Part 55 (1/2)

The cab stopped before the familiar steps, and Barbara said, as to a stranger: ”Here we are.”

XXIV

All of Them

The well-remembered hall and broad staircase swam before Alex' eyes as she followed Barbara upstairs and heard them announced as:

”Mrs. McAllister--and Miss Clare!”

In a dream she entered the room, and was conscious of a dream-like feeling of relief at its totally unfamiliar aspect. All the furniture was different, and there was chintz instead of brocade, everywhere. She would not have known it.

Then she saw, with growing bewilderment, that the room was full of people.

”Alex?” said a soft, unknown voice.

Barbara hovered uneasily beside her, and Alex dimly heard her speaking half-rea.s.suringly and half-apologetically. But Violet Clare had taken her hand, and was guiding her into the inner half of the room, which was empty.

”Don't bother about the others for a minute--Barbara, go and look after them, like a dear--let's make acquaintance in peace, Alex. Do you know who I am?”

”Cedric's wife?”

”Yes, that's it.” Then, as Barbara left them, Violet noiselessly stamped her foot. ”You poor dear! I don't believe she ever told you there was to be a whole crowd of family here. That's just like poor, dear Barbara!

I'm sure she never had one atom of imagination in her life, now had she?

The idea of dragging you here the very day after you got back from such a journey.” The soft, fluent voice went on, giving her time to recover herself, Alex hardly hearing what was said to her, but with a sensation of adoring grat.i.tude gradually invading her, for this warm, unhesitating welcome and unquestioning sympathy.

She looked dumbly at her sister-in-law.

In Violet she saw the soft, generous contours and opulent prettiness of which she had caught glimpses in the South. The numerous Marchesas who had come to the convent parlour in Rome had had just such brown, liquid eyes, with dark lashes throwing into relief an opaque ivory skin, just such dazzling teeth and such ready, dimpling smiles, and had worn the same wealth of falling laces at _decollete_ throat and white, rounded wrists. Violet was in white, with a single string of wonderful pearls round her soft neck, and her brilliant brown hair was arranged in elaborate waves, with occasional little escaping rings and tendrils.

Alex thought her beautiful, and wondered why Barbara had spoken in deprecation of such sleepy, prosperous prettiness.

She noticed that Violet did not look at her with rather wondering dismay, as her sister had done, and only once said:

”You do look tired, you poor darling! It's that hateful journey. I'm a fearfully bad traveller myself. When we were married, Cedric wanted to go to the south of France for our honeymoon, but I told him nothing would induce me to risk being seasick, and he had to take me to Cornwall instead. Cedric will be here in a minute, and we'll make him come and talk to you quietly out here. You don't want to go in amongst all that rabble, do you?”

”Who is there?” asked Alex faintly.

”Pam and the boys--that's my two brothers, you know, whom you needn't bother about the very least bit in the world, and here's Archie,” she added, as the door opened again.

Alex would have known Archie in a moment, anywhere, he was so like their mother. Even the first inflection of his voice, as he came towards Violet, reminded her of Lady Isabel.

She had not seen him since his schooldays, and wondered if he would have recognized her without Violet's ready explanation.

”Alex has come, Archie. That goose Barbara went and brought her here without explaining that she's only just got back to England, and is naturally tired to death. I'll leave you to talk, while I see what's happened to Cedric.”

”I say!” exclaimed Archie, and stood looking desperately embarra.s.sed.

”How are you, Alex, old girl? We meet as strangers, what?”