The Chauffeur and the Chaperon Part 59

"You trusted me," said I, coldly, "with good reason, and it would be well if you did so again. Kindly state what, from your point of view, _did_ happen at Leeuwarden to bring this storm of unmerited abuse upon my head."

"I dare say it would be convenient to you to forget. I met you with Brederode at the Kermess. You seized me and prevented me from following him as I wished to do. Then, when he had got out of my way, you a.s.sured me that you'd find him. You said you were not with him on his boat, that you hadn't been together ten minutes----"

"Neither had we," said I. "That was perfectly true. And I'm not on his boat. As he told you, I'm on Miss Van Buren's. And if I didn't look you up to tell you where you could find Jonkheer Brederode, it was because I thought you would only lose your dignity by meeting him, and do Aunt Fay and yourself both more harm than good. I know for a certainty that Alb--that Brederode hasn't seen Aunt Fay since July anyhow. And why should I let you and your stupid suspicions make trouble between a very good fellow and--and--the girl he's in love with?"

This time I did not meet Alb's eyes. I was looking straight and with a n.o.ble defiance into Sir Alec's.

"You are very high and mighty," said he. "But I'm not to be fooled again by either of you. I've been chasing Brederode for weeks in that beastly motor-launch, and I'm about sick of the whole business. I've got him now, and you, too. And though you may both tell me till you're blue in the face that my wife hasn't been and isn't on this boat, I won't believe you till I've searched every hole and corner of it."

"Perhaps I had better go and ask Miss Van Buren whether she will kindly permit my uncle-in-law to make such an examination of her property," I said, with the ice of conscious rect.i.tude in my voice.

"Very well," returned Sir Alec. "Go and fetch her."

With head aloft, I stalked to the top of the steps which I defy any human being to descend with dignity.

What would happen between Sir Alec and Alb while I was gone, or what I should say when I got below, I knew not. I could only trust to luck. Was it going to turn out in vain, I asked myself, that all my life I have been called "lucky Starr"?

The canvas curtain at the door of the outer cabin, which protects the ladies from the heat of the motor-room, was unfurled and hanging at length. Standing behind it, I spoke Miss Van Buren's name.

All was silent on the other side. But, after a delay of a few seconds, Nell half pushed aside the heavy folds of canvas and looked out at me.

Her charming face was, for an instant, within twelve inches of mine. I drew back in resignation. With my own hand I had given her to another.

Whether or no she would eventually become his, I could not tell, but I felt that, after what I had done, she would never belong to me.

There was, however, very little time to think of that now. My business was pressing.

"Come outside in the pa.s.sage a minute," I said, in a low voice, still hearing no sound from the other side of the curtain. "I want to speak to you."

"Lady MacNairne----" she began.

I put my finger to my lips. "s.h.!.+" said I.

"Oh, did you know she was ill?" asked Nell.

I shook my head.

"She is, poor dear. She had the most sudden attack, just after we came down, and Phyllis and I haven't been able to leave her. She wouldn't let one of us go up to tell you."

"Wonderful little woman!" I could scarcely refrain from exclaiming. "Her cleverness--I mean her consideration--is extraordinary."

"It was her heart," explained Nell. "She's been lying down ever since, holding Phyllis's hand and mine. But she's better now, and I'm not sure she hasn't gone to sleep, for when I heard you call me, and tried to slip my hand out of hers, she didn't seem to notice."

"She wouldn't," I said--to myself. "Where's Tibe?" I asked aloud.

"She's using him for a footstool."

All accounted for and under control! Yes; thrice wonderful little woman.

"We couldn't see anything of the race after all," went on Nell. "Did we beat?"

"That's what I've come to talk to you about," I said, not knowing in the least what I was going to say next. "It turned out," I went on slowly, "that a man I--er--know, was on board the boat we were racing. We beat it, but we didn't beat him; for he's walked on board since we've been jammed by a couple of brutes on barges. Oh, no harm done--don't be worried. The man is--in fact--Sir Alec MacNairne."

"Oh, the nice man we met at Amsterdam, and again at Leeuwarden, when we--we--" She blushed at the recollection. "He's a distant relation of----"

"Hus.h.!.+ Please don't speak her name or his loud enough for either to hear," I whispered. "I can't explain all to you; but--will you trust me?"

"Why, of course," said my lost Angel.

"Sir Alec MacNairne thinks his wife is on board, and he's very angry with Brederode and me, because, you see, he and his wife have had a quarrel," I vaguely explained. "He's got everything mixed up; and because he's heard that a Lady MacNairne's on this boat, he's been chasing us, full of fury. He's silly enough to believe that Brederode's in love with his wife, and--I can't make you understand precisely why, without giving away a secret of my _aunt's_--that nonsense of his is likely to work _our_ Lady MacNairne a lot of harm."

"What a shame!" exclaimed sympathetic but puzzled Nell. "Can't anything be done about it?"

"Something has been done," said I. "That's what I want you to forgive me for, and--and help me to carry out, for Aunt Fay's sake. Poor Aunt Fay, who's suffering with her heart at this minute! What will she have to endure, if you don't stand by her!"

"I'll stand by her with all my might and main," said Nell. "What can I do?"

"I'm breaking it to you--by degrees. The first degree is, I told Sir Alec that Alb was--is--in love with you."

"Oh--how _could_ you?"

"It was fatally easy. And then I said you were engaged to him. That's the second degree; and the third and last is, that I beg and implore you to come on deck with me, and tell him it's true."

The girl had actually turned pale. "I can't possibly. Anything else--but not that," she said.

"It's the one thing to save my poor aunt. Miss Van Buren--Nell--I tell you frankly, if you won't do this, she--I'm afraid she won't much longer be Lady MacNairne."

"Good gracious! How awful!" stammered the girl.

"Tragic!" I agreed. "And for me--but I say nothing of my feelings. You know how devoted I am to my aunt. She'll be alone in the world--with Tibe--if you refuse to sacrifice yourself in this way for her."

Nell's face was now white and set. I felt a brute; but what was I to do?

For the sake of every one concerned, I couldn't have the L.C.P. exposed, or be exposed myself, and the trip broken up at the last, in contumely for all.

I hung on her lips.

"Where is Jonkheer Brederode?" she asked.

"He's on deck, too."

"And you expect me to say--before him--that----"

"He's said the same, already. Or, at least, he agreed while I said it."

"Oh! Well, I don't see how I'm to go through with it. But for Lady MacNairne's sake, I'll--do it. Come, let's get it over."

"Wait a minute," I urged, restraining her impatience. "I must explain a little more, first. After Sir Alec has talked with you, he'll want to come below to the cabins, and everywhere, searching for his wife; for he won't believe, till he's made sure with his own eyes, that she's not on board. If you're willing that he should, I am; but don't tell him that a person named Lady MacNairne's really with us, or I can't answer for the consequences."

"If he comes below, he'll see her."

"That doesn't matter, as they've never met; so long as he doesn't know her name."