Part 30 (1/2)
”Three's an impossible number for a tete-a-tete,” he said stiffly, ”so if you'll excuse me,” and he started to leave her side.
Up to this point Belle had been in some doubt as to how she ought to act; but when the Secretary took the initiative, it at once gave her her cue, and she was quick to save the situation.
”There are no secrets between friends,” she said hastily, ”and you're both friends of mine, so I shall expect you to be friends of each other's.”
”This is Colonel Robert Darcy, Jimsy--we call him Bob for short,” she rattled on, laughing nervously. ”And now, Bob, why have you arrived so unexpectedly in Suss.e.x?”
”I think you've forgotten to introduce me to Colonel Darcy, Miss Fitzgerald,” suggested Stanley.
”Dear me, I believe I have,” replied that lady, calmly. ”Bob, this is Jimsy; Jimsy, this is Bob--that'll do for the present. I'll tell you the rest of his names, t.i.tles and appurtenances when I've more time and less to talk about. So now we are friends and have no secrets from each other, therefore out with yours.”
Darcy laughed.
”You see, Jimsy,” continued Miss Fitzgerald, turning to the Secretary, ”though I'm young and ignorant, men have always come to me for advice, or, perhaps, for the use of my intuition.”
”I'm sure I trust Colonel Darcy will profit by it; but even our well-established friends.h.i.+p gives me no right to play third party to his confidences, and as I promised Kingsland a game of pool----”
”Ah, but you mustn't go; really you mustn't,” expostulated the Colonel, ”or you'll make me feel I've intruded.”
Stanley felt that it was not his fault if that officer did not already possess those sentiments, and was about to stand to his decision, when Miss Fitzgerald pulled him down beside her, saying:
”Don't talk nonsense, Jimsy. I'm dying to hear Bob's secrets, and he's been here five minutes already, and we haven't allowed him to get a word in edgewise.”
Thus admonished, the Secretary had no choice but to be an unwilling listener.
”I'm sure I don't know why I should dignify my affairs by the name of secrets,” began Darcy, with ill-attempted nonchalance, ”or why I should be reticent about speaking of them, either. It's more than the Press will be in the next few days,” and he laughed harshly.
”My dear Bob!” exclaimed Miss Fitzgerald, with a horror that was meant to be a.s.sumed, but nevertheless had a touch of reality about it. ”My dear Bob! I knew you were bad, but don't tell me you're as bad as all that!”
”I'm afraid so,” he replied. Then turning to Stanley, continued, ”I suppose you've not the misfortune to be married?”
”I'm a single man,” replied the Secretary, who, under the circ.u.mstances, felt that a mere statement of fact was infinitely better than an expressed opinion.
”Then of course you can't conceive the pleasures of antic.i.p.ation which the prospect of the divorce court arouses in the mind of a husband.”
”I can imagine that the point of view would largely depend on his own status in the case.”
”You don't mean to tell me, Bob,” cried Miss Fitzgerald, ”that she's been foolish enough----!”
”Oh, I'm the accused in the present indictment. But, fortunately for me, women are by nature inconsistent.”
”Why do you say that?” she asked.
”Why? Because, having run away from my house and secured legal a.s.sistance in London to bring suit against me--well, on statutory grounds, she has, as a proof of her injuries, seen fit to take up her residence at the bachelor quarters of her Secretary of Legation.”
”What! Is she there now?” cried Miss Fitzgerald, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng, as she turned them full on Stanley.
That gentleman, who had foreseen this _denouement_ from the first, half rose to his feet with a view of crus.h.i.+ng his defamer, but the Colonel's next statement so staggered him that he sunk back in his seat.
”No,” replied that officer, in answer to Miss Fitzgerald's question.
”No. London life didn't seem to agree with them, so they've made a little expedition into Suss.e.x together; in fact, they're both here, or hereabouts.”