CHAPTER XIV.
AT HER GATES.
Mr. Bell was as thin as his wife was fat, and as quiet and unassuming asshe was bumptious and talkative. On the occasion of this memorablesupper he very nearly drove his better half into fits by his utter wantof observation.
"It's that that worries me in Bell," the good woman was often heard tosay. "When a thing is as plain as the nose on his face he won't see it.And not all my hints will make him see it. Hints!--You might hintforever to Bell, and he wouldn't know what you were driving at."
These remarks Mrs. Bell had made, times without number, concerning herspouse, but never had ehe more cause to give utterance to them than onthe present occasion. For just when the whole party were seated atsupper, and she by the boldest manoeuvres had placed Captain Bertramnext to herself by the coffee-tray, and had planted Matty at his otherside, so that he was in a measure hemmed in, and if he did not talk toMatty had no one to fall back on but herself, who, of course, wouldquickly, using the metaphor of battledore and shuttlecock, toss him backto her daughter--having arranged all this, what should Bell do but puthis foot in it?
"Captain Bertram," he called in his thin voice across the table, "I hopeyou enjoyed your row, and I'm proud to see you at my humble board. Butcome up here, my good young sir; you're quite smothered by the missisand the teacups. We have fine room at this end, haven't we, Beatrice?You come away up here, Captain Bertram, where you'll have room to useyour elbows; the missis mustn't keep you to herself altogether, thatain't fair play."
"Oh, we're as comfortable as possible, Peter," almost screamed Mrs.Bell.
But in vain. The captain was too acute a person not to seize thisopportunity. He said a courteous word or two to Mrs. Bell, apologizedfor having already crowded her, smiled at Matty, and then with a lightheart seated himself beside Beatrice.
After this, matters seemed to go wrong as far as the Bells wereconcerned. It is true that after supper Beatrice called Matty to herside, and looked over a photographic album with her, and tried hard todraw her into the gay conversation and to get her to reply to the lightrepartee which Captain Bertram so deftly employed. But, alas for poorMatty she had no conversational powers; she was only great atinterjections, at ceaseless giggling, and at violent and uncontrollablefits of blushing. Even Beatrice felt a sense of repulsion at the veryopen way in which Matty played her innocent cards. Matty was in love,and she showed it by voice, look and gesture. Beatrice tried to shieldher, she was mortified for her, and felt a burning sense of resentmentagainst the captain.
In spite, however, of the resentment of the one girl, and the toomanifest admiration of the other, this hero managed to have pretty muchhis own way. Beatrice had to reply to his sallies, she was forced tomeet his eyes; now and then even he drew a smile from her.
When the time came for Miss Meadowsweet to go home, Albert Bell waseagerly summoned to accompany her.
"This is unnecessary," said the captain; "I will see Miss Meadowsweetback to the Gray House."
"Oh, now, Captain! Bee, don't you think it's really too much for him?"
"Of course I don't, dear Mrs. Bell," said Beatrice, stopping the goodlady's lips with a kiss; "but Albert shall come too, so that I shall bedoubly escorted."
She nodded and smiled to her hostess, and Mrs. Bell felt a franticdesire to send Matty with her brother, but some slight sense of decorumprevented her making so bare-faced a suggestion.
Albert Bell was very proud to walk with Beatrice, and Captain Bertramfelt proportionately sulky. To Albert's delight, who wanted to confidehis own love affairs to Bee, the captain said good-night at the top ofthe High Street.
"As you have an escort I won't come any further," he said. "When are weto see you again? Will you come to the Manor to-morrow?"
"I don't know," said Beatrice, "I've made no plans for to-morrow."
"Then come to us; Catherine told me to ask you. Our tennis court is inprime order. Do come; will you promise?"
"I won't quite promise, but I'll come if I can."
"Thanks; we shall look out for you."
He shook hands, gave her an earnest glance, nodded to Bell and turnedaway. His evening had been a partial success, but not a whole one. Heleft Beatrice, as he almost always did, with a sense of irritation. Itwas her frank and open indifference that impelled him to her side.Indifference when Captain Bertram chose to woo was an altogether novelexperience to so fascinating an individual. Hitherto it had been all theother way. He had flirted many times, and with success. Once even he hadfallen in love; he owned to himself that he had been badly hit, butthere had been no doubt at all about his love being returned, it hadbeen given back to him in full and abundant measure. He sighed to-nightas he thought of that passionate episode. He remembered ardent words,and saw again a face which had once been all the world to him.Separation had come, however; his was not a stable nature, and the oldlove, the first love, had given place to many minor flirtations.
"I wonder where my old love is now," he thought, and then again he felta sense of irritation as he remembered Beatrice. "She is quite thecoolest girl I have ever met," he said to himself. "But I'll win heryet. Yes, I'm determined. Am I to eat the bread of humiliation in vain?Faugh! Am I to make love to a creature like Matty Bell in the vain hopeof rousing the envy or the jealousy of that proud girl? I don't believeshe has got either envy or jealousy. She seemed quite pleased when Ispoke to that wretched little personage, although she had the grace tolook a trifle ashamed for her sex when Miss Matty so openly made love tome. Well, this is a slow place, and yet, when I think of thathaughty--no, though, she's not haughty--that imperturbable BeatriceMeadowsweet, it becomes positively interesting.
