CHAPTER V
THE WOMAN'S WAY
It was three days later that Tommy came striding in from the polo-groundin great excitement with the news that Captain Ermsted's murderer hadbeen arrested.
"All honour to Everard!" he said, flinging himself into a chair byStella's side. "The fellow was caught at Khanmulla. Barnes arrested him,but he gives the credit of the catch to Everard. The fellow will swing,of course. It will be a sensational trial, for rumour has it that theRajah was pushing behind. He, of course, is smooth as oil. I saw him atthe Club just now, hovering round Mrs. Ermsted as usual, and sheencouraging him. That girl is positively infatuated. Shouldn't wonder ifthere's a rude awakening before her. I beg your pardon, sir. You spoke?"He turned abruptly to Bernard who was seated near.
"I was only wondering what Everard's share had been in tracking thischarming person down," observed the elder Monck, who was smiling alittle at Tommy's evident excitement.
"Oh, everyone knows that Everard is a regular sleuth-hound," saidTommy. "He is more native than the natives when there is anything ofthis kind in the wind. He is a born detective, and he and that old chapin the bazaar are such a strong combination that they are practicallyinfallible and invincible."
"Do you mean Rustam Karin?" Stella spoke very quietly, not lifting hereyes from her work.
Tommy turned to her. "That's the chap. The old beggar fellow. At leastthey say he is. He never shows. Hafiz does all the show part. The oldboy is the brain that works the wires. Everard has immense faith inhim."
"I know," Stella said.
Her voice sounded strangled, and Bernard looked across at her; but shecontinued to work without looking up.
Tommy lingered for a while, expatiating upon Everard's astuteness, andfinally went away to dress for mess still in a state of considerableexcitement.
Stella and Bernard sat in silence after his departure. There seemed tobe nothing to say. But when, after a time, he got up to go, she verysuddenly raised her eyes.
"Bernard!"
"My dear!" he said very kindly.
She put out a hand to him, almost as if feeling her way in a dark place."I want to ask you," she said, speaking hurriedly, "whether youknow--whether you have ever heard--the things that are being saidabout--about Everard and this man--Rustam Karin."
She spoke with immense effort. It was evident that she was greatlyagitated.
Bernard stopped beside her, holding her hand firmly in his. "Tell mewhat they are!" he said gently.
She made a hopeless gesture. "Then you do know! Everyone knows.Naturally I am the last. You knew I connected that dreadful man long agowith--with Ralph's death. I had good reason for doing so after--after Ihad actually seen him on the verandah here that awful night. But--butnow it seems--because he and Everard have always been inpartnership--because they were both absent at the time of Ralph's death,no one knew where--people are talking and saying--and saying--" Shebroke off with a sharp, agonized sound. "I can't tell you what they aresaying!" she whispered.
"It is false!" said Bernard stoutly. "It's a foul lie of the devil's ownconcocting! How long have you known of this? Who was vile enough to tellyou?"
"You knew?" she whispered.
"I never heard the thing put into words but I had my own suspicions ofwhat was going about," he admitted. "But I never believed it. Nothing onthis earth would induce me to believe it. You don't believe it, either,child. You know him better than that."
She hid her face from him with a smothered sob. "I thought I did--once."
"You did," he asserted staunchly. "You do! Don't tell me otherwise, forI shan't believe you if you do! What kind friend told you? I want toknow."
"Oh, it was only little Tessa. You mustn't blame her. She was full ofindignation, poor child. Her mother taunted her with it. You know--orperhaps you don't know--what Netta Ermsted is."
Bernard's face was very grim as he made reply. "I think I can guess. Butyou are not going to be poisoned by her venom. Why don't you tellEverard, have it out with him? Say you don't believe it, but it hurtsyou to hear a damnable slander like this and not be able to refute it!You are not afraid of him, Stella? Surely you are not afraid of him!"
But Stella only hid her face a little lower, and spoke no word.
He laid his hand upon her as she sat. "What does that mean?" he said."Isn't your love equal to the strain?"
She shook her head dumbly. She could not meet his look.
"What?" he said. "Is my love greater than yours then? I would trust hishonour even to the gallows, if need be. Can't you say as much?"
She answered him with her head bowed, her words barely audible. "Itisn't a question of love. I--should always love him--whatever he did."
"Ah!" The flicker of a smile crossed Bernard's face. "That is thewoman's way. There's a good deal to be said for it, I daresay."
"Yes--yes." Quiveringly she made answer. "But--if this thing weretrue--my love would have to be sacrificed, even--even though it wouldmean tearing out my very heart. I couldn't go on--with him. Icouldn't--possibly."
Her words trembled into silence, and the light died out of Bernard'seyes. "I see," he said slowly. "But, my dear, I can't understand howyou--loving him as you do--can allow for a moment, even in your mostsecret heart, that such a thing as this could be true. That is where youbegin to go wrong. That is what does the harm."
