"No, I've been tremendously busy fitting on my new harness and have had no time for calling."

"And yet you are _here_!" she protested, with arched brows.

"Oh yes, but this is official; Gregory as good as ordered me to wait upon his consort."

"Hush, hush, Douglas! She is a great friend of mine--my own cousin, and a dear. Of course, I know that George looks as if he had swallowed the fire-irons, but that really means nothing; he is obliged to keep all you naughty boys in order!"

"You think I'm a naughty boy?"

"Oh well, I didn't mean that, my young Sir Galahad! Now come away with me and I'll show you the wonderful ferns and the orchid house. I must have a good, comfortable, private talk."

As soon as the pair found themselves alone in the fernery she turned to face him, and said, with unusual animation:

"Now I want to tell you about Sophy--I'm miserable when I think of her."

"Miserable--but why?"

"When you've been to call at 'Heidelberg'--I may tell you it's miles and miles away--you'll see for yourself; it's my opinion that she has been decoyed out to this country under false pretences."

"Oh, but surely Mrs. Krauss is her own aunt?"

"She is, and more or less an invalid, utterly broken down by years of Burma. Mrs. Krauss is apathetic, dull, and baneless, and looks as if you could fold her up and put her in a bag. Herr Krauss is a fat, loud-talking, trampling German--_not_ a gentleman, but a man with a keen eye to business. His wife's half-caste maid who waited upon her, managed the house, and was with her for years, has married and gone to Australia, and poor Sophy has been imported to replace the treasure; that is, to nurse her aunt, run the house, and play the old bounder's accompaniments, for he, like Nero, is musical. He is also a friend of that odious Bernhard's. Bernhard is a well-born Prussian--I'll say that for him--the other is of the waiter cla.s.s, who has made his money in China and Burma."

"Oh, come, I say, this is rather bad! What's to be done?"

"I only wish I knew. The Krauss abode is large and gloomy--it looks like a house in a bad temper, and stands in the heart of the German community; the servants seemed a low-cla.s.s lot, the rooms were dark and untidy, and smelt of mould and medicine, but Sophy was just as bright and cheerful as usual; apparently delighted with everything--loyal, of course, to her own blood. Now, I know that you and Sophy are friends, and I want you to keep an eye upon her," concluded this injudicious matron.

"I'm afraid my eye will not be of much use," protested Shafto, "I am most frightfully sorry for what you tell me, but Miss Leigh has lots of pals. There are the Pomeroys, Maitlands and----"

"Yes, that's true," interrupted Mrs. Milward impatiently, "but she has no way of getting about. Krauss takes the car and is away in it all day. I gather that he has the strict German idea about a girl's being brought up to cook, to sew, to slave, to find _all_ her interests in her home! In fact, he told me so plainly; he also added that he had paid for Sophy's pa.s.sage and implied that he intended to have the worth of his money--his pound of flesh!"

"Brute!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Shafto.

"Agreed! I have enlisted one friend for the poor child. Polly Gregory--she is so clever, clear-headed and decided, and will be a rock of strength--she is sure to like Sophy, eh?"

"Oh yes, that will be all right!"

"I put in a good word for you too, Master Douglas."

"That was kind," and he swept off his straw hat.

"I wonder if that's meant sarcastic? Perhaps you think good wine needs no bush? Yes, and I've told Polly I knew you as a boy--and how, instead of quill-driving, you hoped to wear a sword."

"Hope told a flattering tale," he answered with a laugh. "Don't forget that the pen is the mightier of the two."

"No," she dissented; "I back the sword, though it's rarely drawn now, thank goodness. Well, I've said my say and given you my impressions and instructions; we must go back and join the _Burra Mems_. I shall write to you from Mandalay and see you later, when I pa.s.s through to Calcutta. Now you had better go and try to get a set of tennis," and, with a wave of adieu, Mrs. Milward strolled away across the gra.s.s, an attractive personality with her fresh complexion, soft round face, dark pencilled brows, and bewitching mauve toilet--which toilet was subsequently tabooed by her daughter as "too young"!

"George," said Mrs. Gregory to her husband, "that new importation is a nice boy; Milly Milward has known him since he was in blouses; he has had rather hard luck; his father was swindled out of a comfortable fortune, and he has to turn to and earn his bread."

"What we all do!" growled George.

"Yes, but some ways are so much more agreeable than others. His profession was to have been along the path of glory."

"What is that?"

"Why, the Army, of course."

"And now his profession is checking inventories and cargoes. As he is new to the business, he will have his hands fairly full for the next few months; so, my dear Polly, don't turn his head just _yet_."

"As if I ever turned anybody's head."

"I cannot answer for others, but you certainly turned mine."

"Ah, but that was twelve years ago; I'm afraid my fascinations have faded since then. Joking apart, George, Milly has left me two legacies--two proteges to befriend. Shafto is one--I am to invite him to tea, and talk to him with wisdom, and win his complete and entire confidence."

"Oh! and the other?"

"The other is Miss Leigh, whom she chaperoned from home. She is living with an aunt, who is married to a German named Krauss."

"Yes, I know; a poisonous chap!"

"So she seems to think, and that this girl, who by all accounts is very pretty and charming, and a marvellous pianist, has been lured out to act as maid and housekeeper, and save the pocket of Herr Krauss. Now, as I have two legacies, I want to know if you will take one of them off my hands?"

"As if my hands were not full!"

"Yes, officially, only; now I offer you your choice. Which will you have? Shafto or the girl?"

"You need scarcely ask; I'll take the girl, of course, and leave you Shafto."

"Oh, you are an old silly!" she exclaimed, ruffling up his grizzled hair; "I wonder which of us will have the better bargain."

With regard to the subject of Mrs. Gregory's conversation, Douglas set to work with the proverbial enthusiasm of a new broom and soon became--as Salter had predicted--a cog in the whirling wheels of a machine. But Thursday being the Station holiday, he hired a taxi and had himself driven out to Kokine, in order to call on Mrs. Krauss and Miss Leigh; unfortunately his journey proved to be a waste of time and money. The leisurely servant who emerged from the entrance of "Heidelberg," salver in hand, accepted his visiting-card with a salaam, and then announced with stolid unconcern:

"Missis can't see."

CHAPTER XIV

THE MANTLE OF FERNANDA

During the long and weary wait whilst the _Blankshire_ was being made fast, Sophy Leigh and her girl friends had collected in a group taking leave of one another and making plans for future meetings.

"I must say I envy you," said Lena Morgan, the elder of the two plain, pleasant sisters, whose father was "something in timber." "You will be the darling of enormously rich relatives, have several motors, and horses galore."

"I'm not so sure," she gaily rejoined. "'Galore' is such a big word, but from what my aunt has told us, I believe I shall have what is called 'a good time,' and I hope everyone of us will share it. I expect Aunt Flora will be here to meet me," she added with happy certainty.