The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure

by Margaret Vandercook

  CHAPTER IV

  A LATE ARRIVAL

  FRANK KENT returned unexpectedly from London early in the sameafternoon. He had not yet heard of Frieda's arrival, so that they atonce spent an hour talking together.

  Lord Kent, as most men did, treated his sister-in-law as a very prettyand charming young woman, who was not to be taken seriously. His wifehad told him of Frieda's difficulty with her husband, but not of thecause. At that time she was not aware of it. Also she had instructed himnot to mention the prospect of Professor Russell's appearance inEngland. So Frieda and Frank chatted and teased each other, as they hadsince she was a little girl just entering her teens, but neitherreferred to any unpleasant subject.

  Lord Kent had seemed tired when he first came home and was disappointedto find his wife absent.

  After his conversation with Frieda he relaxed and appeared more cheerfuland good natured. This was the effect Frieda usually had upon masculinepersons. She was so gentle and pretty, and her eyes were such a clearblue that one felt she could be easily influenced or persuaded. But thetruth was that Frieda was no more easily controlled than a kitten. Ifever one tries to train a little domestic animal, it will be discoveredthat a dog is far more quickly influenced than a kitten. As a matter offact a kitten is probably the most unchangeable of all domestic pets.

  Since the early afternoon the July day had altered. A soft rain hadbegun falling, so that tea at Kent House was served in the library.

  Olive, Frieda and Lord Kent waited half an hour later than usual,thinking that Jack and Captain MacDonnell would return. Then they dranktheir tea slowly, still believing that the riders would surely appearbefore they had finished.

  At half past five, when there was still no sign of his wife and friend,Lord Kent got up and several times walked back and forth from his chairto the big French window.

  For the moment Frieda had gone out of the room, so that he finally spoketo Olive.

  "I suppose it is ridiculous of me, but I am always more or less uneasywhen Jack and Bryan go off for rides together. Jack is the most fearlesshorsewoman in the world and Bryan the most all round, fearless man. Hehas killed big game in Africa and India and Australia, traveled in theCongo and in other equally uncivilized places. He never used to stay forany length of time in England. Now and then I have an idea of forbiddingJack to ride with him, I am so uncertain of what reckless thing they maydo together."

  "Oh, I don't think you need worry, Frank," Olive returned, "Jack isfearless but I don't think she has been reckless since the accident shehad when a girl."

  Although she could scarcely speak of it, Olive was smiling to herselfover Frank's use of the word "forbid." She never recalled that any onehad ever forbidden Jack to do anything she wished so long as she hadknown her. But probably Frank's forbidding was of the gentlest kind.Olive felt she must remember that the English attitude toward marriagewas not the same as the American, although when an Englishman marries anAmerican girl they are supposed to strike the happy medium.

  Entering the room again just as Frank concluded his speech, Frieda waseven more startled when she recalled that the use of this very word hadbeen one of the reasons for the most serious quarrel she had ever hadwith her husband. Henry had never used the word a second time.

  Another hour passed. Still Jack and Captain MacDonnell had not returned.Moreover, by this time the rain had become a steady downpour. Olive andFrieda were also uneasy.

  "If you will forgive my leaving you, I believe I will go and see if Ican find what has become of the wanderers," Frank suggested. Then,without further explanation or discussion, he went away.

  Ten minutes later, mounted on his own horse, he was riding down therain-washed road. He had found that the groom, who had accompanied Jackand Captain MacDonnell, had gotten separated from them and returned homehalf an hour before.

  Frank was uncertain whether he were the more angry or uneasy. It seemedimpossible to imagine what misfortune could have befallen his wife andfriend, which would have made it impossible for them to have eithertelephoned or sent some message home. Yet it was equally impossible toconceive that Jack would be so careless as to forget every one else inthe pursuit of her own pleasure. Even if she had been uncertain of hisarrival from London, there was Olive, who had been her guest only a fewdays and Frieda not twenty-four hours. But as a matter of fact Jack hadknown he would be down sometime during the evening although she did notknow the hour.

  July is one of the long twilight months in England. Nevertheless,because of the rain, the evening was a kind of smoke grey with thefaintest lavender tones in the sky. A heavy mist was also rising fromthe ground, so that with the falling rain one could not see many yardsahead.

