupre!"
Archie turned on him like a wild cat.
"You mind your own business! Don't you interfere with me!" Evidently,as regards interference, in Archie's estimation what was sauce for thegoose was not sauce for the gander. He stood up. "Mr. Verulam, so longas you are in this house you are in sanctuary. On the first occasion onwhich I meet you outside, I shall kick you."
With that he stalked out of the room--it's a pretty Scotch temper hehas of his own!
But I cared neither for his bad taste nor for his bad temper, and aslittle for Tommy's folly. I went in search of Dora. I peeped into thedrawing-room. Mary Porteous was making a noise at the piano, but inspite of the noise she made Mrs. Crashaw was having forty winks upon aneasy-chair.
The millionairess was nowhere to be seen, nor was Dora. From themorning-room there was a door leading into the conservatory; entranceto this conservatory was to be gained from the drawing-room as well. Iwent to the morning-room. I looked into the conservatory. At first Ithought it was empty. But, when I went farther into it, there was Dora.
The glass house was a large one. In the centre was a fountain. Thewater fell into a basin in which were goldfish. Looking into thisbasin, seated under the shadow of a palm, was Dora.
She was thinking, perhaps, of me. She did not become conscious of myapproach until I was close upon her.
"A penny for your thoughts."
She looked up with that odd smile which, to me, seemed to glorify hercountenance.
"They ought to be worth more than that to you."
I was silent. I, too, looked into the basin. The goldfish were swimminground and round. The fountain fell into the water with a musicalsplash. The noise of the piano came from the drawing-room beyond. Nowthat I was close to her the task seemed harder than I had supposed. Myready tongue seemed to have forsaken me. My pulses were throbbing in myveins like some young lad's.
It was she who broke the silence.
"Your thoughts; are they worth a penny too?"
"Can you not guess them?"
"That is not an answer to my question."
"I have not your gift of prescience. I cannot tell if they are worth apenny to you. To me they are worth more pennies than I am ever likelyto possess."
"You place a high value on your own thoughts."
"Shall I tell you what they are?"
"If you like. Though, is it worth the trouble, if you are sure that Ican guess?"
"Give me leave to tell you them."
"I give you leave."
"I was thinking what fallible creatures we men are."
"Is that all? Surely that is not worth a penny, even to you."
"Because so small a thing may change all our lives."
"Not worth a penny yet."
"Have you bewitched me?"
"I cannot tell."
"I believe you have."
"You are not bewitched so easily."
"As you say, I am not so easily bewitched. That makes it still morestrange."
"I await the penny's worth."
"Will you forgive me, Miss Jardine?"
"For what?"
The words trembled on my lips. And yet, without a struggle, I could notutter them. As I looked into the water, all at once my eyes seemedblinded by its glare.
"For loving you."
She was still. I did not dare to turn to look upon her face, for fearof what there might be there to see.
"You have your methods, Mr. Townsend."
"In what sense, Miss Jardine?"
"I await the penny's worth."
On a sudden a great shame came over me; a sense of overwhelming horror.I sank on my knee. I hid my face in my hands on the basin's edge.
"God help me!"
The cry was wrung from me by something which, for the moment, wasstronger than I.
"Hush!"
/> The word was whispered. Then she, too, was still.
"Begin again." The words seemed to come to me like the words which wehear in a dream. "What is done, is done. You cannot put it behind youaltogether. But it is done. It is not yet to do. And, because it isdone, therefore, you need not do it again, in the time which is tocome. If you have strength--and you have strength, Mr. Townsend--playthe man."
I had never thought that any one would have had to bid me play the man.But she had to bid me then. She laid her hand upon my shoulder. Beneathher touch a shudder went all over me. Then I looked up at her.
"You are not for such as I am."
"But you are for such as I am."
I held my breath. I knew not what to do or say. I stared in front ofme, not understanding what it was I saw.
"What is it that you say?"
"Are you so deaf? All in an instant have you become so dull? Come, Iwill do the wooing, since you are afraid to woo me." That ever I shouldhave been told by a woman that I was afraid to woo her! "If you butlove me half as I love you, you will fill the world with the fame ofthe great deeds which you will do for love of me, and leave behind aname which men never shall let die."
"Dora! Dora! My Dora!"
"Well, if I am your's----"
"If? Is it only if?"
"Will you be mine?"
"Body, soul, and spirit. I do believe you have bewitched me. I am goingmad for the love of you!"
"I am content."
"Is this a dream of ecstasy from which there will soon be waking?"
"I would that you might wake to something soon."
"What's that?"
"To the fact that I am here."
I woke to it. It was worth while to have lived if only to have woke towhat I woke then. For I woke to find that her face was close to mine,that I might take her in my arms, that I was free to smother her withkisses.
Loving is such sweet pain. I learned it then!
And hardly had I loosed her, than some one came upon us. It was SirHaselton Jardine. I saw his well-regulated eyelids suffered to open toenable him to shoot one of his swift glances. I saw his lips wrinkledby his imitation of a smile. And he said--
"I hope I do not interrupt you. I am but now arrived from town."
Dora, all rosy red, ran into his arms.
"Father!" she cried.
"My dear!" Then to me, "How are you, Townsend? I said I thought itpossible that you might have something to say to me before you wentaway."
"I trust, sir, that I may have."
I believe that I, myself, was blushing like any boy.
While we were standing there--forming, no doubt, a sufficiently awkwardgroup--Tommy Verulam came running in. He seemed to have recovered fromthe effects of his little episode with Archie. He was quite excited.
"I say, I've just been looking at the London papers. It seems thatthey've got the chap who murdered the woman at Three Bridges."
I turned to him.
"Indeed! Who may he be?"
"His name is Tennant--Thomas Tennant. I hope they'll hang the brute,upon my soul I do."
Sir Haselton struck in--
"I am briefed by the Treasury to prosecute. If the man's guilty, itwill be a positive pleasure to have a hand in sending him to thegallows."
As I was endeavouring to grasp the drift of what it was that they weresaying, I saw that Archie Beaupre was staring at us through thedrawing-room window.
BOOK III.--THE WOMAN.
(_The Story as told by Mrs. Carruth_.)