Part 33 (2/2)

Dangerfield. ”Anyhow, it's going to stop; and they're going to apologize.”

She turned to them; and as if at a signal the Twins said with one voice:

”I apologize for blackmailing you, Sir James.”

The Terror spoke with an amiable nonchalance; the words came very stiffly from the lips of Erebus, and she wore a lowering air.

”Oh, not at all--not at all--don't mention it. Besides, I owe you an apology for not answering your letter,” said Sir James in all the discomfort of a man receiving something that is not his due. Then he heaved a sigh of relief and added: ”Well, that's all right. And now I hope you'll do all the fis.h.i.+ng you want to.”

”Certainly not; I can't allow them to fish your water any more,” said Mrs. Dangerfield sternly.

”Oh, but really,” said Sir James with a harried air.

”No,” said Mrs. Dangerfield; and she held out her hand.

”But you'll have some tea--after that hot walk!” cried Sir James.

”No, thank you, I must be getting home,” said Mrs. Dangerfield firmly.

Sir James did not press her to stay; he saw that her mind was made up.

He opened the door of the drawing-room, and they filed out. As Erebus pa.s.sed out, she turned and made a hideous grimace at him. She was desirous that he should not overrate her apology.

CHAPTER XIV

AND THE SOUND OF WEDDING BELLS

Sir James came through the hall with them, carelessly taking his cap from the horn of an antelope on the wall as he pa.s.sed it. He came down the steps, along the gardens to the side gate, and through it into the park, talking to Mrs. Dangerfield of the changes he had found in the gardens of the Grange after his last five years of big game shooting about the world.

Mrs. Dangerfield had not liked her errand; and she was in no mood for companions.h.i.+p. But she could not drive him from her side on his own land. They walked slowly; the Twins forged ahead. When Sir James and Mrs. Dangerfield came out of the park, the Twins were out of sight.

Mere politeness demanded that he should walk the rest of the way with her.

When the Twins were out of the hearing of their mother and Sir James, the Terror said:

”Well, he was quite decent about it. It made him much more uncomfortable than we were. I suppose it was because we're more used to Mum.”

”What did the silly idiot want to give us away at all for?” said the unappeased Erebus.

”Oh, well; he didn't mean to. It was an accident, you know,” said the Terror.

His provident mind foresaw advantages to be attained from a closer intimacy with Sir James.

”Accident! People shouldn't have accidents like that!” said Erebus in a tone of bitter scorn.

When he and Mrs. Dangerfield came out of the park, Sir James diplomatically fell to lauding the Twins to the skies, their beauty, their grace and their intelligence. The diplomacy was not natural (he was no diplomat) but accidental: the Twins were the only subject he could at the moment think of. He could not have found a quicker way to Mrs. Dangerfield's approval. She had been disposed to dislike him for having been blackmailed by them; his praise of them softened her heart.

Discussing them, they came right to the gate of Colet House; and it was only natural that she should invite him to tea. He accepted with alacrity. At tea he changed the subject: they talked about her.

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