Part 10 (1/2)
”On the steamer I met--HIM. His deck chair was next to mine. I noticed that his name was Wrandall--'C. Wrandall' the card on the chair informed me. I--”
”You crossed on the steamer with him?” interrupted Mrs. Wrandall quickly.
”Yes.”
”Had--had you seen him before? In London?”
”Never. Well, we became acquainted, as people do. He--he was very handsome and agreeable.” She paused for a moment to collect herself.
”Very handsome and agreeable,” said the other slowly.
”We got to be very good friends. There were not many people on board, and apparently he knew none of them. It was too cold to stay on deck much of the time, and it was very rough. He had one of the splendid suites on the--”
”Pray omit unnecessary details. You landed and went--where?”
”He advised me to go to an hotel--I can't recall the name. It was rather an unpleasant place. Then I went to the bank, as I have stated.
After that I did not know what to do. I was stunned, bewildered.
I called him up on the telephone and--he asked me to meet him for dinner at a queer little cafe, far down town. We--”
”And you had no friends, no acquaintances here?”
”No. He suggested that I go into one of the musical shows, saying he thought he could arrange it with a manager who was a friend.
Anything to tide me over, he said. But I would not consider it, not for an instant. I had had enough of the stage. I--I am really not fitted for it. Besides, I AM qualified--well qualified--to be governess--but that is neither here nor there. I had some money--perhaps forty pounds. I found lodgings with some people in Nineteenth street. He never came there to see me. I can see plainly now why he argued it would not be--well, he used the word 'wise.'
But we went occasionally to dine together. We went about in a motor--a little red one. He--he told me he loved me. That was one night about a week ago. I--”
”I don't care to hear about it,” cried the other. ”No need of that.
Spare me the silly side of the story.”
”Silly, madam? In G.o.d's name, do you think it was silly to me?
Why--why, I believed him! And, what is more, I believe that he DID love me--even now I believe it.”
”I have no doubt of it,” said Mrs. Wrandall calmly. ”You are very pretty--and charming.”
”I--I did not know that he had a wife until--well, until--” She could not go on.
”Night before last?”
The girl shuddered. Mrs. Wrandall turned her face away and waited.
”There is nothing more I can tell you, unless you permit me to tell ALL,” the girl resumed after a moment of hesitation.
Mrs. Wrandall arose.
”I have heard enough. This afternoon I will send my butler with you to the lodging house in Nineteenth street. He will attend to the removal of your personal effects to my home, and you will return with him. It will be testing fate, Miss Castleton, this visit to your former abiding place, but I have decided to give the law its chance. If you are suspected, a watch will be set over the house in which you lived. If you are not suspected, if your a.s.sociation with--with Wrandall is quite unknown, you will run no risk in going there openly, nor will I be taking so great a chance as may appear in offering you a home, for the time being at least, as companion--or secretary or whatever we may elect to call it for the benefit of all enquirers. Are you willing to run the risk--this single risk?”
”Perfectly willing,” announced the other without hesitation. Indeed, her face brightened. ”If they are waiting there for me, I shall go with them without a word. I have no means of expressing my grat.i.tude to you for--”