A Bachelor Husband

by Ruby M. Ayres

  MARIE sang a little snatch of song as she went back to MissChester; she had not felt so lighthearted for many a day.

  "I'm going into the country with Mr. Dakers to-morrow." she said."Think of it--a whole day in the country! Won't it be lovely?"

  Miss Chester looked up with shrewd eyes.

  "You talk as if you have never had the opportunity before," shesaid. "The car is always here--you might spend all your time in thecountry if you chose, Marie."

  "I know--I suppose it never occurred to me."

  Miss Chester knitted a row without speaking, then she said gently:

  "Dear child, do you think Chris would be quite pleased if he knewyou were running about London with his friends like this?"

  Marie swung round as if she had been struck.

  "What do you mean. Aunt Madge?" Her voice was defiant, but the oldlady went on insistently without raising her eyes:

  "I know things have progressed since I was a girl, but if I were aman I should not care for my wife to have men friends, as you seemto have."

  "Chris does not care," said Marie, and she laughed.

  "I suppose you are still thinking about Mr. Atkins, Aunt Madge. Hewas only a boy."

  "Do you call Mr. Dakers a boy, too?" Miss Chester asked quietly.

  "Of course not." Marie frowned; then all at once she broke into alaugh of sheer amusement. "Aunt Madge, you're not suggesting thatMr. Dakers, too, is fond of me? Why, don't you know that he hateswomen?"

  Miss Chester stooped for her ball of wool, which had fallen to thefloor. "As a rule, Marie, men are rather selfish, and I cannotimagine a man going out of his way to take any woman whom he hatedfor a day in the country."

  Marie laughed again.

  "Oh, don't be silly, dear!" she protested.

  She went behind Miss Chester's chair and clasped her arms looselyround the old lady's neck, standing so that she could not be seen.

  "I've only ever loved one man," she said in a hard voice. "And youknow who that is, don't you?"

  Miss Chester put her wrinkled hand over Marie's.

  "My old eyes see a great many things I am supposed to be unable tosee," she said sadly.

  There was a little silence; then Marie whispered:

  "Yes--I knew that."

  "And so that is why I say be careful, dear child," the old ladywent on. "But I know you will."

  Marie bent and kissed her.

  "Poor Mr. Dakers!" she said, with a little grimace. "He would runaway forever and ever if he could hear what we have been saying."

  Miss Chester did not answer.

  Marie slept dreamlessly that night, and for the first time sinceher marriage woke with the feeling that there was somethingpleasant to look forward to.

  The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky as sheflung the window wide.

  Across the rows of houses and crowded chimney-pots she seemed tohear the voice of the country calling to her--seemed to hear thewind in the trees and smell the magic of the hay.

  "And they will be making the hay." she told herself delightedly, asshe waited for Feathers to come. "I wonder if they will let ushelp!"

  She had almost forgotten that there might be a letter from Christhat morning. It gave her a little shock to see it lying on thebreakfast-table. It was as if for a space she had forgotten how tosuffer and grieve, and now the sight of his handwriting had draggedher back to it once again.

  Chris had written in a tearing hurry--or so he said. He had packedup to come home, and then a friend of his had asked him to play ina golf tournament, and after a lot of persuasion he had given in,and he was going to play with Dorothy Webber for a partner, so hethought they stood a good chance of carrying off a prize.

  Marie read it apathetically. Her heart felt as hard as a stone. Theletter told her nothing she had not already guessed. She crushed itinto her coat pocket and tried to forget it.

  He had put the importance of a stupid golf handicap before her!Well, if she cried herself blind it would not alter things orchange him.

  "I suppose Mrs. Heriot didn't turn up in Scotland," she saidcynically to Feathers as they drove away.

  He kept his eyes steadily before him as he answered:

  "If she did I did not see her."

  Marie laughed hysterically.

  "I thought you might have done so."

  There was a little silence, then Feathers said quietly:

  "Mrs. Lawless, why do you talk like that? You know quite well younever thought anything of the sort."

  She flushed hotly at the rebuke in his words and answered sharply:

  "I forgot that you were Chris' friend. Of course, you are bound todefend him. I wonder why men always defend one another?"

  Feathers smiled rather grimly.

  "Perhaps it's a case of thieves hanging together," he said. "Butyou do him an injustice if you think that women have the leastattraction for him--you do, indeed! And, as to being his friend . . ."he hesitated, "I think, perhaps, I am more your friend than his."

  "And yet you hated it when he married me," she said impulsively.

  "Perhaps I am still unreconciled to that," he said.

  "What do you mean?"

  He looked down at her from beneath his shaggy brows. "I am going toanswer that question by asking another. Why did you take such aviolent dislike to me the first night we met?"

