Charles Rex

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE TURNING-POINT

  "You've brought her back!" said Bunny in amazement. "You've actuallybrought her back! Here, Jake? Not here?"

  "It was the only thing to do." said Jake between puffs at his pipe. "I'msorry on your account, but--well, you can keep out of her way."

  Bunny's face was flushed. He stood on the hearth and stared down at Jakewith a troubled countenance. "But you won't be able to keep her," heprotested after a moment. "Charlie will come and get her away again--assoon as he knows. He's such a wily devil."

  "He does know," said Jake.

  "He knows? Who told him?"

  "I told him," said Jake.

  "You told him! What the devil for? I don't understand you, Jake." Bunny'stone had a touch of fierceness in it, almost of challenge.

  Jake's eyes came up to him with absolute steadiness. "I told him," hesaid deliberately, "because he is the one person who has a right to know.He is her husband."

  "I don't believe it!" said Bunny violently. "He'd never marry her! It wasa damn trick if he pretended to."

  "No," Jake said, "it was not a trick. He has married her, and it's up tohim to make the next move."

  "But what on earth for?" demanded Bunny. "What made him do such a thing?"

  "God knows," said Jake, with a certain sombreness. "He did it. That's allI know."

  Bunny stamped round in a sudden fury and began to pace the room. "Isuppose he did it to defeat me! Did he actually think I should want herafter--after--"

  "Bunny!" Swift and sharp as a whip-lash Jake's voice cut across thewords. "Stop that! Pull up and sit down!"

  Bunny wheeled and came back in silence. His face was deadly pale, but hesat down on the edge of the table by Jake's side.

  Jake reached out a leisurely hand and gripped him by the knee. "Betweenyou and me, my son," he said, "I don't think you came into the reckoningat all. I can't tell you exactly what happened, because I don't know, butI'm pretty sure that Saltash married her from a somewhat stronger motivethan just to put you out of the running. As you say, he could have donethat without taking all that trouble. He's treated you damn badly, Iadmit, but it's just possible he couldn't help himself, and anyway Idon't think he's hurt you seriously--except in the place where you keepyour pride."

  "You think I didn't love her!" broke in Bunny, moving restlessly underhis hand.

  Jake's eyes had the glimmer of a smile as he met the boy's hot look. "Ithink you don't love her now anyway, Bunny," he said.

  "You're quite right," said Bunny shortly. "I don't. I never want to seeher again--now I know what she is."

  "You don't know," said Jake. "She has always been an unknown quantity toyou. That's why I've always felt doubtful about you. Guess you neverloved her quite enough, boy. That was your trouble."

  "Didn't love her!" ejaculated Bunny.

  Jake nodded. "Or you'd have understood her better--stood by her better."

  "I'd have loved her fast enough if she'd loved me," protested Bunny. "Butthat scoundrel always came first with her. I never had a chance."

  "Oh yes, you had." Again the faint smile showed for an instant in theelder man's eyes. "Not much of one, perhaps, but you had a chance. Ifshe'd been quite sure of you, she wouldn't have run away."

  "Wouldn't she? Then she can't be very sure of Saltash either." Bunnyspoke with a certain gloomy triumph.

  Jake blew forth a cloud of smoke and watched it rise thoughtfully. "I'mwaiting for Saltash," he said. "I've got him on test."

  "You believe in him?" questioned Bunny contemptuously.

  Jake's eyes remained fixed. "I believe," he said slowly, "that therecomes a turning-point in every man's life--whatever he's been--when heeither makes good or throws in his hand altogether. I've been through itmyself, and I know what it means. It's Saltash's turn now."

  "Oh, rot, Jake!" Bunny turned on him with the old boyish admirationshining in his eyes. "You--why, you've made good every time--just aboutas often as Charlie has done the other thing."

  "No." Jake spoke without elation. "I did make good, but I went throughhell first, and I very nearly failed. It may be the same with him. Ifso--well, poor devil, he has my sympathy."

  "You can't be sorry for a hound like Saltash!" remonstrated Bunny.

