Edward G. Hemmerde

“ You always wanted to sleep up in the air."
"Tiens, Pauline! I don't want to sleep anywhere to-night. Soothe me, make me comfortable. Be a good Pauline!"
The elder woman took up the brushes and stroked the shining hair with tender, loving hand. "It's been an upsetting day," she said.
Mrs. Admaston gave a sigh of relief as the kind hands busied themselves about her hair.
"Upsetting!" she cried; "that's it—just the word. I am upset. Everything has been upset. Lord Ellerdine will be fearfully upset. Oh, Pauline, just fancy our getting into the wrong train!" ”

“ For only the fool will ask for an explanation—the wise, if they ask, will look on the explanation as the better part of the joke. But tell me, Dicky, why is the explanation necessary?"
"Oh! Come, Peggy, come. Confound it!" Lord Ellerdine blundered out. "It looks so deuced bad."
Peggy made a grimace at him. "Candid!" she said. "Now that was frank. 'It looks so deuced bad.' That's it. Looks! But only looks. What do you think, Colling? Can't we tell the truth? Is there anything to hide?"
"Nothing," Collingwood said.
"There," Peggy went on; "there's nothing to hide." ”

“ Peggy said; "but, oh! it is all unfair."
Sir Robert gave a little sigh, which may or may not have been a genuine expression of feeling, but was probably sincere enough. His duty lay before him, however, and, like some sworn torturer of the Middle Ages, he must pursue it to the end.
"I must press you upon this point," he said. "What made you afraid to tell your husband that you were alone in Paris? What made you agree with Mr. Collingwood, Lord Ellerdine, and Lady Attwill to say that you had not been alone with Mr. Collingwood in Paris?" ”

“ Peggy answered. "I like men who have some big purpose in life and who fight the world and win."
"Like George Admaston!" Collingwood answered, and now for the first time there came a glint of malicious and real ill-humour over his face. It came and passed in a second, but it had been there.
"Yes," Peggy replied; "like George Admaston! He is a fighter, Colling. I think many women would love George. He is not the butterfly type—but——"
"But he has all the luck," Collingwood broke in fiercely. "I could do anything if you were with me. I must have something—or someone—to fight for. ”

“ Lord Ellerdine said. "Auteuil. Going out?"
Lady Attwill appeared at the window. "Oh! Alice," Admaston said.
She smiled brightly, extending her little manicured hand, upon which diamonds and sapphires flashed and sparkled in the brilliant light of the sun. "How do you do, George?" she said. "Who ever expected to see you here?"
"I don't run over often," Admaston answered, just taking her hand and no more. "But I thought you were at St. Moritz?"
"St. Moritz? Oh!—no. We changed our minds and came on to Paris."
"Then you didn't get on the wrong train?" Admaston said with grim politeness. ”

“ He made a passionate gesture with his hands which showed how deeply he was moved—a gesture quite unlike the ordinary English habit.
"If you have any instincts of a gentleman, you have won," Admaston answered.
"What do you mean?"
Peggy, who stood there trembling, gave a wail of despair.
"George, you cannot mean——"
Admaston took no notice of her.
"Your methods have not been over nice," he said with biting scorn: "to betray your friend—to seduce his wife."
"That's a lie! I don't defend myself—but don't you dare to say a word against her. We were great friends. ”

“ Collingwood bent forward, almost in the attitude of a man about to spring.
"Well, Peggy. Going out?" Admaston asked.
"I was," Peggy answered; and if ever guilty fear was manifested in a human voice, the people in that room heard it now. It must be remembered that to people who have been upon the brink of crime or misbehaviour—even though they may have escaped it—the suspicion, when they are confronted with it, has much the same effect upon their attitude as if the thing had already been done. The nerves of the innocent have often proclaimed them guilty to the most indulgent eyes. ”

“ I shall become a grande dame, give great entertainments, hold court at Admaston House in Hampshire, and at Castle Netherby—then I shall not have time to make men mad!"
Pauline clapped her hands. "That will be splendid!" she said. "That will make him so happy!"
"Who, my husband?"
"Exactement. Monsieur adores you."
"I wonder?" Peggy said slowly, more to herself than to Pauline.
The maid nodded. "Madame," she went on, "he is a great big dog. You can do anything with him. He will never bite nor snarl, nor show even a little bit of his teeth." ”

