The Lonely Stronghold

by Mrs. Baillie Reynolds

  CHAPTER XXVII

  THE FINAL INSULT

  Olwen came downstairs the following day between eleven and twelveo'clock.

  It had been raining heavily since early morning, but was beginning toclear, and the temperature was much milder than it had been when firstshe arrived in that country.

  From her window as she dressed she had noted that a soft purplish-browntint was beginning to overspread the woods on the further side of theGuyseburn, and knew that this was a token of the budding of the leaflessboughs. Somehow the fact that spring was on its way was consoling andmade her feel more normal. She was schooling herself to believe thatMadam's talk had been, as it often was, unbalanced, and that she oughtnot to take too much notice of it. Nothing could have been lesspresuming than Ninian's manner overnight. He certainly had not worn theair of one who knows that a girl is in his power.

  As she descended the stairs she was considering the question of her owndeparture. She could not decide whether it would be wise to say openlythat she was going to Liverpool to meet her father, and obtainpermission to stay at the Pele until the boat was almost due, so thatshe could journey straight to Liverpool without returning to Bramforth.

  She felt that this was far the best plan, if things could be soarranged. It would give her a longer convalescence and save money andtravelling. If only the new and welcome addition to the party wouldremain to keep the peace it might be done!

  She wished that Dr. Balmayne had not chosen this inopportune moment tofall ill. His advice would be invaluable, for, explain it away as shemight, something held her back from putting complete confidence in theGuyse family. She knew that there was something odd in herposition--that they opened her letters and spied on her movements. Itwas this which made her unwilling to divulge to them the contents ofwhat she was fairly certain was the only letter which had reached her atthe Pele uncensored.

  She descended the stairs, and when she reached the hall, instead ofemerging into it and opening the door which led to the dining-room, shecontinued along the passage, which, as has been said, was in thethickness of the wall, and gave access to the dining-room behind thetapestry. There was a door there, but it was most often open, as thetapestry curtains were thick enough to keep out draught, and thenarrowness of the passage made it easier to move along, if the door werelaid back flat against the wall and secured by a staple.

  Thus once more, and quite without intention, she overheard somethingthat was not meant for her ear. It was Ninian who was speaking, and hespoke like a man at bay.

  "Well, then, I say straight out, on those terms I'm damned if I marrythe child."

  Wolf's voice replied almost immediately, "But you haven't got anyalternative, old man; and if my mother is to be trusted, no more hasMiss Innes."

  Without a moment's pause, without reflecting an instant, with everypassion at white heat, Olwen flung aside the curtain and cametempestuously into the room.

  The brothers stood upon the hearth, side by side, almost the sameheight, almost the same build, so alike--so unlike.

  Their faces, as they confronted her, were a curious study.

  "I am not an eavesdropper," said she, fury steadying her voice. "Youshould not discuss me with the door open if you do not wish to beoverheard. There is no need for Mr. Guyse to suffer damnation. I havenot the slightest intention of marrying him, as he well knows. Now, Mr.Wilfrid Guyse, perhaps you will kindly explain what you mean by sayingthat I have no alternative but to marry your brother?"

  Wilfrid and Ninian both stood for quite an appreciable moment dumbbefore this crisis. Then Wilfrid laid down his pipe upon the stonemantelpiece, turned to her, and said gently:

  "I fear you have made some mistake, Miss Innes. What, if I may ask, didyou think that we said?"

  "I heard quite plainly what you said. Mr. Guyse said he would be damnedif he would marry me, and you replied that you understood that neitherhe nor I had any alternative. I want to know what you meant by that?"

  "Ought you not," he asked with a mischievous smile, "to attack mybrother first? If he really said what you think you heard, it seemsthat it is he who ought to answer for such a preposterous----"

  "Not at all. What he said was perfectly justifiable. He said he wasn'tgoing to be pushed into marrying me. Well, that is just what I shouldwish him to say. I hope you know," she went on, with just a perceptiblebreak in her voice as she turned to Ninian, "that I am completely insympathy with you in this matter? I have nothing to complain of--fromfirst to last you have acted just as you ought. Madam has made somedreadful kind of mistake, but we both have such clear consciences thatwe can afford to laugh at what people say. Oh, can't we? Can't we?"

