Part 27 (1/2)
The second step in his progress he took on the evening of the day after.
In the afternoon, about four, a shabbily-dressed man called upon him at his flat, and they remained together for ten minutes or so. At half-past eight, as Marion was about to enter a 'bus at Oxford Circus to take her up to Hampstead for a blow--a trip she frequently took in the evening when alone--she heard her name uttered, and turning, found Max's polite French friend behind her, about to mount on the same conveyance.
To avoid him was impossible, therefore they ascended to the top together, he declaring that he was on his way to Hampstead.
”I'm going there too,” she told him, although he already knew it quite well. ”Have you seen Mr Barclay to-day?”
”Not to-day. I have been busy in the City,” Adam explained. He glanced at her, and could not refrain from noting her neat appearance, dressed as she was in a black skirt, white cotton blouse, and a black hat which suited her beauty admirably. He knew that she was at Cunnington's, but, of course, appeared in ignorance of the fact. He was most kind and courteous to her, and so well had he arranged the meeting that she believed it to be entirely an accident.
Presently, after they had chatted for some time, he sighed, saying--
”In a few days I suppose I must leave London again.”
”Oh! are you going abroad?”
”Yes, to Constantinople. I live there,” he said.
”In Constantinople! How very strange it must be to live among the Turks!”
”It is a very charming life, I a.s.sure you, Miss Rolfe,” he answered.
”The Turk is always a gentleman, and his country is full of beauty and attraction, even though his capital may be muddy under foot.”
”Oh, well,” she said laughing, ”I don't think I should care to live there. I should be afraid of them!”
”Your fears would be quite ungrounded,” he declared. ”A lady can walk unmolested in the streets of Constantinople at any hour of the day or night, which cannot be said, of your London here.”
Then, after a pause, he added--
”I think your friend Mr Barclay is coming with me.”
”With you?--to Constantinople?” she exclaimed in dismay. ”When?”
”In two or three days,” he replied. ”But you mustn't tell him I said so,” he went on. ”We are going out on business--business that will bring us both a sum of money that will be a fortune to me, if not to Mr Barclay. We are in partners.h.i.+p over it.”
”What nature is the business?”
”The building of a railroad to the Adriatic. We are obtaining permission from the Sultan for its construction.”
”And Max--I mean Mr Barclay--will make a large sum?” she asked with deep interest.
”Yes, if he decides to go,” replied Adam; ”but I fear very much one thing,” and he fixed his dark eyes upon hers.
”What do you fear?”
”Well--how shall I put it, Miss Rolfe?” he asked. ”I--I fear that he will refuse to go because he does not wish to leave London just now.”
”Why not?”
”He has an attraction here,” the man laughed--”yourself.”