Charles Rex

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE MAGICIAN'S WAND

  "I can't think where I have seen that girl before," said Sheilathoughtfully, drumming her fingers on the white rail, her soft eyes fixedupon the jewelled bay. "She has an arresting face."

  "You have never seen her," said Saltash carelessly, flickingcigarette-ash overboard. "She has the sort of face that the old Italiansworshipped and some of the moderns too. You have seen it in theirpictures."

  Sheila's brows were drawn. "I have seen her--somehow--dressed as a boy,"she said. "Could it have been a picture?"

  "Yes. One of Spentoli's. I've got a print somewhere. It's called, 'TheVictim'--a lad with a face like Larpent's daughter, fighting a leopard."

  Saltash spoke with easy conviction, his restless eyes flashing to andfro, often glancing but never resting upon the girl beside him. "That'swhat you're thinking of. It's an unsatisfactory sort of picture. Onewonders which is 'The Victim.' But that is Spentoli all over. He alwaysleaves one wondering."

  "I know the thing you mean." Sheila nodded meditatively. "Yes, sheis--rather like that. The boy was 'The Victim' of course." She turnedtowards him suddenly with the words. "You can't possibly doubt that. Thebrute's teeth are almost in his throat. I think it's a horrible picturemyself."

  Saltash laughed. "A deliverer arrives sometimes," he remarked, "even inthe last, most awful moment of all. Have you never said to yourself howseldom the thing we really expect comes to pass?"

  Sheila's lips parted with a touch of scorn. "Perhaps it is safer not toexpect," she said.

  "Perhaps," agreed Saltash, with his quick grimace. "I learnt that lessona long time ago. There are so many slips--especially when the cup isfull." He added inconsequently, "And even if it gets there, the wine issour as often as not when you come to drink."

  "I can quite believe it," said the girl, and looked out once more overthe wreathing flowers to the rippling waters of the bay.

  Her mouth took a firm line, and Saltash, glancing at her, began to laugh."Do you know, Miss Melrose, it's rather curious, but you remind me ofSpentoli too in some ways? I don't know if you and Miss Larpent possessthe same characteristics, but I imagine you might develop them, given thesame conditions."

  Sheila stiffened at the words. "I am sure you are quite wrong," she saidcoldly. "Captain Larpent's daughter is quite obviously a child ofimpulse. I--am not."

  "I think you would be impulsive enough to fight the leopard if he cameyour way," contended Saltash with idle insistence. "Or perhaps you wouldcharm him. I imagine that might be more in your line."

  Again the girl's lip curled. She said nothing for a moment, thendeliberately, for the first time in her life, she snubbed him. "No, Ishould never try to charm--a beast, Lord Saltash."

  "You prefer them savage?" countered Saltash.

  She made a careless gesture with one hand, without replying. She did noteven look towards him. "I think Miss Larpent might be quite clever inthat respect," she said. "She is--a born charmer."

  "By Jove!" he said. "What a cruel compliment!"

  Sheila said nothing. She was watching a small boat rowing steadilytowards them through the dark water, with eyes that were grave and fixed.

  Saltash's look followed hers, and he grimaced to himself, oddly, wryly,as a man who accomplishes a task for which he has no liking. Then in amoment he turned the conversation. "Did you ever meet Rozelle Daubeni,the enchantress?"

  Sheila's soft eyes came to him at the sudden question. "No. I have heardof her. I have never met her. I don't want to meet her. Why?"

  He threw her a daring glance. "It would do you good to meet her. She is aborn charmer if you like. She charms women as well as men--and beasts."

  "An adventuress!" said Sheila.

  "Yes, an adventuress. One of the most wonderful, I should say, who everlived. She is in Paris just now. When she comes to England--" again hislook dared her--"I will take you to see her. It will be--an educationfor you."

  "Thank you," Sheila said.

  He laughed aloud, and suddenly stretched his hand to her with a movementof good fellowship. "I'm only teasing. Don't be cross! I wouldn't takeyou to see her for all the gold of Ophir. She is rotten--too rotten evenfor me, which is saying much."

  Sheila hesitated momentarily before she gave her hand.

  "Why did you speak of her? What brought her to your mind?"

  He glanced again towards the little boat now drawing near to the yacht,but he did not answer her question till her hand met his.

  "I have--a somewhat elastic mind," he said then, and smiled his mostbaffling smile. "It was your talk of charmers that did it. I was tryingto think of all I had met."

  "All the Rozelles and the Tobies!" said Sheila, with a hard little laugh.

  He gripped her hand and released it. "I have never met more than one ofeach," he said. "Which may be the secret of their charm. Don't class themtogether in your mind for a moment! Larpent's daughter may be a borncharmer. Young Bunny Brian seems to think so at any rate. But she isnot--and never will be--an adventuress."

  "Is Bunny Brian fond of her--really fond of her?" asked Sheila.

