Part 12 (1/2)
Sandow sprang up, and looked at his brother with the same air of speechless astonishment, as formerly when he heard of the journey to the much talked of possessions.
”I! Who has betrayed that to you?”
”No one, but many signs led me to suppose so, and now I see that I was not mistaken in my supposition.”
Sandow looked darkly and suspiciously at his brother, who stood before him with perfect composure.
”You have really a dangerous power of observation! With you one must be perpetually under control, and even then is not safe in his inmost thoughts. Well yes, then, I did wish to withdraw. On closer examination the speculation did not seem so favourable, did not promise half the profit we had at first believed. I tried to release myself from the obligation, or to induce someone else to take my place, but have not been successful. Jenkins stands by the completion of our bargain, and I have now pledged myself completely. Nothing remains but to promptly carry out the first agreement.”
He brought out these disjointed remarks with nervous haste, and meanwhile played with his pocket-book which he had drawn out. His whole manner displayed a violent, hardly suppressed excitement. Gustave did not appear to notice it, but replied with calm decision--
”Now there must be some means of freeing oneself from such a bargain.”
”No; for the sums which I have already sunk in this undertaking bind my hands. I stand the chance of losing all, if I withdraw now. Jenkins is just the man to hold me fast, and to use every letter of the contract against me, as soon as our interests cease to go hand in hand. So the thing must take its course.--Ah! Miss Frida, at last you allow us a glimpse of you.”
The last words, which sounded like a sigh of relief, were directed to the girl who now appeared in the arbour. During the last weeks Frida had also altered, but the change took a different form, than with Jessie. The childish face formerly so pale had now a rosy tinge, the dark eyes were still grave, but they had lost that troubled look. They sparkled with glad surprise when they beheld the master of the house, whom Frida immediately approached with frank confidingness.
”Are you home already, Mr. Sandow? I did not know, or I should have come long ago, but”--she looked at the serious faces of the two men, and made a movement as if to leave them--”I am afraid I disturb you.”
”Not at all,” said Sandow quickly. ”We were only debating on some business matters, and I am glad to make an end of the discussion. Stay here!”
He threw his pocket-book on the table and stretched out his hand. The cold, stern man, whose austere manner had never softened even in the family circle, seemed at this moment another being. The few weeks must have wrought a great change in him.
Gustave greeted Frida in the polite but formal manner, which he always showed to her in the presence of his brother.
”I have a message and an invitation for you, Miss Palm,” said he. ”Mrs.
Henderson would like to see you soon, in order to talk farther with you over the arrangement which has been already mentioned.”
”What arrangement is that?” asked Sandow, becoming suddenly attentive.
Frida cast a startled and questioning look at Gustave, and replied with some uncertainty--
”Mrs. Henderson's companion is leaving, and the situation has been offered to me. I had better”--
”You will not accept it,” interrupted Sandow with decision. Vexation was audible in his voice. ”Why this haste? There must be other and better places to be found.”
”The banker's family is one of the first in the town,” remarked Gustave.
”And Mrs. Henderson one of the most insupportable women, who torments her entire household with her nerves and whims, and her companion is a perfect victim to them. No, Miss Frida, give up the idea. I will on no account agree to your taking this situation.”
An almost imperceptible but triumphant smile played round Gustave's lips.
Frida stood speechless, her eyes on the ground; all the old awkwardness seemed to have returned with these words.
Sandow misunderstood her silence. He looked searchingly at her, and then continued more slowly--
”Of course I do not wish to control your wishes. If you want to leave us”--
”No! no!” cried Frida, so pa.s.sionately that Gustave was obliged to make a warning sign to her, to remind her of the necessity of self-control.
She quickly collected herself, and said with a trembling voice--