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The very serenity of Lord Coombe's apparently unobserving entrance was perhaps a shock as well as a relief. It took even Feather two or three seconds to break into her bell of a laugh as she shook hands with her visitor. "Mr. Delamore is going over his big scene in the new play," she explained with apt swiftness of resource. "It's very good, but it excites him dreadfully.
I have been sad and anxious for months because I felt that it would be wickedness to desert this poor child. I have been torn in two. Now I can be at peace thank the good God." "Bring her to me tomorrow if possible," the Duchess said when they parted. "I foresee that I may have something to overcome in the fact that I am Lord Coombe's old friend, but I hope to be able to overcome it."
When she returned to London, she was led into rooms she had never been in before light and airy rooms with pretty walls and furniture. It was "a whim of Coombe's," as Feather put it, that she should no longer occupy the little dog-kennels of nurseries, so these new apartments had been added in the rear.
"There is nothing which would so infuriate your Master-as a disgraceful scandal," Lord Coombe's highbred voice suggested undisturbedly. "The high honour of a German officer-the knightly bearing of a wearer of the uniform of the All Highest-that sort of thing you know. All that sort of thing!" Von Hillern ground out some low spoken and quite awful German words.
During this drive, Grace and Rachel had the care of the elder boys, whom Rachel thought safer in her keeping than in Coombe's.
Coombe's got a whole new outfit, Alviry says. Turrible extravagant! Folks says it takes Esther all her time paying for them with her school money. But I dunno. What say?" "I didn't say anything. But, since you ask, do you think all this is any of my business?" "Well, since you ask, it ain't. 'Tisn't my business either; but it kind of passes the time. Giddap!"
It was the face, almost, of a man of middle age, a firm, quiet face with cold eyes. "Esther!" Mrs. Coombe's voice held incipient reproof. The girl came forward and offered her hand. The doctor, this new doctor, took it, let it drop and said, "Good evening, Miss Esther," then turned to Jane with a politely worded message from Ann and Bubble. "You can tell them I won't go," said Jane crossly.
When he rose to go and the Vicar rose with him, there was a moment of pause which was rather curious. The men's eyes met and for a few moments rested upon each other. The Vicar's were still and grave, but there was a growth of deep feeling in them. This suggested a sort of profound human reflection. Lord Coombe's expression itself changed a shade.
"It is Donal you want, poor child no one else," it said. That it should be this voice Lord Coombe's! And that amazing as it was to hear it, she was not amazed and did not care! Her sobbing ceased so far as sobbing can cease on full flow. She lay still but for low shuddering breaths. "I have come because it is Donal," he said. "You told me once that you had always hated me. Hatred is useless now.
"If she's the one we think she is-a black, poisonous, sly one with a face that no girl could suspect." Coombe's still countenance was so deadly in the slow lividness, which Mademoiselle saw began to manifest itself, that she caught his sleeve with a shaking hand. "She's nothing but a baby!" she said. "She doesn't know what a baby she is. I can see her eyes frantic with terror! She'd go mad."
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