“Really, Southwick,” said his chief uneasily, “it is a pity all this didn’t occur to you before you urged his employment—on the representations of his family, I understood. Anyway, it’s settled now, and we can’t go back on it. Besides, from a public point of view, it was important to get Ullershaw, who really is the only man, for that Major What’s-his-name is an ignorant and conceited fellow, with nothing to recommend him except his knowledge of Arabic, who would have been sure to make a mess. With the example of what has happened in the past before our eyes, we can’t commit ourselves in writing over a job of this sort. If he gets killed—he gets killed, and we are not to blame. If he comes through, he is made a K.C.B., and enjoys his honeymoon all the more. So don’t let’s bother about him. Is there anything else? No. Then good-bye; I’ll be off to the House.”
CHAPTER X.
MARRIED
Rupert left the War Office a very thoughtful man. He had spent nearly an hour with Lord Southwick, going into the details of his mission, of which he now realised the danger and complexity, for it was one of those fantastic embassies which seem easy enough to men in authority at home who are not called upon to execute them in person. All this he did not mind, however, for it appealed to his love of adventure; moreover, he had good hopes of bringing the thing to a successful issue, and understood the importance of its object, namely, to facilitate an ultimate advance against the Khalifa, and to help to checkmate Osman Digna, the chief who was making himself unpleasantly active in the neighbourhood of Suakim.
But what would Edith say? And on the very day of their marriage. The luck was hard! He drove to Grosvenor Square, but Edith was trying on her wedding dress and would not see him. She sent down a note to say that it would be most unlucky, adding that she had waited for him an hour and a half, and at last was obliged to go upstairs as the dressmaker could not stay any longer.
So he went on home, for he had to change his clothes and escort his mother to Grosvenor Square where, somewhat against her will, she was to dine and sleep. It was not till they were in the carriage that he found an opportunity of telling her what had occurred.
Mrs. Ullershaw was dismayed: she was overwhelmed. Yet how could she blame him? All she could say was—that it seemed very unfortunate, and she supposed that instead of going to Paris, Edith would accompany him to Egypt. Then they arrived at Grosvenor Square, and further conversation became impossible.
They were early, and Rupert sent a message to Edith to say that he wished to speak to her in Lady Devene’s boudoir. Presently she arrived beautifully dressed, and began at once to reproach him for not having called in the afternoon as he promised.
“You will forgive me when you know why,” he answered and blurted out the whole story.
She listened in astonishment, then said:
“Am I to understand that you are going off to the Soudan to-morrow, three hours after our marriage?”