第23章

LADY INGLEBY'S HOUSE PARTY

As Jane took her seat and the train moved out of the London terminus she leaned back in her corner with a sigh of satisfaction.Somehow these days in town had seemed insufferably long.Jane reviewed them thoughtfully, and sought the reason.They had been filled with interests and engagements; and the very fact of being in town, as a rule, contented her.Why had she felt so restless and dissatisfied and lonely?

From force of habit she had just stopped at the railway book-stall for her usual pile of literature.Her friends always said Jane could not go even the shortest journey without at least half a dozen papers.But now they lay unheeded on the seat in front of her.Jane was considering her Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and wondering why they had merely been weary stepping-stones to Friday.And here was Friday at last, and once in the train en route for Shenstone, she began to feel happy and exhilarated.What had been the matter with these three days? Flower had been charming; Deryck, his own friendly, interesting self; little Dicky, delightful; and Baby Blossom, as sweet as only Baby Blossom could be.What was amiss?

"I know," said Jane."Of course! Why did I not realise it before? Ihad too much music during those last days at Overdene; and SUCHmusic! I have been suffering from a surfeit of music, and the miss of it has given me this blank feeling of loneliness.No doubt we shall have plenty at Myra's, and Dal will be there to clamour for it if Myra fails to suggest it."With a happy little smile of pleasurable anticipation, Jane took up the SPECTATOR, and was soon absorbed in an article on the South African problem.

Myra met her at the station, driving ponies tandem.A light cart was also there for the maid and baggage; and, without losing a moment, Jane and her hostess were off along the country lane at a brisk trot.

The fields and woods were an exquisite restful green in the afternoon sunshine.Wild roses clustered in the hedges.The last loads of hay were being carted in.There was an ecstasy in the songs of the birds and a transporting sense of sweetness about all the sights and scents of the country, such as Jane had never experienced so vividly before.She drew a deep breath and exclaimed, almost involuntarily: "Ah! it is good to be here!""You dear!" said Lady Ingleby, twirling her whip and nodding in gracious response to respectful salutes from the hay-field."It is a comfort to have you! I always feel you are like the bass of a tune--something so solid and satisfactory and beneath one in case of a crisis.I hate crises.They are so tiring.As I say: Why can't things always go on as they are? They are as they were, and they were as they will be, if only people wouldn't bother.However, I am certain nothing could go far wrong when YOU are anywhere near."Myra flicked the leader, who was inclined to "sugar," and they flew along between the high hedges, brushing lightly against overhanging masses of honeysuckle and wild clematis.Jane snatched a spray of the clematis, in passing."'Traveller's joy,'" she said, with that same quiet smile of glad anticipation, and put the white blossom in her buttonhole.

"Well," continued Lady Ingleby, "my house party is going on quite satisfactorily.Oh, and, Jane, there seems no doubt about Dal.How pleased I shall be if it comes off under my wing! The American girl is simply exquisite, and so vivacious and charming.And Dal has quite given up being silly--not that _I_ ever thought him silly, but I know YOU did--and is very quiet and pensive; really were it any one but he, one would almost say 'dull.' And they roam about together in the most approved fashion.I try to get the aunt to make all her remarks to me.I am so afraid of her putting Dal off.He is so fastidious.I have promised Billy anything, up to the half of my kingdom, if he will sit at the feet of Mrs.Parker Bangs and listen to her wisdom, answer her questions, and keep her away from Dal.

Billy is being so abjectly devoted in his attentions to Mrs.Parker Bangs that I begin to have fears lest he intends asking me to kiss him; in which case I shall hand him over to you to chastise.You manage these boys so splendidly.I fully believe Dal will propose to Pauline Lister tonight.I can't imagine why he didn't last night.

There was a most perfect moon, and they went on the lake.What more COULD Dal want?--a lake, and a moon, and that lovely girl! Billy took Mrs.Parker Bangs in a double canoe and nearly upset her through laughing so much at the things she said about having to sit flat on the bottom.But he paddled her off to the opposite side of the lake from Dal and her niece, which was all we wanted.Mrs.

Parker Bangs asked me afterwards whether Billy is a widower.Now what do you suppose she meant by that?""I haven't the faintest idea," said Jane."But I am delighted to hear about Dal and Miss Lister.She is just the girl for him, and she will soon adapt herself to his ways and needs.Besides, Dal MUSThave flawless loveliness, and really he gets it there.""He does indeed," said Myra."You should have seen her last night, in white satin, with wild roses in her hair.I cannot imagine why Dal did not rave.But perhaps it is a good sign that he should take things more quietly.I suppose he is making up his mind.""No," said Jane."I believe he did that at Overdene.But it means a lot to him.He takes marriage very seriously.Whom have you at Shenstone?"Lady Ingleby told off a list of names.Jane knew them all.