The Career of Katherine Bush

  CHAPTER XXII

  The outside of the Houses of Parliament had always affected Katherine.They looked stately and English--and when they--herself and old Arabellad'Estaire and Gerard--walked through the corridors of the House ofLords, and came at last to the huge vaulted chamber itself, and so tothe pen where they might stand to hear the debate, her heart began tobeat with some strange excitement.

  They went into the left side enclosure, and so could have a facing viewof the Opposition benches.

  Some member of the Government had just begun a speech as they entered,and Katherine had time to look about her. What types to study! And whatan atmosphere of calm, after the scene in the House of Commons she hadwitnessed on her visit there! A din of angry voices and uncontrolledemotion. Here if people felt anything it did not appear on the surface.Katherine leaned upon the second carved griffin which helps to adorn thepartition which separates the pen from the sacred floor of the Houseitself. From there her eyes travelled from face to face opposite her.She recognised several, indeed many whom she had seen either in Londonor at Blissington--but who were those others, some with features farfrom aristocratic?

  She now examined the Ministerial benches, and made many reflections,while she only half listened to the rather lame string of sentenceswhich were falling from a very refined-looking, carefully preservedgentleman, who seemed little interested in his subject, and almostashamed to be speaking from that side of the House.

  Then from the end by the throne two newcomers entered, and took theirseats, one on the front Opposition bench.

  For the moment, Katherine's eye had followed the younger of the two whowent towards the back, so that she did not become conscious of thepersonality of the other until, at the conclusion of the Minister'sspeech, he rose and laid some papers down upon the table in front of himamidst a sudden thrill of interest which noticeably ran through theassembly.

  He was a very tall and arrogant-looking person, rather thin and upright;and in everything about him there was a strange old-world suggestion,which characterised even the cutting and brushing of his hair and theshape of his coat. The brow was lofty and broad, and the thin iron-greylocks were combed straight back from it, and seemed to be perhaps ratherlonger than those of the young men. He had very large eyes deeply set,probably dark blue, Katherine thought, and his nose was prominentlyaquiline. He was clean-shaven, all but a small pair of close-cutwhiskers, and this with some peculiarity about the shirt, and thefrockcoat he wore, as well as a black satin stock, stamped him assomeone of an altogether different generation--century, Katherine hadalmost said to herself!

  Who could he be?

  There was some picture she had seen which he reminded her of. Shethought for a minute. Yes, it was a certain print which hung in apassage at Blissington, of the Duke of Wellington in evening dress, aprofile, with the ribbon of the Garter across his breast. This man hadsomething of the same personality.

  His whole appearance was so unusual, so almost startling, that hadanyone else attempted to achieve the same result he would have lookedeither vulgarly dramatic or quite grotesque, but with this man even theold-fashioned clothes with their suspicion of a by-gone dandyism seemedto add to his immense distinction. Katherine thought that if she couldhave drawn a picture of a typical aristocrat of the Tory persuasion, ofperhaps a hundred years ago, this man would have made a perfect model.

  And now he began to speak!

  And of all the voices she had ever heard or admired from beyond thehalf-high glass screen at Liv and Dev's, or listened to in her presentsituation, none had ever struck her as so ultra refined as the perfectlymodulated tones now vibrating through the house.

  His words were selected with judgment and grace, and showed the commandof an uncommon vocabulary. She had thought Gerard Strobridge's sentenceswere well-chosen, and cultivated, but they would sound quite modern andalmost colloquial, she felt, compared with the highly-polished flowof language which poured forth from this clear-cut mouth. The wholemien of the man expressed intense pride and dignity, and a perfectunself-consciousness. He gesticulated very little and kept one hand withthe thumb resting above a button of his fastened coat, so that she couldsee his hand plainly, and its shape, which was in keeping with the restof his appearance, and on his little finger was a great graven emerald,or some green stone in a ring, which caught a ray of light and sparkledfor a second.

  How was it that so noticeable a personage had never been to BerkeleySquare or Blissington?

  He was of Her Ladyship's political convictions, too, and must be ofimportance to occupy so prominent a place. And presently she began totake in the words he was saying, and gathered from a sentence whichremarked upon his "long absence from your Ladyship's House" that he musthave been for some time out of England.

  Then she grew fascinated with the speech itself, it was so witty andfilled with an exquisite sarcasm. Such must have been the speeches ofChesterfield, she thought, in this same House of Lords more than acentury and a half ago.

  How old could he be? Fifty--forty-five--forty? It was impossible to say.

  Suddenly she was conscious of a deep enthralled interest affecting her,and she turned and whispered to Mr. Strobridge at her side:

  "Who is that man speaking now--I would so much like to know?"

  "The Duke of Mordryn--is he not a type? The last real Tory left in thisage."