  The last words were a sudden appeal made with clasped hands; for as shespoke, Nin's face, upon which had appeared his usual demon-like smile atfirst, had slowly grown whiter and whiter. He was looking at her now asthough she had hit him desperately hard.

  "_You_ can laugh, of course, at anything anybody may say; and I canknock them down for saying it," he replied slowly, his hoarseness makinghis voice sound a little strange to her.

  "But, of course," she went on, too carried along by her subject to makeany very special note of the extent of his agitation, "of course yourbrother is different. People who circulate lies can be knocked down;but he ought to be told exactly what happened. Mr. Wilfrid Guyse, willyou let me speak to you? Will you let me tell you what has passed?"

  "I shall be more than honoured," he replied, his eyes fixed in evidentinterest upon her. He wheeled an armchair forward, but she made agesture of dissent, and remained standing, confronting him.

  "It won't take long, there's not much to say, but you must be made tounderstand how we came to be out all night. If, after all that yourbrother went through, he were to be blamed ... it would be dreadful. Hehas perhaps told you that I was stunned, knocked on the head by a bit ofrock which fell upon me as we were descending Duke's Crag. If I hadfallen I should have been killed, but Mr. Guyse was able to catch me.He not only upheld me, but actually succeeded in bringing me step bystep back to the top, and it was a wonderful thing to do, for I was allthe time a dead weight. By the time he had accomplished that feat, andwe were in safety, you may guess that he was tired, but in spite of thishe carried me the best part of half a mile, through the fast fallingsnow, to the only shelter there was for miles round. When we were oncethere, there was nothing for it but to stay. By that time it was dark.I was helpless--he had no brandy. He could not carry me further, thenearest house was so far off that he might have been lost in the snowbefore reaching it; and it was so cold that in case of his not returningI should have frozen to death. Now do you understand? Do you see thathe had then most certainly--though it is not true to say so now--he hadthen no alternative but to stay with me and take care of me until thesnow ceased to fall and we had some chance of finding our direction?"

  Wolf's eyes rested upon the eager upturned face with sympathy andsomething which seemed like admiration. "My brother has an eloquentadvocate," he said a little mischievously. "I own I am glad to hearyour account of the affair."

  "Mr. Guyse and I had Madam's full permission to go upon our skatingexpedition," she went on ardently. "Our being detained was sheeraccident, and all my life I shall look back with gratitude upon thatnight and the thought of what your brother did for me--his patience andconsideration were alike wonderful." She broke off. For a moment shethought that she had done. Neither of the two men, eyeing her silently,almost breathlessly, moved or spoke; and suddenly she resumed, "Onething more. I have heard--it has been hinted to me--that Mr. Guyse hasbeen accused of--of different conduct in--the sad affair which happenedhere three years ago. I want to say," lifting her head proudly, "that,judging by his behaviour to me the other night, it would take a greatdeal to make me believe anything at all to his discredit in any othercase. That is all."

  Silence fell upon the room as she uttered those words, which s
eemed tobe driven out of her by some inner force. She had not meant to saythis, had not even known that she felt it. Yet it came from her likethe cry of her inmost being. For a few instants the succeeding pausewas full of possibilities. It was broken by Ninian, who turned, walkedto the door, and went deliberately out, shutting it behind him with someforce. In her zeal of championship Olwen hardly noted his going, exceptas it allowed her to speak more frankly to his brother.

  "You cannot mean to tell me," she went on more quietly, "that youconsider, after what I have told you, that I have compromised myself, orthat any blame could be attributed to your brother?"

  Wilfrid had turned rather suddenly to the fire and stood staring at theflaming logs. "You are right, of course," he said in a low voice."Poor old Nin!"

  There was a pause, during which he took up his discarded pipe, cleanedand refilled it. "You know," he continued presently, when he had itwell alight, "I can't help being glad that you chanced to come in atthat moment. The situation was puzzling me a bit, and now I think Ihave got the hang of it. Don't let anything my mother may have saidworry you. She is really extremely attached to you. I have not heardher speak so warmly of anyone for some time. You and Ninian evidentlyunderstand one another; and I think this will all blow over very soon.It would be a pity, would it not, to let a--a sort of misunderstandinginterfere with the fine work you are doing here?"

