CHAPTER V
THE CONFIDENCE
A letter with the crest of a fox's head and the motto, _Sans Vertu_, uponthe back lay beside Maud's plate on the following morning. She took it upwith a smile at Jake who had just entered the room.
"From Charlie--probably about the new yacht. He told me the other daythat he wanted me to perform the christening ceremony."
"You have my permission," said Jake. "What does he propose to call her?"
"_The Blue Moon_, I believe. But he was in a freakish mood. He may havechanged his mind by this time."
Jake glanced round. "Where's the kid?"
"Who? Toby? I thought she went out early. Hasn't she been riding withyou?"
"No, she dodged me," said Jake. "Went off on her own on one of those rawcolts. I shall have to talk to her when she comes in."
"I hope she's all right," said Maud, with a touch of anxiety.
"She's all right," said Jake.
"But why did she dodge you? Have you been quarrelling?" Maud paused inthe act of opening her letter and looked at him with a grave questioningthat brought a gleam of humour into Jake's eyes.
"We have not," he said. "I've scarcely seen her since yesterday morning.I can't tell you why she dodged me. I only know she did it."
"How odd of her!" said Maud.
He sat down and took up the paper; his face was grim. "I shall know whypresently. Read your letter. I'm in no hurry."
Maud opened the letter from Saltash and there fell a brief silence.
It was broken by the sound of light feet outside the door, and Toby,still wearing riding-dress, her face flushed and laughing, swung into theroom. "I'm so sorry I'm late," she said. "The little fiend ran away withus, and we had a gigantic tussle. Do you mind if I sit down in thesethings?"
She went round to Maud to kiss her, and stopped as Maud's arm came abouther.
"Do you mind?" she said again.
"My dear," Maud said very gently, "Jake is going to scold you for ridingthat half-broken colt by yourself. It was very risky. Why did you do it?"
"Oh, is Jake cross?" said Toby. She looked across at him with an imp ofmischief in her eyes. Then, as he still studied his paper, abruptly sheleft Maud and went round to him.
"Cheer up, Jake!" she said. "Don't throw a cloud on the proceedings!"
Her voice was half impudent, half wheedling. Jake looked up, his eyesvery direct and somewhat stern.
"You sit down and have some breakfast!" he said. "I'll talk to youafterwards."
She obeyed him with a slight shrug of the shoulders. "P'raps I shan'tstay to be talked to," she remarked, as she did so. "I've promised totake Eileen and Molly out as soon as I've had my tub, so if it's going tobe a lengthy wigging, you'd better begin now."
Jake did not begin. He turned deliberately from the bravado of her look,and began to take the covers off the breakfast dishes.
Toby leaned back provocatively in her chair, and whistled under herbreath. She was plainly in a dare-devil mood, but it was not her customto dare Jake.
"What have you done to your hands?" he said, as she reached out for theplate he offered her.
She coloured deeply. "Nothing--I mean--nothing serious. I often get myhands scratched."
"Why don't you tell me the truth?" said Jake.
Maud looked up from her letter. "It is as I thought. Charlie wants us togo down to Fairharbour to-morrow. He is getting together a luncheon partyon board the yacht. The Melroses will be there and some of the polopeople staying at The Anchor. Jake, you will come and support me, won'tyou?"
Jake shook his head. "Bunny can do that job, my girl. I've got to getready for Goodwood. Forest Fire is going to make his mark there."
"Oh, bother Forest Fire!" said Maud. "I want you."
"What for?" said Jake.
"Well, General Melrose knows you. He was talking of you down at the Clubthe other afternoon. And I want him to meet you--with me. Please come,Jake!" Maud spoke persuasively.
"All right," said Jake.
"You will?"
"I will," he said, smiling a little. "You don't often interfere with myliberty. I remember old Melrose, met him years ago at Doncaster. He'salways been keen on the Turf, and he stood by me once when--someone--wastrying to queer my pitch."
