A Bottle in the Smoke: A Tale of Anglo-Indian Life

by Janet Milne Rae

  CHAPTER XIV.

  The gay season in Madras was now at its height. Mr. Alfred Rayner hailedthe opportunity of taking his charming bride everywhere, and occasionswere numerous. The weather, though never deserving to be registered"cold," was pleasantly cool. Fashionable calls could be made withcomfort in the middle of the day, and in the discharge of this socialduty, Hester's husband kept her emphatically up to the mark. Theafternoon and evening were divided into quite a distracting whirl ofentertainments. Every day of the week had gymkanas, amateur concerts,dances, and dinner-parties.

  Mr. and Mrs. Rayner were early guests at Government House, Mrs.Glanton's "neutral garden-party" had been followed by a speedyinvitation to dinner, and there and everywhere the young barristergreeted with satisfaction, proofs that, as he expressed it, "Hester wasa stunning success," and had lent that element of social prestige to hisposition which hitherto it had lacked, and which now he hungrilywelcomed.

  He had been eager to make an early return for the varied hospitalitieswhich as a young married couple they had received. These dinner-partiesat Clive's Road were a source of no little anxiety to the young hostess,chiefly because she realised Alfred's eagerness that they should attainperfection. It is true her husband kept the direction of everything inhis own hands, insisting that no obtainable luxury should be absent fromhis board; though before long, Hester's feminine sense had perceivedthat much less might have been expended, and all gracious hospitalityenhanced by less ostentatious methods, recalling delightfuldinner-parties at home in which neither _pate de foie gras_ nor drychampagne were component parts. But seeing Mr. Rayner's ambition was toimpress the little society with his affluence, he certainly, by means ofhis elegant festivities, succeeded in doing so; the result being thatthe young couple became popular as charming entertainers, and by manywere valued accordingly.

  On the surface all seemed to be going well with Hester. Nevertheless,the painful incident which marked the visit of her old friend seemed tohave struck the hour for the vanishing of the unreal glamour under whosepervading influence she had been conscious of being since she set footon Indian soil. Her individuality began to assert itself, she revertedmore to her home standards, and began to try to bring her days into linewith them. The social amenities which belong to refined circles hadalways made a part of Hester's home life, though she was only beginning,when she left, to have any active share in them. But she knew enough tobe aware that with her parents they had never been regarded as thebe-all and end-all of existence as they seemed to be to her husband. Sheinstinctively felt the preoccupation vulgar and selfish, though sheshrank from putting that feeling into words, and felt almost guilty inthus judging. Since the morning on which Alfred had allowed himself tospeak such cruel words about Mr. Morpeth, he had seemed eager to atone,had acquiesced in occasional morning visits to her friend Mrs. Fellowes,and had even accepted good-naturedly a proposal that Hester should helpher with her Eurasian Girls' Club.

  Though Hester had many acquaintances, Mrs. Fellowes was the only personto whom she turned as a real friend. It was indeed the pleasantestafternoon of the week for her when she drove towards the white-washedroom in the crowded quarter of Vepery, where she could always reckon ona little talk with her friend before the arrival of the girls. Theseinterests were becoming every day keener to her, and formed an antidoteto the social environment of perpetual gaiety and flattery whichotherwise might have proved too engrossing.

  Mrs. Fellowes, having had a slight breakdown, was ordered a month'srest. During her absence Hester had undertaken to superintend the Girls'Club, though she felt herself a poor substitute for the versatileorganiser. Having the need to consult her on some details, she respondedall the more gladly to Mrs. Fellowes' invitation to spend a day with herin her retreat, which was within driving distance of Madras. Her husbandexpressed himself delighted that she should have the opportunity ofmaking the acquaintance of a pretty bit of the Coromandel coast.

  When she returned in the evening Hester was glowing in her praise ofEnnore, and full of a project which she and Mrs. Fellowes had plannedtogether.

  "Won't it be delightful, Alfred, for those poor girls to have a wholeday in that lovely spot?" she said joyfully, as she unfolded the plan toher husband while they sat in the verandah after dinner. "And we'vedecided not to drive them out in those horrid native boxes on wheelsthey call _jatkas_," continued Hester. "We mean to engage carriages fromWaller's, and with Mrs. Fellowes to welcome them at the other end, itwill all seem like fairy-land to them. Mrs. Fellowes says seventy-fiverupees will quite cover the hire, so I thought I might undertake thatpart of it."

  "Seventy-five rupees! To be good for that? Surely that was a rashpromise, Hester?" exclaimed her husband with an annoyed air. "My word, Idon't intend to have myself bled to that extent for those half-castecreatures."

  But remembering his resolve not to criticise her efforts for them, hedecided to put his objection on another footing. "The fact is, I'm nonetoo flush of rupees at this moment. This has been a triumphant seasonfor us, and no mistake, Hester, but one must pay for such triumphs!"

  "But, Alfred, I promised," faltered Hester.

  "Then you must just wriggle out if it, my dear. Write to Mrs. Fellowesand say we've too many engagements here--can't find any spare day. She'sa sensible woman, she'll read between the lines. Rupees ain't soplentiful with her."