  And then Katherine remembered that letters addressed to this name, andwritten in Lady Garribardine's own hand, had often gone with the rest tobe posted, always to addresses abroad, ever since she had been in herservice. And often, too, she recalled, the Duke had been spoken of asbeing here or there, and gradually on his way home, but nothing abouthim had particularly interested or struck her, except the nameMordryn--it was a perfect name!

  She began piecing together what she knew about him. At Liv and Dev's shehad been obliged to know a good deal about all Dukes; their sub-titles,son's courtesy titles, and family names. This string came back to hermechanically--"Duke of Mordryn, Marquis of Valfreyne, Earl of Rievaulx"and a number of Baronies, while the family appellation was Monluce, andthe chief place of several residences Valfreyne in Dorsetshire. Sheremembered too that the Duchess had died less than two years ago.

  After this her absorbed interest concentrated upon the man himself andshe almost felt a little breathless when he sat down; and a moment ortwo after, when he seemed to have leisure to look about him, she met hiseyes and she could see that they were indeed a very dark blue and thathis gaze consciously rested upon her.

  She did not turn hers away; she was fascinated, and slowly there came athought to her:

  "This is what fate means for me--" And for a few seconds she felt faintand icy cold, so great was her emotion.

  The unknown goal of all her striving was revealed at last! The positionof this man's wife would be the greatest to be achieved in England, forprestige and influence. _And it should be hers._

  She heard and saw and knew nothing which happened after this, only whatwas spoken and done by the Duke, and presently, Miss Arabella d'Estairegrowing tired, they went out, their exit accelerated by Katherine whosaw that His Grace had risen and was coming their way. They stopped fora second just at the place where the hats are left and he caught them upand shook hands with Mr. Strobridge and Miss d'Estaire.

  "I am very glad to see you, Gerard," he said, "it is good to be at homeagain," and then he gave some gallant greeting to Miss d'Estaire, andpaused, absently looking at Katherine, who stood by demurely, presentingan attractive picture in her grey suit and hat. All care was now takenof her ample tresses, which were arranged to show the smallness of herhead, and every article of her garments was chosen to expressunobtrusive distinction. For many months her astute intelligence hadbeen turned upon the enhancing of her attractions, with wonderfulresult.

  "Miss Bush--the Duke of Mordryn," Mr. Strobridge was obliged to murmur,and Katherine bowed and waited to see if the Duke would speak. He did,with that aloof but gracious courtesy which he showed to all
women.

  "You have come to hear our highly futile debate in this mutilatedchamber--I hope you were not too bored."

  "I was very much interested," and she looked straight into his eyes inthe way she did when she intended to compel attention.

  As Gerard Strobridge watched her, he suddenly felt a twinge of fear. Herefused to acknowledge the thought which presented itself, but indicatedthat they should go on.

  The Duke meanwhile had not been unaffected by Katherine's magneticeyes--he felt a spark of interest and so continued the conversation fora minute, but finally had to give way to Gerard's evident desire to moveforward.

  "Tell Her Ladyship that I am coming to lunch to-morrow. I only crossedlast night, and have had no time to answer her note awaiting me. I hopeshe is well and has not allowed this modern rush and turmoil to spoilher enchanting wit."

  When they got out into the open air, Katherine noticed that Mr.Strobridge had a fierce and rather hunted expression on his face. He gotinto the taxi after the two ladies without a word, and said very littleas they drove to Miss d'Estaire's tiny flat in Knightsbridge.

  "Perhaps as it is so fine you will let me dismiss the cab and we mightwalk across the Park," he suggested as he rejoined Katherine afterseeing Miss Arabella in at the door. And she consented.

  The air was crisp and fresh and the dusk was gathering. It was a quarterto six o'clock.

  They turned towards Stanhope Gate and walked in silence. Then Mr.Strobridge stopped suddenly and drew Katherine to a chair.

  "Katherine," he said, and his voice was husky. "Is it so?"

  "Is what so?" she questioned, to be quite certain what he meant.

  "Is the Duke to be your objective?"

  She did not answer. She was weighing things. Gerard's assistance wouldbe necessary for the pursuance of a plan which had been forming in herhead since she had left the Houses of Parliament. She was swift todecide, and swift to act at critical moments in her life.

  "Do you think you have any right to ask me such a question?"

  "Yes."

  "What right?"

  "I love you."

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  "No, I will never admit it."

  "It is true enough--Oh! Katherine, there is nothing I would not do foryou and you know it, only I cannot help wanting to be certain if I am toexpect the worst. I feared it at once when you looked into his eyes. Hasmy doom come at last then?"

  "You are paying me a great compliment; you seem to think that the matterlies only in my hands."

  "You will accomplish anything you desire."

  She did not speak.