She looked up at last, and the despair in her eyes went straight to hisheart. "I have always felt there was--something," she said. "I can'ttell you exactly how. But it has always been there. I tried hard not tolove him--not to marry him. But it was no use. He mastered me with hislove. But I always knew--I always knew--that there was something hiddenwhich I might not see. I have caught sight of it a dozen times, but Ihave never really seen it." She suppressed a quick shudder. "I have beenafraid of it, and--I have always looked the other way."
"A mistake," Bernard said. "You should always face your bogies. Theyhave a trick of swelling out of all proportion to their actual size ifyou don't."
"Yes, I know. I know." Stella pressed his hand and withdrew her own."You are very good," she said. "I couldn't have said this to any one butyou. I can't speak to Everard. It isn't entirely my own weakness. Heholds me off. He makes me feel that it would be a mistake to speak."
"Will you let me?" Bernard suggested, taking out his pipe and frowningover it.
She shook her head instantly. "No!--no! I am sure he wouldn't answeryou, and--and it would hurt him to know that I had turned to any oneelse, even to you. It would only make things more difficult to bear."She stopped short with a nervous gesture. "He is coming now," she said.
There was a sound of horse's hoofs at the gate, and in a moment EverardMonck came into view, riding his tall Waler which was smothered withdust and foam.
He waved to his wife as he rode up the broad path. His dark face wasalight with a grim triumph. A _saice_ ran forward to take his animal,and he slid to the ground and stamped his feet as if stiff.
Then without haste he mounted the steps and came to them.
"I am not fit to come near you," he said, as he drew near. "I have beenright across the desert to Udalkhand, and had to do some hard riding toget back in time." He pulled off his glove and just touched Stella'scheek in passing. "Hullo, Bernard! About time for a drink, isn't it?"
He looked momentarily surprised when Stella swiftly turned her head andkissed the hand that had so lightly caressed her. He stopped beside herand laid it on her shoulder.
"I am afraid you won't approve of me when I tell you what I have beendoing," he said.
She looked up at him. "I know. Tommy came in and told us. You--seem tohave done something rather great. I suppose we ought to congratulateyou."
He smiled a little. "It is always satisfactory when a murderer gets hisdeserts," he said, "though I am afraid the man who does the job is notin all cases the prime malefactor."
"Ah!" Stella said. She folded up her work with hands that were not quitesteady; her face was very pale.
> Everard stood looking down at the burnished coils of her hair. "Are yougoing to the dance at the Club to-night?" he asked, after a moment.
She shook her head instantly. "No."
"Why not?" he questioned.
She leaned back in her chair, and looked up at him. "As you know, Inever was particularly fond of the station society."
He frowned a little. "It's better than nothing. You are too given toshutting yourself up. Bernard thinks so too."
Stella glanced towards her brother-in-law with a slight lift of theeyebrows. "I don't think he does. But in any case, we are engagedto-night. It is Tessa's birthday, and she and Scooter are coming todine."
"Coming to dine! What on earth for?" Everard looked his astonishment.
"My doing," said Bernard. "It's a surprise-party. Stella very kindlyfell in with the plan, but it originated with me. You see, PrincessBluebell is ten years old to-day, and quite grown up. Mrs. Ralston had achildren's party for her this afternoon which I was privileged toattend. I must say Tessa made a charming hostess, but she confided to meat parting that the desire of her life was to play Cinderella and go outto dinner in a 'rickshaw all by herself. So I undertook then and therethat a 'rickshaw should be waiting for her at the gate at eight o'clock,and she should have a stodgy grown-up entertainment to follow. She wasdelighted with the idea, poor little soul. The Ralstons are going to theClub dance, and of course Mrs. Ermsted also, but Tommy is giving up thefirst half to come and amuse Cinderella. Mrs. Ralston thinks the childwill be ill with so much excitement, but a tenth birthday is somethingof an occasion, as I pointed out. And she certainly behaved wonderfullywell this afternoon, though she was about the only child who did. Inearly throttled the Burton youngster for kicking the _ayah_, littlebrute. He seemed to think it was a very ordinary thing to do." Bernardstopped himself with a laugh. "You'll be bored with all this, and I mustgo and make ready. There are to be Chinese lanterns to light the way anda strip of red cloth on the steps. Peter is helping as usual, Peter theinvaluable. We shan't keep it up very late. Will you join us? Or are youalso bound for the Club?"
"I will join you with pleasure," Everard said. "I haven't seen the impfor some days. There has been too much on hand. How is the boy, Stella?Shall we go and say good-night to him?"
Stella had risen. She put her hand through his arm. "Bernard and Tommyare to do all the entertaining, and you and I can amuse each other foronce. We don't often have such a chance."
She smiled as she spoke, but her lips were quivering. Bernard saunteredaway, and as he went, Everard stooped and kissed her upturned face.
He did not speak, and she clung to him for a moment passionately close.Wherefore she could not have said, but there was in her embracesomething to restrain her tears. She forced them back with her utmostresolution as they went together to see their child.