a sappho of green springs-第39章

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courage　to　put　to　the　test。　　He　relieved　her　in　his　abrupt　but　not

unkindly　fashion。　　〃Well；　when　is　it　to　be？〃



〃It？〃



〃Your　marriage。〃



〃Oh；　not　for　some　time。　　There's　no　hurry。〃



It　might　have　struck　the　practical　Mr。　Rushbrook　that；　even

considered　as　a　desirable　business　affair；　the　prospective

completion　of　this　contract　provoked　neither　frank　satisfaction　nor

conventional　dissimulation　on　the　part　of　the　young　lady；　for　he

regarded　her　calm　but　slightly　wearied　expression　fixedly。　　But　he

only　said：　〃Then　I　shall　say　nothing　of　this　interview　to　Mr。

Leyton？〃



〃As　you　please。　　It　really　matters　little。　　Indeed；　I　suppose　I　was

rather　foolish　in　coming　at　all；　and　wasting　your　valuable　time　for

nothing。〃



She　had　risen；　as　if　taking　his　last　question　in　the　significance

of　a　parting　suggestion；　and　was　straightening　her　tall　figure；

preparatory　to　putting　on　her　cloak。　　As　she　reached　it；　he　stepped

forward；　and　lifted　it　from　the　chair　to　assist　her。　　The　act　was

so　unprecedented；　as　Mr。　Rushbrook　never　indulged　in　those　minor

masculine　courtesies；　that　she　was　momentarily　as　confused　as　a

younger　girl　at　the　gallantry　of　a　younger　man。　　In　their　previous

friendship　he　had　seldom　drawn　near　her　except　to　shake　her　hand

a　circumstance　that　had　always　recurred　to　her　when　his　free　and

familiar　life　had　been　the　subject　of　gossip。　　But　she　now　had　a

more　frightened　consciousness　that　her　nerves　were　strangely

responding　to　his　powerful　propinquity；　and　she　involuntarily

contracted　her　pretty　shoulders　as　he　gently　laid　the　cloak　upon

them。　　Yet　even　when　the　act　was　completed；　she　had　a　superstitious

instinct　that　the　significance　of　this　rare　courtesy　was　that　it

was　final；　and　that　he　had　helped　her　to　interpose　something　that

shut　him　out　from　her　forever。



She　was　turning　away　with　a　heightened　color；　when　the　sound　of

light；　hurried　footsteps；　and　the　rustle　of　a　woman's　dress　was

heard　in　the　hall。　　A　swift　recollection　of　her　companion's

infelicitous　reputation　now　returned　to　her；　and　Grace　Nevil；　with

a　slight　stiffening　of　her　whole　frame；　became　coldly　herself

again。　　Mr。　Rushbrook　betrayed　neither　surprise　nor　agitation。

Begging　her　to　wait　a　moment　until　he　could　arrange　for　her　to　pass

to　her　carriage　unnoticed；　he　left　the　room。



Yet　it　seemed　that　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　was　unsuspected　by

