CHAPTER XXI
HARD ON THE SECRETARY
Nurse Rosemary sat with her patient in the sunny library at Gleneesh. Asmall table was between them, upon which lay a pile of letters--hismorning mail--ready for her to open, read to him, and pass across,should there chance to be one among them he wished to touch or to keepin his pocket.
They were seated close to the French window opening on to the terrace;the breeze, fragrant with the breath of spring flowers, blew aboutthem, and the morning sun streamed in.
Garth, in white flannels, wearing a green tie and a button-hole ofprimroses, lay back luxuriously, enjoying, with his rapidly quickeningsenses, the scent of the flowers and the touch of the sun-beams.
Nurse Rosemary finished reading a letter of her own, folded it, and putit in her pocket with a feeling of thankful relief. Deryck was coming.He had not failed her.
"A man's letter, Miss Gray," said Garth unexpectedly.
"Quite right," said Nurse Rosemary. "How did you know?"
"Because it was on one sheet. A woman's letter on a matter of greatimportance would have run to two, if not three. And that letter was ona matter of importance."
"Right again," said Nurse Rosemary, smiling. "And again, how did youknow?"
"Because you gave a little sigh of relief after reading the first line,and another, as you folded it and replaced it in the envelope."
Nurse Rosemary laughed. "You are getting on so fast, Mr. Dalmain, thatsoon we shall be able to keep no secrets. My letter was from--"
"Oh, don't tell me," cried Garth quickly, putting out his hand inprotest. "I had no idea of seeming curious as to your privatecorrespondence, Miss Gray. Only it is such a pleasure to reportprogress to you in the things I manage to find out without being told."
"But I meant to tell you anyway," said Nurse Rosemary. "The letter isfrom Sir Deryck, and, amongst other things, he says he is coming up tosee you next Saturday."
"Ah, good!" said Garth. "And what a change he will find! And I shallhave the pleasure of reporting on the nurse, secretary, reader, andunspeakably patient guide and companion he provided for me." Then headded, in a tone of suddenly awakened anxiety: "He is not coming totake you away, is he?"
"No," said Nurse Rosemary, "not yet. But, Mr. Dalmain, I was wanting toask whether you could spare me just during forty-eight hours; and Dr.Brand's visit would be an excellent opportunity. I could leave you moreeasily, knowing you would have his companionship. If I may take theweek-end, leaving on Friday night, I could return early on Mondaymorning, and be with you in time to do the morning letters. Dr. Brandwould read you Saturday's and Sunday's--Ah, I forgot; there is noSunday post. So I should miss but one; and he would more than take myplace in other ways."
"Very well," said Garth, striving not to show disappointment. "I shouldhave liked that we three should have talked together. But no wonder youwant a time off. Shall you be going far?"
"No; I have friends near by. And now, do you wish to attend to yourletters?"
"Yes," said Garth, reaching out his hand. "Wait a minute. There is anewspaper among them. I smell the printing ink. I don't want that. Butkindly give me the rest."
Nurse Rosemary took out the newspaper; then pushed the pile along,until it touched his hand.
Garth took them. "What a lot!" he said, smiling in pleasurableanticipation. "I say, Miss Gray, if you profit as you ought to do bythe reading of so many epistles written in every possible andimpossible style, you ought to be able to bring out a prettycomprehensive 'Complete Letter-writer.' Do you remember the condolencesof Mrs. Parker-Bangs? I think that was the first time we really laughedtogether. Kind old soul! But she should not have mentioned blindBartimaeus dipping seven times in the pool of Siloam. It is always bestto avoid classical allusions, especially if sacred, unless one has themaccurately. Now--" Garth paused.
He had been handling his letters, one by one; carefully fingering each,before laying it on the table beside him. He had just come to onewritten on foreign paper, and sealed. He broke off his sentenceabruptly, held the letter silently for a moment, then passed hisfingers slowly over the seal.
Nurse Rosemary watched him anxiously. He made no remark, but after amoment laid it down and took up the next. But when he passed the pileacross to her, he slipped the sealed letter beneath the rest, so thatshe should come to it last of all.
Then the usual order of proceedings commenced. Garth lighted acigarette--one of the first things he had learned to do forhimself--and smoked contentedly, carefully placing his ash-tray, andalmost unfailingly locating the ash, in time and correctly.
Nurse Rosemary took up the first letter, read the postmark, anddescribed the writing on the envelope. Garth guessed from whom it came,and was immensely pleased if, on opening, his surmise proved correct.There were nine to-day, of varying interest,--some from men friends,one or two from charming women who professed themselves ready to comeand see him as soon as he wished for visitors, one from a blind asylumasking for a subscription, a short note from the doctor heralding hisvisit, and a bill for ties from a Bond Street shop.
Nurse Rosemary's fingers shook as she replaced the eighth in itsenvelope. The last of the pile lay on the table. As she took it up,Garth with a quick movement flung his cigarette-end through the window,and lay back, shading his face with his hand.
"Did I shoot straight, nurse?" he asked.
She leaned forward and saw the tiny column of blue smoke rising fromthe gravel.
"Quite straight," she said. "Mr. Dalmain, this letter has an Egyptianstamp, and the postmark is Cairo. It is sealed with scarletsealing-wax, and the engraving on the seal is a plumed helmet with thevisor closed."
"And the writing?" asked Garth, mechanically and very quietly.
"The handwriting is rather bold and very clear, with no twirls orflourishes. It is written with a broad nib."
