by Guy Boothby
CHAPTER IV
More than a month had elapsed since Godfrey had made his debut as arecognised member of the Midlandshire Hunt. It is also necessary tostate that during that period he had seen a good deal of pretty MissMolly Devereux, who, faithful to the promise she had given him, hadshown him a large amount of the country, with the fences, hedges, andditches thereof. She was also the person who was mainly responsible forthe large sum of money he had spent on horseflesh during that time. As amatter of fact, this impressionable young man was head over ears inlove, and to prove it, he neglected his work, imperilled his neck, and,as his mother remarked, ran an almost daily risk of coming to an earlygrave through waiting about on the outskirts of damp coverts, to saynothing of the long, wet rides home on wintry evenings.
"I can not understand why you do it," said the old lady, who, by theway, was not nearly so obtuse as she pretended to be. "When you firstcame home from abroad, you declared that the hunting would never possesssufficient attraction to take you out on a damp day. Now you are neverhappy unless you are in the saddle."
"It's a good healthy exercise, mother," said Kitty, with the suspicionof a twinkle in her eyes. "Besides, Godfrey has taken such a liking toSir George Penistone, the Master, that he is never happy when he isparted from him."
Now if there was one person in the country for whom Godfrey entertaineda profound distaste, it was for the gentleman in question. Sir Georgewas known to have been desperately in love with Miss Devereux ever sincehe had left the 'Varsity; but, while he was plucky enough in the saddle,and would ride his horse at anything that an animal could be expected tojump, and at a good many that it could not, he had never been able toscrew up his courage sufficiently to broach the subject to her. Findingthat he had a rival in the field, however, had given him a fillip, and,in consequence, relations between the two young men were as strained asit was possible for them to be, and yet to allow them to remain onspeaking terms. Whether the young lady herself was aware of this is morethan I can say; if she were she gave no sign of it, but treated themboth with the same impartiality. Certain other ladies of the hunt vowedthat she was a heartless flirt, and that she was playing one man offagainst the other. Such uncharitable sentiments, however, could only beexpected from people who would have acted in the same fashion had theybeen placed in a similar position.
It has been said by a well-known writer, who, for all we know to thecontrary, was a crusty old bachelor, and therefore well qualified tospeak upon the matter, "that the very uncertainty of love is one of itsgreatest charms." I fancy that Godfrey Henderson, at that particulartime, would not have agreed with the sage in question. The uncertaintyof knowing whether he was loved or not, was making a different man ofhim. In days that seemed as far removed from the present as if a gulf ofcenturies lay between, he had been a happy-go-lucky, easy-going fellow,taking the world as he found it, and never allowing himself to be muchtroubled by anything. Now, however, he had grown preternaturally solemn,was much given to silent communings with himself, and only brightenedup when he was in the presence of the person who was the object of hisadoration. Naturally this could not continue for long.
"I'll speak to her the very first opportunity I get," he said tohimself; "and if she won't have me, I'll cut the whole show and goabroad. I could pick up Fensden in Dresden, and we'll go off to Japantogether."
But when he was given a favourable opportunity of speaking, he found hewas unable to bring his courage to the sticking-point, and for the nextday or two he called himself by a variety of names that, had they beenaddressed to him by any one else, he would have considered mostobjectionable. Regarded dispassionately, in the silent watches of thenight, it seemed a small thing to do. He had only to get her alone, totake her hand, if he could manage to obtain possession of it, and thento make his passion known, and ask her to be his wife. Any one could dothat, and he had the best of reasons, when he looked round the circle ofhis married acquaintances, for knowing that it had been carried outsuccessfully on numerous occasions before. Yet when it became necessaryto put it into practice he discovered that it demanded a heroism towhich the charge of the Light Brigade and the storming of the Redan wereas nothing.
"I see that the hounds meet at Churley cross roads on Monday," said hissister, one morning at breakfast. "Molly wants me to go, but I fear itwill be impossible. I suppose it is not necessary to ask if you will bethere?"
"I suppose I shall," Godfrey replied, as if he had not thought very muchabout the matter.
