CHAPTER XIII
THE ONLY PORT
It was a rainy, squally morning, and Jake returning from the Stablesafter an early ride, looked down at his muddy gaiters with momentaryhesitation. Mrs. Lovelace, his cook and housekeeper, objected verystrongly to muddy gaiters in what she was pleased to call "her parlour."They generally meant disaster to a clean table-doth, though Jake himselfcould never be made to see why, since he was the only person to use itand never noticed its condition, this should be regarded as a matter ofvital importance.
On the present occasion, Mrs. Lovelace being out of sight and hearing,he decided to risk detection, and, leaving his cap on a peg in the darkoak passage, he passed on to the room overlooking the downs and thedistant sea in which he had once entertained Bunny and his sister.
Breakfast would be awaiting him, he knew; and he was more than ready forbreakfast. In fact he was ravenously hungry, and he hastened to hidethe offending gaiters under the spotless table-doth as soon as he hadrung the bell for the dish which was being kept hot for him.
When Mrs. Lovelace came stoutly in, he greeted her with a smile. "I'mlate this morning. Been having a tussle with one of the youngsters.No, don't put that whip away! It wants a new lash. What a cussednuisance this rain is! The ground is a quagmire, and the animals canhardly keep their feet. Any letters?"
"One, sir," said Mrs. Lovelace, and laid it before him. Then she lookedat him searchingly. "Did you get very muddy?" she enquired.
"What?" said Jake. He took up his letter. "Yes, you can take thecover. No, leave the coffee! I'll pour that out when I'm ready.Muddy? Look out of the window, my good woman, if you want to know!Don't wait! Time's precious, and I guess you're busy."
Again he smiled upon Mrs. Lovelace, his pleasant, candid smile; and Mrs.Lovelace had perforce to smile back and withdraw.
Jake heaved a sigh of relief, and began his breakfast. His letter,bearing a purple crest of a fox's head and under it the motto: _SansVertu_, lay on the table before him. He eyed it as he ate, and presentlytook it up. It bore a Swiss stamp.
Jake opened it and read:
"DEAR BOLTON,
"I meant to winter in Cairo, and heaven alone knows why I am here. Itis fiendishly cold, and blowing great guns. There was skating when Iarrived, but that is a dream of the oast. We now slop about knee-deepin slush or play cat's cradle in the _salon_ during the day. We danceor cuddle in corners practically all night. Some of the female portionof the community are quite passably attractive, but I always preferredone goddess to a crowd, and she is not to be found here. Unless itfreezes within the next forty-eight hours, I shall come back to beastlyold England and look for her. So if I should turn up at Burchesterwithin the next few days, please accept this (the only) intimation andhave the stud ready for inspection.
"Yours sincerely, "SALTASH."
Jake's face wore a curious expression as he folded the letter andreturned it to the envelope. It was what Bunny called his "cowboy"look--a look in which humour and sheer, savage determination were veryoddly mingled. There was a good deal of the primitive man about him atthat moment. He continued his breakfast with business-like rapidity andpresently helped himself to coffee with a perfectly steady hand.
The cup, however, was still untasted beside him when Mrs. Lovelace oncemore made her appearance, her plump face looking somewhat startled.
"Miss Brian has called, sir. Wishes to see you for a moment. Shall Ishow her in?"
Jake's chair scraped back and he was on his feet in a single movement."Of course! Where is she? No, I'll fetch her myself. Out of the way,my good woman!"
He removed her from his path without the smallest ceremony, and was gonebefore she could protest.
In the passage he almost ran into his visitor. "Miss Brian! Is thatyou? Come right in! Snakes! You're wet. Come along to the fire!"
He had her by it before his greeting was fully uttered. A man of actionat all times, was Jake. And Maud, still panting from her recentstruggle with the elements, found herself in an easy-chair, holdingnumbed fingers to the blaze almost before she realized how she came tobe there. He knelt beside her, unbuttoning her streaming waterproof.She saw the glint of the firelight on his chestnut hair.
"Thank you," she said, with an effort. "You are very kind."
