CHAPTER VII
SO AS BY FIRE
"BUT Henry cannot go; it is absurd! He never shot a gun in his life andbesides I--" Frieda hesitated; her face flushing; yet she was trying tospeak calmly.
She and Olive and Jack and Frank Kent were in the library at Kent Housewith Captain MacDonnell talking one morning, several weeks since theafternoon tea and during, perhaps, the most momentous week in allhistory.
"I think you must be mistaken about your husband's being unable toshoot, Frieda," Lord Kent answered dryly. "As a matter of fact I believehe is an expert; he told me himself that he had taken prizes formarksmanship when he was a boy, but had never cared to use his skill forhunting. As for your saying he can't go; well, the truth is, Frieda,Professor Russell has already gone. He came in to see me a few days agoto say that he had volunteered and was about to be sent somewhere inFrance."
Frank had not intended to be unkind. So many things had happened andwere happening every crowded second of the time that he was simplyforgetting to think of the individual. However, under the circumstances,he did not suppose that Frieda would care very much what became of herhusband.
"You mean that Henry has joined the army--that he has crossed over toFrance without asking me how I would feel--without even coming to saygood-bye," Frieda returned slowly. And suddenly even her brother-in-lawobserved the change in her expression. It was strange to see Frieda withher face paling; her full, red lips closed tight and her blue eyes darkand strained.
"But, my dear child, how could your husband come to say good-bye to youwhen you have been steadfastly refusing to see him for weeks?" Frankcontinued, still a little impatient over feminine unreasonableness. "Hetold me to tell you his plans and that he had made all arrangements incase--"
But, that instant, catching a warning glance from his wife, Lord Kentchanged color over his own tactlessness and desisted. This was a timewhen everybody's nerves were overstrained; when hearts were torn topieces and imaginations were picturing only horrors.
"Won't you motor down to the station with me, please, Jack?" Lord Kentadded, hastily, anxious to get away as soon as possible from thesituation he had created.
Jack slipped on a long tan coat and soft hat and went with her husband,leaving Olive to look after Frieda.
"Bryan is expecting to be here again this afternoon for a farewellvisit, dear. He has been delayed for some reason or other but hopes toleave with his regiment tomorrow," Frank announced on the way to histrain. "Do you know I think Bryan is a lucky fellow these days, not tohave anyone very close to him--anyone who cares very much what becomesof him. Oh, of course, I should care, more than I like to think; but Imean no mother or father--no family."
"I should also care a great deal, Frank," Jack interrupted quietly.
But Lord Kent went on, scarcely hearing her.
"It is a funny thing that Bryan has never married. He is an uncommonlyfascinating fellow. Of course, he hasn't much money; but that ought notto stand in his way. He has his profession. Queer, when he was a boy heused to talk about being an artist; but there is a lot of differencebetween an artist and a soldier. He must be glad now of his choice.Sometimes I think Bryan has never married because he has never seen anywoman as attractive as you are. He has almost said as much to me."
Jack shook her head almost angrily. "That is nonsense, Frank. After all,you know Bryan is pretty young; there is no use talking as if he were aconfirmed old bachelor."
After lunch that same afternoon Captain MacDonnell rode over to KentHouse. He was wearing his service uniform of khaki--the short militarycoat, the full trousers drawn close at the knees and the high boots. Healso wore the British officer's cap with the small visor and the othermarks of his rank.
Hearing the sound of his horse approaching, Jack went out on the verandato greet him. Frieda was upstairs in her room and Olive was writingletters to Ruth Colter and Jean at the Rainbow Ranch.
In her arms Jack carried her baby, with whom she had been playing.Indeed, ever since the news of war, some member of the family hadseemed to wish to hold Vive, for her baby softness and sweetness was insome way a consolation.
Jack had her baby's little yellow head pressed close against her bronzecolored hair and made the baby wave its hand to the young officer as hedrew nearer.
When he came up to them on the veranda he kissed Vive's tiny hand.
