The Hundredth Chance

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER XXVI

  THE WORD UNSPOKEN

  It was late that night when Mrs. Lovelace called Maud out of Bunny'sroom with a white, scared face to tell her that Lord Saltash was belowasking for her.

  "He wanted Mr. Bolton first," she said, "but I told him as I didn't knowif he was back, and then he said something about a slight motor accidentand seemed surprised like that Mr. Bolton hadn't come home."

  "It's all right. He is home," Maud said. "There is no need to beanxious about him." She hesitated a moment; then: "Tell Lord Saltashso!" she said. "I think I won't come down now. He will understand."

  Nevertheless, after she had dismissed the old woman, something promptedher to go and listen at Jake's door. She was convinced in her own mindthat there had been no accident. Charlie had seen her husband'scondition and was anxious to know if he had returned home safely. Thatwas the explanation, doubtless, and she felt she could not face him.

  She listened intently, but she heard no sound. Jake was sleeping nodoubt, sleeping heavily. An overwhelming disgust came upon her. Sheturned shuddering away.

  Mrs. Lovelace came wheezing back. Lord Saltash had gone. Was Mr.Bolton all right? Should she fetch him anything?

  No, Maud was quite sure he wanted nothing. He was asleep and Mrs.Lovelace had better go to bed.

  But she herself remained up till long after, in dread of a summons forJake from Sam Vickers or some other of the men at the Stables. Probablythey all suspected what had happened, but she felt that at all costs shemust prevent the shameful certainty reaching them. It was too horrible,too lowering to her own personal pride. Very strangely it was thatoverpowering sense of shame that first made her realize the man as herhusband. He had dragged her into the mire, and though her whole soulrevolted she felt with a sinking despair that she could never be cleanagain. She was bound to him for better for worse, and nothing couldever set her free. She was, as it were, identified with him, and theevil of his nature must lie upon her like a taint. There could be noescape for her, loathe him as she might.

  She lay down at last sick at heart and full of a great bitterness. Lifewas horrible, life was repulsive. Whichever way she turned some evilmonster crouched across her path.

  Bunny was restless and querulous throughout the night. He was deeplyhurt by Jake's desertion, and, though he forebore to say so, he plainlyregarded his sister as a very poor substitute.

  "I shan't get up till Jake comes to see me," he announced in themorning.

  And Maud went down to fetch his breakfast with a reluctant promise toinform Jake of this intention if she saw him.

  She hoped very earnestly that she would not see him, but her hope wasnot to be fulfilled. Coming from the kitchen with Bunny'sbreakfast-tray, she almost ran into him. He had evidently just enteredthe house, and was hanging up his cap on the rack that stood in thedarkest corner of the passage.

  He stood back for her to pass him. "Good morning!" he said.

  Her face was burning. So great was her agitation for the moment thatshe thought she must drop the tray she held.

  Jake evidently thought so too, for he reached out and steadily took itfrom her. "I'll take up this," he said. "I want to see the littlechap. Do you mind going into the parlour? I shall be down directly."

  He spoke in his customary slightly sing-song drawl. She longed torefuse, but could not. With an inarticulate murmur she turned aside.

  In the parlour the fire burned brightly. She went and stood before it,striving desperately for composure. She would have given all she had toescape the coming interview. But she knew she could not, knew she mustface it, listen to semi-humorous excuses, possibly a good-naturedapology for an offence which she regarded as inexcusable, hideous.

  With all her strength she fought for self-control. She must make itclear to him, must somehow make him understand that this thing hadraised up a barrier between them that could never be broken down, animmovable obstacle to all intimacy, a perpetual stumbling-block tofriendship. He had brought it on himself and never--never--never couldit now be otherwise. They had never been very near, but now they wereas far asunder as the poles. No kindness from him could ever make herforget.

  She heard him descending the stairs, and braced herself with a throbbingheart to meet him. But she was trembling in every limb.

  She did not turn to greet him as he entered, but kept her faceresolutely averted.

  He came in, closed the door with evident purpose, and drew near to her.She shrank at his coming. A quick involuntary shudder went through her.She stiffened herself instinctively.

  He spoke, in his voice a soft, half-wheedling note of remonstrance."Say, Maud, it ain't--altogether--reasonable to condemn a man unheard."

  Her breath came short. She would not look at him. With a quiveringeffort she spoke. "I don't see any point in discussing the obvious. Iam bound to believe the evidence of my own eyes."

  "Without doubt," conceded Jake. "And they testified to my being screwedlast night?"

  "You can't--with truth--assert that you were sober," she said.

  Jake did not make the assertion. He stood considering. After a moment:"Do you object so strongly to the sight of me that you can't bear tolook at me?" he asked.

  His tone was faintly humorous. She resented it on the instant, hotly,almost fiercely. It was so exactly the attitude that she hadanticipated.

  "I do object--yes," she said, her voice low and vehement. "I can't thinkhow you can have the effrontery to speak to me until I give you leave."

  "That so?" he said.

  There was insolence in his tone this time. She turned and faced him.Then she saw a large cross of strapping-plaster across his temple. Shelooked at it a moment ere defiantly she met his eyes.

  "I suppose you are going to make that your excuse," she said.

  "I was," said Jake imperturbably.

  She bit her lip. His utter lack of shame made her pitiless. "If Ihadn't met you on the stairs last night, I might believe you," she said.

