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The only thing that stood in the way of his immediately carrying out his plan, was the fact that he had promised to go away the following morning on a few days' fishing expedition, together with Barry Seymour and the two Fentons. The realisation that Maryon Rooke would probably spend the best part of those few days in Nan's company set the blood pounding furiously through his veins.
She had not heard the quiet opening and closing of the door. "An old friend of yours has just come in to see my Van Decken," he said quietly. His eyes were slightly quizzical. Nan turned her face a little aside. "I know. Where where is he?" "I took him along to have some tea. I've left him with the Fentons; they can prepare him for the . . . shock." She flushed angrily. "Maryon!
And amid laughter and good wishes the Fentons departed for the concert, Peter Mallory accompanying them downstairs to speed them on their way. Meanwhile Nan, left alone for the moment, became suddenly conscious of an overpowering nervousness at the prospect of spending the evening alone with Peter.
Throughout dinner, while the Fentons had been present, he had smiled and talked much as usual, so that the change in the man had been less noticeable. But the mask was off now, and in repose his face showed, so worn and ravaged by grief that Nan cried out involuntarily in pitiful dismay.
Between them, Barry and Kitty and the two Fentons who had joined the Mallow party for a short holiday did their utmost to make the time that must still elapse before the wedding a little space of restfulness and peace, shielding Nan from every possible worry and annoyance. Even the question of trousseau was swept aside by Kitty of the high hand. "Leave it to me.
The Fentons were just going to dinner when Helen arrived, and she was persuaded to dine with them. She was not without some curiosity to observe her friend in his new relations, and she also found herself attracted by Edith, although the two women had apparently little in common.
"Only, if it is of them you require a portrait, you must go to Grégoire Marni. He paints still-life." Rooke came into the room and greeted his visitors with outstretched hands. "My dear Penelope and Ralph," he began cordially. "This is good of busy people like yourselves " He caught sight of the third figure standing a little behind the Fentons and stopped abruptly.
There was little or no hot-gospel here; men still shook their heads sympathetically over the old days and the old faith, which indeed had ceased to be the faith of all scarcely twenty years ago; and it appeared to the most of them that the proper faith of the Quality, since they had before their eyes such families as the Babingtons, the Fentons, and the FitzHerberts, was that to which their own squire was about to say good-bye.
"The night following his arrival," went on Helen enthusiastically. "We'll make it quite an affair and invite everyone we know the Parkers, the Galloways, the Fentons, everybody " "Don't forget me!" interrupted Steell. "Oh, you, of course!" Roguishly she added: "Aren't you one of the family?" He looked at her and smiled.
Uppermost in Nan's mind was the thought, to which she clung as to a sheet-anchor, that of the three witnesses to this meeting between Peter and herself, the Fentons were ignorant of the fact that she cared for him, and Maryon, whatever he might suspect, had no certain knowledge. The dreaded ordeal was quickly over. A simple handshake, and in a few moments they were all five chatting together, Mrs.
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