CHAPTER V
THE VISITOR
Jake carried out his threat the following day, and Maud remained in bed.A violent headache deprived her of the power to protest, and she lay inher darkened room too battered to think, while with characteristicdecision he assumed the direction of the household, provoking unwillingadmiration from Mrs. Lovelace, the housekeeper, who was somewhat given todisparage men as "poor things who never did a hand's turn for 'emselvesif they could get the women to do it for 'em."
He took up a breakfast tray himself to his wife's room, sternly removinghis two small daughters Molly and Betty, whom he found tussling likekittens on her bed, and installing Eileen the eldest, who crept down likea bright-eyed mouse from the big chair by the pillow at his coming, asher mother's keeper. Eileen was his darling; a shy child, gentle butcuriously determined, protective in her attitude towards Maud, reservedtowards himself. Jake was wont to say with a laugh that he was by nomeans sure that his eldest daughter approved of him, but he knew in hisheart that her love for him was the strongest force in her small being.Bunny was wont to be impatient with her because she was afraid of thehorses, with the result that she would never go near them in his company,but she would follow her father wherever he went among them without aquestion. It was very rarely that she confided in him, but she alwaysliked to hold his hand.
She stood beside him now in silence while he waited upon Maud, andpresently, while Maud drank the strong tea he had brought her, her smallhand found its way into his. He looked down at her, squeezing it kindly."We must take care of the mother today, little 'un. She's been workingtoo hard."
"I'll take care of her, Daddy," said Eileen.
"And keep out Molly and Betty," pursued Jake.
"Yes, Daddy, I'll do that."
Maud smiled from her pillows. "My little policeman!" she said.
"I believe she'd keep her daddy out too if she thought it advisable,"laughed Jake.
Eileen's fingers tightened about his, but she did not contradict him.Only the violet eyes so like her mother's looked up at him verypleadingly, and he stooped in a moment and kissed her.
"All right. Daddy understands."
And Eileen smiled a shy, pleased smile without words.
The sound of the telephone-bell in the hall made Maud start with a swiftcontradiction of the brows.
"That's probably Charlie, Jake, I ought to answer him."
"Don't you worry yourself!" said Jake, turning to the door. "I'll answerhim myself."
He was gone before she could say anything further, moving without hastebut with a decision there was no gainsaying, and Maud heaved a sigh andrelaxed against her pillows. It was certainly a relief to leave it tohim.
He returned a few minutes later, faintly smiling, sat down by her sideand drew Eileen between his knees.
"Well," he said. "I guess it's all fixed up. We're going to give you anursery governess, Innocence. I hope you'll treat her with respect."
"Oh, but, Jake--" protested Maud.
He turned to her. "Yes, she's going to make herself useful. I don'tbelieve in anyone living in idleness. We'll begin as we mean to goon, and she's got to help. I told his lordship so. If she doesn'tsuit,--well, I guess she'll go back where she came from. I told him thattoo."
"What did he say?" questioned Maud.
"He agreed of course." Jake's tone was ironical. "Said she was nothingbut a child herself. He was very emphatic on that point."
"Don't you believe him?" asked Maud with a hint of sharpness.
"Not as a rule," said Jake. "Mostly never--when he's emphatic. However,time will prove. She will be here to lunch, and I've told Bunny to meether with the dog-cart."
"Are we going to have lessons?" asked Eileen.
He looked into the soft eyes and the irony went out of his smile. "Idon't know if I can bear to have you taught anything, Innocence," hesaid. "You're just right as you are."
It was his own especial name for her and he always uttered it withtenderness. Eileen smiled up at him, and pressed against his knee.
"I would like to learn some lessons, Daddy," she said. "I'm sure I'm bigenough, and I'm growing too."
"Maybe you are," said Jake. "But don't grow too fast, little 'un! Don'tget so big that you look down on your poor old daddy!"
"She'll never do that!" said Maud quickly. "No child of mine will ever dothat, Jake."
He smiled at her whimsically. "Oh, I guess I'll hold my own among 'emwhatever they do. Now you go to sleep, my girl, and put all worries outof your head! I must be moving, but I'll look in presently to see howyou are. So long!"
He bent and laid his cheek for a moment against her hand, then turned andsoftly left her.
Maud watched the door close behind him, then spoke to the child besideher. "Eileen darling, always remember that your daddy is the best anddearest man who ever lived!"
"Yes, Mummy, I know," said Eileen, with earnest shining eyes.
Jake went out to the stables and immersed himself in the day's work. Hehad always been a busy man, and time passed swiftly with him. He and hisright-hand man, Sam Vickers, had brought the stud to a pitch ofperfection that had earned for his animals a high place in the opinion ofthe racing community. He had, moreover, a reputation for straightness sounimpeachable that it had become almost a proverb up and down thecountry. Men said of Jake Bolton that his honour was such that it couldstand by itself. Certainly no one ever questioned it.
