Charles Rex

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER VI

  THE SACRED FIRE

  The party that gathered on the quay at Fairharbour on the hot July daywhen Saltash's new yacht, _The Blue Moon_ lay awaiting her christeningwas of a very gay description. The yacht herself was decked with flags,and the hotel facing the quay, The Anchor, was also decorated withbunting. All the visitors in the town were congregated about the shore,or were rowing in pleasure boats near the centre of attraction.

  The yacht lay moored to the quay on which by Saltash's orders a longstrip of red carpet had been laid leading to the gangway which wasdecorated with trails of flowers. The day was glorious and cloudless, thesea of that intense blue that melts to the horizon without any dividingline--like the blue of a smoked pearl.

  Saltash's idea was to take his guests for a cruise across the bay afterthe ceremony, and he planned to complete the celebrations with a _fete_on the water at night. Everything was in readiness, and by two o'clock hewas already receiving his guests.

  Maud and Jake stood with him, and little Eileen, very intent and serious,held Toby's hand and looked on from the background. Captain Larpent wason the bridge, looking very forbidding, even contemptuous. He had neverhad any liking for the gay crowds with which it was Saltash's pleasure tosurround himself. He had the air of a magnificent Viking, above thefrivolities with which he was surrounded. There was nothing of theornamental about his rugged exterior, but his very aloofness made himimposing. He looked straight over the heads of the buzzing throng thatpoured on to the deck.

  General Melrose and his daughter were among the last to arrive, and withthem came Bunny, very merry and handsome, his dark eyes singling out Tobyin a flash as she stood with her small charge. She had just lifted thechild to stand on a ledge where she might overlook the proceedings whenhe joined them.

  "Hullo!" he said eagerly. "I'm later than I meant to be. I've beenlunching with General Melrose. Ye gods, what a crush! Where do they allcome from? Well, sweetheart!" He bent to the child. "Enjoying yourprecious little self?"

  The soft violet eyes met his with a deep contentment as she lifted herface for his kiss. "I think it's lovely," she said earnestly.

  He stood up and looked again with swift appreciation at Toby. The girlwas dressed very simply in white, her vivid face shadowed by a broadstraw hat. She met his look with a grimace of boyish dissatisfaction.

  "Bunny! What a ghastly gathering! For goodness' sake, don't look at melike that! I feel like a painted marionette!"

  "Are you painted?" said Bunny. "You don't look it."

  She made a vehement gesture of disgust. "As soon as this show it over, Ishall get into riding things and go like the--like the--"

  "Like the dish when it ran away with the spoon," suggested Bunny with agrin, as she paused. "Well, if you'll be the spoon, I'll be the dish, andwe'll show 'em all a clean pair of heels. Shall we?"

  "I certainly won't be the spoon," said Toby with decision. "You can findsomeone else to play that part. Try Miss Melrose! She doesn't look as ifshe'd object."

  "She's a very pretty girl," said Bunny rather aggressively.

  "Of course she's a pretty girl. It's what she's for." Toby's chin wentup. "She couldn't be anything else."

  Bunny laughed. "Well, cheer up! She's not the only one on board. Do youknow any of these people?"

  Toby shook her head promptly. "And don't want! Aren't they awful? Oh,here's Jake! Wonder how much he's enjoying himself."

  Whether Jake were enjoying himself or not was not apparent in his manneras he came up and shook hands with Bunny, then turned to lift his littlegirl on to his shoulder.

  "Hold tight, Innocence! What do you think of it all?"

  "I think it's lovely, Daddy," she answered, clasping him closely. "DoesMummy like it too?"

  He smiled at the anxiety in her question. "Guess she'll come through itall right. She's not exactly keen on this sort of thing. But we're here,eh, Innocence? That ought to make a difference."

  Old General Melrose turned sharply at the sound of the soft voice. He hadnot noticed Jake until that moment.

  "Why, Bolton!" he said. "What are you doing here?"

  Jake moved forward deliberately. "Well," he said, "I guess I'm here insupport of my wife who has undertaken the chief part in the ceremonyabout to take place."

  The old soldier looked at him from under beetling brows. "Ah! Your wife!That's Maud Brian, isn't it? Somehow I always think of her as Maud Brian.So she still keeps up the old friendship with Saltash! I wonder you allowthat."

  Jake's red-brown eyes held a smile. "She pleases herself, sir," he said,"and--she pleases me."

  "That a child of yours?" asked the General abruptly. "But I needn't ask.She's got Maud's eyes. Sheila, come and see this kiddie of Maud's!"

