Charles Rex

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER IX

  THE IDOL

  "Well?" said Saltash with quizzical interest. "Where is she? And how isshe getting on?"

  It was the Sunday afternoon of his promised visit, a day soft with springshowers and fleeting sunshine. Maud sat in a basket-chair on the verandahand regarded him with puzzled eyes. She passed his questions by.

  "Charlie," she said, "where does she come from?"

  He raised his shoulders expressively. "Where do all women come from--andwhy, _chere reine_? It would be such a peaceful planet without them."

  He was in a baffling mood, and she knew better than to pursue the subjectunder those conditions. She abandoned her effort with a sigh.

  "She is not a woman; she is a child, very charming but utterlyirresponsible. She is in the training field just now with Jake and Bunny.She is a positive delight to Jake. She can do anything with the horses."

  "But not such a delight to you?" suggested Saltash shrewdly.

  Maud hesitated momentarily. "I love her of course," she said then."But--though I have tried to make her feel at ease--I think she is alittle afraid of me--afraid anyhow to be quite natural in my presence."

  "But are we any of us that?" protested Saltash. "Are we not all on ourbest behaviour in the audience-chamber?"

  Maud sighed again. "They are all great pals," she said irrelevantly. "Sheand Bunny are terribly reckless. I hope they won't break their necksbefore they have done."

  "Or their hearts?" suggested Saltash, looking mischievous.

  She smiled. "I don't think there is much danger of that, anyhow atpresent. She is a positive child, Charlie,--as young as Eileen in manyways, or perhaps younger. Shall we walk down to the field and look atthem?"

  "Your servant, madam!" said Saltash readily.

  He was on his feet in an instant, and she realized that he had beenchafing to go since the moment of his arrival.

  "You take a great interest in her," she remarked, as they walked alongthe terrace.

  He made his most appalling grimace. "I have never had an infant to lookafter before," he said "And--I have to make my report to Larpent."

  "Ah! How is he?" questioned Maud.

  He shot her a swift glance. "Is the child anxious?"

  "Not in the least. I don't believe she ever thinks about him. She told meon the first day that she hardly knows him."

  Saltash laughed. "How honest of her! Well, he's getting better, but hewon't be well yet. May I leave her in your charge, a while longer?"

  "Of course!" Maud said warmly. "I love to have her, and she is a greathelp to me too. The children simply worship her, and she is splendid withthem. I believe Eileen will very soon get over her dread of riding."

  "Toby can ride?" asked Saltash.

  "Oh yes, like a cow-boy. She is amazingly fearless, and never minds atumble in the least. She can do the most extraordinary things exactlylike a boy. I am always afraid of her coming to grief, but she neverdoes."

  "Funny little beggar!" said Saltash.

  "I am quite sure of one thing," pursued Maud. "She never learnt thesethings at any school. She tells me she has been to a good many."

  "I believe that's true," said Saltash. "I imagine she is fairly quick topick up anything, but I haven't known her myself for long."

  "She must have picked up a good deal on _The Night Moth_," observed Maudunexpectedly.

  He glanced at her again. "Why do you say that? She was under myprotection--and Larpent's--on _The Night Moth_."

  "I know. She idolizes you," Maud smiled at him somewhat dubiously. "Butshe must have mixed fairly freely with the crew to have picked up thereally amazing language she sometimes uses."

  Saltash's brows worked whimsically. "Some of us have a gift that way," heremarked. "Your worthy Jake, for instance--"

  "Oh, Jake is a reformed character," she interrupted. "He hardly ever letshimself go now-a-days. And he won't allow it from Bunny. But Toby--Tobynever seems to know the good from the bad."

  "Has Jake taken her in hand?" asked Saltash with a chuckle.

  "Oh yes. He checks her at every turn. I must say she takes it verysweetly, even offered to take her meals in her room yesterday when he wasrather down on her. It absolutely disarmed Jake of course. What could hesay?"

  "Yes, she's a disarming monkey certainly," agreed Saltash. "But I neverwas great on the management and discipline of children. So she knocksunder to the great Jake, does she?"

