Greatheart

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER XVI

  THE SECOND DRAUGHT

  They returned to the hotel by a circuitous route that brought them by amountain-road into the village just below the hotel. The moon was risingas they ascended the final slope. The chill of mist was in the air.

  Sir Eustace was waiting for them in the porch. He helped his sister toalight, but she went by him at once with a rapt look as though she hadnot seen him. She had sat in almost unbroken silence throughout thehomeward drive.

  Dinah would have followed her in, but Sir Eustace held her back a moment."There is to be a dance to-night," he murmured in her ear. "May I counton you?"

  She looked at him, the ecstasy of the mountains still shining in herstarry eyes. "Yes--yes! If I am allowed!" And then, with a sudden memoryof her promise to the Colonel, "But I don't suppose I shall be. And Ihaven't anything to wear except my fancy dress."

  "What of that?" he said lightly. "Call the fairies in to help!"

  She laughed, and ran in.

  Not for a moment did she suppose that she would be allowed to dance thatnight; but it seemed that luck was with her, for the first person she metwas the Colonel, and he was looking so particularly well pleased withhimself and affairs in general that she stopped to tell him of her drive.

  "It's been so perfect," she said. "I have enjoyed it! Thank you ever somany times for letting me go!"

  Her flushed and happy face was very fair to see, and the Colonel smiledupon her with fatherly kindness. He could not help liking the child. Shewas such a taking imp!

  "Glad you've had a good time," he said. "I hope you thanked your friendsfor taking you."

  "I should think I did!" laughed Dinah; and then seeing that hisexpression was so benignant she slipped an ingratiating hand through hisarm. "Colonel, please--please--may I dance to-night?"

  "What?" He looked at her searchingly, with a somewhat laboured attempt tobe severe. "Now--now--who do you want to dance with?"

  "Anyone or no one," said Dinah boldly. "I feel happy enough to dance bymyself."

  "That means you're in a mischievous mood," said the Colonel.

  "It's only a Cinderella affair," pleaded Dinah. "To-morrow's Sunday, youknow. There'll be no dancing to-morrow."

  "And a good thing too," he commented. "A pity Sunday doesn't comeoftener! What will Lady Grace say I wonder?"

  "But Rose is sure to dance," urged Dinah.

  "I'm not so sure of that, Sir Eustace Studley has been teaching her toski all the afternoon, and if she isn't tired, she ought to be."

  "Oh, lucky Rose!" Dinah knew an instant's envy. "But I expect she'lldance all the same. And--and--I may dance with him--just once, mayn't I?There couldn't be any harm in just one dance. No one would notice that,would they?"

  She pressed close to the Colonel with her petition, and he found it hardto refuse. She made it with so childlike an earnestness, and--all hispomposity notwithstanding--he had a soft heart for children.

  "There, be off with you!" he said. "Yes, you may give him one dance if heasks for it. But only one, mind! That's a bargain, is it?"

  Dinah beamed radiant acquiescence. "I'll save all the rest for you.You're a dear to let me, and I'll be ever so good. Good-bye!"

  She went, flitting like a butterfly up the stairs, and the Colonel smiledin spite of himself as he watched her go. "Little witch!" he muttered. "Iwonder what your mother would say to you if she knew."

  Dinah raced breathless to her room, and began a fevered toilet. It wastrue that she possessed nothing suitable for ballroom wear; but then thedance was to be quite informal, and she was too happy to fret herselfover that fact. She put on the white muslin frock which she had worn fordinner ever since she had been with the de Vignes. It gave her afairylike daintiness that had a charm of its own of which she was utterlyunconscious. Perhaps fortunately, she had no time to think of herappearance. When she descended again, her eyes were still shining with ahappiness so obvious that Billy, meeting her, exclaimed, "What have yougot to be so cheerful about?"

  She proceeded to tell him of the glorious afternoon she had spent, andwas still in the midst of her description when Sir Eustace came up andjoined them.

