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'But whatever made you do it, dearest?'
These words were addressed to Annie Emery on the glorious summer
evening which closed that glorious summer day, and they were
addressed to her by no other person than Powell Liversage. The
pair were in the garden of the house in Trafalgar Road occupied by
Mr Liversage and his mother, and they looked westwards over the
distant ridge of Hillport, where the moon was setting.
'Whatever made me do it!' repeated Annie, and the twinkle in her
eye had that charming cruelty which John had missed. 'Did they not
deserve it? Of course, I can talk to you now with perfect freedom,
can't I? Well, what do you THINK of it? Here for ten years neither
one nor the other does more than recognize me in the street, and
then all of a sudden they come down on me like that--simply
because there's a question of money. I couldn't have believed men
could be so stupid--no, I really couldn't! They're friends of
yours, Powell, I know, but--however, that's no matter. But it was
too ridiculously easy to lead them on! They'd swallow any
flattery. I just did it to see what they'd do, and I think I
arranged it pretty well. I quite expected they would call about
the same time, and then shouldn't I have given them my mind!
Unfortunately they met outside, and got very hot--I saw them from
the bedroom window--and went away.'
'You mustn't forget, my dear girl,' said Liversage, 'that it was
you they quarrelled about. I don't want to defend 'em for a
minute, but it wasn't altogether the money that sent them to you;
it was more that the money gave them an excuse for coming!'
'It was a very bad excuse, then!' said Annie.
'Agreed!' Liversage murmured.
The moon was extremely lovely and romantic against the distant
spire of Hillport Church, and its effect on the couple was just
what might have been anticipated.
'Perhaps I'm sorry,' Annie admitted at length, with a charming
grimace.
'Oh! I don't think there's anything to be SORRY about,' said
Liversage. 'But of course they'll think I've had a hand in it. You
see, I've never breathed a word to them about--about my feelings
towards you.'
'No?'
'No. It would have been rather a delicate subject, you see, with
them. And I'm sure they'll be staggered when they know that we got
engaged last night. They'll certainly say I've--er--been after
you for the--No, they won't. They're decent chaps, really; very
decent.'
'Anyhow, you may be sure, dear,' said Annie stiffly, 'that _I_
shan't rob them of their vile money! Nothing would induce me to
touch it!'
'Of course not, dearest!' said Liversage--or, rather the finer
part of him said it; the baser part somewhat regretted that vile
twelve thousand or so. (I must be truthful.)
He took her hand again.
At the same moment old Mrs Liversage came hastening down the
garden, and Liversage dropped the hand.
'Powell,' she said. 'Here's John Hessian, and he wants to see
you!'
'The dickens!' exclaimed Liversage, glancing at Annie.
'I must go,' said Annie. 'I shall go by the fields. Good night,
dear Mrs Liversage.'
'Wait ten seconds,' Liversage pleaded, 'and I'll be with you.' And
he ran off.
John, haggard and undone, was awaiting him in the drawing-room.
'Pow,' said he, 'I've had a fearful row with Bob, and I can't
possibly sleep in our house tonight. Don't talk to me. But let me
have one of the beds in your spare room, will you? There's a good
chap.'
'Why, of course, Johnnie,' said Liversage. 'Of course.'
'And I'll go right to bed now,' said John.
An hour later, after Powell Liversage had seen his affianced to
her abode and returned home, and after his mother had gone to bed,
there was a knock at the front door, and Liversage opened to
Robert Hessian.
'Look here, Pow,' said Robert, whose condition was deplorable, 'I
want to sleep here tonight. Do you mind? Fact is, I've had a devil
of a shindy with Jack, and Maggie's run off, and, anyhow, I
couldn't possibly stop in the same house with Jack tonight.'
'But what--?'
'See here,' said Robert. 'I can't talk. Just let me have a bed in
your spare room. I'm sure you mother won't mind.'
'Why, certainly,' said Liversage.
He lit a candle, escorted Robert upstairs, opened the door of the
spare room, gave the candle to Robert, pushed him in, said 'Good
night,' and shut the door.
What a night!
Read next: PART IV - THE NINETEENTH HAT: CHAPTER I
Read previous: PART III - THE SILENT BROTHERS: CHAPTER III
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