  Lord Kent's plan was to leave word with his lodgekeeper at the lodgegate to follow after him in case any word came from Lady Kent, or if shereturned home before he did. But a moment or so before reaching thelodge, while yet in his own avenue, although at some distance from KentHouse, Frank heard laughter and low voices. There was no doubting thelaughter was Jack's.

  Frank pulled up his horse abruptly and stood still. The oncomingfigures were walking and leading their horses instead of riding. Thatinstant, because he was no longer uneasy, Frank discovered that he wasangrier and more hurt than he cared to show.

  All at once he overheard Jack say:

  "Do hurry, please, Bryan; I'm afraid everybody at home may be uneasy."

  But instead of hurrying, they must have stopped again. For the secondtime Jack murmured, "I don't see how I could ever have been such awretch, or how I'll ever confess to Frank."

  Then Captain MacDonnell's inquiry:

  "What are you going to say?"

  And his wife's answer:

  "Why, tell the truth and face the music; what else is there to do,Bryan?"

  In the past few years since his marriage, undoubtedly Frank Kent hadeither altered or simply developed. Sometimes it is difficult todetermine which one of these two things a human being has done. Frankhad always been quiet and determined. If he had been otherwise he wouldnever have tried for so many years to persuade Jacqueline Ralston tomarry him. But now that he had grown older, he certainly appearedsterner. He seemed to have certain fixed ideas of right and wrong, andthey were not broad ideas, to which he expected at least the members ofhis own household to conform.

  The two wayfarers were now in sight and Frank dismounted.

  "I am sorry to have been compelled to play eavesdropper," he saidcurtly, when they also caught sight of him.

  Jack was soaked with rain and her boots and riding habit were splashedwith mud. A little river of water filled and overflowed the brim of herhat. But her cheeks were a deep rose color and her grey eyes dear andshining.

  Frank would never have confessed that he felt a slight pang of jealousyat the good time his wife and friend must have been having, while he hadbeen making himself miserable with the thought that a disaster hadbefallen them.

  Jack's hand was resting on the nose of her horse, while CaptainMacDonnell held the bridles of both.

  "You have come out to search for us, haven't you, Frank?" Jack beganpenitently. "I am sorry; I did not know you could have arrived fromLondon so soon." She was now close beside her husband. "The truth is,Frank, I have had rather a horrid tumble. For a person who thinks sheknows how to ride, I seem to do the stupidest possible things."

  "You don't seem to have hurt yourself seriously, Jack," Frank answeredgrimly. For in spite of her penitence, which did not seem very profound,Jack looked extraordinarily happy and glowing.

  "No, I wasn't hurt in the least. I managed to get clear as we went down.But my horse's knee was sprained--not so badly as Bryan and I at firstthought. Still I did not like to ride him, so we have been walking alongthrough the rain for a few miles."

  "How did the accident occur? I am rather surprised, Jack," Frankanswered, now plainly more sympathetic because a little uneasy at whatcould have happened to his wife.

  Jack turned aside and even in the dusk one could see
she wasembarrassed.

  "Oh, I was disobeying orders," she said with a pretence of lightness. "Iwent over a rather high fence, which I had never taken before, withoutwaiting until Bryan could get up to me. I made the jump without trouble,but the ground on the other side was so soft that my horse's forefeetwent down into it. He stumbled and fell. That is why I am such aspectacle," she concluded, touching her mud-stained habit with her whip.

  Whatever he may have felt, Frank would naturally not discuss adifference between himself and his wife before another person. Hetherefore made no comment, but instead suggested:

  "Suppose you get on my horse, Jack, and ride up to the house. Frieda andOlive are uneasy. Bryan and I will come along together."

  According to the English custom, Lord and Lady Kent occupied separatebedrooms, which opened into each other.

  A half hour later Jack was dressing for dinner when she heard Frankenter his room. But he did not come into her apartment or call out toher, although they were usually in the habit of discussing variousquestions through their open door, while they changed their clothes.

  Jack, of course, recognized that her husband was angry with her. Alsoshe knew that he had a measure of right on his side. She had promisedhim not to attempt dangerous jumping in her cross-country riding. Heraccident a number of years before had made him and all the members ofher family more nervous about her than they would ordinarily have been,knowing that she had spent a large part of her life on horseback.Moreover, Frank had very rigid ideas about keeping one's word, notagreeing that one could swerve by a hair's breadth.

