CHAPTER VII
DOUBTING CASTLE
When Sir Eustace returned, he found his bride-elect awaiting him with aradiant face. She sprang to greet him with an eagerness that outwent allshyness.
"Oh, Eustace, I have had such a lovely time!" she told him. "It has beena perfect day."
She offered him her lips with a child's simplicity, but blushed deeplywhen she felt the hot pressure of his, turning her face aside the momenthe released her.
He laughed a little, keeping his arm about her shoulders. "You haven'tmissed me then?" he said.
"Oh, not a bit," said Dinah truthfully; and then quickly, "but what ahorrid thing to say! Why did you put it like that?"
"I wanted to know," said Sir Eustace.
She turned back to him. "I should have missed you if I hadn't been sobusy. Isabel is going to help me with my trousseau. And oh, Eustace, I amto have such a crowd of lovely things."
He pinched her cheek. "What should a brown elf need beyond a shift ofthistle-down? Where is Isabel?"
"She is resting now. She got so tired. Biddy said she must lie down, andwe mustn't disturb her for tea. I do hope it wasn't too much for her,Eustace."
"Too much for her! Nonsense! It does her good to think of someone elsebesides herself," said Eustace. "If Biddy didn't coddle her so in the daytime, she would sleep better at night. Well, where is tea? In thedrawing-room? Come along and have it!"
Dinah clung to his arm. "It--it's in a place called my lady's boudoir,"she told him shyly.
He looked at her. "Where? Oh, I know. That inner sanctuary with the westwindow. You've taken a fancy to it, have you? Then we will call itDaphne's Bower."
Dinah's laugh was not without a hint of restraint. "I haven't been in anyother room. Scott said you would show me everything. But I just wanderedin there, and he found me and showed me the dear little boudoir. He saidyou were going to have it done up."
"So I am," said Eustace. "Everything that belongs to you must be new.Have you decided what colour will suit you best?"
They were passing through the long drawing-room towards the curtaineddoorway that led into the little boudoir. The drawing-room was a palatialapartment with stately French furniture that Dinah surveyed with awe. Shecould not picture herself as hostess in so magnificent a setting. Shecould only think of Rose de Vigne. It would have suited her flawlessbeauty perfectly, and she knew that Rose's self-contained heart wouldhave revelled in such an atmosphere.
But it made her feel a stranger, and she hastened through it to thecosier nest beyond.
This was a far more homely spot. The furniture here was French also, andexquisitely delicate; but it was designed for comfort, and the gildedstate of the outer room was wholly absent.
A tea-table stood near a deeply-cushioned settee, and the kettle sangmerrily over a spirit-lamp.
Eustace dropped on to the settee and drew her suddenly and whollyunexpectedly down upon his knee.
"Oh, Eustace!" she gasped, turning crimson.
He wound his arms about her, holding her two hands imprisoned. "Oh,Daphne!" he mocked softly. "I've caught you--I've caught you! Here inyour own bower with no one to look on! No, you can't even flutter yourwings now. You've got to stay still and be worshipped."
He spoke with his face against her neck. She felt the burning of hisbreath, and something;--an urgent, inner prompting--warned her to submit.She sat there in his grasp in quivering silence.
His arms drew her nearer, nearer. It was as if he were gradually mergingher whole being into his. In a moment, with a little gasp, she gave himher trembling lips.
He uttered a low laugh of mastery and gave his passion the rein,overwhelming her with those devouring kisses that from the very outsethad always filled her with an indefinable sense of shame. She was quitepowerless to frustrate him. The delicate barrier of her reserve wasrudely torn away. The burning blush on face and neck served but to feedthe flame. He kissed the panting throat as if he would draw the very lifeout of it. There was fierce possession in the holding of his arms. Shethought she would never be free again.
The first fiery wave spent itself at last, but even then he did not lether go. He held her pressed to him, and she lay against his breasttrembling but wholly passive, overcome by an inexplicable longing tohide, to hide.
After a few seconds he spoke to her, his voice oddly unsteady, very deep."You're driving me mad, Daphne. Do you know that?"
"I--I'm sorry," she faltered, trying to shelter her tingling face in hiscoat.
His arms were tense about her. "I want you more and more every day," hesaid. "I don't know how to wait for you. How long is it to our wedding?"
"Three weeks and four days," she told him faintly.
He gave his low, quivering laugh, "What! You are counting the days too!Daphne! My Daphne! Need we wait--all that time?"
Dinah's thumping heart gave a great start and seemed to stop. "Oh yes,"she gasped desperately. "Yes, I couldn't possibly--be ready sooner."
He put his face down to hers, as one who breathes the essence of aflower. "You are ready now," he said. "You will never be lovelier thanyou are to-night."
She tried to laugh, but his lips were too near. Her voice quaveredpiteously.
