CHAPTER XIX.
"BLOOD CALLS ALOUD FOR BLOOD AND NOT FOR HANDS ENTWINED"
It was with a strange conflict of feelings that Paul, with Adreaby his side, passed across the square, low hall of the cottage,plentifully decorated with stags' heads and other sporting trophies,and into the drawing-room. It was a room which had been built, too, ofquaint shape, made up of nooks and corners and recesses, and with darkoak beams stretching right across the ceiling. The furniture was allold-fashioned, and of different periods; but the general effect washarmonious, though a trifle shabby. Paul knew it well! Many an eveninghe had come in to tea there, after a cigar and a chat with the oldMajor, and lounged in that low chair by Mrs. Harcourt's side. But itscarcely seemed like the same room to him now. The Major and his wifehad been old-fashioned people, and their personality, and talk, andsurroundings, had created a sort of atmosphere which Paul had grownalmost to associate with the place. He missed it directly he enteredthe room. What it was that had worked the change it was hard to tell.Adrea had been far too charmed with its quaintness to seriously alteranything. A little stiffness in the arrangement of the furniture hadbeen corrected, and the few antimacassars carefully removed; otherwisenothing had been changed. The great bowls of yellow roses andchrysanthemums, and the piles of modern books and music lying about,might have been partly responsible for it; and the faint perfume whichhe had grown to associate altogether with Adrea, and which seemedwafted into the air as she gathered up her skirts on her way intothe room, had a foreign flavour in it. But, after all, it was Adreaherself who changed the atmosphere so completely. She was so differentfrom other women in her strange Eastern beauty and the leopard-likegrace of her movements that she could not fail to create an atmospherearound her. Yes! it was she herself who had worked the change; just asshe had worked so wonderful a change in him, Paul told himself.
At first they had thought that the room was empty; and Adrea, who hadentered a little in advance, turned round to Paul and held out herhands with a sudden sweeping gesture of invitation. Even in thatmoment, as he moved towards her, Paul had time to feel a quick glowof admiration at the artistic elegance of her pose and colouring. Herproud, dusky face and brilliant eyes found a perfect background in thedeep orange of her loose gown, and the velvet twined amongst her darkhair. Her arms, stretched out towards him, were half bare, where thelace had fallen back, and a world of passionate love and invitationwas glowing in her face as she leaned slightly towards him, as ifimpatient of his slow advance. But before his hands had touched hers,a voice from the further end of the room had broken in upon thateloquent silence.
"Adrea! you did not see me!"
They stood for a moment as though paralysed; then Adrea turnedslowly round with darkening face. "I did not! I thought that you wereupstairs!"
She glided out of the shadows, a slim, tall figure dressed withcurious simplicity, and with white, bloodless face. "I am going away,"she said, coming quite close to them, and fixing her full, deepeyes upon Adrea; "I am going away at once. But, Adrea, there is oneword--just one word--"
"Say it!" Adrea interrupted impatiently.
She glanced at Paul. He made a movement as though to quit the room,but Adrea prevented him. "You need not go!" she said. "Anything thatis to be said can be said to you as well as to me. I prefer to have nosecrets! You were going to say something to me," she added, turning toher companion.
"Yes! I have no objection to say it before Mr. de Vaux. I simply wantto ask you whether you consider him a proper visitor in this house?"
"I choose it! I am mistress here!"
For a moment an angry reply seemed to quiver upon the woman's lips,but it died away.
"You are right! I thank you for reminding me of it," she said quietly."And yet, Adrea, hear me! You are doing an evil thing! Was yourfather's murder so light a thing to you that you can join hands withhis murderer's son? Remember that day! Think of your father lyingacross that chamber floor, stricken dead in a single moment by Martinde Vaux--by his father! It is not seemly that you two should standthere, hand in hand! It is not seemly for you to be under the sameroof! It is horrible!"
There was a moment's silence. Then Adrea threw open the door, andpointed to it.
"Go!" she ordered coldly. "You have had your say, and that is myanswer! You were my father's friend; I believe that he loved you! Itwas for his sake that I offered you shelter! It was for his sake thatI brought you here! But, remember this: if you wish to stay with me,let me never hear another word from you on this subject!"
She went out silently. Adrea closed the door, and turned round withall the hardness fading swiftly out of her features. A moment beforethere had been a look of the tigress in her eyes; and Paul, watchingher, had shuddered. It was gone now. She came close up to Paul, andled him to a chair.
"Was I very undignified?" she said, laughing. "I am afraid I was. Iwas very angry!"
He shook his head. "You were not undignified," he said, "but you werevery severe. I think that she will go away."
Adrea's face hardened again. "I do not care! I would hate the dearestfriend I had on earth who tried to come between us. Oh! Paul, Paul!don't you feel as I do; as though the world were empty, and my mindswept bare of memories,--as though there were no background to it all,nothing save you and I, and our love?"
Paul drew her to him. For him, at that moment, there was no past norany future. The dreamy _abandon_ of her manner seemed to have raisedan echo within him.
"Listen! What is that?" Adrea exclaimed suddenly.
There was the ring of a horse's hoofs in the avenue, and immediatelyafterwards a loud peal at the bell. Paul and Adrea looked at oneanother breathlessly. Who could it be?
The outer door was opened and closed, and then quick steps passedacross the hall. The drawing-room door was thrown open, and Arthurde Vaux, pale and splashed with mud from head to foot, stood upon thethreshold.