"First of all, I shall cable him tonight. He"d like that, you know.
Better than anything."
"A word direct from you, dear," said Jane softly, happily. "It will mean more to him than anything else in the world."
"As you please, sir," said Mr. Chambers. "The matter is now entirely in your hands. I am, you understand, under orders not to return to England without you,--but, I leave everything to you, sir. I was only hoping that it would be possible for me to get back to my wife and babies before,--er,--well, I was about to say before they forget what I look like, but that would have been a stupid thing to say. They"re not likely to forget a mug like mine."
"I am sorry to say, Mr. Chambers, that you and I will have to be content to leave the matter of our departure entirely to the discretion of a third party," said Eric, and blushed. A shy, diffident smile played about his lips as he turned his wistful eyes upon Lady Jane Thorne.
"Leave that to me, sir," said the man from Scotland Yard promptly and with decision, but with absolutely no understanding. "I shall be happy to attend to any little--Ow! Eh, what?"
M. Mirabeau"s boot had come violently in contact with his ankle. By a singular coincidence, Mr. Bramble, at precisely the same instant, effected a sly but emphatic prod in the ribs.
"Ignoramus!" whispered the latter fiercely.
"Imbecile!" hissed the former, and then, noting the bewildered look in the eyes of Mr. Chambers, went on to say in his most suave manner: "Can"t you see that you are standing in the presence of the Third Party?"
"Any fool could see that," said Mr. Chambers promptly, and bowed to Lady Jane. Later on he wanted to know what the deuce M. Mirabeau meant by kicking him on the shin.
"How soon can _you_ be ready to start home, dear?" inquired Eric, ignoring the witnesses.
Jane"s cheeks were rosy. Her blue eyes danced.
"It depends entirely on Mrs. Sparflight," said she.
"What has Mrs. Sparflight to do with it?"
"You dear silly, I can"t go to Fenlew Hall with absolutely nothing to wear, can I?"
CHAPTER XX
AN EXCHANGE OF COURTESIES
LATER in the evening, Mr. Thomas Trotter--(so far as he knew he was still in the service of Mrs. Millidew, operating under chauffeur"s license No. So-and-So, Thomas Trotter, alien)--strode briskly into a Western Union office and sent off the following cablegram, directed to Lord Fenlew, Fenlew Hall, Old-marsh, Blightwind Banks, Surrey:
"G.o.d bless you. Returning earliest possible date. Will wire soon as wedding day is set. Eric."
It was a plain, matter-of-fact Britannical way of covering the situation. He felt there was nothing more that could be said at the moment, and his interest being centred upon two absorbing subjects he touched firmly upon both of them and let it go at that.
Quite as direct and characteristic was the reply that came early the next day.
"Do nothing rash. Who and what is she? Fenlew."
This was the beginning of a sharp, incisive conversation between two English n.o.blemen separated by three thousand miles of water.
"Loveliest girl in the world. You will be daffy over her. Take my word for it. Eric."
(While we are about it, it is just as well to set forth the brisk dialogue now and get over with it. Something like forty-eight hours actually were required to complete the transoceanic conversation. We save time and avoid confusion, to say nothing of interrupted activities, by telling it all in a breath, so to speak, disregarding everything except sequence.)
Lord Fenlew to Lord Temple: "I repeat, who and what is she?"
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew: "Forgive oversight. She is daughter of late Earl of Wexham. I told you what she is."
Lord Fenlew to Lord Temple: "What is date of wedding? Must know at once."
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew: "I will ask her and let you know."
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew--(the next day): "Still undecided. Something to do with gowns."
Lord Fenlew to Lord Temple: "Nonsense. I cannot wait."
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew: "Gave her your message. She says you"ll have to."
Lord Fenlew to Lord Temple: "Tell her I can"t. I am a very old man."
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew: "Thanks. That brought her round. May fifteenth in this city."
Lord Fenlew to Lord Temple: "My blessings. Draw on me for any amount up to ten thousand pounds. Wedding present on the way."
Lord Temple to Lord Fenlew: "Happiness complete."
An ordinary telegram signed "Eric Temple" was delivered on board one of the huge American cruisers at Hampton Roads during this exchange of cablegrams. It was directed to Lieut. Samuel Pickering Aylesworth, who promptly replied: "Heartiest congratulations. Count on me for anything.
Nothing could give me greater happiness than to stand up with you on the momentous occasion. It is great to know that you are not only still in the land of the living but that you are living in the land that I love best. My warmest felicitations to the future Lady Temple."
Now, to go back to the morning on which the first cablegram was received from Lord Fenlew. At precisely ten minutes past nine o"clock we take up the thread of this narrative once more and find Thomas Trotter standing in the lower hall of Mrs. Millidew"s home, awaiting the return of a parlour-maid who had gone to inform her mistress that the chauffeur was downstairs and wanted to see her when it was convenient. The chauffeur did not fail to observe the anxious, concerned look in the maid"s eyes, nor the glance of sympathy she sent over her shoulder as she made the turn at the top of the stairs.
Presently she came back. She looked positively distressed.
"My goodness, Tommie," she said, "I"d hate to be you."
He smiled, quite composedly. "Think I"d better beat it?" he inquired.
"She"s in an awful state," said the parlour-maid, twisting the hem of her ap.r.o.n.
"I don"t blame her," said Trotter coolly.
"What was you up to?" asked she, with some severity.
He thought for a second or two and then puzzled her vastly by replying:
"Up to my ears."
"Pickled?"
"Permanently intoxicated," he a.s.sured her.