Miss Hartley, feeling that some comment was expected, said, "Indeed!"
"You have lived here all your life, I suppose?" said the persevering Robert.
"Practically," said Miss Hartley.
Mr. Vyner stole a look at her as she sat sideways by the window. Conscience and his visitor's manner told him that he ought to go for her father; personal inclination told him that there was no hurry. For the first time in his experience the office became most desirable place in the world. He wanted to sit still and look at her, and for some time, despite her restlessness, obeyed his inclinations. She turned at last to ask for her father, and in the fraction of a second he was immersed in a bundle of papers. Knitted brows and pursed lips testified to his absorption. He seized a pen and made an endorsement; looked at it with his head on one side and struck it out again.
"My father?" said Miss Hartley, in a small but determined voice.
Mr. Vyner gazed at her in a preoccupied fashion. Suddenly his face changed.
"Good gracious! yes," he said, springing up and going to the door. "How stupid of me!"
He stepped into the corridor and stood reflecting. In some circumstances he could be business-like enough. After reflecting for three minutes he came back into the room.
"He will be in soon," he said, resuming his seat. Inwardly he resolved to go and fetch him later onwhen the conversation flagged, for instance. Meantime he took up his papers and shook his head over them.
"I wish I had got your father's head for business," he said, ruefully.
Miss Hartley turned on him a face from which all primness had vanished. The corners of her mouth broke and her eyes grew soft. She smiled at Mr. Vyner, and Mr. Vyner, pluming himself upon his address, smiled back.
"If I knew half as much as he does," he continued, "I'dI'd"
Miss Hartley waited, her eyes bright with expectation.
"I'd," repeated Mr. Vyner, who had rashly embarked on a sentence before he had seen the end of it, "have a jolly easy time of it," he concluded, breathlessly.
Miss Hartley surveyed him in pained surprise. "I thought my father worked very hard," she said, with a little reproach in her voice.
"So he does," said the young man, hastily, "but he wouldn't if he only had my work to do; that's what I meant. As far as he is concerned he works far too hard. He sets an example that is a trouble to all of us except the office-boy. Do you know Bassett?"
Miss Hartley smiled. "My father tells me he is a very good boy," she said.
"A treasure!" said Robert. "'Good' doesn't describe Bassett. He is the sort of boy who would get off a 'bus after paying his fare to kick a piece of orange peel off the pavement. He has been nourished on copy-book headings and 'Sanford and Merton.' Ever read 'Sanford and Merton'?"
"II tried to once," said Joan.
"There was no 'trying' with Bassett," said Mr. Vyner, rather severely. "He took to it as a duck takes to water. By modelling his life on its teaching he won a silver medal for never missing an attendance at school."
"Father has seen it," said Joan, with a smile.
"Even the measles failed to stop him," continued Robert. "Day by day, a little more flushed than usual, perhaps, he sat in his accustomed place until the whole school was down with it and had to be closed in consequence. Then, and not till then, did Bassett feel that he had saved the situation."
"I don't suppose he knew it, poor boy," said Joan.
"Anyway, he got the medal," said Robert, "and he has a row of prizes for good conduct. I never had one; not even a little one. I suppose you had a lot?"
Miss Hartley maintained a discreet silence.
"Nobody ever seemed to notice my good conduct," continued Mr. Vyner, still bent on making conversation. "They always seemed to notice the other kind fast enough; but the 'good' seemed to escape them."
He sighed faintly, and glancing at the girl, who was looking out of the window again, took up his pen and signed his blotting-paper.
"I suppose you know the view from that window pretty well?" he said, putting the paper aside with great care.
"Ever since I was a small girl," said Joan, looking round. "I used to come here sometimes and wait for father. Not so much lately; and now, of course"
Mr. Vyner looked uncomfortable. "I hope you will come to this room whenever you want to see him," he said, earnestly. "Hehe seemed to prefer being in the general office."
Miss Hartley busied herself with the window again. "Seemed to prefer," she said, impatiently, under her breath. "Yes."
There was a long silence, which Mr. Vyner, gazing in mute consternation at the vision of indignant prettiness by the window, felt quite unable to break. He felt that the time had at last arrived at which he might safely fetch Mr. Hartley without any self-upbraidings later on, and was just about to rise when the faint tap at the door by which Bassett always justified his entrance stopped him, and Bassett entered the room with some cheques for signature. Despite his habits, the youth started slightly as he saw the visitor, and then, placing the cheques before Mr. Vyner, stood patiently by the table while he signed them.
