"Thanks. It seems to be the sort of thing one must drink here."
"You drank it in China didn"t you?" asked Lady Jabe.
Burgh turned quickly. "Who told you I had been in China?" he asked.
"My nephew Chris. He heard you talking Chinese to someone."
The dark young man looked distinctly annoyed. "When was that?" he asked Chris.
"Two weeks ago," replied the other, "you were standing at the corner of the Mansion House talking to a Chinaman. I only caught a word or two in pa.s.sing."
"And I guess you didn"t understand," said Clarence derisively.
"There you are wrong. I am in a Chinese firm, and know the language. As a matter of fact I write their foreign letters for them."
"The deuce you do," murmured Burgh looking rather disturbed; but he said no more on the subject, and merely enquired if the ladies were prepared for the ball at the Bristol which was to take place in six days. "I hear it"s going to be a bully affair."
"Oh charming--charming," said Miss Pewsey. "Major Tidman is one of the stewards. I asked him for a ticket for you Clarence dear."
"I"ll go, if Miss Rayner will dance with me."
"I don"t know that I am going myself," said Olivia quietly.
"Nonsense," said her aunt sharply, "of course you are going. Everyone is going--the best ball of the season."
"Even poor little me," said Miss Pewsey, with her elderly head on one side.
"Huh," said the irreverent Clarence, "ain"t you past hoppin" aunt?"
"I can look on and admire the younger generation dear."
"It will be a splendid ball," prattled Chris sipping his tea and devouring very crumbly cake, "the Glorious Golfers are going to spend a lot of money in decorating the rooms. I met Mr. Ainsleigh. He is going--a rare thing for him. He goes nowhere as a rule."
Miss Wharf glanced sharply at her niece, but beyond a faint flush, she could detect no sign of emotion. "People who are as poor as young Ainsleigh, can"t afford to go out," she said deliberately. "I think the wisest thing that young man could do, would be to marry a rich girl,"
and she again looked at Olivia.
"He is certainly very handsome," said Lady Jabe pensively, "very much like his mother. She was a fine-looking woman, one of the Vanes of Heathersham."
"I remember her," said Miss Wharf, her colour rising, "and I never thought she was good-looking myself."
"Not to compare to you dear," said the sycophant.
But this time Miss Pewsey made a mistake. The remark did not seem to please Miss Wharf. "I don"t care for comparisons," she said sharply, "its bad taste to make them. I like Mr. Ainsleigh, but I don"t approve of his idling."
"He has never been brought up to do anything," said Lady Jabe.
"Then he ought to turn his hands to making money in some way. That place is mortgaged and at any time may be sold. Then he won"t have a roof over his head."
"I have never met Ainsleigh," said Burgh musingly, "I guess I"d like to have a jaw along o" him. Wasn"t his father murdered in China?"
Miss Wharf became suddenly pale. "It is said that he was, but I don"t believe it."
"Then he"s alive," said Clarence pertinaciously, and looking at her.
"No. He"s dead, but he died of dysentery, according to Dr. Forge who was with him when he died--somewhere in the north I believe."
Burgh evidently stored this in his memory and looked keenly at the woman whose bosom rose and fell and whose colour came and went under his steady gaze. Miss Pewsey saw that the persistent look was annoying her patroness, and touched her nephew"s arm gently. The touch recalled Burgh to his senses and he looked away. This time his eyes rested on Olivia.
Her colour was high and apparently she had been listening with interest to the conversation. "Huh," thought the swashbuckler, "and it was about young Ainsleigh," and he stored this in his memory also.
To make a sensation, which he dearly loved to do, Chris Walker announced that he would bring a distinguished visitor to the ball of the Glorious Golfers. "He"s a Chinaman," said he pompously, "and was mixed up in the Boxer rebellion."
None of the ladies seemed impressed, as none of them knew anything about the Boxers, or their rebellion. But Burgh looked up. "Who is he anyhow?"
he demanded, compressing his lips.
"A Chinese gentleman called Tung-yu."
"What a very extraordinary name," said Miss Pewsey, and suddenly began to take a deep interest in matters Chinese. While she chatted with Chris who was willing to afford her all information, Burgh folded his arms and leaned back apparently thinking deeply. His face was not pleasant to behold. Olivia saw the evil look and shivered. Then she rose and was about to steal from the room, when her aunt called to her sharply.
"Don"t go Olivia I want to speak with you."
"And I want to take my usual walk," said Lady Jabe rising and settling her collar, "Chris?"
A tap on the shoulder brought the slim young man to his feet, and giving his arm to his masculine aunt the two departed. Burgh rose also. "I guess I"ll make tracks also?" he said smartly. "Walker, you and I can have a yarn together, later."
Miss Pewsey followed her nephew to the door. "Do you wish to ask young Mr. Walker more about Tung-yu?" she asked.
Clarence wheeled round quickly. "What do you know of him aunt?"
"It"s such a strange name," simpered Miss Pewsey, looking very innocent, "and I am interested in China. You were out there a long time Clarence."
"Amongst other places, yes. I hung round a bit."
"Then you must tell me all about the natives," said Miss Pewsey, "I want to know of their robes and their fans and--"
"Fans," said Burgh starting: but Miss Pewsey with an artificial laugh flitted back into the room, leaving him uneasy and non-plussed. He walked away frowning darkly.
Olivia would have walked away also frowning, as she was indignant at the way in which her aunt had spoken of Rupert. But Miss Wharf gave her no chance of leaving the room or the house. Olivia had never seen her aunt so pale or upset. She looked as white as chalk, and controlled her emotion with difficulty. Lavinia Pewsey glanced at the two, guessed there was about to be a row, and glided away. She always kept out of trouble.
"Now," said Miss Wharf when they were alone, "I want an explanation."
CHAPTER IV
RUPERT"S SECRET
Olivia was astonished to see the emotion of her aunt, for, as a rule Miss Wharf was cold and self-contained. The two had never got on well together, and the elder woman was undeniably jealous of the youth and superior good looks of the younger. But as Olivia owed bed and board to her aunt, she always behaved as well as possible to one who was very trying in many ways. It is only just to say, that Miss Pewsey made matters much worse by tale-bearing, and probably had she been out of the house, Miss Wharf and her niece might have got on better. But they could never have been congenial companions. The difference between their natures was too great.