Part 21 (1/2)
After lunch she and Paddy were alone for a few minutes, and Paddy asked with seeming carelessness:
”Didn't Lawrence tell you he was going to India, shortly?”
”I don't think so,” very quietly. ”He may have, but if so I didn't catch what he was saying.
”I am not very surprised,” she continued with an effort, ”as he said something about not staying at home long when they first returned.”
Paddy was non-plussed.
She had hardly expected Eileen to take it so calmly, and being at a loss for an answer she wisely dropped the subject.
Presently she went in search of Jack.
”Have you heard that Lawrence is going to India in three weeks?” she asked him.
”The General told me this morning,” replied Jack. ”I can't say I'm particularly sorry.”
He was sitting on a gate that overlooked the bay, and Paddy leaned against the top rail beside him.
”I didn't suppose you would be,” she retorted; ”but it's not very nice for Eileen.”
”Why not?” setting his mouth squarely, with an obstinate expression.
”Well, you know a lot of the people about here think they're engaged.”
”And if they do--isn't it a thundering good thing they're wrong?”
”No, it isn't,” getting nettled. ”If Lawrence has been trifling with Eileen I'll kill him.”
”Eileen has too much sense to care for a man who would behave so.”
”You don't know anything about it. You're just a great, big, blundering baby,” and Paddy looked as if she were on the point of tears.
”Whew!” whistled Jack. ”What have I been doing now?”
”Nothing, and that's just it.--If I were a man--if I were Eileen's brother, I'd shoot Lawrence. She hasn't got a brother, but you're the next best thing and you ought to do it.”
”I fail to see how I could benefit Eileen by getting myself hanged.”
”I don't care,” exclaimed Paddy. ”I don't care for any of you. I'll have it out with Lawrence some day, and make him pay for this.”
”My dear child! you're making no end of a fuss about nothing,”
sententiously.
”Child!” echoed Paddy derisively. ”And I should like to know what you've ever done to prove yourself a man.”
Jack was so astonished, for a moment he could hardly speak. In all their lives he had never known Paddy adopt that tone to him, and he regarded her as if she had suddenly developed into a new species of wild animal.
”Oh, you needn't look like that,” ran on poor Paddy, getting more and more beside herself with exasperation; ”you know perfectly well you are little better than a mere boy. If you had gone out into the world like other men, and made a way for yourself, you might have come back and won Eileen, and saved her from all that's coming. And instead, you have just sat still and stared at her, and let another man come in and spoil everything!--and you call that loving! If you'd any possible chance of providing a home in a year or two, you might be able to do something even now, but there you sit a mere boy at twenty-five years, and nothing achieved except a good aim and a good yachtsman.”