During my stay in the country, I frequently went out to dinners and parties; but whenever I dined at home, I used to miss my sweetheart’s bright face and lively chatter, while I was sitting at my solitary meal
However, I went up to see her nearly every week, always remaining at the villa for two or three days, and on those occasions we had a very jolly time, in one way and another.
And so the summer wore away quietly and pleasantly. When November came, I took Frances to Brighton, where we stayed for a month: then I sent her back to London, while I went to Oakhurst to spend Christmas there with a large house-party of relatives; as had nearly always been my custom. I wished I could have had my sweetheart with me, but that would have been impossible. While my relations were living with me, I could not leave home even for a day, but as soon as they had all gone, I went up to London and took up my abode at the villa with Frances, who was delighted to have me with her again. L, also, was pleased to be with her, so we resumed our “married” life, and were always quite happy and contented in each other’s company.
But it was destined that things should not always go on so smoothly. Time had passed. It was June, and the London season was at its height, when an incident occurred which bothered me at the moment, a good deal. Frances and I were sitting in the park one afternoon, when to my annoyance, I saw Brooke, — the young man who had flirted so outrageously with my “wife” at Nice-coming towards us with a smile of recognition on his face. He raised his hat to Frances, and greeted me; then coolly dropping into a vacant chair, he entered into conversation with us. I was as curt in my answers, and as distant in my manner towards him, as I possibly could be: but Frances, apparently quite forgetting that he had been the cause of her getting a sound spanking, talked and laughed with him freely.
However, I soon cut short their talk by rising from my seat, and bidding Brooke good day; then Frances stood up, and after bowing to the young man, she took my arm, and we then strolled out of the park by the Rutland gate, got into a hansom, and drove to the villa.
I did not make any remark about Brooke, thinking it probable that we never should come across him again. I dined at home with Frances, and we spent a quiet evening together; she being quite as merry and lighthearted as usual, not seeming to have been affected in any way by her meeting with the young man.
A couple of days afterwards, I had to go down to Oakhurst; where I was detained by one thing or another for ten days. During that time I heard frequently from Frances, who always wrote in a most affectionate way, invariably winding up her letters by saying that she was looking forward to my return.
At last, when all my little affairs had been settled, I started for London, without having written to apprise Frances of my coming, as I had not been quite sure of getting away that day. I reached the villa about four o’clock, but my sweetheart was not in, and the housemaid informed me that her mistress had gone to walk in Regent’s Park. There was nothing strange in that, for I knew Frances was very fond of walking or reading in the park on a fine day. So, after I had had a wash, I dressed myself in the orthodox frock-coat, and tall hat, and strolled over to the park to see if I could find my young lady.
It was a lovely afternoon, bright and sunny, but not too hot, and the park was looking at its best. There was a cool breeze blowing, and the sky was flecked with masses of filmy white clouds which sparkled like snow under the rays of the sun. It had rained during the past night, so the dust had been washed from the trees and they were looking as fresh and green as if they had been growing in the country a hundred miles from smoky London. The grass also was a vivid green, the flowers were blooming, and the water in all the little ponds looked bright and. clean.
In a certain part of the park, there was a secluded arbour, in which I had often sat smoking a cigar while Frances read to me; and to this spot I directed my steps, thinking that perhaps I should find her there. The place was surrounded by a thick growth of shrubs, quite concealing the entrance, and when I got near it, I heard the voices of a man and a woman. I thought I recognized Frances’ voice, but to make sure, I slipped round quietly to the back of the arbour, where the shrubs were thickest, and peeping through the crevices, I saw that it was Frances, and that her companion was Brooke. They were sitting side by side on the bench talking and laughing. I was very angry at seeing Frances in that retired spot in company with the man; it was suspicious, to say the least, but I did not think that she had actually been unfaithful to me.
Then the thought passed through my head, that it was strange that I should, for the second time, be peeping at Frances carrying on a little game in an arbour. Crouching low among the shrubs, I watched and listened. I heard nothing improper; their conversation was of the most innocent description, being chiefly about the various plays and other entertainments that were then going on in London.
But I noticed that Brooke constantly glanced at Frances, with a lecherous look, his eyes roving all over her person from head to foot; she, quite unconscious of the man’s lustful admiration, and she talked to him in a perfectly unembarrassed way.
Presently he asked: “Where is your husband now?” He did not know that Frances was unmarried.
“He is in the country,” she replied.
Brooke smiled, as if the information had pleased him. Then they began to talk about Nice, and all the people they had known there; and I suppose he remembered how Frances had flirted with him at the hotel, so he edged close up to her and took her hand, — which I daresay he had done before. She did not withdraw her hand, and that emboldened him; for he suddenly threw his arms around her and pressed his mouth to her lips in a long kiss, which she received without making any resistance.
I ground my teeth, and muttered a curse, but I waited to see if she would permit him to do more.
After a moment, he attempted to put his hand up her clothes, but the instant she felt him touch her ankle, she struggled out of his grasp, and pushed him away; her cheeks flushing, and her eyes sparkling with anger, and stamping her foot, she exclaimed: “Oh, you have no right to treat me so! How dare you do it! I should not have allowed you to kiss me! I hate you!”
He laughed contemptuously, saying: “Why did you come to meet me then?”
“Because I was feeling rather lonely, and wanted someone to talk to. And I did not think you would try to take advantage of my loneliness. I thought you were a gentleman,” she said scornfully. Then she rushed out of the arbour, leaving him looking very foolish.
I felt relieved. There had evidently been nothing wrong between them, so far; but nevertheless I felt very angry with her, for meeting the man by appointment, and still more angry with her for having allowed him to kiss her. I also had a strong inclination to punch Brooke’s head; but then I thought, that as no actual harm had been done, it was hardly worth while having a rough and tumble fight with the man.
He sat down, lit a cigar, and began to smoke; then I walked away quietly to the main road, where I seated myself on a bench and thought over the whole affair, which had annoyed me very much, and also rather shaken my confidence in Frances.
I sat cogitating for about half an hour; then I returned to the villa, where I found Frances waiting for me in the drawing-room. She showed no surprise at seeing me, as she had heard from the servant that I had been in the house a short time previously. She had not the faintest idea that I had seen her with Brooke, so she came running to me, with a smile of welcome on her face; exclaiming: “Oh! my dear, I am so glad to see you. Why did you not write and tell me you were coming, so that I might have been at home ready to receive you?” Then she held up her mouth, expecting her usual kiss; but I put her coldly aside and sat down on a chair without saying a word.