It was rather a curious circumstance, that on the occasion of Lorraine's dinner-party, Alymer Hermon was the first to notice an indefinable change in Hal. To the others she was only gayer than usual, more sparkling, better-looking.
From the Zoological Gardens Sir Edwin had taken her home in a taxi, and after being a delightful companion all the afternoon, had said good-bye in just the friendly, pal y spirit that Hal wished, without exhibiting any alarming symptoms whatever to disturb her peace of mind. He had indeed been at his very best; far nicer than ever before; and together they had thoroughly enjoyed their intercourse, through iron bars, with the animals they both loved.
Moreover, his knowledge on most subjects did not exclude zoology, and he was able to tel her numberless little details of the ways and habits of beasts that Hal rejoiced to hear, because she loved all four-footed things.
And then there had been the pleasant consciousness of a new winter costume, that was not only very up-to-date, but remarkable becoming; and Hal was true woman enough to enjoy the knowledge that she looked her best. Neither was it in any degree a mediocre "best"; and even Sir Edwin was a little surprised to find himself with a companion who attracted nearly as many admiring glances as various lady friends who were recognised beauties.
Her slim, graceful figure was singularly perfect, and, als he observed with fresh pleasure each time they met, she walked with a natural elegance and grace that were a delight to the eye. And happiness gave a faint pink flush to her cheeks and a light to her eyes, that somehow seemed to radiate gaiety; and her intense power of enjoyment communicated itself to others in a way that was whol y delifhtful.
So they spent a gay afternoon, which cemented the former acquaintanceship into a firmer bond of friendship, and because of it he vowed within himself he would play fair with her, and make no more advances he was not prepared to follow up in an honourable spirit.
For Hal, it was enough that the past mistake seemed genuinely regretted and wiped out, and that al his manner to her now held deference and respect. And she was intensely glad - almost alarmingly glad, if she had stopped to consider; only that would have cast a shadow on the sunshine; and she preferred to take the sunshine while it offered, and leave the future to take care of itself.
And in the meantime there was Lorraine's dinner-party, instead of a lonely evening, and once more she dressed herself with care and skil ; and later stood up straight and slim in Lorraine's pretty drawing-room, radiating happiness, and surprising even old friends with her goodlooks.
Alymer Hermon remarked it first. He was standing beside her on the hearth, and he looked down from his great height with laughing, quizzical eyes and said:
"You're looking astonishingly pretty to-night. Have you been consulting a beauty specialist?"
Dick Bruce and Quin laughed delightedly.
"Why, of course!" cried Dick, digging his hands deep into his pockets, and giving himself a little gleeful shake, "I've been puzzling my head to grasp what it was. I'd forgotten all about the beauty specialists.
It must have cost an awful lot, Hal."
"It did," she told them; "but you've no idea how clever they are. They can renovate the most hopeless faces. I'm sure you'd al find it worth while running to the expense."
"Now, come Hal," objected Quin laughingly. "We can't have the ornament of our flat insulted like that. The rising barrister needs no beauty specialist, you must admit."
Hal looked up at the giant with twitching lips.
"I was going to suggest a brain specialist for him. It won't be much use getting lots of briefs because he looks nice in his wig and gown if he hasn't the brains to win his cases."
Hermon caught her by the shoulders to shake her, and at that moment Lord Denton quietly entered the room.
Lorraine had met him in the hal , while hastening across for something she had forgotten, and told him to go in, so that he entered unannounced, and saw the group before they knew of his presence.
Especial y he seemed to see the two on the hearthrug. Hal, with her shining eyes, rising coulour, and laughing lips, and Hermon with a sort of answering glow in his face, boyishly gripping her shoulders as if to shake her. He stood and looked at them a moment without speaking, then Hal espied him, and thinking he had that instant entered, exclaimed:
"Help!... Help!... Lord Denton, I am caught in the clutches of Leviathan."
He came forward smil ingly.
"Leviathan does not look as if he meant to eat you; and even if he did, I don't believe my courage would run to closing with six-foot-five-and-a-half."
"Awful, isn't it?" she said, releasing herself and giving him her hand.
"He is like those lanky pieces of corn which are al stalk and no head. Have you seen him before?"
