“Me and Mr. Millar have talked it over. He was most kind. He might have put on airs, in a manner of speaking, seeing as he’s the boss now, but he didn’t at all. He has a relative who’s going to keep the business going for him while he’s at the war, and he offered to make me acting manager at once. It was most gratifying, doctor. But I said that, much as I appreciated the compliment, I must beg to decline owing to other calls. And then I told him what I’d planned. And he’s going to keep the offer open against the time I come back again. Though, of course, as I pointed out, I may never come back again at all, but die fighting my country’s foe, the same as another.”
“Of course you must come back,” said Dr. Lucian vigorously. “We can’t spare your sort, Felix. Good luck to you. Come and see me before you go.”
When Felix Menebees eventually took advantage of the invitation he was in blue uniform, with a Red Cross brassard. His face was radiant.
“We’re off on Monday, doctor. I can’t hardly believe in my own good luck. Me that thought I should never have any adventures at all as long as I lived, but only stand behind a counter all my days! Not that I wouldn’t have done it gladly, for the old gentleman’s sake, and of course for Mrs. Aviolet’s.”
“Have you seen her?”
The pallid face of Felix became even more suffused and transfigured. “Doctor, if you’ll believe me, I wrote and told her how it was my great wish to be allowed to say good-bye to her before I went, and she asked me to take her out to luncheon! She did, indeed. Of course I know, it’s all different when a chap’s in uniform, but I looked upon it, and I always shall, as the very proudest moment of my life. And she’s going to write to me. And I had a note from Mr. Cecil, doctor, to wish me good luck—ever such a nice note. I wish I could have seen him again.”
“You may meet out there.”
“You’d laugh if you knew how often I’d planned getting some chance of saving Mr. Cecil’s life under fire,” said Felix wistfully. “I’d like to do something for her, you know. But the way I look at it, doctor, is that I can be doing my job as though it was for her, like. I daresay you’ve guessed, doctor, knowing both her and me as you do—I daresay you’ve guessed,” said Felix Menebees with a naïveté almost superb, “that I think the whole world, and more, of Mrs. Aviolet.”
VIII
Both Lady Aviolet and Sir Thomas were insistent that Cecil should spend his twenty-four hours’ leave before going to France, at Squires.