CHAPTER XXIII
As he walked away from The Trellis House Radmore felt terribly disturbed,and maddened with himself for feeling so disturbed.
After all, Enid Crofton meant very little to him! He even told himselfthat he had never really liked, still less respected, her and yet therehad been something that drove him on, that allured him, that made himfeel as he had felt to-night. But for the accident of his having seenthat letter from poor foolish Jack Tosswill he might, by this timeto-morrow, have been in the position of Enid Crofton's future husband!The knowledge turned him sick.
Just now he felt that he never wished to see her again.
As he walked on, leaving the village behind him, and emerging on thegreat common which stretched between Beechfield and the nearest railwaystation--he asked himself whether or no it was possible that she hadgenuinely fallen in love with Jack Tosswill?
And then he stayed his steps suddenly. He had remembered the look ofterror, the look of being "found out," which had crossed her face, whenshe had realised that he had seen that fatally revealing corner of herlove-letter.
Why had she looked like that? And then, all at once, he knew. It was forhim that Enid Crofton had come to Beechfield, for him, or rather for hismoney. He felt hideously disturbed as certain tiny past happeningscrowded on his memory. He felt he would give half his possessions were itpossible thereby to transplant The Trellis House hundreds of miles fromBeechfield.
He threw a rueful thought to Jack Tosswill. Miss Pendarth had been right,after all. That sort of experience might well embitter the whole of theearly life of such a priggish, self-centred youth; and while he waschewing the cud of these painful, troubling thoughts there came a woman'svoice out of the darkness.
"Does this lead on into Beechfield, sir? I want to find The TrellisHouse. I've been there once before, but it was broad daylight then."
Radmore peered at the speaker: a thin, medium-sized woman she seemed tobe; obviously not one of the country folk--by her accent a Londoner.
"Go straight on, and in about a quarter of an hour, you'll find TheTrellis House on your right. But you'd better enquire as soon as you getinto the village itself. Is it Mrs. Crofton's house that you want tofind?"
"Yes, that's the place I'm bound for," said the woman.
"Look here," said Radmore good-naturedly. "I was only going for a walk.I'll take you along to The Trellis House. You might easily miss it."
He turned, and they began walking along the road side by side.
"I suppose Mrs. Crofton 'asn't gone away yet, I'm sure to find 'er there,sir?" There was a doubting, almost a resentful, tone in the mincingvoice.
"I think she's at home. Isn't she expecting you?" Radmore had taken thewoman for a superior servant.
"She's not expecting me exactly, but me and my 'usband have been 'opingfor a letter from Mrs. Crofton. As nothing's come, I thought I'd justcome down and see 'er. My 'usband asked 'er to get the address of agentleman who 'e thinks might 'elp 'im--Major Radmore. I don't supposeas what you've ever 'eard of 'im, sir?"
Radmore said quietly, "I know Major Radmore rather well. May I ask yourname?"
She hesitated, then answered:--"Mrs. Piper, sir. My 'usband was ColonelCrofton's dog-breeding assistant, and 'e's about to start for 'imself inthe same line, if 'e can get the money that's been promised 'im. If 'ecan't get that money--well, 'e'll have to go into service again, and 'ethought that Major Radmore, who's a kind, generous gentleman, might 'elp'im to a job."
Radmore felt amused, interested, and, yes, a little touched. Evidentlyhis distaste for Piper had not been reciprocal.
"I suppose to start dog-breeding requires a good bit of money," he said.
"Well, sir, it's this way. Fancy dogs fetch a good bit more money thanthey did. Such a lot o' breeding stopped during the War. But what withone thing and another, and prices 'aving gone up so, Piper says 'twouldbe no good going in for such a thing under a matter of L500. But we'vegot good hopes of getting the money," said the woman composedly.
"Have you indeed?"
Then he felt rather ashamed of the little game he was playing with thisno doubt excellent woman.
"Look here, Mrs. Piper," he exclaimed, "perhaps I ought to tell youfrankly that _my_ name is Radmore. I no longer call myself 'MajorRadmore.' My address for the present is Old Place, Beechfield. ButBeechfield alone would find me, and I hope your husband will let meknow if I can do anything for him."
"There now! Could one ever hope for such a thing coming to pass as mymeeting you, sir, accidental like?"
