Part 28 (2/2)
”Yes, d.i.c.k, I'll write the cheque at once. My chequebook is over there.”
She rose slowly from the sofa, and slowly moved across the room to the Sheraton desk near the window. Yates had begged her to beware of abrupt and hasty movements, and she walked about the house now with careful, well-considered footsteps.
”Of course, old girl, if you can see your way to making the amount for a little _more_?”
And she made it for a little more.
He was delighted. ”Upon my word, Jane, you're a trump. No rot about you.
When you see anyone in a hole, you don't badger him with a pack of questions--you just pull him out of the hole....”
He thanked her and praised her so much that she melted in tenderness, and almost told him her secret. She looked at him fondly and admiringly.
He seemed so strong and so brave--with his stiff close-cropped hair and his white evenly-shaped teeth,--laughing gleefully as he pocketed his present,--like a great happy schoolboy. While she looked at him, the secret was trying to escape, was burning her lips, and knocking at her breast with each quickened heartbeat.
She succeeded, however, in restraining the expansive impulse. The delay can but heighten the triumph--it is so much grander to be able to say, not ”I _think_,” but ”I _know_.”
When he had hurried away to cash his cheque, she took out the Book that she had been reading and had shyly concealed under the cus.h.i.+on. It was the Bible. Reverently reopening it and musingly turning the leaves, she glanced at those chapters of Genesis that tell of the first gift of human life.... ”In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband; and he shall rule over thee.”
The softness and the exaltation of her mood showed very plainly in the expression of her face as she read the n.o.bly fabled origin of love and marriage. While reading she made vows to G.o.d and to herself. If all went well, she would cheerfully bear the hardest usage, at her husband's hands. She would never reproach him, she would ever be a comfort to him.
And so long as their child lived, the torch-bearer carrying the fire of life kindled from their joint lives should guide her steps through the darkest places towards the distant glimmer of eternal light.
That night she was roused from her first sleep by the sound of heavily blundering footsteps. Mr. Marsden had come home in an unusually jolly state. His wife heard him stumbling about the adjacent room, knocking over a chair, laughing, and singing drunken s.n.a.t.c.hes of song.
He had never before been quite so jolly. For a minute the hilarious music saddened her; but then she felt quite happy again. He was not really drunk--merely excited, elated. And besides, this sort of thing would not occur in the future: a generous fear of the questioning eyes of an innocent child would help to keep him straight.
And she fell to thinking of domestic arrangements that would be necessary before the great event. His bedroom and the dressing-room used to be the day and night nursery when Enid was a baby. The grandmother slept in the room at present occupied by Yates, and Yates slept in a smaller room. How would they manage now? This room should be the night nursery--she herself could sleep anywhere. Probably Yates would have to give up her nice room--but Yates would not mind. And, yes--the difficulty must be confronted--d.i.c.k must give up his dressing-room.
Would he mind?
No. Every difficulty would be surmounted. All would be smoothly and easily arranged in the end. Dreamily sweeping away the difficulties, she sank again into restful sleep.
That important second date was drawing near, and Yates was becoming more and more fussily attentive. It taxed all her strength of mind to keep the secret to herself; she longed for the time when it might be made public property.
”Look here, ma'am,” she said mysteriously, ”don't let anyone see us opening this parcel. Let's go upstairs and open it there, quiet and comfortable.”
”What is it, Yates?”
Upstairs in the bedroom, Yates, with many shrewd nods and meaning smiles, untied her parcel, and displayed to Mrs. Marsden its entrancingly fascinating contents.
”Oh, Yates!”
They were the prettiest imaginable little baby-things--woollen socks, flannel robes, etc., articles of costume suitable to the very earliest stage; together with materials for binders, wrappers, and so on, that would require cutting, st.i.tching, _making_.
”The work will do you good,” said Yates. ”Just to amuse yourself, when you're sitting all alone up here--and to keep your mind off the strain.”
”Oh, Yates, they are lovely. Where did you get them?”
”Don't you bother where I got them,” said Yates, looking shame-faced all at once. ”I don't intend to tell you.” But then she went on defiantly: ”Well, if you _must_ know, I got them in the children's outfitting department--over at Bence's.”
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