"Once," offering his hand to Hermon. "Delighted to see you again. I hear you've made a hit already. My cousin tells me his friend is charmed with your way of grappling with her case."
"Did you take her by the shoulders?" asked Hal wickedly, rubbing her own.
"No,' Lord Denton told her. "He was very grave indeed. You must give him his due, Miss Pritchard. You've seen him grave yourself, haven't you now?"
"Yes; and he looked like a boiled owl. On the whole, I prefer him imbecile."
Alymer turned on her threateningly, but she slipped behind the other two, saying:
"Have you met these also, Lord Denton. Mr. St. Quintin, of Shoreditch, and my cousin, Dick Bruce, poet, novelist, and mother's help."
Denton shook hands with them genially, and then Lorraine came back, and they al followed her to the dining-room.
The repast was a very gay one. Every one was in the best of spirits, and, which is more important still, al were in attune, and there was no dissentient note. Hal was perhaps the gayest, and Lord Denton found himself watching her almost if he were seeing her for the first time.
She seemed to him to have developed amazingly in the few months since he last met her, but he supposed girls of her age often developed quickly.
Yet even then it seemed a little strange that the merry, rather crude young typist, as he had regarded her before, should so easily appear a sparkling, distinguished guest. He could not help a little mental comparision with Lorraine, not in any way to the latter's detriment, but with a vague thought at the back of his mind concerning her and Hermon.
Lorraine would always be beautiful: her whole face and form were model ed on lines that would stand the ravages of many years; and for him she would ever be one of the dearest of women; but could she match Hal's young, vigorous, independence, that was very likely to prove more attractive than a generously given devotion?
Men, like women, are drawn to an indifference that piques them; and he, man of the world that he was, foresaw a strong irresistible attraction about Hal's spirited independence.
But, on the other hand, Lorraine was intensely sympathetic and understanding, as wel as beautiful; and it seemed strange indeed if any man she chose to enslave could resist her.
He watched Hermon bend his fair head down to her dark one, with an affectionate, protective air, that was very becoming to him; and observed that with Hal it was al sparring, and told himself Lorraine had nothing to fear.
They toasted Hermon on his brief, and on the laurel wreath Dick announced he already perceived sprouting on his manly brow. Hal said it was only a daisy chain, or the halo of a cherubim; and the laurels were rightly sprouting on Dick's brow as a novelist.
Hermon returned thanks in a witty, clever little speech, during which Lorraine seemed scarcely able to take her eyes from his face, and Lord Denton recognised more fully the extraordinary attraction such a man must wield, whether by intention or quite unconsciously.
He pictured him towering a head and shoulders above nearly every one around at the law courts, with his clear-cut, fine face, looking yet more striking in the severe setting of a wig and gown; and he knew that Lorraine had made no mistake when she said he only wanted impetus and a chance to make a name for himself. If he could rap out a dainty little speech like this at a moment's notice, wearing just that air of unpretentious, boyish humour, his path ought undoubtedly to be a path of roses, petted by women, admired and appreciated by men.
"In conclusion," he was saying, "may I suggest a toast to Miss Pritchard? I am sure you wil all join me in offering her our warmest congratulations upon her sudden and unlooked-for promotion, from a somewhat nondescript young person to a bril iant and beautiful society bel e."
"Speech! speech!" cried Dick and Quin to her gleefully, noisely rattling their glasses, and Hal got to her feet.
"Ladies and gentleman and Baby Alymer Hermon," she began. "You must allow me to acknowledge your kind toast by congratulating you all, in return, upon the sudden and swift development of you powers of vision and perspicacity: equal ed only, I may say, by your extraordinary dulness in not having observed long ago those traits for which you are pleased, at this late hour, to offer me your congratulations. Before I sit down I should like to suggest we all drink the healths of the celebrated actress who is our hostess, of a bishop in the making -"
signifying Quin; "a great novelist in the brewing, and a gentleman justly celebrated for the eloquence and ease with which he does nothing at al " - and she bowed to Lord Denton.
"Capital!" he exclaimed. "I am evidently dining in very distinguished company to-night"; a little later, turning to Dick, he added: "How soon, may I ask, wil this great novel be procurable by the general public?"