One of his horses was running at Graydown that afternoon, and at the endof the morning he returned to the house for a hasty lunch before leavingfor the race-course. All memory of Saltash's _protege_ had left him, butit returned to his mind as he saw the extra place laid at the table. Helooked at his watch and realized that she ought to have arrived half anhour before. Bunny was also absent, presumably waiting for her.
He paid Maud a brief visit before departing, and found her better. Shewas half dressed and lying on a couch in her room. He extracted a promisefrom her that she would not go down before tea, though she demurredsomewhat on the score of the expected visitor.
"Leave her to Bunny!" said Jake. "He's quite capable of looking after herfor an hour or two."
"I think Bunny meant to go to the races," she said.
Jake frowned. "Well, he can't for once. Don't you fret now! She'll be allright."
"Well, tell them to bring her straight up to see me when she arrives!"Maud begged him. "I shan't be asleep, and really I am much better."
"All right," he conceded. "I'll do that."
He went out and there fell the deep shining peace of a spring afternoon.Somewhere in the distance a cuckoo was calling softly, monotonously,seductively. A thrush was warbling in the terraced garden, and from herwindow Maud could see old Chops the setter curled up in a warm cornerasleep. The children were all out on the downs, and the house was veryquiet.
Her thoughts turned dreamily to Saltash. What a pity he did not find somenice girl to marry! Her faith in him, often shaken and as often renewed,had somehow taken deeper root since their talk of the night before.Charlie was beginning to tire of his riotous living. He was beginning towant the better things. But in his present mood she saw a danger. He hadcome to a critical point in his career, and he would either go up ordown. There would be no middle course with him. Knowing him as she did,she realized that a very little pressure would incline him either way.She felt as if his very life hung in the balance. It depended sovitally--upon whence the pressure came.
"If only some decent woman would fall in love with him!" she sighed, andthen found herself smiling wistfully at the thought that Saltash's heartwould not be an easy thing to capture. He was far too accustomed toadulation, wherever he went. "Besides, he's such a flirt," she reflected."One never knows whether he is in earnest till the mischief is done."
The cuckoo's soft persistence began somehow to seem like a penance. "Whenhe has said it just like that four hundred and fifty times he'll beabsolved and allowed to change his tune," was her thought. "I wonder ifpoor Charles
Rex has said the same thing as often as that, and if that iswhy he is tired."
A mist began to rise in her brain, making vague the cuckoo's call,blurring even the clear sweet notes of the thrush. A delicious drowsinesscrept over her. She gave herself to it with conscious delight. It was soexquisite to feel the grim band that had bound her brow with such crueltightness relax at last and fall away. Very blissfully she drifted intoslumber.
It was nearly two hours later that she became somewhat suddenly aware offeet sauntering under her window and young voices talking together.
"Hullo!" said one abruptly, it was Bunny's speaking with carelessfriendliness. "Stand still a minute! There's an immense green caterpillarwaving to me from your hat-brim."
A voice that was like a boy's, dear, bell-like, made instant response."Oh hell! Do take it off!"
Maud started wide awake with involuntary shrinking.
There came a chuckle from Bunny and, after a pause and the eloquentcrunch of a heel on the gravel, his voice on a note of laughter. "Ididn't say it!"
"Great Scott!" ejaculated the clear boyish tones. "Do you mean you'reshocked?"
"Not at all," said Bunny courteously.
"Well then, what does it matter who said it?" demanded the other.
"It doesn't matter," said Bunny, still suppressing merriment. "Exceptthat it isn't said in this house."
"Oh damn!" said the newcomer disconsolately. "Then I shall soon be sentback in disgrace."
"Cheer up!" said Bunny. "We don't convict on a first offence as a rule inthis country."
"But I shall never remember!" groaned the other, and for the first timethe words held a note that was not wholly boyish, it sounded wistful,even rather piteous. "People's ways are all so different. It's ratherinfernal--trying to please everybody, you know, Bunny."
"Never mind!" said Bunny, in a brotherly tone. "I'll kick you every timeI see it coming if you like."
"Will you really? That would be jolly decent of you." The wistfulnessvanished in a laugh that was quick and musical, wholly spontaneous.
"You bet I will!" said Bunny.
"Right O! Mind you do! Now get out of the way and see me jump that rosetree!"
There followed the light scamper of feet, and Maud raised herself swiftlyand leaned forth in time to see an athletic little figure in navy bluewearing a jaunty Panama hat, skim like a bird over a sweeping DorothyPerkins just coming into bloom and alight on one leg with the perfectpoise of a winged Mercury on the other side.