He went up the outside stair and found Mrs. Jefferson on the balcony.
"If Musgrave"s not a philanderer, he"s mighty dull," he said. "I"d like you to have seen Miss Jordan just now. A model clerk, very cool and business-like, manner exactly right. All the same, before I got started she saw where I was going and I guess she smiled."
"It"s very possible," Mrs. Jefferson agreed. "Well, perhaps it"s lucky I"m not jealous!"
"You"re not jealous, but if I"ve got an eye for fine and pretty things, you"re accountable. Once on a time I reckoned a big sailing ship, close-hauled on the wind with all she"d carry set, was beautiful; I hadn"t seen you talking to our guests across the fruit and flowers. Now I"m thankful for all beauty; things men made like sailing ships, and pretty girls. Betty in white by the bougainvillea, Olivia on the veranda in her black and gold. This old world is charming since you opened my eyes."
"For a business man, you"re sometimes extravagant," Mrs. Jefferson replied. "All the same, you are a dear."
Jefferson turned and looked over the balcony. A young man who wore spotless white flannel and a red silk belt crossed the flags. He stopped abruptly when Jefferson shouted: "h.e.l.lo!"
"We thought if you were going to haul up _Cayman_ for sc.r.a.ping, you"d like to know our tug is off the slip," the other remarked.
"Thanks!" said Jefferson dryly. "You needn"t bother Miss Jordan about it. _Cayman_"s gone to Palma."
The young man recrossed the flags and Jefferson laughed. "His last brain wave was to see if _Cayman_ would take coal across for ballast and he could keep us some hefty lumps. Yesterday two banana men blew in with a fool proposition about my sending fruit to Africa, and before they were through, Walters from the cold store arrived. Looks as if I"d got to put up barbed wire."
"Oh, well," said Mrs. Jefferson, "I don"t suppose a sailing ship is their standard of beauty. Besides, the big sailing ships are gone."
Betty, studying some figures in the office, heard Jefferson stop the coaling clerk and smiled. Young men from the coal wharfs and fruit stores arrived rather often when they thought her employer was not about, and if she was not occupied she sometimes let them talk. For the most part they were a careless, good-humoured lot and she liked their cheerfulness, but this was all. When she refused Kit at Liverpool she was resolved he must get his chance; now it looked as if she had got hers she was not moved.
She contrasted him with the others. They frankly amused her, and sometimes Kit was dull. Yet she sensed in his soberness something fine that did not mark the rest. They joked and did not bother; Kit bothered much. Betty liked his tight-mouthed, thoughtful look. His habit was to weigh things, but when he was satisfied he went stubbornly ahead. Betty wondered whether he was satisfied about Olivia. Then, with something of an effort, she resumed her calculations.
CHAPTER VI
BETTY CARRIES A MESSAGE
The morning was hot and Betty had pulled the curtains across the arch.
She typed an English letter and thought about Kit. Although she knew he had gone to Mrs. Austin"s, it was some days since she had seen him and his steamer would soon sail. Betty had expected him to say good-bye to her and was hurt because he had not. Presently she heard Jefferson"s step in the _patio_. He stopped and somebody crossed the flags.
"Come inside, the sun is pretty fierce," he said, and Olivia went through the arch.
"I think you know Miss Jordan," Jefferson resumed.
Betty stopped her typewriter. She was in the shadow and studied Olivia, who stood where the strong light shone into the room. Betty thought her clothes were made in London or Paris; they were in the latest exaggerated fashion, but she admitted that Miss Brown"s beauty justified her wearing clothes like that. Betty, herself, wore plain white, and a cheap, Spanish sewing woman had helped her to make the dress.
"It looks as if you had got up before Harry, although you kept him for some time last night," Olivia said to Jefferson, and took out a small packet. "He had not begun his breakfast when the mail arrived with some samples you want for Morocco. Harry thought Mr. Musgrave might leave them for your agent at Saffi, but our man was not about and I was going to the shops."
Jefferson pulled out his watch. "Thanks, I"ll send the thing on board.
I"m going up town. Will you come along?"
"I"ll stop in your cool office for a few minutes," Olivia replied, and Jefferson turned to Betty.
"Felix will be around soon. Send him off with the packet. I expect Musgrave will be at the _Commandancia_. You have about half an hour."
He went off and Olivia lighted a cigarette. She threw the match on the floor, and although people smoke in Spanish offices Betty was annoyed.
