CHAPTER XXXII
KIT CLAIMS HIS REWARD
Dinner was over at Netherhall, and Kit thought the old servant who took his bag and coat gave him a queer look. The man said Mrs. Carson had not yet gone to the drawing-room and opened a door.
Kit’s boots were muddy, and now the light was good he saw he had not altogether brushed the calf-meal from his damp clothes. It did not look as if he were expected. Tyson’s remarks bothered him, and he half-consciously braced up.
“Mr. Christopher!” said the servant, and Kit advanced.
The hall was spacious and the ceiling high. Only two tall pillar lamps were lighted, and Kit imagined Mrs. Carson would soon go to the drawing-room. She occupied a chair by the fireplace, and the illumination touched the group about her. All were quiet, and Kit stopped.
He knew he ought not to stop; he hated to be theatrical, but he felt his arrival was dramatic, and for a moment he did not see his part. The people by the fire had obviously got something of a jolt—all, perhaps, but Mrs. Carson, for Kit did not think her surprised. Mrs. Haigh turned her head sharply, and Alan Carson’s face got red. Farther back, Kit saw Jasper on a big couch. His look was inscrutable, but somehow Kit thought him amused.
Then Alan crossed the floor. His embarrassment was marked, and Kit knew he had forgotten his wife was hostess and was jealous for her authority.
“I’m glad to see you back,” he said. “You can hardly have got my letter?”
“The last letter I got arrived some time ago and was about the accident at the forge,” Kit replied, and turned to Jasper. “I hope you are better, sir!”
“Thank you,” said Jasper with dry politeness. “We will talk about my injuries again. In the meantime, your arrival has excited some curiosity——”
“That is so,” Alan agreed. “Why did you not write to us, Kit?”
Kit went to the fireplace. Mrs. Carson waited, and he addressed her.
“I started rather suddenly and expected to arrive as soon as a letter. I telegraphed from Liverpool.”
“Then we did not get your message,” said Alan, and turned to Mrs. Carson. “Shall I ring for Stubs and inquire? The fellow is careless.”
Mrs. Carson stopped him, and giving Kit her hand, indicated a chair. She was polite and not at all embarrassed, and Kit imagined she knew something about the telegram. He, however, did not find out.
“At any rate, Kit wants some food, and I don’t know if a room is ready,” Alan went on. “Let me call Stubs.”
“Stubs knows his business,” Mrs. Carson rejoined. “I expect Kit would like to rest for a few minutes.”
Kit sat down. Alan’s fussy kindness was sincere, but Kit saw he was disturbed, and the others’ satisfaction certainly was not marked. Sometimes in Canada he had pictured his triumphant return.
“Please don’t bother,” he said. “You see, I got some food at Whinnyates.”
“At Whinnyates? But why did you go to the farm?” Mrs. Carson asked.
“A fellow driving a car picked me up on the road. I helped unload some cattle-meal, and Tyson gave me supper. When the rain went off I took the path across the fell,” Kit replied, and thought he had told the others all they ought to know.
“Kit’s clothes support his statement,” Jasper remarked. “His habit is to undertake humorous adventures. Well, I don’t see Harry carrying cattle-meal.”
Kit turned his head. Evelyn and Ledward crossed the floor, and Kit thought her startled. Ledward’s smile was rather forced.
“Hello, Kit! I don’t know if we expected you, but your coming across was kind.”
Evelyn gave Kit her hand. Her skin was cold and her color had vanished. When others were about one controlled one’s emotions, but it did not look as if Evelyn’s were joyous. She said nothing, and Mrs. Carson remarked:
“We don’t yet know why you have come back, Kit, and I admit some curiosity. Although Evelyn told us you expected to get promoted at the Manitoba bridge, you soon went away. I hope you have not given up another post!”
Kit knew Mrs. Carson’s antagonism, and he got a hint of rather cruel satisfaction. Mrs. Haigh’s look was hard, and Evelyn’s was strange, but as a rule, when Kit was perplexed he indulged his freakish humor, and his mouth curved in a crooked smile.