He looked at her with those lynx-like eyes of his. "Say, you'reperished!" he said, in his soft, easy drawl.
She smiled quiveringly at the concern in his face. She had expected aprecipitate enquiry about Bunny, but it was evident that he had thoughtsonly for her at that moment. And she was very badly in need of humankindness and consideration just then.
She sat huddled over the fire, all the queenliness gone out of her,tried to speak to him twice and failed; finally, shook her head and satin silence.
He got up and reached across the table for the coffee he had just pouredout.
"Drink a little!" he said, holding it to her. "You need it."
She made a small gesture of impotence. Somehow the warmth and comfortof the room after the cheerless cold without had upset her. She stillsmiled, but it was a puckered, difficult smile, and her eyes were fullof tears. She could not take the cup. Her throat worked painfully.Again she shook her head.
Jake stood beside her for a moment or two looking down at her, then withswift decision he set down the coffee, stepped to the door and quietlyturned the key.
He came back to her with the steady purpose of a man quite sure ofhimself, knelt again by her side, put his arm about her.
"You lean on me, my girl!" he said softly. "Don't be afraid!"
She gave him a quick look. The tears were running down her face. Shecovered it suddenly with both hands and sobbed.
He drew her to him so gently that she was hardly aware of the actiontill her head came to rest on his shoulder. His free hand, strong andpurposeful, took possession of one of hers and sturdily held it.
"It's all right," he murmured to her soothingly. "It's all right."
She wept for awhile without restraint, her nerves completely shattered,her pride laid low. And while she wept, Jake held her, strongly,sustainingly, his red-brown eyes staring unblinkingly full into theheart of the fire.
At the end of a long interval she grew a little calmer, made as if shewould withdraw herself. But very quietly he frustrated her.
"No, not while you're feeling so badly. Say, now, let me take off yourhat! Guess I can do it without you moving."
She was not in a condition to forbid him, and he removed it withconsiderable dexterity, while she still hid her quivering face againsthim with an instinctive confidence that paid a dumb tribute to the man'scomplete mastery of himself.
"I'm dreadfully sorry--to have behaved like this," she whispered atlast.
"You needn't be sorry for that," said Jake. "No one will know exceptme. And I don't count."
"I think you do," she faltered, and made a more decided effort to freeherself.
He let her go with a kindly pat on the shoulder. "Say, now, if thatcoffee ain't cold, p'raps you'll try a sip."
He reached for it and held it to her without rising. She lifted the cupin both her trembling hands while he held the saucer, and slowly drank.
Jake's eyes went with abrupt directness to her wrists as she did it. Hedid not speak at the moment. Only as she returned the cup he put itquietly aside and laid his hand over hers.
"What's that skunk Sheppard been doing to you?" he asked.
She shrank at the straight question "How--how did you know----"
He lifted his hand and pushed back her sleeves without speaking. Therewas something dreadful about him as he regarded the bruises thusexposed.
A quick fear went through her. "Jake," she said sharply, "that--is noaffair of yours. You are not to--interfere."
His eyes came up to hers and the hardness went from him on the instant."I reckon you're going to make some use of me," he said.
She trembled a little and turned her face away. She had used hisChristian name spontaneously, and now suddenly she found that allformality had gone from between them. It disconcerted her, frightenedher, made her uncertain as to his attitude as well as her own.
Jake waited a few seconds; then with the utmost gentleness he laid hishand again upon hers. "Are you afraid to say it?" he said.
"To say--what?" Her hands moved agitatedly beneath his till strangely,unexpectedly, they turned and clasped it with convulsive strength."Yes, I am afraid," she said, with a sob.
"But I asked you to marry me weeks ago," said Jake.
Her head was bowed. She sought to avoid his look. "I know you did."
"And you are going to marry me," he said, in a tone that was scarcely aquestion.
She turned desperately and faced him. "I must have a clearunderstanding with you first," she said.
"I--see," said Jake.
He met her eyes with the utmost directness, and before his look herswavered and fell. "Please!" she whispered. "You must agree to that."
He did not speak for a moment, but his fingers wound themselves closelyabout her own.
