CHAPTER XXXIII
Lady Mildred’sdestination was the family dower house, the use of which her brother had given her as a country retreat. It was several hours’ drive from London, and they were all tired out by the time that they arrived. During the journey the sisters spoke very seldom, and it was not until they had dined that any serious conversation took place. Then it was Lady Ethel who broached the subject.
“I suppose you will write to John to-night and tell him where you are?” she began nervously.
“No,” was the uncompromising answer.
“I won’t presume to advise you, Mildred, but he will be very anxious, and after all you are judging him without hearing his side,” Lady Ethel answered with quiet persistence.
“I refuse to discuss it with you. Now I am going to bed, for I am tired,” Lady Mildred said coldly and immediately she left the room.
But alone, her composure vanished, and she threw herself on to the bed, sobbing bitterly, and it was many hours before she fell asleep, worn out in mind and body. When morning came she was once more calm, and her manner was cold and forbidding when she met her sister.
“I absolutely refuse to discuss my husband with you,” she said to her, “and if you persist in doing so, you must leave here.”
“It is for your own good, Mildred, for I hate to seeyou spoiling your life. Read this morning’s paper and you will see that John’s counsel denied that John took away the native woman from the man he shot except to save her torture. You will say that John was quite right in shooting the brute who could torture a woman in the way Marillier did. Don’t you see that this charge is only trumped up by the Baron to force John to silence? If I were in your place, I would be by my husband’s side, and help him to defeat his enemy,” Lady Ethel cried vehemently.
Lady Mildred had seized the newspaper and was eagerly reading the full account given of the proceedings at Bow Street.
A perusal of Sir Richard’s speech made her doubt for the first time that she had acted wisely in leaving her husband. But pride quickly banished the doubt, for she could imagine her friends commenting on the charge.
“It is an easy matter to deny its truth, for John could do nothing else,” she told herself.
It was not merely this accusation that distressed her for there was also the fact that all this scandal might have been avoided by his giving a simple promise to the Baron. And he had refused to do this, even when she had appealed to him so passionately.
The days passed slowly, and as each morning came, Lady Ethel hoped that her sister would have relented, but there was no sign of any change; so, when a week had gone, she rose early and drove straight to London, without leaving word where she had gone. It was twelve o’clock when she reached Park Lane, only to find that there was no one in the house except the servants. However, she decided to wait Gaunt’s return, and shewent to her room to prepare for lunch. As she passed her brother-in-law’s room she chanced to glance through the open door, and to her surprise noticed many trunks lying around, all of which were strapped.
“Can he be going away?” she asked herself.
There was too much luggage for a short visit, so it was evident that a long journey was contemplated, and she determined not to leave London until she had found out where John was going. When she went down-stairs again she heard the sound of voices in the library and so entered.
Gaunt and Edward Drake were talking earnestly together, and they stopped when they saw her.
“Good-morning,” she said brightly.
“Good-morning,” Drake replied curtly.
“John, I have just left Mildred. I want you to come back with me to see her,” she said earnestly.
“Did she send you to me? Have you any message?” he asked eagerly.
“No. Mildred has not been very well, and I am sure if you saw her, everything would come right. I have seen that your trunks are packed, and I fear that you are going to do something stupid.”
“My wife will have to come to me, after what has happened,” Gaunt answered sternly.
“John, don’t let any silly pride ruin your happiness. After all, Mildred has some cause for complaint.”
“I refuse to discuss it,” he answered with a harsh laugh, and strode from the room.
“Mr. Drake, won’t you help me?” she said and her hands were outstretched towards him in appeal.
In a moment he had clasped them, and their eyes met—hisfilled with love as he struggled to keep back the passionate words that came near his lips.
“I can do nothing. Mr. Gaunt will not be influenced, for he is deeply hurt, and rightly so, I think. Go back to your sister and persuade her to come here at once. In a few days it will be too late for——”
He stopped and she looked at him anxiously.
“Is John going away? Will it be for a long time?” she asked quickly.
“I can tell you nothing, for it is not my secret.”
“But this wretched police court case. I had forgotten that it was to-day. What has happened?”
“Nothing. A little evidence which was worthless was given, and the case was adjourned until next Thursday. But you may assure your sister that there is no danger to Mr. Gaunt. The worst he did was to shoot Marillier, but it was in self-defense, and he was justified.”
“I agree with you. The man deserved death,” she answered vehemently.
Drake suddenly realized that he was still holding her hands—and a vivid flush came to his cheeks.
“Ethel, I love you,” he whispered passionately, for the temptation was too great for his strength, and for the moment he had forgotten that this was the woman whom his brother loved.
She disengaged herself gently, and her eyes met his steadily. But before she could speak the door was thrown open and Gaunt came in.
Lady Ethel gave a quick sigh of relief, but her face was flushed and she deliberately turned away from Edward Drake.
