Sea Urchins. William Wymark Jacobs
out, when Miss Boom called him back.
“Sit down, Mr. Raggett,” she said calmly. Mr. Raggett, wondering inwardly, resumed his seat.
“You have asked me a good many times to marry you,” said Kate.
“I have,” said Mr. Raggett, nodding.
“And I’m sure it’s very kind of you,” continued the girl, “and if I’ve hurt your feelings by refusing you, it is only because I have thought perhaps I was not good enough for you.”
In the silence which followed this unexpected and undeserved tribute to Mr. Raggett’s worth, the two old men eyed each other in silent consternation.
“Still, if you’ve made up your mind,” continued the girl, “I don’t know that it’s for me to object. You’re not much to look at, but you’ve got the loveliest chest of drawers and the best furniture all round in Mastleigh. And I suppose you’ve got a little money?”
Mr. Raggett shook his head, and in a broken voice was understood to say: “A very little.”
“I don’t want any fuss or anything of that kind,” said Miss Boom calmly. “No bridesmaids or anything of that sort; it wouldn’t be suitable at your age.”
Mr. Raggett withdrew his pipe and holding it an inch or two from his mouth, listened like one in a dream.
“Just a few old friends, and a bit of cake,” continued Miss Boom musingly. “And instead of spending a lot of money in foolish waste, we’ll have three weeks in London.”
Mr. Raggett made a gurgling noise in his throat, and suddenly, remembering himself, pretended to think that it was something wrong with his pipe, and removing it blew noisily through the mouthpiece.
“Perhaps,” he said, in a trembling voice—“perhaps you’d better take a little longer to consider, my dear.”
Kate shook her head. “I’ve quite made up my mind,” she said, “quite. And now I want to marry you just as much as you want to marry me. Good-night, father; good-night—George.”
Mr. Raggett started violently, and collapsed in his chair.
“Raggett,” said Mr. Boom huskily.
“Don’t talk to me,” said the other, “I can’t bear it.”
Mr. Boom, respecting his friend’s trouble, relapsed into silence again, and for a long time not a word was spoken.
“My ‘ed’s in a whirl,” said Mr. Raggett at length.
“It ‘ud be a wonder if it wasn’t,” said Mr. Boom sympathetically.
“To think,” continued the other miserably, “how I’ve been let in for this. The plots an’ the plans and the artfulness what’s been goin’ on round me, an’ I’ve never seen it.”
“What d’ye mean?” demanded Mr. Boom, with sudden violence.
“I know what I mean,” said Mr. Raggett darkly.
“P’raps you’ll tell me then,” said the other.
“Who thought of it first?” demanded Mr. Raggett ferociously. “Who came to me and asked me to court his slip of a girl?”
“Don’t you be a old fool,” said Mr. Boom heatedly. “It’s done now, and what’s done can’t be undone. I never thought to have a son-in-law seven or eight years older than what I am, and what’s more, I don’t want it.”
“Said I wasn’t much to look at, but she liked my chest o’ drawers,” repeated Raggett mechanically.
“Don’t ask me where she gets her natur’ from, cos I couldn’t tell you,” said the unhappy parent; “she don’t get it from me.”
Mr. Raggett allowed this reflection upon the late Mrs. Boom to pass unnoticed, and taking his hat from the table fixed it firmly upon his head, and gazing with scornful indignation upon his host, stepped slowly out of the door without going through the formality of bidding him good-night.
“George,” said a voice from above him.
Mr. Raggett started, and glanced up at somebody leaning from the window.
“Come in to tea to-morrow early,” said the voice pressingly; “good-night, dear.”
Mr. Raggett turned and fled into the night, dimly conscious that a dark figure had detached itself from the stile opposite, and was walking beside him.
“That you, Dick?” he inquired nervously, after an oppressive silence.
“That’s me,” said Dick. “I heard her call you ‘dear.’” Mr. Raggett, his face suffused with blushes, hung his head.
“Called you ‘dear,’” repeated Dick; “I heard her say it. I’m going to pitch you in the harbour. I’ll learn you to go courting a young girl. What are you stopping for?”
Mr. Raggett delicately intimated that he was stopping because he preferred, all things considered, to be alone. Finding the young man, however, bent upon accompanying him, he divulged the plot of which he had been the victim, and bitterly lamented his share in it.
“You don’t want to marry her then?” said the astonished Dick.
“Course I don’t,” snarled Mr. Raggett; “I can’t afford it. I’m too old; besides which, she’ll turn my little place topsy-turvy. Look here, Dick, I done this all for you. Now, it’s evident she only wants my furniture: if I give all the best of it to you, she’ll take you instead.”
“No, she won’t,” said Dick grimly; “I wouldn’t have her now, not if she asked me on her bended knee.”
“Why not?” said Raggett.
“I don’t want to marry that sort o’ girl,” said the other scornfully; “it’s cured me.”
“What about me then?” said the unfortunate Raggett.
“Well, so far as I can see it serves you right for mixing in other people’s business,” said Dick shortly. “Well, good-night, and good luck to you.”
To Mr. Raggett’s sore disappointment he kept to his resolution, and being approached by Mr. Boom on his elderly friend’s behalf, was rudely frank to him.
“I’m a free man again,” he said blithely, “and I feel better than I’ve felt for ever so long. More manly.”
“You ought to think of other people,” said Mr. Boom severely; “think of poor old Raggett.”
“Well, he’s got a young wife out of it,” said Dick. “I daresay he’ll be happy enough. He wants somebody to help him spend his money.”
In this happy frame of mind he resumed his ordinary life, and when he encountered his former idol, met her with a heartiness and unconcern which the lady regarded with secret disapproval. He was now so sure of himself that, despite a suspicion of ulterior design on the part of Mr. Boom, he even accepted an invitation to tea.
The presence of Mr. Raggett made it a slow and solemn function, Nobody with any feelings could eat with an appetite with that afflicted man at the table, and the meal passed almost in silence. Kate cleared the meal away, and the men sat at the open door with their pipes while she washed up in the kitchen.
“Me an’ Raggett thought o’ stepping down to the ‘Sailor,’” said Mr. Boom, after a third application of his friend’s elbow.
“I’ll come with you,” said Dick.
“Well, we’ve got a little business to talk about,” said Boom confidentially; “but we sha’n’t be long. If you wait here, Dick, we’ll see you when we come back.”
“All right,” said Tarrell.
He watched the two old men down the road, and then, moving his chair back into the room, silently regarded the busy Kate.
“Make yourself useful,” said she brightly; “shake the tablecloth.”
Tarrell