She wondered whether Miss Brown"s carelessness was studied, but after a few moments Olivia gave her a thoughtful look.
"I understand Kit Musgrave is an old friend of yours."
"He is my friend," said Betty.
"Then I expect you know he"s satisfied with his post. All the same, he ought to give it up."
Betty said nothing. She thought she saw why Miss Brown had brought the packet, but did not see where she led. Besides, she was conscious of a subtle antagonism. The girl was not the type whose friendship was good for Kit. In the meantime, Olivia occupied herself with her cigarette.
She had meant to make an experiment and satisfy her curiosity, for Kit had not come to the veranda much since his return and she had missed him when he was away.
"He ought to go back to the _correillo_," she resumed. "However, I expect you know he"s obstinate."
"Sometimes he"s firm," said Betty, quietly, although quietness was hard.
She did know Kit was obstinate, but to allow Miss Brown to talk about it was another thing. Besides, she was bothered about the other"s object for stating Kit ought to go back.
"Oh, well, it"s really not important," Olivia replied as if she were bored. "I thought perhaps you might persuade Kit to rejoin the _Campeador_." She paused and smiled carelessly. "I can"t, I admit I tried."
"Why do you want Mr. Musgrave to leave his ship? I understand your sister got him the post."
Olivia was embarra.s.sed, although her embarra.s.sment was not obvious. She had begun by wanting to baffle Mrs. Austin, whose object for sending Kit on board _Mossamedes_ was plain. This, however, was some time since, and now she did not know what she did want. She would not acknowledge Kit her lover, but she liked to know he was about. All the same, her efforts to separate him from Wolf were to some extent unselfish.
"I don"t want Kit to leave the _Mossamedes_; I think it better for him to do so," she rejoined. "It"s possible my sister did get him the post.
Jacinta does things like that, but sometimes her plans do not work as she hoped."
"Then, when Mrs. Austin sent Kit to Africa she had a plan?"
Olivia looked up sharply and threw her cigarette on the floor. She had not found out much and did not mean to argue with Jefferson"s clerk.
"We don"t get forward, and I can"t stop," she said. "I"ll tell you all I know. I think my sister doubts Wolf; Jefferson frankly distrusts him. He was talking to Harry on the veranda and I was in the room behind. It was plain they were puzzled about Wolf. Jefferson said the fellow was playing a crooked game, and Kit ought to quit. Anyhow, he ought to know his boss"s African scheme was a cover for something else, and he was going to use the French captain. Wolf meant to give Revillon a part in the plot."
Olivia got up. "That"s all, but I rather agree with Jefferson."
"If you think Mr. Musgrave ought to be warned, why didn"t you warn him?"
"For one thing, I imagined you were his friend," Olivia rejoined with a careless smile. "To write a note is sometimes awkward, the steamer sails very soon, and it"s obvious I can"t go on board and ask for the _sobrecargo_. Well, you are Jefferson"s clerk and have the packet of samples. You can go--if you like!"
The curtain swung back, and for a minute or two Betty pondered. Her curiosity was excited, and she wondered much how far Olivia"s interest in Kit went; that it went some distance was plain. Betty felt a keen antagonism for the fashionable and rather scornful girl. Yet to some extent the other"s object was good; Betty thought Kit ought to be warned about his employer. All the same, Miss Brown"s statement that Betty could warn him was hardly accurate. Spanish conventions were strict and Betty knew the gossip that marked the English circle. If she went on board the steamer, people would talk and Mrs. Jefferson would be annoyed. But Felix, Jefferson"s boatman, did not arrive, and Betty looked at her watch. Something must be risked and perhaps she might meet Kit outside the _Commandancia_ office. Picking up the packet, she got her hat.
A _tartana_ waited for pa.s.sengers at the end of the street, and she got down at the Catalina mole. _Mossamedes"_ windla.s.s rattled, and her cable was coming in, but a boat with the African house-flag painted on the bow lay against the wall, and Betty knew Kit had not gone on board. For all that, she did not see him, and the steamer"s anchor would soon be up. If he did not come in a minute or two, she would have no time for talk.
Then he ran out of the office, pushing some papers into his pocket, and stopped.
"Hallo!" he said. "You are kind to see me off."
"I didn"t come to see you off. At least, that wasn"t all," Betty replied.
"Oh, well," Kit said, laughing, "you"re generally frank. I"d rather have liked to think you did want to see me off. Anyhow, I"m glad you have arrived."