“Are you ready?” Gaunt asked of the latter.
“Yes.”
“Come along then.”
Drake still hesitated, but receiving no encouragement from Lady Ethel, he moved slowly away. She hastened after them, however, and addressed her brother-in-law.
“John, I am going back to Mildred. Won’t you send her some message?”
“I have already answered you.”
“You are very cruel. You ought to make allowances for her,” she cried passionately.
“Good-bye,” he called to her, and slipping his arm through Drake’s hastened away.
Lady Ethel realized that it was no use to stay longer, so made preparations for her return, and was about to enter the car that was in waiting at the door when she heard her name called; and turning, she saw Lindsay Drake approaching her, an eager smile on his face.
“I am so glad to see you. I thought I should not have an opportunity of wishing you good-bye.”
“You are going away?” she said quickly, and then gave him a curious look. “Come with me a little way. Mr. Gaunt and your brother have just gone out,” she added.
“I ought to see them at once,” he answered doubtfully.
“Surely you can spare half an hour?”
Her manner was so gracious that he could not withstand the temptation.
“I must not be late,” he remarked, and jumped up beside her and the car started off immediately.
“Are you going abroad?” she asked casually.
“To West Africa.”
“Surely your leave is not up? You have only just come home. May I ask if you are going alone?”
“I would much rather not talk about myself,” he answered hurriedly.
“Then let us talk of Mr. Gaunt. Is he accompanying you to West Africa?”
Captain Drake did not answer and she grew more insistent.
“And is your destination the Congo?” she persisted.
Perhaps it was intuition coupled with her woman’s wit that made her ask the question. There was the fact that Gaunt was evidently making preparations for a long absence; and she remembered the determined way in which he was fighting for the cause of the Congo natives. Now there was Captain Drake’s hurried departure and when she saw his hesitation her conjecture seemed to be verified.
“So Mr. Gaunt is going with you to the Congo?” she insisted.
“I wish you would not ask me these questions, Lady Ethel. I hate to refuse you but already I have been indiscreet. I would willingly tell you everything but in honor I am bound to silence,” he said earnestly.
“You have answered me, and I wish to know what it means. You must be aware that my sister and Mr. Gaunt have quarreled, and if he goes away for a long time, their estrangement may be forever. It is this mystery which is the cause of everything. Tell me the reason that compelled Mr. Gaunt to force this scandal upon us. He did force it, for at a word from him the whole thing would have subsided. If only my sister knew his motive, I believe that she would go to him and ask for forgiveness.”
Captain Drake was moved, for he could see that she was greatly disturbed, and for the moment he was tempted to tell her everything. But the temptation was thrust aside, and his face became stern.
“I can only say that his motive does him honor,” he said steadily.
Suddenly he gave a cry for he chanced to look through the window and saw that they had reached the country. He had been so deeply interested in his companion that all knowledge of time and place had left him, but now he realized that he would be late for his appointment.
“Where are we?” he asked anxiously.
“I really do not know,” she answered with indifference.
“I must get back to London at once. Please order the chauffeur to return.”
“You will not do what I ask; then why should I help you?” she said with a touch of malice.
In an instant he had moved the indicator, the car came to a standstill, and he jumped to the ground.
“How far are we from a railway station?” Drake demanded curtly from the chauffeur.
“Two or three miles, sir,” the chauffeur replied.
“Mr. Drake, come back into the car,” Lady Ethel said in a low voice; and when she saw that he hesitated, added to the chauffeur: “Drive back towards London, but stop when we meet a taxi-cab.”
“Thank you,” Drake said gratefully, and once more sat down beside her.
For a time neither of them spoke but he was conscious that every now and then she threw him a quickglance from beneath her lashes. His eyes were turned steadily towards the passing scenery, for he dared not look at her.
“Captain Drake, I am sorry. It was a mean trick,” she began nervously.
In an instant his hand had covered hers, pressing it convulsively.
“Lady Ethel, I shall not see you again for a long time, and this is my good-bye. I want you to know that I love you. Don’t answer me, for I know that I have nothing to offer. I am a poor soldier, and——” he broke off, for his voice shook. “But I couldn’t go away without letting you know of my love.”
Her face had grown white and she did not answer, but he did not see that her eyes were dim, and her face sad.
Suddenly the brakes were put on, the car slowed down, and the chauffeur signaled to an approaching taxi-cab driver.
“Good-bye—won’t you wish me good luck?” Drake said hoarsely.
“Good-bye, and I hope that you will all come back safely. I am sorry, very sorry. Please tell your brother that—but no, I won’t send my message. Good-bye.”
And she watched him drive away.
“Where to, my lady?” the chauffeur asked respectfully.
“Home.”
“Park Lane, my lady?”
“No. To Lynton House,” she answered.
The car started and Lady Ethel drew down the blinds for she was crying quietly.