  "Katherine," he pleaded, and there was anguish in his voice, "tell methe truth, whether I have the right to ask it or no. The idea has cometo you that this would be worth winning, this position--has it not?"

  "Yes."

  "He is fifty-three years old, Mordryn--but a fifty-three which womenadore--You would probably fall in love with him also."

  "It is possible."

  "Can you expect me to be anything but pained then?"

  "I have always told you that I consider you only as a friend, and that Ionly view your emotions for me as those of friendship; therefore thereshould be no pain even in such an idea according to my view."

  "There is."

  "I am sorry."

  "But it does not change your determination?"

  "No."

  "I understand a man's killing a woman sometimes," and he clenched hishands passionately.

  "So do I--when she deceives him, never because she is honest andunvarying. I have never deceived you or led you to hope for anything butfriendship--that you have in full, and you have hundreds of timespromised me yours; if you meant it I now ask you to give me a proof ofit."

  "What proof?"

  "I wish to meet the Duke--not as Lady Garribardine's secretary; thatwould prejudice him too much, naturally! I want to meet him in theevening at dinner as a guest. I want to talk to him and see for myselfwhat he is like, and if he is as wonderful as he looks. Only you couldarrange this. If you asked him to dinner and asked me and Miss Arabellaor Miss Gwendoline d'Estaire it would be possible, would it not?"

  He was staring at her now, overcome by her masterly frankness. No--shewould never deceive him, he realised that and also that nothing of hiswill could ever impose upon hers. He knew he was impotent as a factor inthe determining of her plans; all he could do to keep her favour was tofall in with them.

  Her face, white as a lily in the growing dusk, was calm and cold andbeautiful. He had never desired her more--but that fastidiousness inhim, that power of detachment which could appreciate skill even whenexercised against his own interests, asserted itself, and helped him.She was so wonderful a character, he must assist her even to his ownpain.

  "I suppose it would be possible--Beatrice goes down to Allertonto-morrow until after Easter. I expect I could arrange it for Fridaynight if I can only get the Duke--he will be awfully busy thesedays--but perhaps if I ask him at once I might catch him--" Then hethought a moment--"Yes--I've got a new case of miniatures I bought lastweek at an odd sale. I could beguile him on the pretext of giving me hisopinion as to whether or no two of them are really Cosways. You see towhat a state of abject slavery you have reduced me."

  "No, I have not--you are being merely a loyal friend."

  "To-night at dinner I will ask my aunt if you may dine--I have someboring country friends coming in any case that night and she will letme have you to help to entertain them, I expect. You are supposed to beextraordinarily talented as an entertainer of bores!"

  He could not keep some of the bitterness he was feeling out of hisvoice. Katherine looked at him reproachfully.

  "I thought you would perhaps have understood--and been kind."

  He responded at once to her tone.

  "Darling--I will--you know it. I will show you that I am indeed yourdevoted friend; will that please you?"

  She inwardly appreciated his sacrifice and her eyes shone softly uponhim.

  His face was haggard and looked hungry--its expression would havesurprised the many women who had loved him, and on whom he had turned atransient smile.

  "Yes, that will please me," and her voice was sweet. "Now tell me abouthim. I remember to have read in the papers some time ago that theDuchess had died."

  "He has had an awful life--the Duchess was mad. She was a Thorval, acousin of my wife's, and went more or less off her head soon after theywere married about twenty-eight years ago. Then for more than fifteenyears she was extremely peculiar, but not quite bad enough to beentirely shut up. Only of course it made it impossible for him to havefriends or to entertain and enjoy his great position. Then she becamequite mad and had to be isolated and by this time Adeliza, the onlychild, began to show signs of derangement, too, and so he had the horrorof seeing the same thing occurring over again. About two years ago theDuchess died and fortunately soon after Adeliza caught scarlet fever anddied also, just before you came to my aunt's--and then Mordryn startedon a long voyage round the world to try and make a break and forget--andhe has been abroad ever since, and only returned last night."

  "Poor man, then he did not obtain much pleasure from his greatposition?"

  "Not in England--but one must suppose that he has had some kind ofconsolations in all these years. He was often in Paris and has alwaysbeen extremely attractive, but he is a great gentleman, and there havenever been any scandals about him."

  "And now all those ugly shadows have been removed from his life and heis free--" Katherine drew in her breath a little.

  "Yes, he is free," Gerard concurred gloomily. "He is a most intimatefriend of my aunt's; you will see him constantly at Blissington."

  "Where I am the secretary--yes. Ah! if you knew how I long sometimes tobe--myself--and not to have to act meekness--Ah! you would know then howgrateful I shall be if you can give me this one evening of happiness."

  He was touched, she so seldom showed any emotion. He felt rewarded forsome of his suffe
rings.

