CHAPTER V
TESSA
The blue jay was still laughing on the pine-clad slopes of Bhulwana whenStella returned thither. It was glorious summer weather. There was lifein the air--such life as never reached the Plains.
The bungalow up the hill, called "The Nest," which once Ralph Dacre hadtaken for his bride, was to be Stella's home for the period of hersojourn at Bhulwana. It was a pretty little place twined in roses,standing in a shady compound that Tessa called "the jungle." Tessabecame at once her most constant visitor. She and Scooter were runningwild as usual, but Netta was living in strict retirement. People saidshe looked very ill, but she seemed to resent all sympathy. There was anair of defiance about her which kept most people at a distance.
Stories were rife concerning her continued intimacy with the Rajah whowas now in residence at his summer palace on the hill. They went forgallops together in the early morning, and in the evenings theysometimes flashed along the road in his car. But he was seldom observedto enter the bungalow she occupied, and even Tessa had no privateinformation to add to the general gossip. Netta seldom went to racecourse or polo-ground, where the Rajah was most frequently to be found.
Stella, who had never liked Netta Ermsted, took but slight interest inher affairs. She always welcomed Tessa, however, and presently, sinceher leisure was ample and her health considerably improved, she began togive the child a few lessons which soon became the joy of Tessa's heart.She found her quick and full of enthusiasm. Her devotion to Stella madeher tractable, and they became fast friends.
It was in June just before the rains, that Monck came up on a week'sleave. He found Tessa practically established as Stella's companion. Hermother took no interest in her doings. The _ayah_ was responsible forher safety, and even if Tessa elected to spend the night with herfriend, Netta raised no objection. It had always been her way to leavethe child to any who cared to look after her, since she franklyacknowledged that she was quite incapable of managing her herself. IfMrs. Monck liked to be bothered with her, it was obviously her affair,not Netta's.
And so Stella kept the little girl more and more in her own care, sinceMrs. Ralston was still at Udalkhand, and no one else cared in thesmallest degree for her welfare. She would not keep her for good,though, so far as her mother was concerned, she might easily have doneso. But she did occasionally--as a great treat--have her to sleep withher, generally when Tessa's looks proclaimed her to be in urgent need ofa long night. For she was almost always late to bed when at home,refusing to retire before her mother, though there was little ofcompanionship between them at any time.
Stella investigated this resolution on one occasion, and finallyextracted from Tessa the admission that she was afraid to go to bedearly lest her mother should go out unexpectedly, in which event the_ayah_ would certainly retire to the servants' quarters, and she wouldbe alone in the bungalow. No amount of reasoning on Stella's part couldshake this dread. Tessa's nerves were strung to a high pitch, and it wasevident that she felt very strongly on the subject. So, out of sheerpity, Stella sometimes kept her at "The Nest," and Tessa's gratitudeknew no bounds. She was growing fast, and ought to have been in Englandfor the past year at least; but Netta's plans were still vague. Shesupposed she would have to go when the Ralstons did, but she saw noreason for hurry. Lady Harriet remonstrated with her on the subject, butobtained no satisfaction. Netta was her own mistress now, and meant toplease herself.
Monck arrived late one evening on the day before that on which he wasexpected, and found Tessa and Peter playing with a ball in thecompound. The two were fast friends and Stella often left Tessa in hischarge while she rested.
She was resting now, lying in her own room with a book, when suddenlythe sound of Tessa's voice raised in excited welcome reached her. Sheheard Monck's quiet voice make reply, and started up with every pulsequivering. She had not seen him for nearly six weeks.
She met him in the verandah with Tessa hanging on his arm. Since hergreat love for Stella had developed, she had adopted Stella's husbandalso as her own especial property, though it could scarcely be said thatMonck gave her much encouragement. On this occasion she simply ceased toexist for him the moment he caught sight of Stella's face. And evenStella herself forgot the child in the first rapture of greeting.
But later Tessa asserted herself again with a determination that wouldnot be ignored. She begged hard to be allowed to remain for the night;but this Stella refused to permit, though her heart smote her somewhatwhen she saw her finally take her departure with many wistful backwardglances.
Monck was hard-hearted enough to smile. "Let the imp go! She has hadmore than her share already," he said. "I'm not going to divide you withany one under the sun."
Stella was lying on the sofa. She reached out and held his hand, leaningher cheek against his sleeve. "Except--" she murmured.
