Charles Rex

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE ALLY

  A squeal of childish laughter echoed down the long passage that led fromthe nurseries, followed by a shuffling sound along the floor.

  "Hold tight!" cried a voice, a gay, boyish voice, "I'm going to gallop!"

  There followed a tremendous scrambling along the corridor and shrieks ofdelight from three excited children. Jake, who had just mounted thestairs, paused in his progress; but in a moment there came a dramaticsound indicative of collapse, and immediately there arose cries ofdismay. He turned an intervening corner and came upon the newly-arrivedguest quite prone upon the floor with his three little girls scuffling indelighted agitation over her inert body.

  He hesitated to interrupt the game, but in an instant Betty the youngesthad spied him and uttered a shrill cry of welcome. The heap upon thefloor swiftly resolved itself into four separate beings, and the newcomersprang up with the litheness of a squirrel and met him with a free gracethat was not without a suggestion of defiance.

  He held out his hand to her. He understood the defiance and replied to itwith characteristic directness.

  "Guess you thought me a rough sort of animal when we met in the paddockthis afternoon," he said. "I'm sorry. It was Bunny I was up against--notyou."

  "Not me?" said Toby, her wide eyes lifted quite openly to his. "Sure?"

  He pinched the slim young hand without ceremony. Somehow she took him bystorm--this girl with the open brow and curiously pathetic face. "Well,not so much you," he said. "Bunny knows that gambling on a big scale isagainst the law for children of his age."

  "Oh, I see," said Toby. She smiled and slipped her hand free. "Well, I'myears older than he is, so that doesn't apply to me. Bunny wasn't doingany gambling either."

  "I gathered that," said Jake.

  She stopped and lifted Molly the second child, partially veiling her ownface with the little girl's soft curls. "Then you are up against me," shesaid.

  "No, I'm not," Jake's voice held a queer, compassionate note. "We won'tquarrel till we know each other better anyway. I see you're prettyintimate with the youngsters already."

  "Oh, that's easy, isn't it?" said Toby. "Babies always take you at yourface value. They are never prejudiced beforehand. There's never anyhandicap of that sort with babies."

  Betty was clamouring at her knees. She bent and lifted her also, bracingher slight form to a double burden of which Jake instantly relieved her,gathering both children into his own strong arms.

  "You're not to do that ever again," he said, with the authority of theman accustomed to obedience. "Understand?"

  "Why not?" said Toby.

  He turned to carry the two babies to the nursery. "Because I say it," hesaid briefly.

  "Oh, but that's no reason," said Toby, with light assurance.

  Eileen at her side looked up in shocked amazement. "Not if Daddy saysso?" she questioned.

  Toby stooped and swung her up to her shoulder. "You little featherweight!Daddy's only a man!" she said.

  "Quite true," said Jake deliberately. "The sort of man who means what hesays--always, and sees that he gets it."

  "What a frightful undertaking!" laughed Toby. "Then if you told me to goto blazes you'd see that I went?"

  There was a pause. Eileen's little hands locked themselves nervouslyunder Toby's chin. Perhaps she was aware of a certain electricity in theatmosphere. She was plainly not at her ease.

  Jake's voice sounded, very quiet and distinct, from the nursery door ashe entered. "I reckon that's just one of the things I've learnt not tosay."

  "Oh glory!" said Toby, "There goes the odd trick!"

  It was several minutes later, after a wild final romp that they leftthe room together. There was certainly no ceremony left between them.They came out as comrades, laughing at the same joke, their briefpassage-at-arms apparently forgotten.

  Toby, however, reverted to it very suddenly as they walked along thepassage. "Mr. Bolton, I'm sorry I got Bunny into hot water thisafternoon. It was all my fault. And I'm sorry I said blazes in front ofthe babies just now. You'll have to kick me when I do these things, andthen I'll remember."

  Jake paused and looked at her. "Say! Are you a boy or a girl?" he said.

  She smiled, a faintly dubious smile, but her reply was prompt. "Mostlyboy, sir. That's what makes it so difficult."

  He put his hand on her shoulder. "Look here! Call me Jake, see? Are youkeen on horses?"

  Toby's eyes shone. "Like mad," she said.

  "I'll see you ride tomorrow," said Jake.

  Toby whooped with delight. "But I'll have to borrow some breeches fromsomeone. You don't want me to ride in a skirt do you?"

  "Not specially," said Jake. "What do you generally ride in?"

  "Tights," said Toby, and then suddenly clapped her hand to her mouth indismay. "There! Now I've done it! You won't tell--you'll never tell, willyou? Promise!"

  "Sure!" said Jake. He was smiling a little, but there was compassion inhis eyes.