Before Dick could reply, Hal intercepted gaily:
"Well, I think the carrots and turnips have fallen out as to which takes precedence at a dinner-party: isn't that so, Dick? And until the difficult question is settled, progress halts."
"Something of the kind," agreed Dick promptly; "and there is also discord among the vegetable marrows and pumpkins on a similar question; but when the Baby Brigade has settled the views of the Trade Unions, and reversed the Osborne Judgment, we shal be able to proceed smoothly."
"It sounds a very extraordinary type of novel," said Lorraine.
"It is. I wanted, if possible, to write something even more imbecile than has ever yet been written. I have not the patience for great length; nor the wit for brilliant satire; nor the imagination for te popular, spicy, impossible, ill-flavoured romance; so I have chosen the other line, adopted by the great majority, and aim at purposeless, pointless imbecility."
"And is Hal the model for your heroine?" asked Hermon.
When Hal's indignation and epithets had subsided, Quin remarked that he supposed the book fairly bristled with mothers, and with paragraphs of good advice to them.
"Well, yes," Dick admitted. "There are certainly a good many mothers -
far more mothers than wives, in fact."
"Oh, naughty!" put in Lord Denton.
"Not at al . It has to do with a theory. It is to bring out the common sense of vegetables compared to humans. Humans condemn millions of women, specially born for motherhood, to purposeless, joyless spinsterhood, all on account of a prejudice. No green, brainless, commonplace vegetable would be guilty of such unutterable fol y as that."
"Don't be too sweeping," quoth Quin. "In the East End women are still mothers from choice; and given decent, healthy conditions, they would proudly raise an army to protect their country from her threatening foes. It is not their fault that 50 per cent of their offspring are sickly, anaemic little weeds."
"It sounds as if your book has a serious side in spite of its imbecility?" suggested Lorraine.
"Imbecility and madness are usual y ful of seriousness," Dick told her
- "far more so than commonplace rationalism."
"And do you want to revolutionise society?"
"Oh dear no; what an alarming idea!"
"Then what do you want?" - they asked him.
"I want to see al the superfluous unemployed spinsters busy, happy mothers, patriotically contributing to raise a splendid fighting-force, for one thing, which will certainly be regarded as an utterly imbecile idea by a magnificently rational world."
"And have you any theory about it?" asked Lord Denton.
"Nothing but the worn-out, commonplace, absurdly natural theories of the vegetable and animal kingdoms. My only chance is that, being so ancient, and so absurdly natural, the modern world may mistake them for something entirely new, and seize upon them with the fasionable avidity for novelties."
"Or they may lock you up," suggested Quin.
"In any case I'm afraid you'll be too late," Hal commented, with a half grave, half sarcastic air; "for before your theories can make any headway, England is likely to have given al her life-blood to systems, and restrictions, and cut-and-dried conventions, utterly regardless of her need for a strong protecting force to maintain her existence at all. Taken in the aggregate, she never has bothered much about the primary necessity for the best possible conditions for the mothers of the future."
"What a learned sentence, Hal," put in Lorraine, looking amused.
"Quite worthy of a militant suffragette."
"The announced suffragettes are not the only ones who care for England's future," she said. "I suppose I care a good deal because I'm in the newspaper world, and I know something of what she has to contend against in the way of petty party spirit and the self-aggrandising of some of her so-cal ed leaders, who haven't an ounce of true patriotism, and only want to shout something outrageous in a very loud voice, just to attract public attention."
"I think Bruce is right up to a certain point," remarked Lord Denton.
"We can hardly contemplate the reinstitution of polygamy, but it certainly ought to be the business of the State to see that every child born into the country is given the best possible conditions in which to become a good citizen and, if necessary, a good soldier."
"Isn't there a Poor Law for that express purpose?" asked Lorraine.
"Don't speak of it," commented Quin sadly. "Our Poor Law, like so many excellent institutions, is mostly run on a wrong basis. Huge sums of money are expended in procuring homes for homeless children, and the last thing that seems to be considered is the suitability of the home.
Applications are accepted in a perfunctory, business-like way by guardians and others - and perhaps an inspector takes a casual glance round; but the moral aspect of the whole matter, as to character and habits, is mostly left to chance. We, who are on the spot, often have to rescue children from the homes the State has provided for them."