  She answered: "You are very kind. I cannot stay, however. I shall haveto leave in a few days' time."

  "I hope you will reconsider that decision. After all, we must call itcareless of my brother to allow you to be scrambling up a cliff face inFebruary, when the rock is all rotten with the frosts. The least we cando is to see that you are cured before leaving us. Wouldn't it berather heartless of you to shake off the dust of your feet against us?"

  She laughed a little. "Oh," she said, with traces of embarrassment, "itis not that I--I have to go home in any case. I," she hesitated,wondering how to express it without mentioning her father, "I shall bechanging--I mean, I intend to change my occupation--I shall not be freeto take a post in future," she concluded stumblingly, not seeing at allthat to her listener this could have but one meaning. He must supposeher to be contemplating marriage. His face fell.

  "If that be so, we must make the most of your last few days," heanswered gracefully. "I got the postman to telegraph for a motor thismorning, and I propose to take you and my mother out for an airing thisafternoon. She has been shut up indoors for some weeks, Ninian tells me,and it always makes her a bit capricious. Make allowances for her, MissInnes. She has had some bad times."

  "Oh, I know. I am so sorry to think how much I have added to hervexations, although most unintentionally."

  He drew up a chair close to hers after this, and began to talk. Byinsensible degrees they slipped away from all sore subjects, and foundthemselves conversing on current topics, and comparing their taste infiction and the drama. Wolf was like a whiff of civilisation in thesavage solitude.

  Neither Madam nor Ninian appeared until dinner-time, when the ladyentered; but Sunia, with a very reproachful glance at Olwen, said thesahib had gone to Lachanrigg and would not be back until tea-time.

  They had a charming drive, for it was the end of February, the sun didnot set until half-past five, and the clouds had all rolled away,leaving the most brilliant sky that Olwen remembered to have seen sinceher arrival. The setting of the scarlet sun in purple mist was a thingto remember.

  Owing to Wolf's thoughtfulness, tea had been ordered downstairs, tospare Olwen any unnecessary exercise. After tea Madam went to her ownsitting-room to lie down; and after a while Wolf also sauntered off,leaving Olwen alone by the fire. Ninian had not come in, and her wholemind was racked with speculation as to the why and wherefore of hismysterious behaviour.

  "_I'm damned if I'll marry the child._"

  All the afternoon the words had rung in her head. Could he really havethought that she meant to catch him? The mere idea made her writhe.Anyway, she had spoken out at last. He knew that she was not the LilyMartin brand.

  "I am glad," she reflected. "I wonder if I realise how glad I am aboutfather. Even if he is very trying, even if he still runs into debt,even if people look down their noses at him, still he is somebody tobelong to. I shall not stand alone as I have stood, with everyonesaying, 'Poor child! She must earn her own living, for she has nobodyto do it for her!' Aunt Ethel won't speculate as to whether a reallyeligible young man would overlook my having been a clerk in a bank.Fred Holroyd will no longer feel moved by compassion to protect me. Dr.Balmayne will no longer debate within himself as to the degree to whichhe may push remonstrance!"

  She would have a place in the world. It would be at her father's side.She would also have a refuge from thought and memory, both of which werescourging her cruelly just now.

  She could not help remembering how happy she had been upon the finefrosty morning when she and Ninian had driven together to the CragLough. Now everything was changed.

  The sound of Daff's barking outside made her prick up her ears. Theouter door banged, there was a scuffle of feet, some words in a deepvoice, and Ninian opened the door.

  She sent him a welcoming glance from her chimney corner. "You arelate!" said she reproachfully.

  He looked as if half inclined to bolt; Daffie, rushing against his legsfrom behind, settled the question for him. He entered with a laugh anda reckless swing, closing the door.

  "If I'd remembered that teacher was about again, I should have hurriedmore," said he, in almost his usual style.

  Olwen's heart leapt.

  "For a punishment only three lumps of sugar in the first cup," said she,rising and going to the table; the tea-pot, which had been keeping hotbefore the fire, in her hand.