He bent to her, his lips upon her shining hair. "Ah, I have begun to dothat already," he said, with a touch of sadness. "I wonder if you are aslonely up here as I am at Udalkhand."
She kissed his sleeve. "I miss you--unspeakably," she said.
His fingers closed upon hers. "Stella, can you keep a secret?"
She looked up swiftly. "Of course--of course. What is it? Have they madeyou Governor-General of the province?"
He smiled grimly. "Not yet. But Sir Reginald Bassett--you know old SirReggie?--came and inspected us the other day, and we had a talk. He isone of the keenest empire-builders that I ever met." An odd thrillsounded in Monck's voice. "He asked me if presently--when the vacancyoccurred--I would be his secretary, his political adviser, as he put it.Stella, it would be a mighty big step up. It would lead--it mightlead--to great things."
"Oh, my darling!" She was quivering all over. "Would it--would it meanthat we should be together? No," she caught herself up sharply, "that issheer selfishness. I shouldn't have asked that first."
His lips pressed hers. "Don't you know it is the one thing that comesfirst of all with me too?" he said. "Yes, it would mean far less ofseparation. It would probably mean Simla in the hot weather, and onlyshort absences for me. It would mean an end of this beastly regimentallife that you hate so badly. What? Did you think I didn't know that?But it would also mean leaving poor Tommy at the grindstone, which ishard."
"Dear Tommy! But he has lots of friends. You don't think he would get upto mischief?"
"No, I don't think so. He is more of a man than he was. And I could keepan eye on him--even from a distance. Still, it won't come yet,--notprobably till the end of the year. You are fairly comfortable here--youand Peter?"
She smiled and sighed. "Oh yes, he keeps away the bogies, and Tessachases off the blues. So I am well taken care of!"
"I hope you don't let that child wear you out," Monck said. "She israther a handful. Why don't you leave her to her mother?"
"Because she is utterly unfit to have the care of her." Stella spokewith very unusual severity. "Since Captain Ermsted's death she seems tohave drifted into a state of hopeless apathy. I can't bear to think of asusceptible child like Tessa brought up in such an atmosphere."
"Apathetic, is she? Do you often see her?" Monck spoke casually, as herolled a cigarette.
"Very seldom. She goes out very little, and then only with the Rajah.They say she looks ill, but that is not surprising. She doesn't lead awholesome life!"
"She keeps up her intimacy with His Excellency then?" Monck still spokeas if his thoughts were elsewhere.
Stella dismissed the subject with a touch of impatience. She had nodesire to waste any precious moments over idle gossip. "I imagine so,but I really know very little. I don't encourage Tessa to talk. As youknow, I never could bear the man."
Monck smiled a little. "I know you are discretion itself," he said. "Butyou are not to adopt Tessa, mind, whatever the state of her mother'smorals!"
"Ah, but I must do what I can for the poor waif," Stella protested."There isn't much that I can do when I am away from you,--not much, Imean, that is worth while."
"All right," Monck said with finality, "so long as you don't adopt her."
Stella saw that he did not mean to allow Tessa a very large share of herattention during his leave. She did not dispute the point, knowing thathe could be as adamant when he had formed a resolution.
But she did not feel happy about the child. There was to her somethingtragic about Tessa, as if the evil fate that had overtaken the fatherbrooded like a dark cloud over her also. Her mind was not at restconcerning her.
In the morning, however, Tessa arrived upon the scene, impudent andcheerful, and she felt reassured. Her next anxiety became to keep herfrom annoying Monck upon whom naturally Tessa's main attention wascentered. Tessa, however, was in an unusually tiresome mood. Sherefused to be contented with the society of the ever-patient Peter,repudiated the bare idea of lesson books, and set herself with fiendishingenuity to torment the new-comer into exasperation.
Stella could have wept over her intractability. She had never beforefound her difficult to manage. But Netta's perversity and Netta'sdevilry were uppermost in her that day, and when at last Monck curtlyordered her not to worry herself but to leave the child alone, she gaveup her efforts in despair. Tessa was riding for a fall.
It came eventually, after two hours' provocation on her part and sternpatience on Monck's. Stella, at work in the drawing-room, heard a suddensharp exclamation from the verandah where Monck was seated before atable littered with Hindu literature, and looked up to see Tessa, with amonkey-like grin of mischief, smoking the cigarette which she had justsnatched from between Monck's lips. She was dancing on one leg just outof reach, ready to take instant flight should the occasion require.
