Captain Desmond, V.C.

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  THE EXECRABLE UNKNOWN.

  "Doubting things go wrong, Often hurts more than to be sure they do." --SHAKESPEARE.

  Honor found Evelyn in a state of chastened happiness, buttering toastfor Theo's breakfast, which stood ready on a tray at her side.

  "Would you like to take this in yourself?" she said, as she completedher task. "I think he would be pleased. He was asking where you were."

  The suggestion was so graciously proffered that Honor deposited alight kiss on the coiled floss silk of Evelyn's hair as she bent abovethe table. Then she took up the tray, and went on into the study.

  She entered, and set it down without speaking; and Desmond, who waslying back with closed eyes, roused himself at the sound.

  "Thank you, little woman," he said. Then, with a start, "Ah,Honor,--it's you. Very kind of you to trouble. Good-morning."

  The contrast in his tone and manner was apparent, even in so fewwords; and Honor was puzzled.

  "I hope you got some sleep last night," she said, "after that cruelthirty-six hours."

  "More or less, thanks. But I had a good deal to say to Paul. You andhe seem to have become very close friends while I have been away."

  "We have; permanently, I am glad to say. I should have come in to youwhen I got up, but I was sure he would have done everything you couldwant before leaving."

  "He did; and he'll be back the minute he's through with his work. Heis an incomparable nurse; and with him at hand, I shall not needto--trespass on so much of your time, after all."

  Honor bit her lip and tingled in every nerve, less at the actual wordsthan at the manner of their utterance--a mingling of embarrassment andschooled politeness, which set her at arm's length, checkedspontaneity, and brought her down from the heights with the speed of adropped stone.

  "It is not a question of trespassing on my time," she said, and inspite of herself a hint of constraint invaded her voice. "But I haveno wish to deprive Paul of his privilege and right. You can settle itwith Dr Mackay between you. Now, it's time you ate your breakfast. Canyou manage by yourself? Shall I send Evelyn to help you?"

  "No, thanks; I can manage all right."

  He knew quite well he could do nothing of the sort; but his one needwas to be alone.

  "Very well. I shall be busy this morning with mail letters. Evelynwill sit with you till Paul comes; and Frank is sure to be roundduring the day. I pointed out to you yesterday that there were plentyof--others able and willing to see after you."

  Before he could remonstrate she was gone. He drew in his breathsharply, between set teeth, and struck the arm of his chair withjarring force.

  "I have hurt her--clumsy brute that I am. And I must do worse beforethe day's out. But the sooner it's over the better."

  It was his invariable attitude towards a distasteful duty; and hedecided not to let slip a second opportunity. Weak and unaided, hemade what shift he could to deal with the intricacies of breakfast,choking back his irritability when he found himself grasping empty airin place of the teapot handle, sending the sugar-tongs clattering tothe floor, and deluging his saucer by pouring the milk outside thecup. For the moment, to this man of independent spirit, these trivialindignities seemed more unendurable than the loss of his subaltern,the intrusive shadow threatening his self-respect, or the fear ofblindness, that lay upon his heart cold and heavy as a corpse.

  And on the other side of the door, Honor stood alone in thedrawing-room, trying to regain some measure of calmness beforereturning to the breakfast-table.

  Red-hot resentment fired her from head to foot. Resentment againstwhat, against whom? she asked herself blankly, and in the same breathturned her back upon the answer. Chiefly against herself, no doubt,for her inglorious descent from the pinnacle of stoicism, to which shehad climbed barely an hour ago. It seemed that Love, coming late tothese two, had come as a refiner's fire, to "torment their hearts,till it should have unfolded the capacities of their spirits." ForLove, like Wisdom, is justified of all her children.

  Breakfast, followed by details of housekeeping, reinstatedcommon-sense. After all, since she had resolved to remain in thebackground, Theo had simplified affairs by consigning her to herdestined position. She could quite well keep her promise to Dr Mackay,and superintend all matters of moment, without spending much time inthe sick-room. Evelyn had agreed to accept her share of the nursing;and, as she had said, there were others, whose right was beyond herown.

  Shortly after tiffin, Wyndham arrived with Rajinder Singh; and findingthem together in the drawing-room--after the short interview permittedby Paul--Honor took the opportunity of fulfilling a request made byTheo on the previous evening.

  "I have to write to Mrs Denvil," she said to Paul. "Would the Sirdarmind giving me a few details about the fighting on the 17th?"

  Paul glanced approvingly at the old Sikh, who stood beside him, aprincely figure of a man, in the magnificent mufti affected by thenative cavalry officer--a long coat of peach-coloured brocade, and aturban of the same tint.

  "Mind? He needs very little encouragement to enlarge on Theo's sharein the proceedings."

  "I would like to hear all he can tell me about that," she answered ona low note of fervour.

  "You could follow him, I suppose?"

  "Yes, perfectly."

  "You hear, Ressaldar Sahib." Paul turned to his companion. "The MissSahib desires full news of the attack and engagement on Tuesdaymorning, that she may write of it to England."

  The man's eyes gleamed under his shaggy brows, and he launched intothe story, nothing loth; his eloquence rising as he warmed to thecongenial theme.