“Since you know my habits, I expect you hope I was not dismissed,” he said. “On the whole, however, I think my not staying at the bridge was the proper plan. I went to the workshops, and after a time the company undertook to build some locomotive tanks. The tanks are large, and the cheap construction’s awkward; but at a shipyard one learns something about the obstacles the engineers were up against. Well, I mustn’t bore you. The company approved my suggestions, and when I put up an experimental tank they ordered me to build the lot. Since we were forced to wait for the material, I took a holiday.”
Mrs. Carson’s surprise was frank, Mrs. Haigh’s look got thoughtful, and Jasper chuckled.
“You don’t boast, Kit! I know something about the undertaking. The opposition’s tanks leak, and if yours are tight I reckon your advance will be fast.”
“It’s possible, sir. All the same, the tanks are not yet built, and another time when I got an important job my luck was not very good.”
The others said nothing, and Kit thought their quietness ominous. Jasper had indicated that he had made good, and all knew the reward he was entitled to claim. After a moment or two, however, Mrs. Carson looked up.
“We hope you will be successful, Kit, and you no doubt deserve a holiday; but when you arrived we imagined you had got your uncle’s letter and had come for the wedding.”
“Whose wedding?” Kit asked sharply.
“Evelyn’s and mine,” said Ledward. “We are to be married very soon.”
Kit tried for control. Mrs. Haigh had cheated him, and he turned and faced her. Her mouth was crooked and her face was lined; he felt he saw her as she really was—unscrupulous, shabbily ambitious, and altogether mean. The strange thing was, he knew she pondered.
“Since all is fixed, there is not much use in talking; but perhaps I am entitled to inquire from Evelyn why she decided to turn me down,” he said in a level voice.
“After all, Evelyn did not promise to marry you.”
“That is so. The stipulation was, I must get a good post. Well, my post is pretty good and I expect promotion; but to see Evelyn for two or three minutes is all I ask.”
Mrs. Haigh signified agreement, and Mrs. Carson said, “The lamps are lighted in the drawing-room.”
Evelyn went to the drawing-room and stopped by the fireplace. Kit leaned against a table a yard or two off. He knitted his brows, but his mouth curved, and Evelyn sensed ironical humor. In fact, she thought him like his uncle.
“Well?” she said, with an effort for calm.
“I’m not going to bully you. I want to know how far Mrs. Haigh is accountable for your dropping me. No doubt she used some persuasion!”
“You believe she coerced me?”
“It’s possible. When others thought me a thief and you’d have been justified to let me go, you were splendidly stanch.”
“I was very rash,” Evelyn rejoined. “But suppose I admitted I agreed to marry Ledward because my mother urged?”
“Then I’d see you did not!” said Kit in a quiet voice. “Although I’m not rich, I can support a wife, and I begin to go ahead. Perhaps my argument’s not a lover’s argument, but it has some weight. If you’ll risk the plunge, I’ll carry you off.”
Evelyn was moved and humiliated. Kit was the reckless, impulsive lover she had thought. Yet she felt she must punish him for her shabbiness, and she laughed.
“It looks as if you knew mother, but did not know me! I’m not at all romantic and I weigh things. When you gave up your post at the shipyard I saw you did not think for me——”
“The shipyard people sent me off,” said Kit.
“I am not a fool,” Evelyn rejoined. “You might have stayed and allowed the thief to be found out; but so long as you felt you were very noble, you were satisfied to leave me alone. A girl hates to be left alone, Kit. She expects her lover to admire her, to help her get all she wants and make life joyous. Well, I admit I like to be where people are; I like fashionable clothes, and I hate poverty. You knew, and you ought to have made some effort to get rich; but when you went to Canada you once more indulged your romantic vein. You didn’t bother about my waiting at dreary Netherdale, pitied, rather contemptuously, by my relations.”
“It looks as if I was selfishly careless, but until about a week since I couldn’t meddle. I didn’t know I would build the tanks, and my pay was small. The strange thing was, you thought Harry would see you out! I imagine he’s not rich.”