“ Peggy rose from the chair and began to walk up and down the sitting-room. Her little bronze bedroom slippers peeped in and out from her trailing draperies of topaz-coloured silk. One slender wrist was clasped by an old Moorish bracelet of dull silver, the intricate filigree work studded here and there with Balas rubies. With her long hair coiled loosely in a shining coronet upon her head, her whole expression—an atmosphere she exhaled—of sprightly innocence, she seemed indeed a fragile little butterfly. Something of the sort crossed the mind of the faithful Breton woman. ”

“ There was a quiet, dogged misery in it.
"We have passed the merely friendship line," he said; "and you know that well enough, Peggy. That has been passed a long time. You would not have left London with me if we had only been friends and nothing more. Were we only friends when we used to sit up together night after night at Ellerdine's house? Do 'friends' speak to each other as we have spoken? Why, you have only to touch my hand to know that I burn with longing." ”

“ Peggy answered. "Lady Attwill is devoted to me. I am certain of it."
The maid wrinkled up her face, pushed out her lips, and nodded her head to emphasise her words. "Indeed! indeed, madame! Well, tell me this. Would she have kept dodging Lord Ellerdine out of the way at Charing Cross and afterwards at Boulogne if she was your friend?"
Peggy pouted. "I suppose she wanted to be alone with Lord Ellerdine," she said.
"Jamais! she can be alone with him at her flat—she need not wait to be alone with him at a public railway station." ”

“ Peggy's arms went round the old maid's neck and she drew the gnarled face to hers. "Pauline," she said, "dear Pauline! They will torture you as they did me. It is useless. Sir Robert Fyffe will make you say just what he wants. It is not justice that triumphs in the end—it is intellect that damns. Pauline, do you think that Mr. Collingwood knew that we should be in Paris that night, and that he wrote the letter?" ”

“ Collingwood said in a low, fierce whisper; "but perhaps you had better not."
"I can't," Peggy answered, swaying this way and that as if about to fall. He put out his arm and steadied her.
"All right, darling," he said; "it is all right!"
"Where is he? London?" she said.
"I didn't ask," he replied. "Wait a minute!"
He hurried to the telephone again. "Hello! Ellerdine has just gone out. Hello! Where are you speaking from? Damn! We're cut off. Hello! Hello!"
He listened for nearly half a minute, taut and strained as a greyhound on the leash; then he flung the receiver angrily upon the bracket. ”

“ One enters the Hôtel des Tuileries, as every one knows, through the revolving doors, passes into the entresol, and then into the huge glass-domed lounge with its comfortable fauteuils, its big settee, its little tables covered with beaten copper, and its great palms, which seem as if they had been cunningly enamelled jade-green by some jeweller.
The lounge was now almost empty of people, though the shaded electric light threw a topaz-coloured radiance over everything. ”

“ If it is not M. Collingwood, madame, it must be Lady Attwill."
"But why should she have done such a fiendish thing?"
"She has never forgiven you for marrying Mr. Admaston. Did I not tell you, madame? Did I not say that to you in Paris?"
Peggy nodded. "Yes, Pauline," she replied; "but I can't believe you. She has seen my misery. No, Pauline, it is impossible!"
"Madame, it is not impossible. She can only conquer by your misery."
Peggy jumped up from the sofa, her whole body shaking, her face aflame with righteous anger. "Pauline!" ”

“ Lady Attwill listened to him with an aspect of particular attention. But if the man had been able to realise it he would have seen the flash of contempt which came and went over her face. He did not, however, and she replied in her ordinary tones:
"Look of it! It's merely a frolic—nothing serious. Collingwood is not the man to run risks. He believes in the simple life."
"Does he, by Jove!" Lord Ellerdine said. "He's not so simple as that, Alice."
"He is not so simple as to get into a complication with Admaston," she answered. "He's no fool—you take my word for it." ”

