Part 25 (1/2)
”Strange! Perhaps he was like the others, after all, and thought of nothing but money.”
”No, I cannot believe that of Hugh Mainwaring,” the attorney replied, loyally; then added, ”What became of the brother, Miss Carleton?”
”He was lost at sea. He had started for Africa, to make a fortune for himself, but the boat was wrecked in a storm and every one on board was lost.”
”And his family, what of them?” queried the attorney.
”He had no children, and no one ever knew what became of his wife.
The Mainwarings are a very prosaic family; that is the only bit of romance in their history; but I always enjoyed that, except that it ended so sadly, and I always admired Harold Mainwaring. I would like to meet such a man as he.”
”Why, I should say there was a romance in progress at present in the Mainwaring family,” said Mr. Whitney, smiling.
”What! Hugh and Edith Thornton?” She laughed again, a wonderfully musical, rippling laugh, the attorney thought. ”Oh, there is no more romance there than there is in that marble,” and she pointed to a beautiful Cupid and Psyche embracing each other in the centre of a ma.s.s of brilliant geraniums and coleas. ”They have been engaged ever since their days of long dresses and highchairs,--another of Ralph Mainwaring's schemes! You know Edith is Hugh's cousin, an only child, and her father is immensely rich! Oh, no; if I ever have a romance of my own, it must spring right up spontaneously, and grow in spite of all opposition. Not one of the sort that has been fostered in a hot-house until its life is nearly stifled out of it.”
Mr. Whitney glanced in admiration at the fair English face beside him glowing with physical and intellectual beauty. Then a moment later, as they pa.s.sed down the long hall in response to the summons to dinner, and he caught a glimpse, in one of the mirrors, of a tolerably good-looking, professional gentleman of nearly forty, he wondered why he suddenly felt so much older than ever before.
Miss Carleton was seated beside him at dinner, while nearly opposite was Harry Scott, conversing with young Mainwaring. He was quietly but elegantly dressed, and his fine physique and n.o.ble bearing, as well as the striking beauty of his dark face, seemed more marked than usual. Mr. Whitney watched the young secretary narrowly.
Something in the play of his features seemed half familiar, and yet gave him a strange sense of pain, but why, he could not determine.
”Mr. Whitney,” said Miss Carleton, in a low tone, ”did you ever observe a resemblance at times between Mr. Scott and your friend, Mr. Hugh Mainwaring?”
The attorney looked up in surprise. ”Why, no, Miss Carleton, I would not think a resemblance possible. Mr. Scott is much darker and his features are altogether different.”
”Oh, I did not refer to any resemblance of feature or complexion, but his manner, and sometimes his expression, strikes me as very similar. I suppose because he was a.s.sociated with him so much, you know.”
Mr. Whitney's eyes again wandered to the face of the secretary. He started involuntarily. ”By George!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, mentally, ”Hugh Mainwaring, as sure as I live! Not a feature like him, but the same expression. What does it mean? Can it be simply from a.s.sociation?”
In a state of great bewilderment he endeavored still to entertain Miss Carleton, though it is to be feared she found him rather absent-minded. He was pa.s.sing out of the dining-room in a brown study when some one touched his arm. He turned and saw Merrick.
”When you are at liberty, come out to the grove,” the latter said, briefly, and was gone before the attorney could more than bow in reply.
CHAPTER XIII
THEORIES, WISE AND OTHERWISE
Half an hour later, having excused himself to Miss Carleton, Mr.
Whitney hastened to the grove, where he found the detective sauntering up and down the winding walk, his hands behind him in a reflective mood, absorbed in thought and in the enjoyment of a fine cigar. He nodded pleasantly as the attorney approached.
”Going to be at liberty for some time?” he inquired, at the same time extending his cigar-case.
”Yes, for any length of time you please; it's a relief to get away from those egotists.”
”H'm!” said Merrick, as he returned the cigar-case to his pocket after the attorney had helped himself; ”I didn't think that you looked particularly anxious to be relieved of your company when I saw you. I really felt considerable delicacy about speaking as I did.”
”Oh, to the deuce with your nonsense!” the attorney replied, his cheek flus.h.i.+ng as he lighted his cigar. ”If you had listened to the twaddle that I have all day, you would be glad to talk to almost any one for a change.”
”In that event, perhaps you won't mind talking to me for a while.