"Why do I wait for you?" he said, and in his words there beat a fierceunrest. "Why am I such a fool? I lie awake night after night consumedwith the want of you. When I sleep, I am always chasing you, youwill-o'-the-wisp; and you always manage to keep just out of reach." Hisarms tightened. His voice suddenly sank to a deep whisper. "Daphne! ShallI tell you what I am going to do?"
"What?" panted Dinah.
"I am going to take you right away over the hills to-morrow to a place Iknow of where it is as lonely as the Sahara, and we will have a picnicthere all to ourselves--all to ourselves, and make up for to-day."
His lips pressed hers again, but she withdrew herself with a sharpeffort. There was nameless terror in her heart.
"Oh, I can't, Eustace! I can't indeed!" she said, and now she wasstriving, striving impotently, for freedom. "I'm going up to town withIsabel."
"Isabel can wait," he said.
"No! No! I must go. You don't understand. There are no end of things tobe done." Dinah was as one encircled by fire, searching wildly round fora means of escape. "I must go!" she said again. "I must go!"
"You can go the next day," he said with arrogance. "I want you to-morrowand I mean to have you. Look at me, Dinah!"
She glanced at him, compelled by the command of his tone, met the fieryintensity of his look, and sank helpless, conquered.
He kissed her again. "There! That's settled. You silly little thing! Whydo you always beat your wings against the inevitable? Do you think youare going to get away from me now?"
She hid her face against his shoulder. She was almost in tears. "You--youhurt me! You frighten me!" she whispered.
"Do I?" he said, and still in his voice she heard that deep note thatmade her whole being quiver. "It's your own fault, my Daphne. Youshouldn't run away."
"I--I can't help it," she said tremulously. "I sometimes think--I'mnot big enough for you."
"You'll grow," he said.
"I don't know," she answered in distress. "I may not. And if I do, Ifeel--I feel as if I shan't be myself any longer, but just--but just--abit of you!"
He laughed. "Daphne,--you oddity! Don't you want to be a bit of me?"
"I'd rather be myself," she murmured shyly.
His hold was not so close, and she longed, but did not dare, to get offhis knee and breathe. But in that moment there came the sound of ahalting step in the drawing-room beyond, and swiftly she raised her head.
"Oh, Eustace, let me go! Here is Scott!"
He did not release her instantly. Scott was already in the doorwaybefore, like a frightened fawn, she leapt from his grasp. She heardEustace laugh again, and somehow his laugh had a note of insolence.
"Come in, my good brother!" he said. "My lady is just about to make tea.I presume that is what you have come for
."
"The presumption is correct," said Scott.
He came forward in his quiet, unhurried fashion, and paused at the tableto open the tea-caddy for Dinah.
She thanked him with trembling lips, her eyes cast down, her face onfire.
Eustace lounged back on the settee and watched her. He frownedmomentarily when Scott sat down beside him, leaving her a low chair bythe tea-tray.
Dinah's hands fluttered among the cups. She was painfully ill at ease.But in a second or two Scott's placid voice came into the silence, and atonce her distress began to subside.
"Have you decided about the decoration of this room yet?" he asked. "Ialways thought this dead-white rather cold."
"Dinah is to have her own choice," said Sir Eustace.
"I would like shell-pink," said Dinah, without looking up. "Don't youthink that would be nice with those pretty water-colour sketches?"
She spoke diffidently. No one had ever deferred to her taste before.
Sir Eustace laughed in his slightly supercilious way. "Do you know who isresponsible for those pretty sketches, my red, red rose?"
She glanced up nervously. "Not--not--are they yours, Scott?"
"They are," said Scott, with a smile.
She met his eyes for an instant, and was surprised by their gravity. "Oh,I do like them," she said. "I wonder I didn't guess. They are sobeautifully finished, so--complete."
"I am glad you like them," said Scott. "I thought you might want to turnthem out as lumber."
"As if I should!" she said. "I love them--every one of them. I shall lovethem better still now I know they are yours."
"Thank you," said Scott.
Eustace turned his attention to him. "No one ever paid you such acompliment as that before, my good Stumpy," he observed. "If everyone sawyou in that light, you'd be a great artist by now."
"I wonder," said Scott.
Dinah sent him another swift glance. She seemed on the verge of speech,but checked herself, and there fell a brief silence.
It was broken by the entrance of a servant. "If you please, Sir Eustace,Mr. Grey is in the library and would be glad if you could spare him a fewminutes."
Sir Eustace uttered an impatient exclamation. "You go and see what hewants, Stumpy!" he said.
But Scott remained seated. "I know what he wants, my dear chap, and it'ssomething that only you can give. He has come about Bob Jelf who wascaught poaching last week. He wants you to give the fellow as light asentence as possible on account of his wife."
Sir Eustace frowned. "I never give a light sentence for poaching. He'salways at it, I'd give him the cat if I could."
