Jacob's Ladder

by E. Phillips Oppenheim

  CHAPTER XXII

  From that time onward, notwithstanding Jacob's unbroken composure,time began to hang heavily. Towards evening, he pulled up one of hisstrings and found sandwiches and whisky enough to keep him going. Hereceived no more visitors, friendly or otherwise, and he listened invain until nightfall for the sound of Lady Mary's boat. In themorning, however, he was awakened early by the sound of her whistlebelow. The room was half full of grey mist. Leaning out of theaperture, he could scarcely distinguish her form as she stood up inthe boat, and in the distance he could hear foghorns from passingsteamers blowing.

  "How are you?" she asked anxiously.

  "Right as a trivet," he assured her. "Wish I had a mirror, though, tosee how I look in a beard."

  She scrutinised his appearance and laughed softly, balancing herselfeasily against the oar which she had stretched out to the side of thetower. The moisture of the sea was upon her face and hair. A verybecoming _peignoir_ imperfectly concealed her bathing dress.

  "I never realised before what a spick-and-span person you were," sheobserved. "You are beginning to look a little dishevelled, aren't you?Would you really like me to bring you a mirror and some shavingthings?"

  "Are you beginning to make fun of me?" he asked, leaning a littlefarther out.

  She shook her head, and he realised suddenly that there was a note oftragedy underneath her assumed cheerfulness. He went on talkingdesperately, trying not to notice the quiver of her lips.

  "Because if you are I shall slip down and do my famous dive act. Idon't believe in your sunken rocks."

  "I forbid you to try," she said firmly.

  "I am in your hands," he acquiesced.

  "I couldn't come last night," she explained. "That beast of a Montaguewatched me all the evening.--Now let me get your breakfast up, in casewe are interrupted."

  There followed five minutes of the new sport, after which Jacob foundhimself with a thermos flask filled with coffee, a packet ofhard-boiled eggs, and more sandwiches.

  "I should think that ought to see you through," she said. "Things willprobably happen to-day."

  "What sort of things?" he demanded eagerly.

  She shook her head.

  "I shan't tell you anything! Only I'm doing my best."

  He leaned a little farther out of the aperture.

  "You're an amazing person," he declared. "I can't tell you, Lady Mary,how grateful I feel to you. You've enabled me to keep my end up. Ishould have hated being robbed by those blackguards--Hartwell andMontague, I mean," he concluded hastily.

  She sighed.

  "Really, I have been rather unselfish," she ruminated. "I suppose weshould all have been quite flush for a month or two if this littleadventure had come off."

  "Adventure?" Jacob repeated dubiously.

  "That's just how it seems to father," she continued. "I suppose youwonder I'm not more embarrassed when I speak about him. I'm not a bit.As he remarked himself, he's only trying to modernise the predatoryinstincts of a governing clan."

  "That's how he looks at it, is it?" Jacob murmured.

  She nodded.

  "It's in the atmosphere up here."

  "How's the Glasgow Daisy?" he enquired, after a moment's awkwardpause.

  "Broken ankle," she told him. "They're in a terrible state. He'll haveto cancel all his fights, and I heard Mr. Montague say last night thatit will cost them the best part of a thousand pounds to settle withhim.... Listen!"

  A moment's silence, then Lady Mary settled down to her oars.

  "Voices!" she exclaimed. "I'm off."

  Jacob looked through the aperture on the landward side and sawpleasant things. First of all, through the mist, loomed up the figureof Montague, approaching at the double. Behind came Felixstowe,rapidly gaining upon him.

  "Hi, you," the latter cried, as Montague stooped to unfasten the boat,"let that rope alone!"

  Montague turned around and hesitated. His pursuer stood by his side.

  "I'll relieve you, my pretty fellow," he said. "Hand over the key ofthe tower. Come along, now. Three seconds."

  Montague contemplated Felixstowe's somewhat weedy but not unathleticform, exceeded the time and fell with his head in the water. Hisassailant took the key from his pocket as he staggered to his feet,unfastened the rope and paddled across the channel. A moment laterthere were hasty steps upon the stone stairs and the door with itsiron grating was unlocked. Jacob advanced to meet his friend.

  "Jacob, old thing!"

  "Felix! By Jove, I'm glad to see you!"

  The two men shook hands. There was a moment's silence, a slightlydubious atmosphere. Welcome though it was, Felixstowe's interventionhad its embarrassing side.

  "You're looking pretty fit, old chap, except that you need a barber,"the latter remarked.

  "Thanks to Lady Mary," Jacob told his deliverer. "She's been feedingme with a fishing rod from the seaward side."

  "Good little sport! It was she who sent me the telegram--put me up tothe game, in fact. I warned you, Jacob."

