Greatheart

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER XXV

  THE TRUSTY FRIEND

  The trains from the junction to Heath-on-Sea were few and invariablylate. Scott had been pacing the platform for half an hour on the eveningof the day that followed his own arrival ere a line of distant smoke toldof the coming of the train he was awaiting.

  His movements were slow and weary, but there was about him the strainedlook of a man who cannot rest. There was no gladness of welcome in hiseyes as the train drew near. It was rather as if he braced himself for acoming ordeal.

  He searched the carriages intently as they ran past him, and a flicker ofrecognition came into his face at the sight of a tall figure leaning fromone of them. He lifted a hand in salutation, and limped along theplatform to meet the newcomer.

  Sir Eustace was out of the train before anyone else. He met his brotherwith the impetuosity of one who cannot stop for greeting.

  "Ah, Stumpy! I'm not too late?"

  There was strain upon his face also as he flung the question, and in aninstant Scott's look had changed. He grasped the outflung hand.

  "No, no, old fellow! It's all right. She is looking forward to seeingyou."

  Sir Eustace drew a sharp breath. His dark face relaxed a little. "I'vehad a hell of a time," he said.

  "My dear chap, I'm sorry," impulsively Scott made answer. "I'd have metyou at the junction, only it was difficult to get away for so long. Doyou mind walking up? They'll see to fetching your traps along presently."

  "Oh, all right. Yes, let us walk by all means!" Eustace expanded hischest, and breathed again, deeply. He put his hand on Scott's shoulder asthey passed through the barrier. "What's the matter with you, my lad?" hesaid.

  Scott glanced up at him--a swift, surprised glance. "With me? Nothing. Iam--as usual."

  Eustace's hawk-eyes scanned him closely. "I've never seen you lookworse," he said.

  Scott raised his shoulder slightly under his hand, and said nothing. Thefirst involuntary kindliness of greeting passed wholly away, as if it hadnot been.

  Eustace linked the hand in his arm as they walked. "Tell me about her!"he said.

  "About Isabel?" Scott spoke with very obvious constraint. "There isn'tmuch to tell. She is just--going. These breathless attacks come veryfrequently, and she is weaker after each one. The doctor says it wouldnot be surprising if she went in her sleep, or in fact at any time."

  "And she asked for me?" The question fell curtly; Eustace was lookingstraight ahead up the white, dusty road as he uttered it.

  "Yes; she wanted you." Equally curtly came Scott's reply. He ignored thehand on his arm, limping forward at his own pace and leaving his brotherto accommodate himself to it as best he could.

  Sir Eustace sauntered beside him in silence for a space. They wereapproaching the heath-clad common that gave the place its name, when hespoke again.

  "And Dinah?" he said then.

  Again Scott glanced upwards, his pale eyes very resolute. "Yes, Dinah isstill here. Her people seem quite indifferent as to what becomes of her,and Isabel wishes to keep her with her. I hope--" he hesitatedmomentarily--"I hope you will bear in mind the extreme difficulty of hersituation."

  Sir Eustace passed over the low words. "And what is going to happen toher--afterwards?" he said.

  "Heaven knows!" Scott spoke as one compelled.

  Sir Eustace continued to gaze straight before him. "Haven't you thoughtof any solution to the difficulty?" he asked.

  "What do you mean?" Scott's voice rang suddenly stern.

  A faint smile touched his brother's face; it was like the shadow of hisold, supercilious sneer. "It occurred to me that you, being a chivalrousknight, might be moved to offer her your protection," he explainedcoolly. "You are quite at liberty to do so, so far as I am concerned. Igive you my free consent."

  Scott started, as if he had been stung. "Man, don't sneer at me!" he saidin a voice that quivered. "I've a good many things against you, and I'mdamned if I can stand any more!"

  There was desperation in his words. Sir Eustace's brows went up, and hissmile departed. But there came no answering anger in his eyes.

  He was silent for several moments, pacing forward, his hand no longerlinked in Scott's arm. Then at last very quietly he spoke. "You're right.You have a good many things against me. But this is not one of them. Iwas not sneering at you."

  There was a note of most unwonted sincerity in his voice that gaveconviction to his words. Scott turned and regarded him in open amazement.

  The steel-blue eyes met his with an odd, half-shamed expression. "Youmustn't bully me, you know, Stumpy!" he said. "Remember, I can't hitback."

  Scott stood still. He had never in his life been more astounded. Eventhen, with the direct evidence before him, he could hardly believe thatthe old haughty dominance had given place to something different.

  "Why--can't you--hit back?" he said, almost stammering in hisuncertainty.

  Sir Eustace smiled again with rueful irony. "Because I've nothing to hitwith, my son. Because you can break through my defence every time. If Iwere to kick you from here to the sea, you'd still have the best of me.Haven't you realized that yet?"

  "I hadn't--no!" Scott's eyes still regarded him with a puzzled,half-suspicious expression.

  Sir Eustace turned from their scrutiny, and began to walk on. "You willpresently," he said. "The man who masters himself is always the man tomaster the rest of the world in the end. I never thought I should live toenvy you, my boy. But I do."