Evelyn was highly strung, and Kit’s coolness broke her control. She saw she had not yet hurt him much.
“Jasper Carson was your friend and meant to help, but you antagonized him. Harry seized the chance you rather scornfully refused. He’s your uncle’s manager.”
“Now I see!” said Kit, with a crooked smile. “Your object was to marry my rich uncle’s favorite? Well, since Ledward has knocked me out, there’s nothing to be said; but to know his personal charm hadn’t much to do with it is some comfort.”
Evelyn turned and faced him. Her skin was very white and her look was strained.
“You have some charm, Kit. Perhaps the trouble is, I have not much pluck. After all, I’m sorry——” she said, and signed him to go.
Kit went, and his emotions were very mixed. At length he knew Evelyn, and yet he felt she was sorry; he had sensed a note of sincere regret. Well, her remarks were justified, and he certainly was a fool; she was not the girl her lover ought to leave alone. Then he clenched his fists and frowned. For Evelyn’s sake he had tried to conquer his love for Alison, and when he thought Mrs. Haigh bullied her he had meant to carry her off. His anger vanished; he saw his heroic plan was humorous, and all he felt was relief. Evelyn was her mother’s daughter, and she had given him his freedom.
When he got back to the hall Jasper gave him a smile.
“Then you are resigned, Kit? Since you like romantic exploits, I wondered whether you might not copy young Lochinvar’s.”
“The romantic days are gone, sir, and the bride was not willing,” Kit replied, and turned to Mrs. Carson. “I shall not be long in England, and for me to stay at Netherhall might be embarrassing. In the circumstances, I’ll go to the inn.”
“If you would sooner, Kit, I must agree.”
“Kit must stay here!” said Alan, and his eyes sparkled. “You have got a nasty knock, my boy, and I understand your feeling sore. In fact, I’ll risk stating that you have some cause to be annoyed. For all that, you’re my nephew and you are not going to the inn.”
“You are kind, sir, but I think you’re my only friend,” said Kit, and faced the others. “When I left the shipyard you were willing for me to steal off to Canada. I expect you really doubted my innocence, and you afterwards took it for granted I carelessly refused to use the chances I got. My remaining might be awkward, and I think you’ll be philosophical.”
“Come here, Kit!” said Jasper. “I want you and I cannot get up.”
Kit went to the couch. He felt he owed Jasper nothing and the old fellow had joined his antagonists. For all that, his weakness bothered him.
“You must be just, and your statement was not accurate,” Jasper resumed. “I, at all events, did not think you robbed the shipyard company.”
“If you felt I was not the sort to let down my employers, I’m flattered; but I imagine you had some other grounds——”
“Your keenness is remarkable! Your friend Blake and his wife looked me up. I rather think Mrs. Blake forced her husband to be frank. Anyhow, I know who did sell the plans.”
Kit glanced at the others. For Jasper to vindicate him was something of a triumph. Mrs. Carson’s pose was stiff, and she turned her head. Alan frankly exulted. Mrs. Haigh looked straight in front and her thin mouth was tight. Kit saw she was disturbed, but he turned to Jasper.
“Yet you said nothing! You allowed me to carry a hateful load.”
“To begin with, I did not know where you were,” said Jasper dryly. “I might have found out, but since you obviously did not want me to know, I hesitated to inquire. All the same, I informed Meredith and Colvin, and if you like you can go back to the yard. Well, I suppose you are angry. Perhaps my line was puzzling; but as a rule I have an object——”
Mrs. Haigh gave Jasper a queer look, and Kit thought she saw his object; but it was not important.
“I am not going back to the shipyard, sir. I have a better job!”
“Then before you start for Canada I want to see you. I am your uncle and the head of the house, and to meet me will not cost you much. Since getting about is awkward, perhaps you will allow me to fix the time and spot.”
Kit was savage, but the old fellow’s infirmity disarmed him. He agreed, and with an effort for politeness took his leave of Mrs. Carson, gave Alan his hand, and went off.