Part 21 (1/2)

Jack left it thoughtfully for Jenny to open the campaign. She did so very adroitly.

”Mr. Jack came over to see me,” she said, ”and I thought I couldn't entertain him better than by bringing him up to see you. You haven't such a thing as a cigarette, Lord Talgarth?”

He felt about in his pockets, drew out a case and pushed it across the table.

”Thanks,” said Jenny; and then, without the faintest change of tone: ”We've some news of Frank at last.”

”Frank, eh? Have you? And what's the young cub at, now?”

”He's in trouble, as usual, poor boy!” remarked Jenny, genially. ”He's very well, thank you, and sends you his love.”

Lord Talgarth cast her a pregnant glance.

”Well, if he didn't, I'm sure he meant to,” went on Jenny; ”but I expect he forgot. You see, he's been in prison.”

The old man jerked such a face at her, that even her nerve failed for an instant. Jack saw her put her cigarette up to her mouth with a hand that shook ever so slightly. And yet before the other could say one word she recovered herself.

”Please let me say it right out to the end first,” she said. ”No; please don't interrupt! Mr. Jack, give me the letter ... oh! I've got it.” (She drew it out and began to unfold it, talking all the while with astonis.h.i.+ng smoothness and self-command.) ”And I'll read you all the important part. It's written to Mr. Kirkby. He got it this morning and very kindly brought it straight over here at once.”

Jack was watching like a terrier. On the one side he saw emotions so furious and so conflicting that they could find no expression, and on the other a restraint and a personality so complete and so compelling that they simply held the field and permitted no outburst. Her voice was cool and high and natural. Then he noticed her flick a glance at himself, sideways, and yet perfectly intelligible. He stood up.

”Yes, do just take a stroll, Mr. Kirkby.... Come back in ten minutes.”

And as he pa.s.sed out again through the thick archway on to the terrace he heard, in an incredibly matter-of-fact voice, the letter begin.

”DEAR JACK....”

Then he began to wonder what, as a matter of interest, Lord Talgarth's first utterance would be. But he felt he could trust Jenny to manage him. She was an astonis.h.i.+ngly sane and sensible girl.

(III)

He was at the further end of the terrace, close beneath the stable wall, when the stable clock struck the quarter for the second time. That would make, he calculated, about seventeen minutes, and he turned reluctantly to keep his appointment. But he was still thirty yards away from the opening when a white figure in a huge white hat came quickly out. She beckoned to him with her head, and he followed her down the steps. She gave him one glance as if to rea.s.sure him as he caught her up, but said not a word, good or bad, till they had pa.s.sed through the house again, and were well on their way down the drive.

”Well?” said Jack.

Jenny hesitated a moment.

”I suppose anyone else would have called him violent,” she said. ”Poor old dear! But it seems to me he behaved rather well on the whole--considering all things.”

”What's he going to do?”

”If one took anything he said as containing any truth at all, it would mean that he was going to flog Frank with his own hands, kick him first up the steps of the house then down again, and finally drown him in the lake with a stone round his neck. I think that was the sort of programme.”

”But--”

”Oh! we needn't be frightened,” said Jenny. ”But if you ask me what he will do, I haven't the faintest idea.”

”Did you suggest anything?”