  "I thought you would manage it," he said, with smiling assurance. "Andnow how many may I have? All the waltzes?"

  Dinah's laugh rang so gaily that several heads were turned in herdirection, and she smothered it in alarm.

  "I can only give you one," she said, with a great effort at sobriety.

  "What? Oh, nonsense!" he protested, his blue eyes dominating hers. "Youcouldn't be so shabby as that!"

  Dinah's chin pointed merrily upwards. The situation had its humour. Itwas certainly rather amusing to elude him. She knew he had caught her fartoo easily the night before.

  "It's all I have to offer," she declared.

  "Meaning you're not going to dance more than one dance?" he asked.

  She opened her laughing eyes wide. "Why should it mean that? You're notthe only man in the room, are you?"

  Sir Eustace's jaw set itself suddenly after a fashion that made himlook formidable, albeit he laughed back at her with his eyes. "Allright--Daphne," he murmured. "I'll have the first."

  Dinah's heart gave a little throb of apprehension, but she quieted itimpatiently. What had she to fear? She nodded and lightly turned away.

  All through dinner she alternately dreaded and longed for the moment ofhis coming to claim that dance from her. That haughty confidence of hishad struck a curious chord in her soul, and the suspense was almostunbearable.

  She noticed that Rose was very serene and smiling, and she regarded hercomplacency with growing resentment. Rose could dance as often as sheliked with him, and no one would find fault. Rose had had him all toherself throughout the afternoon moreover. She knew very well that hadthe ski-ing lesson been offered to her, she would not have been allowedto avail herself of it.

  A wicked little spirit awoke within her. Why should she always be keptthus in the background? Surely her right to the joys of life was as greatas--if not greater than--Rose's! With her it would all end so soon, whileRose had the whole of her youth before her like a pleasant garden inwhich she might wander or rest at will.

  Dinah began to feel feverish. It seemed so imperative that she shouldmiss nothing good during this brief, brief time of happiness vouchsafedher by the gods.

  Her frame of mind when she entered the ballroom was curious. Mutiny anddoubt, longing and dread, warred strangely together. But the moment hecame to her, the moment she felt his arm about her, rapture came anddrove out all beside. She drank again of the wine of the gods, drankdeeply, giving herself up to it without reservation, too eager to catchevery drop thereof to trouble as to what might follow.

  He caught her mood. Possibly it was but the complement of his own. Freelyhe interpreted it, feeling her body throb in swift accord to everymotion, aware of the almost passionate surrender of her whole being tothe delight of that one magic dance. She was reckless, and he wasdetermined. If this were to be all, he would take his fill at once, andshe should have hers. Before the dance was more than half through, heguided her out of the labyrinth into the darkly curtained recess that ledout to the verandah, and there holding her, before she so much asrealized that they had ceased to dance, he gathered her suddenly andfiercely to him and covered her startled, quivering face with kisses.

  She made no outcry, attempted no resistance. He had been too sudden forthat. His mastery was too absolute. Holding her fast in the gloom, hetook what he would, till with a little sob her arms clasped his neck andshe clung to him, giving herself wholly up to him.

  But when his hold relaxed at last, she hid her face panting against hisbreast. He smoothed the dark hair with a possessive touch, laughingsoftly at her agitation.

  "Did you think you could get away from me, you brown elf?" he whispered.

  "I--I could if I tried," she whispered back.

  His hold tightened again. "Try!" he said.

  She shook her head without lifting it. "No
," she murmured,with a shy laugh. "I don't want to. Shan't we go back--anddance--before--before--" She broke off in confusion.

  "Before what?" he said.

  She made a motion to turn her face upwards, but, finding his still close,buried it a little deeper. "I--promised the Colonel--I'd be good," shefaltered into his shoulder. "I think I ought to begin--soon; don't you?"

  "Is that why I am to have only this one dance?" he asked.

  "Yes," she admitted.

  His caressing hand found and lightly pressed her cheek. "What are yougoing to do when it's over?" he asked.

