SHORT STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 66

SHORT STORIES.

“THE MESALLIANCE OF THE MARQUIS.’’

By

TRISTRAM CRUTCHLEY.

(Copyright.) “Imagine if you can,” said Lord Frederick, “that this piece of bread and butter represents an olive branch. See, I am holding it out to you.” Lady Heyford laughed merrily and poured herself out another cup of tea. “Freddy, you are really getting brilliant. I see your meaning exactly, f ou are an ambassador of peace. Who sent you ? ” Lord Frederick dropped his eyeglass. “The Duke,” he said, “he wants to meet you and be reconciled before Jack returns from South Africa.” Lady Heyford toyed with her teaspoon. “It’s short notice,” she said, after a long pause, “I expect Jack on Tuesday,’’ “And this is Friday. It means this week-end. Stretch a point, StelL, there’s a brick ! The old boy’s treated you badly, I know, but that’s because he’s never seen you. And besides, he’s only a Duke ! Youl ought to make allowances for his limitations.’ ’ “If you want me to take you seriously, Freddy, don’t laugh. It’s only for Jack’s sake I’d think of such a thing. I don’t like eating humble pie.” “It would be a jolly good thing for all of us if you’d do it, Stella. And, if I know you, it won’t be you who eats humble pie.” “Let us go back to the beginning. The Marquis of Heyford, eldest son of the Duke of Grandborough, meets Stella Dane, the daughter of an improvident officer, and, through force of circumstances, small part lady at the Opera Comique. He falls in love with her, and she with him. Being persons of full age they follow the most natural course and marry.” “That’s history!” ejaculated Lord Frederick, with an uneasy laugh. “And therefore easily forgotten. Next k> liis wife the Marquis loves his profession, and he goes with his regiment to South Africa. While he is away their baby is born.” “I wish you wouldn’t talk in the third person, Stella. It makes me feel as if I were living in a novel.” “I wanted to see the position, if possible, from outside. But I’ll do as you wish. The bitterness of the Duke’s first letter I could forgive. His disappointment at his son’s choice was perhaps natural. But he has not only ignored me. He has ignored my son, who must one day stand where he stands. Would you forgive that if you were in my place, Freddy?” “I’d try, Stella, I really think I would, if I were you.” “Then because you’ve been such a brick of a brother to me, Freddy, and for Jack’s sake, I’ll go. But don’t imagine that the Duke is forgiven.” Lord Frederick’s glance travelled over the exquisite lines ©f her figure. “He won’t give you your revenge, Stella. If I know my father, he’ll fall at your feet directly he sees you. Anyhow, you’re going!” There was a moment’s silence, then Lady Heyford clapped her hands excitedly. “I have it,” she cried. “What!” “Never mind, Freddy. Perhaps a little revenge, but nothing more than I am entitled to. And now, remember this! I’ll go to-morrow, on one condition.” “Which is?’’ “That you stay in town!” On the arrival of Lady Hey ford’s telegram the ordinary hum-drum existence at Grandborough Hall had quickened into excitement. The Duke himself rose next morning in a bad temper, for a diet of humble pie offered no greater temptation to him than to his unknown daughter-in-law. And although he affected that the coming reconciliation was a concession to his wife, he knew that no one believed it any more than he did himself. The Duchess was, externally at least, entirely placid. She spent the morning in deliberately offering herself as a target for the Duke’s ill-tempered shafts, in the hope that, before their guest should arrive, his quiver -would be empty. The only person who looked forward to the meeting with undisguised pleasure was the Duke’s daughter, Gladys, ohe was fond of her brother Jack, and was prepared to like his wife, in spite of her father’s views on stage ladies. Just as she was setting out to meet her sister-in-law at the station a telegram was put in her hand. She read it with an exc!amation of annoyance. “Sorry cannot come. Got fluenza. —Frederick.’ ’ It was just like Freddy, she reflected, to leave her in the lurch. She had looked to him to smooth slight difficulty they might have with the Duke, and with his amusing flippancy, generally to make things “go”. And now the whole responsibility would rest upon the shoulders or her mother and herself. The ordinary affairs of life at Grandborough Hall were managed with extreme precision, and the carriage accordingly arrived at the station just as the train was steaming in. When Lady Gladys reached the nlatform she was encountered by a. nurse, carrving a habv. The next moment she was seized in a lusty embrace, a. resounding kiss was planted on each of her cheeks, and in a loud voice which could be heard from end to end of the platform she was greeted thus : “And you’re Lady Gladys. I recognised you from your photos in the papers. ’Ow are you, my dear?” Gladys tried to smile, hut failed dismally. Regarding class prejudice in her heart of hearts as something of a bore, she had been sure that the woman who had appealed to her fastidious brother

