CHAPTER XVIII
Itwas with a feeling of great anxiety that Edward Drake saw Lady Mildred leave the billiard room to go to Baron de Croiseuil, for he quickly guessed the reason of the Belgian’s visit. Although Gaunt had not gone into details it was evident from what he had said that there was much in his Congo past that he would not care to have reach his wife’s ears. By all accounts the Baron was a most unscrupulous adversary, and would not hesitate to use the knowledge that he possessed.
After a few moments’ thought, Drake hastened to the telephone and got into communication with the city office, only to find that Gaunt was not there.
“Please ask him to come to Park Lane as soon as he returns,” Drake said to Foster the secretary, and then went back to the billiard room.
Lady Ethel was idly knocking about the billiard balls, and she did not look up when he entered.
“Where is my brother?” he asked.
“He suddenly remembered that he had an appointment at the war office,” she answered, as she deftly made a cannon. “This is a good chance for the lesson I promised to give you,” she said demurely.
Drake went to the rack from which he took the first cue that came to hand.
“I am afraid that you will find me rather a duffer,” he remarked.
“Your education has been neglected—in many ways.”Then she gave him a quick look which he failed to catch. “You may break.”
But Drake’s hand trembled, and he made a miscue.
“Try again,” she said lightly, and placed the ball back in balk.
Again he tried to make the shot, with a similar result.
“It is no use, I am an awful duffer,” he said apologetically.
She watched him as he replaced the cue in the rack, and her eyes twinkled with mischief.
“You are very easily discouraged. I thought better things of you, Mr. Drake,” she said with a laugh, but suddenly her face became grave and she approached more closely to him. “Would you mind telling me why you did not wish my sister to see the Baron de Croiseuil?”
Drake knew not what to say, for he could not tell her the real reason.
“I do not ask merely from curiosity. I am not quite a fool, although you may think that my intelligence is below the average, and I am not blind to what is going on. It seems to me that my sister and her husband are drifting apart and that you know the reason of it,” she said with unusual seriousness.
Still he did not answer, and she grew impatient.
“Am I not right? Mr. Gaunt has changed in a marvellous way since he has known you—and I wish you to take me into your confidence.”
“I can’t do so, Lady Ethel. I shall be grateful if you will change the subject. All I can say is that I will spare no effort to prevent any disagreement between Mr. Gaunt and his wife. But there are great issues at stake, andLady Mildred must not be the only consideration,” he said earnestly.
“No issue can be so great as my sister’s happiness,” she answered impetuously.
“I do not agree with you, Lady Ethel. Please don’t say any more,” he said appealingly.
“I won’t for the present, but I am disappointed in you. Your brother would not have answered as you have done.”
His face flushed, and he took a step towards her. Her eyes regarded him steadily, and their expression contained a hint of defiance.
“My brother would only do what is consistent with honor,” he answered with quiet dignity.
A silence followed, and both were conscious of a feeling of nervousness. Edward Drake came to a sudden decision, and spoke impulsively.
“My brother is the only relative that I have in the world, and we are more than brothers, for we are friends. Lindsay is as generous-hearted a man as ever breathed, and I have never known him guilty of a mean action. Lady Ethel, he is very dear to me, and I should grieve to see him hurt. Perhaps I ought not to speak to you in this way, but I think that you understand what I mean. For some years he has lived among savages, and the life there has made him forget many things. During these last few days he has only remembered that he is a man, and you a woman. Your beauty has blinded him to the fact that he is a poverty-stricken soldier, while you are a lady of title, who——”
While he spoke the color had left her cheeks, and she interrupted him peremptorily.
“Don’t you think that you might allow your brother to speak for himself? You parsons imagine that it is your prerogative to meddle in affairs that do not in the least concern you.”
“My brother’s happiness concerns me greatly,” he said quietly.
“Isn’t he old enough to look after himself? You are a strange man, Mr. Drake, and just a little bit impertinent. Of course, I use the word in its classical sense,” she added hastily.
He smiled, but it was a sad smile, and she relented immediately.
“I don’t think you need be troubled about your brother’s happiness,” she said gently.
“You mean?”
As he asked the question he was conscious of a fierce pain tugging at his heart, for he dreaded to hear her answer.
“I mean—nothing,” she cried gaily.
The door was thrown open and Gaunt strode in, putting an end to the conversation.
“I got your message. What is it?” he asked quickly of Drake.
