按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
on his wife。
'You know； Algie； darling；' said Lady Wetherby； melting pletely； 'when you get that yearning note in your voice I just flop and take the full count。'
'My sweetheart； when I saw you doing that Dream of What's…the…girl's…bally…name dance just now； it was all I could do to keep from rushing out on to the floor and hugging you。'
'Algie！'
'Polly！'
'Do you mind letting go of my hand； please； Lord Wetherby？' said Claire； on whom these saccharine exchanges were beginning to have a cloying effect。
For a moment Lord Wetherby seemed somewhat confused； but； pulling himself together； he covered his embarrassment with a pomposity that blended poorly with his horsy appearance。
'Married life； Miss Fenwick；' he said； 'as you will no doubt discover some day； must always be a series of mutual promises； of cheerful give and take。 The lamp of love'
His remarks were cut short by a crash at the other end of the room。 There was a sharp cry and the splintering of glass。 The place was full of a sudden； sharp confusion。 They jumped up with one accord。 Lady Wetherby spilled her iced coffee； Lord Wetherby dropped the lamp of love。 Claire； who was nearest the pillar that separated them from the part of the restaurant where the accident had happened； was the first to see what had taken place。
A large man； dancing with a large girl； appeared to have charged into a small waiter； upsetting him and his tray and the contents of his tray。 The various actors in the drama were now engaged in sorting themselves out from the ruins。 The man had his back toward her； and it seemed to Claire that there was something familiar about that back。 Then he turned； and she recognized Lord Dawlish。
She stood transfixed。 For a moment surprise was her only emotion。 How came Bill to be in America？ Then other feelings blended with her surprise。 It is a fact that Lord Dawlish was looking singularly unfortable。
Claire's eyes travelled from Bill to his partner and took in with one swift feminine glance her large； exuberant blondeness。 There is no denying that； seen with a somewhat biased eye； the Good Sport resembled rather closely a poster advertising a revue。
Claire returned to her seat。 Lord and Lady Wetherby continued to talk； but she allowed them to conduct the conversation without her assistance。
'You're very quiet； Claire；' said Polly。
'I'm thinking。'
'A very good thing； too； so they tell me。 I've never tried it myself。 Algie； darling； he was a bad boy to leave his nice home； wasn't he？ He didn't deserve to have his hand held。'
8
It had been a great night for Nutty Boyd。 If the vision of his sister Elizabeth； at home at the farm speculating sadly on the whereabouts of her wandering boy； ever came before his mental eye he certainly did not allow it to interfere with his appreciation of the festivities。 At Frolics in the Air； whither they moved after draining Reigelheimer's of what joys it had to offer； and at Peale's； where they went after wearying of Frolics in the Air； he was in the highest spirits。 It was only occasionally that the recollection came to vex him that this could not last； thatsince his Uncle Ira had played him falsehe must return anon to the place whence he had e。
Why； in a city of all…night restaurants； these parties ever break up one cannot say； but a merciful Providence sees to it that they do； and just as Lord Dawlish was contemplating an eternity of the pany of Nutty and his two panions； the end came。 Miss Leonard said that she was tired。 Her friend said that it was a shame to go home at dusk like this； but； if the party was going to be broken up； she supposed there was nothing else for it。 Bill was too sleepy to say anything。
The Good Sport lived round the corner； and only required Lord Dawlish's escort for a couple of hundred yards。 But Miss Leonard's hotel was in the neighbourhood of Washington Square； and it was Nutty's pleasing task to drive her thither。 Engaged thus； he received a shock that electrified him。
'That pal of yours；' said Miss Leonard； drowsilyshe was half…asleep'what did you say his name was？'
'Chalmers； he told me。 I only met him to…night。'
'Well； it isn't； it's something else。 It'Miss Leonard yawned'it's Lord something。'
'How do you mean； 〃Lord something〃？'
'He's a lordat least； he was when I met him in London。'
'Are you sure you met him in London？'
'Of course I'm sure。 He was at that supper Captain Delaney gave at Oddy's。 There can't be two men in England who dance like that！'
The recollection of Bill's performance stimulated Miss Leonard into a temporary wakefulness； and she giggled。
'He danced just the same way that night in London。 I wish I could remember his name。 I almost had it a dozen times tonight。 It's something with a window in it。'
'A window？' Nutty's brain was a little fatigued and he felt himself unequal to grasping this。 'How do you mean； a window？'
'No； not a windowa door！ I knew it was something about a house。 I know now； his name's Lord Dawlish。'
Nutty's fatigue fell from him like a garment。
'It can't be！'
'It is。'
Miss Leonard's eyes had closed and she spoke in a muffled voice。
'Are you sure？' 'Mm…mm。'
'By gad！'
Nutty was wide awake now and full of inquiries； but his panion unfortunately was asleep； and he could not put them to her。 A gentleman cannot prod a ladyand his guest； at thatin the ribs in order to wake her up and ask her questions。 Nutty sat back and gave himself up to feverish thought。
He could think of no reason why Lord Dawlish should have e to America calling himself William Chalmers； but that was no reason why he should not have done so。 And Daisy Leonard； who all along had remembered meeting him in London； had identified him。
Nutty was convinced。 Arriving finally at Miss Leonard's hotel； he woke her up and saw her in at the door； then； telling the man to drive to the lodgings of his new friend； he urged his mind to rapid thought。 He had decided as a first step in the following up of this matter to invite Bill down to Elizabeth's farm； and the thought occurred to him that this had better be done to…night； for he knew by experience that on the morning after these little jaunts he was seldom in the mood to seek people out and invite them to go anywhere。
All the way to the flat he continued to think； and it was wonderful what possibilities there seemed to be in this little scheme of courting the society of the man who had robbed him of his inheritance。 He had worked on Bill's feelings so successfully as to elicit a loan of a million dollars； and was just proceeding to marry him to Elizabeth； when the cab stopped with the sudden sharpness peculiar to New York cabs； and he woke up； to find himself at his destination。
Bill was in bed when the bell rang； and received his late host in his pyjamas； wondering； as he did so； whether this was the New York custom； to foregather again after a party had been broken up； and chat till breakfast。 But Nutty； it seemed； had e with a motive； not from a desire for more conversation。
'Sorry to disturb you； old man；' said Nutty。 'I looked in to tell you that I was going down to the country to…morrow。 I wondered whether you would care to e and spend a day or two with us。'
Bill was delighted。 This was better than he had hoped for。
'Rather！' he said。 'Thanks awfully！'
'There are plenty of trains in the afternoon；' said Nutty。 'I don't suppose either of us will feel like getting up early。 I'll call for you here at half…past six； and we'll have an early dinner and catch the seven…fifteen； shall we？ We live very simply； you know。 You won't mind that？'
'My dear chap！'
'That's all right； then；' said Nutty； closing the door。 'Good night。'
9
Elizabeth entered Nutty's room and； seating herself on the bed； surveyed him with a bright； quiet eye that drilled holes in her brother's uneasy conscience。 This was her second visit to him that morning。 She had e an hour ago； bearing breakfast on a tray； and had departed without saying a word。 It was this uncanny silence of hers even more than the effectswhich still lingeredof his revels in the metropolis that had interfered with Nutty's enjoyment of the morning meal。 Never a hearty breakfas