Volume Ii Part 3 (2/2)
A deep, red flush mounted into Mr. Sandford's face, he turned hurriedly to his sister.
”Leave us,” he said, shortly, and she, trembling, obeyed.
”Drayton,” he said, in a tone that betrayed effort and agitation, ”I had no opportunity of speaking. I intended to keep my word at any cost to myself, but it has been impossible.”
”Really,” said Mr. Drayton, scornfully. ”Well, let me see Miss Margaret and plead my cause with her; let me tell her----what I must tell her in order that she may understand.”
”You cannot see her; she is not here.”
”Not here! What do you mean? What foul trick have you played me?”
”I have played you no trick and you need not bl.u.s.ter and take that tone!” answered Mr. Sandford, angrily, his temper rising.
”I have your promise, in words, over and over again, in writing also; I insist on knowing how it all came about. You must have done your spiriting very ungently, perhaps said something unfavourable of me. I declare to you I cannot trust you.”
”I never mentioned your name. Grace sent me nearly mad and I said something to her about leaving the house, then Margaret went with her.”
”Is this the truth?”
”It is the truth.”
”And her leaving this house had nothing to do with me?”
”Nothing whatever.”
Mr. Drayton felt that, so far, all was well, but he would not betray any satisfaction to the man before him.
”Those investments I followed your advice about have brought me a loss,”
he said, after a pause, watching Mr. Sandford's face keenly.
”A loss?”
”Not in money; but my manager has given up his place, and his going is a serious loss. You are really the cause of his departure. He does not believe in you to the same extent other people do. I am sorry, but is there not a proverb about good fish being still in the sea? He was a good man but a trifle too cautious, yes, much too cautious! Well, as Miss Margaret is not here I shall go back.”
Mr. Sandford heard this and was uneasy. He knew quite well that Mr.
Drayton had no business capacity, and it came home to him very clearly that now that man's influence was withdrawn other people might find the way to his pocket as easily as he had done, when Margaret was in the background.
”I am sorry,” he said curtly, relieved to find that he was to be left alone. Mr. Drayton, now Margaret had gone, did not see the use of staying. He made very short adieus to Mrs. Dorriman, and she noticed that he had kept his cab waiting, and had never had his luggage taken off.
”Brother,” she said, softly laying her hand, upon his arm, ”Mr. Drayton has seen Margaret somewhere, he knows where she is. He knew she was not here.”
Mr. Sandford stared at her. She sometimes took him by surprise, this under-valued sister of his, and her idea now struck him with surprise.
He thought (now that he had time to arrange his ideas) that Drayton had taken the announcement coolly. At the moment it had been a relief, now it confirmed his sister's words. He suspected that she was right, nevertheless it was a sort of surprise to him. It is difficult when one person has habitually put another into a position of inferiority all their lives, and considered them dull, suddenly to change and to credit them with quickness of apprehension. He gave a sort of grunt, and went back to his den. The most important fact now was the resignation of Mr.
Drayton's manager. As far as he himself was personally concerned he was glad. Whatever happened now, those lynx-eyes were not in a position to look at the matter confidentially. Still the other side of the question, abovementioned, did not make it altogether pleasant news, and he set himself to think if there was any way in which he could lay a restraining hand upon Mr. Drayton, or rather on Mr. Drayton's speculative tendencies. In the meantime at Torbreck the girls were not doing very well.
They had arrived in a drenched condition at the very small inn, and had applied for a room and for something to go for their luggage.
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