Stella was on the point of starting up to intervene, but Monck stoppedher with a word. He was quieter than she had ever seen him, and thatfact of itself warned her that he was angry at last.
"Come here!" he said to Tessa.
Tessa removed the cigarette to poke her tongue out at him, and continuedher war-dance just out of reach. It was Netta to the life.
Monck glanced at the watch on his wrist. "I give you one minute," hesaid, and returned to his work."
"Why don't you chase me?" gibed Tessa.
He said nothing further, but to Stella his silence was ominous. Shewatched him with anxious eyes.
Tessa continued to smoke and dance, posturing like a _nautch-girl_ infront of the wholly unresponsive and unappreciative Monck.
The minute passed, Stella counting the seconds with a throbbing heart.Monck did not raise his eyes or stir, but there was to her somethingdreadful in his utter stillness. She marvelled at Tessa's temerity.
Tessa continued to dance and jeer till suddenly, finding that she wasmaking no headway, a demon of temper entered into her. She turned in afury, sprang from the verandah to the compound, snatched up a handful ofsmall stones and flung them full at the impassive Monck.
They fell around him in a shower. He looked up at last.
What ensued was almost too swift for Stella's vision to follow. She sawhim leap the verandah-balustrade, and heard Tessa's shrill scream offright. Then he had the offender in his grasp, and Stella saw the deadlydetermination of his face as he turned.
In spite of herself she sprang up, but again his voice checked her. "Allright. This is my job. Bring me the strap off the bag in my room!"
"Everard!" she cried aghast.
Tessa was struggling madly for freedom. He mastered her as he would havemastered a refractory puppy, carrying her up the steps ignominiouslyunder his arm.
"Do as I say!" he commanded.
And against her will Stella turned and obeyed. She fetched the strap,but she held it back when he stretched a hand for it.
"Everard, she is only a child. You won't--you won't----"
"Flay her with it?" he suggested, and she saw his brief, ironic smile."Not at present. Hand it over!"
She gave it reluctantly. Tessa squealed a wild remonstrance. Themerciless grip that held her had sent terror to her heart.
Monck, still deadly quiet, set her on her feet against one of the woodenposts that supported the roof of the verandah, passed the strap roundher waist and buckled it firmly behind the post.
Then he stood up and looked again at the watch on his wrist. "Twohours!" he said briefly, and went back to his work at the other end ofthe verandah.
Stella went back to the drawing-room, half-relieved and half-dismayed.It was useless to interfere, she saw; but the punishment, though richlydeserved, was a heavy one, and she wondered how Tessa, theever-restless, wrought up to a high pitch of nervous excitement as shewas, would stand it.
The thickness of the post to which she was fastened made it impossiblefor her to free herself. The strap was a very stout one, and the bucklesuch as only a man's fingers could loosen. It was an undignifiedposition, and Tessa valued her dignity as a rule.
She cast it to the winds on this occasion, however, for she fought likea wild cat for freedom, and when at length her absolute helplessness wasmade quite clear even to her, she went into a paroxysm of fury, hurlingevery kind of invective that occurred to her at Monck who with thegrimness of an executioner sat at his table in unbroken silence.
Having exhausted her vocabulary, both English and Hindustani, Tessabroke at last into tears and wept stormily for many minutes. Monck satthrough the storm without raising his eyes.
From the drawing-room Stella watched him. She was no longer afraid ofany unconsidered violence. He was completely master of himself, but shethought there was a hint of cruelty about him notwithstanding. There wasruthlessness in his utter immobility.
The hour for _tiffin_ drew near. Peter came out on to the verandah tolay the cloth. Monck gathered up books and papers and rose.
The great Sikh looked at the child shaken with passionate sobbing in thecorner of the verandah and from her to Monck with a touch of ferocity inhis dark eyes. Monck met the look with a frown and turned away without aword. He passed down the verandah to his own room, and Peter with handsthat shook slightly proceeded with his task.
Tessa's sobbing died down, and there fell a strained silence. Stellastill sat in the drawing-room, but she was out of sight of the two onthe verandah. She could only hear Peter's soft movements.
Suddenly she heard a tense whisper. "Peter! Peter! Quick!"