Mrs. Piper was genuinely moved and excited. She felt that Providence, inwhom she only believed when she was in trouble, had done her a good turn.For a moment or two she remained silent, thinking intently, wonderingwhether she dared take advantage of this extraordinary chance--a chancethat might never occur again.
"I take it, sir," she said at last, "that you are a friend of Mrs.Crofton's?"
"Of course I am well acquainted with the lady you name." There came atone of reserve, instantly detected by the woman's quick ear and quickermind, into the speaker's voice. "And I had a great regard for yourhusband's late employer, Colonel Crofton," he added.
"Aye, 'e was a good gentleman and no mistake," said Mrs. Piper feelingly.
She was wondering how far she dare go. She knew the man walking by herside was very rich; Piper had called him a millionaire.
"I 'ope you won't think me troublesome, sir, if I tells you 'ow mattersare between Mrs. Crofton and my 'usband?"
There came no immediate answer to her question. Still she decided to goon.
"Piper was with the Colonel a long time, sir. And after the poorgentleman's death Mrs. Crofton promised Piper that she'd oblige 'im inthe matter of financing 'is new business."
Radmore was very much surprised. He felt certain that Enid Crofton hadno money to spare, then he told himself that women are sometimes veryfoolish, especially if any matter of sentiment is in question. Butsomehow he would not have thought that particular woman would ever betempted to show herself impulsively generous.
"You spoke just now, Mrs. Piper, as if there was some doubt about themoney?"
"Did I, sir? Well, one can never tell in this world. But I think Mrs.Crofton _will_ find the money." She added, almost in a whisper, "It's to'er interest to do so, sir."
"To her interest?" repeated Radmore. "What exactly do you mean?"
"I don't quite understand it myself, sir." Mrs. Piper spoke with a touchof light indifference in her voice, "Piper don't tell me very much. I wasin Islington, conducting a little business I've got, when Colonel Croftoncame by 'is sad death. Mrs. Crofton spoke to Piper most feelingly, sir,about the service 'e'd done her by what 'e said at the inquest. I'vealways 'ad my belief, sir, that Piper might 'ave said something more anddifferent that would have been, maybe, awkward for Mrs. Crofton." Shewaited a moment, realising that she had burnt her boats. "Do you take mymeaning, sir?"
"No," said Radmore sternly, "I don't take your meaning at all, Mrs.Piper. I don't in the least understand what you meant to imply just now."
A most disturbing suspicion had begun to assail him. Was this woman, withher low, mincing voice, and carefully chosen words, something of ablackmailer?
They walked on in silence for a few minutes, and on her side, Mrs. Piperbegan to doubt very much whether she had acted for the best in being sohonest--"honest" was the word she used to herself. But she told herselfthat now she had started, perhaps she had better go straight on with it.
"It's my belief that Piper did ask Mrs. Crofton to speak to you, sir,about the matter, and I thought, maybe, that she 'ad done so. 'Ave I yourpermission to say, sir, that I met you in the road, and that the subjectcropped up as it were?"
"You can say anything you like," said Radmore coldly.
He could not ask this strange, sinister woman to remain silent, yet thethought that Enid Crofton was about to be told that he and this Mrs.Piper had discussed her affairs was very disagreeable to him.
Radm
ore was tempted for a moment to do a quixotic act, to say to thewoman, "I will find this money for your husband; don't trouble Mrs.Crofton," and but for what had happened not an hour ago he would almostcertainly have done so. But now he felt as if he never wanted to hearEnid Crofton's name mentioned again, and he would have given a good dealto obliterate her and her concerns entirely from his memory.
They were now, much to his relief, close to The Trellis House: "I willring the bell for you," he said courteously, and then, without waitingfor her thanks, he hurried off towards Old Place.
* * * * *
The next evening Jack Tosswill drew Radmore aside. "Look here," he saidawkwardly, "I wonder if you'd kindly wait a bit after the others havegone to bed? I want to ask you something, Godfrey."
"Of course I will, old chap." Radmore looked hard into the young man'smoody, troubled face, and came to a certain conclusion. Doubtless EnidCrofton had given Jack his dismissal, and the foolish fellow was going topour it all out. He felt he was in for a disagreeable, not to saypainful, half hour. Few people of a kindly disposition even reach the ageRadmore had reached without having had more than one such talk with ayoung man crossed in love.
