Jack had his arms about Mary"s shoulders.
"Well, little lady," she heard him ask with tremulous fondness--the young fool!--"What do you think of our honeymoon?"
"I think, sir, that it"s something scandalous!" (Not such an unpleasant voice--but then!)
"U"m! Has the fact occurred to you"--very solemnly--"that you haven"t kissed me since we have been in this room?"
"Was it written in the bond that I had to kiss you in every room?"
"No matter about the bond. A kiss or a divorce. Take your choice."
"It isn"t worth divorcing you, since you may be too poor to pay alimony. So"--sighing and turning her face up to him.
(Sentimental idiots!)
"Mary"--after a moment of clinging lips--"you think you can really be happy with me?"
"I know I shall be, dear!"
"Even if things don"t go right between mother and me, and even if for a long time I shall be awfully, awfully poor?"
"It"s just you I care for, Jack,--just you!"
Jack stared at her; then suddenly:
"Do you know what I feel like?"
"No."
"Like kissing you again."
"Now don"t be--"
"Mary!"
His voice was tremulous. Slowly their lips came together; they embraced; then drew apart, and holding hands, stood gazing at each other.
"You"re a dear, dear fool!" said Mary softly.
"And you"re a dear, dear another!" softly said Jack.
(Outrageous fools, both! agreed Mrs. De Peyster.)
They were still gazing at each other when in the wide doorway at their back appeared Matilda, carrying the tray of tea-things that had been in Mrs. De Peyster"s sitting-room. For the last few moments Mrs. De Peyster"s danger had been forgotten in her indignation. But at sight of Matilda, regained its own.
Matilda stopped short. The tea-things almost rattled from the tray.
Jack wheeled about.
"h.e.l.lo, Matilda. Thought you"d gone down to the kitchen."
"Why--why--if it isn"t Mr. Jack!" stammered Matilda.
Mrs. De Peyster trembled. What more likely than that Matilda, in her amazement, should reveal the house"s secret? But the half-light of the room was a very obliging ally against such unsuspicion as her son"s.
"Of course, it"s Jack," said he. "Who else did you suppose it was? But say, what"s the matter, Matilda?"
"Yes, what"s the matter, Matilda?" asked Mary with great concern.
"Ma"am--ma"am"--staring wildly at Mary--"I--I don"t know, ma"am."
"What, have you already forgotten what I told you about calling me Mary!"
"Ma--Mary?" gasped Matilda blankly.
"Jack," said Mary in a low voice, "I said awhile ago that she seemed queer."
"Where have you put your head, Matilda? Yes--Mary!--Mary!--Mary! Mary De Peyster--Mrs. Jack De Peyster--my wedded wife--whom it cost me four thirty-nine to make my own. Understand?"
"P-per-perfectly, Mr. Jack."
"Well, that"s happy news. What"s that you"re carrying?"
"It"s--ah--er--my breakfast," explained Matilda.
"Your breakfast!" exclaimed Jack. "What are you doing with it here?"
"I was--I was--er--was going to--to get it all ready to--to take up to myself to-morrow."
Jack took the tray from Matilda"s nerveless hands.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "WHAT"S THAT YOU"RE CARRYING?"]
"Sit down, Matilda," firmly pressing her into a chair. "Mary, have you some salts in that bag."
"Yes, Jack." In an instant Mary had a bottle from her bag and was holding it beneath Matilda"s nose. "You"ll be all right in just a moment. Take it easy. The surprise must have been too much for you.
For it was a big surprise, wasn"t it?"
"Yes, ma"am," replied Matilda, for the first time speaking with no hesitancy.
"Matilda, it"s almost provoking the way you ignore my request to call me Mary."
"Ah--er--" staring wildly--"yes, Mary."
Jack moved to the wall near the door, where were several b.u.t.tons.
"Mary, I"m going to ring for William--we"d better take him into this thing straight off, or he may stumble on the fact that extra people are in the house and call in the police."
At her crack in the pantry door, Mrs. De Peyster grew even more apprehensive.