The veranda of which Miss Anderson's little sitting-room claimed its section hung over the road, and it seemed to her that she heard the sound of Mrs.Innes's arrival about ten minutes after breakfast.
On the contrary, she had spent two whole hours contemplating, with very fixed attention, first the domestic circumstances of Colonel Horace Innes and their possible development, and then, with a pang of profoundest acknowledgment, the moral qualities which he would bring to bear upon them.She was further from knowing what course she personally intended to pursue than ever, when she heard the wheels roll up underneath; and she had worked herself into a state of sufficient detachment from the whole problem to reflect upon the absurdity of a bigamist rattling forth to discuss her probable ruin in the fanciful gaiety of a rickshaw.The circumstances had its value though; it lightened all responsibility for the lady concerned.As Madeline heard her jump out and give pronounced orders for the securing of an accompanying dachshund, it did not seem to matter so particularly what became of Violet Prendergast.
Mrs.Innes's footsteps came briskly along the veranda.Madeline noted that there was no lagging.'Number seven,' she said aloud; as she passed other doors, 'Number eight--number nine! Ah! there you are.' The door was open.'I wouldn't let them bring up my card for fear of some mistake.How do you do? Now please don't get up--you look so comfortable with your book.What is it? Oh, yes, of course, THAT.People were talking about it a good deal when I left London, but I haven't read it.Is it good?'
'I like it,' said Madeline.She half rose as Mrs.Innes entered;but as the lady did not seem to miss the ceremony of greeting, she was glad to sink back in her chair.
'And how do you like Simla? Charming in many ways, isn't it? Alittle too flippant, I always say--rather TOO much champagne and silliness.But awfully bracing.'
'The Snows are magnificent,' Madeline said, 'when you can see them.
And there's a lot of good work done here.'
'Aren't they divine? I did nothing, absolutely nothing, my first season but paint them.And the shops--they're not bad, are they, for the size of the place? Though today, upon my soul, there doesn't seem to be a yard of white spotted veiling among them.'
'That is annoying,' said Madeline, 'if you want spotted veiling.'
'Isn't it? Well'--Mrs.Innes take a deep breath--'you DIDN'T tell him last night?'
'N--no,' said Madeline, with deliberation.
'I WAS grateful.I knew I could rely upon you not to.It would have been too cruel when we have only just been reunited--dear Horace would have had to sleep in the--'
'Pray--'
'Well, Horace is the soul of honour.Is your ayah in there?' Mrs.
Innes nodded towards the bedroom door.'You can not imagine what long ears she has.'
'I have no ayah.There is only Brookes;' and as that excellent woman passed through the room with a towel over her arm, Madeline said, 'You can go now, Brookes, and see about that alpaca.Take the rickshaw; it looks very threatening.'
'Maid! You ARE a swell! There are only four genuine maids in Simla that I know of--the rest are really nurse-girls.What a comfort she must be! THE luxury of all others that I long for; but alas! army pay, you know.I did once bring a dear thing out with me from Nice--you should have seen Horace's face.'
'I couldn't very well go about quite alone; it would be uncomfortable.'
'Except that you Americans are so perfectly independent.'
'On the contrary.If I could order about a servant the way an Englishwoman does--'
'Say you are not going to tell him! I've got such a lot of other calls to make,' exclaimed Mrs.Innes.'Dear Lady Bloomfield won't understand it if I don't call today, especially after the baby.
What people in that position want with more babies I can not comprehend.Of course you haven't noticed it, but a baby is such a shock to Simla.'
'Don't let me keep you,' Madeline said, rising.
'But you haven't promised.Do promise, Miss Anderson.You gain nothing by telling him, except your revenge; and I should think by this time you would have forgiven me for taking Frederick away from you.He didn't turn out so well! You can't still bear me malice over that convict in Sing Sing.'
'For his sake, poor fellow, I might.'
'Coming along I said to myself, "She CAN score off me badly, but surely she doesn't want to so much as all that." Besides, I really only took your leavings, you know.You threw poor Fred Prendergast over.'
'I am not prepared to discuss that,' Madeline said, at no pains to smooth the curve out of her lip.
'Then I thought, "Perhaps--you never can tell with people--she will think it her DUTY to make a fuss."'
'That is a possible point of view.'
'I know.You think I'm an imposter on society and I ought to be exposed, and I suppose you could shut every door in Simla against me if you liked.But you are a friend of my husband's, Miss Anderson.
You would not turn his whole married life into a scandal and ruin his career?'
'Ruin his career?'
