PART II
CHAPTER I
THE MINISTERING ANGEL
"And what am I going to do?" demanded Mrs. Ermsted fretfully. She waslounging in the easiest chair in Mrs. Ralston's drawing-room with acigarette between her fingers. A very decided frown was drawing herdelicate brows. "I had no idea you could be so fickle," she said.
"My dear, I shall welcome you here just as heartily as I ever have,"Mrs. Ralston assured her, without lifting her eyes from the muslin frockat which she was busily stitching.
Mrs. Ermsted pouted. "That may be. But I shan't come very often when sheis here. I don't like widows. They are either so melancholy that theygive you the hump or so self-important that you want to slap them. Inever did fancy this girl, as you know. Much too haughty and superior."
"You never knew her, dear," said Mrs. Ralston.
Mrs. Ermsted's laugh had a touch of venom. "As I have tried more thanonce to make you realize," she said, "there are at least two points ofview to everybody. You, dear Mrs. Ralston, always wear rose-colouredspectacles, with the unfortunate result that your opinion is sounvaryingly favourable that nobody values it."
Mrs. Ralston's faded face flushed faintly. She worked on in silence.
For a space Netta Ermsted smoked her cigarette with her eyes fixed uponspace; then very suddenly she spoke again. "I wonder if Ralph Dacrecommitted suicide."
Mrs. Ralston started at the abrupt surmise. She looked up for the firsttime. "Really, my dear! What an extraordinary thing to say!"
Little Mrs. Ermsted jerked up her chin aggressively. "Why extraordinary,I wonder? Nothing could be more extraordinary than his death. Either hejumped over the precipice or she pushed him over when he wasn't looking.I wonder which."
But at that Mrs. Ralston gravely arose and rebuked her. She neversuffered any nervous qualms when dealing with this volatile friend ofhers. "It is more than foolish," she said with decision; "it is wicked,to talk like that. I will not sit and listen to you. You have a verymischievous brain, Netta. You ought to keep it under better control."
Mrs. Ermsted stretched out her dainty feet in front of her and made agrimace. "When you call me Netta, I always know it is getting serious,"she remarked. "I withdraw it all, my dear angel, with the utmostliberality. You shall see how generous I can be to my supplanter. But dolike a good soul finish those tiresome tucks before you begin to bereally cross with me! Poor little Tessa really needs that frock, and_ayah_ is such a shocking worker. I shan't be able to turn to you foranything when the estimable Mrs. Dacre is here. In fact I shall bedriven to Mrs. Burton for companionship and counsel, and shall becomemore catty than ever."
"My dear, please"--Mrs. Ralston spoke very earnestly--"do not imaginefor an instant that having that poor girl to care for will make thesmallest difference to my friendship for you! I hope to see as much ofyou and little Tessa as I have ever seen. I feel that Stella would befond of children. Your little one would be a comfort to any sore heart."
"She can be a positive little devil," observed Tessa's motherdispassionately. "But it's better than being a saint, isn't it? Look atthat hateful child, Cedric Burton--detestable little ape! That Burtoncomplacency gets on my nerves, especially in a child. But then look atthe Burtons! How could they help having horrible little self-opinionatedapes for children?"
"My dear, your tongue--your tongue!" protested Mrs. Ralston.
Mrs. Ermsted shot it out and in again with an impudent smile. "Well,what's the matter with it? It's quite a candid one--like your own. Alittle more pointed perhaps and something venomous upon occasion. But ithas its good qualities also. At least it is never insincere."
"Of that I am sure." Mrs. Ralston spoke with ready kindliness. "But, oh,my dear, if it were only a little more charitable!"
Netta Ermsted smiled at her like a wayward child. "I like saying nastythings about people," she said. "It amuses me. Besides, they're nearlyalways true. Do tell me what you think of that latest hat erection ofLady Harriet's! I never saw her look more aristocratically hideous in mylife than she looked at the Rajah's garden-party yesterday. I felt quitesorry for the Rajah, for he's a nice boy notwithstanding his fortywives, and he likes pretty things." She gave a little laugh, andstretched her white arms up, clasping her hands behind her head. "I havepromised to ride with him in the early mornings now and then. Won'tdarling Dick be jealous when he knows?"