Scott raised his shoulders slightly. "Well, don't ask me to say that toMr. Grey! He's taking the whole business badly to heart, as he wasbeginning to look on Jelf as a reformed character."
"I'll reform him!" said Sir Eustace. He turned to the servant. "Ask Mr.Grey to join us here!"
"You had better see him alone first," said Scott.
"Why?" His brother turned upon him almost savagely.
Scott took up his tea-cup. "You can't refuse to give him a hearing," heobserved. "He has come up on purpose."
Sir Eustace murmured something under his breath and rose. His look fellupon Dinah. "It's the village padre," he said. "I shall have to bring himin here. I hope you don't mind?"
She gave him a quick, half-startled smile. "Of course not."
He turned to the door which the waiting servant was holding open, andstrode out with annoyed majesty.
Dinah watched him till the door closed; then very suddenly and urgentlyshe turned to Scott.
"Oh, please, will you help me?" she said.
He gave her a straight, keen look that seemed to penetrate to her soul."If it lies in my power," he said slowly.
She caught her breath, pierced by a sharp uncertainty. "You can. I'm sureyou can," she said.
He set down his cup. "Dinah," he said gently, "don't ask me to interferein your affairs if you can by any means manage without!"
"But that's just it!" she said in distress. "I can't."
He leaned forward. "My dear, don't be agitated!" he said. "Tell me whatis the matter!"
Dinah leaned forward also, her hands tightly clasped, and spoke in arapid whisper.
"Scott, Eustace wants me to go for an all-day picnic alone with himto-morrow. I--don't want to go."
He was still looking at her with that straight, almost stern regard. Anodd little quiver went through her as she met it. She felt as if she werein a fashion on her trial.
"Why don't you want to go?" he asked.
She hesitated. "I was to have gone up to town with Isabel to shop," shesaid.
"No, that isn't the reason," he said. "Tell me the reason!"
She made a quick gesture of appeal. "I--wish you wouldn't ask," shefaltered, and suddenly she could meet his eyes no longer. She lowered herown, and sat before him in burning confusion.
"Have you asked yourself?" he said, his voice very low.
She was silent; the quiet question seemed to probe her through andthrough. There was no evading it.
Scott was still watching her very closely, very intently. He spoke atlength, just as she was beginning to feel his scrutiny to be more thanshe could bear.
"If you are just shy with him--as I think you are--I think you ought totry and get over it, as much for his sake as for your own. You don't wantto hurt him, do you? You wouldn't like him to be disappointed?"
Dinah shook her head. "If you could come too!" she suggested, in a verysmall voice.
"No, I can't," said Scott firmly.
She sent him a darting glance. "Are you angry with me?" she said.
"I!" said Scott in amazement.
"You--spoke as if you were," she said. "And you looked--quite grim."
He laughed a little. "If you are afraid of me, you must indeed be easilyfrightened. No, of course I am not angry. Dinah! Dinah! Don't be silly!"
Her lips were quivering, but in response to his admonishing tone sheforced them to smile. "I know I am silly," she said, with an effort."I--I'm not nearly good enough for Eustace. And I'm a dreadful littlecoward, I know. But he does frighten me. When he kisses me--I alwayswant to run away."
"But you wouldn't like it if he didn't," said Scott, in the voice of thephilosopher.
"Shouldn't I?" said Dinah. "I wonder. It--wouldn't be him, would it?"
"And what are you going to do when you are married?" said Scott, pointblank. "You'll see much more of him then."
"Oh, I expect I shall feel different then," said Dinah. "Married peopleare different, aren't they? They are not always going off by themselvesand kissing in corners."
"Not as a rule," admitted Scott. "But I've been told that there isusually a good deal of that sort of thing done during the honeymoon."
"That's different too," Dinah's voice was slightly dubiousnotwithstanding. "But we are not on our honeymoon yet. Scott, couldn'tyou--just for once--help me to--to find an excuse not to go? It wouldbe--so dear of you."
She spoke with earnest entreaty, her eyes frankly raised to his.
Scott looked into them with steady searching before he finally responded."I will speak to him if you like. I don't know that I shall besuccessful. But--if you wish it--I will try."
"Oh, thank you," she said. "Thank you." And then quickly, "You're sureyou don't mind? Sure you're not afraid?"
"Oh, quite sure of that," said Scott.
Her eyes expressed open admiration. "I can't think how you manage not tobe," she said.
He smiled with a touch of sadness. "Perhaps I am not so weak as I look,"he said.
"You--weak!" said Dinah. "Why, you are the strongest man I ever met."
Scott smothered a sudden sigh. "Which only proves how very little youknow about me," he said.
But Dinah shook her head, wholly unconvinced. Here at least she wasabsolutely sure of her ground.
"'Mr. Greatheart was a strong man,'" she quoted, "'and he was not afraidof a Lion.'"
"There are sometimes worse things than lions in the path," said Scottgravely.
Greatheart Page 37
