Alice, rising, left her table. MacBirney laughed.
"Oh, I see. That"s what"s the matter. Well, you"re quite mistaken, my dear." Catching Alice in his arms as she pa.s.sed, in a way he did when he wished to seem affectionate, MacBirney drew his wife to him. "He _did_ like it. He remarked to me just as he said good-night, that you had a fine voice."
"That does not sound like him--possibly he was ironical."
"And when I thanked him," continued MacBirney, "he took the trouble to repeat: "That song was beautifully sung." Those were his exact words."
In spite of painful experiences it rarely occurred to Alice that her husband might be deceiving her, nor did she learn till long afterward that he had lied to her that night. With her feelings in some degree appeased she only made an incredulous little exclamation: "He didn"t ask me to sing again," she added quietly.
MacBirney shrugged his shoulders. "He is peculiar."
"I try, Walter," she went on, lifting her eyes to his with an effort, "to be as pleasant as I can to all of these people, for your sake."
"I know it, Alice." He kissed her. "I know it. Let us see now what we can do to cultivate Robert Kimberly. He is the third rail in this combination, and he is the only one on the board of directors who voted finally against taking us in."
"Is that true?"
"So Doane told Lambert, in confidence, and Lambert told me."
"Oh, Lambert! That detestable fellow. I wouldn"t believe anything he said anyway."
MacBirney bared his teeth pleasantly. "Pshaw! You hate him because he makes fun of your Church."
"No. I despise him, because he is a Catholic and ridicules his own."
Her husband knew controversy was not the way to get a favor. "I guess you"re right about that, Allie. Anyway, try being pleasant to Kimberly.
The way you know how to be, Allie--the way you caught me, eh?" He drew her to him with breezy enthusiasm. Alice showed some distress.
"Don"t say such things, please."
"That was only a joke."
"I hate such jokes."
"Very well, I mean, just be natural," persisted MacBirney amiably, "you are fascinating enough any old way."
Alice manifested little spirit. "Does it make so much difference to you, Walter, whether we pay attention to _him_?"
MacBirney raised his eyebrows with a laughing start. "What an innocent you are," he cried in a subdued tone. And his ways of speech, if ever attractive, were now too familiar. "Difference!" he exclaimed cheerily.
"When they buy he will name the figure."
"But I thought they had decided to buy."
"The executive committee has authorized the purchase. But he, as president, has been given the power to fix the price. Don"t you see?
We can afford to smile a little, eh?"
"It would kill me to smile if I had to do it for money."
"Oh, you are a baby in arms, Allie," exclaimed her husband impatiently, "just like your father! You"d starve to death if it weren"t for me."
"No doubt."
MacBirney was still laughing at the idea when he left his wife"s room, and entering his own, closed the door.
Alice, in her room, lay in the darkness for a long time with open eyes.
CHAPTER VII
The test of Alice"s willingness to smile came within a brief fortnight, when with the De Castros, she was the guest of Imogene Kimberly at The Cliffs, Imogene"s home.
"This is all most informal," said Imogene, as she went downstairs arm-in-arm with Alice; "as you see, only one-half the house is open."
"The open half is so lovely," returned Alice, "that I"m glad to take the other half on faith."
"It was my only chance--this week, and as Dolly says, I "jumped at it"!
I am sorry your husband has disappointed us."
"He was called to town quite unexpectedly."
"But Providence has provided a subst.i.tute. Robert Kimberly is coming."
Alice almost caught her breath. "He is another of those men," continued Imogene, "whom you never can get when you want them. Fortunately he telephoned a moment ago saying he _must_ see Charles. I answered that the only possible way to see him was to come over now, for he is going fishing and leaves at midnight. The guides wired this morning that the ice is out. And when the ice goes out," Imogene raised her hands, "neither fire nor earthquake can stop Charles. Here is Robert now. Oh, and he has Doctor Hamilton with him. All the better. If we can get both we shall have no lack of men."
Robert Kimberly and Doctor Hamilton were coming down the hall. "How delightful!" cried Imogene, advancing, "and I am so glad _you_"ve come, doctor."
Kimberly paused. He saw Alice lingering behind her hostess and the De Castros with Fritzie Venable coming downstairs.
"You have a dinner on," he said to Imogene.
"Only a small one."
"But you didn"t tell me----"
"Just to give you a chance to show your indifference to surprises, Robert."
She introduced Doctor Hamilton to Alice. "These two are always together," she explained to Alice, lifting her fan toward the doctor and her brother-in-law. "But any hostess is fortunate to capture them like this, just the right moment."
Hamilton, greeting Alice, turned to Imogene: "What is this about your husband"s going to Labrador to-morrow?"
"He is going to-night. The salmon are doing something or other."
"Deserted Gaspe, has he?"
"Temporarily," said Imogene, pausing to give an order to a butler.
Robert waited a moment for her attention. "I brought the doctor," he explained, "because I couldn"t leave him to dine alone. And now----"