CHAPTER X
A FRIEND AT COURT
Jessie's prevailing feeling was not one of fear; rather was she moved byan intense, overpowering curiosity. She lingered behind the palmwondering what was going to happen next. She could see between thegraceful hanging leaves the puzzled expression on Lady Merehaven's face.
"But, my dear doctor, what you say is absurd," she was saying. "I sawVera pass not five minutes ago. And if she had met with an accident andbeen conveyed to Charing Cross Hospital, why---- But the thing is out ofthe question."
"And yet I feel perfectly certain of my facts," Dr. Varney persisted."It is true that I was in a hurry, and that the young lady I allude towas fast asleep--at any rate, nearly asleep. My dear lady, seeing that Iwas present at Vera's birth, and that all these years I have known herso intimately----"
Jessie came leisurely into sight. It was impossible to let this mattergo any further. By chance the doctor had learnt something, and his mouthmust be closed if possible. She came along with a smile and a handoutstretched.
"You are very late, doctor," she said. "I have been looking forward to achat with you."
For once in his life Dr. Varney was genuinely astonished. He looked atJessie in a vague, dreamy kind of way, though fortunately Lady Merehavendid not glance up and notice his face.
"There, you unbelieving man!" she cried. "Vera does not look as if shehad met with anything serious in the way of an accident."
Dr. Varney pulled himself together promptly and took Jessie'soutstretched hand. There was a twinkle in his shrewd eyes as he held thegirl's fingers.
"Extraordinary mistake of mine, wasn't it?" he said. "Could have swornthat I saw you lying half asleep in one of the wards of Charing CrossHospital. Case of shock and injured ankle. People said the patientcalled herself Harcourt, but could not recollect her address. Younggirls have such queer escapades nowadays that----"
"But surely you know me better than that?" Jessie forced herself to say.
"I'm not quite so sure that I do," Varney chuckled. "However, the girlwas very like you. Come and give me a sandwich and a glass of claret,and we'll talk of old times."
Jessie expressed herself as delighted, but inwardly she was praying forsome diversion. She was quite convinced that the doctor was by no meanssatisfied; she could see that he was a shrewd, clever man of the world,and that he meant to question her adroitly. If once the conversationdrifted to old times, she felt that she must be discovered.
But Varney ate his sandwich and sipped his claret and water with noreference to the past. He looked at Jessie once or twice in anabstracted kind of way. She felt that she must talk, that she must saysomething to start a safe conversation.
"What are you thinking about, doctor?" she asked.
"I am thinking," was the startling reply, "that you are one of thefinest actresses I have ever seen. The stage is the poorer for yourabsence."
Jessie's heart sank within her; there was no mistaking the drysignificance of the speech. This man was sure of his ground; he hadfound her out. And yet there was a kindly look on his face, not as if hewere dealing with an impostor at all.
"What do you mean?" Jessie asked. "I do not in the least understandyou."
"Oh yes, you do; you understand me perfectly well. I don't know who youare, but I most assuredly know who you are _not_, and that is VeraGalloway. Mind, I am not accusing you of being a type of the mere vulgarimpostor. I would trust you against the world."
"It is very good of you to say so," Jessie gasped. "You are not going toassume that--that----"
"That you are here for any evil purpose? With a face like yours the ideais impossible. As I was passing through the wards of the hospital justnow, to my surprise I saw Vera Galloway there. I knew her not only byher face and figure, but by the dimples round her wrists. Now yourwrists are very long and slender, and you have no dimples at all. Manymen would have let out the whole thing, but not so me. I find that thepatient has given the name of Harcourt, and that she has forgotten heraddress. Forgive me if I scented a scandal. That is why I led up socarefully to Lady Merehaven. But when you came on the scene I guessedexactly what had happened. You were engaged to play Vera's part when shewas up to something elsewhere. I confess I am not altogether withoutsorrow that so charming a girl----"
"Indeed, I am quite sure that there was nothing really wrong," Jessiecried. "From what I have seen of Miss Galloway I am quite sure that sheis not that class of girl. But for this unfortunate accident.... Dr.Varney, you will not betray me?"
"Well, I won't," Varney cried, "though I am no doubt an old fool for mypains. It's very lucky that a clear head like mine has been importedinto the business. Now, in the first place, tell me who you are and whatyou are doing here. I know you will be candid."
"I will tell you everything," Jessie said. She was utterly thankful thatthe case was no worse. "My name is Jessie Harcourt, and up to a fewhours ago I was a shop-girl in Bond Street."
"That sounds quite romantic. A shop-girl in Bond Street and a lady bybirth and breeding, too. Which branch of the family do you belong to?"
"The Kent Harcourts. My father was Colonel Harcourt, of the RoyalGalways."
"Really now!" Varney exclaimed. "I knew your father quite well yearsago. I was an army doctor myself for a long time. Your father was anextravagant man, my dear--always was. And he left you poor?"
"He left my sister and myself penniless. We were fit for nothing either.And that is why I found my way into a Bond Street shop. I was dischargedbecause I was supposed to have flirted with the son of a customer. Myindignant protest that the cowardly cad tried to kiss me counted fornothing. As the complaining customer was the Princess Mazaroff----"
"And her son the culprit," Varney said, with a queer gleam in his eyes."My dear child, you have done well to confide in me. But go on, tell meeverything."
Jessie proceeded to relate her story at length, from the time that shemet Vera Galloway down to the existing moment. And the romantic side ofthe royal story was not suppressed. Nor could Jessie feel that she hadnot an interested listener.
"This is one of the most remarkable stories that I have ever heard,"Varney said. "And as a doctor in a large way of practice, I have heardsome singular ones. I fancy that I can see my way clear now. And I knowwhat you don't know--that Vera is taking a desperate step for the sakeof a man she loves. It is quite plain to me why you are here. Well,well! I am doing quite wrong, but I am going to keep your secret."
"That is indeed good of you," Jessie said gratefully. "But there is moreto be done. My dear doctor, I can see my way to important informationwithout which it is impossible for me to sustain my present role untilMiss Galloway comes home again. It is imperative that I should have afew words with her. You can give me a permit for the hospitalauthorities. After that the rest is easy."
"I quite see your point," Varney said thoughtfully. "You are as cleveras you are courageous. But how are you going to manage this withoutbeing missed?"
"I am going to make use of another," Jessie laughed. All her courage hadcome back to her now. "I am going to make use of a gentleman known asPongo. He is supposed to be very fond of me as Vera Galloway. He doesnot seem to be a very harmful individual."
"Honourable George Lascelles," Varney muttered. "There is a good dealof good in Pongo, though he assumes the role of an ass in society. Oncehe marries and settles down he will be quite different. But how do youpropose to enlist him in the service?"
Jessie proceeded to explain the silly business of the motor-car in thelane behind the house.
"I shall get him to take me to Charing Cross Hospital," she said. "Youmay be quite certain that Vera Galloway is not asleep. A few minuteswith her will be quite enough for my purpose. And I shall be back againbefore I am missed. Do you approve?"
"I have to whether I like it or not," Varney grumbled, "though this is anice predicament for a man in my position and my time of life. I'll goas far as the library and scribble out that permit, though what theCollege of Physicians
would say if they only knew----"
And Varney strode off muttering as he went. But the twinkle was in hiseyes still.