It was impossible to keep the disappearance secret. I was aware that the news was spreading with the speed and efficiency of jungle drums. The servants would be discussing the possibilities of what had happened to keep Bevil and Jessica away at precisely the same time, and the story would be carried around … to Menfrey stow and on to Lansella, which would surely not be good for Bevil’s reputation. That was what I could not understand; how had he, who cared so much for his career, allowed himself to be caught hi such a situation? Could it be that he was caught up against bis will? Or had he forgotten the passing of time?
In any case, if-they did not return soon, we should have to do something about it.
That was a very uneasy evening; and it suddenly occurred to me how lonely I was. I could not quite trust Sir Endelion, for since he had brought Jessica into the house, I was learning something of his character. He had been wild in his youth, and I could imagine his going through life tempting fate. He wanted something to happen … and was ready to risk disaster rather than suffer boredom. I understood this feeling, but I knew I could not rely on him. And Lady Menfrey? I thought of her kindness to me at the time of Jenny’s death. But then she had been acting in accordance with her family’s approval. She was too much a seeker after peace to be a rock in time of trouble.
William Lister was beside me; his face was puckered with anxiety.
“I know how you’re feeling,” he whispered.
“There must have been an accident,” I said. “Well have to do something.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “And soon.”
“What?” I asked.
“I’ll go into Lansella to see if he’s there. He may well be delayed on business, and a message to us could have gone stray.”
“The two of them must be together,” I pointed out.
He nodded wretchedly.
“An accident involving them both,” I went on. “It could be so if they had gone riding together … but all the horses are in the stables. What can it be!”
“It would be better to take some action. The reason I wanted to wait was …”
“I know. You were hoping they would turn up, and you didn’t”want a thing like this talked about.”
“I’m sure it was what Mr. Menfrey would wish. But I think the time has now come for action. I’ll go over to Lansella immediately. I think it’ll be quicker and there’ll be less noise about it if I ride over. I can find out if he’s been to the chambers and see if the agent knows anything. If I can’t get any satisfaction there we shall then have to let the police know.”
I had begun to tremble; he leaned towards me and lightly, shyly touched my hand. “You know I’ll do everything possible . .. for you.” ‘
“Thank you, William,” I said; and I believed there was someone whom I could trust.
So William rode over to Lansella, and I waited, tense and anxious, for what would happen next.
We sat on in the red drawing room—a disconsolate party, and it was about an hour after William had left when we heard Bevil’s voice. We all hurried to the window but could see little, for there was no moon, although the sky was clear and full of stars.
“He’s back!” I cried; and I ran out of the room along the corridor to the top of the staircase. I saw him standing in the hall, Jessica beside him.
“Bevil!” I cried. I discovered I was so pleased to see him that I could not keep the joy out of my voice.
“Harriet!” he answered me. “The most maddening thing happened.”
As I went down the stairs I was limping badly. Jessica was watching me; she was pale, and her hair was loose and untidy; it was slightly damp too, but this did not detract from her beauty. Her eyes seemed larger and more luminous; it occurred to me that she, at least, had enjoyed the adventure.
“What happened?” I demanded.
Jessica held up something. I didn’t recognize what it was.
She explained: “We went to get this, and then … found we were caught there.”
“Caught?”
“It’s all quite simple,” said Bevil. “Oh hello, Mother. Hello, Father.” Sir Endelion and Lady Menfrey had appeared on the staircase. “We went over to retrieve that thing, and then the wretched boat slipped away somehow.”
“Slipped away?” I was repeating the significant words interrogatively—always an irritating habit, I have thought, in other people. I couldn’t help myself, I was frightened.
“Perfectly simple,” said Bevil. “Benedict and Jessica were over on the island this morning, and he left his teddy bear there. He wouldn’t go to sleep until Jessica promised to bring it back to him. She asked me to row her over.”
I wanted to know: Why did she ask you? Why could she not have gone alone? But I didn’t I couldn’t betray my feelings before them all.
“So,” went on Jessica, “he kindly did so, and when we had found the bear and came down to the shore the boat was gone.”
“Where to?” asked Sir Endelion, a lilt in his voice, as though he were enjoying the adventure vicariously.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” put in Bevil, with an attempt at anger.
“You couldn’t have tied it very securely,” mocked Sir Endelion.
“I’m sure I did.”
“So the boat’s lost, eh?”
“No. A’Lee brought it in. He saw it drifting out to sea,” he said, “and he was bringing it in to Menfreya beach when he passed the island and we hailed him. He’s just brought us back.”
“Oh dear,” sighed Lady Menfrey. “You missed dinner and must be hungry. I’ll tell them to get something for you at once.”
She sensed the disbelief, the growing storm, and she wanted to be away.
Sir Endelion said: “Well, you’re not the first one to be marooned on an island. It was always a favorite place of yours.”
I remembered then myself cowering beneath a dust sheet and Bevil’s coming there with one of the girls from the village. This time I had not been there to prevent the culmination of the adventure.
What, I asked myself, had happened this time in the house on the island?
Bevil was looking at me, and I was determined not to betray myself.
“Well,” I said coolly, “you’ve returned.”
I caught a glimpse of Jessica’s face as I walked back to the stairs. She smiled faintly. Apologetically? Defiantly? I couldn’t say.
It was half past eleven when Bevil came up; he had been closeted with William, who had returned from Lansella and I was sure was deeply regretting that he had gone there, for his journey had only spread the story.
He looked at me coolly, and I knew well that it was a habit of his when disturbed to feign nonchalance.
“Still up?” he said, unnecessarily.
“But ready to retire,” I retaliated. “Wrapped in dressing gown and thought.”
“What’s wrong?”
I felt that sharpness of tongue which I had developed as a weapon in my early days beginning to take command. “I’m not sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“That’s what I want you to tell me. What actually happened?”
He looked impatient. Another sign of guilt? I asked myself.
“You heard what happened. We went to look for the toy, and the boat slipped away.”
“You tied it badly then.”
“I suppose so.”
“Deliberately?”
“Now look here, Harriet…”
“I think I have a right to know the truth.”
“You know the truth.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am not on trial. If you decide not to believe me, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“We’ll have to do something about it. There’ll be gossip. Perhaps there already has been.”
“Gossip! I should have thought you’d have known better than concern yourself with that.”
“Then it shows how little we know each other, for I should have thought you would have known better than to become the subject of it.”