I should liketo see Miss Keane at closer quarters, and talk to her. Although I don'texpect she will reveal as much to me as she does to you."
Tommy looked pleased again; he was very bent upon introducing Spencer tohis beautiful young friend. It would come about presently: if not here,in the lounge. Already, Mrs L'Estrange had sent a few covert glancesin the direction of their table. There was little doubt she knew whohis companion was, and would be quite pleased to number him amongst heracquaintance.
"Has Miss Keane many admirers? She should have," remarked Spencerpresently. He noticed that Esmond's eyes were always turned in thedirection of that particular table.
"Not any serious ones, I fancy. A few young fellows send her flowers,but nothing more. It is quite an unsuitable _menage_ for a girl of herattractions. The majority of the _habitues_ are middle-aged men who gothere simply to gamble. The few young ones come for a flutter, anddisappear when they have had enough."
"Does the young lady play?"
"I have never seen her. She has told me scores of times that sheloathes gambling. Her father ruined himself by it. I believe she isreally very unhappy there. And I gather Mrs L'Estrange has not thebest of tempers, particularly when she has had bad luck."
"Hobson's choice, I expect," suggested Spencer sympathetically. MissKeane was facing him, giving him ample opportunity to examine thebeautiful countenance, and it struck him that there was an underlyingexpression of sadness on the perfect features, especially when inrepose.
"I fear so," was Esmond's answer. "She is very reticent about her ownaffairs, as any gentlewoman would be. But from certain things she haslet drop, I make out her own means are very slender, and her cousin'shospitality is a boon to her."
Half an hour passed, and Spencer lit a big cigar. The two men chattedon various topics. Mrs L'Estrange and the Colonel were still doingfull justice to the excellent dishes offered them. Miss Keane wasapparently satisfied, and sat quietly watching her companions, andthrowing in an occasional remark.
And suddenly came the loud sound of maroons. Everybody started. A fewseconds later the clamour and roaring of our own guns burst forth.There was no doubt as to what was happening. The Germans were makingone of their unwelcome visits.
"By heavens, it's a raid, and we are in the thick of it," cried TommyEsmond, rising excitedly. He was a nervous little man, and his face hadgrown a shade pale at the sound of the first boom.
In a few moments there was a stampede from the dining-room. The guestshurried as fast as they could to the basement and cellars.
Tommy, in his progress, was impeded by two burly men who were makingtheir way leisurely. Spencer was a few feet in front of him, making forthe crowd that surged round the doors. As he looked around the desertedtables, he saw Miss Keane standing alone, her eyes almost rigid withterror, her hands clutching convulsively at the back of the chair onwhich she had been sitting. It was evident that the Colonel had quicklyremoved Mrs L'Estrange from the scene of danger, and she had been toopanic-stricken to follow them.
He crossed over to her. "Excuse me," he said gently--"I am a friend ofMr Esmond's. How is it you are alone? Did your companions desertyou?"
"Colonel Desmond took my cousin, and told me to keep close behind them.When I got up, my limbs seemed unable to move. I feel as if I wereparalysed."
He took her arm and put it through his. It was evident she had beenrendered immobile by terror.
"I will take care of you," he said soothingly. "Downstairs you will bequite safe. But we will let this crowd get through first."
Tommy Esmond came bustling up, all anxiety. Truth to tell, he did notfeel over brave, but his anxiety for himself was lost in thecontemplation of her white face and stricken eyes.
Slowly, cheered by the presence of the two men, a little colour flowedback into her cheeks, and she smiled wanly.
"I am a fearful coward," she explained. "I go all to pieces in even themildest thunderstorm."
And it was in this wise, amid the crash of falling bombs, and the roarand clamour of our own guns, that Guy Spencer made the acquaintance ofStella Keane.
CHAPTER NINE.
They found shelter in one of the big cellars of the Restaurant, and MissKeane by degrees got back some of her courage. There were about twentyother persons in the same refuge, and she probably derived fortitudefrom their temporary companionship, and common danger. Tommy Esmondrecovered himself very quickly, and hastened to observe the conventions.
