Part 16 (1/2)

Antony drew a deep breath.

”That happens to be exactly what I am,” he responded.

”What do you mean, Mr. Gray?” There was bewilderment in the words.

”Exactly what I have said,” returned Antony almost stubbornly. ”I am under-gardener at Chorley Old Hall, or, in other words, a labourer. I get a pound a week wage, and a furnished cottage, for which I pay five s.h.i.+llings a week rent. My name, by the way, is Michael Field.”

The d.u.c.h.essa looked straight at him.

”Then on the s.h.i.+p you pretended to be someone you were not?” she asked slowly.

Antony shrugged his shoulders.

”That was the reason you wrote and said you couldn't see me?”

Again Antony shrugged his shoulders.

The d.u.c.h.essa's face was white.

”Why did you pretend to be other than you were?” she demanded.

Antony was silent.

”I suppose,” she said slowly, ”that, for all your talk of friends.h.i.+p, you did not trust me sufficiently. You did not trust my friends.h.i.+p had I known, and therefore you deliberately deceived me all the time.”

Still Antony was silent.

”You really meant to deceive me?” There was an odd note of appeal in her voice.

”If you like to call it that,” replied Antony steadily.

”What else can I call it?” she flashed.

There was a long silence.

”I should be grateful if you would not mention having known me as Antony Gray,” said Antony suddenly.

”I certainly do not intend to refer to that unfortunate episode again,”

she replied icily. ”As far as I am concerned it will be blotted from my memory as completely as I can wipe out so disagreeable an incident. Will you, please, take your hand off my trap.”

Antony withdrew his hand as if the trap had stung him.

The d.u.c.h.essa touched the pony with her whip, Antony stood looking after them. When, once more, the moorland was deserted, he sat down again on the heather.

Josephus, returning from a rabbit hunt more than an hour later, found him still there in the same position. Disturbed by something queer in his deity's mood, he thrust a wet black nose into his hand.

The touch roused Antony. He looked up, half dazed. Then he saw Josephus.

”I've done it now, old man,” he said. And there was a queer little catch in his voice.