  "Envy me! Why? Why on earth?" Embarrassment mingled with the curiosity inScott's voice. His hostility had gone down utterly before theunaccustomed humility of his brother's attitude.

  Sir Eustace glanced at him sideways. "I'll tell you another time," hesaid. "Now look here, Stumpy! You're in command, and I shan't interferewith you so long as you take reasonable care of yourself. But you must dothat. It is the one thing I am going to insist upon. That's understood,is it?"

  Scott smiled, his tired, gentle smile. "Oh, certainly, my dear chap.Don't you worry yourself about that! It isn't of the first importance inany case."

  "It's got to be done," Sir Eustace insisted. "So keep it in mind!"

  "I haven't been doing anything, you know," Scott protested mildly. "Ionly came down yesterday."

  "That may be. But you haven't been sleeping for some time. You needn'ttrouble to deny it. I know the signs. What have you been doing atWillowmount?"

  It was a welcome change of subject, and Scott was not slow to availhimself of it. They began to talk upon matters connected with the estate,and the personal element passed completely out of the conversation.

  When they reached the white house on the cliff they almost seemed to haveslipped into the old casual relations; but the younger brother was wellaware that this was not so. The change that had so amazed him wasapparent to him at every turn. The overbearing mastery to which he hadbeen accustomed all his life had turned in some miraculous fashion intosomething that was oddly like deference. It was fully evident thatEustace meant to keep his word and leave him in command.

  Dinah met them in the rose-twined portico. There was a deep flush in hercheeks; her eyes were very bright, resolutely unafraid. She shook handswith Eustace, and he alone was aware of the tremor that ran through herwhole being as she did so.

  "Isabel is asleep," she said. "She often gets a sleep in the afternoon,and she is always the stronger for it when she wakes. Will you have sometea before you go to her?"

  They had tea in the sunny verandah overlooking the sea. Sir Eustace wasvery quiet and grave, and it was Scott who gently conversed with thegirl, smoothing away all difficulties. She was plainly determined toconquer her nervousness, and she succeeded to a great extent before theordeal was over. But there was obvious relief in her eyes when SirEustace set down his cup and rose to go.

  "I think I will go to her now," he said. "I shall not wake her."

  He went, and a great stillness fell behind him. Scott dropped intosilence, and they sat together, he smoking, she leaning
back in her chairidle, with wistful eyes upon the silvery sea.

  Up in Isabel's room overhead there was neither sound nor movement, butpresently there fell a soft footfall upon the stairs and the nurse camequietly through and spoke to Dinah.

  "Mrs. Everard is still asleep. Her brother is watching her and Biddy iswithin call. I thought I would take a little walk on the shore, as Ishall not be wanted just at present."

  "Oh, of course," Dinah said. "Don't hurry back!"

  The nurse smiled and flitted away into the golden evening sunlight.

  Dinah turned her head towards her silent companion. "I wonder," she said,"if I could learn to be a nurse."

  He blew a cloud of smoke into the air. "Are you still worrying about thefuture?" he said.

  "I don't know that I am exactly worrying," she made low reply. "But Ishall have to decide about it very soon."

  Scott was silent for a space while he finished his cigarette. Then atlast slowly, haltingly, he spoke. "Dinah,--I have been thinking about thefuture too. If I touch upon anything that hurts you, you must stop me,and I will not say another word. But, child, it seems to me that we shallboth be--rather lost--when Isabel is gone. I wonder--would it shock youvery much--if I suggested to you--as a solution of the difficulty--thatwe should some day in the future enter into partnership together?"

  He spoke with obvious effort; his hands were gripped upon the arms of hischair. The wicker creaked in the strain of his grasp, but he himselfremained lying back with eyes half-closed in compulsory inaction.

  Dinah also sat absolutely still. If his words amazed her, she gave nosign. Only the wistfulness about her mouth deepened as she made answerbelow her breath. "It--is just like you to suggest such a thing;but--it is quite impossible."

  He opened his eyes and looked at her very steadily and kindly. "Quite?"he said.

  She bent her head, swiftly lowering her own. "Yes--thank you a milliontimes--quite."

  "Even if I promise never to make love to you?" he said, his voicehalf-quizzical, half-tender.

  She put out a trembling hand and laid it on his arm. "Oh,Scott,--it--isn't that!"

  He took the hand and held it. "My dear, don't cry!" he urged gently. "Iknew you wouldn't have me really. I only thought I would just placemyself completely at your disposal in case--some day--you might bewilling to give me the chance to serve you in any capacity whatever.There! It is over. We are as we were--friends."

  He smiled at her with the words, and after a moment stooped and lightlytouched her fingers with his lips.

  "Come!" he said gently. "I haven't frightened you anyway. Have I?"

  "No," she whispered.

  His hand clasped hers for a second or two longer, then quietly let it go."Don't be distressed!" he said, "I will never do it again. I am now--andalways--your trusty friend."

  And with that he rose in his slow way, paused to light another cigarette,smiled again upon her, and softly went indoors.