The Mistress of Shenstone.
by Florence L. Barclay.
CHAPTER I
ON THE TERRACE AT SHENSTONE
Three o"clock on a dank afternoon, early in November. The wintry sunshine, in fitful gleams, pierced the greyness of the leaden sky.
The great trees in Shenstone Park stood gaunt and bare, spreading wide arms over the sodden gra.s.s. All nature seemed waiting the first fall of winter"s snow, which should hide its deadness and decay under a lovely pall of sparkling white, beneath which a promise of fresh life to come might gently move and stir; and, eventually, spring forth.
The Mistress of Shenstone moved slowly up and down the terrace, wrapped in her long cloak, listening to the soft "drip, drip" of autumn all around; noting the silent fall of the last dead leaves; the steely grey of the lake beyond; the empty flower-garden; the deserted lawn.
The large stone house had a desolate appearance, most of the rooms being, evidently, closed; but, in one or two, cheerful log-fires blazed, casting a ruddy glow upon the window-panes, and sending forth a tempting promise of warmth and cosiness within.
A tiny white toy-poodle walked the terrace with his mistress--an agitated little bundle of white curls; sometimes running round and round her; then hurrying on before, or dropping behind, only to rush on, in unexpected haste, at the corners; almost tripping her up, as she turned.
"Peter," said Lady Ingleby, on one of these occasions, "I do wish you would behave in a more rational manner! Either come to heel and follow sedately, as a dog of your age should do; or trot on in front, in the gaily juvenile manner you a.s.sume when Michael takes you out for a walk; but, for goodness sake, don"t be so fidgety; and don"t run round and round me in this bewildering way, or I shall call for William, and send you in. I only wish Michael could see you!"
The little animal looked up at her, pathetically, through his tumbled curls--a soft silky ma.s.s, which had earned for him his name of Shockheaded Peter. His eyes, red-rimmed from the cold wind, had that unseeing look, often noticeable in a very old dog. Yet there was in them, and in the whole pose of his tiny body, an anguish of anxiety, which could not have escaped a genuine dog-lover. Even Lady Ingleby became partially aware of it. She stooped and patted his head.
"Poor little Peter," she said, more kindly. "It is horrid, for us both, having Michael so far away at this tiresome war. But he will come home before long; and we shall forget all the anxiety and loneliness. It will be spring again. Michael will have you properly clipped, and we will go to Brighton, where you enjoy trotting about, and hearing people call you "The British Lion." I verily believe you consider yourself the size of the lions in Trafalgar Square! I cannot imagine why a great big man, such as Michael, is so devoted to a tiny sc.r.a.p of a dog, such as you! Now, if you were a Great Dane, or a mighty St. Bernard--! However, Michael loves us both, and we both love Michael; so we must be nice to each other, little Peter, while he is away."
Myra Ingleby smiled, drew the folds of her cloak more closely around her, and moved on. A small white shadow, with no wag to its tail, followed dejectedly behind.
And the dead leaves, loosing their hold of the sapless branches, fluttered to the sodden turf; and the soft "drip, drip" of autumn fell all around.
The door of the lower hall opened. A footman, bringing a telegram, came quickly out. His features were set, in well-trained impa.s.sivity; but his eyelids flickered nervously as he handed the silver salver to his mistress.
Lady Ingleby"s lovely face paled to absolute whiteness beneath her large beaver hat; but she took up the orange envelope with a steady hand, opening it with fingers which did not tremble. As she glanced at the signature, the colour came back to her cheeks.
"From Dr. Brand," she said, with an involuntary exclamation of relief; and the waiting footman turned and nodded furtively toward the house. A maid, at a window, dropped the blind, and ran to tell the anxious household all was well.
Meanwhile, Lady Ingleby read her telegram.
Visiting patient in your neighbourhood. Can you put me up for the night? Arriving 4.30.
Deryck Brand.
Lady Ingleby turned to the footman. "William," she said, "tell Mrs.
