CHAPTER XXVII
"For lo! the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone!"--_The Bible_.
"That's Lady Hickle!"
The two men turned in their saddles as Leonie went by at a canter nearthe rails.
The raking great waler forging ahead like an engine of destruction waskept in check by Leonie, exuberant with health, the knowledge of aperfect seat and hands, and that uprush of spirits which an early ride onthe Maidan brings--to some of us.
"Not _the_ Lady Hickle?"
"The same!"
"Well, I'm damned! she's only a girl, and _what_ a seat! Chucked themillions, too, didn't she? Having a good time?"
John Thorne frowned as he backed his horse before answering.
"We're great friends," he said shortly, and the other man tapped histeeth with his whip.
Thorne hadn't the slightest intention of implanting a snub, as the otherman knew, knowing him and his most unfortunate manner.
Friends, yes! they were friends, two strong, super-sensitive charactersdrawn in sympathy one to the other; and John Thorne would have liked tohave been a good deal more than a friend, but he had the sense to realisethat the only kind of woman he could ever ask to share his risingfortune, bad manners, and worse temper, would be of the type designatedin the short and unromantic word _cow_.
One of those slumbrous, sleek creatures who stand knee deep and contentin a field of domestic trivialities; ruminate placidly upon the happylittle events of the past hour; and always find a hedge under which toshelter at the first intimation of a storm.
Lucky, lucky cattle who do not know the temperamental ups and downs, themental lights and shadows, the physical and psychological upheavals, orthe intense joys and griefs of the more highly strung goat.
At that moment Leonie rode back slowly with some friends, and smiled atJohn Thorne.
"No!" Thorne went on meditatively, "no, she's _not_ having a good time.I can't quite make it out. You see, although she was only married for aday, the defunct tradesman husband rather overshadows her father'ssplendid career--old Bob Hetth, V.C., you remember. It _would_ in thiscaste-bound country. Caste amongst _us_, ye gods! Then her clothes arereally lovely, oh! ripping! make Chowringhee confections look as thoughthey'd come from the _durzi_ or the Lal Bazaar. And it seems that she'sliving on her capital, and that her hair curls naturally----"
The other man laughed out loud.
"Oh! you needn't laugh. Wait until you've been stationed as long as Ihave in Calcutta, then you'll----"
Leonie had turned and was coming up at a gentle trot.
"Gad! isn't she beautiful?" said the newcomer.
"Yes! I think that's _really_ her trouble," replied Thorne as he movedto meet her.
"Good morning, and don't come too near the Devil. We were out in the fogthis morning and it has made him as touchy as anything. Isn't it asimply perfect morning!"
For a moment she sat and looked at the funnels and masts swarming theplacid Hoogli, turned her head as a far-away siren announced the arrivalof a liner, gave a little sigh as she looked up at a kite sailingcare-free overhead, and came back to earth with a smile.
"How d'you do," she smiled, upon the introduction of the other man. "Anddon't come too near the Devil, he's nervy; in fact I think he will burstwith suppressed energy if I keep him standing longer. Shall we canter asfar--oh!----"
"Hell!" finished Thorne after his kind, causing the corners of Leonie'sbeautiful mouth to lift as she raised a reproving finger.
The razor-tongued, most feared and detested colonel mem-sahib of theline, in the whole of India, rode up with a seat which would not havedisgraced the sands of Margate.
Thinking that she might as well share the pig-skin, she had, upon herhusband attaining his majority, taken a dozen riding lessons somewherenear Regent's Park; had hacked irregularly ever since, and still, whenoff her equine guard, talked about a horse's ankles.
"Don't come too near the Devil, Mrs. Hudson, he's _so_ fidgety."
"Nonsense!" brusquely replied the lady as she nodded to the men. "It'syou who are fidgety; comes of all your sleep-walking, brain fag orwhatever you call it; you've--you've inoculated the poor darling," sheadded, clapping her hand on the Devil's hind-quarters.
Thorne made an ineffectual grab as the Devil reared so straight thatLeonie's face was hidden in the mane, and backed his horse as the walercame down with a terrific clatter on the hard ground, scraping thecolonel mem-sahib's foot as she wheeled about, emitting silly littlecries, whilst men tore up from all sides with desire to help.
Up again he shot, pawing the air until it seemed that he surely must fallbackwards, and men and women stared aghast until Leonie, raising her arm,brought her whip down between the silky ears.
"Damnation!" said John Thorne as Leonie patted the Devil's neck as hedanced nervously on one spot.
"Time I took him home," she said. "The syce?--no! I daren't give him toanyone as he is--oh! good morning----
"Saw your _haute ecole_ stunt, Lady Hickle," burst out a lad who rode afallen star in the shape of a discarded discreditable polo pony. "Simplytopping--but the Devil's a nervy demon, you _shouldn't_ ride him--he'llget away with you one of these fine days. What happened?"
"He bumped into my horse, he's not safe to be out amongst us--indeed, heis _not_. Lady Hickle, I have been in Cat----"
The rest was lost in precipitate flight with the colonel mem-sahib's armsclosely hugging her pony's neck, to the joy and the infinite delight ofthe rest of the spectators.
Unseen, uncouth John Thorne, furious at the scant courtesy shown to thelady of his dreams, had brought his whip down heftily, just above themangy tail of the colonel mem's pony.
"I think I'll ride alone, if you don't mind," said Leonie with a rippleof suppressed laughter in her voice.
"All the way to Alipore?"
"Oh! it's not far, and I daren't trust the syce, the Devil would simply_eat_ him."
The boy sidled in between her and Thorne, to the latter's infiniteannoyance.
"Are you still keen on the _shikar_ stunt, Lady Hickle?"
He gazed at her adoringly, and she smiled back into the honest, merryeyes.
"_Shikar_ stunt?"
"Yes! you remember--Sunderbunds--dak bungalows--_shikari_--wild animalsin bunches--discomfort and all the rest. Say yes! Oh! _do_!" as Leonieslowly shook her head, "It'll be such a rag! Major and Mrs.Talbot--she's a fine shot--you and me, and we've got to get anotherfe--woman 'cos a simply top-hole fellow walked into the club last night,who's wonderfully keen on it; we're kind of related, his father was mymother's second cousin."
"And the higher the fewer," interposed Thorne, as Leonie laughed. "Andwhat's the top-hole fellow's name?"
The youngster eyed the elder man with disapproval.
"Name--coming brain specialist--setting the old fossils in Harley Streetby the ears--forgotten more than they've ever learned--name--why, JanCuxson. Won't you come, Lady Hickle?"
Leonie had suddenly bent to adjust her stirrup leather.
Her face was dead white, her eyes like stars, her mouth like a gate toheaven.
Almost a year and not a word, not a sign!
Tortured by doubt, racked with love, she had gone her way silently;blaming herself one moment for the ease with which she had shown herlove; staking her all the next on the honesty of the man who had kissedher hand in forgiveness in the old Devon church.
Making excuses, heaping the blame upon herself, wearying, wondering--andnow!
She lifted her face, which shone like the Taj at noon, and the worshipfulcompany of men looked at her, almost stunned by its incomprehensibleradiance.
"Yes," she said softly, without thought of the Devil's nerve-storm."Yes, I will surely come!"
As she spoke there was a terrific report as the hind tyre of a passingcar burst with due violence, a sudden convulsive bound as the Devil leaptwith all four feet off the ground, and a thunder of hoofs as, with thebit between his teeth, he cleared for th
e open just as a man on asixteen-hand bay turned in at the race-stand opening.
Leonie of the Jungle Page 28
