The Dark House Part 29

"Yes, sir. Miss D'Enghien's in the drawing-room, sir. Had a bad headache, and didn't go."

"Why didn't you say that at first?" cried Artis; and he went up two stairs at a time, to find Katrine in the act of throwing herself into a chair, and looking flushed and hot.

"You here?" she said, wearily.

"My darling!" he cried. "If I had only known. At last!"

He threw himself at her feet, clasped her waist, and drew her half resisting towards him, while before a minute had elapsed, her arms were resting upon his shoulders, and her eyes were half closed in a dreamy ecstasy, as she yielded to the kisses that covered her face.

Suddenly, with a quick motion, she threw him off.

"Quick--some one," she whispered.

Her ears were sharper than his, and she had heard the dull rattle of the door handle.

"I don't know what to take," she said, in a weary voice; "I suppose it will not be better before morning."

"I have taken the brandy and soda into the library, sir," said Preenham.

"Would you like it brought up here?"

"To be sure," he cried. "The very thing for your headache. Bring it up, Preenham."

"You madman!" cried Katrine, angrily. "You take advantage of my weakness for you. Another moment, and we should have been discovered.

No, no; keep away."

"Miss is as good as a mile."

"You grow more reckless, every day. We must be careful."

"Careful! I'm sick of being careful."

"Hus.h.!.+"

The butler entered with a tray and the brandy and soda.

"Open it, sir?"

"Yes. Two. Now try that. Best thing in the world for a bad head."

The old butler withdrew as softly as he had come in, and Katrine took two or three sips from her gla.s.s, while Artis tossed his off, and then, setting it down, walked quickly to the door.

Katrine's eyes dilated, and, bending forward, she listened, and then sprang up and glided quickly across from the inner room to meet Artis half-way, and be clasped in his arms.

"What have you done?" she cried.

"Nothing."

"You have fastened the door."

"Nonsense."

"I say you have!"

"Well, suppose I have. What then?"

"You madman! Unfasten the door."

"Not I."

"I tell you that you are mad," she cried, trying to free herself.

"Gerard, dear Gerard, be reasonable."

She writhed herself free and ran and turned the bolt back. He followed to refasten it, but she held him.

"Think of the consequences of our being found locked in here."

"Bah! no one will come now till after eleven, and if they did I don't care. Look here," he cried, clasping her to his breast again, "suppose this Arabian Night sort of fortune were found, do you think I am blind?

You would marry this Capel."

"Well?"

"I won't have it," he cried.

"Why not?" she whispered, and her creamy arms clasped about his neck.

"We are so poor, Gerard, and we must have money to live."

"Yes, but at that cost," he cried, pa.s.sionately.

"Well, what then? Think! Over a million, which you should share.

Gerard--dearest--you will not be so foolish, when I am so near this gigantic prize. He is my complete slave. I can do with him just what I will."

"But--Kate--I believe you would--"

He did not achieve his sentence, but responded pa.s.sionately to her caresses till he felt her suddenly grow rigid in his arms, and then one arm was s.n.a.t.c.hed from his neck, and, with her hand, she struck him sharply across the face.

"How dare you!" she cried.

Gerard Artis let his hands fall to his side, and Katrine darted to a tall figure in evening dress standing just inside the door, and flung herself at his knees.

"Save me!" she half shrieked, "from the insults of this man."

Paul Capel drew himself aside, and Katrine fell prostrate on the thick carpet, as he gravely opened the door.

The girl sprang to her feet and darted out of the room, while Capel, after watching her for a moment or two, closed the door, turned the bolt, and then threw his crush hat upon a table, his black wrapper over a chair, and tore off his white gloves, changing the ivory-handled malacca cane from hand to hand as he did so.

"Home soon," said Artis, with a sneer, as he slowly walked to the little table, poured out some more brandy, and gulped it down.

"Yes," replied Capel, gravely. "Thank Heaven I did come home soon. I came to spend an hour alone with the woman I loved."