"I have called for Miss West," he repeated, more sternly. "Can youinform me if she is ready?"
The maid bridled resentfully at his impatient air.
"Why, lawk a mercy, she was ready ages ago, mister!" she said, tartly.
"Then ask her to come out, if you please. We have barely half an hourto go on board," he said, glancing hurriedly at his watch.
"I can't ask her. She is not here," was the answer.
"Not here? then where--" he began, but the pert maid interrupted him:
"Lor', sir, Miss West went down to the steamer two hours ago."
An audible titter accompanied the information.
Lancaster bounded down the steps without a word, sprung into hiscarriage, and slammed the door with a vim.
"Drive down to the steamer just as fast as you can, coachman!" hehallooed, sharply.
CHAPTER X.
De Vere stared in wonder when his friend scrambled up the plank alonewith his beautiful bouquet. He was not a minute too soon, for in aninstant the gang-plank was hauled in, and they were outward bound onthe dark-blue sea.
"Halloo!" shouted the lieutenant, sauntering up; "where's the preciousbabe?"
His air of unfeigned surprise was most exasperating to Lancaster inhis disappointed mood. He was about to exclaim, "Hang the babe!" butrecollected himself just in time to glance around at the passengerson deck. No, she was not there, the pretty American maid who was sogracefully independent. "Gone to her state-room, probably," he thought,with profound chagrin, and leaning over the railing, pitched hisfragrant exotics impulsively into the sea.
"So much for my foolish gallantry to Mrs. West's niece," he said tohimself, hotly.
Raising his eyes then, he met De Vere's stare of wonder.
"Have you gone clean daft, my dear captain?" inquired he.
"I don't know why you should think so," said Lancaster, nettled.
"From your looks, man. You come flying up the gang-way, breathless, andwhen I ask you a question you stare around distractedly, and run to therailing to pitch over one of the sweetest bouquets I ever laid eyes on.Now, what am I to think of you, really?"
He laughed, and Lancaster, trampling his vexation under-foot, laughedtoo. He was vexed with himself that he had let Leonora West put him outso.
"I beg your pardon for my rudeness," he said. "I will explain. You see,I was so busy all day that I only had time at the last to jump into acarriage and call for Miss West. Then I was detained by an impertinentservant who, after ten minutes of stupid jargon, told me that my chargehad gone down to the steamer two hours before. So then we had not aminute to spare, and of course I was flurried when I came aboard."
"But the bouquet?" suggested De Vere, curiously.
"Oh, I bought that for my charge," replied Lancaster, airily.
"Rank extravagance! And didn't you know more about the tastes of babiesthan that, my dear fellow? A rattle would have been a more appropriateand pleasing selection. You know what the poet says:
"'Pleased with a rattle, Tickled with a straw.'"
"Yes, I remembered that just as I came aboard, and I was so vexed at myfoolish bouquet that I tossed it overboard," Lancaster replied, withthe utmost coolness.
He sat down, lighted a weed, and leaning over the rail, watched thedeep, white furrows cut in the heaving sea by the bounding ship. Histhoughts reverted provokingly to Leonora West.
"What is she doing? Will she come on deck this evening? Did she thinkI would not call for her, or did she come down first with maliceprepense?" he asked himself, one question after another revolvingbusily through his brain.
Lieutenant De Vere's gay voice jarred suddenly on his musings:
"Tell you what, old fellow, you missed something by not coming aboardwith me. I formed a charming acquaintance this afternoon."
"Eh, what?"--the captain roused himself with a start.
"I formed a charming acquaintance on board ship this afternoon.Prettiest girl in America--England, either, I should say."
A swift suspicion darted into Lancaster's mind.
"Ah, indeed?" he said. "What is the divinity's name?"
"I have not found out yet," confessed the lieutenant.
"Ah! then your boasted acquaintance did not progress very far,"chaffingly.
"No; but I rely on time to develop it. We shall be on board steamer tendays together. I shall certainly find out my fair unknown in all thattime," confidently.