  "You're real kind," he rejoined. "As a matter of fact I didn't cut myhead open tumbling upstairs, but I reckon that detail won't interestyou. You'll think what you want to think, whatever I say. And p'raps,as you say, there's not much point in discussing the obvious. Shall wehave some breakfast?"

  His eyes shone with a mocking gleam into hers. She was sure he waslaughing inwardly, though his mouth was grim.

  "I shall breakfast upstairs," she said coldly.

  He made a slight movement that passed unexplained. "Oh, I think not," hesaid suavely. "It won't hurt you any to sit at table with me. I am avery ordinary sinner, I assure you."

  Something in his tone made her flinch. The colour went out of her face.She turned without a word to the table.

  They sat down, and he helped her to food, she knew not what. Therefollowed a silence that she felt to be terrible, a silence through whichit came to her for the first time in her experience that Jake was angry.She looked at him no longer, but she felt as if his eyes were upon herunceasingly.

  "What about coffee, Mrs. Bolton?" he said suddenly.

  She gave a great start. The coffee-urn was in front of her. Sheproceeded to pour out for him, the cup clattering in the saucer sheheld.

  He did not move to take it; she rose, as if compelled, and carried it tohim.

  As she set it down, his hand suddenly descended upon hers. He looked upinto her face, faintly smiling.

  "Maud, my girl, don't be such a fool!" he said. "Can't you see you'remaking a mistake?"

  She froze in his grasp. "Don't touch me, please!" she said."You--I--see things from a different standpoint. It may seem a smallmatter to you, but to me--to me--" She stopped. "Let me go!" she said,with a nervous effort to free herself.

  But he held her still. "Say, now, do you think you're wise to treat melike this?" he said. "You've got to put up with me, remember. Wouldn'tit be to your own interest to give me th
e benefit of the doubt?"

  "There is no doubt," she said, speaking quickly, breathlessly. "Youhaven't tried to deny it. As to--to--putting up with you--" the hand heheld clenched convulsively--"I have a little self-respect----"

  "Call it pride!" interjected Jake softly.

  She looked at him with eyes of burning revolt. "Very well. Call itpride! And understand that if this shameful thing ever occurs again,neither Bunny nor I can stay with you any longer!"

  Quiveringly the words rushed out. He had goaded her into uttering anultimatum that she had never contemplated addressing to him at thecommencement of the interview and the moment that she had uttered it sheknew that she had done wrong. The red-brown eyes uplifted to herssuddenly kindled. He looked at her with a fiery intensity that sent theblood to her heart in a wave of wild dismay.

  His hand closed like a steel spring upon her wrist. "So, you thinkyou'll make a fool of me!" he said, and in his voice there sounded adeep note that was like the menace of an angry beast. "All right, mygirl! You just try it! You'll find it an interesting experiment if abit costly."

  "Are you--coward enough--to threaten me?" she said, through pantinglips.

  "Reckon you've done all the threatening this journey," Jake rejoined,with a smile that made her shiver. "It wasn't exactly a wise move onyour part, but p'raps you'll think better of it presently."

  He let her go, with the words, and she went back to her place, outwardlycalm, inwardly shaking.

  Jake proceeded with his breakfast in a silence so absorbed that it wasalmost as if he had forgotten her presence altogether. It was never alengthy meal with him. He ate and drank with business-like rapidity,not noticing that she did neither.

  Finally he rose. "I shall come in presently to see if Bunny wants tocome down," he said. "But the little chap doesn't look up to much thismorning. He'll have to take it easy."

  Maud did not respond. She sat rigidly gazing towards the window.

  Jake stood a moment, waiting for her to turn, but she made no movement.He came quietly round to her, bent over her chair.

  "Say, Maud, you aren't going to keep it up? That's not like you. I'lltell you all that happened last night if you'll listen."

  She made a slight gesture of distaste. Her face was white and cold asmarble. "I would rather not hear, thank you," she said, without lookingat him. "I would rather you went away."

  Jake stood up. There was no longer any suggestion of anger or any otheremotion about him. His eyes glittered like red quartz in the sun; buthis brow was absolutely unruffled.

  "Well," he said, in a very pronounced drawl, "I should have somebreakfast if I were you, and see how I felt then. It's wonderful what adifference breakfast makes."

  He turned away with the words; she heard him go with relief.

  On the other side of the door was the red setter, Chops. He pushed hisway in with a passing smile at his master, who had conferred the freedomof the house upon him since Bunny's advent, to Mrs. Lovelace's primdisgust.

  Jake made no attempt to hinder his entrance. He knew that Chopspossessed privileges of friendship denied to himself. He closed thedoor upon him and departed.

  Chops, after a cursory glance round for Bunny, came to the feet of hismistress. He looked at her with soft, questioning eyes, then, as shemade no response, sat gravely down before her and rested his red, silkenhead upon her lap.

  She looked down at him then. Her hand went forth to caress. Hesnuggled closer, sensing trouble, and breathed wistful greetings throughhis nose. His eyes, clear brown and full of love, looked up to hers.

  The rigidity went out of her attitude. She bent suddenly over him andkissed him, touched by the honest devotion and sympathy of those eyes.By the simple method of offering all he had, Chops had managed to conveya little comfort to her soul.