  "Oh, not entirely." Maud laughed a little. "Only this morning they had abattle. I don't know how it is going to end yet. But--she can be veryfirm."

  "She never tried any battles with me," said Saltash, with somecomplacence.

  "No. But then your sense of duty is more elastic than Jake's. Younever--probably--asked her to do anything she didn't want to do."

  "Can't remember," said Saltash. "What did Jake want?"

  Maud's smile lingered. "You'll laugh of course. But Jake is quite right,whatever you do. He wanted her to go to church with little Eileen and methis morning. She's only a child, you know, and he naturally took it forgranted that she was going. We both did. But just at the last moment sheabsolutely refused, told him quite frankly that she was--an atheist."

  Saltash's laugh had a sound half-mocking, half-exultant. "What said theworthy Jake to that? Stop! I know what he said. He said. 'You can callyourself by any fool name you please, but you've got to go to Churchlike a respectable citizen if I say so.' Wasn't that it?"

  "Something like it," Maud admitted. "How did you know?"

  "Oh, I know Jake," said Saltash dryly. "And what happened then? Sherefused?"

  "Yes, she refused. She was frightened, but she refused. She looked as ifshe were going to run away, but in the end Jake went off with her to thestables saying they would go to-night. They were quite friends when I sawthem again, but she had been crying, poor little thing. I wish I couldhelp her, but somehow I can't get near enough. Jake seems to understandher best."

  "Wonder if she will give in?" said Saltash.

  They were passing through a shrubbery that led to the training-field, andthere came the quick thud of hoofs galloping on short turf as theyapproached.

  "I don't think there is much doubt about that," Maud said.

  Saltash laughed again mockingly. "Oh, we all know Jake is invincible,virtuous rectitude incarnate. But you can't hammer a girl into submissionlike a boy and I rather fancy that Toby is not wholly ignorant of the artof getting her own way."

  "Jake never hammered Bunny," Maud said quietly, "But he manages himnotwithstanding."

  They rounded a curve and came upon the gate that led into the field. Thegalloping hoofs were close to them. As they reached the corner two ridersflashed past at full speed. One of them--Bunny--lay on his horse's neck,yelling wild encouragement to his mount. The other,--a slight, childishfigure--was kneeling on the saddle like a small, crouching creature,perfectly poised and wholly unafraid. As the horse that carried herdropped to a canter on the hill, she got to her feet with absolute ease,and stood, arms out and swaying to the animal's motion, till, as theyrounded another curve, she dropped to the saddle again, and passed fromsight, following in Bunny's tracks.

  "Quite a pretty exhibition!" remarked Saltash. "Where is Jake?"

  Jake himself appeared at the moment riding soberly, mounted on hisfavourite horse, The Hundredth Chance. He greeted Saltash with a smileand jumped to the ground to join them at the gate.

  "They'll be round again directly. Just riding off their spirits," heexplained in his easy drawl. "You motored over, my lord?"

  Saltash nodded with a touch of impatience. He was watching with restlesseyes for the reappearance of the girl on horseback. She had not seen himat the gate, yet somehow his arrogance rebelled at the fact that shehad passed him by.

  Jake stood with The Hundredth Chance nuzzling against him. He did nottrouble himself to make conversation; that was not his way. He alsowaited for the reappearance of the riders.

  They came, riding side by side and jesting with care
less _camaraderie_.Toby's face was delicately flushed. The fair head had no covering. Shewas dressed and looked exactly like a boy.

  At sight of Saltash standing by the gate her whole attitude changed. Sheuttered a queer sound, half-whoop, half-sob, and flung herself out of thesaddle. In a moment she had reached him, was hanging to his arm in mutegreeting, everything else in the world forgotten. It was patheticallylike the re-union of a lost dog to its master.

  Saltash's ugly face softened miraculously at her action. The jest died onhis lips. "Why, Nonette!" he said. "Nonette!"

  She strangled another sob. Her face was burning, quivering, appealing, nolonger the face of a boy. "I thought you'd forgotten to come," she said.

  "What? Was I expected to lunch?" said Saltash. "Ah! Was that why youwouldn't go to church?"

  Toby looked up, desperately smiling. "It may have been--partly. But Inever do go. Do you?"