"I don't want you to be scared," he said finally. "But--that's a mightybig thing you've asked of me."
Maud's face was burning. "I knew it isn't for me to make--conditions,"she said, under her breath.
A gleam of humour crossed Jake's face. "I guess it's up to me to acceptor refuse," he said. "But--suppose I refuse--what are you going to dothen? Will you marry me--all the same?"
She shook her head instantly. "I don't know what I shall do, Jake.I--I must go back and think."
She mustered her strength and made as if she would rise, but he checkedher.
"Wait!" he said. "I haven't refused--yet. Lean back and rest a bit!I've got to do some thinking too."
She obeyed him because it seemed that he must be obeyed. He got to hisfeet.
"Poor girl!" he said gently. "It hasn't been easy for you, has it?Reckon you've just been driven to me for refuge. I'm the nearest port,that's all."
"The only port," Maud answered, with a shiver.
"All right," he said. "It's a safe one. But--" He left the sentenceunfinished and turned to the window.
She lay back with closed eyes, counting the hard throbs of her heartwhile she waited. He was very quiet, standing behind her with his faceto the storm-driven clouds. She longed to know what was passing in hismind, but she could not break the silence. It held her like a spellwhile the clock on the mantelpiece ticked the dragging minutes away. Shewhispered to her racing heart that the moment he moved she would riseand go. But while the silence lasted she could not bring herself tostir. She was worn out physically and mentally, almost too weary forthought.
He moved at length rather suddenly, wheeled round before she was aware,and came back to the fire.
"Don't get up!" he said. "You look ready to drop, and you may just aswell hear what I have to say sitting. It won't make a mite ofdifference."
She raised her eyes to his in unconscious appeal. "I am afraid I havemade a mistake," she said.
She saw his smile for a moment. "No, you haven't made a mistake, mygirl. You're safe with me. But I wonder if you have the faintest ideanow why I want you for my wife."
The simple directness of his speech touched her as she did not want tobe touched. She sat silent, her hands clasped tightly together.
"You haven't," he said. "And p'raps this isn't the time to tell you.You've come to me for refuge--as I hoped you would--and I shan't abuseyour confidence. But, you know, I had a reason."
He paused, but she still said nothing. Only she could not meet his eyesany longer. She looked away into the fire, waiting for him to continue.
"Say, now," he said, after a moment, "if I make a bargain with you, youwon't accuse me of taking advantage of your position?"
She winced a little. "I wish you--to forget--that I ever said that."
"All right. It is forgotten," said Jake. "I'll go ahead. We haven'tmentioned Bunny though I take it he is a fairly big factor in the case.That is to say, if it hadn't been for Bunny, you would never have takenthis step."
Maud's eyes went swiftly up to his. "But of course I shouldn't!" shesaid quickly. "I thought you understood that."
"I quite understand," said Jake. "I assure you I'm not taking anythingfor granted. But now--I want to put it to you--supposing the impossiblehappened, supposing Bunny were cured,--yes, it's only the hundredthchance, I know--still, just for a moment, suppose it! Bunny cured, ableto look after himself like other lads. You would be married to me.What then?"
"What then?" She repeated the words, still with an effort meeting hislook.
He made a slight gesture with one hand. "You would stick to me?"
The hot colour flooded her face and neck. "Of course," she said, hervoice very low. "That goes without saying."
He bent slowly towards her. "Maud, if we ever live alone together, itmust be as man and wife."
His voice was low too, but she heard in it a deep note that seemed topierce through and through her. His eyes drew and held her own. Shewanted to avoid them but could not. They burned like the red, innerheart of a furnace.
The blood receded from her face. She felt it go. "We--need never livealone," she said faintly.
He held out a quiet hand to her. "P'raps not. But I should like yourpromise to that, all the same." He paused a moment; then added: "I havesworn already to be good to you, remember."
She laid her hand in his. She could not do otherwise. He held it andwaited.
"Very well," she said at last, her voice almost a whisper. "I--agree."
He let her go, and straightened himself. "It's a deal, then," he said."And now for more immediate details. You've decided to marry me, and Igather you don't mind how soon?"
