Enter Bridget Part 25

Bliss, however, was far from Carrissima that night. For one thing, she blamed herself severely for having opened her heart to Sybil Clynesworth. Although it seemed obvious that Mark had been playing an equivocal game, there could, Carrissima felt certain on reflection, be no justification for the innuendoes which she had allowed herself to make. The truth was that even now she scarcely knew what she had said in her wrath. She remembered that odious ideas had flashed unbidden across her mind--ideas which now appeared as unworthy of herself as of Mark.

Still, after making every allowance, her disillusioning remained complete. How could a man feel an interest in the precise colour of her own eyes one day and kiss the lips of another woman the next? She knew that her wish had been father to the thought, and she felt exceedingly bitter against Miss Bridget Rosser, who appeared still to have three men dangling at her heels.

One of these was becoming impatient. Colonel Faversham had reached the end of his tether. He realized that his authority over Bridget would not bear a great strain, and accordingly on Wednesday morning he made his way to Donaldson's, where he purchased a handsome and expensive jewelled waist-belt, such as she had admired on an actress when he took her to the play a few evenings ago. Armed with this peace-offering, Colonel Faversham reached Golfney Place at eleven o'clock on the morning after Mark Driver's unfortunate visit.

CHAPTER XIX

AN APPOINTMENT

"Oh dear!" cried Bridget, as she clasped the belt round her waist, "how kind you always are to me!"

"I don't see why you should sigh about that," answered Colonel Faversham. "I mean to be kind to you as long as I live, and I hope that will be a good many years yet. But there's nothing like t.i.t for tat, you know, Bridget. Come, now, my darling, I want you to be kind to me."

"If only you could see into my mind you would say I was a perfect little wretch!" she murmured, taking off the belt and laying it on a table.

"Just as well we can't do that sort of thing," said the colonel. "I never care for women who are too good for human nature's daily food.

You don't mind if I light a cigar," he added, sitting down with caution.

"Oh dear, no," she returned, and going to the mantelshelf, brought a box of matches, one of which she struck, holding it to the end of his cigar. When he had lighted it, he captured her wrist with elephantine playfulness.

"Bridget," he exclaimed, as she laughingly freed herself, "suppose we cut the cackle and get to the bosses. I think I've been patient long enough."

"I have never imagined that patience was your strong point," said Bridget.

"Well, well, too much of it makes a man look like a fool," was the answer, "and besides, to tell the truth, I'm devilish impatient. Who could look at you and be anything else? What's the use of wasting time in this way? I could fix things up in a week, and never a word to Lawrence or Carrissima till we're safely out of England. Come now, when shall we get married?"

For a few moments, while Colonel Faversham sat smoking, she did not answer. She was standing a few yards away, with her fingers interlocked. Her breath came and went quickly and her face had lost all its colour.

"It's no use," she suddenly exclaimed. "I can't tell you."

"Why not--why not?" demanded Colonel Faversham. "Good gracious, my little pet isn't frightened of me!"

"I think I am," she faltered.

"What is there to be frightened about?"

"You have always been so kind--I am going to treat you so horridly----"

"No, you're not," he said. "You're going to make me the dearest little wife in the world. Come, now, Bridget?"

He was too fatuously enamoured to dream that she could be struggling for strength to dismiss him. Her obvious timidity was ascribed to natural maidenly bashfulness, which made her appear wonderfully enticing. She clasped her hands more tightly together and turned her head this way and that, glancing at the windows, at the door, as if she longed to run away and make her escape from the man whose chief desire in life was to keep her always by his side.

He saw her moisten her lips and raise her hands for a moment to her forehead.

"I can't say it," she cried. "I suppose I am too great a coward.

You--you shall know to-morrow!"

"You will fix the day for certain!" said Colonel Faversham eagerly.

"You shall know to-morrow," she repeated.

"Now, that," he exclaimed, rising from his chair, "is a promise!"

"A solemn promise," murmured Bridget; and a few minutes later Colonel Faversham went away, strutting along the street with his chest puffed out, walking on air, and certainly never doubting that Bridget's promise would be fulfilled. At the end of Golfney Place his expression changed as he saw Jimmy Clynesworth--on his way to No. 5, no doubt!

Well, let Jimmy make the most of his opportunities. He would not find very many more! Another week or two and Bridget would be whisked away from England to return as Mrs. Faversham.

"Some one," remarked Jimmy, as he entered Bridget's sitting-room, "has been smoking a decent cigar!"

"Colonel Faversham," replied Bridget.

"His visit doesn't seem to have bucked you up," said Jimmy, with his eyes on her face, as he held her hand. "I despise the man who can't interfere with what doesn't concern him on occasion! I have been wondering lately whether you can possibly be in any kind of hobble.

Bridget, I should immensely like to help you out."

This was intended to be the prelude to a formal proposal of marriage.

After keeping silence with difficulty so long, Jimmy considered that the time had at last come when he might put his fate to the touch. Nor was he tormented by any very serious doubts concerning her surrender.

Jimmy had seen enough to feel blissfully satisfied that Bridget loved him, and for his own part, he had never met any other woman whom he desired to marry.

"Jimmy!" she murmured, looking up at him wistfully.

"Bridget," he said, in an equally low and solemn voice.

"You see--the fact is--I am engaged to Colonel Faversham!"

Although he suddenly released her hand, she still remained in the same att.i.tude, watching his face as if waiting to see the effect of her announcement.

He drew in a deep breath and thrust his clenched hands into his jacket pockets.

"Then I ought to felicitate you," said Jimmy. "Why," he asked quietly, "didn't you give me the opportunity earlier?"

"Colonel Faversham didn't wish anybody to be told," she answered.

"You are consequently not gratifying him by telling me now!"

"No," said Bridget.

"Why have you told me?" he demanded.

"Oh well," she replied, "I felt that I wanted you to know--that is the only reason."

"Should you mind telling me something else?" said Jimmy.

"Anything--anything!"

"Did the--the auspicious event take place before or since that afternoon we first met in Grandison Square?"

"A few days before."