Part 50 (1/2)
”Here!” he broke in. ”Wait! What do you mean? Do you suppose I sneaked into this kitchen by myself to peek into that closet, and--and spy on your mother's managin'?... You don't believe anything of that kind. You can't.”
She was more embarra.s.sed now. ”Why--why, no, I don't, Cap'n Kendrick,”
she admitted. ”Of course I know you wouldn't sneak anywhere. But--but I have been given to understand that you and--well, Mr. Bradley--have not been--are not quite satisfied with the management--with mother's management. And----”
”Wait! Heave to!” Sears was excited now, and, as usual when excited, drifted into nautical phraseology. ”What do you mean by sayin' I am not satisfied? Who told you that?”
”Why--well, you are not, are you? You questioned her about the coal a week ago, about how much she used in a week. And then you asked her about keeping the fires overnight, if she saw how many were kept, and if there was much waste. And two or three times you have been seen standing by the bins--figuring.”
”Good Lord!” His exclamation this time was one of sheer amazement. ”Good Lord!” he said again. ”Why, I have been tryin', now winter is comin' on, to figure out how to save coal cost for this craft--for the Fair Harbor.
You know I have. I asked your mother about the fires because I know how much waste there is likely to be when a fire is kept carelessly. And as for Bradley and I not bein' satisfied with your mother that is the wildest idea of all. I never talked with Bradley about the management here. It isn't his business, for one reason.”
She was silent. Her expression had changed. Then she said, impulsively, ”I'm sorry. Please don't mind what I said, Cap'n Kendrick. I--I am rather nervous and--and troubled just now. Of course, you are not obliged to come over here as--as often as you used.... But things I have heard---- Oh, I shouldn't pay attention to them, I suppose. I--I am very sorry.”
But he was not quite in the mood to forgive. And one sentence in particular occupied his attention.
”Things you have heard,” he repeated. ”Yes.... I should judge you must have heard a good deal. But who did you hear it from?... Look here, Elizabeth; how did you know I was here in the kitchen now? Did you just happen to come out and find me by accident?”
She reddened. ”Why--why----” she stammered.
”Or did some one tell you I was out here--spyin' on the pickles?”
His tone was a most unusual one from him to her. She resented it.
”No one told me you were 'spying',” she replied; coldly. ”I have never thought of you as--a spy, Cap'n Kendrick. I have always considered you a friend, a disinterested friend of mother's and mine.”
”Well?... What does that 'disinterested' mean?”
”Why, nothing in particular.”
”It must mean somethin' or you wouldn't have said it. Does it mean that you are beginnin' to doubt the disinterested part?... I'd like to have you tell me, if you don't mind, how you knew I was alone here in the kitchen? Who took the pains to tell you that?”
Her answer now was prompt enough.
”No one took particular pains, I should imagine,” she said, crisply.
”Mr. Phillips told me, as it happened. Or rather, he told mother and mother told me. He is to speak to the--to Elvira's 'travel-study'
committee in the sitting room, and, as he often does, he walked around by the garden path. When he pa.s.sed the window he saw you standing by the closet, that was all.”
Sears did not speak. He turned to the door.
She called to him. ”Wait--wait, please,” she cried. ”Mr. Phillips did not say anything, so far as I know, except to mention that you were here.”
The captain turned back again. ”Somebody said somethin',” he declared.
”Somebody said enough to send you out here and make you speak to me like--like that. And somebody has been startin' you to think about how I got the appointment as manager. Somebody has been whisperin' that I am not satisfied with your mother's way of doin' things and am schemin'
against her. Somebody has been droppin' a hint here and a hint there until even you have begun to believe 'em.... Well, I can't stop your belief, I suppose, but maybe some day I shall stop Commodore Egbert, and when I do he'll stop hard.”
”You have no right to say I believe anything against you. I have always refused to believe that. Do you suppose if I hadn't believed in and trusted you absolutely I should have.... But there! You know I did--and do. It is only when--when----”
”When Egbert hints.”
”_Oh!_ ... How you do hate Mr. Phillips, don't you?”