  "I didn't exactly expect to meet Mr. Montague up here!" was thesomewhat grim reply.

  "Most likely spot in the United Kingdom!--Shall we beat it? Got a carwaiting, and we can catch the morning train from the junction if wehurry."

  They descended the steps in silence, and Jacob drew a little breath ofrelief as they entered the boat. Montague was sitting upon the sandswith both hands pressed over his eye, as they landed. He shrank backwhen he saw Jacob.

  "What's become of the other one?" Jacob enquired.

  "Your man Dauncey came up with me," Lord Felixstowe explained. "I ranghim up directly I got Mary's telegram. We met Hartwell just startingto follow Montague. I hung round long enough to see that he wasgetting what he deserved, and then I came on."

  They met a triumphant Dauncey, a moment or two later.

  "Given him his gruel?" Lord Felixstowe asked pleasantly.

  "He's lying in the blackberry bushes," was the grim reply.

  They approached the front door, where the motor-car was standing. TheMarquis strolled out to meet them, with a pleasant smile. He wasentirely free from embarrassment and he addressed Jacob courteously.

  "Mr. Pratt," he said, "the fortune of war has changed. Breakfast isserved in the dining-room. Might I suggest a bath and a shave?"

  Jacob lost his head.

  "You damned rascal!" he exclaimed.

  The Marquis's eyebrows were slightly elevated. Otherwise he wasunmoved.

  "My dear sir," he rejoined, with a gently argumentative air, "ofcourse I am a rascal. Every one of my family, from the days of theHighland robber who founded it, has been a rascal. So are you arascal, when the opportunity presents itself. We all fight for our ownhand in varying ways. A touch of my ancestry has evolved this littlescheme, whose lamentable failure I deplore. A touch of your ancestry,my dear Mr. Pratt, would without a doubt induce you to dispose of someof those wonderful oil shares of yours in a hurry to a poorer man, ifyou thought their value was going to decline. Just now I am facedwith failure. I do not lose my temper. I offer you freshly broiledtrout, a delicious salmon, some eggs and bacon, and hot coffee."

  Jacob looked at Lord Felixstowe, and Lord Felixstowe looked at him. Upfrom the landing stage came Lady Mary, singing gaily.

  "What about it, old dear?" Felixstowe asked. "We can catch theeleven-twenty."

  "Call it tribute," the Marquis suggested ingratiatingly, "the tributeof the beaten foe. My servant shall attend you at the bathroom, Mr.Pratt. Do not keep us waiting longer than you can help. And remember,between ourselves--between gentlemen--not a word about the matter tothe Marchioness or Lady Mary."

  Breakfast at the Castle was a sufficiently cheerful meal, chieflyowing to the efforts of Jacob and the Marquis. Mr. Dane Montague camelimping past the windows but made no attempt to join the party.Hartwell was reported locked in his room, and the Marchioness, whocame a little late, seemed utterly unaware that anything unusual hadhappened.

  "So glad to see you back agai
n, Mr. Pratt," she murmured. "I trustthat you enjoyed your visit to your friends."

  "You are very kind," Jacob replied, a little staggered.

  "Mr. Pratt brings us bad news," the Marquis intervened suavely. "Heis compelled to return to London this morning."

  "Mary will be very disappointed," the Marchioness observed. "She hasbeen so looking forward to some more tennis."

  "If Mr. Pratt felt able to reconsider his decision," her husbandbegan--

  "Impossible!" Jacob interrupted curtly. "There are considerations," headded, "which I cannot altogether ignore."

  "Bit of an exodus, I should imagine," Felixstowe remarked. "Our friendMr. Hartwell was just ringing for a Bradshaw as I came down."

  "It is so difficult to amuse guests before the shooting begins," theMarchioness sighed.

  Dauncey ate his breakfast in almost stupefied silence. He foundhimself alone with Jacob for a moment in the hall afterwards.

  "Have we all gone mad, Jacob?" he asked. "Or have you developed anhysterical sense of humour? Why haven't we locked the old man up andsent for the police?"

  "It's the young 'un," Jacob explained. "I like 'em both. Besides,what's the use of making a fuss? You've punished Hartwell, Felixstowehas settled with Dane Montague, and they've the Glasgow Daisy to dealwith between them."

  "It's the old man I can't understand," Dauncey confessed. "He sitsthere like a lay figure of courtesy and kindliness. To listen to him,one would believe that he would rather die than have a guestill-used."

  Their host himself, accompanied by his son, came suddenly out of thebreakfast room. For the first time, the former appeared discomposed.He came at once to Jacob and addressed him without preamble.

  "Mr. Pratt," he said, "I have only this moment properly understood thevery disgraceful and unworthy attempt on the part of my two otherguests to carry out a scheme of private vengeance upon you whilstsubject to the incarceration necessitated by my plans."