  "Not often," said Saltash. "I might if I stayed here. There's no knowing.You'll be pleased to hear your daddy is better. He's coming down to theCastle to convalesce. And when he's done that, I'm going to have aparty--a coming-out party--for you."

  "For me!" Toby gasped, staring at him with scared blue eyes. "I hope youwon't, sir," she said.

  He laughed back at her, his brows working mischievously. "_Mais pourquoipas, mignonne?_ You are old enough. Maud will come and be hostess, won'tyou, Maud? You shall have Jake too for a watch-dog, if you want him.After that, you shall be presented at Court, when you've learnt tocurtsey prettily instead of turning somersaults. You must let your hairgrow, Nonette, and leave off wearing breeks. You've got to be a credit tome."

  "Oh, damn!" said Toby in dismay. "I mean--oh, bother!"

  "Yes, it's a good thing you mean only that, isn't it?" laughed Saltash."If you go on wearing those masculine things much longer, you'll haveJake punching your head for little slips of that kind. He's gettingmighty particular, I'm told."

  "Not afraid of Jake!" said Toby, casting a swift look at her host.

  Jake was lighting his pipe. His face wore a faint smile. He was holdingToby's animal as well as his own. "Aren't you going to ride again?" hesaid.

  "No," said Toby.

  "Oh, come on!" Bunny pushed his horse forward without dismounting. "Gladto see you, Charlie, but we must have one more gallop. Come on, Toby! Bea sport!"

  But Toby, still holding Saltash's sleeve, would not so much as look athim. "Not coming," she said tersely.

  Saltash laughed. Bunny coloured suddenly and hotly. "Oh, all right!" hesaid, and, wheeling his horse, rode away.

  "Now you've hurt his little feelings," observed Saltash.

  "Who cares?" said Toby, and nestled closer, till with his sudden recklessgrin he thrust an arm about her shoulders.

  "I'll tell you what it is, Nonette. You're getting spoilt all round.Something will have to be done. Shall I take her away, Jake?"

  "And bring me back when I'm good?" put in Toby eagerly.

  He laughed and pinched her ear. "I shall want to keep you myself--whenyou're good. I haven't yet found anyone to sew on buttons like you do.No, _ma chere_, you'll have to stay and be caned for your sins. Jake isa better schoolmaster than I am, being so eminently virtuous himself. Ihope you do cane her, Jake. I'm sure she needs it."

  "No," Jake said, preparing to mount again. "I haven't tried that atpresent."

  Toby watched him a little wistfully as he moved away, leading her horse."I am trying to be good," she said. "He knows that."

  "Yes, she's trying hard," Maud said very kindly. "Jake and I are going tobe proud of her some day."

  Saltash's brows twisted humorously. "I wonder," he said. And then againlightly he laughed. "Don't get too good, Nonette! I can't rise to it."

  She turned swiftly, looking up into the derisive face above her with openadoration in her own. "You!" she said. "You!"

  "Well, what about me?" he said.

  She coloured very deeply. "Nothing, sir, nothing! Only--you're so great!"

  He flicked her cheek, grimacing hideously. "Is that your pretty way oftelling me I'm the biggest rotter you ever met?"

  "Oh, no!" said Toby quickly and earnestly. "Oh no! I think you are--aking. If--if anyone could make me believe in God, you could."

  She spoke with a sincerity that held a hint of passion. The grimaceflicked out of Saltash's face like a picture from a screen. For a momenthe had the blank look of a man who has been hit, he knows not where. Thenwith lightning swiftness, his eyes went to Maud. "You hear that?" hesaid, almost on a note of challenge. "Why don't you laugh?"

  She met his look with absolute steadfastness. There was a certain pity inher own. "Because," she said with great gentleness, "I believe that it istrue."

  In the silence that followed she waited for his own laugh of mockery anddid not hear it. The odd eyes comprehended her, and passed her by, fellabruptly to Toby and dwelt upon her with a whimsical tenderness.

  "I always said you were a little ass, didn't I, Toby?" he said.

  And Toby turned with an apologetic murmur and softly kissed his hand.