Like a shadow Peter crossed her line of vision. She heard a murmured,"Missy _babal_" and rising, she bent forward and saw him in the act ofsevering Tessa's bond with the bread-knife. It was done in a fewhard-breathing seconds. The child was free. Peter turned intriumph,--and found Monck standing at the other end of the verandah,looking at him.
Stella stepped out at the same moment and saw him also. She felt theblood rush to her heart. Only once had she seen Monck look as he lookednow, and that on an occasion of which even yet she never willinglysuffered herself to think.
Peter's triumph wilted. "Run, Missy _baba_!" he said, in a hurriedwhisper, and moved himself to meet the wrath of the gods.
Tessa did not run. Neither did she spring to Stella for protection. Shestood for a second or two in indecision; then with an odd littlestrangled cry she darted in front of Peter, and went straight to Monck.
"It--it wasn't Peter's fault!" she declared breathlessly. "I told himto!"
Monck's eyes went over her head to the native beyond her. He spoke--afew, brief words in the man's own language--and Peter winced as thoughhe had been struck with a whip, and bent himself in an attitude of themost profound humility.
Monck spoke again curtly, and as if at the sudden jerk of a string theman straightened himself and went away.
Then Tessa, weeping, threw herself upon Monck. "Do please not be angrywith him! It was all my fault. You--you--you can whip me if you like!Only you mustn't be cross with Peter! It isn't--it isn't--fair!"
He stood stiffly for a few seconds, as if he would resist her; andStella leaned against the window-frame, feeling physically sick as shewatched him. Then abruptly his eyes came to hers, and she saw his facechange. He put his
hand on Tessa's shoulder.
"If you want forgiveness for yourself--and Peter," he said grimly, "goback to your corner and stay there!"
Tessa lifted her tear-stained face, looked at him closely for a moment,then turned submissively and went back.
Monck came down the verandah to his wife. He put his arm around her, anddrew her within.
"Why are you trembling?" he said.
She leaned her head against him. "Everard, what did you say to Peter?"
"Never mind!" said Monck.
She braced herself. "You are not to be angry with him. He--is myservant. I will reprimand him--if necessary."
"It isn't," said Monck, with a brief smile. "You can tell him to finishlaying the cloth."
He kissed her and let her go, leaving her with a strong impression thatshe had behaved foolishly. If it had not been for that which she hadseen in his eyes for those few awful seconds, she would have despisedherself for her utter imbecility. But the memory was one which she couldnot shake from her. She did not wonder that even Peter, proud Sikh as hewas, had quailed before that look. Would Monck have accepted evenTessa's appeal if he had not found her watching? She wondered. Shewondered.
She did not look forward to the meal on the verandah, but Monck realizedthis and had it laid in the dining-room instead. At his command Petercarried a plate out to Tessa, but it came back untouched, Peterexplaining in a very low voice that 'Missy _baba_ was not hungry.' Theman's attitude was abject. He watched Monck furtively from behindStella's chair, obeying his every behest with a promptitude thatexpressed the most complete submission.
Monck bestowed no attention upon him. He smiled a little when Stellaexpressed concern over Tessa's failure to eat anything. It was evidentthat he felt no anxiety on that score himself. "Leave the imp alone!" hesaid. "You are not to worry yourself about her any more. You have donemore than enough in that line already."
There was insistence in his tone--an insistence which he maintainedlater when he made her lie down for her afternoon rest, steadilyrefusing to let her go near the delinquent until she had had it.
Greatly against her will she yielded the point, protesting that shecould not sleep nevertheless. But when he had gone she realized that thehappenings of the morning had wearied her more than she knew. She wasvery tired, and she fell into a deep sleep which lasted for nearly twohours.
Awakening from this, she got up with some compunction at having left thechild so long, and went to her window to look for her. She found thecorner of Tessa's punishment empty. A little further along the verandahMonck lounged in a deep cane chair, and, curled in his arms asleep withher head against his neck was Tessa.
Monck's eyes were fixed straight before him. He was evidently deep inthought. But the grim lines about his mouth were softened, and even asStella looked he stirred a little very cautiously to ease the child'sposition. Something in the action sent the tears to her eyes. She wentback into her room, asking herself how she had ever doubted for a momentthe goodness of his heart.
Somewhere down the hill the blue jay was laughing hilariously,scoffingly, as one who marked, with cynical amusement the passing showof life; and a few seconds later the Rajah's car flashed past, carryingthe Rajah and a woman wearing a cloudy veil that streamed far out behindher.