Mr。　Rushbrook。　　Mr。　Leyton；　although　left　to　the　consolation　of

cigars　and　liquors　in　the　blue　room；　had　become　slightly　weary　of

his　companion's　prolonged　absence。　　Satisfied　in　his　mind　that

Rushbrook　had　joined　the　gayer　party；　and　that　he　was　even　now

paying　gallant　court　to　the　Signora；　he　became　again　curious　and

uneasy。　　At　last　the　unmistakable　sound　of　whispering　voices　in　the

passage　got　the　better　of　his　sense　of　courtesy　as　a　guest；　and　he

rose　from　his　seat；　and　slightly　opened　the　door。　　As　he　did　so　the

figures　of　a　man　and　woman；　conversing　in　earnest　whispers；　passed

the　opening。　　The　man's　arm　was　round　the　woman's　waist；　the　woman

wasas　he　had　suspectedthe　one　who　had　stood　in　the　doorway；　the

Signorabutthe　man　was　NOT　Rushbrook。　　Mr。　Leyton　drew　back　this

time　in　unaffected　horror。　　It　was　none　other　than　Jack　Somers！



Some　warning　instinct　must　at　that　moment　have　struck　the　woman；

for　with　a　stifled　cry　she　disengaged　herself　from　Somers's　arm；

and　dashed　rapidly　down　the　hall。　　Somers；　evidently　unaware　of　the

cause；　stood　irresolute　for　a　moment；　and　then　more　silently　but

swiftly　disappeared　into　a　side　corridor　as　if　to　intercept　her。

It　was　the　rapid　passage　of　the　Signora　that　had　attracted　the

attention　of　Grace　and　Rushbrook　in　the　study；　and　it　was　the

moment　after　it　that　Mr。　Rushbrook　left。





CHAPTER　VI





Vaguely　uneasy；　and　still　perplexed　with　her　previous　agitation；　as

Mr。　Rushbrook　closed　the　door　behind　him；　Grace；　following　some

feminine　instinct　rather　than　any　definite　reason；　walked　to　the

door　and　placed　her　hand　upon　the　lock　to　prevent　any　intrusion

until　he　returned。　　Her　caution　seemed　to　be　justified　a　moment

later；　for　a　heavier　but　stealthier　footstep　halted　outside。　　The

handle　of　the　door　was　turned；　but　she　resisted　it　with　the　fullest

strength　of　her　small　hand　until　a　voice；　which　startled　her；

called　in　a　hurried　whisper：



〃Open　quick；　'tis　I。〃



She　stepped　back　quickly；　flung　the　door　open；　and　beheld　Somers　on

the　threshold！



The　astonishment；　agitation；　and　above　all；　the　awkward　confusion

of　this　usually　self…possessed　and　ready　man；　was　so　unlike　him；

and　withal　so　painful；　that　Grace　hurried　to　put　an　end　to　it；　and

for　an　instant　forgot　her　own　surprise　at　seeing　him。　　She　smiled

assuringly；　and　extended　her　hand。



〃GraceMiss　NevilI　beg　your　pardonI　didn't　imagine〃he　began

with　a　forced　laugh。　　〃I　mean；　of　courseI　cannotbut〃　　He

stopped；　and　then　assuming　a　peculiar　expression；　said：　〃But　what

are　YOU　doing　here？〃



At　any　other　moment　the　girl　would　have　resented　the　tone；　which

was　as　new　to　her　as　his　previous　agitation；　but　in　her　present

self…consciousness　her　situation　seemed　to　require　some

explanation。　　〃I　came　here；〃　she　said；　〃to　see　Mr。　Rushbrook　on

business。　　Your　businessOUR　business；〃　she　added；　with　a　charming

smile；　using　for　the　first　time　the　pronoun　that　seemed　to　indicate

their　unity　and　interest；　and　yet　fully　aware　of　a　vague

insincerity　in　doing　so。



〃Our　BUSINESS？〃　he　repeated；　ignoring　her　gentler　meaning　with　a

changed　emphasis　and　a　look　of　suspicion。



〃Yes；〃　said　Grace；　a　little　impatiently。　　〃Mr。　Leyton　thought　he

ought　to　write　to　my　uncle　something　positive　as　to　your　prospects

with　Mr。　Rushbrook；　and〃



〃You　came　here　to　inquire？〃　said　the　young　man；　sharply。



〃I　came　here　to　stop　any　inquiry；〃　said　Grace；　indignantly。　　〃I

came　here　to　say　I　was　satisfied　with　what　you　had　confided　to　me

of　Mr。　Rushbrook's　generosity；　and　that　was　enough！〃



〃With　what　I　had　confided　to　you？　　You　dared　say　that？〃



Grace　stopped；　and　instantly　faced　him。　　But　any　indignation　she

might　have　felt　at　his　speech　and　manner　was　swallowed　up　in　the

revulsion　and　horror　that　overtook　her　with　the　sudden　revelation

she　saw　in　his　white　and　frightened　face。　　Leyton's　strange

inquiry；　Rushbrook's　cold　composure　and　scornful　acceptance　of　her

own　credulousness；　came　to　her　in　a　flash　of　shameful　intelligence。

Somers　had　lied！　　The　insufferable　meanness　of　it！　　A　lie；　whose

very　uselessness　and　ignobility　had　defeated　its　purposea　lie

that　implied　the　basest　suspicion　of　her　own　independence　and

truthfulnesssuch　a　lie　now　stood　out　as　plainly　before　her　as　his

guilty　face。



〃Forgive　my　speaking　so　rudely；〃　he　said　with　a　forced　smile　and

attempt　to　recover　his　self…control；　〃but　you　have　ruined　me　unless

you　deny　that　I　told　you　anything。　　It　was　a　jokean　extravagance

that　I　had　forgotten；　at　least；　it　was　a　confidence　between　you　and

me　that　you　have　foolishly　violated。　　Say　that　you　misunderstood

methat　it　was　a　fancy　of　your　own。　　Say　anythinghe　trusts　you

he'll　believe　anything　you　say。〃



〃He　HAS　believed　me；〃　said　Grace；　almost　fiercely；　turning　upon　him

with　the　paper　that　Rushbrook　had　given　her　in　her　outstretched

hand。　　〃Read　that！〃



He　read　it。　　Had　he　blushed；　had　he　stammered；　had　he　even　kept　up

his　former　frantic　and　pitiable　attitude；　she　might　at　that　supreme

moment　have　forgiven　him。　　But　to　her　astonishment　his　face

changed；　his　handsome　brow　cleared；　his　careless；　happy　smile

returned；　his　graceful　confidence　came　backhe　stood　before　her

the　elegant；　courtly；　and　accomplished　gentleman　she　had　known。　　He

returned　her　the　paper；　and　advancing　with　extended　hand；　said

triumphantly：



〃Superb！　　Splendid！　　No　one　but　a　woman　could　think　of　that！　　And

only　one　woman　achieve　it。　　You　have　tricked　the　great　Rushbrook。

You　are　indeed　worthy　of　being　a　financier's　wife！〃



〃