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Susan, never far from Jaffery during her off-time, came running up. "Hallo, is that your young 'un?" Mr. Fendihook asked. "Come and say how d'ye do, Gwendoline." Susan advanced shyly. He shook hands with her, chucked her under the chin and paid her the ill compliment of saying that she was the image of her father.
What respectable woman well, what honest woman, according to the term of the lower classes would run away with two men within twenty-five hours?" "She went off with Fendihook, honourably, thinking he was going to marry her. She has joined Jaffery honourably, too, because there's no question of marriage or anything else between them." "Sancta simplicitas!"
He grinned at us and linking his arm through Liosha's joined the stream of passengers hurrying across the stones to the custom-sheds. "Stop," Jaffery roared. They turned, as indeed did everybody within earshot. Fendihook would have gone on, but Liosha very proudly drew him out of the stream into a clear space and, prepared for battle, awaited us.
"Wasn't it true what you told me?" "Of course not," I interposed. "You were as free to marry in England as Mrs. Considine." She paid no attention to me. "Wasn't it true?" she repeated. Fendihook laughed in vulgar bluster. "You didn't take all that rot seriously, you silly cuckoo?" Liosha drew a step away from him and regarded him wonderingly.
Barbara took off Liosha, looking very handsome and fresh beneath the motor-veil, to her room, leaving me with Mr. Fendihook. As he preceded me into the drawing-room I saw a bald patch like a tonsure in the middle of a crop of coarse brown hair. Again he looked round appreciatively and again he said "Tiptop!" He advanced to the open French window. "Garden's all right. Must take a lot of doing.
And she planted herself by the side of her abductor, glaring defiance at Jaffery. Jaffery smiled. "You told her that because she was a widow and an Albanian she would find considerable obstacles in her way and would forfeit half her money to the Government. You lying little skunk!" The vibration in Jaffery's voice arrested Liosha. She looked swiftly at Fendihook.
"Why didn't you ask her?" said I. "It would scarcely have been polite." We consulted Jaffery. "Never heard of him," he growled. "And I don't like to hear of him now. That young woman's running loose a vast deal too much." "What an old dog in the manger you are!" cried Barbara; and thus started an old argument. On Sunday morning we saw Mr. Fendihook for ourselves.
Here was another grievance against the unfortunate Jaffery. I might have asked her who drove him to Madagascar, for had she been kind, he would have made short work of Liosha, after having rescued her from Fendihook, and would have returned meekly to Doria's feet. But what would have been the use?
Jaffery, having invited Liosha to go for a long walk with him and she having declined, with a polite smile, on the ground that her best Sunday-go-to-meeting long gown was not suitable for country roads, went off by himself in dudgeon. Barbara took Liosha aside and cross-examined her on the subject of Mr. Fendihook and as far as hospitality allowed signified her non-appreciation of the guest.
"The beginning and end of the matter, my dear," said I, "is that he's not quite a gentleman." "All right," said Liosha, liberating herself. "Now I know." She left me and sailed to the terrace. I use the metaphor advisedly. She had a way of walking like a full-rigged ship before a breeze. "Ras Fendihook, it's time we were going." Mr. Fendihook looked at his watch and jumped up. "We must hook it!"
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