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"You are quite right to keep the child in order," she said. "But you needn't treat her like that. I call it brutal." "You can call it what you like," said Ermsted. "I did it quite as much for your benefit as for hers." Netta tossed her head. "I'm not a sentimental mother," she observed. "You won't punish me in that way. I object to a commotion, that's all." He took her by the shoulder.
Burton, sending an obviously false smile in the direction of the lady last named who was approaching them in the company of Mrs. Ermsted, the Adjutant's wife, a little smart woman whom Tommy had long since surnamed "The Lizard." Mrs. Ralston, the surgeon's wife, had once been a pretty girl, and there were occasions still on which her prettiness lingered like the gleams of a fading sunset.
Netta seldom went to race course or polo-ground, where the Rajah was most frequently to be found. Stella, who had never liked Netta Ermsted, took but slight interest in her affairs. She always welcomed Tessa, however, and presently, since her leisure was ample and her health considerably improved, she began to give the child a few lessons which soon became the joy of Tessa's heart.
Ermsted was quite willing to be kind to any one in that respect. They approached now, and Lady Harriet gave to each her distinctive smile of royal condescension. "I expected to see you dancing, Mrs. Ermsted," she said. "Oh, it's too hot," declared Mrs. Ermsted. "You want the temperament of a salamander to dance on a night like this."
No one looked askance at her any longer. Even Mrs. Burton's criticism was limited to a strictly secret smile. Netta Ermsted was the last to leave Bhulwana. She returned nervous and fretful, accompanied by Tessa whose joy over rejoining her friends was as patent as her mother's discontent.
Only now it was a thousand times magnified, for this man was her world. She tried to picture to herself what it would have meant to her had that shot in the jungle slain him instead of Captain Ermsted. But the bare thought was beyond endurance. Once she could have borne it, but not now not now! Once she could have denied her love and fared forth alone into the desert.
If I could get hold of the man who killed Ermsted, I would cheerfully kill him with my own hand unless I could be sure that he would get his deserts from the Government who are apt to be somewhat slack in such matters." Stella shivered again. "Do you know, Everard, I can't bear to hear you talk like that? It is the untamed, savage part of you." He drew her to him. "Yes, the soldier part. I know.
For the wild-rose bloom had departed long since, as Netta Ermsted had predicted, though her beauty remained the beauty of the pure white rose which is fairer than any other flower that grows. There came a burning day at last, however, when she realized that the evening drive was almost beyond her powers. Tommy was on duty at the barracks.
"I had no idea you could be so fickle," she said. "My dear, I shall welcome you here just as heartily as I ever have," Mrs. Ralston assured her, without lifting her eyes from the muslin frock at which she was busily stitching. Mrs. Ermsted pouted. "That may be. But I shan't come very often when she is here. I don't like widows.
Ermsted as usual, and she encouraging him. That girl is positively infatuated. Shouldn't wonder if there's a rude awakening before her. I beg your pardon, sir. You spoke?" He turned abruptly to Bernard who was seated near. "I was only wondering what Everard's share had been in tracking this charming person down," observed the elder Monck, who was smiling a little at Tommy's evident excitement.