"That will do," said the latter, as he finished. "Thank you."
"Thank you, sir," said Bassett. He gave a slow glance at the window, and, arranging the cheques neatly, turned toward the door.
"Will Mr. Hartley be long?" inquired Joan, turning round.
"Mr. Hartley, miss?" said Bassett, pausing, with his hand on the knob. "Mr. Hartley left half an hour ago."
Mr. Vyner, who felt the eyes of Miss Hartley fixed upon him, resisted by a supreme effort the impulse to look at her in return.
"Bassett!" he said, sharply.
"Sir?" said the other.. "Didn't you," said Mr. Vyner, with a fine and growing note of indignation in his voice"didn't you tell Mr. Hartley that Miss Hartley was here waiting for him?"
"No, sir," said Bassett, gazing at certain mysterious workings of the junior partner's face with undisguised amazement. "I"
"Do you mean to tell me," demanded Mr. Vyner, looking at him with great significance, "that you forgot?"
"No, sir," said Bassett; "I didn't"
"That will do," broke in Mr. Vyner, imperiously. "That will do. You can go."
"But," said the amazed youth, "how could I tell"
"Thatwilldo," said Mr. Vyner, very distinctly.
"I don't want any excuses. You can go at once. And the next time you are told to deliver a message, please don't forget. Now go."
With a fine show of indignation he thrust the gasping Bassett from the room.
He rose from his chair and, with a fine show of indignation, thrust the gasping Bassett from the room, and then turned to face the girl.
"I am so sorry," he began. "That stupid boyyou see how stupid he is"
"It doesn't matter, thank you," said Joan. "Itit wasn't very important."
"He doesn't usually forget things," murmured Mr. Vyner. "I wish now," he added, truthfully, "that I had told Mr. Hartley myself."
He held the door open for her, and, still expressing his regret, accompanied her down-stairs to the door. Miss Hartley, somewhat embarrassed, and a prey to suspicions which maidenly modesty forbade her to voice, listened in silence.
"Next time you come," said Mr. Vyner, pausing just outside the door, "I hope"
Something dropped between them, and fell with a little tinkling crash on to the pavement. Mr. Vyner stooped, and, picking up a pair of clumsily fashioned spectacles, looked swiftly up at the office window.
"Bassett," he said, involuntarily.
He stood looking at the girl, and trying in vain to think of something to say. Miss Hartley, with somewhat more colour than usual, gave him a little bow and hurried off.
CHAPTER V
SMILING despite herself as she thought over the events of the afternoon, Joan Hartley walked thoughtfully homeward. Indignation at Mr. Vyner's presumption was mingled with regret that a young man of undeniably good looks and somewhat engaging manners should stoop to deceit. The fact that people are considered innocent until proved guilty did not concern her. With scarcely any hesitation she summed up against him, the only thing that troubled her being what sentence to inflict, and how to inflict it. She wondered what excuse he could make for such behaviour, and then blushed hotly as she thought of the one he would probably advance. Confused at her own thoughts, she quickened her pace, in happy ignorance of the fact that fifty yards behind her Captain Trimblett and her father, who had witnessed with great surprise her leave-taking of Mr. Vyner, were regulating their pace by hers.
"She's a fine girl," said the captain, after a silence that had endured long enough to be almost embarrassing. "A fine girl, but"
He broke off, and completed his sentence by a shake of the head.
"She must have come for me," said Hartley, "and he happened to be standing there and told her I had gone."
"No doubt," said the captain, dryly. "That's why she went scurrying off as though she had got a train to catch, and he stood there all that time looking after her. And, besides, every time he sees me, in some odd fashion your name crops up."
"My name?" said the other, in surprise.
"Your name," repeated the captain, firmly, "Same as Joan's, ain't it? The after-part of it, anyway. That's the attraction. Talk all round youand I talk all round you, too. Nobody'd dream you'd got a daughter to hear the two of us talksometimes. Other times, if I bring her name in, they'd think you'd got nothing else."
Mr. Hartley glanced at him uneasily. "Perhaps" he began.
"There's no 'perhaps' about it," said the masterful captain. "If you're not very careful there'll be trouble. You know what Mr. John ishe's got big ideas, and the youngster is as obstinate as a mule."
"It's all very well," said Hartley, "but how can I be careful? What can I do? Besides, I dare say you are making mountains of mole-heaps; she probably hurried off thinking to catch me up."
Captain Trimblett gave a little dry cough. "Ask her," he said, impressively.
"I'm not going to put any such ideas into her head," said his friend.
