CHAPTER XVI
A CONFLICT
In the hubbub which immediately followed Lord Walterton's tirade, Edithade Chavasse beckoned to the florid woman--who seemed to be herhenchwoman--and drew her aside to a distant corner of the room, wherethere were no tables nigh and where the now subdued hum of the voices,mingling with the sound of music on virginal and stringed instruments,made a murmuring noise which effectually drowned the talk between thetwo women.
"Have you arranged everything, Mistress Endicott?" asked Editha,speaking in a whisper.
"Everything, mistress," replied the other.
"Endicott understands?"
"Perfectly," said the woman, with perceptible hesitation, "but ..."
"What ails you, mistress?" asked Editha haughtily, noting thehesitation, and frowning with impatience thereat.
"My husband thinks the game too dangerous."
"I was not aware," retorted Mistress de Chavasse dryly, "that I haddesired Master Endicott's opinion on the subject."
"Mayhap not," rejoined the other, equally dryly, "but you did desire hishelp in the matter ... and he seems unmindful to give it."
"Why?"
"I have explained ... the game is too dangerous."
"Or the payment insufficient?" sneered Editha. "Which is it?"
"Both, mayhap," assented Mistress Endicott with a careless shrug of herfat shoulders, "the risks are very great. To-night especially...."
"Why especially to-night?"
"Because ever since you have been away from it, this house--though wedid our best to make it seem deserted--hath been watched--of that I feelvery sure.... My Lord Protector's watchmen have a suspicion of our ...our evening entertainments ... and I doubt not but that they desire tosee for themselves how our guests enjoy themselves these nights."
"Well?" rejoined Editha lightly. "What of that?"
"As you know, we did not play for nigh on twelve months now.... Endicottthought it too dangerous ... and to-night ..."
She checked herself abruptly, for Editha had turned an angry face andflashing eyes upon her.
"To-night?" said Mistress de Chavasse curtly, but peremptorily, "what ofto-night? ... I sent you orders from Thanet that I wished the houseopened to-night ... Lord Walterton, Sir James Overbury and as many ofour usual friends as were in the town, apprised that play would be infull progress.... Meseems," she added, casting a searching look allround the room, "that we have singularly few players."
"It was difficult," retorted the other with somewhat more diffidence inher tone than had characterized her speech before now. "Young SquireDelamere committed suicide ... you remember him? ... and Lord Cookekilled Sir Humphrey Clinton in a duel after that fracas we had here,when the police-patrol well-nigh seized upon your person.... SquireDelamere's suicide and Sir Humphrey's death caused much unpleasant talk.And old Mistress Delamere, the mother, hath I fear me, still a watchfuleye on us. She means to do us lasting mischief.... It had been wiser totarry yet awhile.... Twelve months is not sufficient for throwing thedust of ages over us and our doings.... That is my husband's opinion andalso mine.... A scandal such as you propose to have to-night, will bringthe Protector's spies about our ears ... his police too, mayhap ... andthen Heaven help us all, mistress ... for you, in the country, cannotconceive how rigorously are the laws enforced now against gambling,betting, swearing or any other form of innocent amusement.... Why! twowenches were whipped at the post by the public hangman only last week,because forsooth they were betting on the winner amongst themselves,whilst watching a bout of pell-mell.... And you know that John Howthillstood in the pillory for two hours and had both his hands bored throughwith a hot iron for allowing gambling inside his coffeehouse. ... Andso, mistress, you will perceive that I am speaking but in your owninterests...."
Editha, who had listened to the long tirade with marked impatience, hereinterrupted the voluble lady, with harsh command.
"I crave your pardon, mistress," she said peremptorily. "My interestspre-eminently consist in being obeyed by those whom I pay for doing mybehests. Now you and your worthy husband live here rent free and derivea benefit of ten pounds every time our guests assemble.... Well! inreturn for that, I make use of you and your names, in case of anyunpleasantness with the vigilance patrol ... or in case of a scandalwhich might reach my Lord Protector's ears.... Up to this time yourpositions here have been a sinecure.... I even bore the brunt of thelast fracas whilst you remained practically scathless.... But to-night,I own it, there may be some risks ... but of a truth you have been wellpaid to take them."
"But if we refuse to take the risks," retorted the other.
"If you refuse, mistress," said Editha with a careless shrug of theshoulders, "you and your worthy lord go back to the gutter where Ipicked you up ... and within three months of that time, I shoulddoubtless have the satisfaction of seeing you both at the whipping-post,for of a truth you would be driven to stealing or some other equallyunavowable means of livelihood."
"We could send _you_ there," said Mistress Endicott, striving tosuppress her own rising fury, "if we but said the word."
"Nay! you would not be believed, mistress ... but even so, I do notperceive how my social ruin would benefit you."
"Since we are doomed anyhow ... after this night's work," said the womansullenly.
"Nay! but why should you take so gloomy a view of the situation? ... MyLord Protector hath forgot our existence by now, believe me ... and of asurety his patrol hath not yet knocked at our door.... And methinks,mistress," added Editha significantly, "'tis not in _your_ interest toquarrel with me."
"I have no wish to quarrel with you," quoth Mistress Endicott, whoapparently had come to the end of her resistance, and no doubt had knownall along that her fortunes were too much bound up with those ofMistress de Chavasse to allow of a rupture between them.
"Then everything is vastly satisfactory," said Editha with forcedgayety. "I rely on you, mistress, and on Endicott's undoubted talents tobring this last matter to a successful issue to-night. ... Remember,mistress ... I rely on you."
Perhaps Mistress Endicott would have liked to prolong the argument. As amatter of fact, neither she nor her husband counted the risks of amidnight fracas of great moment to themselves: they had so very littleto lose. A precarious existence based on illicit deeds of all sorts hadrendered them hard and reckless.
All they wished was to be well paid for the risks they ran; neither ofthem was wholly unacquainted with the pillory, and it held no greatterrors for them. There were so many unavowable pleasures these days,which required a human cloak to cover the identity of the realtransgressor, that people like Master and Mistress Endicott prosperedvastly.
The case of Mistress de Chavasse's London house wherein the ex-actresshad some few years ago established a gaming club, together with itsvarious emoluments attached thereunto, suited the Endicotts'requirements to perfection: but the woman desired an increase of paymentfor the special risk she would run to-night, and was sorely vexed thatshe could not succeed in intimidating Editha with threats ofvigilance-patrol and whipping-posts.
Mistress de Chavasse knew full well that the Endicotts did not intend toquarrel with her, and having threatened rupture unless her commands wereobeyed, she had no wish to argue the matter further with her henchwoman.
At that moment, too, there came the sound of significant and methodicalrappings at the door. Editha, who had persistently throughout herdiscussion with Mistress Endicott, kept one ear open for that sound,heard it even through the buzz of talk. She made a scarcely visiblegesture of the hand, bidding the other woman to follow her: that gesturewas quickly followed by a look of command.
Mistress Endicott presumably had finally made up her mind to obey. Sheshrugged her fat shoulders and followed Mistress de Chavasse as far asthe center of the room.
"Remember that you are the hostess now," murmured Editha to her, as sheherself went to the door and opened it.
With an affected cry of surprise and pleasure she welcomed Sir
Marmadukede Chavasse, who was standing on the threshold, prepared to enter andescorted by his young secretary, Master Richard Lambert.
The Nest of the Sparrowhawk: A Romance of the XVIIth Century Page 16