The latter glanced significantly at Lady Ethel who understood his meaning.
“I will relieve you of my presence, and I hope that I have completely reassured you.”
The last sentence was addressed to Drake, and was spoken so mockingly that he winced, and the color came to his cheeks.
“What’s the matter?” Gaunt demanded as soon as they were alone.
There was a worried look on his face, and it seemed to Drake that there were lines around his eyes that he had not before noticed.
“Baron de Croiseuil called this afternoon, and Lady Mildred insisted upon seeing him. They may be together now.”
Gaunt smothered an oath, as he crossed the room to ring the bell, and no word was spoken until the footman came.
“Is your mistress alone?” Gaunt demanded abruptly.
“Yes, I think so, sir.”
“Has the Baron de Croiseuil gone?”
“Yes, sir. About a quarter of an hour ago.”
“You can go, James,” Gaunt said to the footman, and as soon as the latter had left the room he sank back into a chair with a groan.
“Is it very serious, what he might say to Lady Mildred?” Drake asked hurriedly.
“Lady Mildred will consider it more than serious. But don’t talk for a few minutes. I want to do some hard thinking.”
It was a quarter of an hour before Gaunt sprang to his feet, and there was the light of battle in his eyes.
“Sit down, father confessor, while I tell you the whole story,” he said with a mirthless laugh.
“There was a man named Marillier on the Congo. A blackguard of the worst description, and soon after I arrived in the country we came into contact. He was the most callous of all the brutes that go to make up Congo officialdom, and in those days I was not inured to sickening sights. One day I went to his station, and found him with his own hand flogging a young girl ofabout fifteen, one of his numerous native wives. He used thechicotte, a murderous instrument of torture, and the girl was half dead. I lost my temper, and seized thechicottewith which I gave him a little of what he had been giving the girl.”
“I am very glad to hear it,” Drake cried vehemently.
“I took the poor girl on to my own station, and that night Marillier turned up in a drunken rage. In his hand he carried a revolver, and commenced firing at me. I had no desire to die, so I took my own weapon and fired.”
Gaunt paused, and his breath came quickly.
“My shot reached home, and he died.”
“You were justified by every moral law,” Drake said quietly.
“So the officials seemed to think who investigated the matter, for I heard no more about it until last night when the Baron visited me,” Gaunt said grimly.
“I am confident that Lady Mildred will hold you justified when she hears your side of the story.”
“I hope so, but that isn’t the worst from her point of view. There is only one thing that I dread her hearing, and the Baron knows it.”
“What is that?” Drake asked anxiously.
“It isn’t a pretty story, but you’d better know it. Of course you can’t appreciate the code of morality that exists in West Africa. Nearly all the white men out there have native wives. In fact, many of the Congo officials have half a dozen. From the woman’s point of view, it is a valid marriage and her status is raised thereby. You can guess what is coming,” Gaunt said miserably.
“You had a native wife?”
“No. But the general belief throughout the Congo was that I had taken Marillier’s native wife and that that was the reason why he had attacked me. But there is no necessity to go into details, and I will simply say that while I was on the Congo, I lived a clean life, as far as women are concerned. You know Lady Mildred, and if the Baron should tell her——”
Gaunt broke off, and turned away so that Drake should not see the misery in his eyes. The latter had listened to this recital in dismay, for he saw clearly that Lady Mildred would be deeply hurt should the Baron have told this story, and he could say no word of comfort.
“Why don’t you speak? Do you think that I have lied to you?” Gaunt demanded fiercely.
“No. Of course I believe you, but I fear that your enemies have a powerful weapon. The Baron may honestly believe that you killed Marillier on account of the woman, but——” He ceased to speak, and his face cleared. “I don’t think the Baron will have told Lady Mildred, yet; for he will hold it in reserve to use against you. Why don’t you go to her yourself at once and tell her? Hearing it from you she might believe, while if the knowledge came from a stranger—there would always remain a suspicion.”
“You have set me a hard task, and I don’t think that I have the strength to carry it out,” Gaunt said dully.
“Believe me, it is the best plan—the only one,” Drake said impetuously.
Gaunt did not answer, but stared moodily into the fire and the silence became oppressive, but soon there was a knock at the door and a footman entered.
“Her ladyship would like to see you in her room,” he announced.
“Now is your chance,” Drake whispered earnestly.
But Gaunt did not move.