Part 43 (1/2)

”Of course I did,” she said, on the verge of tears. ”You--you were serious too.”

”Ye G.o.ds!” said Nap. ”And I've been wondering why on earth you and Bertie couldn't make up your minds! So I've been the obstacle, have I? And that's why you have been hating me so badly all this time--as if I were the arch-fiend himself! By Jove!” He swung round on his heel. ”We'll put this right at once. Where's Bertie?”

”Oh, no!” Dot said nervously. ”No! Don't call him! He'll see I've been crying. Nap--please!”

She disengaged herself from Anne, and sprang after him, seizing him impetuously by the arm.

”I mean--Mr. Errol!” she subst.i.tuted in confusion.

He clapped his hand upon hers and wheeled. ”You can call me anything under the sun that occurs to you as suitable,” he said. ”You may kick me also if you like--which is a privilege I don't accord to everybody. You won't believe me, I daresay. Few people do. But I'm sorry I was a beast to you that day. I don't deal in excuses, but when I tell you that I was rather badly up against something, p'r'aps you'll be magnanimous enough to forgive me. Will you?”

He looked her straight in the face with the words. There was little of humility about him notwithstanding them, but there was something of melancholy that touched her warm heart.

”Of course I will!” she said impulsively. ”Let's be friends, shall we?”

He gripped her hand till she felt the bones crack. ”Suppose we go and get some tea,” he said. ”Are you coming, Lady Carfax?”

”I'm not fit to be seen,” objected Dot, hanging back.

He drew her on, her hand still fast in his. ”Don't be shy, my dear girl! You look all right. Will you lead the way, Lady Carfax? In the hall, you know.”

Very reluctantly Dot submitted. She had not the faintest inkling of his intentions or her docility would have vanished on the instant. As it was, fortified by Anne's presence, she yielded to his insistence.

The hall was full of people to whom Mrs. Errol was dispensing tea, a.s.sisted by Bertie, who had emerged from his den for the purpose.

Bertie's studies did not permit him to take any part in the theatricals.

Possibly Nap's position at the head of affairs had a.s.sisted his resolution in this respect.

He was sitting on the arm of Lucas's chair, hastily gulping some tea in an interval s.n.a.t.c.hed from his ministrations, when Anne entered, closely followed by Dot and his brother. Some instinct moved him to turn and look, for in the general buzz of talk and laughter around him he could have heard nothing of their approach. He looked, then stared, finally stood up and set down his cup abruptly.

As Nap came towards him, still holding Dot by the hand, he turned white to the lips and moved forward.

A sudden silence fell as they met. They were the centre of the crowd, the centre of observation, the centre of an unseen whirlpool of emotions that threatened to be overwhelming.

And then with a smile Nap put an end to a tension of expectancy that had become painful.

”Hullo, Bertie!” he said, and smote him on the shoulder with a vigorous hand. ”I've just been hearing about your engagement, my dear fellow. Congratulations! May you and Dot have the best of everything all your lives!”

Poor Dot would have fled had that been possible, but she was hedged in too closely for that. Moreover, Nap had transferred her hand to Bertie's, and the boy's warm grasp renewed her fainting courage. She knew he was as amazed as she was herself at Nap's sudden move, and she determined that she would stand by him at whatever cost.

And after all, the difficult moment pa.s.sed very quickly. People crowded round them with kindly words, shook hands with them, chaffed them both, and seemed to be genuinely pleased with the turn of events. Mrs. Errol came forward in her hearty way and kissed them; and in the end Dot found herself in Bertie's vacated place on the arm of Lucas's chair, with his steady hand holding hers, and his quiet, sincere voice telling her that he was ”real glad that the thing was fixed up at last.”

Later Bertie took her home in the motor, and explained the situation to the rector, who was mildly bewildered but raised no definite objection to the announcement of the engagement. He was something of a philosopher, and Bertie had always been a favourite of his. Nap in fact was the only member of the Errol family for whom he did not entertain the most sincere esteem; but, as Dot remarked that night, Nap was a puzzle to everybody. It seemed highly probable after all that he carried a kind heart behind his cynical exterior. She was sure that Lady Carfax thought so, since she invariably treated him as an intimate friend.

The rector admitted that she might be right, but after Dot had gone to bed he leaned his elbow on his writing-table and sat long in thought.

”I wonder,” he murmured to himself presently, ”I wonder if Lady Carfax knows what she is doing. She really is too young, poor girl, to be so much alone.”

CHAPTER VII