CHAPTER VII
THE LAND OF MOONSHINE
The dew was thick on the orchard grass as Maud ran down under the trees.An orange moon was rising behind them and the shadows lay deep andmysterious across her path. The wind blew fresh from the sea, sweepingthe wide down, bringing relief after the heat of the day.
She was trembling as she went, yet as she neared the trysting-place shechecked herself and walked with some dignity. She did not want toarrive in a state of agitation. She was sure he would be waiting forher. She was sure, she was sure!
Yes, he was there. They saw each other simultaneously, and in a momenthe had sprung to meet her with the ardour she knew so well. Her handswere in his almost in the same instant. He held them closely,lingeringly.
"At last!" he said.
Rather breathlessly she made response. "Yes, but I can't stay. I wantto speak to you--only to speak to you--about my mother."
"Good heavens!" said Saltash. His hold relaxed for a second, thentightened again. "My dear girl, how absurdly prosaic of you to come tome on such a night as this and talk about anybody or anything on earthbesides ourselves! I won't allow it and that's a fact."
She laughed a little unsteadily. "But it is just that I have come for,Charlie; and nothing else. And I can't stay either. You must let mesay what I have to say quickly, and then go."
He drew her gently through the gate and led her to the summer-houseclose by that overlooked the down. The moonlight filtered in upon themthrough a lattice-work of leaves.
"Don't tremble, _ma belle reine_!" he said. "You shall go whenever youwill. But need we waste to-night? I will call upon you formally in themorning if you desire it and talk about anything you wish."
She sat down with the feeling of one who moves beneath a spell, andafter a moment he sat beside her, still lightly holding her hand. Yes,she was at liberty to go whenever she would; and yet she could not, shecould not!
The witchery of the hour was upon her. It was not the first time thatthey had sat thus, he and she, hand in hand, wrapped in the mystery andromance of a summer night. Her thoughts went back with a bitter pang tothe old dear dream. Ah, why had she sent him from her? She had obeyedthe instincts of her soul, perchance; but she had wrecked her life to doit. Why? Why?
He was speaking, leaning to her, his swarthy face against her shoulder."Maud, let us forget the world to-night! Never mind what brought you!Just remember that you are here--in the land of moonshine--with me!"
She turned at his voice; she yielded ever so slightly to the subtledrawing of his hand. "But let me speak, Charlie!" she whispered. "I amso troubled. I want your help."
"It is yours for ever," he made answer. "You have but to command."
"That is a promise?" she urged.
"My solemn promise," said Saltash. "Now--shall we forget?"
His voice was full of a tenderness that stirred her to the depths. Apiteous sob caught her throat; she put up a swift, silencing hand. "Oh,if I only could!" she said.
"You can," said Saltash. He moved also, slid a gentle arm about her."Close your eyes, dear heart, and forget all your troubles!" hewhispered. "I can charm them all away."
She shook her head. Her eyes were full of tears. "I am caught in thewhirlpools, Charlie," she whispered back. "I shall never get away. Allthe romance is gone out of my life--for ever."
"I can bring it back," he said.
Her tears overflowed. She could not hold them back. "I wish I weredead!" she said.
The arm that encircled her grew gradually tense like the tightening of acoil. "Come to me!" he murmured. "Listen to your own heart and come!What does it matter what lies behind? Put it all away from you--andcome!"
She suffered his arm, but she yielded herself no further to it. "Ican't," she said hopelessly. "I--can't."
"Why not?" he urged. "Haven't I waited long enough? Are you afraid?"
She bent her head, covering her face. "Oh yes, I am afraid--afraid.Life is so dreadful. It is full of--terrible consequences."
It had come upon her so suddenly. She had as it were stepped out ofprison into a world of seething temptation with the passing of thatgate. Never before had she felt so lured and drawn by that which wasevil. The swift spell had caught her in a moment, and it held,--how itheld her!
His arms were about her. He drew her to his breast. "What do I care forconsequences?" he whispered passionately. "Come to me, queen of myheart! I have been cheated of my right long enough. Yes, my right--myright! You have belonged to me always, and you know it. Oh, what are weto fight against destiny? Do you think I don't know how you havesuffered? Do you think I haven't suffered too? All because you lovedme--and sent me away! You will never do that again, queen of the roses.You have called me back to you. You are mine. Turn your face to me,sweetheart! There is no love in all the world like ours. How can weresist it? It is greater than we ourselves."
But she kept her face covered, hidden low against the throbbing of hisheart.
His words went into silence--a silence that was stark and cold--the veryshadow of Despair. It bound them both for a while; then shudderinglyshe spoke.
"It is no good, Charlie. I can't do it--now. If I had known--threemonths ago--what was before me--I think I would have come. But thewhirlpools caught me--drew me down. I realized too late--too late. Ican't come now. I am bound--hand and foot--in outer darkness."
"I can deliver you," he said.
