And when she had gone I laughed aloud, and began to analyse the
situation.
George Harcourt has paid the gambling debt, therefore the fifty thousand
I gave Alathea cannot have been used for that. Some fresh worry is
perhaps upon the wretched family. The obvious thing for me to do is to
go and see the Duchesse, and yet I have some strange sort of wish that
it should be Alathea herself who tells me everything, and not that she
becomes aware, by inference, that I must know. I feel that our future
happiness depends upon her giving up all this stubborn pride. What is at
the back of her mind? I do not know. That resentment and dislike of me
has only become crystallized since the Suzette affair. I am sure she
thinks that Suzette is my mistress still, and this insults her, but she
reasons that with the bargain as it is, she has not the smallest right
to object. She is furious with herself to think that it should matter to
her. That is a thought! Why indeed should it matter if she is utterly
indifferent to me? Is it possible? Can it be that? No--I dare not think
of it, but, in any case it will be the most thrilling situation, once
she is my wife.
I believe it would be wisest for me not to go to the Duchesse's but
simply to write her a note telling her of my news, then anything she
may tell me will be gratuitous.
I had just finished doing this when once again a letter was brought in
from that lady, and this time it was to thank me for my cheque, and to
tell me that it had been the means of preventing a most disagreeable
scandal and bringing peace to a family!
Sardonic mirth overcame me. So three separate people seem to be under
the impression that they have paid this gambler's debts! Each apparently
unaware that there was anyone else in the running! It looks as if
"Bobby" had wolfed the lot! Does Alathea know, and is this the extra
cause of her worry?
I sent my note back by the Duchesse's messenger, who still waited, and
went to my luncheon.
In about an hour the telephone rang--a request from the Hotel de
Courville that I should repair there immediately without fail.
"Her Grace spoke herself," Burton said, "and said it was most important,
Sir Nicholas."
"Very well, order the carriage. By the way. Burton, did you congratulate
Miss Sharp?"
Burton coughed.
"I did make so bold, Sir Nicholas, as to tell the young lady how very
glad I was, but she took it queer like, she stiffened up and said it was
only a business arrangement, to be able to write your letters and do
your work without people talking about it. That seemed funny to me, so I
said nothing more."