The Twickenham Peerage Part 36

'As I observed, to do so would give me genuine pleasure. I wish you to understand, Mrs. Merrett, that in me you have a sincere friend.' I believed it every moment less and less. 'Indeed, not only should I be willing to make you such an allowance, but I should be happy to see that your children are properly educated; particularly your boy.'

'You'll educate Jimmy?'

'Is that his name? I will see that he is educated. And, also, if you like, your little girl.'

For a moment or two I struggled against a rush of words. There were so many things which seemed to want saying all at once.

'Mr. Howarth, what has my James to do with you?'

'To do with me? I don't understand.'

'Oh yes, you do. What is there between my James and you?'

'Nothing; absolutely nothing. We have gone into that before; is it necessary to do so again?'

'Listen to me, Mr. Howarth. You take my advice, be careful what you say. Here's my husband's portrait. You look at it; and when you've looked at it you tell me what there is between you two.'

I handed him one of the heap off the table, which I had got out for Miss Desmond to see. He took it with a frown.

'So he was photographed? I shouldn't have thought he was that kind of man.'

'Then you're wrong. Because he was always being photographed.'

'It's not unlike him.'

'It's his very image. As you know very well.'

He had got to the table and was taking up the likenesses one by one.

'There are a great many here. Do I understand you to say that there are others in existence?'

'Plenty.'

'Where are they?'

'That's my business. Answer my question if you please. Did you never see my James--the man whose likeness that is--before you saw him that Thursday afternoon at the Aquarium?'

He looked me straight in the face and spoke as bold as bra.s.s.

'Never. To the best of my knowledge and belief, never.'

'That you swear?'

'I say it, Mrs. Merrett, on my honour, as a gentleman.'

'Then there's lying somewhere. Then do you mean to say that you come to me--a stranger, and the wife of a stranger--and offer to make me an allowance of five pounds a week, and to educate my children? Why, Mr.

Howarth, why?'

'From quixotic motives, if you like to put it so. I say--which is the simple truth, Mrs. Merrett, although it seems so strange to you,--because of the interest with which your husband inspired me, even after our very brief acquaintance.'

'He called to me last night.'

'He? Who?'

'My James.'

'He called to you? What do you mean?

Returning to the fireplace, Mr. Howarth stood so that I couldn't see his face.

'Out of a box.'

He turned sharply round.

'Out of a box?'

'Out of a box into which you put him.

'Into which I put him? Woman! Are you mad?'

Whether I was mad or not I could see that he was more upset than he cared to own.

'Didn't you put him in a box? and leave him there?'

His face changed as it had done when I put the question to him the day before. He quite frightened me. He seemed to have been seized with a sort of paralysis. I half-expected to see him tumble all of a heap; I dare say he would have done, if it hadn't been for a voice which, coming from the door, startled me almost as much as it did him.

'Don't you think you'd better own it, Douglas? Hasn't the farce been carried far enough? Haven't we soiled our hands enough already?'

It was Miss Desmond. If I'd only thought, it was exactly what I might have looked for. She'd get tired of playing with the children; wonder what had become of me; leave the kitchen to find out; and discover him there. That it was a discovery there was very soon no doubt. That it was one of which he'd never dreamt there was just as little. If I'd ever had any suspicion that either knew of the other's visit, or that their presence in my house together was arranged, it was all blown away as I saw his look when he heard her voice.

My question seemed to have knocked the stuffing right out of him, as I have heard them say; hers made him jump straight up in the air. I never saw a man give such a jump. It was like a jack-in-the-box. And when he did come down he stared as if the jump had woke him out of a dream.

'Edith!'

'Yes, it is I. Odd that we should both have taken into our heads to pay Mrs. Merrett a morning call; isn't it, Douglas?'

'What--what are you doing here?'

'That is precisely the inquiry I was about to put to you. Because it would really seem as if your reiterated a.s.surance to me last night that you took no personal interest whatever in Mrs. Merrett was--What shall we call it, Douglas?'

'I don't know what bee you've got in your bonnet lately. I believe you're going mad.'

'I think I just now heard you accuse Mrs. Merrett of going mad. It does seem strange that we should all of us be going mad together, and that you should be the only one to continue sane.' He turned his back on us. I saw that for some cause he was afraid of her; that she knew it; and that the knowledge stung her to the heart. 'Douglas, don't you think we'd better p.r.i.c.k the bubble?'

'What do you mean?'

'Shall I tell you what I mean?'