"No one can deliver me." The bitter conviction of her voice silencedeven him. "It is what you foretold. I am a slave, and I have got tobear the yoke of my slavery. I shall never be free now, never as longas I live. I am bound to the oar by chain that--even you--could neverbreak."
She moved in his arms; she raised her head at last.
"Say good-bye to me, Charlie!" she whispered, "and--go!"
He caught her to him. He looked closely into her quivering face. "Youlove me still?" he whispered, with passionate insistence. "Tell me youlove me still!"
She seemed to hesitate as if reluctant or irresolute. She seemed aboutto draw back. And then something magnetic in his face or his touch musthaw moved her; or was it the weird enchantment of the night? She gavehim her lips without a word, and so he had his answer....
There came the click of the orchard-gate, the sound of a quiet voice.
"Come round to the summer-house, Doc! There's a fine view from there."
Maud stiffened in Saltash's arms as if turned to stone.
He set her free with the utmost coolness and rose. The next instant shewas sitting alone in the chequered moonlight. He had vanished withoutsound round the side of the arbour furthest from the orchard-gate.
She sat with a thumping heart, waiting. There had been something almosteerie in his disappearance. She knew he must be standing pressedagainst the wall by which she sat, but yet his going had been so silentthat--even though her lips still burned with the memory of his kiss--shefelt curiously as though the whole episode were as incredible as adream.
She made no attempt to move. Her limbs felt like lead. Only her heartraced so madly that she gasped for breath.
She heard again the quiet, drawling voice. "The gate was open. Verylikely my wife is here."
A great shiver went through her. She felt suddenly cold from head tofoot. She clasped her hands tightly together, striving with all herstrength for self-control.
There fell the tread of feet upon the grass, and Capper's tall thin formcame round the side of the arbour. He saw her in a moment, for themoonlight was on her face. She stared at him with hunted eyes. Wherewas Jake?
He accosted her at once. "Ah, Mrs. Bolton, so here you are! Say, doyou think you're wise to sit here with the frogs? It's cold, you know.Where's that wrap you were going to fetch?"
She stretched out a hand to him instinctively. "Yes, I am cold," shesaid, and her teeth chattered upon the words. "Is--is--Jake there?"
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Capper glanced over his shoulder. "He was there. But--Columbus!--howcold you are, child! You will be sick if you stay here. Come! Let metake you in!"
He drew her to her feet; then, as she tottered, leaning upon him, passeda wiry arm about her. As he did so, she saw Jake come round the othercorner of the arbour and stop upon the threshold.
She turned suddenly giddy and clung weakly to Capper. He had seen; hemust have seen! But why had there been no encounter--no challenge ofany sort? Where--where was Charlie?
She went through an agony of apprehension during those few moments. Shethought the awful suspense would kill her.
Then Jake's square figure advanced, blocking the opening. His voicepierced through her agitation.
"So you have found her, Doc. I thought she would be hereabouts. I seethere is a mist coming up. We had better go in."
There was nothing in the words, but she shivered uncontrollably at thesound of them. That slow soft speech was as a veil that hid unutterablethings. With a great effort she mastered her weakness and spoke.
"Yes, it has turned quite cold. I think it is the dew. Did you comehere to admire the view, Dr. Capper? It is one of the best in theneighbourhood. I often think I should like to come and camp out here onthese summer nights."
"You would want plenty of blankets," said Capper. "There is a creepychill in the atmosphere that reminds one of the fall." He took his armfrom about her, and drew her hand through it. "Come, we must go. Itisn't right for you to take risks. A glass of wine before you turn inis what I should recommend."
She made an attempt to laugh, but she did not feel it to be a success."That is Jake's invariable remedy for all ills," she declared. "But Ithought it had ceased to be popular with your profession."
She emerged from the summer-house, holding his arm, but a new strengthborn of terrible expediency seemed to have entered into her. She movedwithout effort, Jake stepping back to let her pass.
"Do admire the beauties of it before we go!" she urged. "It is soromantic by this light. The Brethaven lighthouse is over there. It hasa revolving light. Do you see it?" She turned and spoke over hershoulder. "Jake, come and show Dr. Capper all the different points ofinterest."
But Capper would have none of it. "I shan't be satisfied till I've gotyou indoors," he said. "What have you got on your feet? Nothing butlight slippers? Say, Mrs. Bolton, you ought to take more care ofyourself."
"Oh, but I never have," she protested. "I am wonderfully strong. Jakewill tell you that."
"I think as Dr. Capper thinks," Jake said. "You ought to be morecareful."
She felt herself flush. Now that her agitation had subsided, she wascapable of feeling resentment once more, and there was that in the quietutterance that stung her.
She made no rejoinder, but her face burned hotter and hotter as theybegan to walk back. She was sure--quite sure--that she had been made asubject of discussion between her husband and Dr. Capper.
Jake walked on her other side. She had the feeling of being a prisonerbetween two warders. And she wondered if Charlie were watching withthat mocking humour in his eyes.
She set her teeth as the memory of his voice, his touch, went throughher. She wondered with a sinking heart what she would have to tell himwhen they met again....