Part 27 (2/2)
”We haven't it ourselves,” her husband reminded her. ”We've got to accept her on her own terms or not at all, it seems. She has too much principle to get herself into disgrace, I am confident on that score, but she has such ultra-democratic ideas that I am afraid she may lay herself open to comment. Have you heard anything, Irene, about a--a gray car?”
”What is that?” Mrs. Halstead sat up very straight. ”I've been expecting trouble from her absurd independence, but you know my position. What about a gray car?”
”Nothing much.” Ripley looked decidedly uncomfortable. ”You are not to mention it to her, Irene, remember. Mason spoke of it and it's up to him to take care of it, but I thought you might keep your eyes open.
Mason has an idea that he has seen her more than once running around town in a fast little gray car with a mighty good-looking chauffeur.
He's near-sighted and he asked me to find out about it.”
”I know nothing of it!” his wife said bitterly. ”An elopement with a person of that sort is quite within the possibilities, Ripley. I will watch, of course, but what good will it do? I have tried to guard her, and been insulted for my pains. If I had my way, I should lock her in her room until I brought her to terms.--A chauffeur, indeed! Really, Uncle Giles' money is scarcely worth the strain, and now with poor Vernon acting so strangely, and you so unsympathetic, it is a wonder I am not down with nervous prostration!”
On the morning after the Erskine affair, however, Vernon came in at lunch time with a cheerful air of suppressed but pleasurable excitement which nullified the effect of his former solemnity.
After the meal was over, he drew Willa mysteriously into the library, and shut the door.
”Say! I've simply got to tell you! I don't peddle club gossip as a rule, but this is to good to keep. Starr got his last night!”
”What do you mean?” Willa cried. ”He's not----”
”Not dead, you want to say? No, it isn't as good as that, but he got the thras.h.i.+ng of his life and his beauty is pretty well spoiled. Gad, if I'd only been there to see it!”
Willa turned a shade more white.
”Who--did it?” Her voice was a mere whisper.
”Kearn Thode. He is pretty well cut up about the face himself, for of course Starr didn't put up his fists like a man; he threw gla.s.sware.”
”Oh, is he badly hurt?” Willa caught at her surprised informant's arm in sudden dread. ”Is Mr. Thode----”
”h.e.l.lo! What's the tragic idea? Of course he's not; but you ought to see Starr! The fellows say it was all over in about two seconds, but it must have been great while it lasted!”
”Where--where did it occur?” she asked faintly.
”Right in the club, of all places in the world! The board of governors got together this morning like ducks in a thunderstorm and held a special meeting. Of course, they're both suspended until the board can get hold of the facts, but it's a pretty general opinion that Starr will be asked for his resignation. n.o.body seems to know what the row was about, or else they are all keeping mum, but Starr must have said something rather average awful. The only name he called Thode, though, as far as I can make out, was 'knight-errant'.”
Willa turned away to hide a sudden trembling.
”That isn't so terrible, is it?” she stammered.
”Silly word to start anything! But you never can tell what's back of it with Starr----”
”Excuse me, Miss. Note for you by messenger.” Welsh stood in the doorway.
Willa took the envelope from the salver the butler presented. The superscription was in an unknown hand, but a swift intuition came to her as she broke the seal.
”My dear Miss Murdaugh,” she read silently.
”Will you believe me when I tell you that I am more than sorry I shall not be able to come to you to-day? I was caught in an annoying but superficial motor smash-up last night and the broken winds.h.i.+eld has made a bizarre spectacle of me, but I shall be my normal self again in a few days. My sister, Mrs. Beekman, will call to-morrow and I shall present my apologies in person at the earliest possible moment, if I may.
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