Part 6 (2/2)
”Haven't I told you,” she said, ”that there is not the slightest chance of their taking me back? You might as well believe me. They wouldn't have me, and I wouldn't go.”
”I do not expect anything of the sort,” Mr. Sabin said. ”There are other directions, though, in which I shall require your aid. I shall have to go to Deringham myself, and as I know nothing whatever about the place you will be useful to me there. I believe that your home is somewhere near there.”
”Well!”
”There is no reason, I suppose,” Mr. Sabin continued, ”why a portion of the vacation you were speaking of should not be spent there?”
”None!” the girl replied, ”except that it would be deadly dull, and no holiday at all. I should want paying for it.”
Mr. Sabin looked down at the cheque-book which lay open before him.
”I was intending,” he said, ”to offer you a cheque for fifty pounds. I will make it one hundred, and you will rejoin your family circle at Fakenham, I believe, in one week from to-day.”
The girl made a wry face.
”The money's all right,” she said; ”but you ought to see my family circle! They are all cracked on farming, from the poor old dad who loses all his spare cash at it, down to little Letty my youngest sister, who can tell you everything about the last turnip crop. Do ride over and see us! You will find it so amusing!”
”I shall be charmed,” Mr. Sabin said suavely, as he commenced filling in the body of the cheque. ”Are all your sisters, may I ask, as delightful as you?”
She looked at him defiantly.
”Look here,” she said, ”none of that! Of course you wouldn't come, but in any case I won't have you. The girls are--well, not like me, I'm glad to say. I won't have the responsibility of introducing a Mephistocles into the domestic circle.”
”I can a.s.sure you,” Mr. Sabin said, ”that I had not the faintest idea of coming. My visit to Norfolk will be anything but a pleasure trip, and I shall have no time to spare.
”I believe I have your address: 'Westacott Farm, Fakenham,' is it not? Now do what you like in the meantime, but a week from to-day there will be a letter from me there. Here is the cheque.”
The girl rose and shook out her skirts.
”Aren't you going to take me anywhere?” she asked. ”You might ask me to have supper with you to-night.”
Mr. Sabin shook his head gently.
”I am sorry,” he said, ”but I have a young lady living with me.”
”Oh!”
”She is my niece, and it takes more than my spare time to entertain her,” he continued, without noticing the interjection. ”You have plenty of friends. Go and look them up and enjoy yourself--for a week. I have no heart to go pleasure-making until my work is finished.”
She drew on her gloves and walked to the door. Mr. Sabin came with her and opened it.
”I wish,” she said, ”that I could understand what in this world you are trying to evolve from those rubbishy papers.”
He laughed.
”Some day,” he said, ”I will tell you. At present you would not understand. Be patient a little longer.”
”It has been long enough,” she exclaimed. ”I have had seven months of it.”
”And I,” he answered, ”seven years. Take care of yourself and remember, I shall want you in a week.”
CHAPTER XI.
THE FRUIT THAT IS OF GOLD.
At precisely the hour agreed upon Harcutt and Densham met in one of the ante-rooms leading into the ”Milan” restaurant. They surrendered their coats and hats to an attendant, and strolled about waiting for Wolfenden. A quarter of an hour pa.s.sed. The stream of people from the theatres began to grow thinner. Still, Wolfenden did not come. Harcutt took out his watch.
”I propose that we do not wait any longer for Wolfenden,” he said. ”I saw him this afternoon, and he answered me very oddly when I reminded him about to-night. There is such a crowd here too, that they will not keep our table much longer.”
”Let us go in, by all means,” Densham agreed. ”Wolfenden will easily find us if he wants to!”
Harcutt returned his watch to his pocket slowly, and without removing his eyes from Densham's face.
”You're not looking very fit, old chap,” he remarked. ”Is anything wrong?”
Densham shook his head and turned away.
”I am a little tired,” he said. ”We've been keeping late hours the last few nights. There's nothing the matter with me, though. Come, let us go in!”
Harcutt linked his arm in Densham's. The two men stood in the doorway.
”I have not asked you yet,” Harcutt said, in a low tone. ”What fortune?”
Densham laughed a little bitterly.
”I will tell you all that I know presently,” he said.
”You have found out something, then?”
”I have found out,” Densham answered, ”all that I care to know! I have found out so much that I am leaving England within a week!”
Harcutt looked at him curiously.
”Poor old chap,” he said softly. ”I had no idea that you were so hard hit as all that, you know.”
They pa.s.sed through the crowded room to their table. Suddenly Harcutt stopped short and laid his hand upon Densham's arm.
”Great Scott!” he exclaimed. ”Look at that! No wonder we had to wait for Wolfenden!”
Mr. Sabin and his niece were occupying the same table as on the previous night, only this time they were not alone. Wolfenden was sitting there between the two. At the moment of their entrance, he and the girl were laughing together. Mr. Sabin, with the air of one wholly detached from his companions, was calmly proceeding with his supper.
”I understand now,” Harcutt whispered, ”what Wolfenden meant this afternoon. When I reminded him about to-night, he laughed and said: 'Well, I shall see you, at any rate.' I thought it was odd at the time. I wonder how he managed it?”
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