  In a good deal of haste, since dinner was to be announced at any moment,Jack put on a white satin dinner dress. It was an old one, but chancedto be particularly becoming. The gown was simply made, with a squareneck and a fold of tulle about the throat and a long, severely plainskirt. Only a woman with a figure as perfect as Jack's could have lookedwell in it. Her hair was arranged with equal simplicity, being coiledclosely about her head and held in place with a carved ivory comb.

  Half a dozen guests had been invited to dinner, nevertheless beforegoing downstairs Jack went first into her husband's room.

  Jack had always had a lovely nature. In the old days at Rainbow Lodge inany difficulty with one of the Ranch girls, although having a hightemper, she had been quick to confess herself in the wrong. Since hermarriage she had been more than ever inclined to do likewise with herhusband. So it was but natural that Frank should be under the impressionthat she would at all times eventually come around to his point of view.He did not realize that under some circumstances Jack might be asinflexible as he was.

  However, she waited a moment now with perfect good temper, while Frankpretended that he had not heard her enter his room. When he finally didlook toward her, she went up to him and put her arms about him. Then, ashe continued to frown, Jack smiled. She knew that her husband took smallmatters too seriously, having made this discovery soon after hermarriage, just as all girls make similar discoveries. But Jack was wiseenough to realize that she must try as wisely as she could to discountthis uncomfortable characteristic.

  "Don't be grouchy, please, Frank," she murmured. "I told you I wassorry, and you know that every now and then I have to get rid of some ofmy surplus American energy. After a hard ride with Bryan I can be aconventional English Lady for weeks."

  In spite of her good intention, Jack's remark was not wise. No matterhow devoted a man and woman may be to each other, there is obliged tobe some difference of opinion in every international marriage.

  Frank was extremely sensitive over the idea that Jack was not as happyin the English life he offered her, as she had been in the old days onher own ranch.

  "That is unfortunate, Jack," he returned, "for I have made up my mindthat it will be wiser for you not to ride with Bryan again. I am afraidyou are both too fond of adventure to be trusted."

  Then, as Frank had delivered his edict, his own good temper wasrestored. As he was already dressed, putting his arm across Jack'sshoulder, he started for the door. He was really immensely proud of Jackand thought she looked unusually lovely tonight. In spite of the numberof years he had been married he never introduced her to his friends, orsaw her at the head of his table, without a feeling of pride. Also,Frank counted on Jack's sweetness of temper. It did not occur to himthat she would disagree with his request, or rather with his command,since without intending it, he had expressed his wish in such a fashion.

  Nevertheless Jack hesitated. She knew that Frank was not in an agreeablemood for a discussion then. Also, that they could not keep their guestswaiting while one took place.

  "I think that is rather arbitrary of you, Frank, since neither Bryan norI are children and he is one of the friends I most enjoy. But perhaps wehad better talk of this at another time."

  Frank nodded, Jack's manner affording no idea that she would notultimately give in to him, nor was she sure herself. It may be that Jackhad become too much of a domestic pacifist--a woman who wishes for peaceat any price.

  On the landing of the steps, just before they went down to dinner, Frankremarked hastily:

  "Oh Jack, I had a marconigram from Professor Russell. He must have heardof Frieda's sudden departure from New York. In any case his ship is duetomorrow, for he left the day after she sailed."

  "Gracious, have you told Frieda?" Jack returned nervously, forgettingfor the instant her own personal quandary. "Frieda announced that shenever would agree to see Professor Russell again. In any case I hadhoped we might have a few weeks of grace, to allow things to quiet downor perhaps to persuade Frieda to change her mind. The only thing now isnot to allow Professor Russell to come to Kent House until Frieda givesher consent."

  "Nonsense, Jack," Frank answered reassuringly, "Frieda cannot behave inany such fashion. You have not told me the trouble, but I suspect thatFrieda has simply been a spoiled child. Besides, in any case, she has noright to refuse at least to see her husband and talk the situation over.Don't worry; I'll discuss the matter with Frieda myself in the morningand bring her around. You see, I telegraphed Russell at the dock to comedirectly to us, as I shall spend tomorrow at home."

  "All right," Jack conceded, a good deal worried, but also slightlyamused. If her husband wished to undertake to persuade Frieda to changeher mind, she was glad that the task was his and not hers. Of courseFrank thought it would be a simple matter, since he had yet really toknow his sister-in-law. It was only natural that he should supposeFrieda would be easier to guide than his wife, judging by Frieda'smanner and appearance! Men are not always wise in their judgment offeminine character.