  Paul Wyndham stepped back a few paces into a patch of shadow, thebetter to watch Honor Meredith at his ease. She had balanced herselflightly on the arm of a chair; and now leaned a little forward, herlips just parted in the eagerness of anticipation. A turquoisemedallion on a fine gold chain made a single incident of colour on thehabitual ivory tint of her gown; threads of burnished copper glintedamong the coils of her hair; and the loyal loving soul of her shonelike a light through the seriousness of her eyes.

  And as he watched, hope--that dies harder than any quality of theheart--rose up in him and prevailed. A day must come when thisexecrable unknown would no longer stand between them; when she wouldcome to him of her own accord, as she had promised;--and he could waitfor years, without impatience, on the bare chance of such aconsummation.

  But at this point a growing change in her riveted his attention--achange such as only the eyes of a lover could detect and interpretaright. She sat almost facing him; and at the first had looked towardshim, from time to time, certain of his sympathy with the interest thatheld her. But before five minutes were out he had been forgotten asthough he were not; and by how all else about her was forgotten also.Not her spirit only, but her whole heart glowed in her eyes; and PaulWyndham, standing watchful and silent in the shadow, became abruptlyaware that the execrable unknown--whom he had been hating for the pastfortnight with all the strength of a strong nature--was the man heloved better than anything else on earth.

  The Ressaldar was nearing the crowning-point of his story now. Honorlistened spellbound as he told her of the breathless rush up thatrugged incline, and of the sight that greeted them after scaling themighty staircase of rock.

  "None save the fleetest among us could keep pace with the CaptainSahib, wounded as he was," the Sikh was saying, when Wyndham, with ahideous jar, came back to reality. "But God gave me strength, though Ihave fifty years well told, so that I came not far behind; and even asDenvil Sahib fell, with his face to the earth, at the Captain Sahib'sfeet, he turned upon the Afridi devils like a lion among wolves, andsmote three of them to hell before a man could say, 'It lightens.' Yetcame there one pig of a coward behind him, Miss Sahib. Only, by God'smercy, I also was there, to give him such greeting as he deserved withmy Persian sword, that hath passed from father to son these hundredand fifty yea
rs, and hath never done better work than in averting thehand of death from my Captain Sahib Bahadur, whom God will makeJungi-Lat-Sahib[29] before the end of his days! For myself I am an oldman, and of a truth I covet no higher honour than this that hathbefallen me, in rendering twice, without merit, such good service tothe Border. Nay, but who am I that I should speak thus? Hath not theMiss Sahib herself rendered a like service? May your honour live long,and be the mother of heroes!"

  [29] Commander-in-Chief.

  Rajinder Singh bowed low on the words, which brought the girl to herfeet and crimsoned her clear skin from chin to brow. By a deftquestion she turned the tide of talk into a less embarrassing channel;and Paul Wyndham, pulling himself together with an effort, wentnoiselessly out of the room.

  Passing through the hall, he sought the comparative privacy of theback verandah, which was apt to be deserted at this time of day. Herehe confronted the discovery that tortured him--denied it; wrestledwith it; and finally owned himself beaten by it. There was no evadingthe witness of his own eyes; and in that moment it seemed to him thathe had reached the limit of endurance. Then a sudden question stabbedhim. How far was Theo responsible for that which had come about? Washe, even remotely, to blame?

  Had any living soul dared to breathe such questions in his hearingWyndham would have knocked the words down his throat, and severalteeth along with them, man of peace though he was. But the very depthof his feeling for Desmond made him the more clear-eyed and stern injudgment; and the intolerable doubt, uprising like a mist before hisinner vision, held him motionless, forgetful of place and time; tillfootsteps roused him, and he turned to find Honor coming towards him.

  "Why, Paul," she said, "what brings you here? I have been looking foryou everywhere. I thought you had gone to him. Evelyn says he isalone, and he wants you."

  The unconscious use of the pronoun did not escape Paul's notice, andhe winced at it, as also at the undernote of reproof in her tone.

  "Sorry to have kept him waiting," he said quietly, and for the firsttime his eyes avoided her face. "I will go to him at once."

  But on opening the study door he hesitated, dreading the necessity forspeech; glad--actually glad--that his face was hidden from his friend.For all the depth of their reserve, the shadow of restraint was athing unknown between them. But the world had been turned upside downfor Wyndham since he left the familiar room half an hour ago. A sparkthat came very near to anger burned in his heart.

  Desmond turned in his chair. Two hours of undiluted Evelyn had lefthim craving for mental companionship.

  "Paul, old man," he said on a questioning note, "can't you speak to afellow? Jove! what wouldn't I give for a good square look at you! It'spoor work consorting with folk who only exist from the waist downward.You've not got to be running off anywhere else, have you?"

  "No; I am quite free."

  "Come on then, for Heaven's sake, dear chap! I have been wanting youall the morning."

  The direct appeal, the pathos of his shattered vigour, and theirresistible friendliness of words and tone dispelled all possibilityof doubt, or of sitting in judgment. Whatever appearances mightsuggest, Paul stood ready to swear, through thick and thin, to theintegrity of his friend.

  He came forward at once; and Desmond, cavalierly ousting Rob, maderoom for him on the lower end of his chair.