"It is a queer time and place in which to make introductions," heremarked genially. "But even in times of peril, one should preserve theusages of good society. I don't suppose you know the name of yourgallant rescuer. Let me make you known, in a formal fashion. MrSpencer--Miss Keane."
The beautiful Stella bowed her dark head, and the ghost of a smileflitted over her still pale face.
"I know Mr Spencer very well by sight. When I have recovered my wits,I will thank him properly and prettily. Perhaps he will come and see usat my cousin's flat."
"I was bringing him on there to-night, as a matter of fact," explainedEsmond. "But I presume all that is knocked on the head, even supposingwe get out of this disgusting hole in reasonable time. Mrs L'Estrangewon't be in a mood to receive visitors, after this disquietingexperience, I am sure."
"I am afraid you don't know Mrs L'Estrange," replied the girl, with alittle mocking laugh. Her tones were not yet quite steady, but she wasrapidly recovering herself. "The card-tables were laid before westarted, and we intended to be back early. If we get out safely fromthis disgusting hole, as you call it, my cousin will resume her ordinarypursuits, as if nothing had occurred to disturb them."
Desultory conversation, the irresponsible chatter of the drawing-roomkind, was almost impossible under the circumstances. And although MissKeane did her best to assume a brave front, it was easy to see that shewas inwardly quivering. At every roar of the guns, she shivered allover, and her cheek alternately flushed and then grew deadly pale withher inward terror.
"Poor child," whispered Spencer to his companion; "she must be a bundleof nerves. Every second, she is experiencing the pangs of death inanticipation. By the way, the gallant Desmond doesn't seem to havetroubled himself much about her. If I hadn't taken her forcibly away, Ibelieve she would be rooted to that chair now."
Esmond shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, a chap like Desmond doesn'tknow the meaning of fear, and he can't understand the sensation inothers. The other woman took possession of him, and dragged him away.No doubt, he thought she was following. Mrs L'Estrange, so far as Ican judge, would never think of anything but number one."
And as Spencer's glance stole to the fair face, he felt a strangefeeling of pity for her. The poignant happenings of the last fewmoments had revealed to him her loneliness, the tragedy of herdependence upon others. In a supreme moment of peril, she, who ought tohave lovers and friends by the score, was left by herself, and thrownupon the compassion of a stranger.
An anxious half-hour passed, and then messengers came down with tidingsof a reassuring nature. The raiders had been driven off, afterinflicting considerable damage. Gay London was free to pursue itsnatural course of pleasure.
At once the tension was relaxed. Drooping forms resumed an erectcarriage, the roses bloomed again in the pale cheeks of the women.There was a flutter, a stir. They all moved away from the refuge whichhad been so welcome, and now had become unbearable.
In the hall they encountered the Colonel, cool and collected, as if hewere on parade, Mrs L'Estrange fluttering and full of protestations.
"Oh, my poor Stella! I have been distracted about you. Why did you notfollow us? I thought you were close behind us all the time, till we gotto one of these abominable cellars, and looked back to find you weremissing."
The Colonel pulled at his moustache a little nervously.
"I shall never forgive myself, Miss Keane, not to have assured myselfyou were with us at the start. I would have come back to search foryou
, but Mrs L'Estrange was in such a nervous state I could not leaveher." Miss Keane answered him very coldly, and to her cousin she didnot vouchsafe any reply.
"Please do not apologise. It was a question of _sauve qui peut_.Fortunately, I found some kind friends who took compassion on a forlorndamsel, shaking and terror-stricken." She turned to Mrs L'Estrange."Mr Esmond is, of course, an old friend. But you do not know MrSpencer who got to me first."
Mrs L'Estrange was quite equal to the occasion; she extended herperfectly-gloved hand with an air of effusive cordiality.
"A thousand thanks to you both. My darling Stella was fortunate infinding such protectors. We are both terrible cowards, I don't knowwhich is the