  "You are referring," Jacob observed coldly, "to the affair of theGlasgow Daisy?"

  "I beg, sir," the Marquis continued, "that you will acquit me ofall complicity in that most unwarrantable and improper attempt toinflict punishment upon you. For your incarceration I accept theresponsibility. That you were kept short of food was a natural adjunctto our enterprise. The other branch of the affair, however, humiliatesme. I regret it extremely. I tender to you, Mr. Pratt, my apologies."

  Jacob bowed.

  "I am very glad to hear," he said, "that you were not a party to themost brutal portion of the plot. At the same time, to be quite frankwith you, Marquis, I should have expected from you some expression ofregret for your rather serious breach of hospitality. It is surelynot a slight thing to starve and imprison an invited guest with theview of extorting money from him."

  The Marquis smiled tolerantly.

  "The matter presents itself to you, naturally, Mr. Pratt, in adistorted light," he observed. "I am quite sure that if I had beenbrought up in your environment, your point of view would be mine.You must remember, however, that we are now upon the soil where myforefathers for many generations kept together a great army ofdependents by exacting tribute from those more richly endowed withthis world's goods. If you will look closely around you, Mr. Pratt,you will see that even the Castle, which has been the property of myfamily for seven hundred years, is sadly in need of repair. We lacktoo many modern conveniences. My garden wall needs fresh buttresses,an engine house is necessary to pump water from the well--in short,the estate needs money. Not having it, I can only adopt the generalprinciple which is common to all mankind. I endeavour to procure itfrom others."

  "The prisons of England," Dauncey remarked, "are filled with temporaryvisitors who have imbibed the same ideas."

  The Marquis gazed at Dauncey as though confronted by some new sort ofnatural curiosity to whose appearance in the world he was inclined toextend a mild but unenthusiastic welcome.

  "You have more apprehension than your friend, I am sure, Mr. Pratt,"he said. "If you will excuse me, I will see that the arrangements foryour departure are in progress."...

  It seemed to Jacob that Lady Mary was keeping purposely out of hisway. At a few minutes before the time for their departure, sheappeared, however, and drew him to one side down one of the gardenwalks.

  "Mr. Pratt," she said, "I don't know what you're thinking of all ofus."

  "I know what I'm thinking about one of you, at any rate," he declaredgratefully. "I should have been most unhappy if I had been compelledto leave without thanking you from the bottom of my heart for yourkindness."

  "I am more thankful than I can tell you that I was able to do what Idid," she assured him earnestly, "and I want you, if you can, to setthat as much as possible against my father's shocking breach of thelaws of hospitality. Only he can't help it, poor man. He has awhimsical attitude towards life which seems unchangeable."

  "I shall forget it," Jacob promised. "Thanks to you, nothing seriousoccurred."

  "There is one thing more," she went on. "Believe me, I am notapproaching this in the same spirit as my father, but if by any chanceyou found yourself able to do anything for Jack--in the shape ofemployment, I mean--it would be so good for him and such a relief tome."

  "I shall be going to America very shortly," Jacob reflected, "in whichcase I shall need some one to help me with my correspondence. Daunceywill have to stay at home to look after my interests here."

  "That would be wonderful," she declared enthusiastically. "Jack reallyisn't a fool--in fact he is quite clever in some things--but he doesneed steadying down, and I'm so afraid that if nothing happens he willdrift into taking life as casually as--as--"

  "I understand," Jacob interrupted. "Leave it to me, Lady Mary.Something shall be done, I promise you."

  The motor horn was sounding and they turned back. Jacob,notwithstanding the disgraceful treatment which he had received, wasconscious of a curious unwillingness to take his place in the car andleave Kelsoton Castle behind him.

  "You must let me know," his companion begged softly, "how things go onwith you and Miss Bultiwell."

  "There will never be anything to tell you," he assured her. "I ambecoming quite confident about that."

  She smiled at him enigmatically. Her footsteps, too, were lagging.

  "Our love affairs don't seem to be prospering, do they?" she sighed.

  Jacob leaned a little towards her.

  "I should be almost content,"--

  Dauncey interrupted them a little ruthlessly. He held his watch in hishand.

  "This is the only train to-day, Jacob," he broke in, "and LordFelixstowe says that we shall barely catch it."

  Jacob climbed into the car. The Marquis bade them all a punctiliousand courteous farewell. Lady Mary waved her hand and swung away downthe little path that led to the sea. When Jacob looked back, there wasno one standing upon the Castle steps but the Marquis, bland,courteous, a very striking and distinguished figure. So ended Jacob'svisit, momentous in more ways than one.