Jack would also appeal to her. But, looking at Lady Heyford for the first time, she saw a loud, over-dressed woman with heavily made-up face and hair of an impossible gold, tlie very embodiment, in fact, of the vision the Duke had conjured up when the news of his son’s mesalliance had first reached him. For a moment, in the sickness of her heart, Lady Gladys thought of telling this awful person that the Duke was ill or dying—anything, in fact, that would save her the humiliation of watching their meeting. But, second thoughts showing her that this was utterly impossible, she courageously decided to make the best of it. “How do you do!” she said; “and this is my nephew? I’m glad you brought him Stella. Father will be so pleased.” With a pleasure that was not assumed she bent over the fluffy mass lying in its nuTse’s arms, and raised the veil. The future Duke of Grandborough was a very fine boy, and with almost a sigh of relief, she realised that he resembled his father. “He’s sweet, isn’t he? You are fond of him already, I can see.” Gladys looked up quickly. Lady Heyford’s voice, as she spoke of her son, had undergone a subtle change. All at once, it seemed, she had become refined and quiet. But the appalling colours which she presented to the eye quickly destroyed the illusion. Lady Heyford seized the Duke in a fierce embrace on arrival at Grandborough Hall, kissed him on both cheeks, and finally, horror of horrors, on top of his bald head ! Gladys seized the nurse by the arm and dashed to his rescue. “And this is your grandson, father !” she exclaimed. With an obvious effort, the Duke straightened himself again. It was impossible to read in his face the disgust he felt, but there was in his eyes a tired look which his daughter had never seen before. With a shaking hand he touched the baby’s cheek; the little chap smiled at him, as he was accustomed to smile at everyone, and his likeness to Lord Heyford became more apparent than ever. In spite of himself, the Duke returned the smile, and Gladys, happening to glance at Lady Heyford, distinctly saw a tear wearing a furrow through her elaborate make-up. Luncheon was scarcely a success. With each course the visitor administered u fresh shock. She ate her soup with a loud noise and her fish with a steel knife, took three potatoes with her cutlet, and asked the “Dook” if he grew his own vegetables. And all the time she kept up a running fire of reminiscences, most of which centred in her experiences on the stage. The Duke remained coldlv polite, but apparently unruffled, and answered her sallies with a wan smile. The Duchess ate and said nothing, but Lady Heyford did not seem disposed to let her off too easily. “You and me don’t seem to have much in common, ma!” she remarked. Lunch was over and the Duke rose. “There’s something at least which we have in common,’’ he said, “and that is an affectionate interest in your son. May I have him for an hour this afternoon ?” There was something like a break in his voice. Lady Heyford glanced up at him keenly. “Very well,” she said, after a pause, “I’ll see to it.” And, rather suddenly, she rushed from the room. Half an hour later Stella crept to the door of the Duke’s study, and smiled as she heard the sound of her son’s voice, cooing placidly. But suddenly another sound caught her ear, and the tsars rushed to her eyes as she bent and listened again. Yes, it was the sound, the awful sound of a man sobbing She turned the handle and went in. Tlie baby was lying upon a cushion placed upon the table, with his grandfather’s arm around him as though for protection, while the old Duke, his head buried in the other arm, was crying like a woman. So softly had Stella entered that he had not heard her, but at the feel of her hand upon his arm his back stiffened again. “Father !” she said softly, “I’ve been awfully cruel to you. Look at me !” Without turning his head, the Duke waved her away, but something in the voice caused him to dry his eyes furtively and look round. He stared at her for a moment, then rose unsteadily to his feet. A beautiful woman stood before him, the Stella of real life. “Who is it?” ho gasped. “This is Stella,’ ’ she replied; “the other was a masquerade. It was cruel, cruel of me. But, 1 felt that you had been cruel too, and for an hour or two, I wanted to be avenged. I determined that you should see me as the creature you seemed to think me. Perhaps I overdid it. But—forgive me. T didn’t think you would take it like this. I thought you would just be angry.” The Duke could not speak, but Stella had slipped on to her knees and he placed his hand upon her head. “Anyhow,” said Stella, softly, “whether you forgive me or not, I can see that you love my son. That is enough.’’ The Duke took her head' in his hands and looked into her brimming eyes for a moment, then kissed her. “God bless you, my dear,” he said, “I thoroughly deserved it.” “And now, when Jack comes home—?” The Duke smiled happily. “I shall tell him he’s a lucky chap,” he said, “but after to-day I can never forget that he married an actress, and a deuced clever actress too !”