  And Toby's hand came out to him in sudden confidence. "I like you," shesaid. "You're a friend."

  Jake's grasp was strong and kindly. "I guess I shan't let you down," hesaid.

  Toby nodded. "You've been a cow-boy, haven't you? I knew that directly Isaw you."

  "I've been a good many things," said Jake.

  She nodded again. "And always the right sort. I wish--" She broke offabruptly.

  "What?" said Jake.

  "Oh, nothing," said Toby, with a rather wistful little laugh.

  "Let's have it!" said Jake.

  Her hand lay in his, and this time she left it there. Her blue eyes methis courageously. "Only that I'd met you before," she said.

  "Before when?" said Jake. "Before you met Saltash?"

  "Oh no!" Very swiftly, she answered him. "Oh no! Lord Saltash is amongthe kings. I'd have been dead by now but for him!" Her eyes kindled aswith a sudden glowing memory, she flushed like an eager child. "You knowhim?" she said. "Isn't he--isn't he--fine?"

  She spoke with reverence, even with a certain awe. The man's face changeda little, hardening almost imperceptibly.

  "Guess he's no great hero of mine," he said. "But maybe he has hispoints."

  "He has!" Toby assured him with fervor. "You don't know him like I do.He's a--he's a masterpiece."

  "That so?" said Jake.

  Perhaps Toby felt a lack of sympathy in his tone; she quitted the subjectabruptly. "No, that wasn't what I meant. I only wish I'd met you longago--years and years ago--when you were a cow-boy."

  "You were a babe in arms then," said Jake.

  She shook her head, quaintly smiling. "I wasn't ever that. I think I musthave been born old--began at the wrong end somehow. Some people do, youknow."

  "I know," said Jake. "When that happens, there's only one thing to bedone."

  "What?" queried Toby.

  His eyes were watching her intently, but there was nothing alarming intheir scrutiny. He made reply with absolute gentleness. "Begin again."

  "Ah!" A little sound that was more than a sigh escaped her, and thenquite suddenly her other hand came out to him; she lifted a quiveringface. "You going to help me?" she said.

  The action touched him. He took her by the shoulders as he might havetaken a boy. "I'll help you," he said.

  "You'll be good to me?" Her voice was quivering also, it had a sound oftears.

  "Sure!" said Jake, laconic and forceful.

  "Keep me straight and pull me up when I go wrong?" pursued Tobytremulously.

  "Yes, I'll do that," he said.

  "And you won't--you won't--you won't--talk to anybody about me?" shepleaded.

  "No," said Jake briefly.

  "Not to Lord Saltash? Not to anyone?"

  "No," he said again, a hint of sternness in the curt word.

  Toby gulped down her distress, was silent for a moment or two, thensuddenly smiled upon him--a sunny inconsequent smile. "Guess I've got youon my side now," she said with satisfaction. "You're nice and solid, M
r.Jake Bolton. When you've been picked up from the very bottom of the sea,it's good to have someone big and safe to hold on to."

  "That so?" said Jake.

  "Yes, I know now why Lord Saltash sent me here--just because you'rebig--and safe."

  "Oh, quite safe," said Jake with his sudden smile.

  It came to him--as it had come to Saltash--that there was somethingpiteously like a small animal, storm-driven and seeking refuge, abouther. Even in her merriest moments she seemed to plead for kindness.

  He patted her shoulder reassuringly as he let her go. "I'll look afteryou," he said, "if you play the game."

  "What game?" said Toby unexpectedly.

  He looked her squarely in the eyes. "The only game worth playing," hesaid. "The straight game."

  "Oh, I see," said Toby with much meekness. "Not cheat, you mean? LordSaltash doesn't allow cheating either."

  "Good land!" said Jake in open astonishment.

  "You don't know him," said Toby again with conviction.

  And Jake laughed, good-humoured but sceptical. "Maybe I've something tolearn yet," he said tolerantly. "But it's my impression that for sheermischief and double-dealing he could knock spots off any other humanbeing on this earth."

  "Oh, if that's all you know about him," said Toby, "you've never even methim--never once."

  "Have you?" questioned Jake abruptly.

  She coloured up to the soft fair hair that clustered about herblue-veined temples, and turned from him with an odd little indrawnbreath. "Yes!" she said. "Yes!"--paused an instant as if about to saymore; then again in a whisper, "Yes!" she said, and went lightly away asif the subject were too sacred for further discussion.

  "Good land!" said Jake again, and departed to his own room in grimamazement.

  Saltash the sinner was well known to him and by no means uncongenial; butSaltash the saint, not only beloved, but reverenced and enshrined assuch, as something beyond his comprehension! How on earth had he managedto achieve his sainthood?