“ She moved past him with a sudden, gliding step, and placed the settee between them.
"I only know you are my friend, my very dear friend," she said.
"No! no! no!" he cried, coming after her.
"Yes—only that friend!"
"Lover! Peggy," he said passionately. "I am a man—devoured by love of you. I have waited for you—longed for you—and now——" With a sudden movement he caught her in his arms, straining her to him wildly, showering kisses upon the shining coronet of her hair. "We're alone, Peggy," he cried, "just you and I!" and his voice rang with triumph. "We're alone! ”

“ Pauline made a gesture with her hands. "But what an innocent!" she said, in half-humorous despair. "You never see things. You are just as confiding—I mean ignorant of people—as you were when you were twelve years old. Madame, Lady Attwill is no friend of yours." ”

“ Why, we haven't even tried to fool society! For Heaven's sake, Peggy, don't let's try to fool ourselves!"
Peggy rose slowly to her feet, trembling all over. "Colling! oh, Colling!" she said in a piteous voice, "surely people don't think we are——"
"People don't think! People are only too glad to think. You know well enough what is said about others——"
Her face grew paler still, her eyes were wide with fear and slowly dawning realisation. She clasped both hands to her breast, and the light shone upon the rubies set in the old Moorish bracelets that she was wearing. ”

“ Admaston did not answer, but Sir Robert persisted.
"Didn't it make you more angry?" he said.
Suddenly Peggy looked up, and her voice rippled with laughter—she was a butterfly, a thing of sunshine and shadow, but shadow never distressed her for very long.
"I never remain angry very long," she said. ”

“ Collingwood jumped up from the sofa. "Now, stop that, Peggy," he said.
The glint of mischief in Peggy's eyes glowed more strongly. "She's a very attractive woman," she said.
"Well, she's not the sort of woman who attracts me," Collingwood replied, sitting down again upon the couch and tapping impatiently with his foot upon the carpet. He seemed disturbed, uneasy, under the influence of some suppressed emotion.
Peggy stroked her nose with one little finger, and then she leant down towards Collingwood. "What sort of woman attracts you?" ”

“ The two men stood there for a moment, when Peggy ran between them. "Oh! don't!" she cried, spreading out her arms—in front of Collingwood. She seemed to fear her husband's heavy and certain onslaught.
She protected Collingwood, not George Admaston. Doubtless her action showed her knowledge of the stronger man, her wish to protect the weaker from his attack. But it was certainly most unfortunate.
"Go!" she cried. "Please go!" And then, turning rapidly to Lord Ellerdine, "Dicky, take Alice away." ”

“ Lots of people—and these the most fortunate—have never had occasion to visit a law court. It was so with Colonel Adams. This was the first time he had ever entered the great building at the junction of Fleet Street and the Strand, and he gazed round him with great interest.
He saw many faces that he knew. Immediately around him were the privileged of society sitting behind the solicitors; Admaston, Roderick Collingwood, the maid Pauline, and Lord Ellerdine. ”

“ I can't stand it. I am not moral—don't know the first thing about it—never met anybody who did. Man is not moral; environment makes it impossible. You're not moral, Dicky, although you may think you are. And as for society, it is absolutely unmoral."
"I say! I say! I say! Listen to our future Home Secretary!" said Lord Ellerdine.
"No fear," Collingwood answered. "I leave that field to Admaston and the other cackling crew of humbugs."
Lady Attwill laughed amusedly, and Ellerdine was about to say something else, when the door opened and Peggy entered. ”

“ We ought all to be out in the air. We'll grow mouldy in here—plotting. Alice, I'll put on my hat. Colling, you must invent another tale to satisfy Dicky's scruples. Think it over."
She tore out of the room into her own and shut the door with a rather vicious slam.
"Well, I'm jiggered!" Lord Ellerdine said.
Lady Attwill nodded with a slight tightening of the lips. "I told you she was upset," she answered.
Collingwood rose from the table and went towards his own room.
"Well, Dicky," he said, "I have done the best I can to satisfy you. I'll get my hat and take Peggy for a walk and talk it over." ”

“ At the far end of the drawing-room—not the end where the curtained windows led out on to the terrace lounge—there was a tall screen of carved teakwood from Benares. Behind it upon a little table stood a telephone. The Admastons—husband and wife—had always made a great point of using the telephone. Peggy herself, with her impulsive moods, found it most convenient, and insisted upon having one in any room that she habitually used. ”