Part 36 (1/2)

”You've discontinued them altogether--haven't you?”

”Yes. Not without regret, both my husband and I decided that we could not keep up that little festival. Of course you know, we have been obliged to cut down expenses wherever possible. The times are not very good.”

Of course he knew very well all about her difficulties in the house and in the shop.

”Better times are coming,” he said cheerily. ”I hear on all sides of the low ebb of trade. It's a regular commercial crisis. But things are going to improve. The rotten enterprises will go down, and the really sound ones will come out stronger than ever.”

”Oh, I forgot. You like to smoke--but I'm afraid the cigars are locked up, too.”

”I've plenty in my pocket--if you're sure you don't mind.”

She laughed amiably. ”How can you ask? I'm quite smoke-dried. I let Richard smoke all over the house.”

While he cut his cigar and lit it, he thought how wonderful she was--with the mingled pride and courage that allowed her always to speak of her Richard as if he had been everything that a husband should be.

He sat smoking for a few minutes in a comfortable silence, while she, with her hands placidly clasped upon her lap, gazed reflectively at the fire.

”Now,” he said, holding his cigar over the fender and gently tapping it until the whitened ash fell, ”there are one or two little things that I'd like to talk to you about.”

She raised her eyes, and looked at him attentively.

”Nothing really worrying,” he said quickly. ”And something which you'll consider very much the reverse. But I'll keep that for the last.... I had a call the other day from your son-in-law, Mr. Kenion.”

”Did you?”

”Yes. Amongst other matters, he went for me about the marriage settlement;” and Mr. Prentice laughed and nodded his head. ”You know, he says that Enid ought to have been given power to raise money for his advancement in life. His friends had told him it is always done, when the wife has the money; and he thought that the trustees ought to manage it somehow--because he has been offered a great opening. You'll smile when you hear what it was.”

”What was it?”

”There was a fellow called Whitehouse who used to be Young's riding-master; and it seems he has made some money in London, and set up a smart livery stable--and he proposed that Mr. Kenion should join forces with him. Mr. Kenion was to go about the country, buying horses--and so on.... But I only mentioned this to amuse you. Of course I said Bosh--not to be thought of.”

”It does not sound very promising, or very reputable.”

”Besides, where did Enid come in? Was she to accompany him, or to stay moping at home by herself?... Do you see much of them out there?”

Mrs. Marsden confessed that she had not as yet ever seen the Kenions in their home.

”It isn't that there's the least bad blood between us,” she hastened to add. ”No, dear Enid and I are now the best of friends. Ever since her marriage she has been sweet to me. But life rushes on so fast--and married women are not free agents. When Richard is away, I consider myself responsible in the shop.”

”Just so.” And Mr. Prentice, puffing out some smoke, looked at the ceiling. ”By the by, that's rather an awkward dispute that Mr. Marsden has let himself into with those German people.”

”What is the dispute?”

”Hasn't he told you about it?”

”I don't seem to remember--but no doubt he told me.”

”Well, if he hasn't it's a good sign: because it probably means that he intends to act on my advice after all.”

Then he explained the odious mess that Marsden had made of his American office equipments. It appeared that, when arranging to sell these wretched things for a handsome commission, he had undertaken to send his princ.i.p.als accurate monthly reports and immediately account for all moneys received; and had further bound himself, in default of carrying out the precise provisions of the agreement, to take over at catalogue price the entire stock that had been entrusted to his care. But he had sent no reports; he had forgotten all his undertakings; he had received cash for three small articles and had never furnished any account; and the Germans said the goods now belonged to him, and not to them.

Mr. Prentice declared that it was the most imprudent agreement he had ever read; and, although speaking guardedly, he implied that in his opinion no one but a fool would have signed it. But there it was, signed and stamped; and he did not see how you could wriggle out of it.