A Woman Perfected. Marsh Richard
He had never been unkind, but he had certainly never been tender; so far as she was aware he had never kissed her in his life; on those rare occasions on which she had ventured to kiss him he had brushed her aside as if she had been guilty of some folly. His attitude towards her was one of more or less genial indifference. He had provided her with a beautiful home; he had bought Cloverlea, as he was careful to inform her, for her, and in it he left her very much alone. He supplied her liberally with money, and there he seemed to think his duty towards her ended. She was welcome to have any companions she chose; he asked no questions about her comings and her goings; took no sort of interest in the young women of her own age whom, at rare intervals, she induced to stay with her. He made no attempt whatever to find for her a place in local, or any other, society; yet, unaided, she began, by degrees, to occupy a somewhat prominent place on the local horizon.
Living in one of the finest places in the neighbourhood, with horses and carriages at her disposal, and even, latterly, motor cars; possessed of a sufficiency of ready money, it was hardly likely that she should remain unnoticed; her father's peculiarities threw her, if anything, into bolder relief. There was not a house for miles in which she was not a welcome visitor, and for this she had, largely, to thank herself. Not only was she good to look at, she was good to be with; she had that indefinable thing, charm. Not all the pens which ever wrote could make clear to Us the secret of a young girl's charm. Whilst she was still the mistress of Cloverlea her father seemed to be the only living creature who remained impervious to its magic influence; afterwards-that influence waned. On the Sunday on which her father died she was left alone with her grief; but on the Monday morning Dr. Banyard called and insisted on her seeing him. His manner, while it was brusque, was sympathetic.
"Now, my dear young lady," he began, almost as soon as she was in the room, "what you have first of all to remember is that you, at any rate, are still alive, and likely, in all human probability, to remain so for some considerable time to come; your first duty therefore, towards yourself, and towards your father, is to see that your interests are properly safeguarded."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Then I will endeavour to make myself clear. I believe you are engaged to be married."
"You know I am."
"Where, at the present moment, is Mr. Spencer?"
"He is on his way home from Cairo, where he has been staying with his aunt, Lady Jane Carruthers, who is ill."
"Does he know what has happened?"
"I don't quite know where he is. When he last wrote he told me that he was going to take what he called an 'after-cure' in Italy " – she smiled, as if at some thought of her own-"but he entered into no particulars, and until I hear from him again I don't quite know where he's to be found; all I do know is that he's to be home before the first of May."
"As things stand, that's some distance ahead. I believe that his father and mother, the Earl and Countess, are also absent." She nodded. "You say you don't know who was your father's man of business; then who is there to whom you feel yourself entitled to turn for the kind of assistance of which you stand in such imperative need, at once; certainly in the course of to-day?"
"There's Elaine."
"You mean Miss Harding?" It was his turn to smile. "I'm afraid she's not the kind of person I'm thinking of; though I do not for a moment doubt her cleverness. She suffers from one disqualification; she's not a man. What you want is a dependable, and thoroughly capable lawyer."
"There's Mr. Nash."
"Mr. Nash is, again, hardly the sort of person you're in want of. To begin with, he's too young, has too little experience; it was only the other day he qualified-with difficulty."
"He has been qualified more than three years; he did a good many things for papa."
"Yes, but what kind of things? Not the kind which will have to be done for you; and I happen to know that what he did he bungled."
"I believe he's coming here to-day."
"Have you sent for him?"
"I haven't; but Elaine came into my room this morning and asked if she should, and I believe she has."
"Miss Harding sent for him?" The doctor eyed her intently for a moment; then, turning, he went to the window and looked out; presently he spoke to her from there. "And do you propose to give Herbert Nash the run of your father's papers?"
"I don't know what I propose to do; I haven't thought about it at all; I want him to do what he can to help me; I don't feel as if I could do very much to help myself."
"Is it any use my saying that I can give you the name of a well-known firm of family lawyers; and that you have only to send them a wire, and before the day is over you'll have one of the best men in England-in every sense-on the premises, making your interests his own?"
"Elaine seemed to think that Mr. Nash has only to glance through some of my father's papers to discover who my father's man of business really was, and that then all we shall have to do will be to communicate with him."
"I see; there's something in that-Miss Harding has her wits about her. Do you know what time Mr. Nash is coming?"
"I don't-Elaine sent the message, if one was sent, and of that I'm not certain; anyhow I don't know what arrangements she has made."
"Would you mind inquiring?"
"I'll ask her to come here, then you can inquire yourself."
The bell was rung, and presently Miss Harding appeared. She was short and slight; with dark hair, big dark eyes, a dainty little mouth, and very red lips. She made at once for Nora, ignoring the doctor, who was still standing by the window.
"They tell me that you want me."
"It isn't I, it's Dr. Banyard; he wants to know if you have sent to Mr. Nash; and, if so, at what time he's coming."
Miss Harding opened her big eyes wider, which was a trick she had.
"Dr. Banyard wants to know? – why does Dr. Banyard want to know?"
"That I cannot tell you; you had better ask him; here he is. Is Mr. Nash coming?"
"Of course he's coming, but he doesn't seem to know quite when; it seems he has some sort of case on at the police court."
"I know; he's defending that young scoundrel, Gus Peters, who's been robbing his master."
This was the doctor; Miss Harding turned to him.
"Is the gentleman you call Gus Peters a scoundrel?"
"Isn't a fellow who robs his master a scoundrel?"
"Has it been proved that he robbed his master?"
"It's a matter of common notoriety."
"Common notoriety is not infrequently a liar. However, that's not the point; I suppose Mr. Nash will do his duty to his client in any case, and he'll come here as soon as he's done it."
"I'd wait for him if I could, but I have to go my round; I'll look in afterwards on the off-chance of finding him; there's something I particularly wish to say to him. I fancy the magistrates, in spite of Mr. Nash, will make short work of Mr. Peters."
After the doctor had gone Miss Harding said to Miss Lindsay,
"Nora, dear, don't you think that Dr. Banyard is inclined to be a little interfering?"
"It has never struck me that he was."
"It has struck me, more than once. But then I think that G.P.s are apt to be interfering; they hope, by having a finger in everybody's pie, to get a plum out of each. Dr. Banyard doesn't like Mr. Nash, does he?"
"He has never told me that he doesn't."
"Has he never breathed words to the same effect?"
"He has certainly hinted that he doesn't think much of Mr. Nash's legal abilities; but then who does?"
"I do."
"Really, Elaine?"
"Really, Nora. I believe that if he's truly interested in a person he can do as much for that person as anybody else-perhaps more."
"Possibly;