CHAPTER XXVIII
THE VISITOR
"I do hope as I don't intrude," said Mrs. Wright, passing herhandkerchief over her shining forehead. "I didn't mean to take theliberty of calling, Mrs. Bolton, but your husband met my Tom the otherday, and something he let fall made me think p'raps you'd be finding ita bit lonely; so I thought I'd come up on the chance."
"It was very kind of you," Maud said.
She sat with her visitor in the little dark front room in which Jakekept his business books, his whips, and all the paraphernalia of hiscalling. It was a bare, office-like apartment, and reeked horribly ofJake's tobacco; but Bunny was lying in the parlour and he hadstrenuously set his face against admitting the worthy Mrs. Wright there.
It was extremely cold, and Maud felt pinched and inhospitable. Thegrate was full of shavings, the whole place was cheerless and forlorn.It was a room that she scarcely ever entered, regarding it in fact moreas Jake's office than an alternative sitting-room.
Mrs. Wright, however, stout, red, comfortable, did not feel the cold.She sat with her umbrella propped against her chair and regarded herstiff young hostess with much geniality on her homely face.
"You do look like a princess in a cottage, my dear, if you'll allow meto say so," she said. "And how are you getting on? I hope Jake's agood husband to you. I feel sure he would be. He's such an honestfellow. I often says to Tom, 'Give me a plain honest man like JakeBolton,' I says; 'he's a man in a thousand.' I'm sure you think soyourself, Mrs. Bolton."
Maud, not knowing quite what to say, replied with reserve that she hadno doubt he was. She was wondering if she could possibly offer Mrs.Wright tea in that dreadful little room of Jake's and if she would everget rid of her if she didn't.
Mrs. Wright, serenely unconscious of the troublous question vexing hersoul, went comfortably on. "I've often thought that if it had pleasedthe Almighty to send me a daughter, Jake's just the man I would havechosen for her. I like them eyes of his. They're so straight. But mindyou, I think he has a temper of his own. Mayhap you've never met withit yet?"
She looked at Maud slyly out of merry little slits of eyes, and chuckledat the flush that rose in the girl's face.
"He certainly never loses it in my presence," Maud said stiffly.
Mrs. Wright's chuckle became a laugh. "Lor', my dear, you needn't beshy with me. He worships you; now, don't he? I saw that the first timeI laid eyes on you. That was when you was waiting for him to come andtake you in to supper, and my Tom came first. I said to myself then,'Ah, Jake, young man, it's plain to see where your fancy lies.' And Ilaughed to myself," said Mrs. Wright, still chuckling. "For I couldn'thelp thinking he was ambitious to lift his eyes to a real lady. Notthat in my opinion a man who is a man isn't good enough for any woman,and I'm sure you think the same. And then, you know, he's that fond ofchildren, is Jake. The wonder to my mind is not that he's married now,but that he stayed single so long."
"He is very fond of my young brother," Maud observed.
"Ah! Is he now? The poor little lad is a cripple, isn't he? Many'sthe time I've watched you go by my shop-window. It's the wool shop atthe corner of East Street with one window that looks over the sea. Iused to wish you'd drop in to buy something, my dear; but you never did.P'raps now you'll manage to find your way round there some day."
"Thank you," Maud said. "But I so seldom go anywhere. My brother takesup all my time."
Mrs. Wright's rubicund face took a look of disappointment, but she stillsmiled; it was a face that lent itself to smiles. "It isn't to beexpected that he'd want to come," she said. "But I'd be very pleased tosee you both any time. What a good sister you are to him, my dear! Ihope as he appreciates you."
Maud's heart smote her suddenly. She realized that she had beenungracious. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Wright," she said, with more ofcordiality than she had yet shown. "I will try to run in some day."
