"Thank you," I replied. "I need no a.s.sistance. Perhaps a cup of tea ..."
Evelyn and I had tea. The gentlemen had something stronger. Lucas was the only one who seemed normal; he kept speculating as to how the serpent got into the tomb.
"No doubt it crawled within during the night," he said.
"I wonder why I didn"t see it earlier," I said. "I must have disturbed it when I flung myself down to sleep."
"Because it was not on the cot then," Lucas replied. "It was curled in a corner, and crept onto your bed later. It was fortunate that Emerson came in when he did; if you had awakened and moved about- "
"Enough of this," I interrupted. "The thing is over and done with. In the meantune, the sun is setting.
We have yet to decide what we are going to do tonight."
"I have decided." It was Evelyn who spoke. We all turned to look at her as she rose slowly from her chair. Her face was as white and set as that of a marble statue; but unconquerable resolution shone in her eyes.
"I accept Lord Ellesmere"s proposal of marriage," she went on. "He and I will leave here now- this moment. Tomorrow at dawn we will sail for Cairo."
Utter silence followed. It was broken by Walter. He leaped to his feet with an unintelligible cry; dark, dusky color stained his cheeks. Lucas also rose. His slow, deliberate moments and the smile that spread across his face had an insolent triumph that infuriated me.
"I am, of course, the happiest man in the world," he said coolly. "Although I could have wished, my darling, that you had not chosen to accept me quite so publicly. However, if that is what you prefer..."
Before any of us suspected what he meant to do, he had caught Evelyn"s hands and pulled her roughly to him. I honestly believe the rascal would have embraced her, there before us all, if Walter had not intervened. With another wordless cry, he struck his rival"s hands away. For a moment the two young men stood facing one another in open enmity. Walter"s breast rose and fell with his agitated breathing; the sling supporting his wounded arm rose and fell with it.
Lucas"s eyes narrowed. I saw, as never before, the hot Latin blood of his sire.
"So," he said softly. "You dare----- You will answer for this, Emerson, I promise you."
Evelyn stepped between them.
"Lucas- Walter- for shame! I have said what I must do. I will do it. Nothing can change my mind."
"Evelyn!" Walter turned to her, ignoring the other man. "You cannot do this! You don"t love him- you are sacrificing yourself because of some absurd notion that you are the cause of our troubles- "
"She could not possibly be so stupid." Emerson"s calm voice broke in. He had not moved during the little scene; sitting at ease, his legs stretched out, he was smoking his pipe and watching like a spectator at a play.
"Sit down, all of you," he went on, his voice taking on a sharp tone that forced obedience. "Now let us talk like reasonable human beings. If Miss Evelyn decides to become Lady Ellesmere, that is her right; but I cannot allow her to take that step under a misapprehension."
He turned to Evelyn, who had dropped into a chair, where she sat with one trembling hand over her eyes.
"Young woman, do you really believe that you are the jinx, the Jonah, who brings evil upon us? That is unbecoming a sensible woman."
"Amelia, today," said Evelyn in a faint voice. "It was the final warning. Danger to all those I love- "
"Nonsense!" The word burst from Emerson"s lips. "Simple nonsense, my girl. Have you forgotten what we decided, at the beginning of this obscene charade? The only possible motive for it all is the desire of some unknown to force us away from this site. How will your departure accomplish this, if Walter and I remain? While you sail safely down the river toward Cairo, in the arms of your betrothed- "
There was a wordless protest from Walter at this. Emerson gave him a sardonic look before proceeding, in a tone that seemed designed to provoke the young fellow even more.
"As you sail along in soft dalliance under the moon, we may be beleaguered here. No; if your motive truly is to benefit us, your flight cannot accomplish that. If, on the other hand, you yearn to be alone with his lordship- "
It was Lucas"s turn to protest.
"Emerson, how dare you take that tone? You insult a lady- "
"Quite the contrary," said Emerson, maddeningly cool. "I pay the lady the compliment of a.s.suming that she has a brain and is capable of using it. Well, Evelyn?"
Evelyn sat motionless, her hand still shading her eyes.
I don"t know what had kept me silent so long. Emerson"s motive eluded me; that he had some ulterior purpose, however, I did not doubt. I decided it was time to add my opinion.
"Emerson states the facts with his usual boorishness, yet he is basically correct. We are still in the dark as to the motive for this charade, as he rightly terms it. Precipitate action may be fatal. You may ignorantly do precisely what our unknown adversary wants you to do."
Lucas turned to look at me, and I knew that if I had not been a woman he would have threatened me as he had Walter. I cared not at all for his opinion. Anxiously I watched Evelyn.
"I don"t know what to do," she whispered. "I must be alone- let me think. Don"t follow me, please."
Slowly, her face averted, she pa.s.sed along the ledge and began to descend.
Lucas started to follow.
"Your lordship!" Emerson"s voice cracked like a whip.
"Don"t interfere with me, Emerson," Lucas said tightly. "You are not my master.""
"Interfere?" Emerson"s eyes widened in honest indignation. "I never interfere. You are, of course, too much of a gentlemen to lay hands on the young lady again; I need not caution you as to that. I was merely about to remind you not to wander out of sight."
"Very well," Lucas said shortly.
Evelyn had reached the bottom of the path and was walking slowly across the sand, away from camp. The poor child looked infinitely weary and sad as she proceeded with dragging steps and bowed head. The setting sun struck off her golden head like a flame.
Lucas"s pace was quicker; he soon caught her up and they walked on together. Naturally I could not hear what they said, but I felt sure he was pressing his suit. The weary shake of her head gave me some hope, but not enough.
I turned to Walter, who was sitting beside me. His eyes were fixed on the distant couple. He looked ten years older than his real age.
"They make a pretty pair," said Emerson, who was outdoing himself in obnoxiousness that afternoon. "My lord and my lady, it will be an excellent match."
"Oh, do be still," I snapped.
"Why, I thought ladies enjoyed matchmaking. You may be proud if you bring this off. He is rich, t.i.tled, handsome; she is poor. A brilliant match for a girl like that."
My self-control, ordinarily excellent, suddenly snapped. I was utterly disgusted with the lot of them- with Evelyn and her morbid love of martyrdom, with Lucas and his arrogance, with Walter"s hang-dog suffering acceptance- and most of all with Emerson. He thought he had won, and I feared he had; by handing Evelyn over to Lucas he kept his brother bound to his selfish wishes and now he was twisting the knife in the wound, convincing Walter that the girl was marrying Lucas out of the desire for wealth and worldly position. His smile maddened me; I could no longer hold my tongue.
"Bring it off!" I cried. "I would rather see Evelyn in a- in a monastery than married to that wretch. She does not love him. She loves- someone else, and thinks she will save him by accepting Lucas. Perhaps she is right after all. The man she loves is a poor-spirited wretch, who will not even take the trouble to declare himself!"
Walter grasped my hands. His face was transfigured.
"You can"t mean it," he whispered. "You can"t mean that I - "
"Yes, you young fool." I gave him a shove that sent him staggering. "She loves you; why, I cannot imagine, but she does. Now go and stop her!"