Mrs. Ralston uttered a sigh. There were times when all her attempts toreform this giddy little butterfly seemed unavailing. Nevertheless,being sound of principle and unfailingly conscientious, she made agallant effort. "Do you think you ought to do that, dear? I always thinkthat we ought to live more circumspectly here at Bhulwana than down atKurrumpore. And--if I may be allowed to say so--your husband is such agood, kind man, so indulgent, it seems unfair to take advantage of it."
"Oh, is he?" laughed Netta. "How ill you know my doughty Richard! Why,it's half the fun in life to make him mad. He nearly turned me over hisknee and spanked me the last time."
"My dear, I wish he had!" said Mrs. Ralston, with downright fervour. "Itwould do you good."
"Think so?" Netta flicked the ash from her cigarette with a disdainfulgesture. "It all depends. I should either worship him or loath himafterwards. I wonder which. Poor old Richard! It's silly of him to stayin love with the same person always, isn't it? I couldn't be somonotonous if I tried."
"In fact if he cared less about you, you would think more of him,"remarked Mrs. Ralston, with a quite unusual touch of severity.
Netta Ermsted laughed again, her light, heartless laugh. "How crushinglyabsolute! But it is the literal truth. I certainly should. He's cheapnow, poor old boy. That's why I lead him such a dog's life. A man shouldnever be cheap to his wife. Now look at your husband! Indifferencepersonified! And you have never given him an hour's anxiety in hislife."
Mrs. Ralston's pale blue eyes suddenly shone. She looked almost youngagain. "We understand each other," she said simply.
A mocking smile played about Mrs. Ermsted's lips, but she said nothingfor the moment. In her own fashion she was fond of the surgeon's wife,and she would not openly deride her, dear good soul.
"When you've quite finished that," she remarked presently, "there's atussore frock of my own I want to consult you about. There's one thingabout Stella; she won't be wanting many clothes, so I shall be able toretain your undivided attention in that respect. I really don't knowwhat Tessa and I would do without you. The tiresome little thing isalways tearing her clothes to pieces."
Mrs. Ralston smiled, a soft mother-smile. "You're a lucky, lucky girl,"she said, "though you don't realize it, and probably never will. Whenare you going to bring the little monkey to see me again?"
"She will probably come herself when the mood takes her," carelesslyMrs. Ermsted made reply. "I assure you, you stand very high on hervisiting list. But I hardly ever take her anywhere. She is always sonaughty with me." She chose another cigarette with the words. "She issure to be a pretty frequent visitor while Tommy Denvers is here. Sheworships him."
"He is a nice boy," observed Mrs. Ralston. "I wish he could have gotlonger leave. It would have comforted Stella to have him."
"I suppose she can go down to him at Kurrumpore if she doesn't mindsacrificing that rose-leaf complexion," rejoined Mrs. Ermsted, shuttingher matchbox with a spiteful click. "You stayed down last hot weather."
"Gerald was not well and couldn't leave his post," said Mrs. Ralston."That was different. I felt he needed me."
"And so you nearly killed yourself to satisfy the need," commented Mrs.Ermsted. "I sometimes think you are rather a fine woman, notwithstandingappearances." She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "By Jove, how lateit is! Your latest _protegee_ will be here immediately. You must havebeen aching to tell me to go for the last half-hour. You silly saint!Why didn't you?"
"I have no wish for you to go, dear," responded Mrs. Ralston tranquilly."All my visitors are an honour to my house."
Mrs. Ermsted sprang to her feet with a swift, elas
tic movement. "Mary, Ilove you!" she said. "You are a ministering angel, faithful friend, andpriceless counsellor, all combined. I laugh at you for a frump behindyour back, but when I am with you, I am spellbound with admiration. Youare really superb."
"Thank you, dear," said Mrs. Ralston.
She returned the impulsive kiss bestowed upon her with a funny look inher blue eyes that might almost have been compassionate if it had notbeen so unmistakably humorous. She did not attempt to make the embrace alingering one, however, and Netta Ermsted took her impetuous departurewith a piqued sense of uncertainty.
"I wonder if she really has got any brains after all," she said aloud,as she sped away in her "rickshaw." "She is a quaint creature anyhow. Irather wonder that I bother myself with her."
At which juncture she met the Rajah, resplendent in green _puggarree_and riding his favourite bay Arab, and forthwith dismissed Mrs. Ralstonand all discreet counsels to the limbo of forgotten things. She haddubbed the Rajah her Arabian Knight. His name for her was of toointimate an order to be pronounced in public. She was the Lemon-scentedLily of his dreams.