Mrs. Wright looked enchanted on the instant. "My dear, I'd bedelighted! Come any time of day, just when it suits you! Tom and me,we live alone now. He's such a good son. He keeps a hair-dresser'ssaloon, you know, at the side of the shop. That's how we come to knowMr. Bolton. He comes as regular as possible every third week to havehis hair cut. Such a head of hair it is--hair such as a woman wouldgive her eyes for. It's to be hoped he'll get a little daughter someday, as'll take after him. Your eyes and his hair--wouldn't she be apicture!"
Maud's geniality passed like a light extinguished. She becamestatuesque. "How soon the light goes!" she said, with a glance towardsthe darkening window.
"Yes; don't it?" said Mrs. Wright.
There fell a silence most unusual with Mrs. Wright. With an effort Mauddispelled it.
"We are very much interested in the horses. You heard of the Mascot'svictory at Graydown?"
Mrs. Wright came out of her silence, shook herself together, as it were,and smiled again. "Now, isn't that nice for Jake? He's that wrapped upin the animals, and to have you interested in 'em too! Now I should bejealous of 'em if it was me!"
It was at this point that Jake himself threw open the door and entered,stopping short within the room in surprise to find it occupied.
Mrs. Wright laughed aloud. "There, now! You didn't expect to find mein possession, did you? How de do, Jake? What's happened to yourhead?"
Jake advanced with extended hand. "Hullo, it's Mother Wright!" he said,and to Maud's amazement stooped and kissed her. "If this isn't a realpleasure! But what are you doing in here? My head made a hole in theroad coming home from the races the other night, and it is still toosore a subject for discussion."
"Now--now, Jake!" protested Mrs. Wright.
"Fact!" he assured her, with the candid smile that Maud had seen butlittle of late. "But now what are you doing in here, I want to know?This place is like a vault. Come along into the parlour and have sometea!"
He had not so much as glanced at Maud; she spoke suddenly, with nervoushaste. "Bunny is in the parlour, Jake. He may be dozing."
"We'll soon wake him up," said Jake,
He drew Mrs. Wright's tightly-gloved hand through his arm and turned tothe door. But she held him back, laughing.
"Jake! Jake! You've forgotten something."
"What's that?" said Jake.
She told him amid many fat chuckles. "Why, you've kissed me, and youhaven't kissed your wife. Come, now, that's not right, and you but justmarried. I know you're wanting to, so don't be shy! I've been a bridemyself, and I know all about it."
She would have withdrawn her hand from Jake's arm, but he would notsuffer it.
"No, no!" he said, with a careless laugh. "We don't do our kissing inpublic. Guess it isn't a genial enough atmosphere either. Come along,Mother! You'll perish in here."
He led her from the room, still without glancing in Maud's direction,and drew her along the narrow passage to the door of the parlour.
Maud followed with a stateliness that veiled a burning embarrassment.
She listened for Bunny's voice at the opening of the door, and instantlyheard it raised in cracked remonstrance.
"Here, I say! Don't bring anyone in here! Oh, it's you, Jake! Ithought it was Maud. I thought----"
His voice suddenly ended in what she felt to be the silence of disgust,and Jake's accents very measured, very determined, took up the tale.
"This is my young brother-in-law, Mrs. Wright, Sir Bernard Brian,commonly called Bunny. Well, Bunny, my lad, I've brought you a visitorto tea."
Bunny growled an inarticulate response, and Mrs. Wright covered alldeficiencies with her cheery chuckle.
"So nice to see you so cosy and comfortable, my dear. I hope as I'm notintruding too much. Do you know, Jake, I don't think I'd better stop totea? It's getting dark, and Tom'll be wondering."
"Let him wonder!" said Jake. "I'll see you home all in good time. Youknow you always have tea when you come to see me. It's seldom en
oughyou come too. Maud," for the first time he addressed her directly, andin his voice was a new note of authority such as she had never heardbefore, "order the tea, will you? We will have it at once."
It was a distinct command. Maud's delicate neck stiffenedinstinctively. She crossed the room in silence, and rang the bell.
The summons was answered with unusual promptitude by Mrs. Lovelace, whoentered with the supper-cloth on her arm and was greeted by the visitorwith much joviality.