Lancaster frowned slightly with that lurking suspicion yet in his mind.
"Oh, you needn't look so indifferent!" cried De Vere.
"You would have lost your head over her, too, old man. Such a face,such a voice, such an enchanting glance from the sweetest eyes everseen!"
"And such a goddess deigned to speak to you?" sarcastically.
"Yes. Shall I tell you all about it? I'm dying to talk to some oneabout her!"
"Don't die, then. I would rather be bored with your story than have tocarry your corpse home to the regiment."
"It was this way, then: I was _ennuy?_ at the hotel, so I came on boardearly with my traps--as early as one o'clock. It was about two, Ithink, when she came--lady and gentleman with her."
"Oh!"
"Yes, and shawls--bags, books, bouquets--the three B's--_ad infinitum_.She had a dark veil over her face. Her friends bade her good-bye--ladykissed her with enthusiasm--then they gave her the shawls and three B'sthey had helped carry, and went away."
"Who went away?"
"The lady and gentleman went away. If you had been listening half-wayto my story, Lancaster, you would have understood what I said."
"Don't be offended. I am giving you my strictest attention. Go on,please."
"She gathered all her things in her arms--she should have had a maid,really--and began to trip across the deck. Then the wind--bless itsviewless fingers whirled off her veil and tossed it in the air."
"Fortunate!" muttered Lancaster.
"Yes, wasn't it?" cried De Vere, in a lively tone. "So I gave chase tothe bit of gossamer and captured it just as it was sailing skyward. Icarried it back to her, and lo! a face--well, wait until you see her,that's all."
"Is that the end of the story?" queried Lancaster, disappointed.
"Not yet. Well, it was the sweetest face in the world. A real pink andwhite; eyes that were gray, but looked black because the lashes were solong and shady. Pouting lips, waving bangs, just the loveliest shadeof chestnut. Imagine what I felt when this lovely girl thanked me in avoice as sweet as a sugar-plum, and gave me her things to hold whileshe tied on her veil again."
"I hope you did not let her see how moonstruck you were on the instant."
"I don't know. I'm afraid she did," dubiously. "You see, I was sotaken by surprise I had not my wits about me. I talked to her quiteidiotically--told her I would not have restored the veil had I knownshe would hide that face with it again."
"And she?" asked Lancaster, with a restless movement.
"Oh, she colored and looked quite vexed a moment. Then she asked me,quite coolly, if my keeper was on board."
There was a minute's silence. Lancaster's broad shoulders shook withsuppressed laughter.
"So I begged a thousand pardons," De Vere continued, after a minute'sthoughtful rumination, "and I found her a seat and brought thechamber-maid to take her things and show her her state-room; so shecould not choose but forgive me, and I talked to her a minute."
"And told her all about yourself in a breath," laughed the captain.
"No; I would have done it, but she did not stop long enough to hearme. I asked her if she was going to cross the 'big pond' all alone byherself, as Pat would say, and she laughed very much and said no; shewas to have two chaperons. Then she asked me was I going, too. I saidyes, and was fumbling for my card-case when the chamber-maid whiskedher away from me. But to-morrow I shall--Oh, oh! Lancaster," in asuppressed tone of ecstasy, "there she is now!"
Lancaster dropped his cigar into the heaving waves and turned his head.He saw a lissom, graceful fi
gure coming unsteadily across the heavingdeck--Leonora West!
Leonora West, even more fair and bonny looking than yesterday, in ajersey waist and a black-kilted skirt just short enough to show thearched instep of an exquisite foot in a dainty buttoned boot. Shecarried her veil on her arm now, and wore a big black hat on her head,under which all her wealth of curling chestnut hair waved loosely toher perfect waist. The fair "innocent-arch" face looked as fresh as arose and beamed with gentleness and good nature.
Captain Lancaster rose up deliberately, and disregarding his friend'samazement, went forward to meet her.
"Miss West, the deck is rather unsteady. Will you honor me by taking myarm?" he said, bowing before her with elaborate politeness.
