Honorary Surgeon (36 page)

“
Sole
bonne femme
.
I adore it!
”
Mary assured him as she served from the dish before her.
“
Quite a favorite of mine.
”

“
Good!
”
Guy stretched out his hand for the wine.
“
I
’
ll attend to the drinks.
”
He paused in dismay.
“
I forgot to offer you a cocktail. What must you think of me?
”

Mary could not resist laughing at his perturbation.
“
I
’
m rather flattered to think that I was so engrossing that you even overlooked the all-important matter of alcoholic refreshment!
”

“
I
’
ll order them now.
”

“
You won
’
t!
”
Mary asserted.
“
We
’
ve got two bottles of champagne here. If you expect me to do justice to those, you
’
d better not let me even see a cocktail first!
”
she warned him.

“
So long as you
’
re sure.
”
Guy lifted the wine from the ice pail and, wrapping a serviette round the n
e
ck of the bottle, drew the cork with a resounding pop.
“
Glasses quickly, please!
”

The meal turned out to be a cheerful one. True to her determination, Mary would not, for one moment, allow her troubled thoughts to intrude. Guy proved a delightful companion, and Mary found it difficult to believe that he had ever suffered from the disagreeable moodiness to which she had so frequently been witness during her stay with Veronica. He seemed, that night, thoroughly carefree and irresponsible. She cast a surreptitious glance towards the champagne. No, he was not drinking too much; on the contrary, he appeared to be particularly abstemious.

“
Before we ring for coffee, how about a toast?
”
Guy lifted his glass and leaned across the table to his companion.
“
To our marriage, and our happiness!
”

Mary touched her glass to his, and, echoing his words, drank some wine. Unwaveringly her eyes met Guy
’
s.
“
I think we should drink to the others, too
...
Veronica and
...”
No, she could not bring her lips to frame that name.

Unaware of Mary
’
s emotion, Guy immediately responded.
“
Of
course, we must drink to them ... all the best to them both; we can afford to be generous!
”
He lifted his glass a second time, and touched the rim of Mary
’
s.
“
Veronica and Jack.
”

“
Veronica and
...
and
who
?”
Mary could scarcely frame the question as, wide-eyed, she stared at Guy.

“
Jack Alymer
...
you know, the fellow she
’
s crazy about ... the man she was engaged to, the man she ought to have married.
”
Guy, oblivious of Mary
’
s stricken expression continued speaking:
“
Well, there
’
s nothing to stop her marrying
h
im now!
”

The stem of the
glass slipped through Mary
’
s nerveless fingers, and dropped with a crash of splintering glass to the floor.
“
I
’
m sorry
...”
she murmured as Guy pushed back his chair.
“
No
...
don
’
t bother to pick it up; you
’
ll cut your fingers
.
”
She motioned him to remain seated.
“
I want to know
...
you said just now
...
Jack
...
you mean
...
I suppose you mean Richard?
”
Mary questioned, her anguished eyes searching those of her companion.

“
What on earth
’
s the matter with you?
”
Guy crossed quickly to Mary
’
s chair and put his arm round her shoulder.
“
You look awful ... Do you feel faint or something?
”
he enquired anxiously.

“
I
’
m all right
...
quite all right
...
You haven
’
t answered my question.
”
Mary
’
s voice rose hysterically.
“
You said Jack ... I want to know ... I must know
...
do you mean Richard? Her hand clutched his sleeve imploringly.

“
No, of course I didn
’
t mean Richard; anyway, why are you so concerned about it? I don
’
t see that it should matter to you who Veronica decides to marry!
”
There was a hint of grievance in Guy
’
s tone.
“
Both Richard and
Jack Alymer have been Veronica
’
s ideals of manhood; I
’
ve always had them thrust down my throat as examples. She
’
s quite fond of Richard, but Jack
’
s the fellow she was engaged to. I have
n
’
t the slightest doubt that, as soon as she
’
s well rid of me, she
’
ll marry him.
”

“
I don
’
t understand ... it can
’
t be true.
”
Mary buried her head in her hands.
“
It can
’
t be true ... it can
’
t be true.
”
Her shoulders shook convulsively.

For a few seconds Guy stared at Mary in bewilderment, then, dropping on his knees by her side, forced her round to face him.
“
Mary, dear, you must tell me what all this is about. Darling, please, what
’
s happened? Are you ill?
”
He was hardly audible in his solicitude.

Slowly Mary lifted a tear-stained face to her questioner.
“
I
’
m not ill.
”
She choked back a sob.
“
I
’
ve made an awful mistake ... I always thought Veronica loved Richard ... I never knew ... I never thought it could be anyone else.
”

“
But does it matter, anyway? It
’
s his brother
...
he
’
s a naval officer, and was stationed for a time at Singapore. That was when the trouble started again,
”
he explained a trifle grimly.

“
And she
’
s never loved Richard
...
Richard has never been in love with her?
”
Mary questioned wonderingly.