"How is it I never see you round our way, Sarah? Have you quiteforgotten your old friends?"
"Not at all, Mrs. Wright, ma'am," said Mrs. Lovelace, dexterouslyflinging her cloth over the table. "But I've been a bit busy, you see,what with one thing and another, and me time's been occupied."
"What on earth are you spreading that cloth for?" here broke in Bunny,in irritable astonishment. "We never have that for tea."
Mrs. Lovelace looked at him with dignity and hitched one shoulder. "Wealways has a good spread when Mrs. Wright comes to see the master," shesaid, in a tone that conveyed a distinct reproof for ill-timedinterference.
Bunny subsided into sullen silence, and Mrs. Wright laughed again. "Iremember as it always used to be a heavy tea," she said. "But I don'tsuppose a young gentleman like you would know what such things mean.Now, I do hope you won't put yourself out on my account, Mrs. Bolton.It's true I'm not accustomed to drawing-room meals, never had tea on mylap in my life. But there, you might say as I haven't got much lap leftto have it on. Is that sardines you've got there, Sarah? Ah, you alwaysremember my pet weakness. Well, Jake, my dear, I haven't congratulatedyou yet on your marriage. I hope it's going to be a very prosperousone. I don't doubt as you've got a wife to be proud of, and I hopeyou'll pull together well and make each other happy and comfortable; andmay you have your heart's desire, Jake, which--if I know youproperly--isn't very far to seek!"
"That's real kind of you, Mother," said Jake sombrely.
He had seated himself near Bunny whose brows were drawn in an ominousscowl.
In spite of the fire that roared up the chimney, the atmosphere was veryfar from being a genial one. Jake's eyes, compellingly bright, werefixed upon Maud, who though burningly conscious of his regard refusedpersistently to raise her own. She was bitterly resentful of Jake'sattitude. It placed her in an intolerable position from which she feltherself powerless to break free. She had no desire to treat thisimpossible old woman churlishly, but somehow Jake forced her to a moreacute realization of the great gulf that stretched between them. Shecould not even pretend to be cordial in his presence. She sattongue-tied. Mrs. Wright, however, chatted on with the utmostcomplacence. She was plainly quite at her ease with Jake and she keptthe conversation going without an effort, despite Maud's obviousembarrassment and Bunny's evident impatience.
She made a hearty meal, urged on by Jake who presently bestowed thewhole of his attention upon her, seeming to dismiss his wife andbrother-in-law from his mind.
"I really must be going," she declared at length, having detailed allthe local gossip she could think of for his delectation. "You shouldn'tencourage me so, Jake. I'm sure you'll all be tired out."
"I reckon you're just the most welcome visitor that ever darkens mydoors," said Jake, rising with her. "Now, you're not to hurry. I'mgoing to tell them to put the horse in."
"No, no, Jake, my dear, don't you! I'd sooner walk. I would indeed. Itdoes me good, and it's too cold to-night for driving. No, and I'm notgoing to let you see me home either. I'd know the way blindfold, andI'm not that nervous. Oh, there now! What's this?"
Mrs. Lovelace had just thrown open the door with some pomp. Sheentered, bearing an enormous bunch of violets which she proceeded topresent to Maud with the ceremonious announcement: "Lord Saltash'scompliments, ma'am, and will you do him the honour to accept these?"
"Oh my! How lovely!" cried Mrs. Wright.
Maud said nothing. She took the violets and held them up to her face.
Jake glanced at her momentarily, and thence to Mrs. Lovelace who hadcome forward to help Mrs. Wright into her cloak.
"Is Lord Saltash at the door?" he asked.
Mrs. Lovelace gave a start, as if something in the query surprised her."No sir, the flowers was brought by a groom," she said.
Jake said no more, but something in his silence sent the ever-readycolour flooding Maud's face and neck. She bent a little lower over theviolets, saying no word.
Mrs. Wright came clumsily into the breach. "But aren't they lovely, tobe sure? Never did I see such beauties. And the scent of 'em, why, theroom is full of it! Isn't that kind of Lord Saltash now?"
