“Your pardon! It is to me a very interesting sidelight. I am indebted to you for stepping in to make up for my deficiencies.”
“It was very kind of you, Mr Melland—very, very kind! You don’t know how much pleasure it gave. I envy you for having had such a nice thought,” said Ruth earnestly. For a wonder Mollie was silent, while Victor shrugged his shoulders, and cried, between a sneer and a laugh—
“You are a sly dog, Melland. I had no idea that you were such a devoted admirer of the redoubtable Mrs Thornton.”
The sneer brought Jack to his bearings in a moment. Every trace of embarrassment disappeared as he faced Victor across the table, wide-eyed and defiant.
“It is the truth, none the less. I admire Mrs Thornton immensely. She is a capital little woman, and fights the odds like a Spartan. This garden-party business was a great event in her life, and she prepared for it by a series of make-shifts. I got sick of hearing about them. Poor little soul, why shouldn’t she be able to do the thing decently once in a while? She’s been very kind to us; it was little enough to do in return.”
“Oh, well, everything is comparative. You must be pretty flush to send about hampers of that description. I have never tasted finer fruit. I am sorry that such generosity is beyond my means,” said Victor, whereat Jack scowled all the more.
“You would have spent as much on your lunches and teas if you had been in town these last weeks. What is the use of money if you can’t be reckless once in a way? I am sorry that this subject has come up; but, as it has, I must ask you all to be good enough not to speak of it to Mrs Thornton. She would gush, and I loathe gush. The secret is my own, not yours, so you must please respect my wishes.”
Once more Ruth came to the rescue.
“Of course, we will keep your secret. We have no right to tell without your consent,” she said decisively.
Her grey eyes smiled at him across the table with a wistful sweetness. This man, at least, was true and honest. Quick-tempered he might be, self-willed and impatient, but one could never imagine Jack Melland playing a double part, nor selling his soul for greed. And yet—and yet, one glance from Victor’s eyes had power to affect her as Jack Melland’s most earnest effort could never do; and Uncle Bernard, sharp-sighted as he was, treated Jack with far less confidence and favour.