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Up in the gallery Toby drew a deep breath as of one coming out of a trance, and turned towards the man beside her. The light had been turned on in the salon below, and it struck upwards on her face, showing it white and weary. "So she has found another victim!" she said. "It seems so," said Saltash. She looked at him in the dimness. "Did you know that that Captain Larpent was with her?"
"Just that, sir," said Toby, with a slight quickening of the breath. "I mean I am at your disposal alone." Saltash took him suddenly by the shoulder and looked at him closely. "Toby!" he said. "Aren't you making rather a fool of yourself?" "No, sir!" Swiftly, with unexpected vehemence, Toby made answer. "I'm doing the only thing possible. But if you if you if you " "Well?" Saltash said.
She drew back from him. "I will do whatever you wish," she said again nervously. "You know that." "Yes, I know that," said Saltash with his quick grimace. "You have my sympathy, Nonette. Now go, ma chère, go!" She went from his presence like a small hunted animal. Saltash shrugged his shoulders and sauntered down again to the vestibule. The crowd had grown.
Her hat was flung down beside her; her pretty face downcast. He crossed to her deliberately and bent also to fondle the dog. She started slightly at his coming, and a faint flush rose in her cheeks; but she neither glanced at him nor spoke. For the moment they were alone, unobserved by the laughing group at the window. Saltash bent suddenly lower.
"Oh, dash it!" said Saltash. "Let's have a little sense!" He set down the tray and flicked the fair head admonishingly, with his thumb, still frowning. "Come! Be a sport!" he said. After a brief pause with a tremendous effort the boy pulled himself together and sat up, but he did not raise his eyes to Saltash again. He kept them fixed upon his hands which were tightly clasped in front of him.
He had the free carriage of one accustomed to the wide places of the earth. He took small note of his fellow-travellers, being engrossed in his own thoughts. He wondered how Maud would regard the situation, and half wished she had been with him to deal with it. For Maud possessed undoubted influence over Saltash. He reflected that she was probably the only person in the world who did.
"I don't follow you," said Jake deliberately. "You married your wife to deliver her from a fate you deemed unsuitable." Saltash's teeth showed for a moment in answer to the gleam in Jake's eyes. "You did it in an almighty hurry too." "But damn it she needed protection!" Jake said. "And at least I loved her!" Saltash bowed. "Hence your motive was an entirely selfish one.
Jake, tell him not to be an ass!" "No good, I'm afraid," said Jake, with his sudden smile. "Come inside, my lord! The children are all flourishing, but in bed at the present moment. The baby " "Oh, I must see the baby!" declared Saltash, turning back to Maud. She laid a hand on his arm. "I will take you to see him after dinner." "Will you?" He smiled into her eyes. "I shall like that.
"I think not," said Jake, in his steady drawl. "I've known many a worse starter than you get home on the straight." Saltash laughed aloud, and Toby turned with flushed cheeks and lifted eyes, alight and ardent, to her hero's face. Saltash's glance flashed round to her, the monkeyish grin still about his mouth, and from her to Bunny who stood behind. He did not speak for a moment.
How lovely she was!" he said, in a strangled voice. Saltash got up in his sudden, elastic fashion. "Look here! You want a drink. Sit down while I get you one!" He was gone with the words, not waiting for the half-uttered remonstrance that the other man sent after him. Larpent stood staring heavily before him for a space, then turned with a mechanical movement and dropped into a chair.
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