CHAPTER III
THE CHARIOT OF THE GODS
The Hunt Ball was over, and Mrs. Damer, wife of the M.F.H., wasstanding on the steps of the Carfax Arms, bidding the last members ofthe Hunt farewell.
Nap Errol was assisting her. He often did assist Mrs. Damer with thatcareless, half-insolent gallantry of his that no woman ever dreamed ofresenting. Like his namesake of an earlier date he held his own whereverhe went by sheer, stupendous egotism.
The crowd had thinned considerably, the band had begun to pack up. In therefreshment-room waiters were hurrying to and fro.
"Isn't it horrid?" laughed Mrs. Damer, shrugging her shoulders andshivering. "One feels so demoralised at this end of the night. Nap, Iwish you would find my husband. I've said good-night to everybody, and Iwant to go home to bed."
"Lady Carfax hasn't gone yet," observed Nap. "I saw her standing in thedoorway of the ladies' cloak-room just now."
"Lady Carfax! Are you sure? I thought they went long ago. Is theircarriage waiting then?"
"Yes. It is still there."
Mrs. Damer hastened into the ladies' cloak-room, still half-incredulous.
At her entrance Anne Carfax, clad in a white wrap that made her face lookghastly, turned from the dying fire.
"My dear Lady Carfax!" exclaimed Mrs. Damer. "I quite thought you leftages ago. What is it? Is anything the matter?"
The pale lips smiled. "No, nothing, thank you. I am only waiting formy husband."
"Ah! Then we are in the same plight. I am waiting for mine." Mrs. Damerhastened to veil her solicitude, which was evidently unwelcome. Shecaught up her cloak and began to fumble with it. The attendant had gone.
"Let me!" said Anne, in her quiet voice, and took it from her.
Her fingers touched Mrs. Damer's neck, and Mrs. Damer shivered audibly."Thank you, thank you! You are as cold as ice. Are you well wrapped up?"
"Yes, quite. I am never very warm, you know. It is not my nature. Is Mr.Damer ready? I hope you will not delay your departure on my account. SirGiles will not be long, I think."
"We will send Nap Errol to find him," said Mrs. Damer.
"Oh, no, thank you. That is quite unnecessary. Please do not troubleabout me. A few minutes more or less make little difference."
The words came with the patience of deadly weariness. She was stillfaintly smiling as she wound a scarf about Mrs. Damer's head.
"I am quite ready, you see," she said. "I shall leave the momenthe appears."
"My dear Lady Carfax, you have the patience of a saint. I am afraidPhil does not find me so long-suffering." Mrs. Damer bustled back intothe hall. "Are you there, Nap? Do see if you can find Sir Giles. PoorLady Carfax is half-dead with cold and fit to drop with fatigue. Go andtell him so."
"Please do nothing of the sort," said Lady Carfax behind her. "No doubthe will come when he is ready."
Nap Errol looked from one to the other with swift comprehension in hisglance. "Let me put you into your carriage first, Mrs. Damer," he said,offering his arm. "Your husband is busy for the moment--some triflingmatter. He begs you will not wait for him. I will drive him back in mymotor. I have to pass your way, you know."
Mrs. Damer shook hands hurriedly with Lady Carfax and went with him.There was something imperative about Nap just then. They passed outtogether on to the baize-covered pavement, and Anne Carfax breathed afaint sigh of relief.
A few seconds later the Damer carriage was clattering down the street,and Nap Errol was once more by her side.
"Look here," he said. "Let me take you home in my motor first. No onewill know."
She looked at him, her lips quivering a little as though they still triedto smile. "Thank you very much," she said. "But--I think not."
"No one will ever know," he reiterated. "I will just set you down at yourown door and go away. Come, Lady Carfax!" His dark eyes gazed straightinto her own, determined, dominating. The high cheek-bones and long, leanjaw looked as though fashioned in iron.
"Come!" he said again.
She made a slight forward movement as if to yield, and then drew backagain. "Really, I had better wait and go with my husband," she said.
"You had better not!" he said with emphasis. "I have just seen him. He isin the smoke-room. I won't tell you what he is like. You probably know.But if you are a wise woman you will leave him for Damer to look after,and come with me."
That decided her. She threw the hood of her cloak over her head andturned in silence to the door.
Errol paused to pull on an overcoat and then followed her on to thesteps. A large covered motor had just glided up. He handed her into it."By Jove, you are cold!" he said.
She made no rejoinder.
He stepped in beside her, after a word with the chauffeur, andshut the door.
Almost instantly they were in motion, and in another moment were shootingforward swiftly down the long, ill-lighted street.
Anne Carfax sank back in her corner and lay motionless. The glare of thelittle electric lamp upon her face showed it white and tired. Her eyeswere closed.
The man beside her sat bolt upright, his eyes fixed unblinkingly upon thewindow in front, his jaw set grimly. He held the gloves he had worn allthe evening between his hands, and his fingers worked at themunceasingly. He was rending the soft kid to ribbons.
They left the desolate street behind and came into total darkness.
Suddenly, but very quietly, Anne spoke. "This is very kind of you,Mr. Errol."
He turned towards her. She had opened her eyes to address him, but thelids drooped heavily.
"The kindness is on your side, Lady Carfax," he said deliberately. "Ifyou manage to inspire it in others, the virtue is still your own."
She smiled and closed her eyes again. It was evident that she did notdesire to talk.
He looked away from her, glanced at his torn gloves, and tossed themimpatiently from him.
For ten minutes neither spoke. The car ran smoothly on through the nightlike an inspired chariot of the gods. There was no sound of wheels. Theyseemed to be borne on wings.
For ten minutes the man sat staring stonily before him, rigid as astatue, while the woman lay passive by his side.
But at the end of that ten minutes the speed began to slacken. They camesoftly to earth and stopped.
Errol opened the door and alighted. "Have you a key?" he said, as he gaveher his hand.
She stood above him, looking downwards half-dreamily as one emerging froma deep slumber.
"Do you know," she said, beginning to smile, "I thought that you were theKnave of Diamonds?"
"You've been asleep," he said rather curtly.
She gave a slight shudder as the night air brought her back, and in amoment, like the soft dropping of a veil, her reserve descended upon her.
"I am afraid I have," she said, "Please excuse me. Are we already at theManor? Yes, I have the key."
She took his hand and stepped down beside him.
"Good night, Mr. Errol," she said. "And thank you."
He did not offer to accompany her to the door. A light was burningwithin, and he merely stood till he heard the key turn in the lock, thenstepped back into the motor and slammed it shut without response of anysort to her last words.
Anne Carfax was left wondering if her dream had been a cause of offense.