"It is more supervision, then, that you want?" asked Lord Denton.
"It is a different sort of supervision altogether. It ought to be woman's work, not man's - women who are paid and encouraged and helped."
"But that might be defying some of the precious conventions," put in Hal with a touch of scorn - "making women too important, don't you know; and encouraging them to be something more than household ornaments. We can't have that, even for the sake of the future. It would be too alarming. No; England wil continue in her cast-iron rut of prejudice, until most of her soul-power is dried up, and only the husk of a great nation is left, to fol ow in the way of other husks."
"Then I wil go to the new, young, strong nation, and watch her splendid rise," quoth Dick.
"Traitor!" they threw at him, but he was quite imperturbed. "Strength and vigour are better than old traditions and an enfeebled race; and sombebody, somewhere on the globe, had got to listen to what I am bound to teach."
"You dear old Juggins," said Hal, "when England has passed her zenith, and gone under to the new, strong race, you will be found sitting meditating among cabbages and green peas, like Omar Khayyám in his rose garden. The rest of us will have died in the fighting-line - except Baby, and they will put him under a glass case, and preserve him as one of the few fine specimens left of a decadent race - in spite of his brainlessness."
"Are we a decadent race?" asked Lorraine thoughtful y.
"Only the House of Lords and a few leading Conservatives," said Lord Denton with flippancy. "The workingman who has the courage to refuse to work, and the Liberal members who have the grit to demand salaries for upsetting the Constitution, led by a few eminent Ministers who delight to remove their neighbour's landmark, and relieve his pocket, are the splendid fellows of the grand new opening era of prosperity and greatness."
"Stil ," put in Quin hopeful y, "it is very fashionable to go big-game shooting nowadays, and an African lion may yet chew up a few of them."
"Poor lion!" quoth Lorraine; "but what a fine finale for the king of beasts, to chew up the despoilers of kings. Shal we go to the drawing-room?" And she rose to lead the way.
A Bridge table was arranged in an alcove for Hal and three of the men, and Lorraine and Hermon sat over the fire for preference. They were far enough away from the players to be able to speak of them unheard, and Hermon, in the course of their conversation, mentioned that he saw something different in Hal to-night to what he had noticed before.
Lorraine thought she was only very lively, but Hermon looked doubtful.
He could not express what he seemed to see, but in some way her liveliness held a new note. He thought she had more tone and a new kind of assurance, and he tried to explain it to Lorraine.
"I expect she's had a jolly afternoon," was al Lorraine said, with a smile. "She has been to the Zoo with Sir Edwin Crathie."
"Has she?" significantly, and Hermon raised his eyebrows. "Are they still friends, then? I thought she only knew him slightly."
"Thas was at the beginning," and Lorraine glanced at him with the smile deepening in her eyes. "There always has to be a beginning - doesn't there?"
But no answering smile shone in Alymer Hermon's face, rather a slight shade of anxiety as he glanced across the room at Hal. "I should not like a sister of mine to have much to do with Sir Edwin Crathie," he said gravely.
"Perhaps not, you dear old Solemn-acre," giving his arm a gentle pat;
"but a sister of yours would not have learned early to battle with the world as Hal has."
"But surely if she is less protected than a sister of mine would have been, there is the greater cause for caution."
"There is no comparision. A sister of yours would always have known protection, and always rely on it, and if it failed her she might find herself in difficulties and dangers she hardly knew how to cope with.
Hal faced the difficulties and the dangers early, and learnt to be her own defence and protector. Some women have to, you see. It is necessary for them to wield weapons and armour out of their own strength, and be prepared to be buffeted by a heartless world, and not be afraid. If you had a sister, you would want to keep her in cotton-wool, and never let any rough, enlightening experience come near her. If I had a daughter, I should like her to have the enlightening experience early, and learn to be strong and self-dependent like Hal; then I shouldn't be afraid of her future."
She was silent a few moments, then added thoughtfully: "I think it would be better for society in general if the girls of the leisured classes knew more about the world, and were better able to take car of themselves; meaning, of course, with a pride like Hal's in going straight because it's the game."