In his heart, however, he knew that it would require an extraordinaryforce to keep him away. On Friday he did not go, for the reason that hehad incidentally learned that a certain lady would be in town at herdressmaker's. The same day he discovered that his old friend andschoolfellow, James Bradford, to wit, had returned from America, enroute to the Continent, and the inference was that if they did not lunchtogether, they would be scarcely likely to meet again for someconsiderable time. What, therefore, was more fitting than that he shouldcatch the 10.18 train at Detwich, and set off for the Metropolis? Hismother and sister said nothing, except to wish him a pleasant journey.When they were alone together afterward, however, Mrs. Henderson turnedto her daughter.
"Poor boy," she said, "I never thought he would take it as seriously ashe is doing. I have never seen a harder case."
To which her daughter replied somewhat enigmatically:
"I wish I knew what she intends doing."
Despite the eagerness Godfrey had shown to renew his acquaintance withhis friend, Mr. James Bradford, he did not appear to derive such a vastamount of satisfaction from their meeting as the trouble he had taken tobring it about would have implied.
"I never saw such a change in a man in my life," said Mr. James Bradfordafterward, when Godfrey had left the club. "He fidgeted about all thetime we were at lunch, and examined his watch at least twice in everyfive minutes. Coming into money doesn't appear to agree with him. It's apity, for he used to be such a good chap."
On leaving Pall Mall Godfrey took a cab to Bond Street, and for upwardof an hour paced religiously up and down that fashionable thoroughfare.Then, taking another cab, he drove to Euston, where he spent at leastthree-quarters of an hour inspecting the various trains that passed inand out of the station, pottering about the bookstalls, and glaring atthe travellers who approached him. As every one is aware who lives inthe neighbourhood, there is only one good train in the afternoon thatstops at Detwich, hence his reason for going to the station at thathour. As the time approached for that train to leave, he grew more andmore nervous, and when the train itself at length backed into thestation to take up its passengers, his anxiety became almost pitiable towatch. Placing himself near the bookstall, he scrutinized everypassenger who approached him. At last he became aware of two figures,who were making their way leisurely along the platform in search of anempty carriage. One was Lady Devereux, tall, gray-haired, and eminentlydignified; her companion there is no need to describe. It struckGodfrey, as he watched her, that never in his life had he seen so prettya face or figure. Nerving himself to carry out the operation he had inmind, he strolled down the platform, then turning, walked back along thetrain, glancing into the various carriages as he passed, until hereached that in which the two ladies were seated. Then, as if he weremore than surprised at seeing them, he lifted his hat.
"How do you do, Lady Devereux?" he said. "This is an altogetherunexpected meeting!" Then, having saluted the younger lady, he inquiredwhether they would permit him to travel down with them.
"Do so, by all means," Lady Devereux replied. "Molly and I have beenobliged to put up with each other's company since the early morning. Buthow is it that you are not hunting to-day, Mr. Henderson?"
"An old friend has just returned from America," Godfrey remarked, "andhe invited me to lunch with him. Otherwise I should have been out, ofcourse."
Whether Miss Molly believed this statement or not I can not say, but Ido not think it probable. One thing was plain; on this particularoccasion she had
made up her mind not to be gracious to the poor youngman, and when he endeavoured to draw her into conversation, she answeredhim shortly, and then retired into the seclusion of her newspaper.
Why she should have treated him so it is impossible to say, but therecould be no sort of doubt that she was offended at something. Inconsequence the poor fellow was about as miserable a specimen of thehuman race as could have been found in England that day. When Detwichwas reached, he saw the two ladies to their carriage, and bade themgood-bye. Then, mounting to the box of his own dog-cart, he sent thehorse flying down the street at a pace that, had he not been well known,would in all probability have secured him an interview with amagistrate.
"And what sort of journey did you have?" inquired his mother, as shegave him a cup of tea on his arrival at the house.
"Very pleasant," he answered, though his looks belied his assertion.
"And would you care, as you said the other day, to go back to live inLondon?" asked mischievous Miss Kitty.
"I think London is one of the most detestable places on earth," hereplied, stirring his tea as though he were sweeping the Metropolis intothe sea.