  Jake turned squarely and faced him. "Well, there you're wrong, Bunny," hesaid. "I reckon I'm sorrier for him than I am for you. You've got a cleanrecord, and you'll win out and marry Sheila Melrose. But Saltash--well,he's got a damn heavy handicap, and if he pulls off this, it'll be one ofthe biggest events I've ever seen. Say, what's the matter?"

  Bunny had sprung to his feet. He stood looking at Jake with an expressionhalf-startled and half-indignant. "Jake--you beast! What made you saythat?" he demanded.

  "What?" said Jake, and began to smile openly. "Well, guess it's prettynear the mark, isn't it? I saw which way the wind was trying to blow sometime ago. Mean to say you didn't?"

  Bunny swung upon his heel. "Confound you!" he said, and was silent forseveral seconds.

  Jake smoked imperturbably on. He knew all the workings of Bunny's mindwith the sure intuition of long intimacy. When finally the boy spokeagain without turning he almost knew what he would say.

  "Think I'm--very despicable, Jake?"

  The question had a shamed and sullen ring. Bunny's head was bent. He wasexamining a little china figure on the mantelpiece with nervousconcentration.

  Jake arose without fuss or preliminary, and pushed a brotherly arm roundthe bent shoulders. "Guess you've never been that, sonny," he said verykindly. "But--you take an old man's advice and go a bit slow! She'llthink all the better of you for it."

  "She'll never look at me," muttered Bunny, gripping the hand that pressedhis shoulder without raising his eyes.

  "Ho, won't she?" said Jake. "I've seen her look at you more thanonce--and the old General too. Reckon they both thought you were throwingyourself away on Toby, and maybe they had some reason to think so.Anyway, she never was your sort. I seem to remember telling you so once."

  "I was a fool," said Bunny, and then in a moment straightened himselfand looked Jake in the eyes. "It wasn't Toby's fault," he said withabrupt generosity. "She didn't want to get engaged to me. I made her.I knew--all along--she wasn't very keen. But I thought I loved her enoughto make it all right. I was wrong. I didn't."

  "Beginning to know better?" suggested Jake, with a smile.

  "Beginning to realize what a fool I've been," said Bunny ruefully. "Youdon't think I've done for myself then? Think I've still got a chance?"

  "Sure thing!" said Jake. "But go carefully. You've got a fence or two toclear before you get home." He paused a moment, then gave him a kindlyhand-grip. "Say, Bunny," he said, "there's nothing despicable aboutmaking a mistake. It's only when things go wrong and we don't play thegame that there's anything to be ashamed of. I've always been ready tostake my last dollar that you'd never do that."

  "Oh, man," Bunny said, in swift embarrassment, "that shows how much youknow about me!"

  Jake stooped to knock out the ashes of his pipe in the fender. "What Idon't know about you, my son," he said, "ain't worth a donkey's bray, Ireckon, so you can shut your mouth on that! I'm going back to Maud now.Any messages?"

  "Yes." Bunny was standing up very straight; his eyes were shining. "Loveto Maud of course. I shan't come round at present. But tell Toby thatwhen I do, she needn't be worried over anything. We're all square. Tellher that!"

  "I will," said Jake. He turned to the door, then paused, looking back."And say!" he said. "Don't you butt in with Saltash! Just leave him tomanage his own fate! He's riding a bucking horse, but I've a notion he'llyet make good--if he can."

  "He's a rum devil," said Bunny. "All right. I shan't interfere."

  After Jake had gone, he sat down and pulled a letter from his pocket. Allthe lines of perplexity smoothed out of his boyish face as he read it. Itwas the letter of a woman who had written because she wanted to write,not because she had anything to say, and Bunny's
eyes were very tender ashe came to the end. He sat for a space gazing down at the signature, andat length with a gesture half-shamefaced he put it to his lips.

  "Yes, I've been a fool, Sheila," he said softly. "But, thank heaven, Iwas pulled up in time. And I shan't--ever--make that mistake again."

  Which was perhaps exactly what the writer had meant him to say.