  "Yet just think what she does," said Hester with dilating eyes. "Herpurse is always open! But, Alfred, I'm really in honour bound to carrythrough this treat. It's too late to draw back now, you would never askme do such a thing."

  "To draw back? Of course, that's precisely what you must do! It's anabsurd project! I'll be bound, it wasn't for that sort of thing Binny'sBungalow was lent to Mrs. Fellowes!" said Mr. Rayner, rising as if toend the discussion.

  "It's too late to draw back now," returned Hester decisively. "Ihappened to meet two of the Vepery girls as I was driving home. Istopped the carriage to tell them of the happy day Mrs. Fellowes wasplanning for them----"

  "Vepery, did you say?" asked Alfred, turning with a start. "I understoodyour class was at Royapooram."

  Though he had tacitly acquiesced in his wife's helping her friend inwhat he called her "quixotic projects," he had taken no furtherinterest. It disturbed him not a little now to know that the meetingmight contain, his objectionable acquaintance, Leila Baltus, and sheeralarm drove him to more indignant remonstrances than before. At lengthhe summoned his office-bandy, and at that unwonted hour ordered thesleepy syce to light the lamps, and drove off to town, leaving his wifein tears.

  Hester, sorely vexed as she was, never for a moment contemplatedabandoning the project which she decided she was in duty bound to Mrs.Fellowes, as well as to the Club girls, to carry out. Hurryingup-stairs she counted her own little store which she had laid aside forChristmas presents for those at home. It proved more than the requiredsum.

  When her landau appeared next forenoon to take her for a round ofvisits, she told the syce to drive her instead to Waller's Stables,where the hire of the required carriages was speedily arranged. Sheresolved to tell her husband on the first opportunity that the carriagedifficulty was now solved, and to try, when she did so, to hide thesoreness which still rankled in her heart concerning it.

  There was an air of apology in Mr. Rayner's manner when he returned fromthe High Court that afternoon. He evidently did not forget that he hadlost his temper on the previous evening, and his wife hoped this stateof mind might make it easier for her to broach the vexed question.

  This she was about to do as they sat in the verandah after dinner, whenher husband turned to her with a gracious smile.

  "You're looking lovely to-night, Hester! Your day at Ennore yesterdayhas brought back the English roses to your cheeks. Fine birds deservefine feathers, shall we say? See what I've brought to adorn your lovelywhite neck!"

  He opened an elegant leather case and held up triumphantly a beautifuldiamond pendant.

  "Oh, Alfred," gasped Hester, after a m
oment's silence. "Have youactually got that for me? Oh, I can't--I won't have it! You must give itback! You will return it?"

  "Return it, forsooth! A nice suggestion when an affectionate husbandpresents his wife with a gift! Besides, Hester, you really haven't thecorrect toilette without jewels. That trumpery gold cross is the onlything you have to wear. It's been my despair at all our parties to seeyou without diamonds when the frowsy dowagers are resplendent withthem--and the young brides into the bargain. This pendant is a simplenecessity. I'll add a tiara when I can."

  "Never! I wouldn't wear one for the world! And if you want to make mehappy you'll return this. Oh, how could you waste money on it,especially"--she paused with a little catch in her voice--"especiallysince you said you couldn't afford to give me the rupees to pay forthose carriages though I told you I had promised them."

  "Well, don't you see I had it in my mind to give you this surprise--anda nice reception you've given it!"

  Mr. Rayner snapped the lid of the elegant case with an angry air."Anyhow the diamonds are yours and you must wear them," he added,throwing the case into her lap. "I'm not going to be made a fool of,taking them back with my tail between my legs like a whipped puppy. Why,it would soon get out that I am a hen-pecked husband, and so I am,between one thing or another," he ended sulkily, and betook himself tothe perusal of the _Madras Mail_.

  Hester, though she hated concealment, felt that this was not the momentto announce that the carriages for Ennore had been duly arranged for,and that she would have to go next day to help Mrs. Fellowes toentertain the Eurasian girls. Neither could she, at this moment, makeany further remonstrance concerning the foolish gift. She would watchfor an early opportunity when her husband was in a better mood, and tryto persuade him to return it to the jewellers. The pendant was, initself, vulgar and ostentatious. She felt she could never wear it. Shesmiled when she pictured her mother's face if she saw the flaring jewelupon her young daughter's neck. Mrs. Bellairs disapproved of jewelleryfor girls, even for young matrons, and her prejudice was so well knownin her circle that among Hester's numerous wedding gifts there had beena marked absence of trinkets of any kind, and her husband had more thanonce expressed his regret that his wife should be unadorned save by thelittle antique gold cross.

  Perhaps she had been unkind in making such a determined stand, Hesterthought now. But when she recalled her husband's assurance that theywere spending so largely that even seventy-five rupees would prove astrain on their month's finances, she felt reassured that she would onlybe acting as a true wife should in urging that the gaudy gift shouldagain take its place among the jeweller's wares; and, if she remainedfirm, surely Alfred would not force it upon her.