  "I don't know," she said. "There's Billy. I may dance with him."

  He laughed. "That's an exciting programme. Shall I tell you what I shoulddo--if I were in your place?"

  "What?" said Dinah.

  Again she raised her face a few inches and again, catching a glimpse ofthe compelling blue eyes, plunged it deeply into his coat.

  He laughed again softly, with a hint of mockery. "I should have one dancewith Billy, and one with the omnipotent Colonel. And then I should betired and say good night."

  "But I shan't be a bit tired," protested Dinah, faintly indignant.

  "Of course not," laughed Sir Eustace. "You will be just ripe for a littlefun. There's quite a cosy sitting-out place at the end of our corridor. Ishould go to bed _via_ that route."

  "Oh!" said Dinah, with a gasp.

  She lifted her head in astonishment, and met the eyes that so thrilledher. "But--but that would be wrong!" she said.

  "I've done naughtier things than that, my virtuous sprite," he said.

  But Dinah did not laugh. Very suddenly quite unbidden there flashedacross her the memory of Scott's look the night before and her ownoverwhelming confusion beneath it. What would her friend Mr. Greatheartsay to such a proposal? What would he say could he see her now? The hotblood rushed to her face at the bare thought. She drew herself away fromhim. Her rapture was gone; she was burningly ashamed. The Colonel'smajestic displeasure was as nothing in comparison with Scott's wordlessdisapproval.

  "Oh, I couldn't do that," she said. "I--couldn't. I ought not to be herewith you now."

  "My fault," he said easily. "I brought you here before you knew where youwere. If you go to confession, you can mention that as an extenuatingcircumstance."

  "Oh, don't!" said Dinah, inexplicably stung by his manner. "It--it isn'tnice of you to talk like that."

  He put out his hand and touched her arm lightly, persuasively. "Then youare angry with me?" he said.

  Her resentment melted. She threw him a fleeting smile. "No--no! But howcould you imagine I could tell anyone? You didn't seriously--youcouldn't!"

  "There isn't much to tell, is there?" he said, his fingers closing gentlyover the soft roundness of her arm. "And you don't like that plan ofmine?"

  "I didn't say I didn't like it," said Dinah, her eyes lowered."But--but--I can't do it, that's all. I'm going now. Good-bye!"

  She turned to go, but his fingers still held. He drew a step nearer.

  "Daphne, remember--you are not to run away!"

  A transient dimple showed at the corner of Dinah's mouth. "You must letme go then," she said.

  "And if I do--how will you reward me?" His voice was very deep; the tonesof it sent a sharp quiver through her. She felt unspeakably small andhelpless.

  She made a little gesture of appeal. "Please--please let me go! You knowyou are much stronger than I am."

  He drew nearer, his face bent so low that his lips touched her shoulderas she stood turned from him. "You don't know your strength yet," hesaid. "But you soon will. Are you going away from me like this? Don't youthink you're rather hard on me?"

  It was a point of view that had not occurred to Dinah. Her warm heart hada sudden twinge of self-reproach. She turned swiftly to him.

  "I didn't mean to be horrid. Please don't think that of me! I know Ioften am. But not to you--never to you!"

  "Never?" he said.

  His face was close to her, and it wore a faint smile in which shedetected none of the arrogance of the conqueror. She put up a shy,impulsive hand and touched his cheek.

  "Of course not--Apollo!" she whispered.

  He caught the hand and kissed it. She trembled as she felt the drawing ofhis lips.

  "I--I must really go now," she told him hastily.

  He stood up to his full height, and again she quivered as she realizedhow magnificent a man he was.

  "_A bientot_, Daphne!" he said, and let her go.

  She slipped away from his presence with the feeling of being caught inthe meshes of a great net from which she could never hope to escape. Shehad drunk to-night yet deeper of the wine of the gods, and she knewbeyond all doubting that she would return for more.

  The memory of his kisses thrilled her all through the night. When shedreamed she was back again in his arms.