He picked up a clay pipe from the mantelpiece, and knocked out some ashagainst the fireplace.
Maud watched him with a curious species of fascination. There wassomething in the man's serenity of mien that puzzled her, something thatdid not go with those fiery, possessive eyes.
He looked at her with a smile that was half-quizzical, half-kindly, andher heart began to beat more freely.
"We must somehow get away from 'The Anchor' to-day," she said. "I havea little money. Perhaps if you would help me to move Bunny, we could gointo lodgings again until----"
"I have a little money too," said Jake. "And I will certainly help you.But first,--do you object to telling me what has been happening at 'TheAnchor'?"
She coloured again vividly, painfully, but he was fully engrossed withthe filling of his pipe and did not notice her embarrassment.
"To begin with," she said with difficulty, "he--Mr. Sheppard--has turnedus out of the room downstairs. He carried Bunny off himself to an atticunder the roof, and hurt him horribly. I was driven nearly mad at thetime." She broke off, shuddering at the remembrance.
Jake frowned. "Go on!" he said briefly.
She went on with increasing difficulty. "That happened yesterday. Ihoped you would come round in the afternoon or evening, but you didn't."
"I couldn't get away," he interpolated. "Yes? And then?"
"Then--in the evening--that is, late at night--" Maud stumbled like anervous child--"I went down to fetch something and he--he came in afterme, half-tipsy; and--and--he--" She halted suddenly. "I can't go on!"she said, with quivering lips.
Jake laid aside his pipe and stooped over her. "Did he beat you, or didhe make love to you? Which?" he said.
There was a sound in his voice like the growl of an angry beast. Shecould not look him in the face.
"Tell me!" he said, and laid an imperative hand on her shoulder. "Youneed never tell anyone else."
She shrank a little. "I don't see why I should tell you," she saidreluctantly.
"You must tell me," said Jake with decision.
And, after brief hesitation, miserably,
with face averted, she yieldedand told him. After all, why should he not know? Her dainty pride wascrushed for ever. She could sink no lower.
"He held me down and thrashed me--with his slipper. I was in mynight-dress, and--and it was rather a brutal thrashing. Perhaps somewomen wouldn't have minded it much; but I--I am not used to that kind oftreatment. I hope you will never beat me, Jake. I don't bear it veryheroically."
She tried to laugh, but it was a piteous little sound that came from herquivering throat.
Jake's hand closed upon her shoulder. She seemed to feel the whole manvibrate behind it like a steel spring. Yet he made no comment whatever."Go on!" he said, his voice short and stern. "Tell me everything!"
She braced herself to finish. "He went on till he was tired. I believeI was wailing like a baby, but no one heard. And then--and then--hesuddenly discovered that I was a woman and not a naughty child, andhe--he--kissed me." She shuddered suddenly and violently. "That'snearly all," she ended. "I got away from him, heaven knows how. And Igot back to Bunny. I didn't tell him everything, but I couldn't helphim knowing I was upset. We neither of us slept all night. And thenight before was a bad one too. That's how I came to be so idiotic justnow."
She leaned slowly back in her chair till she rested against the hand hehad laid upon her.
"Do you know," she said tremulously, after a moment, "I think it hasactually done me good to tell you? You are very kind to me, Jake."
He withdrew his hand and turned away. "That may be," he saidenigmatically. "And again it may not. Thanks anyway for telling me."He picked up the horsewhip that he had flung down on entering, and beganwith his square, steady fingers to remove the lash. "You are right.You can't spend another night at 'The Anchor.' If you will allow me, Iwill find some comfortable rooms where you and Bunny can stay till wecan get married. I will go up to-morrow and get a special licence. Themarriage might be arranged for Sunday--if that will suit you."
"Next Sunday?" Maud started round and looked at him with startled eyes.
He nodded. "In church. After the eight o'clock service if there isone. Your mother must give you away. Afterwards, we will come on herewith the boy." He glanced round at her. "He shall have this room forthe daytime, and the one over it to sleep in. I'm sorry there are nottwo ground-floor rooms for him; but I know how to carry him in comfort.Of course, if necessary this room could be used as a bedroom as well."
