Part 47 (2/2)

THE WARNING

It seemed to Maud that in the days that followed her engagement Toby developed with the swiftness of an opening flower. There was no talk of her leaving them. She fitted into the establishment as though she had always been a part of it, and she took upon herself responsibilities which Maud would never have laid upon her.

Watching her anxiously, it seemed to her that Toby was becoming more settled, more at rest, than she had ever been before. The look of fear was dormant in her eyes now, and her sudden flares of anger had wholly ceased. She made no attempt to probe below the surface, realizing the inadvisability of such a course, realizing that the first days of an engagement are seldom days of expansion, being full of emotions too varied for a.n.a.lysis. That Toby should turn to her or to Jake if she needed a confident she did not for a moment doubt, but unless the need arose she resolved to leave the girl undisturbed. She had, moreover, great faith in Bunny's powers. As Jake had said, Bunny was sound, and she knew him well enough to be convinced that he would find a means of calming any misgivings that might exist in Toby's mind.

It appeared as if he had already done so in fact, for Toby was never nervous in his presence. She greeted him with pleasure and went with him gladly whenever he came to seek her. They met every day, usually in the evening when Bunny was free, and the children gone to bed. Maud would watch them wander out together into the summer solitudes, Chops walking sedately behind, and would smile to herself very tenderly at the sight.

She believed that Toby was winning to happiness and she prayed with all her soul that it might last.

Saltash came no more during these summer days. He had departed in his abrupt way for his first pleasure cruise in _The Blue Moon_, taking no friend, save the ever-present Larpent, to relieve the monotony. No one knew whither they were bound, or if the voyage were to be long or short.

He dropped out of his circle as a monkey drops from a tree, and beyond a pa.s.sing wonder at his movements no one questioned either motive or intention. Probably he had neither in any appreciable degree. It was only the caprice of the moment that ever moved him. So his friends said. He evidently found his new toy attractive, and he would not return until he wearied of it.

Meantime, the summer crowds came and went at Fairharbour. The Anchor Hotel was crowded with visitors, and Sheila and her father began to talk of departure for Scotland.

Jake had gone to an important race-meeting in the North, and it seemed that Bunny's suggestion to show them the stud had been forgotten. But on an afternoon in late August, after a hotly-contested polo match, as he stood with a fizzling drink in his hand, talking to Sheila, she abruptly reminded him of it.

”It's quite a fortnight since you promised to show me the horses,” she said.

He started. ”Is it? I'm awfully sorry. I hadn't forgotten, but somehow I've had a lot to think about lately. You must come and have tea with Maud. When will you come?”

Sheila laughed a little. ”Hadn't you better ask Maud first?”

”Good gracious, no!” said Bunny. ”That'll be all right. She and Toby are always at home just now, and of course she will be pleased to see you any time. When can you come?”

”Well, we are leaving the day after to-morrow,” Sheila said.

”To-morrow then!” said Bunny promptly.

”Your sister may not want us at such short notice,” she said, hesitating.

”Oh, rats!” said Bunny, with a grin. ”Of course she will! Have you seen the Castle yet?”

”Yes. We lunched there with Lord Saltash before he left. It's a horribly grim place. I didn't like it much.”

”It's a magnificent place!” said Bunny stoutly. ”It's completely thrown away on Charlie of course, but I love every stone of it.”

”What a pity it doesn't belong to you!” commented Sheila. ”I wonder where you will live when you are married.”

Bunny flushed a little. ”We're not marrying at present, but I'm hoping to stick to my job when we do.”

”Oh, are you? Does Miss Larpent like that idea?” Faint surprise sounded in Sheila's tone.

”I don't know why she shouldn't,” said Bunny, quick to detect it. ”She's keen on the country, keen on riding and so on. She'd hate to live in town.”

”Would she?” said Sheila, with a hint of incredulity.

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