  The color rushed to her face. The memory of that night was stillbitter and unforgettable. Her first impulse was to refuse to tellhim. Then suddenly she changed her mind.

  Why should she spare Chris, or try any longer to defend him when hewas undefendable?

  "You said that you would tell me some day," Feathers reminded her.

  "I know." But it was some minutes before she told him.

  "I was sitting in the lounge that night after dinner, and heard youtelling someone that Chris had only married me for my money."

  The driving-wheel jerked furiously beneath Feathers' hand, and foran instant the car swerved dangerously. Then he jammed the brakeshome and brought it to a standstill at the roadside.

  They were in the country now, with hedge-topped banks on eitherside, and it was all so still and silent that they might have beenthe only two in the world.

  Feathers half-turned in his seat. His face was white and horrified,and for a moment he stared at her, his lips twitching as if he weretrying to speak and could find no words.

  Marie looked at him with misty eyes, and, seeing the pain and shamein his face, laid her hand gently on his arm.

  "Please don't look like that. It hurt at first, but afterwards Iwas glad that I knew--really glad!"

  "No wonder you hated me."

  "That was because I did not know you," she said quickly. "I don'thate you now, do I?"

  He looked away from her.

  "So it's all my fault," he said harshly.

  She echoed his words:

  "All your fault? What do you mean?"

  "That you and Chris are not happy . . ."

  Her face quivered sensitively, then she said very gently:

  "You mustn't think that--please! All you did was to let me know alittle sooner than I should have done if I hadn't overheard whatyou said. And I'm glad, really glad, about it now! It would havehurt much more if I'd not found out for some time afterwards. Yousee"--she paused a moment to steady her voice--"you see, Chrisnever really loved me, and that's all about it."

  "No wonder you hate me," he said again heavily.

  "I don't hate you--in fact, I should like to tell you something,Mr. Dakers, then perhaps you won't feel so badly about it. May I?"

  "Well?" The monosyllable came gruffly.

  "It's just that the one good thing that has happened to me since--since I married Chris--is having met you! I shall always be glad ofthat, no matter what happens, for you've been such a kind friend.Please believe me."

  Dakers looked down at the hand resting on his arm.

  "Do you believe in friendship between a man and woman, Mrs.Lawless?" he asked,
in a queer voice.

  "Oh, yes!" said Marie, fervently. "Don't you?"

  "I am not sure."

  She looked up in dismay.

  "But you said--I thought you said . . ."

  He broke in abruptly.

  "Look at the view on your left." She turned her head obediently andgave a little exclamation of delight. The high hedge had suddenlyended, leaving only a wide expanse of meadows that sloped down to ariver flowing at the bottom of a high wooded hill.

  Some women in picturesque cotton frocks were tossing the hay in oneof the meadows, and the scent of it was wafted through thesunshine.

  Marie clasped her hands like a delighted child.

  "I did so hope we should see them making hay," she said. "Oh, doyou think we might go and help?"

  She had forgotten their previous serious conversation, to Feathers'infinite relief. He laughed as he answered that he did not thinkthey could very well suggest giving any assistance.

  "I want to take you much further, too," he said. "I know an innwhere we can get a lunch fit for a king, and any amount of creamand things like that."

  "I love cream," said Marie.

  She leaned back beside him contentedly, and fell into a day dream.The easy droning of the engine was very soothing, and the soft airon her face seemed to blow away all the cobwebs and perplexitiesthat had worried her during the past two months. For a little timeshe gave herself up to the restfulness of it all and the simpleenjoyment.

  Feathers let her alone. He was not a talkative man, and he onlyspoke now and again to point out some exquisite bit of scenery ortell her something of the surrounding country.

  "You know it well, then?" she asked, and he said that he and Chrishad often motored that way together.

  Her husband's name gave Marie a stab of pain. For a little whileshe had resolutely pushed him into the background of her thoughts.She sat up when Feathers spoke of him, and the look of quietcontentment faded from her eyes.

  What was Chris doing now? And why was he not here beside herinstead of this man? Then she looked at Feathers' kind, ugly faceand remorse smote her.

  He was such a good friend. She knew she ought to be grateful to himfor the unobtrusive help he had tried to give her.

  But she could not resist one question: "You and Chris used to goabout together a great deal?"

  "Yes; nearly always."

  "And now--I suppose I have spoilt it all. Have I?"

  Feathers' face hardened. "I wish I could be sure that you had," wasthe answer that rose to his lips, but he checked it, and only said:

  "I have told you you must not talk nonsense." He pointed ahead.

  "That is the inn. I hope you are hungry."

  He ran the car into a queer, cobble-stoned yard, and drew up at thedoor of the inn.

