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He felt as though he must go forth to make inquiries for himself, to ascertain whether Toni had returned or no, whether all possible measures had been taken for her safety. Surely the people at Greenriver would not take his visit amiss? Seeing that his wife and Mrs. Rose were known to be friends, it was only natural that Mrs.
"It is the man-servant from Greenriver asking if Mrs. Rose has been here. You did not expect her, did you, Eva?" "Oh, no." She spoke calmly. "We were to meet to-morrow morning, but we had no appointment for to-night." "I see. Odd where she can have got to." Herrick frowned thoughtfully. "You can't give me any clue to her movements, Eva? You don't remember hearing her say anything about to-night?"
She looked at the girl to see how far she might safely go, but Toni never moved; and Eva was emboldened to proceed. "You have a lovely home Greenriver is quite a show place, and after all, you and your husband never quarrel, do you? So that on the whole you'd be a little fool if you gave up all these very substantial benefits. Eh, Toni?" Eva was clever.
An expression such as she had never seen before crossed Owen's face. He shook off her hand impatiently. "Oh, you're an old silly, Blades." His voice was grating. "Miss Gibbs is a thousand times more suitable to be the mistress of Greenriver. The the other lady thought very small beer of us all down here she wasn't our sort, I assure you!" "Neither is this one."
"There are hundreds of books in the house the library is supposed to be rather remarkable, you know, and I expect lots of the books you mean are there." "I've no doubt of it." He remembered hearing of the unique collection which Greenriver housed. "Tell me what sort of books you like? Travel, history, romance what?" The light died out of her eyes. "I don't know." Her voice sounded flat.
"I'm afraid I can't agree with you there," said Mrs. Anstey, with a little smile. "I think the flowers are charming, especially those sent by Mrs. Rose's kindness from Greenriver." She indicated Toni with a friendly little gesture, and Lady Martin condescended, unwillingly, to acknowledge the girl's greeting. To tell the truth, Lady Martin had no desire to better her acquaintance with Toni.
Meanwhile all was confusion at Greenriver. At first Owen had been merely a little perplexed, not uneasy, at Toni's absence from the dinner-table; but when it became apparent that she was nowhere in the house he grew alarmed.
Warped, distorted, malignant as her judgment too often was, there was something very vital in that despairing cry from Italy; and in spite of herself Eva could not banish its echo from her ears. She might answer, briefly, that Owen was still at Greenriver, and, so far as she knew, in good health and spirits.
She had a lighted candle in her hand; and somehow the wavering flame seemed to cast a sinister shadow over her face. "I am going to Greenriver, Eva, to see if Mrs. Rose has returned." "Oh." For a moment she hesitated, opened her mouth as though about to speak and then yawned instead. "Very well. Don't be long. My head aches and I want to get to sleep." "I will be as quick as possible," he said.
There was some consolation, to the more determined gossips of the neighbourhood, in spreading a rumour that the young mistress of Greenriver was far gone in consumption, and had been ordered to winter abroad; but Toni's appearance, on the day of her return, was quite sufficient to give the lie to that particular canard.
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