CHAPTER XXXI.
MR. PERCY SHAKES HIMSELF.
It was noontide at Oakley, and a December sun was shining coldly in atthe window of Mrs. Cora Arthur's dressing-room. Within that cozy room,however, all was warmth and brightness. A cheerful fire was blazingand crackling in the grate. Sitting before the fire, wrapped in abecoming dressing-gown of white cashmere, was Cora herself, looking atrifle annoyed, but remarkably well withal. Wonderfully well,considering how very ill she had been.
Lounging near her, his feet lazily outstretched toward the fire, wasLucian Davlin.
"What did you write to Percy?" he inquired, consulting his watch.
"Just what you told me; that I had something of importance tocommunicate, and desired him to call to-day at two," replied Cora.
"But--aren't you looking a little too well for a lady who has been sodesperately ill? It won't do to arouse his suspicions, you know."
Cora crossed to her dressing-case, went carefully over her face with apuff-ball, and did some very artistic tracing in India ink under andover each eye. Then she turned toward him triumphantly. "There!" sheexclaimed, "now I shall draw the curtains," suiting the action to theword, "and then, when I lie on this couch, my face will be entirely inthe shadow, while from the further window there will come enough lightto enable him to recognize you."
At this moment a rap was heard at the door. Cora threw herself uponthe invalid's couch, and lay back among the pillows. When she hadsettled herself to her satisfaction, Mr. Davlin opened the door,admitting Celine Leroque.
"Monsieur Percy is below, madame," said the girl, glancing sharply atthe form in the darkened corner.
"Come and draw these coverings over me, Celine, and then go and bringhim up," replied Cora.
Then she glanced at Lucian, who said, carelessly: "Well, my dear, Iwill go down to the library."
Celine adjusted the wraps and pillows and then went out, closelyfollowed by Lucian. She was not aware that Mr. Percy was expected, themessage having been sent by Henry. And she was not a little anxious toknow the nature of the interview that was about to be held.
Mr. Percy, conducted to Cora's door by Celine, entered the room withhis usual lazy grace, and approached the recumbent figure in thedarkened corner, saying, in a tone of hypocritical solicitude:
"Madame, I trust you are not overtaxing your strength in thus kindlygranting me an interview."
He knew so well how to assume the manner best calculated to throw heroff her guard and into a rage.
But Cora, understanding his tactics, and her own failing, was preparedfor him. In tones as smooth as his own she answered:
"You are very good, and I find my strength returning quite rapidly. Infact," and here a double meaning was apparent, as she intended itshould be, "I think I shall soon be _stronger_ than before myillness."
There was silence for a moment. Evidently Mr. Percy was not inclinedto help her to put into words whatever she had in her mind.
"I sent for you," she continued, "because I have something to saybefore you meet with a person who, as you are likely to remain one ofthis pleasant family, you must of necessity, and for policy's sake,meet with the outward forms of politeness." Here she paused as if fromexhaustion, and he, lifting his fine eyebrows slightly, kept silencestill.
Cora, beginning to find her part irksome, hurried to its conclusion."You have heard, no doubt, of the presence of my brother in thishouse. I sent for you that you might meet him, and I desired my maidto show you to this room first, that I might venture a word of warningand advice. My brother is not the stranger that you evidently imaginehim. Beyond the fact that you and I were once married, that I of myown will forsook you, and the reason, or part of the reason for sodoing, he knows little of our affairs. For my sake he will make no useof that knowledge. But I think it best that you understand each other.Will you please ring that bell?"
He obeyed her, looking much mystified and somewhat apprehensive.Celine appeared promptly, and disappeared again in answer to Cora'scommand:
"Show my brother here, Celine."
When the door opened, he turned slowly and met the cool gazeof--Lucian Davlin!
That personage approached the invalid, saying: "You sent for me tointroduce me to this gentleman, I suppose, Cora?"
Mr. Percy arose slowly, and the two confronted each other, while Coranodded her head, as if unable to answer his words.
As Percy advanced the light from the one window that had been leftunshrouded fell full upon the two men, who gazed upon each other withthe utmost _sang froid_. Two handsomer scoundrels never stood at bay.And while the dark face expressed haughty insolence, the blondefeatures looked as if, after all, the occasion called for nothing morefatiguing than a stare of indolent surprise.
Cora's voice broke the silence: "Mr. Davlin is my brother, Mr. Percy.Please stop staring at each other, gentlemen, and come to some sort ofan understanding."
"Really, this is a most agreeable surprise," drawled Percy, lookingfrom one to the other with perfect coolness.
"Mr. Percy arose slowly, and the two confronted eachother."--page 306.]
"And quite dramatic in effect," sneered Davlin, flinging himselfinto a chair. "Sit down, Percy; one may as well be comfortable. How'sthe fair spinster to-day?"
Percy waved away the question, and resumed his seat and his languidattitude, saying: "Upon my word this _is_ quite dramatic."
Davlin laughed, airily. "Even so. I hope the fact that this lady is mysister will explain some things to you more satisfactorily than theyhave hitherto been explained. And if so, we had better let bygonesdrop."
Percy turned his eyes away from the speaker, and let them rest uponthe face of Cora. Again ignoring the remark addressed to him, he said,slowly: "I don't see any very strong family resemblance."
"I don't suppose you ever will," retorted Davlin, coolly.
"And I don't precisely see the object of this interview," Percycontinued.
Davlin made a gesture of impatience, and said, sharply: "Hang it all,man, the object is soon got at! It's a simple question and answer."
Percy brushed an imaginary particle of dust off his sleeve with thegreatest care, and then lifted his eyes and said, interrogatively:"Well?"
"Will you have war or peace?"
"That depends."
"Upon what?"
"The terms."
"Well!"
"Well?"
"What do you want?"
Percy examined his finger nails, attentively, as if looking for hisnext idea there. "To be let alone," he said, at last.
Davlin laughed. "And to let alone?"
"Of course."
"Then we won't waste words. Rely upon us to help, rather than hinderyou. There's no use bringing up old scores. If you vote for analliance of forces, very good."
Percy nodded, and then rising, said: "Well, if that is all, I willtake my leave. No doubt quiet is best for Mrs. Arthur," bowingironically. "By-the-by," meaningly, "when you find yourself in thevillage, Davlin, it might not be amiss to show yourself at the inn."
"Quite right," said Davlin, gravely. "Possibly I may look in upon youto-morrow."
Mr. Percy nodded; made a graceful gesture of adieu to Cora, whomurmured inaudibly in reply; and the two men quitted her presence.
In a few moments Davlin returned to Cora, smiling and serene. "I toldyou we could easily manage him," he said. "He won't trouble himself togo to war, save in his own defence. You did the invalid beautifully,Co., and I feel quite satisfied with the present state of things."
But Mr. Percy had not looked and listened for nothing. He wentstraight to his room, and shutting himself in, began to thinkdiligently. Finally he summed up his case on his fingers as follows:
"First, are they brother and sister? I don't believe it. Second,taking it for granted they are not, what is their game? If the old mandies, and if I can ferret out the mystery, for I believe there is one,_who knows but that two fortunes may come into my hands_? I must watchthem, and to do that, Ellen mu
st go back to Oakley, and they mustinvite me to be their guest!"
Mr. Percy arose and shook himself, mentally and physically
But alas for Celine! She had heard almost every word of the interview,through the key-hole of a door leading into an adjoining room, and ithad told her nothing, save that there was to be peace between the twomen, and that there had been, perhaps, war.
Madeline Payne, the Detective's Daughter Page 32