Jarvis, Sir Deryck Brand is called to this neighbourhood, and will stay here to-night. They can light a fire at once in the magnolia room, and prepare it for him. He will be here in an hour. Send the motor to the station. Tell Groatley we will have tea in my sitting-room as soon as Sir Deryck arrives. Send down word to the Lodge to Mrs. O"Mara, that I shall want her up here this evening. Oh, and--by the way--mention at once at the Lodge that there is no further news from abroad."
"Yes, m" lady," said the footman; and Myra Ingleby smiled at the reflection, in the lad"s voice and face, of her own immense relief. He turned and hastened to the house; Peter, in a sudden access of misplaced energy, barking furiously at his heels.
Lady Ingleby moved to the front of the terrace and stood beside one of the stone lions, close to an empty vase, which in summer had been a brilliant ma.s.s of scarlet geraniums. Her face was glad with expectation.
"Somebody to talk to, at last!" she said. "I had begun to think I should have to brave dear mamma, and return to town. And Sir Deryck of all people! He wires from Victoria, so I conclude he sees his patient _en route_, or in the morning. How perfectly charming of him to give me a whole evening. I wonder how many people would, if they knew of it, be breaking the tenth commandment concerning me! ... Peter, you little fiend! Come here! Why the footmen, and gardeners, and postmen, do not kick out your few remaining teeth, pa.s.ses me! You pretend to be too unwell to eat your dinner, and then behave like a frantic hyena, because poor innocent William brings me a telegram! I shall write and ask Michael if I may have you hanged."
And, in high good humour, Lady Ingleby went into the house.
But, outside, the dead leaves turned slowly, and rustled on the gra.s.s; while the soft "drip, drip" of autumn fell all around. The dying year was almost dead; and nature waited for her pall of snow.
CHAPTER II
THE FORERUNNER
"What it is to have somebody to talk to, at last! And _you_, of all people, dear Doctor! Though I still fail to understand how a patient, who has brought you down to these parts, can wait for your visit until to-morrow morning, thus giving a perfectly healthy person, such as myself, the inestimable privilege of your company at tea, dinner, and breakfast, with delightful _tete-a-tetes_ in between. All the world knows your minutes are golden."
Thus Lady Ingleby, as she poured out the doctor"s tea, and handed it to him.
Deryck Brand placed the cup carefully on his corner of the folding tea-table, helped himself to thin bread-and-b.u.t.ter; then answered, with his most charming smile,
"Mine would be a very dismal profession dear lady, if it precluded me from ever having a meal, or a conversation, or from spending a pleasant evening, with a perfectly healthy person. I find the surest way to live one"s life to the full, accomplishing the maximum amount of work with the minimum amount of strain, is to cultivate the habit of living in the present; giving the whole mind to the scene, the subject, the person, of the moment. Therefore, with your leave, we will dismiss my patients, past and future; and enjoy, to the full, this unexpected _tete-a-tete_."
Myra Ingleby looked at her visitor. His forty-two years sat lightly on him, notwithstanding the streaks of silver in the dark hair just over each temple. There was a youthful alertness about the tall athletic figure; but the lean brown face, clean shaven and reposeful, held a look of quiet strength and power, mingled with a keen kindliness and ready comprehension, which inspired trust, and drew forth confidence.
The burden of a great loneliness seemed lifted from Myra"s heart.
"Do you always put so much salt on your bread-and-b.u.t.ter?" she said. "And how glad I am to be "the person of the moment." Only--until this mysterious "patient in the neighbourhood" demands your attention,--you ought to be having a complete holiday, and I must try to forget that I am talking to the greatest nerve specialist of the day, and only realise the pleasure of entertaining so good a friend of Michael"s and my own.
Otherwise I should be tempted to consult you; for I really believe, Sir Deryck, for the first time in my life, I am becoming neurotic."