"Why has the girl these airs? And her father kept a shop, too! I foundthat fact out from Matty Bell to-day. What a spiteful, teasing littlegnat that same Matty is, trying to sting her best friend. What a littlemock ridiculous air she put on when she tried to explain to me thesocial status of a coal merchant (I presume Bell is a coal merchant)_versus_ a draper."
As Bertram strolled along, avoiding the High Street, and choosing thecoast line for his walk, he lazily smoked a pipe, and thought, in thatidle indifferent way with which men of his stamp always do exercisetheir mental faculties, about his future. His past, his present, hispossible future rose up before the young fellow. He was harassed byduns, he was, according to his own way of thinking, reduced to an almostdegrading state of poverty. His mother had put her hand to a bill for aconsiderable amount to save him. He was morally certain that she wouldhave to meet that bill, and when she met it that she would be halfruined. Nevertheless, he felt gay, and light at heart, for men of hisclass are seldom troubled with remorse.
Presently he reached the lodge gates. His mother's fad about having themlocked was always religiously kept, and he grumbled now as he sought fora latch-key in his waistcoat-pocket.
He opened the side gate and let himself in; the gate had a spring, andwas so constructed that it could shut and lock itself by the same act.Bertram was preparing to walk quickly up the avenue when he was startledby a sudden morement; a tall slim apparition in gray came slowly out ofthe darkness, caused by the shadow of the lodge, to meet him.
"Good God!" he said; and he stepped back, and his heart thumped hardagainst his breast.
"It's me, Loftus--I'm back again--I'm with you again," said a voicewhich thrilled him.
The girl in gray flung her arms around his neck, and laid her head ofred gold on his breast.
"Good God! Nina! Josephine! Where have you come from? I was thinking ofyou only tonight. It's a year since we met. Where have you sprung from?Out of the sky, or the earth? Look at me, witch, look in my face!"
He put his hand under her chin, raised her very fair oval face; (themoonlight fell full on it--he could see it well); he looked long andhungrily into her eyes, then kissed her eagerly several times.
"Where have you come from?" he repeated. "My God! to think I was walkingto meet you in such a calm fashion this evening."
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sp; "You never were very calm, Loftie, nor was I. Feel my heart--I am almostin a tempest of joy at meeting you again. I knew you'd be glad. Youcouldn't help yourself."
"I'm glad and I'm sorry. You know you intoxicate me, witch--I thought Ihad got over that old affair. What: don't flash your eyes at me. Oh,yes, Nina, I am glad, I am delighted to see you once again."
"And to kiss me, and love me again?"
"Yes, to kiss you and love you again."
"How soon will you marry me, Loftie?"
"We needn't talk about that to-night. Tell me why you have come, andhow. Where is your grandfather? Do you still sing in the streets for aliving?"
"Hush, you insult me. I am a rich girl now."
"You rich? What a joke!"
"No, it is a reality. Riches go by comparison, and Josephine Hart has anincome--therefore she is rich compared to the Josephine who had none.When will you marry me, Loftie?"
"Little puss! We'll talk of that another day."
He stroked her cheek, put his arm around her waist and kissed her manytimes.
"You have not told me yet why you came here," he said.
She laughed.
"I came here because my own sweet will directed me. I have taken roomshere at this lodge. The man called Tester and his wife will attend onme."
"Good gracious! at my mother's very gates Is that wise, Nina."
"Wise or unwise I have done it."
"To be near me?"
"Partly."
"Nina, you half frighten me. You are not going to do me an injury? Itwill prejudice my mother seriously if she finds out my--my--"
"Your love for me," finished Josephine.
"Yes."
"Why will it prejudice her?"
"Need I--must I tell you? My mother is proud; she--she would almostdisown me if I made a _mesalliance_."
Nina flung back her head.
"You talk like a boy," she said. "When you marry me you save, notdegrade, yourself. Ah, I know a secret. Such a secret! Such a blessed,blessed, happy secret for me. It is turning me into a good girl. Itcauses my heart to sing. When I think of it I revel in delight; when Ithink of it I could dance: when I remember it I could shout withexultation."
"Nina, what do you mean?"
"Nothing that you must know. I rejoice in my secret because it brings meto you, and you to me. You degrade yourself by marrying me? You'll saysomething else some day. Now, goodnight. I'm going back to Tester. He'sstone deaf, and he's waiting up for me. Good-night--good-night. No,Loftus, I won't injure you. I injure those I hate, not those I love."
She kissed her hand to him. He tried to catch the slim fingers to pressthem to his lips, but with a gay laugh she vanished, shutting the lodgedoor after her. Loftus Bertram walked up the avenue with the queerestsensation of terror and rejoicing.