"Sound her, then," said the captain. "This is the way I look at it. We all think he is a very nice fellow, don't we?"
"He is," said Hartley, decidedly.
"And we all think she's a splendid girl, don't we?" continued the other.
"Something of the sort," said Hartley, smiling.
"There you are, then," said the captain, triumphantly. "What is more likely than that they should think the same of each other? Besides, I know what he thinks; I can read him like a book."
"You can't read Joan, though," said the other. "Why, she often puzzles me."
"I can try," said the captain. "I haven't known her all these years for nothing. Now, don't tell her we saw her. You leave her to meand listen."
"Better leave her alone," said Hartley.
The captain, who was deep in thought, waved the suggestion aside. He walked the remainder of the way in silence, and even after they were in the house was so absorbed in his self-appointed task, and so vague in his replies, that Joan, after offering him the proverbial penny for his thoughts, suggested to her father in a loud whisper that he had got something in mind.
"Thinking of the ships he has lost," she said, in a still louder whisper.
The captain smiled and shook his head at her.
"Couldn't lose a ship if I tried," he said, nudging Hartley to call his attention to what was to follow. "I was saying so to Mr. Robert only yesterday!"
His voice was so deliberate, and his manner so significant, that Miss Hartley looked up in surprise. Then she coloured furiously as she saw both gentlemen eying her with the air of physicians on the lookout for unfavourable symptoms. Anger only deepened her colour, and an unladylike and unfilial yearning to bang their two foolish heads together possessed her. Explanations were impossible, and despite her annoyance she almost smiled as she saw the concern in the eye the captain turned on her father.
"Saying so only yesterday," repeated the former, "to Mr. Robert."
"I saw him this afternoon," said Joan, with forced composure. "I went up to father's room and found him there. Why didn't you tell me you had given up your room, father?"
Mr. Hartley pleaded in excuse that he thought he had told her, and was surprised at the vehemence of her denial. With a slightly offended air he pointed out that it was a very small matter after all.
"There is nothing to be annoyed about," he said.
"You went there to see me, and, not finding me there, came down again."
"Ye-es," said Joan, thoughtfully.
"Just put her head in at the door and fled," explained the captain, still watching her closely.
Miss Hartley appeared not to have heard him.
"Came down three stairs at a time," he continued, with a poor attempt at a chuckle.
"I was there about half an hour waiting for father," said Joan, eying him very steadily. "I thought that he was in the other office. Is there anything else I can tell you?"
The captain collapsed suddenly, and, turning a red face upon Hartley, appealed to him mutely for succour.
"Me?" he spluttered, feebly. "II don't want to know anything. Your father thought"
"I didn't think anything," said Hartley, with some haste.
The captain eyed him reproachfully. "I thought your father thought" he began, and, drawing out a large handkerchief, blew his nose violently.
"Yes?" said Joan, still very erect.
"That is all," said the captain, with an air of dignity.
He brushed some imaginary atoms from his beard, and, finding the girl's gaze still somewhat embarrassing, sought to relieve the tension.
"I've known you since you were five," he said, with inconsequent pathos.
"I know," said Joan, smiling, and putting her hand on his broad shoulder. "You're a dear old stupid; that is all."
"Always was," said the relieved captain, "from a child."
He began, with a cheerful countenance, to narrate anecdotes of his stupidity until, being interrupted by Hartley with one or two choice examples that he had forgotten, he rose and muttered something about seeing the garden. His progress was stayed by a knock at the front door and an intimation from Rosa that he was wanted.
"My bo'sun," he said, reentering the room with a letter. "Excuse me."
He broke the seal, and turned to Hartley with a short laugh. "Peter Truefitt," he said, "wants me to meet him at nine o'clock and go home together, pretending that he has been here with me. Peter is improving."
"But he can't go on like this forever," said his scandalized friend.
"He's all right," said the captain, with a satisfied wink. "I'm looking after him. I'm stage-manager. I'll see"
His voice faltered, and then died away as he caught Miss Hartley's eye and noticed the air of artless astonishment with which she was regarding him.
"Always was from a child," she quoted.
The captain ignored her.
"I'll just give Walters a note," he said, turning to Hartley with some dignity. "You don't mind his waiting?"
He turned to a small writing-table, and with an air of preoccupation, assumed for Miss Hartley's benefit, began to try a pen on his thumb-nail. Hartley, going to the door, sent the boatswain off to the kitchen for a glass of ale.
"Or perhaps you prefer tea?" he added, thoughtfully.
"Ale will do, sir," said Mr. Walters, humbly.