  "You shall have as perfect a time as I can secure for you, Katherine,dear girl--" and he bent forward and took her hand. "You would adorn anyposition in the world--but if Mordryn were not a most splendid characterI would not help you to meet him--He is--One of the finest in theworld--and I will try--I promise you I will try not to let any jealousenvy stand in your way."

  "You are a dear after all," and she returned the pressure of his fingersbefore she drew hers away.

  There was a strange light in her eyes as she walked up the stairs to herroom in Berkeley Square. A wonderful vista had suddenly opened itselfbefore her, with a mountain in the distance all of shining gold. Itseemed that it must always have been there but that some mist had hiddenit which was now rolled away.

  What if she should be able to reach this splendid gilded mountaintop--some day?----

  A glorious end to aim at in any case, and she shut her white teethfirmly--and sitting down by her open window began steadily to think.

  That night fate held a surprise in store for her. She was going to thetheatre with Matilda, a periodical treat which that sister greatlyenjoyed. They went in the dress circle and saw the show, two unobservedunits in the crowd. As it was for Matilda's pleasure she was left tochoose what she would see. It was always either a Lyceum melodrama or amusical comedy, and this night it chanced to be the latter, and onenewly put on, so the audience was less remarkably homely than usual.

  Who and what were the audiences at theatres? This Katherine often askedherself. And while Matilda enjoyed what was happening on the stage, shestudied the types around her.

  Who invented such hairdressing? Who designed such clothes? Whence camethey and whither did they go?

  This particular night Katherine and Matilda were rather at the side ofthe dress circle a row or two back, so that they could see a good dealof the stalls; and towards the end of the first act Katherine's languidattention suddenly became riveted upon two particularly well brushedmale heads in the front row. Their owners must have come in while shehad been looking at the stage. There was something quite uniquely spruceabout young Englishmen's heads, she knew, and they were all very muchalike of a certain class, but the fairer of these two was painfullyfamiliar; it belonged to Lord Algy and to no one else. He had returnedfrom Egypt then! He was there within a few yards of her. Oh! why was itsuch pain to see him again?

  Her heart beat to suffocation, she felt every pulse in her body tinglewith excitement, and then she felt a little sick--and for a few minutesshe could not have risen from her seat.

  Matilda turned for a moment and exclaimed:

  "Oh, my goodness gracious! Kitten! Whatever is the matter, dear?"

  Then Katherine recollected herself and answered a little shakily:

  "I don't know--the heat I suppose--I am all right now though, and isn'tthis a funny scene! Don't let us talk and spoil it."

  And Matilda, reassured, gladly again turned to the stage. So Katherinesat on, fighting her battle alone. She forced herself to look at herwhilom lover with calm--and watch every movement of his attractive head.He appeared well and bronzed and handsomer than ever, she could see ashe turned to speak to his companion, and she almost fancied she couldhear the tones of his voice. Then she made herself analyse things. Didshe really love him still?

  Then gradually she became more controlled as she realised that if shekept her eyes fixed upon him like this the magnetic power of her gazewould certainly cause him to look round presently and see her, and thatabove everything she did not want this to occur.

  So she turned her attention to the stage and forced herself to listen towhat was being sung.

  The act was soon over, and then she saw Lord Algy's perfect figure riseto go out. That was "Jack Kilcourcy" she thought, probably, with him,about whom she had so often heard--and perhaps they had come to see somespecial beauty in the chorus, and would go on to supper later at theSavoy or elsewhere. Oh, no!--she would not allow herself to feel anymore; she had surely passed beyond such things!

  The second act came and went, and the third, and when it was over shehurried Matilda out, in a desire to escape before the stall crowd couldmingle with theirs in the doorway.

  It was raining a little when they came to the door, and there stood LordAlgy talking with his caressing devoted air to a lovely woman in black,whom Katherine had noticed in one of the boxes. He did not see her, as,clutching Matilda's arm, she shrank away among the bedraggled peoplebeyond the lights, and there she paused and turned for a last look athim, and saw him follow the lady into a smart car, the door of which wasbeing held open by a motor groom; it had just driven up.

  "We will have a taxi, Tild," she said. "Let us walk on and find one. Ican't stand an omnibus to-night."

  She drove Matilda to Victoria first, and then went back to BerkeleySquare, a rather damp creature in body and soul. And when she was inbed, the tears would trickle down her cheeks. It was all hateful! Thedress circle--the rain--the cab--the dependence--and last of all LordAlgy and the lovely woman in black!

  Then her sense of the value of things came back again; her indomitablespirit revived, and before she fell asleep she knew that once for allshe had banished any lingering regrets and that she would play for thegreat stakes in the game of her ambition with a zest as strong as thedesire for love--that love which she now realized had been mainly anaffair of the senses and which was over and dead.