CHAPTER VIII
THE HEART OF A SAVAGE
It had certainly been a successful afternoon. Mrs. Errol smiled toherself as she drove back to Baronmead. Everything had gone well. DearAnne had looked lovely, and she for one was thankful that she haddiscarded her widow's weeds. Had not her husband been virtually dead toher for nearly a year? Besides--here Mrs. Errol's thoughts merged into asmile again--dear Anne was young, not much more than a girl in years.Doubtless she would marry again ere long.
At this point Mrs. Errol floated happily away upon a voyage of day-dreamsthat lasted till the car stopped. So engrossed was she that she did notmove for a moment even then. Not until the door was opened from outsidedid she bestir herself. Then, still smiling, she prepared to descend.
But the next instant she checked herself with a violent start that nearlythrew her backwards. The man at the step who stood waiting to assist herwas no servant.
"My!" she gasped. "Is it you, Nap, or your ghost?"
"It's me," said Nap.
Very coolly he reached out a hand and helped her to descend. "We havearrived at the same moment," he said. "I've just walked across the park.How are you, alma mater?"
She did not answer him or make response of any sort to his greeting. Shewalked up the steps and into the house with leaden feet. The smile haddied utterly from her face. She looked suddenly old.
He followed her with the utmost composure, and when she stopped proceededto divest her of her furs with the deftness of movement habitual to him.
Abruptly she spoke, in her voice a ring of something that was almostferocity. "What have you come back for anyway?"
He raised his eyebrows slightly without replying.
But Mrs. Errol was not to be so silenced. Her hands fastened withdetermination upon the front of his coat. "You face me, Napoleon Errol,"she said. "And answer me honestly. What have you come back for? Weren'tthere enough women on the other side to keep you amused?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Women in plenty--amusement none. Moreover, Ididn't go to be amused. Where is Lucas?"
"Don't you go to Lucas till I've done with you," said Mrs. Errol. "Youcome right along to my room first."
"What for?" He stood motionless, suffering her restraining hands, thebeginning of a smile about his lips.
"There's something I've got to tell you," she said.
"Lead the way then, alma mater!" he said. "I am very much at yourservice."
Mrs. Errol turned without further words, and he, with her sablesflung across his shoulder, prepared to follow. She moved up thestairs as if she were very weary. The man behind her walked with theelasticity of a cat.
But there was no lack of resolution about her when in her own room sheturned and faced him. There was rather something suggestive of a motheranimal at bay.
"Nap," she said, and her deep voice quivered, "if there's any rightfeeling in you, if you are capable of a single spark of affection, ofgratitude, you'll turn around right now and go back to the place youcame from."
Nap deposited his burden on the back of a chair. His dark face was devoidof the faintest shadow of expression. "That so?" he drawled. "I thoughtyou seemed mighty pleased to see me."
"Lock that door!" said Mrs. Errol. "Now come and sit here where you cansee my face and know whether I am telling the truth."
He smiled at that. "I don't require ocular evidence, alma mater. I havealways been able to read you with my eyes shut."
"I believe you have, Nap," she said, with a touch of wistfulness.
"It isn't your fault," he said, "that you weren't made subtle enough.You've done your best."
He came and sat down facing her as she desired. The strong electric lightbeat upon his face also, but it revealed nothing to her anxiouseyes--nothing save that faint, cynical smile that masked so much.
She shook her head. She was clasping and unclasping her hands restlessly."A very poor best, Nap," she said. "I know only too well how badly I'vefailed. It never seemed to matter till lately, and now I would give theeyes out of my head to have a little influence with you."
"That so?" he said again.
She made a desperate gesture. "Yes, you sit there and smile. It doesn'tmatter to you who suffers so long as you can grab what you want."
"How do you know what I want?" he said.
"I don't know," said Mrs. Errol. "I only surmise."
"And you think that wise? You are not afraid of tripping up in the dark?"
She stretched out her hands to him in sudden earnest entreaty. "Nap, tellme that it isn't Anne Carfax, and I'll bless you with my dying breath!"
But he looked at her without emotion. He took her hands after a moment,but it was the merest act of courtesy. He did not hold them.
"And if it were?" he said slowly, his hard eyes fixed on hers.
She choked back her agitation with the tears running down her face. "ThenGod help Lucas--and me too--for it will be his death-blow!"
"Lucas?" said Nap.
He did not speak as if vitally interested, yet she answered as ifcompelled.
"He loves her. He can't do without her. She has been his mainstay allthrough the winter. He would have died without her."
Nap passed over the information as though it were of no importance. "Heis no better then?" he asked.
"Yes, he is better. But he has been real sick. No one knows what he hascome through, and there is that other operation still to be faced. I'mscared to think of it. He hasn't the strength of a mouse. It's only thethought of Anne that makes him able to hold on. I can see it in his eyesday after day--the thought of winning out and making her his wife."
Again he passed the matter over. "When does Capper come again?"
"Very soon now. In two or three weeks. There was a letter from himto-day, Lucas was quite excited about it, but I fancy it upset dear Annesome. You see--she loves him too."
There fell a silence. Mrs. Errol wiped her eyes and strove to composeherself. Somehow he had made her aware of the futility of tears. Shewondered what was passing in his mind as he sat there sphinx-like,staring straight before him. Had she managed to reach his heart, shewondered? Or was there perchance no heart behind that inscrutable mask toreach? Yet she had always believed that after his own savage fashion hehad loved Lucas.
Suddenly he rose. "If you have quite done with me, alma mater, I'll go."
She looked up at him apprehensively. "What are you going to do?"
He smiled abruptly. "I am going to get a drink."
"And what then?" she asked feverishly. "Nap, oh, Nap, she is staying inthe house. Won't you go without seeing her?"
"I have seen her already," drawled Nap.
"You have seen her?"
His smile became contemptuous. "What of it? Do you seriously suppose sheis the only woman in the world I care to look at?"
"I don't know what to think," cried Mrs. Errol. "I only know that youhold Luke's fate between your hands."
He was already at the door. He turned and briefly bowed. "You flatter me,alma mater!" he said.
And with the smile still upon his lips he left her.