CHAPTER XI.
Lieutenant De Vere gazed in the most unfeigned astonishment, not tosay dismay, at the strange and unexpected sight of Captain Lancastercoolly leading the unknown beauty across the unsteady deck. As he saidof himself when relating it afterward, he might have been "knocked downwith a feather."
And when he saw that they were coming straight toward him, and thatLancaster had quite an air of proprietorship, and that the girl waslooking up with an arch smile at him, he was more astonished than ever,he was almost stupefied with amazement. Did Lancaster know her, really?And why had he kept it to himself, selfish fellow?
And then he was overpoweringly conscious that they had come up to him.He struggled to his feet and came near falling back over the railinginto the ocean, out of sheer wrath, for just then Captain Lancastersaid, with just a touch of raillery in his tone:
"Miss West, permit me to present my friend, Lieutenant De Vere."
"Lancaster knew her all the while, and he has been chaffing me all thistime," flashed angrily through De Vere's mind but he suppressed hisrising chagrin and said, with his most elaborate bow:
"I am most happy to know your name, Miss West. I have been longing toknow it ever since I met you this afternoon."
"What audacity!" thought Lancaster to himself, with a frown that onlygrew darker as the girl replied, gayly:
"And I am very glad to know that you are Captain Lancaster's friend.You will help to amuse me on the way over."
She sat down between them, Lancaster on one hand, De Vere on the other.The lieutenant looked across the bright, sparkling young face at hisfriend.
"Do you mean to tell me that this is _the_ baby?" pointedly.
"Yes."
"But, how--" pausing helplessly.
Lancaster laughed, and Leonora joined her musical treble to his.
"You see, De Vere, there was a mistake all around," he said. "I foundout yesterday that the baby existed only in our imaginations."
"You might have told me," De Vere muttered, reproachfully.
"I was reserving a pleasant surprise for you to-day," Lancasterrejoined.
Leonora turned her bright eyes up to his face.
"When did you come aboard?" she inquired, na?vely.
"At the last moment," he replied, rather coldly.
"You were detained?"
"Yes," dryly.
A sudden light broke over De Vere's mind. He laughed provokingly.
"Miss West, would you like to know what detained him?" he inquired.
"Yes," she replied.
"He went up to Blank Street, to fetch you," laughing.
"No?"
"Yes, indeed. Ask him, if you doubt me."
She looked around at Lancaster. There was a flush on his face, a frownbetween his eyebrows.
"You did not, really, did you?" she asked, na?vely.
"I did," curtly.
"Don't tease him about it. He was furiously angry because you ran awayand came by yourself," said De Vere. He was beginning to turn thetables on Lancaster now, and he enjoyed it immensely.
"But I did not come by myself. My friends where I boarded--Mrs. Nortonand her husband--came with me. I did not know Captain Lancaster wascoming for me. If I had known I should have waited," apologetically.
"You do not know what you missed by not waiting," said De Vere. "WhenLancaster came aboard he had a great big hot-house bouquet."
"And I do so love flowers," said Leonora, looking round expectantly atthe captain.
"Ah, you needn't look round at him now. It is too late," said De Vere,wickedly. "When he came scrambling up the gang-plank, at the lastmoment, and didn't see you anywhere on deck, he was so overcome by hisdisappointment, to use the mildest phrase, that he threw the beautifulbouquet out into the sea."
"Ah! you did not, really, did you, Captain Lancaster?" exclaimedLeonora, regretfully.
"Yes; the flowers were beginning to droop," he replied, fibbingunblushingly; and then he arose and walked away from them, too muchexasperated at De Vere's chaff to endure his proximity a minute longer.
He crossed over to the other side of the deck and stood there with hisface turned from them, gazing out at the beautiful, foam-capped billowsof old ocean with the golden track of the sunset shining far across thewaves. There came to him suddenly the remembrance that he was homewardbound.
He was homeward bound. In a few days, or weeks at most, he should beat home; he should be at Lancaster Park; he should meet the girl hisvixenish aunt had chosen for his future bride. He wondered vaguelywhat she would be like--pretty, he hoped; as pretty as--yes, as prettyas--Leonora West.