As soon as they settled themselves down, each with his pipe, in frontof the drawing-room fire, Jack began, speaking obviously with a greateffort, and yet with a directness and honesty which the older manadmired:--
"Look here, Godfrey? It's no use beating about the bush. I want to knowif you can lend me L500, and I want to say at once that I don't know whenI shall be able to pay you back. Still, I shall be able to pay youinterest. I suppose one pays the bank rate? I don't know anything aboutthose things. Of course, you may ask why don't I go to my father, but--"
Radmore stopped him. "It's all right, old chap. I'll give you a chequethis evening before we go to bed."
"I say--" Jack turned round. "You're a good fellow, Radmore; I wouldn'tdo it, only--only--"
"I know," said Radmore coolly. "I quite realise it isn't for yourself. Isuppose it's to oblige a pal. You needn't tell me anything more about it.As a matter of fact I meant to ask you whether you'd take a present fromme of just that sum. I don't suppose you know how I feel about you all.George and I were just like brothers. He'd have given me anything."
"No, no! I want this to be a business transaction, Godfrey." He said thewords just a little fiercely.
"So it shall be--if you want it that way. I'll go and get my cheque booknow."
When he came back, the cheque made out in his hand, he said thoughtfully,"I hope your friend hasn't got into the sort of scrape which means thatone has to pay money of a--well, of a blackmailing sort? There's no endto _that_, you know."
Jack Tosswill looked surprised. "Good Heavens, no! He's only being rushedover a bill--legal proceedings threatened--you know the sort of thing?"
"I've made out the cheque to self and endorsed it," observed Radmore.
"Thanks awfully. You _are_ a good sort. I am far more grateful than I cansay, far more than--than--if it was only for myself--"
He stopped abruptly, and there was an awkward pause. Then Jack, speakingrather breathlessly, asked an odd question:--
"You knew Crofton very well, didn't you, Godfrey? What kind of a chap washe?"
He brought out the question with an effort. But he did so want to know!For the first time in his self-confident, comfortable, young life JackTosswill was in love and full of painful, poignant, retrospectivejealousy.
Radmore looked away, instinctively. "I liked Colonel Crofton, I alwaysgot on with him--but he was not popular. He was not at all happy when Iknew him, and unhappy people are rarely popular."
He was wondering whether he had better say anything to Jack--whether thefavour he had just done him gave him the right to speak.
"I suppose he was at least thirty years older than Mrs. Crofton?"
Radmore nodded, and then they neither spoke for a few moments. Each waswaiting for the other to say something, and at last Jack asked anotherquestion.
"They didn't get on very well together, did they?"
"When I first knew them they seemed to be all right. But he was veryjealous of her, and he had cause to be, for most of the fellows out therewere in love with her, and well, not to put too fine a point on it, sheliked it!" He hesitated. "She was rather too fond of telling people thather husband wasn't quite kind to her."
"I think that was very natural of her!" exclaimed Jack, and Radmore felta surge of pity for the young fellow. Still he forced himself to go on:"It's no use pretending. She was--and still is--a tremendous flirt."
Jack made a restless movement.
"I'm afraid you think me rather a cad for saying that, and I wouldn't sayit to anyone but you. She was bred in a bad school--brought up, so Iunderstood from a man who had known her as a girl, in Southsea, by awidowed mother as pretty as herself. Her first husband--"
"But--but surely Colonel Crofton was her first husband?"
"No," again Radmore avoided looking at his companion, "she's been marriedtwice. Her first husband, a good-looking young chap in the 11th Hussars,died quite soon after the marriage, the two of them having 'blued' allthey had between them. I suppose she foolishly thought there was nothingleft for it but for her to marry Colonel Crofton. And the real troublewas that Colonel Crofton was poor. I fancy they'd have got on perfectlywell if he had had pots of money."
"I--I don't agree to that," Jack said hotly.
"I'm afraid it's true. But we really oughtn't to discuss a woman, even aswe are doing now. The only excuse is that we're both so fond of her,"said Radmore lightly.
But even as he spoke he felt heavy-hearted. Jack Tosswill had got it verybadly, far worse than he had suspected, and somehow he didn't believethat the medicine he had just administered had done the young man anygood.