"And did you see any one you knew while you were in town?" inquired hismother.
"A lot of people I don't care a scrap about," he answered.
Feeling that he was not in a fit humour for society, he took himself offto his studio, where he threw himself into an easy chair, and lit thelargest pipe in his possession. This he smoked as savagely as if it wereresponsible for his troubles. By the time the dressing-bell rang, he wasmore than ever determined to set off for Japan. So strong, however, wasthe chain which bound him, that, on second thoughts, he came to theconclusion that he would postpone his departure until after the meet atthe Churley cross roads on the following Monday. In consequence he spenta miserable Saturday, and it was not until he came out of church onSunday morning that he was anything like his old self. All through theservice he had been paying a greater amount of attention to a neatlittle toque, and the back of a very shapely head, a few seats in frontof him, than was altogether proper in a place of worship. According tocustom, the two families united in the porch.
"Good-morning, Mr. Henderson," said Molly, as they shook hands, andthen, after they had passed outside and the usual commonplaces had beenexchanged, she continued: "What do you think of the state of theweather?"
There was more in her speech than met the eye. What she really meantwas: "Do you think we shall be able to hunt to-morrow? If so, I amprepared to be kind to you once more."
Godfrey replied that there had been signs of frost early in the morning,but he rejoiced to see that they were going off.
"We shall see you to-morrow, I suppose?" she said, as they passedthrough the lych-gate out into the high road.
"Of course," he answered. "Provided old Benbow doesn't break his neck inthe meantime, I shall be there."
"I am so glad," she answered, and then, as though she felt that she hadsaid too much, she devoted her conversation during the rest of the walkto Kitty, leaving Godfrey to discuss parish affairs with her father.
She had said enough, however, in that short time to transport Godfreyinto the seventh heaven of delight; and I venture to think that if anyone had been foolish enough to suggest a trip to Japan to him at thatmoment, it would have been at the peril of his or her life.
I must leave you to imagine with what attention he studied theappearance of the sky during the next eighteen hours. The barometer inthe hall was tapped with a regularity that was sufficient todisorganize its internal economy forever and a day. Before he retired torest, he took careful stock of the heavens, and was relieved to findthat there was no sign of frost in the air. Next morning he was upbetimes, took his tub with the air of a man from whom great things areexpected, and made a heartier breakfast than he had done for some weekspast. He looked a handsome figure in pink as his mother was careful toinform him.
The distance to Churley cross roads from the Hall is little more than amile, so that the half-hour he had allowed himself to get there, enabledhim to jog along without hurrying his horse. It was what might bedescribed as a perfect hunting morning. A slight mist hung in placesupon the fields; it was, however, being quickly dispersed by thesunshine. A pleasant breeze was driving the clouds across the sky,throwing delightful shadows upon the meadows, and crisping the surfaceof the river as he passed over the old stone bridge. When he reached thecross roads he had still some ten minutes in hand; but as there wereseveral others as early as himself, this fact did not weigh heavily uponhis mind. Meanwhile he kept a sharp eye on the road down which he hadcome, and when he espied the stout figure of the old baronet on hisfamous hunter, with his daughter beside him, mounted on a somewhatvicious-looking chestnut, he rode forward to receive them.
"A capital day," said the old gentleman, when they had exchanged theusual salutations. "We could scarcely have a better. Strangely enough,as I was saying to Molly just now, in fifty years I've never known a wetChurley Cross Meet."
"What do you think of my new horse, Mr. Henderson?" inquired hisdaughter, when the latter had remarked upon the strangeness of thecoincidence. "Papa bought him for me on Saturday."
"He must be very nearly thoroughbred," Godfrey replied, not caring toadd that he did not altogether like the look of the animal in question.There was a nasty flicker in the horse's eyes, of which, to Godfrey'sthinking, he showed a great deal too much white. There could be nodenying his make and shape, however. "You'll be showing us a clean pairof heels to-day."
"I'll be bound she will," said the old baronet, upon whom the horse hadevidently made a favourable impression. "They tell me he won a decentsteeplechase last season; and Seth Warton, of whom I got him, says he isthe best he has had in his stable for many a long day. That sayssomething."
