"He"s in the library," she said.
"That"s satisfactory, as far as it goes," Gerald remarked, climbing the steps. "The sooner I see him, the sooner I"ll get through the thing." He paused and gave Grace an anxious glance. "You"ll stand by me? You generally did."
"I suppose so," Grace agreed. "But I don"t know your difficulties and what you want."
"You will know soon," Gerald rejoined and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it"s an awkward business; I"ve got to brace up."
He left her and went to the library, where Osborn sat at the big oak table with some letters and a wine gla.s.s in front of him. The s.p.a.cious room was mostly in shadow, but a ray of fading light shone in through the tall west window. Gerald avoided the illumination as he advanced, and stopped in the gloom opposite Osborn, who straightened his body with a jerk and upset the gla.s.s.
"Well?" he said harshly. "Why have you left the bank?"
"The wine is running across the table and on to your clothes.
Shall I ring?"
"No," said Osborn, pushing his chair back noisily. "Let it run! Stand still or sit down. Tell me why you came."
"To begin with, I have left the bank for good."
"Ah," said Osborn grimly, "I suspected something like this! You mean they turned you out? Well, you are consistent in your habits. You left school in similar circ.u.mstances, you left Woolwich, and now--"
"I was not turned out, sir. They gave me a week"s leave, but I can"t go back."
Osborn frowned. Things had been going well and he had thought himself free from trouble for a time, but it looked as if he would get his worst jar. He tried to preserve his calm and said with a touch of weariness:
"Tell me what has happened and keep as near the truth as is possible for you."
Gerald told him, standing back in the shadow and not pausing to choose his words. It was an ugly story that could not be toned down and he knew if he stopped he could not go on again. Although Osborn said nothing, his face got red and the veins on his forehead swelled, and Gerald found his silence strangely daunting. When the latter stopped, Osborn got up and stood, rather shakily, with his hand clenched.
"Get out of my sight, you despicable thief!" he cried. "My control is going. If you stand and fidget there, I"ll knock you down!"
"There wouldn"t be much use in that, although I deserve it," Gerald replied. "It"s too late for excuses. The situation"s dangerous. You have got to help me out."
"I can"t help," said Osborn in a strained, hoa.r.s.e voice. "Why didn"t you leave the country instead of coming home?"
Gerald forced a nervous smile. "The reason ought to be obvious, sir; I might be brought back. We must get over the need for me to go. You see, the bill must be met. If it"s dishonored, everybody who knows us will have something to talk about."
"I thought you a fool," said Osborn bitterly. "You are a fool, but you have a vein of devilish cunning. You steal and forge; and then expect to shuffle off the consequences on to your relatives!"
He pulled himself up, for Gerald"s coolness was steadying. "However, I must understand. What will happen when the lender finds you cannot pay?"
"The usual course would be for him to go to the endorser," Gerald replied and added with some awkwardness: "I mean the man whose name I used. His signature"s a guarantee and makes him liable. Still, as Hallam"s a tactful fellow, it"s possible he"ll first come to you."
"Do you mean he"s suspicious?"
"I don"t know. He took off an extortionate discount for a very short loan."
"How much did he lend you?"
"The bill was for two thousand pounds."
Osborn made a helpless gesture. "I can"t pay. The money I borrowed is partly spent and the rest must go for wages and material. You can"t put wages off--"
He stopped and sat down limply. The shock was beginning to tell. He felt dull and had no reserve of moral strength to sustain him now his fury had gone. Gerald saw this and knew that guidance must come from him. He waited, however, and Osborn went on:
"It"s ridiculous that we should be ruined for two thousand pounds; but there it is! If I try to borrow from my friends, I must tell why I need the money. And I don"t know who would lend."
"Thorn might," Gerald suggested meaningly. "I asked him and he wouldn"t, but I don"t think his refusal was final."
"Ah!" said Osborn, with a start. "Why do you think it was not?"
"I imagine he has another plan; he means to wait until it"s obvious we must have his help. Then he can ask what he likes."
For a moment, Osborn"s anger blazed up again. "I see where you are leading, you contemptible cur! You expect your sister to pay for you!"
"It would be a good marriage," said Gerald, awkwardly. "I thought you wanted it."
"Stop!" exclaimed Osborn, and rested his elbows on the table, with his shoulders bent.
He had wanted Grace to marry Thorn, but his domineering temper did not carry him as far as Gerald thought. He had hoped that by and by Grace would consent; it was ridiculous to imagine she would long refuse to see the advantages that were plain to him, but to force her to pay for her brother"s fault was another thing. Although Grace was rebellious, he had some love for her. In fact, he revolted from the plan and felt he hated Thorn for the pressure he could use. He was nearly resigned to letting things go and facing the threatened disaster.
For a minute or two, he did not move and Gerald got horribly cramped as he stood opposite. The room was getting dark and Osborn"s figure was indistinct, but his quietness hinted at a struggle, Gerald began to feel anxious, because he had not expected his father to hesitate. At length Osborn looked up.
"You haven"t told me whose name you used."
"Askew"s," said Gerald, with a tremor. He knew he could use no stronger argument, but felt afraid.
"Askew"s!" shouted Osborn, straightening his bent shoulders with a savage jerk. "This is more than I can bear. Was there n.o.body you could rob but the man who has plotted against me since he came home from school?" He stopped and gasped as if his rage were choking him and it was some moments before he went on: "You have given the fellow power to humble us and drag our name in the mud. Can"t you imagine how he"ll exult? Our honor in Askew"s hands! It"s unthinkable!"
"If the bill isn"t met, the holder will apply to Askew," Gerald said as coolly as he could.
Osborn"s muscles relaxed and he sank back into his limp pose. His hand shook as he wiped his wet forehead.
"You have said enough. Leave me alone. I must try to think."
Gerald went out and drew a deep breath when he reached the landing. He felt shaky and ashamed, but knew he had won. The shutting of the door gave Osborn some relief. The anger and disgust Gerald excited had confused his brain, but now the lad had gone he saw no light. There was but one way of escape, and this a way it was almost unthinkable that he should take. The strange thing was he should hate it so much, for he had never indulged his children or thought about their happiness. Yet he shrank from forcing his daughter to marry Thorn, whom he approved while she did not.
He might, perhaps, for the girl"s sake, have sacrificed his pride; but there was an obstacle before which his courage melted. If Thorn did not help, Askew would know his disgrace and Osborn did not expect him to be merciful. His rancor against Askew had by degrees become a blind, illogical hate that made it impossible for him to see anything Kit did in its proper light. Feeling as he did, he imagined Kit would rejoice in the opportunity for humbling him.
All the same, knowing the fight was hopeless, he struggled against the conviction that he must beg help from Thorn. In many ways, he liked Alan, but he was hard and Osborn dreaded his firmness now. Yet he could help and there was n.o.body else. It got dark, but Osborn did not move. A faint breeze came up and moaned about the house, and presently a moonbeam stole into the room. Osborn sat still, with his head bent and his arms spread out across the table. Sometimes he burned with anger against Gerald and sometimes he scarcely felt anything at all.
At length, he got up, and with an effort went upstairs. Half an hour later, a heavy sleep that came as a reaction after the shock closed his eyes and banished his troubles for a time.
CHAPTER VIII
GRACE"S CONFIDENCE