"I"ve got to go, too," said the captain, with what he fondly imagined was a casual smile. "Got to run up and see my boys and girls. Just a flying visit there and back. So we are going together."
"You!" said the astonished Mrs. Chinnery. "Why didn"t you tell me? Why, I"ve got nothing ready. Serves me right for putting things off."
The captain began to murmur something about an urgent letter, but Mrs.
Chinnery, who had opened the cupboard and brought out a work-basket containing several pairs of the thick woollen socks that formed the captain"s usual wear, was almost too busy to listen. She threaded a needle, and, drawing a sock over her left hand, set to work on a gaping wound that most women would have regarded as mortal.
Mr. Truefitt and Mrs. Willett entered from the garden just as the Captain was explaining for the third time.
"Children are not ill, I hope," said Mr. Truefitt with ill concealed anxiety.
"No," said the Captain.
Mrs. Willett had seated herself by the side of Mrs. Chinnery, ventured to pat that lady"s busy hand.
"He will soon be back," she murmured.
"He will look after that," said Mr. Truefitt, with a boisterous laugh.
"Won"t you, cap"n?"
Miss Willett sat regarding Captain Trimblett with a pensive air. She was beginning to regard his diffidence and shyness as something abnormal.
Hints of the most helpful nature only seemed to add to his discomfort, and she began to doubt whether he would ever muster up sufficient resolution to put an end to a situation that was fast becoming embarra.s.sing to all concerned.
"Of course," she said, suddenly, "it is only right that you should run up and see your children first. I hadn"t thought of that."
"First?" repeated the captain, his face flooding with colour as he realized the inward meaning of the remark. "What do you mean by first?"
His voice was so loud that Miss Willett sat up with a start and looked round nervously.
"Miss Willett means before you sail," said Joan, gently, before that lady could speak. "How pleased they will be to see you!"
"Aye, aye," said the captain, regaining his composure by an effort.
"What a lot of things he will have to tell them!" murmured the persevering Miss Willett. "Have you ever seen them?" she inquired, turning to Mrs. Chinnery.
"No," was the reply.
"How strange!" said Miss Willett, with a reproachful glance at the captain. "I expect you"ll like them very much when you do."
"Sure to," chimed in Mr. Truefitt. "Susanna was always partial to children."
"I"m sure she is," said Miss Willett, regarding the industrious Mrs.
Chinnery affectionately. "How fortunate!"
She rose as she spoke, and, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g her face up at Joan with great significance, asked her whether she wouldn"t care to see the garden.
"Very much," said Joan. "Come along," she added, turning to the captain.
"Now come and show me that rose-bush you have been talking about so much."
Captain Trimblett rose with an alacrity that mystified Miss Willett more than ever, and, having gained the garden, found so many things to show Miss Hartley, and so much to talk about, that supper was on the table before he had finished. Fearful of being left alone with Miss Willett, he stuck to his young protector so closely that in going in at the door he trod on her heel. Miss Hartley entered the room limping, and, having gained her seat, sat eying him with an expression in which pain and reproachful mirth struggled for the mastery.
"What a delightful evening!" she said, in an affected voice, as the captain walked home with her about an hour later; "I have enjoyed myself tremendously."
The captain uttered an impatient exclamation.
"It reminded me of the old fable of the lion and the mouse," continued Joan.
The captain grunted again, and, in a voice that he vainly endeavoured to render polite, said that he did not know what she was talking about.
CHAPTER XV
MR. ROBERT VYNER received the news of Miss Hartley"s sudden departure with an air of polite interest. The secrecy of the affair and the fact that she had gone with Captain Trimblett convinced him that it was no casual visit, and he mused bitterly on the strange tendency of seafaring people to meddle with the affairs of others. An attempt to ascertain from Hartley the probable duration of her visit, and other interesting particulars, as they sat together in the young man"s office, yielded no satisfaction.
"She made up her mind to go rather suddenly, didn"t she?" he inquired.
Hartley said "Yes," and murmured something about taking advantage of the opportunity of going up with Captain Trimblett. "She is very fond of the captain," he added.
"Is she staying near him?" asked Vyner, without looking up from his work.
The chief clerk, who was anxious to get away, said "No," and eyed him uneasily.
"I hope that London will agree with her," continued Robert, politely.
"Is she staying in a healthy part?"
"Very," said the other.
Mr. Vyner bent over his work again, and scowled diabolically at an innocent letter which said that his instructions should have immediate attention. "Which do you consider a healthy part?" he said presently.
Mr. Hartley, after some reflection, said there were many districts which merited that description. He mentioned eleven, and was discoursing somewhat learnedly on drainage and soils when he noticed that the young man"s attention was wandering. With a muttered reference to his work, he rose and quitted the room.
Day succeeded day in tiresome waiting, and Mr. Robert Vyner, leaning back in his chair, regarded with a hostile eye the pile of work that acc.u.mulated on his table as he sat dreaming of Joan Hartley. In a species of waking nightmare he would see her beset by hordes of respectful but persistent admirers. He manifested a craving for Mr.
Hartley"s society, and, discovering by actual experience that, melancholy as the house was without its mistress, all other places were more melancholy still, contrived, to its owner"s great discomfort, to spend a considerable number of his evenings there.
"He"s a pattern to all of you," said Rosa to Mr. Walters, who sat in the kitchen one evening, cautiously watching Mr. Vyner through a small hole in the muslin blind.
Mr. Walters grunted.
"I believe he worships the ground she treads on," said Rosa, in exalted tones.
Mr. Walters grunted again, and her colour rose. For nearly a fortnight she had not spoken to any other man-at least, to the boatswain"s knowledge-and she fully realized the cloying effect of security upon a man of his temperament.
"Last night I saw him standing for half an hour looking into a shop,"
she said, softly. "What shop do you think it was?"