"I have been waiting for the pleasure of meeting you," he drawled.
"I dropped in on the chance, and Lady Carfax a.s.sured me you wouldn"t be long."
Sir Giles scowled more heavily than before. He shot a malignant glance at his wife.
"Who in thunder made her so clever?" he growled. "And what did you want to see me for? Have I ever met you before?"
His voice was thick, the words somewhat difficult to distinguish.
Nap"s smile was unmistakably sardonic. "Many times," he said. "You nearly rode over me on the last occasion. Doubtless the episode has escaped your memory, but it made a more lasting impression upon mine."
Sir Giles glared offensively, as if he deemed himself insulted. "I remember," he said. "Your animal came down with you. You pushed in front of me. But it was your own fault. You Americans never observe the rules of sport. I"m always glad to see you come a cropper."
"I am sure of it," said Nap politely. "It must gratify you immensely."
Sir Giles uttered a brief, snarling laugh, and advanced abruptly to the hearth. He towered above the slim American, but the latter did not appear to shirk comparison with him. With his hands in his pockets he nonchalantly opposed his insolence to the other man"s half-tipsy tyranny.
And Anne Carfax sat silent behind the tea-table and endured the encounter with a mask-like patience that betrayed no faintest hint of what she carried in her heart.
"Well, what do you want to see me for?" Sir Giles demanded, with a ferocious kick at the coals.
Nap was quite ready with his answer. "I am really here on my brother"s behalf. There is a scheme afoot, as no doubt you know, for the building of a Town Hall. My brother considers that the lord of the Manor"--he bowed with thinly-veiled irony--"should have first say in the matter. But I am at liberty to a.s.sure you that should you be in favour of the scheme he is ready to offer you his hearty support."
Sir Giles heard him out with lowering brows. It did not improve his temper to see Anne"s eyes flash sudden interrogation at Nap"s serenely smiling countenance, though he did not suspect the meaning of her glance.
"I am not in favour of the scheme," he said shortly, as Nap ended.
Nap slightly raised his brows. "No? I understood otherwise."
The blood mounted to Sir Giles"s forehead. "Either you were misinformed or your intelligence is at fault," he said, with that in his voice that was so nearly an open insult that, for a second, even Nap looked dangerous.
Then quite quietly, without raising her eyes, Anne intervened. "I think you ought to explain to Mr. Errol, Giles, that you have only recently changed your mind."
Sir Giles rounded on her malignantly. "What the devil has that to do with it, or with you, for that matter? Do you think I don"t know my own mind?
Do you think--"
"I know exactly what Lady Carfax thinks," cut in Nap, moving deliberately so that he stood directly between Sir Giles and the tea-table. His back was turned to Anne, and he kept it so. "And in the main, I agree with her, though my sentiments are a little stronger than hers. I"ll tell you exactly what they are some day. I think you would be interested, or at least not bored. But with regard to this Town Hall suggestion, what"s wrong with it, anyway? Couldn"t you come over and talk it out with my brother? He isn"t well enough just now to come to you."
The coolness of this speech took effect. Sir Giles glared for a few moments till the speaker"s steady regard became too much for him. Then, with a lurching movement, he turned away.
"No, I won"t visit your brother! Why the deuce should I? Do you think I belong to the rag, tag, and bobtail, that"ll mix with the very sc.u.m of society so long as there"s money about? Do you think I"d lower myself to a.s.sociate with fellows like you?"
"I guess you"d find it difficult," drawled Nap.
He still stood with his back to the tea-table. He seemed to have forgotten the woman who sat so rigid behind him. His fingers drummed a careless tattoo upon the table-edge. He was unquestionably master of the situation, and that without much apparent effort.
And Sir Giles knew it, knew himself to be worsted, and that in his wife"s presence. He glanced at her through eyes narrowed to evil slits.
Her very impa.s.sivity goaded him. It seemed in some fashion to express contempt. With violence he strode to the bell and pealed it vigorously.
On the instant Nap turned. "So long, Lady Carfax!"
She looked up at him. Her lips said nothing, but for that instant her eyes entreated, and his eyes made swift response.
He was smiling with baffling good humour as he turned round to Sir Giles.
"Good-bye, sir! Delighted to have met you. I"ll give your message to my brother. It"ll amuse him."
He departed without a backward glance as the servant opened the door, elaborately deaf to Sir Giles"s half-strangled reply that he might go to the devil and take his brother with him.
He left dead silence in the room behind him, but the moment that the clang of the front door told of his final exit the storm burst.
Sir Giles, livid, stammering with rage, strode up and down and cursed the departed visitor in lurid language, cursed the errand that had brought him, and rated his wife for admitting him.
"I will not know these impertinent, opulent Americans!" was the burden of his maledictions. "As for that d.a.m.ned, insolent bounder, I will never have him in the house again. Understand that! I know him. I"ve heard Shirley talk of him. The man"s a blackguard. And if I ever catch him alone in your company after this, I"ll thrash him--do you hear?--I"ll thrash him! So now you know what to expect!"
It was at this point that Anne rose, pa.s.sed quietly, with the bearing of a queen, down the long room, and without a single word or glance went out and closed the door very softly behind her.
CHAPTER VI
AT THE MEET
On one occasion, and one only, in the whole year were the gates of the Manor thrown open to all comers, opulent Americans and impecunious Britons alike. And this was when, in accordance with a custom that had been observed from time immemorial, the foxhounds met upon the Manor lawn.
It was then that Sir Giles, who cursed this obligatory hospitality for weeks beforehand, emerged with a smile as fixed as his scowl, shook hands with the select few whom he deigned to number among his acquaintances and pointedly ignored the many who did not enjoy this privilege.
With old Dimsdale the butler rather than with his master rested the honours of the house, and old Dimsdale did his part n.o.bly; so n.o.bly that Major Shirley was heard to remark more than once that it was a pity he and Sir Giles couldn"t change places. It was the great day of Dimsdale"s year, and his was the proud task to see that none of the guests were neglected.
Anne usually rode to hounds on this occasion. Tall and stately, clad in the conventional black riding-habit that only added grace to her severity of outline, she moved among her husband"s guests. And even those of them who, like Major Shirley, resented that queenliness which was an inborn part of her very nature, were fain to admit that she filled her position as lady of the Manor with striking success. Though she had withdrawn herself more and more of late from the society of the neighbourhood, she acted the part of hostess with unfailing graciousness. On foot she moved among the throng, greeting everyone she knew.
Little Dot Waring, standing in the background with her brother on a certain misty morning in January marked her progress with looks of loving admiration. Lady Carfax"s mount, a powerful grey with nervous ears and gleaming eyes, was being held in unwilling subjection close to them.
"Be ready to mount her when she comes this way, Ralph," Dot whispered, as the tall figure drew nearer.
But the honour of mounting Lady Carfax was not for Ralph. A man on a black mare--a slight man with high cheek-bones and an insolent bearing--was threading his way towards them through the crowd. The mare, like the grey, was restive, and her rider swore at her whimsies as he came.
Meeting Dot"s frank regard, he checked himself and raised his hat with a courtesy half-instinctive.
Dot stared, coloured, and very slightly bowed.
Ralph sn.i.g.g.e.red. "Let yourself in for it that time, my child! Here comes Bertie to effect a formal introduction."
"Bertie won"t introduce him," she said quickly.
Bertie, looking very handsome and stalwart, was already close to them. He leaned down from the saddle to shake hands.