"Oh!" said Maud. "You mean the time that Charlie let you down! PoorCharlie! He was horribly ashamed of himself afterwards."
Toby looked up sharply, and again the colour came into her face, mountingswiftly to her forehead. She appeared to be on the verge of hot speech,but no words came.
It was Jake who spoke in his soft, easy drawl. "Oh, I guess he's grown abit since then. Anyway, whatever his intentions, he never managed to dome any harm. And I rather think his malice is dead now."
"It died long ago," said Maud quietly. "He owes you a great deal, Jake.You've taught him to be a man."
"I?" said Jake. "My dear, your partiality runs away with your judgment.Have some ham!"
He dismissed the matter in his own calm fashion, and began to talk of hisanimals. Breakfast proceeded, but Toby scarcely spoke and ate verylittle.
"It's so hot to-day," she said when presently Maud remonstrated with her."I can't eat when it's hot--really." She pushed her plate away and rosefrom the table. "Do you mind if I go?"
"Yes, I mind," said Jake. "Go and sit in that arm-chair and smoke acigarette! I shall be ready when you've finished."
He held out his case to her, and, though she made a face at him, sheyielded. She threw herself down in the chair he indicated and smoked insilence.
Chops came and laid his head upon her knee, and she fondled his silkenears with an understanding touch. But her eyes were fixed before her withsomething of hardness in their look.
Maud finished her breakfast and got up. "I am going up to the nursery,"she said. "Don't hurry, Toby dear! The children can run in the gardentill you are ready."
"I shan't keep her long," Jake said.
Toby turned in her chair with a sudden flare of defiance. "I'd like tosee any man who would keep me anywhere against my will!" she said.
Jake nodded. "All right. You can see him now if you want to. Why did yougo and ride that little devil Knuckle-Duster when I told you not?"
"I don't take orders from you!" said Toby hotly.
"Oh yes, you do--sometimes." The door closed softly behind Maud and Jaketurned squarely to face the girl on his hearth. "Say now," he said in hisslow direct way, "it was a fool thing to do. You may as well admit it asnot."
Toby was on her feet. She stood stiffly braced, but the colour had goneout of her face. It was white and strained.
"All right," she said, speaking quickly and nervously. "But what of it? Ibrought him back quite sound and none the worse."
"I wasn't thinking of the horse," said Jake. "He's a savage brute and Idoubt if we ever do much with him. He'll certainly never be fit for alady to ride. But that's not the point either. The point is, you did itagainst my orders. And you dodged me to do it. Isn't that so?"
"I didn't dodge you for that reason," said Toby. "I'd have done itwhether you'd been there or not."
"I think not," Jake said. "Anyway, you'll give me your word of honourthat you'll never ride that animal again."
"My what?" said Toby, and suddenly she broke into a laugh. "Oh, don't befunny, Jake! Bunny rides him. Why shouldn't I?"
"That's quite a different thing," Jake said. "Bunny has a man's strength.You haven't. It's too dangerous a game for you, see? And I won't haveit."
"All right," said Toby, picking up her riding-whip and turning to go.
He stretched out a hand to detain her. "You'll give me that promise," hesaid.
She paused for a second, and met the unswerving determination of hiseyes. Then a sudden gleam of blue fire lit her own. She made a swiftmovement, and struck the outstretched hand lightly with the switch shecarried.
It was a gesture of supreme insolence, but there was conscious daring inher look. Jake's hand leapt like an angry dog upon the switch a
nd grippedit.
"That was a mistake," he said, and the words, though slow, had a cuttingquality that was somehow more imposing than open wrath.
Toby faced him with unabated courage, but she had begun to quiver. Shespoke no word.
Jake's hand fell. He turned from her, and pulled out his pipe. There wasdignity in the action--the dignity of strength that refuses to assertitself.
And Toby suddenly crumpled. She sprang after him like a contrite child,and caught his arm. "Oh, Jake, forgive me! Do please forgive me! I'm abeast--a beast!" she cried tremulously.