Guy laughed shortly.
“
Richard has certainly never loved Veronica. I think, on the whole, he rather disapproves of her; only he
’
s too polite to let her see it, and too fond of his brother to say anything.
”
He stopped speaking for a moment and laid his hand gently on Mary
’
s bowed head.
“
What is it, darling? Why are you so distressed?
”

Mary searched in her bag for a handkerchief, and slowly dabbed her eyes.
“
It
’
s difficult to explain
...
I
’
ve been very blind.
”
A shiver shook her body.
“
I can
’
t think why I never realized that Richard had a brother
...
although now I come to think of it I believe Lady Alymer has mentioned him to me.
”

“
He spends nearly all his time in the East, and has done for years,
”
Guy explained casually.
“
After all, why should you be interested?
”

“
Guy
...
”
Mary paused, while her mind sought frantically for words.
“
I
’
ve got to tell you something ... I don
’
t know how to begin, but you
’
ve got to know.
”

“
Is it something so difficult?
...
You look very upset!
”
Guy
’
s face paled.
“
Don
’
t worry about me, Mary; tell me what
’
s on your mind.
”

“
I love Richard Alymer
”
—Mary
’
s voice broke—
“
love him more than I can ever explain ... I thought he cared for Veronica
...
that
’
s why I came tonight ... to leave those two free!
”
She wiped away the tears which had gathered again in her eyes.
“
I thought there could never be any chance for me ... it was better to do this than break my heart over a man that I believed would never care!
”

Guy rose slowly to his feet and returned to his place at the table.
“
You know now that he doesn
’
t care for Veronica, but that still doesn
’
t say that he cares for you.
”
He drew in a deep breath before continuing:
“
Mary, darling, I know you don
’
t really love me ... I know now why ... but must this make any difference? Won
’
t you give me a chance?
”

Mary stretched out her hand and placed it in Guy
’
s.
“
I
’
m so sorry ... I
’
m ashamed ... but I can
’
t help it.
”
Her eyes pleaded her cause.
“
I
’
ve been so foolish, so blinded by that one idea that I didn
’
t understand. Richard saw us together in the billiard-room that day at Frensham Manor; he imagined I loved you, and the next day he tried to tell me the truth.
”
Mary gave a mirthless laugh.
“
I thought he was trying to tell me he cared for Veronica, and shut him up
...
told him I knew all about it, when actually he was trying to explain that he cared for me
...
It
’
s too late now; I
’
ve burned my boats, told him I was coming to you, thrown away the only thing in the world I
’
ve ever really wanted.
”
Mary gripped her companion
’
s hand more firmly.
“
I
’
ll stay with you, Guy ... I won
’
t go back on my word. Veronica shall have her evidence
...
and her happiness; but afterwards
...”

Mary paused before continuing.
“
I can never marry you
...
Tonight will be the beginning
...
and the end.
”

“
Mary!
”
For a moment Guy seemed unable to frame another word, then, in a subdued voice, he began to speak
again.
“
My dear, I can
’
t tell you what that means to me ... If you aren
’
t to be really mine, then I can
’
t go on with this farce.
”

“
You must ... please. After all, there is no reason why we should let down Veronica.
”

Guy sighed heavily.
“
Don
’
t worry; she shall have her divorce. You are already registered as Mrs. Perivale; she shall have her precious bill in the morning. You get along to bed; you look as though you need it. This sofa will do me nicely, and, if I don
’
t see you before I leave in the morning, I
’
ll leave the bill here for you and you can forward it. You
’
ll be sure then that Veronica will have it,
”
he added a trifle bitterly.

“
Guy! Do you mean that?
”
Mary jumped to her feet and stood beside his chair.
“
I don
’
t see how I can let you do it,
”
she added doubtfully.

Guy rose and stood facing her.
“
I shall not ask you.
”
He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“
Be a dear, and do as you are told!
”

“
It
’
s unfair ... I ought to keep to my word,
”
Mary insisted.

“
You can
’
t, if I refuse to let you!
”
Guy forced a bantering note into his voice, then added more seriously:
“
Listen, Mary; I explained to you before that, even if you hadn
’
t agreed to join me, I should have left Veronica. Well, I shall just pretend you never promised to come. I have no regrets; I
’
m going to begin life afresh.
”
His voice softened.
“
I would rather have started with you
b
y my side, but I know that
’
s impossible now ... I must start again alone. I shall leave for Paris in the morning; I
’
ll let you know where I am. Please write to me sometimes.
”

“
Of course I will. As if I can ever repay you
...
I
’
ll never forget what you are doing for me tonight.
”
Mary reached up and kissed him.
“
Oh, Guy, Guy ... I don
’
t know what to say
...
You
’
ve been so wonderful to me, and I feel so terribly ashamed
.
”
She buried her face on his shoulder to stifle her sobs.

“
Hush, Mary ... I understand ... the whole thing has been a dreadful mistake. It couldn
’
t be helped, though;
it
’
s just one of those things which happen to us sometimes. I
’
ll never have you for my wife, but you
’
ve no idea what
a
friend you
’
ve been ... I owe more to you than you
’
ll ever know.
”
His hand gently fondled her hair.
“
Mary, I hope you
’
ll be happy! Surely you
’
ll be able to make Alymer understand? I can
’
t believe anyone could ever think anything but good for you.
”
He led her towards the communicating door.
“
Go to bed, Mary; you
’
re worn out.
”
He lifted her face to his and kissed her gently on the lips.
“
Good-bye, darling
...
and bless you for the friend you
’
ve been!
”