The doctor did not need to look at his hostess. His practised eye had already noted the thin cheeks; the haunted look; the purple shadows beneath the lovely grey eyes, for which the dark fringes of black eyelashes were not altogether accountable. He leaned forward and looked into the fire.
"If such is really the case," he said, "that you should be aware of it, is so excellent a symptom, that the condition cannot be serious. But I want you to remember, Lady Ingleby, that I count all my patients, friends; also that my friends may consider themselves at liberty, at any moment, to become my patients. So consult me, if I can be of any use to you."
The doctor helped himself to more bread-and-b.u.t.ter, folding it with careful precision.
Lady Ingleby held out her hand for his cup, grateful that he did not appear to notice the rush of unexpected tears to her eyes. She busied herself with the urn until she could control her voice; then said, with a rather tremulous laugh: "Ah, thank you! Presently--if I may--I gladly will consult you. Meanwhile, how do you like "the scene of the moment"?
Do you consider my boudoir improved? Michael made all these alterations before he went away. The new electric lights are a patent arrangement of his own. And had you seen his portrait? A wonderful likeness, isn"t it?"
The doctor looked around him, appreciatively.
"I have been admiring the room, ever since I entered," he said. "It is charming." Then he raised his eyes to the picture over the mantelpiece:--the life-sized portrait of a tall, bearded man, with the high brow of the scholar and thinker; the eyes of the mystic; the gentle unruffled expression of the saint. He appeared old enough to be the father of the woman in whose boudoir his portrait was the central object. The artist had painted him in an old Norfolk shooting-suit, leather leggings, hunting-crop in hand, seated in a garden chair, beside a rustic table. Everything in the picture was homely, old, and comfortable; the creases in the suit were old friends; the ancient tobacco pouch on the table was worn and stained. Russet-brown predominated, and the highest light in the painting was the clear blue of those dreamy, musing eyes. They were bent upon the table, where sat, in an expectant att.i.tude of adoring attention, a white toy-poodle.
The palpable devotion between the big man and the tiny dog, the concentrated affection with which they looked at one another, were very cleverly depicted. The picture might have been called: "We two"; also it left an impression of a friendship in which there had been no room for a third. The doctor glanced, for an instant, at the lovely woman on the lounge, behind the silver urn, and his subconsciousness propounded the question: "Where did _she_ come in?" But the next moment he turned towards the large armchair on his right, where a small dejected ma.s.s of white curls lay in a huddled heap. It was impossible to distinguish between head and tail.
"Is this the little dog?" asked the doctor.
"Yes; that is Peter. But in the picture he is smart and properly clipped, and feeling better than he does just now. Peter and Michael are devoted to each other; and, when Michael is away, Peter is left in my charge. But I am not fond of small dogs; and I really consider Peter very much spoilt. Also I always feel he just tolerates me because I am Michael"s wife, and remains with me because, where I am, there Michael will return.
But I am quite kind to him, for Michael"s sake. Only he really is a nasty little dog; and too old to be allowed to continue. Michael always speaks of him as if he were quite too good to live; and, personally, I think it is high time he went where all good dogs go. I cannot imagine what is the matter with him now. Since yesterday afternoon he has refused all his food, and been so restless and fidgety. He always sleeps on Michael"s bed; and, as a rule, after I have put him there, and closed the door between Michael"s room and mine, I hear no more of Peter, until he barks to be let out in the morning, and my maid takes him down-stairs. But last night, he whined and howled for hours. At length I got up, found Michael"s old shooting jacket--the very one in the portrait--and laid it on the bed. Peter crawled into it, and cuddled down, I folded the sleeves around him, and he seemed content. But to-day he still refuses to eat. I believe he is dyspeptic, or has some other complaint, such as dogs develop when they are old. Honestly--don"t you think--a little effective poison, in an attractive pill----?"
"Oh, hush!" said the doctor. "Peter may not be asleep."
Lady Ingleby laughed. "My dear Sir Deryck! Do you suppose animals understand our conversation?"