Winding Paths Part 67

She had turned very pale, and seemed for the moment overcome.

"Sir Edwin's motor?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Shall I call for you every day?" he said at once.

"No. He can't possibly see me if I go out the other way." Then she added: "He won't go on for long. He was there yesterday, but he did not see me; and after to-day I dare say he will give it up."

Finally she added, with an effort:

"I heard this morning the wedding is already fixed for June. It's to be one of the weddings of the season"; and her lips curled somewhat.

"I'm more sorry for her than for you, Hal," he said quietly. "You've a lot of splendid years before you yet. Heaven only knows what's ahead of her. I doubt he'll not give her much beside his name for his share of the bargain."

She made no comment, leaning back in her corner, white and tired. It was difficult to imagine anything ever being splendid again just then; or any man ever seeming other than tame, after Sir Edwin's clever, virile, interesting personality.

But d.i.c.k had judged wisely in suggesting the trip down East. Anything West would merely have recalled painful memories. The East of London was new to her, and could not fail to be interesting to any one with Hal's love of her fellows.

They went to a large parish hall, where Quin was in charge for a social evening of dancing and music. Factory girls were there in all their tawdry finery to dance; rough, boisterous youths mostly made fun of them; tired, white-faced, over-worked middle-aged women sat round the walls, laughing weakly, but forgetting the drudgery for a little while.

At one end of the room older men sat and smoked, and looked at ill.u.s.trated periodicals.

Hal entered with Quin and d.i.c.k on either side of her, and was immediately accosted by a young lady, with a longer and straighter feather than most of them, with the remark:

"Hullo, miss!... which of 'em's yer sweet'eart?"

A burst of laughter greeted this sally, but Hal, not in the least disconcerted, replied:

"Why, both, of course... I'll be bound you've had two at a time often enough."

The repartee delighted all within hearing, and from that moment Hal was a brilliant succes at the social evenings. She only wondered she had never thought to go before; but perhaps no other moment would have been just so propitious.

The sudden blank in her life craved some interest that was entirely new, and made her more ready to receive fresh impressions and create fresh occupations. She quickly found real pleasure in teaching the girls to dance properly, in listening to their outspoken humour, and soon developed an interest in their varied and vigorous personalities.

As she and d.i.c.k went home together that evening he noted joyfully that a little colour had come back to her face, and there was once more a genuine gleam in her eyes.

"You liked it?" he asked.

"Immensely."

"It grows on one. You'll like it better still yet. Alymer and I have always rather laughed at Quin, and regarded him as a crank. But he's not. It's just that he loves humanity, and he gets quite close up to the core of it down there, even if it is half-smothered in vice and dirt. I don't believe he'll ever take orders. It's partly because he's not a clergyman, and they know it, he's such a success. To-night, for instance, there was a big bullying chap trying to spoil all the fun for the men who wanted to smoke peacefully and look at the books. Quin remonstrated, and he turned round and swore violently at him. To my surprise, Quin, if anything, outdid him. I wouldn't have believed Quin could swear like that. I'm sure I couldn't myself. The chap just looked at him, and tried another oath or two doubtfully. And Quin said:

"Go on if you like, I'm not nearly through yet. I can't be a blank, blank, blank bully, and I don't want to be - it's nothing to be proud of; but I'm as much of a man as you any day."

"The other chaps laughed then, and the brute slunk off to the other side of the room."

"I asked Quin about it later, and he said: "Oh well, you've got to talk to them in their own language, or they don't listen. That's the best of not being a clergyman. Of course one couldn't very well curse and swear then. But it's the way to manage them. That chap will come to heel in an evening or two, and be reasonably quiet."

"You hit the right note straight off, Hal. Quin was awfully pleased.

Talk to them on their own level first, and presently you'll be getting them struggling up to yours almost without knowing it. He's frightfully keen for you to go again."

"I'm going every Wednesday," she said, "and other times as well."

They parted at the door, and Hal went in alone.

The moment she stood in the sitting-room she knew that something had happened. Dudley was sitting in his big chair by the fire, holding neither book nor paper, gazing silently at the flames.

At the table she stood still.

"What's the matter, Dudley?... What has happened?"

There were a few moments' silence, then, scarcely looking round, he replied:

"She's gone. Run away with another man."

"Gone!..." she echoed. "Gone... with another man! ... Do you mean Doris?"

"Yes. She was married at a Reigstry Office this morning. A messenger boy took the letter up this evening, after they had left for the Continent."

Hal sat down. It was so violently sudden she felt stunned. After a moment Dudley got up and moved aimlessly about the room.

"It's no use attempting to say anything, Hal. There's nothing to say.

Of course I know you're sorry, and all that, but I'd rather you didn't say it. You never liked the engagement, and you never liked Doris.

Probably you were justified, but it doesn't make it any easier for me now."

"Who has she gone with?"

"I believe he's a South African millionaire."

"Ah! - "

"You had heard of him?..." sharply.

"Only last week, from the tenant opposite. She did not know I was your sister, and said something about Doris having two young men, and one of them was a South African millionaire."

He made no comment, but continued his aimless walk.

"What about Ethel and Basil?" she could not help asking.

"They are terribly upset. As soon as I had been shown the letter I went out to make inquiries. Ethel could not rest for fear everything was not square. She wanted to go off after her at once. But it's all correct. I saw the Registrar. They were properly married, and they left for Dover at eleven, bound for Paris."

"What in the world will become of Basil?"

He winced visibly. Doris's flagrant selfishness to Basil hurt almost more than her faithlessness to himself.

"She stated in the letter that her husband was allowing her a thousand a year for herself, and she was prepared to pay a housekeeper to look after Basil and the flat."

"Little beast," Hal breathed under her breath. "What are they going to do?" she said aloud.

"The tenant opposite insists upon taking Doris's place. She was sitting with him when Ethel got home, and the letter arrived about the same time. Nothing else will satisfy her. She is going to be with him all day, and only teach in the evenings after Ethel has got back."

"How splendid of her!" involuntarily.