  He spoke imperiously over his shoulder, and Sheila turned in answer. Hersoft eyes kindled.

  "Oh, what a darling! How do you do, Mr. Bolton? I know you well by name.And this is your little girl? What is her name?"

  "Eileen," whispered the child, clinging rather nervously to Jake'sshoulder.

  "Innocence!" said Jake.

  "Ah! How sweet!" the girl said. "I must get your mummy to bring you tosee me. Would you like to, I wonder?"

  "I think so," said Eileen shyly.

  "Maybe you'll come and see her first," said Jake. "I should like you tosee the stud, sir. We've got some stock that I think would interest you."

  "That would be delightful," Sheila said, in her gracious way. "We arehere for another fortnight. I had no idea it was such a lovely place."

  "Have you seen Burchester?" asked Bunny.

  She turned to him. "Never. I want to see it. Lord Saltash said somethingabout it the other day, so I am hoping there is a chance of doing so. Youare very fond of it, Sir Bernard?"

  "Yes. It's my job just now. I'm head keeper," laughed Bunny. "MissLarpent thinks I'm very inefficient, but I do my best."

  "I never said so," said Toby.

  She flushed at his obvious intention of drawing her into the group; butSheila Melrose at once held out a welcoming hand.

  "Miss Larpent, do you know I can't help feeling that I've seen yousomewhere before. Yet I can't quite remember where. Could it have been atValrosa?"

  "Oh, no," said Toby. "It couldn't possibly have been there."

  "And yet I can't help thinking it must have been," said Sheila, lookingat her with knitted brows. "Were you at that fancy-dress affair at theCasino Hotel? I have a feeling I have seen you--somewhere--in fancydress."

  "Never!" said Toby with decision. "You must be thinking of someone else."

  Sheila still looked at her with puzzled eyes. "Wait!" she said. "I shallremember in a moment. It was someone exactly like you. I know--someonedressed as a boy."

  Toby made a sudden sharp movement and clapped her hands excitedly. "Look!Look! There goes the bottle! I hope she'll manage to break it!"

  Sheila's attention was instantly diverted. The crowd surged forward.Maud, with Saltash on her right and Larpent on her left, stood by therail. She held up a bottle that gleamed golden in the sun.

  Saltash was laughing. He stood bareheaded, his dark face alight. Toby'seyes went to him in a single flashing glance and remained fixed. Bunny,looking at her, was for the moment curiously moved. It was as if helooked from afar upon some sacred fire that had suddenly sprung intoardent flame before a distant shrine. Then came Maud's voice, sweet andclear, speaking the name of the yacht, and like a golden flame the bottlecurved through the pearl-like ether and crashed upon the bows.

  A murmur went up and then a shout. The bottle had broken and the winerushed in a sparkling cascade to the water.

  Something impelled Bunny. He gripped Toby by the elbow. He almost shookher. "Hooray!" he yelled. "It's done! She's off!"

  Toby looked at him with the eyes of a dreamer--eyes in which a latentfear underlay the reverence. Then, meeting his eyes, she seemed to awake.Her features contracted for a moment, but she controlled them swiftly,and laughed. Laughing, she drew him away.


  The yacht had throbbed into movement. The ropes were being flung aboard.They were steaming away, and a great blast went up from the siren as theydrew from the quay.

  Everywhere was tumult, rejoicing. People were shouting, talking,laughing, waving hats and handkerchiefs. The whole world seemed a buzz ofmerriment, and out of the very thick of it, Toby's voice, small andtense, spoke into Bunny's ear.

  "Let's get away! Let's go to Lord Saltash, and--and--and congratulate."

  Her hand was on his arm. She pulled at it urgently, insistently. AndBunny went with her, moved again--he knew not wherefore--by that feelingthat something had frightened her.

  He grasped her hand and made a way for her through the crowd. They wentto the laughing group in the bows. Saltash was standing close to Maud. Hewas making some careless jest to her, when suddenly he turned and foundthe boy and girl hand in hand behind him.

  His swift look flashed over them, and then in his sudden way he put ahand on the shoulder of each. It was a lightning touch, and he laughedoddly as he did it, as a man laughs who covers some hidden hurt.

  "We came to congratulate," said Bunny. "Good luck to her!"

  And Saltash, with his royal air of graciousness, made light reply.

  "I thank you for your congratulations, my children; but may the luck beyours! I see it coming."

  And with that lightly he moved away among his guests, leaving a trail ofmerriment wherever he went, save where the boy and girl stood together inthe bows in a silence that neither seemed able to break.