PART II
THE RACE
CHAPTER I
HUSKS
Chops the setter was puzzled.
He had been following his mistress about in his faithful way throughoutthe whole of that hot July afternoon, and he had fathomed the fact thatshe was preparing for a visitor. He even half-suspected that he knewwho the visitor would prove to be. But none the less was he puzzled byher attitude. For to Chops' plain and honest mind the coming of a guestwas a cause for undiluted joy. But it was evident that to Maud theadvent of this one was a matter of anxiety, even almost of dread.
Jake's old bedroom facing the Stables had been assigned to the newcomer.She had spent hours of loving care upon it, yet on this, the great dayof arrival, she did not seem happy or by any means content.
A great restlessness possessed her, and Chops in consequence was uneasyalso. He had conceived a vast affection for his young mistress that wasin some fashion vaguely mingled with pitying concern. She had adisconcerting way of weeping in private when only Chops might see, andhe had a feeling that such consolation as he was able to proffer, thoughquite whole-hearted, was never altogether equal to the occasion. Thetears she shed were so piteously hopeless, and even her smiles werehopeless too. Chops often mourned over the sadness of his idol.
She had just come in from the garden with a great handful of sweet peas.It was a glorious sunny morning, and she had put on an old bluesunbonnet that had done duty down on the sea-shore in previous summersto protect her from the glare. She was holding the flowers up to herface as she mounted the steps to the parlour, and such was herabsorption that she did not notice what Chops, following close behind,perceived on the instant,--the strong, square figure of her husbandwaiting in the entrance of the glass door.
She was actually within touch of him before she was aware of hispresence, and then with a great start she lowered her flowers, whileover her face there came a look that was like the sudden donning of amask.
"I thought you had gone," she said.
"Not quite," said Jake.
He bent slightly as she entered, stretched out a hand, took her by thechin, and kissed her mask-like face.
She endured his action with the most complete show of indifference,neither returning nor avoiding his caress. A faint, faint tinge ofcolour showed in her cheeks as with scarcely a pause she passed on intothe room; that was all.
"It is getting late," she observed. "I think you had better go."
Jake's eyes, red-brown and shining, followed her with a masterfulexpression as she moved to the table and laid down her flowers, markingthe queenly bend of her neck, the cold majesty of her pose.
He said nothing for the moment, merely took his pipe out of his pocketand began to fill it.
Maud went to the sideboard for a vase. Her movements were verymeasured, very stately. She did not so much as glance towards the manwho watched her. The old quick nervousness of manner had gone utterlyfrom her. She was like a marble statue endued with a certain icyanimation.
"You don't look exactly--excited," remarked Jake, as he finally stuckhis pipe into his mouth.
She smiled, a cold, aloof smile, saying nothing.
He lighted his pipe, his eyes still upon her. "Say, Maud," he said,between the puffs, "why don't you come too?"
She raised her beautiful brows a little at the question and slightlyshrugged her shoulders.
"You don't want to?" pursued Jake.
Her blue eyes met his for a single instant. They were dark and remoteas a deep mountain tarn. "Not in the least," she said.
He swung round with a jingle of spurs and came to the table by which shestood.
"What if I wish you to come?" he said.
The faint, cold smile still drew her lips. She had begun already toarrange her flowers.
"Of course your wish is law," she said.
He leaned towards her, laying an abrupt hand upon hers. "Maud!" hesaid.
She became still on the instant, but she did not look at him or attemptto avoid the tobacco smoke that curled between them.
"Maud," he said again, and there was a hint of pleading in his voice,"why can't you be friends with me? Surely I'm not all that hard to geton with!"
She kept her eyes lowered. The pale composure of her face did not varyas she made reply. "I am sorry if you are not satisfied. I thought youhad got--all you wanted."
He pulled the pipe from his mouth and laid it on the table. "Do youthink any man is satisfied with husks?" he said.
Her lip curled a little. She said nothing.
He took her by the arms, not violently but with firmness. "Maud," hesaid, and there was urgency in his voice, "where's the use of behavinglike this? Do you think it's going to make life easier, happier? Is itdoing God's work in the world to be always fighting the inevitable? I'mrough, I know; but I'm white. Why can't you take me as I am, and makethe best of me?"
He had never thus appealed to her before. She stood stiffly between hishands. But still she did not look at him. Her eyes were upon theflowers on the table that lay scorching and slowly shrivelling under hispipe.
"I really don't know what you want," she said, in a tone of coldaloofness.
"And don't care!" said Jake, with sudden vehemence. "On my soul, Isometimes think to myself that if you treated Sheppard as you treat me,he had some reason for giving you a hiding."
Her eyelids quivered sharply at the rough allusion, but she did notraise them. "You are rather--hard to please," she said, in a low voice.
"Am I?" said Jake. "And do you ever try to please me by any chance?"
A slight tremor went through her. "I give you submission--obedience,"she said. "You have--all that you married me for."
"Have I?" said Jake. His voice was suddenly ironical. "Ah, my girl, youknow a mighty lot about that, don't you? And have I also yourconfidence, your goodwill, your--friendship?"
Her eyes flashed him a look of swift protest. "They were not a part ofthe bargain," she said.
"Damn the bargain!" said Jake, with force. "If I didn't want them, whatdid I want?"
Her eyes comprehended him and fell again. She said nothing.
He held her by the shoulders and gave her a sharp shake as if to bringher to her senses.
"P'raps you think I'm brutal," he said. "But you treat me as I wouldn'ttreat any brute in creation. Why do you never speak to me? Why do younever kiss me? On my oath, you starve me of all that's good in life andyet expect me to remain civilized."
She made no attempt to free herself, nor did she utter remonstrance ofany kind. If the grip of his hands hurt her, she did not show it. Shestood in utter silence.
Slowly Jake's hold relaxed. The fierceness went out of it. He stoodfor a few seconds watching her, a deep frown between his brows.
"I don't seem able to get hold of you somehow," he said at length. "Andyet it ain't for want of trying. Say, Maud, can't you be decent to mefor a bit now the little chap is coming? He'll notice, sure, if you'renot. Guess we don't either of us want him pestering around withquestions."
There was a species of half-grudging persuasion in his voice. He heldher as though at the faintest sign of encouragement he would have drawnher into his arms.
But Maud made no such sign. She stood motionless. Without looking athim she spoke.
"I can't pretend to love you. You see,--I don't."
He made a sharp gesture--such a gesture as a man might make if stabbedin the back. A very bitter look came into his eyes. It was as if anevil spirit looked gibing forth. They glittered like the red flare of atorch.
"All right, my girl," he said, and his voice was soft and slow andwholly without emotion. "Then I continue my meal of husks."
With the words he let her go, took up his pipe from the table, and lefther. Mutely she watched him go. Then, as the sound of his footstepsdied away, she sank
on her knees by the table, burying her face upon thescorched and ruined flowers; and so she remained for a long, long time.
Even the sympathy of Chops was lacking. He had followed his master andthe dog-cart to the station to welcome the visitor for whom such lovingpreparations had been made. And he was being compelled to fly like thewild to keep pace with the flying wheels.