"May I have one of Vive's blue ribbons to tie in my buttonhole, please,Lady Jacqueline?" he asked. "Lady Jacqueline" being a title whichCaptain MacDonnell had originated for Jack, but which many other peoplealso used. "Every knight, when he went off to the wars in the old days,wore his lady's colors. I should like to have Vive for my lady."
Jack felt her fingers trembling a little as she unfastened the ribbonfrom her baby's sleeve and gave it to her friend.
"Won't you take a farewell ride with me this afternoon, Jack?" CaptainMacDonnell asked the next instant. "It will be the best way to manageour good-bye."
For just the fraction of a second Jack hesitated. Yet, in that time, shehad a sufficient opportunity to think over the entire situation.Captain MacDonnell had not asked her to ride with him since theafternoon, when her recklessness had displeased Frank. Since then shehad never attempted to persuade Frank that his demand, that she neverride with Captain MacDonnell again, was unreasonable. Nevertheless, shefelt fairly sure that under the present circumstance he could notobject. Surely, Frank could not be so ungracious as to be vexed with herfor disobeying his wish at such a time. She would, of course, ridecarefully and take no foolish risks.
Jack gave Vive into Captain MacDonnell's keeping.
"Yes, I'll go if you'll come back to dinner with Frank and the rest ofus," she agreed. "I'll be ready in five minutes."
Jack sent the nurse to look after the baby and in ten minutes was readyfor the ride.
It was a sultry August afternoon, very still, and yet with a strangethrobbing in the air of many tiny insects. The hawthorn was no longer inbloom, but the two friends rode along the English lanes sweet withblossoming elderberry and blackberry bushes.
Curious how, when one comes to say farewell, there is so little thatseems worth saying!
During the first part of the ride Jack and Captain MacDonnell werefrequently silent, except that Jack, of course, made the conventionalinquiries one might ask of a soldier. Was he in good condition? Did hehave everything he needed? Was there anything she could do for him--suchas looking after his house while he was gone?
In response to each question Captain MacDonnell shook his head. He hadturned over his house to be used for the Belgian refugees.
They were actually on their way home before he began to talk.
Then he took a letter from his pocket.
"I wish you would give this to Frank for me, Lady Jack, and if anythinghappens to me ask him to read it, and to let you read it afterwards ifhe thinks best. Sorry to be mysterious, but this is a kind of crankywish of mine."
Jack slipped the letter inside the coat she was wearing.
"All right, Bryan. You know I have always felt rather like a big sisterto you; I am nearly a year older. But, today I think I feel like yourmother," she continued, trying to smile, but with her voice breaking alittle. "So you must promise me, if there is anything I can ever do foryou later on you will let me know. In a way I believe I am almostenvious of you, Bryan. I think I have wanted to be a boy ever since Icould sit on the back of a horse and ride over our ranch with my father.That is why people have always called me 'Jack,' I suppose. Anyhow, justnow, I think I would like to go out to meet a great adventure. I wonderwhat a woman's great adventure is. I presume it is marriage for most ofus. At any rate Frank is terribly envious of you, Bryan. He has said soto me half a dozen times. He does not seem to know whether he ought togo to the front, which is what he wants to do, or to stay on here doinghis work in Parliament. Of course, he ought to stay," Jack argued,repeating what she had been saying a good many times to her husbandrecently. "There never was a time when a member of P
arliament had suchgreat work to do, and that is Frank's real duty."
When Jack gave Captain MacDonnell's letter to her husband that night shespoke of their having had a ride together. Although he made no comment,she could see that he was not altogether pleased. It occurred to Jackthen, though only vaguely, that if Frank objected to her disobeying himin small matters, their life might be pretty difficult if ever they hada difference of opinion and she disobeyed him in a large one.
"Strange for Bryan to have confided this letter to us," Frank remarked,as he put it carefully away in a strong box where he kept his importantpapers. "I wonder what old Bryan has written? I never dreamed he had asecret in his life which he has never told to me. But, perhaps he wantsus to do some favor or other for him. Truly I hope we may never have toopen the letter."
The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure Page 7