"I sincerely hope he may prove to be all you could wish," said Godfrey;and at that moment the Master came forward to bid them good-morning.
"I think we'll try the Spinney first, Sir Vivian," he said. "I hear goodreports in that direction. A new horse, Miss Devereux, and I should saya fast one. Have pity on us all!"
As if to prove that his manners were not so good as his looks, theanimal in question made as if he would rear, and for a moment Godfrey'sheart seemed to stand still.
"I don't like the look of him," he said to himself. "Heaven send he doesher no mischief."
But he was not permitted much time to think of such a thing, for theMaster had given the signal, and already a general move was being madein the direction of the Spinney. Godfrey settled himself down by MissDevereux's side, leaving the old gentleman free to discuss theprospects of the day with the local doctor, a sportsman of somecelebrity in the neighbourhood.
"Miss Devereux," said Godfrey, as they approached the wood, "at the riskof offending you, I must say that I don't altogether care about the lookof that horse. I should say, from his appearance, handsome as it is,that he possesses more than a touch of temper. I do hope you will becareful what you do with him to-day."
"You needn't be afraid," she answered, as she flashed a sharp glance athim. "I think we understand each other perfectly. He hasn't been withhounds for some time, and he's naturally a little excited. It will wearoff, however, before the day is done."
"I sincerely hope it may," Godfrey continued. "In the meantime I can nothelp wishing that we could exchange mounts."
"You think that you could manage him better than I?" she said. "If thatis a challenge we will see. Now, let us watch what goes on, for I wantto be well away."
At that moment three blasts of the horn were heard from the right, and,before Godfrey could have counted twenty, the hounds were out of coverand streaming away in the direction of the village--only to changetheir course after the first quarter of a mile.
"It looks as if we were in for a fast thing," said Miss Devereux; andthe words had scarcely left her lips when the chestnut gave a violentplunge in the air and was off at a racing pace.
"If he goes on like that, the brute
will pull her arms out, if hedoesn't do anything worse," Godfrey muttered to himself.
But so far the girl had got him well in hand. Sitting back in thesaddle, she let him have his head, taking a gradual pull at him as theyneared the first hedge. Whatever his other faults may have been, he wascertainly a jumper, for he cleared the obstacle in unmistakable style.As she had said a few moments before, there could be no doubt that theywere in for a fast thing. The hounds were racing as if their one desirewas to run Master Reynard to earth before he could get into the nextfield. Godfrey's own horse, to use a phrase that his mother could neverunderstand, "was going strong," but he could not live in the same countywith the chestnut. In spite of Miss Devereux's undoubted skill in thesaddle, the horse was gradually becoming the master. At the third fence,an ugly-looking post and rail, with a bad approach, he took off toosoon, giving his rider the chance of an extremely nasty fall. She savedthe situation, however, by a miracle. They had reached the top of thehill, and were descending into the valley on the other side, whenGodfrey, whose horse was doing its best, realized that something veryserious was the matter ahead. The chestnut had undeniably got out ofhand, and, scared by some sheep, was edging toward the left.
"It is just what I expected," he said to himself as he rode along somehalf-a-dozen lengths behind the other. "She is losing control over him.I must follow at all costs."
Digging his spurs into the horse's side, he endeavoured to race up tothe animal in front of him. He was too late, however. The chestnut hadgot the bit in his teeth, and, swerving to the left, was galloping inthe direction of a small wood. Observing this, Godfrey turned hishorse's head and made after him. Fortunately, the paddock over whichthey were galloping was a large one; but the chestnut was going at sucha pace that he very soon crossed it. Skirting the wood, he began todescend the hill on the other side. Then he disappeared altogether fromview. When Godfrey reached the top of the rise, he scarcely dared tolook about him; but when he did so, he saw that the horse had alteredhis original course, and was making his way again across the angle, asif he desired to reach the line the hounds were still following. In aflash Godfrey realized the situation and took in the fact that theanimal was unconsciously making direct for a large chalk pit, and thatunless something were done at once to prevent him, nothing could saveboth horse and rider from a terrible death.
"God help me to save her!" he cried. "God help me to save her!"