  He took a seat, not his usual place, at right angles to her, but at thefurther end of the table, pushing aside Wolf's cup and plate in order tosit there, so that she knew it to be intentional.

  "How's the broken head?" he asked in a brazen sort of tone.

  "Mending fast."

  "That's right. Easier healed than a broken heart, isn't it?"

  "Well, I don't think I ever tried."

  "No, and I don't think you're likely to," he replied, eyeing her as itwere by stealth. "I wonder what kind of love-making _would_ melt youdown? Not sending you silk coats by post, I'll go bail."

  The hot colour flamed to her face. She was at that moment wearing therose-coloured coat which Ben had sent.

  "Ha!" cried Nin with glee. "Look at her cheeks, Daff! Some stray shotsgo straight to the goal! It was a man, then?"

  "I don't understand. You are speaking that unknown tongue which youused when I first came."

  "Yes. One can't always be on the high-brow tack, you know. I'vechucked it. I express myself far more easily in my own language," withthe one-sided smile and green light in the eyes which still made herthink of Mephistopheles.

  She looked steadily at him for a moment, and then said, "Very well. Itwould be a pity to bore you."

  "Yes," he replied, helping himself to a piled spoonful of jam. "It is abore to tell lies; and I've told more since you came than ever in mylife before."

  "Then the sooner I go the better," she swiftly cried; to which theretort was instantaneous.

  "Sure thing."

  She sprang to her feet, snatched her shawl from the back of a chair andput it on. "You won't mind pouring out your second cup?" said she.

  "No, that'll be right enough, but before you go off in a naughty temper,there is a little ceremony we ought to go through, isn't there?"

  "I don't think so."

  "But I do, and we may as well get it over." He leaned his two elbows onthe table, with his cup of tea supported in front of his lips in bothhis hands. "Miss Innes, will you marry me?" he asked, and took a drinkimmediately.

  She stood looking at him for a long minute without speech, hardlyknowing whether to go on jesting or to let her anger have its way. Atlast
:

  "I've a great mind--oh, I really _have_ a great mind to say 'Yes,' andbe revenged! Just to see what you would do! You go too far! You relytoo utterly upon my good manners. What _would_ you do, now, if I wereto say 'Yes'?"

  He got to his feet, his eyes gleaming. "I should think, if you're notan idiot, you know pretty well what I should do," he replied; and took astep towards her.

  She winced, as if her hurt had been physical. In her passion ofself-despising she could almost have shrieked. This was the man she hadchampioned, this the man who had, so she told him that morning only,_from first to last acted just as he ought_!

  She got to the door somehow. When she actually had the iron ring of itin her hand she felt strength to speak. "I stood up for you," she saidgaspingly. "I--I don't think I have deserved that you should treatme--like this!"

  He turned an odd colour, but she was too absorbed in her own outragedfeelings to remark that. His voice was steady enough as he answered:"Now you know what sort I am. Like nothing on earth, eh? But youhaven't answered. I've asked you to marry me, and you've almostaccepted me, you know."

  "Accepted you? ... Accepted _you_?"

  "Come! That's more like. Miserable caitiff, avaunt! Soil not the earof Vere de Vere with thy pernicious twaddle! But, I say, if I'veguessed right, and you are turning me down in a manner which mightperhaps be described as unmitigated, at least you'll let Madam and mybrother know that I did come up to the scratch, won't you? As forBalmayne, I'll tell him myself that I asked you, but you wouldn't haveme."

  She could not resist a last thrust. "Did you expect me to take yourdamnation upon my hands?"

  "You've come pretty near it. I'm more than half-way to hell at thisminute--put out your finger and I'll come the rest of the way!"

  As he stood; his green eyes flickering like light upon steel, the ideathat he was the worse for drink flashed upon her for the first time.Had that been the explanation of his devilry upon the occasion of theirfirst meeting? It was from the bar parlour of a tavern that he hadappeared upon her horizon. Was this--_this_--perhaps the real meaningof Dr. Balmayne's hints?

  As she fled from the room upstairs to her chamber she had but oneintention in her mind.

  It was the intention to escape. She must leave this house, leave thisman with his unholy fascination, put all this degradation behind her,and run to her father's arms as to a city of refuge.