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"I generally see to things later. I don't care to turn the Kaffir girl loose among my things." Mrs. Merston looked around her. "And where does your husband sleep?" she said. "Across the passage. His room is about the same size as this. They are not very big, are they?" "You are very lucky to have such a home," said Mrs. Merston. "Ours is nothing but a corrugated iron shed divided into two parts."
Sylvia was very white, but her eyes were quite resolute, unfailingly steadfast. "Please don't tell me any more!" she said. "Whatever Burke did was was from a good motive. I know that. I know him. And I don't want to have any unkind feelings towards him." "You prefer to remain blind?" said Mrs. Merston with her bitter smile, "Yes yes," Sylvia said.
"How you must worship her!" went on Kelly, with amiable effusion. "Some fellows have all the luck. Sure, you're never going to let that sweet angel languish here like that poor little Mrs. Merston! You wouldn't now! Come, you wouldn't!" But Burke passed the matter by.
"I'm going to have another try," said Sylvia, with sudden energy. "I wish you luck," said Mrs. Merston somewhat grimly. From the day of her visit to the Merstons Sylvia took up her old life again, and pursued all her old vocations with a vigour that seemed even more enthusiastic than of yore. Her ministrations to Guy had ceased to be of an arduous character, or indeed to occupy much of her time.
"No, thank you. I think I will have a rest." "All right. I'll smoke a pipe on the stoep," he said. He had been riding round his land with Merston during the greater part of the afternoon, and it did not surprise her that he seemed to think that he also had earned a quiet evening. But curiously his decision provoked in her an urgent desire to ride alone. A pressing need for solitude was upon her.
She smiled and slipped to the ground. "You are Mr. Merston," she said. "How kind of you to come over! I am afraid I am alone at present, but Burke is sure to be in soon. I hope you have had some refreshment." She gave her horse to a Kaffir boy, and went with her new friend up the steps of the stoep. "My wife!" said Merston in his jolly voice.
"It aways is," said Burke. He sat down beside her, close to her. She made a small, instinctive movement away from him, but he did not seem to notice. He took off his hat and laid it down. "I'm sorry Mrs. Merston had to be inflicted on you for so long," he said. "I'm afraid she is not exactly cheery company." "I didn't mind," said Sylvia. He gave her a faintly whimsical look.
"I wish you wouldn't, Jenny. There isn't a soul as thinks as much of you as I do, not in all the country-side. Nor there isn't one as 'll miss you like me." "I just wish you'd take up with somebody else, and give over plaguing me," said Jenny mercilessly. "There's Ruth Merston, and Dolly Campion, and Abigail " "I don't want ne'er a one on 'em," answered Tom, in a rather hurt tone.
Matilda's face of unconcealed disgust nearly provoked Sylvia to uncontrolled laughter, but she checked herself in time, and went to get the unwelcome visitor a drink in the hope of speeding his departure. Piet Vreiboom however was in no hurry, though they assured him repeatedly that Merston would probably not return for some hours.
"He was keen enough to run after you to Brennerstadt," she remarked. "How did you get on there?" Sylvia hesitated. "We were only there a couple of nights," she said vaguely. "So I gathered. Did you find Guy?" "No. I didn't see him. But Mr. Kelly has promised to look after him." "Ah, Donovan is a good sort," said Mrs. Merston. "He'd nursemaid anyone. So Kieff is dead!"
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