"They have a great quantity at the Castle," Maud said in muffled tones.
She held the flowers for Mrs. Wright to smell, and at the same momentJake reached forth and took them from her outstretched hand.
"You take 'em if you like 'em, Mother. We get more of 'em than wewant," he said, in leisurely tones, and thrust the bouquet forthwithinto her astonished grasp.
"Oh, my dear!" cried Mrs. Wright, between dismay and delight. "But--butthey was a present to Mrs. Bolton. I couldn't really! No, that Icouldn't!"
"Take 'em!" Jake said. He was smiling a smile of deadly determinationand his leisurely utterance held something of a fateful quality thatinduced Mrs. Wright to hush her remonstrances and turn appealingly toMaud.
The latter was standing erect and still with eyes of burning blue fixedsteadily upon emptiness. She made no response whatever to her visitor'sunspoken appeal, it seemed that she did not even see it.
"It's all right, Mother," smiled Jake. "You take 'em home and enjoy'em. As a matter of fact, Maud and I are getting a bit fed up with 'emourselves. Yes, I'm going to see you home. I'd rather."
"And I'd rather not, Jake," Mrs. Wright asserted with sudden decision.An odd expression of sternness had come into her jolly countenance. Itsat very strangely there. She came close to Maud, and as the girlextended a stiff hand in farewell she took it and pressed the flowersinto it. "They're not Jake's to give," she said, "and I'm not going todeprive you of 'em. Thank you kindly for a very good tea, Mrs. Bolton,my dear. And now I'll wish you good-bye. If there's ever anything as Ican do for you, you must let me know."
The words, the tone, were full of kindly comprehension, a sympathy toosubtle for outward expression. Maud looked into eyes of shiningfriendliness, and as if a sudden shaft of sunlight had caught her heart,her bitterness melted into something that was near akin to gratitude.
She held up the violets with a smile. "Wait a moment!" she said. "Iwould like you to have some of them."
She untied them with the words, divided the great bunch, and gave back agenerous half into Mrs. Wright's plump hand.
"Now, that's very good of you, dear," said Mrs. Wright. "I shall justtreasure them violets. They'll make me think of you whenever I look at'em. They're just the colour of your eyes. Good-bye, and thank youmost kindly."
It was then that Maud did a thing that amazed herself, impelled theretoby that subtle sympathy which she had so little expected to meet. Shebent her stately neck and kissed the red, smiling face uplifted in suchhonest admiration to hers. "Good-bye, Mrs. Wright," she said. "Andthank you for coming. I shall try to come and see you one day--when Ican make time."
"Any time, dear, any time!" beamed Mrs. Wright. "Drop in just wheneveryou feel inclined! I'm most always there." She gave her a hearty hugwith the words, and then, as if afraid that this demonstration had beentoo ardent, she turned and trotted to the door.
"Good-bye, Jake! Good-bye! There, now, I've forgotten Sir Brian. Youmust excuse me for being so stupid."
"Oh, don't trouble!" said Bunny, with ironical courtesy. "Pray don'tcome back on my account!"
She looked back at him from the threshold, a very motherly compassion onher jolly face.
"Poor little lad!" she murmured pityingly. "How sadly he looks, to besure! Good-bye, then, Sir Brian! I won't come back. Now, Jake, I'llle
t you see me to the door-step--no further. The moon's up, and Tom'llbe sure to come and meet me." She started down the passage with Jakebehind her, her voice dwindling as she went. "I'm so glad as I've seenyour princess, Jake. I think she's lovely. Mind you're very good toher! She's high born, you know, Jake, my boy; better-class than you andme. I never see anyone so proud and so dainty. You be kind to her, mylad, and see you treat her like the lady she is!"
Jake's reply, if he made one, was inaudible.
"Common old hag!" growled Bunny from his sofa.
Maud said nothing at all. Her face was hidden in her violets, and shewas as one who heard not.