  It was a very old house, with sloping roofs, on which lichengrew in short, thick clumps, and a straggly vine covered itsweather-beaten face.

  "I wired we were coming," Feathers said. "The people here know me."

  He led the way into the parlor. It was bare-boarded with a trestletable running its full length, and wooden benches on either side,but everything was spotlessly clean, and Marie was delighted.

  She had never seen an old fireplace with chimney corners like theone in this room. She had never seen such wonderful copper as theold shining pots and pans that hung on the walls.

  The landlady was stout and smiling, with a face that shone with agenerous application of soap, and she wore long amber earrings.

  She seemed very pleased to see Feathers.

  "It's a long time since you came to visit us, sir! And the othergentleman--Mr. Lawless--I hope he is well."

  "I've just left him in Scotland," Feathers explained. "I dare sayyou will see him before long. He's been getting married, you know."

  "Indeed, sir! I'm sure I wish him luck." She looked at Marie, andFeathers said hastily: "This is Mrs. Lawless."

  He had a vivid recollection of another occasion when somebody hadasked if he were Marie's husband, and he was not risking arepetition of it.

  "Many people staying here, Mrs. Costin?" he asked.

  "No, sir--only two ladies at present, but we expect to be full forthe week-end." She looked at Marie. "There are fine golf linksclose to us," she explained.

  "I seem to be hopelessly out of fashion because I don't play golf,"Marie said when she and Feathers were alone again. "I think I ambeginning to hate the very name of it."

  "You must let me teach you to play."

  Marie sighed and looked out of the window to the narrow countryroad. "I think I'm too tired to learn anything," she saiddespondently.

  Feathers frowned; he thought she looked very frail, and in spite ofhis words he could not picture her swinging a club and ploughingthrough all weathers as Dorothy Webber had done in Scotland.

  "You've no right to be tired," he said angrily. "A child like you!"

  She looked up, the ready tears coming to her eyes.

  "Do you think I'm such a child?" she asked. "That's what Chrisalways says--a kid, he calls me! And yet I don't feel so veryyoung, you know."

  "I should like to be as young," Feathers said.

  She leaned her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand.

  "How old are you?" she asked.

  "Thirty-eight next birthday--as you insist."

  She did not seem surprised.

  "I wonder what I shall be like when I'm thirty-eight?" shehazarded.

  Feathers did not answer; he was doing a rapid calculation inhis mind; he knew that she, nineteen now, was nineteen yearshis junior. That meant that when she was thirty-six he wouldbe fifty-five!

  His mouth twisted into a grim smile. Life was a queer thing. Hewondered what he would have said had anyone told him three monthsago that he would be lunching here with Christopher's wife--quitecontentedly.

  There were voices in the cobble-stoned yard outside, and Marielooked towards the window.

  "Two people coming in," she said. "I suppose that's who the otherplaces are laid for." She indicated the further end of the table.

  "The two people Mrs. Costin mentioned, I suppose," Feathers said."Won't you have some more cream? I always think . . ." he broke offas the door opened and Mrs. Heriot walked into the room.

  There was a moment of blank surprise, then he rose to his feet.

  "The world is a small place; how do you do?" he said calmly.

  Mrs. Heriot found her voice, of which sheer astonishment had robbedher; she broke out volubly.

  "Mr. Dakers, of all people! And Mrs. Lawless too! Who on earthwould have dreamed of meeting you here? That must be your car inthe yard!"

  She shook hands with Marie. "The world is a small place, isn't it?"

  "Are you staying here?" Marie asked. She did not care in the least,but it was something to say.

  "Yes--with my sister. It's dull, but at week-ends we have quite agood time. You must come down," she added, turning to Feathers. "Andhow is Chris?"

  "I left him in Scotland--golfing," Feathers said. "He is coming upto town this week."

  "Really! How delightful! Bring him down, and we'll have a foursome.You don't play, do you, Mrs. Lawless? What a pity! Don't you carefor the game?"

  "I've never played."

  "Well, you must begin. Get Mr. Dakers to teach you." She turned asher sister entered. "Lena, I've just run into two friends. Isn't itqueer? May I introduce my sister, Mrs. Rendle--Mrs. Lawless, andMr. Dakers."

  Mrs. Rendle looked Marie up and down critically and nodded. She wasvery like her sister, only older and less smart.

  "You've just finished lunch, I see," Mrs. Heriot said. "What apity! We might have all had it together."

  "We're not staying--we're going on," Feathers said hurriedly. "I'mtaking Mrs. Lawless down to see some friends at Wendover."

  "Really! How perfectly delightful!" She drew Feathers a little awayfrom her sister and Marie. "Has she been ill again?" she asked,with assumed concern. "I never saw anyone age as she has."