Jake looked at her, the hint of a smile about his rugged mouth. "I guessnot," he said. "You're just--young."
She shook her head vehemently. "I'm not! It wasn't that, Jake! Ididn't--hurt you?"
"Shucks, no!" he said.
She clung to his arm still. "I'll never disobey you again. I won't doanything you don't like. Jake, I mean it! Why are you laughing?"
"I'm not," said Jake. He put his pipe away again, and patted hershoulder. "All right. Don't say any more!" he said.
Toby gulped down some obstruction in the throat. "I must. I've got to askyou something. You're so awfully decent. I can't--I won't--do things youdon't like."
"What do you want to know?" said Jake.
Her other hand came up and fastened tightly upon his arm. "I don't knowhow to tell you," she said. "I--I had a rotten night last night. That'swhy I went out alone this morning. And I took Knuckle-Duster because thedevil tempted me."
"I see," said Jake. His red-brown eyes were very kindly in theirdirectness. "What did you have a bad night about?"
Her hold upon him tightened. Something of entreaty made itself felt inher grasp. There was fear in the wide blue eyes so resolutely lifted tohis.
"I don't know how to tell you," she said again.
"Maybe I can guess," said Jake.
"Ah!" she said, and laid her face down quickly on his sleeve.
He laid his free hand on her head. "It's Bunny, is it?" he said.
She answered him quiveringly. "Yes, it's--it's Bunny."
"Well?" said Jake gently.
She spoke with her face still hidden. "You don't want me to marry him, doyou? I won't do it either--without your permission."
"Mine!" said Jake.
"Yes." Her words came rapidly. "You love Bunny. You know what's best forhim. You want him to have the best."
Jake's hand caressed her bent head. "Well," he said, after a moment. "Iguess that's so. But--I've come to love you in the same way. I'd like youto have the best too."
She lifted her head and looked at him. "You'd like me to have Bunny? Doyou mean that?"
"If it's going to make you both happy," said Jake.
"Ah!" she caught her breath sharply. "But no one can be sure of that, canthey? I mean, marriage is such a speculation, isn't it? I expect Bunnywill soon get tired of me."
"Why do you say that?" said Jake.
A little quiver went through her. "I don't know. Men are like that,aren't they? Not men like you of course, but you're the big exception toalmost every rule."
Jake was frowning a little. "I guess I'm as human as the rest of 'em," hesaid. "But what makes you think Bunny isn't a stayer?"
"He's so young," said Toby.
"That all?" said Jake, beginning to smile.
She looked at him rather wistfully. "Yes, but it counts, Jake. He'll be aman some day, but he isn't yet--at least only in streaks."
"Well, there's no hurry, is there?" said Jake. "People shouldn't marry inhaste."
Toby's eyes flashed sudden accusation. "You did!"
"I!" Jake looked momentarily disconcerted. "Well, I had some excuse. Whatdo you know about it anyway?"
"I know what Bunny told me. Maud didn't love you when she marriedyou. It didn't come on till afterwards. She loved Lord Saltash, and heloved her." Toby spoke with a certain hardness, as if challengingcontradiction. "She'd have married him--but for you."
Jake met the challenge squarely. "Quite possibly she would. Think she'dhave been any happier?"
Toby shook her head. "No. I think you were always meant to be her man.But it--it was rather hard on him." Her voice trembled a little. "Bunnysays that was why he never married."
"He's not the marrying sort," said Jake. "I don't mind your marryingBunny, but nothing on this earth would persuade me to let you marry him."
An odd little smile twitched the corners of Toby's mouth. "No? Well, Ishouldn't consult you about that," she said. "Sure you don't mind mymarrying Bunny?"
Jake looked at her. "Not if you're sure you want to," he said.
Her eyes grew bright and baffling. She drew away from him, but in amoment with a boyish gesture, she held out her hand to him. "Thank you,Jake. You're a brick. Whatever I do, I'll do it--straight, and you'llstand by?"
"Sure!" said Jake, and gave her a close grip.
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