Dick dismissed the matter and remembered with half-jealous uneasiness
that Jake seemed to know a good deal about Kenwardine's household. The
lad, of course, had gone to make inquiries when he was ill, and had
probably been well received. He was very little younger than Clare, and
Fuller was known to be rich. It would suit Kenwardine if Jake fell in
love with the girl, and if not, his extravagance might be exploited. For
all that, Dick determined that his comrade should not be victimized.
When breakfast was over they left the hotel and presently met Clare, who
was followed by Lucille carrying a basket. She looked very fresh and cool
in her white dress. On the whole, Dick would sooner have avoided the
meeting, but Jake stopped and Clare included Dick in her smile of
greeting.
"I have been to the market with Lucille," she said. "The fruit and the
curious things they have upon the stalls are worth seeing. But you seem
to have been there, though I did not notice you."
"No," said Jake, indicating the flowers and fruit he carried. "I got
these at the hotel. The colors matched so well that I felt I couldn't let
them go, and then it struck me that you might like them. Dick warned me
that the things are not eatable in their present state, which is a pretty
good example of his utilitarian point of view."
Clare laughed as she thanked him, and he resumed: "Lucille has enough to
carry, and I'd better bring the basket along."
"Very well," said Clare. "My father was getting up when I left."
Dick said nothing, and stood a yard or two away. The girl had met him
without embarrassment, but it was Jake she had addressed. He felt that he
was, so to speak, being left out.
"Then I'll come and talk to him for a while," said Jake. "I don't know a
nicer place on a hot morning than your patio."
"But what about your work? Are you not needed at the dam?"
"My work can wait. I find from experience that it will keep for quite a
long time without shriveling away, though often it gets very stale.
Anyhow, after being engaged on the company's business for the most part
of last night, I'm entitled to a rest. My partner, of course, doesn't
look at things like that. He's going back as fast as he can."
Dick hid his annoyance at the hint. It was impossible to prevent the lad
from going to Kenwardine's when Clare was there to hear his objections,
and he had no doubt that Jake enjoyed his embarrassment. Turning away, he
tried to forget the matter by thinking about the coal. Since Kenwardine
was at home, it was improbable that he had been at Adexe during the
night. If Clare had a part in her father's plots, she might, of course,
have made the statement about his getting up with an object, but Dick
would not admit this. She had helped the man once, but this was an
exception, and she must have yielded to some very strong pressure. For
all that, Dick hoped his comrade would not tell Kenwardine much about
their trip in the launch.