  Saltash nodded. "Sure thing--as Jake would say! And he's a sound chaptoo. I hope he'll get her."

  "She is not very likely to refuse," said Sheila, turning from the rail.

  The little boat had passed out of sight under the lee of the yacht. Agreat rocket whistled skywards, and broke in a violet flare that lightedsea and shore. The _fete_ was over, and people were crowding on board.The band was playing a selection from a comic opera, and a few voiceswere singing the careless, sentimental words.

  Saltash turned with his companion. "And now we are going to supper at TheAnchor. I must get Mrs. Bolton to lead the way. Poor Jake is bored to thesoul, but he's facing it like a man. Fine fellow--Jake."

  "Oh, is he a friend of yours?" Sheila asked. "A very particular friend, Imean?"

  Saltash grimaced to the stars. "No, I don't think so. Ask Jake! He knowsme better than some, that's all. And I know him."

  They left the yacht's rail and joined the on-coming throng. It was likea scene out of a fairy tale--the gaudy Chinese lanterns bobbing to andfro, the gaily-coloured crowd, the shining white yacht rocking gently onthe noiseless swell. Everyone was laughing. Some were singing. There wasnot a serious face to be seen in all the crowd that poured over thered-carpeted gangway from the quay.

  "Where is Toby?" said Maud.

  She was standing with Jake in the many-hued glow of the lanterns, and sheasked the question with a momentary anxiety, for she had looked in vainfor Toby for some time.

  "She's with Bunny. She's safe enough," said Jake.

  "But they haven't come on board yet, and they've been gone so long," Maudsaid. "It's curious how little Captain Larpent seems to interest himselfin her doings."

  "Mighty curious," agreed Jake.

  For Larpent had kept to the bridge morosely, almost throughout theevening. He was standing there now, looking down upon the shifting,chattering crowd. He had no idea how long it would be before Saltashtired of the game and gave orders to set sail. He waited in dumbendurance--as he would wait from day to day until the longed-for momentarrived. It had happened often before, Saltash's caprice had sometimesdriven him to the verge of rebellion, but no one--not even Saltashhimself--ever suspected it. Silent, phlegmatic, inexpressive, Larpentheld on his undeviating course.

  Maud's attention did not linger upon him. No one--save perhapsSaltash--ever paid much attention to Larpent. She turned back to watchthe now empty gangway, and in a moment she gave an exclamation of relief.

  "Ah! Here they come at last!"

  A laughing voice spoke behind her. "Enter Cinderella and the Prince!"

  She started and saw Saltash's swarthy face close to her. His odd eyeslooked into hers with a flash of mischief.

  "See how all my plans bear fruit!" he said. "I wave my wand, and youbehold the result."

  She turned from him to look again upon the advancing couple. They werecrossing
the gangway alone. Toby, slim, girlish, her wide blue eyesshining like the eyes of an awakened child, Bunny close behind her,touching her, his hand actually on her shoulder, possession andprotection in every line of him. He was murmuring into her ear as theycame, and his face was alight with the glory which no earthly lamp cankindle.

  "Behold!" Saltash said again, and moved forward in his sudden fashion toreceive them.

  He met them as they stepped on board, and in a moment they were thecentre of observation. The buzz of talk died down as the generalattention focussed upon them. Maud was aware of Jake standing squarelybehind her, and she put out a hand to him which he grasped and held.

  Saltash was laughing, but they could not hear what he said. Only in amoment he had taken a hand of Bunny's and a hand of Toby's and joinedthem together. Toby's eyes were lifted to his face. She was smiling withlips that trembled, and Maud's heart gave a great throb of pity, shecould not have said wherefore. She had a deep longing to go and gatherthe child into her arms and comfort her.

  Then Toby too was laughing, and she heard Saltash's voice. "These thingsonly happen properly once in a blue moon, _ma chere_. I give you both myblessing for the second time to-day. I wish you better luck than has evercome my way."

  He threw a gay malicious glance towards the bridge, where Larpent stoodlike a grim Viking looking down upon the scene.

  "Come!" he said. "We had better go and tell your daddy next!"

  He led them lightly forward, and the crowd opened out with jests andlaughter to let them pass.

  Toby walked between the two men, very pale but still smiling--a smilethat was curiously like the smile of a child that is trying not to cry.

  "Oh, poor little thing!" Maud whispered suddenly and drew back besideJake as if she could not bear to look.

  "She'll be all right," said Jake stoutly. "Don't you fret any! Bunny'ssound."

  "Oh, yes, I know--I know! But she's so young." All the yearning ofmotherhood was in Maud's voice. "Does she love him? Does she?"

  Jake's hand gripped hers more closely. He looked into her face with asmile in his red-brown eyes. "Maybe not as we know love," he said. "Itdoesn't come all at once--that sort."

  She smiled back at him, for she could not help it, even as she shook herhead in misgiving. "Sometimes--it doesn't come at all!" she said.