>   "Really!" Feathers looked at her stonily. "Mrs. Lawless looks justthe same to me." He had always hated Mrs. Heriot and he hated hernow more than ever. He made some pretext and went out to the car.

  "Be sure to tell Chris that we are here," Mrs. Heriot said toMarie. "It's a nine hole course, but quite good! Send him down fora week-end."

  "I won't forget," Marie promised.

  She was thankful when Feathers came to say it was time to start.She gave a little sigh of relief as they drove away.

  Feathers glanced down at her sympathetically.

  "Cat!" he said eloquently.

  "I am afraid I do rather hate her," Marie faltered.

  "The sister is a give-away," Feathers said. "One can see now whatMrs. Heriot will be like in another ten years."

  Marie could not help laughing.

  "Oh, but how unkind!" she said. A little mischievous sparkle lither brown eyes. "And we're not really going to see any friends atWendover, are we?"

  "No," he laughed with her. "I'd tell that woman anything," he said,with a sort of savagery.

  They stopped again for tea at a cottage, and the woman who owned itgave Marie a big bunch of flowers to carry away.

  "Now I really took as if I've been for a day in the country," shesaid laughingly to Feathers. "People always trail home with bunchesof flowers, don't they?"

  "I suppose they do." He touched the bunch lying in her lap. "May Ihave one?"

  "Of course!" She picked them up quickly. "Which one?"

  He indicated a blue flower.

  "Don't you think that would rather suit my style of beauty?" heasked grimly.

  She drew it from the bunch.

  "It's called 'love-in-a-mist,'" she said. "Shall I put it in yourcoat?"

  "Please."

  He had been starting the engine, and he came to the door of the carand stooped for her to fasten the flower in his button-hole.

  "Will that do?" she asked.

  "Thank you." He got in beside her and they drove on.

  "Which way shall we go home?" he asked.

  "Any way--I don't mind. I don't know the roads, but I should liketo pass those hayfields again."

  "Very well. You're not cold, are you?"

  "Oh, no."

  "If you are, there is my coat."

  It was getting dusk rapidly, the moon stood out like a goldensickle against the darkening sky, and there was a faint breath ofautumn in the air.

  Marie drew the rug more closely about her. She felt gloriouslysleepy, and the scent of the big bunch of flowers on her lap wasalmost like an anaesthetic with its intoxicating mixture ofperfume.

  When they came to the hayfields which they had passed early in themorning Feathers stopped the car and spoke:

  "Are you asleep? You are so quiet."

  "No; I was just thinking."

  She sat up and looked at the view, more beautiful now in thesubdued light and shadow of evening.

  The world seemed filled with the scent of the warm hay, and onceagain, with a swift pang, her thoughts flew to Chris.

  Where was he? Oh, where was he? Her heart seemed to stretch out tohim with a great cry of longing, but her little face was quietenough when presently she looked up at Feathers.

  "Shall we go on now?"

  He drove on silently.

  "It's been such a lovely day," Marie said. "I have enjoyed it.Thank you so much for bringing me."

  "That's like a little girl coming home from a party," Featherssaid. "We can have another run out any time you like."

  "It's been perfectly lovely! I was so tired when we started, butit's been a beautiful rest, and I'm not tired any more."

  But, all the same, when next he spoke to her she did not answer,and, looking v quickly down at her, he saw that she was asleep.

  Her head had drooped forward uncomfortably, and he could see thedark lashes down-pointed on her cheek.

  He slowed down a little, and slipping an arm behind her, and drewher gently back until her head rested against his shoulder.

  Mrs. Heriot had said that Marie looked years older, and in hisheart Feathers knew she was right, but the kindly hand of sleepseemed to have wiped the lines and shadows from her face, and itwas just a child who rested there against his shoulder.

  What was to become of her, he asked himself wretchedly, and whatwas to be the end of this mistaken marriage?

  He could almost find it in his heart to hate Chris as he drovegrimly on through the gathering night, with the slight pressure ofMarie's head on his shoulder.

  Only nineteen! Only a child still! And a passionate longing toshield her and secure her happiness rose in his heart. He had led aqueer life, a selfish life, he supposed, pleasing himself and goinghis own way in very much the same fashion as Chris Lawless hadalways done and was still doing, but then he had had no woman tolove him or to love--until now, and now . . . Feathers looked downat the delicate little face that lay like a white flower againsthis rough coat in the moonlight, and he knew with a grim pain thatyet was almost welcome to his queer nature that he would giveeverything in the world if only her happiness could be assured.

  CHAPTER XIV

  "And I remember that I sat me down Upon the slope with her, and thought the world Must be all over, or had never been, We seemed there so alone."