He threw down the worn lash and went to a drawer for a new one. Maudstill watched him in silence.
"Does that meet with your approval?" he asked at length.
"I think you are--more than good," she said, a tremor of feeling in hervoice.
He kept his eyes lowered over his task. "I am not hustling you toomuch?" he enquired.
She smiled wanly. "I am asking myself if I ought to let you do it," shesaid. "It doesn't seem very fair to you."
"It chances to be the thing I want," said Jake, his fingers still busy."And I reckon you won't disappoint me--won't draw back? I can count onyou?"
She rose, turning fully towards him. "You can certainly count on me,"she said. "But are you really sure you meant it? It isn't going tospoil your life?"
Jake stood upright with a jerk. She met the extraordinary brightness ofhis eyes with an odd mixture of boldness and reluctance.
"My girl," he said, in his queer, anomalous drawl, "there ain't a mananywhere in God's universe who knows what he wants better than I do. IfI didn't want this thing I shouldn't ask for it. See?" He came to herwith the words, and laid one finger on her arm. "Don't you know it'syour friendship I'm after?" he said, with a touch of aggressiveness."Why, I've been after it ever since that night I found you down in thedark alone on the edge of the parade. You were up against it thatnight, weren't you? And didn't like me over much for butting in. Do youknow what you made me think of? A forlorn princess of the Middle Ages.There's a mediaeval flavour about you. I don't know where you keep it.But it makes me feel mediaeval too."
She drew back a little, stiffened ever so slightly. Something in herresented the freedom of his speech. Something rose in swift revolt andclamoured to be gone.
He must have seen her gesture, her quick, protesting blush; for heturned almost instantly and jerked the whip-lash through his fingers,testing it.
A fitful gleam of sunshine suddenly pierced the clouds behind him andshone on his bent head. His hair gleamed like burnished copper. Thetawny glint of it made her think of an animal--a beast of prey, alert,merciless, primeval.
She put on her hat. "I must be getting back to Bunny," she said.
"I am coming with you," said Jake.
She looked at him sharply. "You will walk?"
"Yes, I shall walk."
She pointed with nervous abruptness to the whip he held. "Then you won'twant that."
Jake smiled, and tested the whip again without speaking.
Maud waited a moment; then steadily she spoke. "You realized of course,that when I told you about Mr. Sheppard's behaviour of last night, itwas in strict confidence?"
Jake squared his broad shoulders. "All right, my girl. It's safe withme," he said. "There shan't be any scandal."
Maud was very white, but quite resolute. "Jake," she said, "you are notto do it."
He raised his brows.
"You are not to do it!" she said again, with vehemence. "I mean it! Imean it! The quarrel is not yours. You are not to make it so." Shepaused, and suddenly caught her breath. "Oh, don't look at me likethat! You make me--afraid!"
Jake turned and tossed the whip down on the window-seat. "You've nothingto be afraid of," he said rather curtly. "You're making your ownbugbear. P'raps it's natural," he added, with abrupt gentleness."You've had a lot to bear lately. There! I've done what you asked. Wehad better get back while it's fine."
He unlocked and opened the door, standing back for her to pass.
He kept his eyes downcast as she went through, and she knew that it wasin response to her appeal that he did so. She tingled with a burningembarrassment, which vanished all in a moment as he said: "Say, now, doyou mind if I light my pipe before I follow you? Don't wait! I'llcatch you up."
And she made her way out into the fleeting sunlight and racing wind witha strong sense of relief. The pipe was not a particularly aristocraticfeature of Jake's existence, but it was an extremely characteristic one,and it placed matters on a normal footing at once. Jake was neverdisconcerting or formidable when he was smoking a pipe. She consentedto it gladly.
And Jake turned back into the room with a grim smile on his lips, pickedup a letter from the table, and thrust it deep into the fire.
After that he lighted his pipe with the charred remnants thereof, andfollowed Maud into the open.
The Hundredth Chance Page 14