Her clear, sweet voice floated across the deck, the words plainlyaudible.
"You are both soldiers. How pleasant! I do so adore soldiers."
"You make me very happy, Miss West," cried De Vere, sentimentally, withhis hand upon his heart.
"But not," continued Leonora, with a careless glance at him, "not intheir ordinary clothes, you understand, Lieutenant De Vere. It is theuniform that delights me. I think it is just too lovely for anything."
De Vere, crushed to the earth for a moment, hastily rallied himself.
"I would give the half of my kingdom," he said, "if only I had gonetraveling in my red coat."
"I wish you had," she replied. "But some day--after we get to England,I mean--you will let me see you in it, won't you?"
"Every day, if you like. I shall only be too happy," vivaciously.
"I'll be shot if you shall have an invitation to Lancaster Park, youpopinjay!" Lancaster muttered to himself, in unreasonable irritation.
He moved away a little further from them, out of earshot of their talk,but he could not as easily divert his thoughts from them.
"How silly people can be upon occasion!" he thought. "How dare heget up a flirtation with Mrs. West's niece? She is wholly out ofhis sphere. Once she gets to England, I dare swear he will never bepermitted to lay eyes on her again. He shall not make a fool of thechild. She is but a child, and ignorant of those laws of caste thatwill trammel Mrs. West's niece in England. I will speak to him."
CHAPTER XII.
That night when the girl had gone to her state-room, and the two menwere alone on deck smoking their cigars in the soft spring moonlight,Lancaster said, rather diffidently:
"Oh, I say, De Vere, weren't you going the pace rather strong thisevening?"
"Eh?" said the lieutenant.
"I say you oughtn't to try to flirt with little Leonora West. You weresaying no end of soft things to her this evening. It isn't right.She's in my care, and I can't see her harmed without a word."
"Harmed? Why, what the deuce are you hinting at, Lancaster?" his frienddemanded, hotly.
"Nothing to make you fly into a temper, Harry," Lancaster answered,gravely. "Nothing but what is done every day by idle, rich men--winningan innocent, fresh young heart in a careless flirtation, and thenleaving it to break."
De Vere dropped his fine Havana into the waves and looked around.
"Look here, Lancaster," he said, "tell me one thing. Do you want MissWest for yourself?"
"I don't understand you," haughtily, with a hot flush mounting to hisbrow.
"I mean you are warning me off because you're in love with the littlething yourself? Do you want to
win her--to make her my lady?"
"What then?" inquired Lancaster, moodily.
"Why, then, I only want an equal chance with you, that's all--a fairfield and no favor."
They gazed at each other in silence a moment. Lancaster said then, withsomething like surprise:
"Are you in earnest?"
"Never more so in my life."
"Have you remembered that your family will consider it a _m?salliance_?"
"I am independent of my family. I have ten thousand a year of my own,and am the heir to a baronetcy."
"But you are rash, De Vere. You never saw Leonora West until to-day.What do you know of her?"
"I know that she is the fairest, most fascinating creature I ever met,and that she has carried my heart by storm. I know that if she is to bewon by mortal man, that man shall be Harry De Vere!" cried the youngsoldier, enthusiastically.
There was silence again. The great ship rose and fell with the heavingof the waves, and it seemed to Lancaster that its labored efforts werelike the throbbing of a heart in pain. What was the matter with him? Heshook off angrily the trance that held him.
"Since you mean so well, I wish you success," he said.
"Thanks, old fellow. I thought at first--" said De Vere, then paused.
"Thought--what?" impatiently.
"That you were--jealous, that you wanted her for yourself."
"Pshaw! My future is already cut and dried," bitterly.
"A promising one, too: twenty thousand a year, a wife already pickedout for you--high-born and beautiful, of course. Even Lady Lancastercouldn't have the impertinence to select any other for Lord Lancaster."
Lancaster's Choice Page 4