Hermon's eyes again strayed to Hal's pretty head, with its glossy brown hair, and Lorraine continued after a pause:
"If I'm afraid of anything with Hal, it is that she might let herself get to care for some one who isn't worth her little finger, or some one who is out of her reach, or something generally impossible. She wouldn't care lightly; and she'd get dreadful y hurt."
"But surely she couldn't actually fall in love with a man like Edwin Crathie?" he remonstrated.
"I wasn't thinking of Sir Edwin specially. She goed about a great deal, you know, and meets many people. She has a strong vein of romance too. I always feel I shal be very glad when she is safely anchored, if only it is to the right man."
They were interrupted then by the Bridge players, who had finished their first rubber, and Lord Denton persuaded Hermon to change places with him for a time, and came to sit over the fire with Lorraine.
Presently he too mentioned Hal.
"She is the best woman Bridge player I have ever met," he said. "She seems to be developing into something rather out of the ordinary.
Hasn't she grown much better-looking?"
Lorraine smiled, a slow, sweet smile.
"Alymer Hermon has just been praising Hal too," she said; "I like to hear you men admire her; it shows you can appreciate sterling worth as wel - wel - shal we cal it daring impropriety?"
"You are a little severe."
"Am I? Wel , you see, I know a good many men pretty intimately; and I have gleaned from various confiding moments that it is not the working woman chiefly, relying only on her own protection, who strays into the murky byways and muddy corners of life. It is surprisingly often the direction of the idle, home-guarded, bored young lady. Flip, if it came to a choice, I believe I would put my money on the worker. It's such a splendid, healthy, steadying thing to have a real purpose and a real occupation; instead of just days and weeks of idle enjoyment. And as for temptations! Wel , they abound pretty fully in both cases; it isn't the amount of temptation likely to be encountered that matters, so much as the quality of the individual armour to meet it with."
"Stil , when it comes to being hungry and cold and having no money?" he argued.
"It doesn't make much difference in the long run, except that one hopes The Man Above wil surely find a wider forgiveness for the woman who was hungry and cold than for the woman who was just bored, but hadn't the grit to find an aim and purpose to renew and invigorate a purposeless life. Al the same, I'd like to see Hal safely anchored to a real good fel ow. Flip, if you could persuade her to try, she'd make you a splendid wife."
"And what in the world should I do with a splendid wife?" laughing frankly into her face - "what an appal ing possession! Lorry, old girl, I've got a splendid woman pal, and that's good enough for me. If I ever want a wife you shal have the privilege of finding me one: but it won't be until I am old and gouty, and then she had better be a hospital nurse, inured to irritability."
"You are quite hopeless," shaking her head at him, "but I don't particularly want to lose you as a friend, unless it is for Hal; so we'll say no more."
"Sensible woman! And now I must real y be off. I like your friends, Lorry. They're very fresh. And of course Hermon is tremendous. You haven't overdrawn him at al . Only to be careful. Remember the burnt child. A man like that ought to be made to wear a mask and hideous garments, for the protection of susceptible females."
"He would need to speak through a grating trumpet as well."
"Yes, I suppose he would. Even I can hear the attraction in his voice.
It will be splendid when he begins to feel his feet in the law courts.
We'll make a celebrity of him, shall we - just for the interest of it.
But it's to be only a hobby, Lorraine, no entanglements, mind" - and he laughed his low, pleasant laught.
"Very wel , cal it a hobby, or what you like - only keep him in mind now, Flip. I've got him into an ambitious spirit that means everything, if there is enough fuel at the beginning to keep it alight until it is a glowing pile quite capable of burning gaily alone."
"Right you are. I like him. You fan the flame, and I'll rake up the fuel. I'll speak to Hodson about him to-morrow. He's always ready to lend a hand to a promising junior."
When they had al gone, Lorraine lingered a few moments by her fireside.
"A hobby!" she breathed; "yes, why not? Man-making is almost equal to man-bearing. I have no son to spur up the Olympian heights; but what might I not do for Alymer, if... if - "
She placed her hands on the mantelshelf, and leaned her forehead down on them.
"Alymer," she whispered, a little brokenly, "I wonder if I ought to be ready to give you al , and ask nothing? Perhaps make you al the splendid man you might be, just for some one else, and get nothing myself but a heart-ache?"