"Will you kindly open it, nurse, and tell me the signature beforereading the rest of the letter."
Nurse Rosemary fought with her throat, which threatened to closealtogether and stifle her voice. She opened the letter, turned to thelast page, and found the signature.
"It is signed 'Jane Champion,' Mr. Dalmain," said Nurse Rosemary.
"Read it, please," said Garth quietly. And Nurse Rosemary began.
Dear Dal: What CAN I write? If I were with you, there would be so muchI could say; but writing is so difficult, so impossible.
I know it is harder for you than it would have been for any of us; butyou will be braver over it than we should have been, and you will comethrough splendidly, and go on thinking life beautiful, and making itseem so to other people. _I_ never thought it so until that summer atOverdene and Shenstone when you taught me the perception of beauty.Since then, in every sunset and sunrise, in the blue-green of theAtlantic, the purple of the mountains, the spray of Niagara, the cherryblossom of Japan, the golden deserts of Egypt, I have thought of you,and understood them better, because of you. Oh, Dal! I should like tocome and tell you all about them, and let you see them through my eyes;and then you would widen out my narrow understanding of them, and showthem again to me in greater loveliness.
I hear you receive no visitors; but cannot you make just one exception,and let me come?
I was at the Great Pyramid when I heard. I was sitting on the piazzaafter dinner. The moonlight called up memories. I had just made up mymind to give up the Nile, and to come straight home, and write askingyou to come and see me; when General Loraine turned up, with an Englishpaper and a letter from Myra, and--I heard. Would you have come, Garth?
And now, my friend, as you cannot come to me, may I come to you? If youjust say: "COME," I will come from any part of the world where I maychance to be when the message reaches me. Never mind this Egyptianaddress. I shall not be there when you are hearing this. Direct to meat my aunt's town house. All my letters go there, and are forwardedunopened.
LET ME COME. And oh, do believe that I know something of how hard it isfor you. But God can "enable."
Beli
eve me to be,
Yours, more than I can write,
Jane Champion.
Garth removed the hand which had been shielding his face.
"If you are not tired, Miss Gray, after reading so many letters, Ishould like to dictate my answer to that one immediately, while it isfresh in my mind. Have you paper there? Thank you. May we begin?-- DearMiss Champion ... I am deeply touched by your kind letter of sympathy... It was especially good of you to write to me from so far away amidso much which might well have diverted your attention from friends athome."
A long pause. Nurse Rosemary Gray waited, pen in hand, and hoped thebeating of her heart was only in her own ears, and not audible acrossthe small table.
"I am glad you did not give up the Nile trip but--"
An early bee hummed in from the hyacinths and buzzed against the pane.Otherwise the room was very still.
--"but of course, if you had sent for me I should have come."
The bee fought the window angrily, up and down, up and down, forseveral minutes; then found the open glass and whirled out into thesunshine, joyfully.
Absolute silence in the room, until Garth's quiet voice broke it as hewent on dictating.
"It is more than kind of you to suggest coming to see me, but--"
Nurse Rosemary dropped her pen. "Oh, Mr. Dalmain," she said, "let hercome."
Garth turned upon her a face of blank surprise.
"I do not wish it," he said, in a tone of absolute finality.
"But think how hard it must be for any one to want so much to be neara--a friend in trouble, and to be kept away."
"It is only her wonderful kindness of heart makes her offer to come,Miss Gray. She is a friend and comrade of long ago. It would greatlysadden her to see me thus."
"It does not seem so to her," pleaded Nurse Rosemary. "Ah, cannot youread between the lines? Or does it take a woman's heart to understand awoman's letter? Did I read it badly? May I read it over again?"
A look of real annoyance gathered upon Garth's face. He spoke withquiet sternness, a frown bending his straight black brows.
"You read it quite well," he said, "but you do not do well to discussit. I must feel able to dictate my letters to my secretary, withouthaving to explain them."
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Nurse Rosemary humbly. "I was wrong."
Garth stretched his hand across the table, and left it there a moment;though no responsive hand was placed within it.
"Never mind," he said, with his winning smile, "my kind little mentorand guide. You can direct me in most things, but not in this. Now letus conclude. Where were we? Ah--'to suggest coming to see me.' Did youput `It is most kind' or `It is more than kind?'"
"'More than kind,'" said Nurse Rosemary, brokenly.
"Right, for it is indeed more than kind. Only she and I can possiblyknow how much more. Now let us go on ... But I am receiving novisitors, and do not desire any until I have so mastered my newcircumstances that the handicap connected with them shall neither bepainful nor very noticeable to other people. During the summer I shallbe learning step by step to live this new life, in complete seclusionat Gleneesh. I feel sure my friends will respect my wish in thismatter. I have with me one who most perfectly and patiently ishelping--Ah, wait!" cried Garth suddenly. "I will not say that. Shemight think--she might misunderstand. Had you begun to write it? No?What was the last word? 'Matter?' Ah yes. That is right. Full stopafter 'matter.' Now let me think."
Garth dropped his face into his hands, and sat for a long time absorbedin thought.
Nurse Rosemary waited. Her right hand held the pen poised over thepaper. Her left was pressed against her breast. Her eyes rested on thatdark bowed head, with a look of unutterable yearning and of passionatetenderness. At last Garth lifted his face. "Yours very sincerely, GarthDalmain;" he said. And, silently, Nurse Rosemary wrote it.
The Rosary Page 23
