'The brute! The old brute, and nothing but the brute!' thought Val
suddenly. 'He smells a rat he's trying to get at the pastry!' And his
heart stood still. If--if he did, then, of course, he would know that
his mother didn't really want his father back. His mother spoke again, a
thought more fashionably.
"No, my Lord, but you see I had refused to give him any more money. It
took him a long time to believe that, but he did at last--and when he
did...."
"I see, you had refused. But you've sent him some since."
"My Lord, I wanted him back."
"And you thought that would bring him?"
"I don't know, my Lord, I acted on my father's advice."
Something in the Judge's face, in the sound of the papers behind him, in
the sudden crossing of his uncle's legs, told Val that she had made just
the right answer. 'Crafty!' he thought; 'by Jove, what humbug it all
is!'
The Judge was speaking:
"Just one more question, Mrs. Dartie. Are you still fond of your
husband?"
Val's hands, slack behind him, became fists. What business had that
Judge to make things human suddenly? To make his mother speak out of her
heart, and say what, perhaps, she didn't know herself, before all these
people! It wasn't decent. His mother answered, rather low: "Yes, my
Lord." Val saw the Judge nod. 'Wish I could take a cock-shy at your
head!' he thought irreverently, as his mother came back to her seat
beside him. Witnesses to his father's departure and continued absence
followed--one of their own maids even, which struck Val as particularly
beastly; there was more talking, all humbug; and then the Judge
pronounced the decree for restitution, and they got up to go. Val walked
out behind his mother, chin squared, eyelids drooped, doing his level
best to despise everybody. His mother's voice in the corridor roused him
from an angry trance.
"You behaved beautifully, dear. It was such a comfort to have you. Your
uncle and I are going to lunch."
"All right," said Val; "I shall have time to go and see that fellow."
And, parting from them abruptly, he ran down the stairs and out into the
air. He bolted into a hansom, and drove to the Goat's Club. His thoughts
were on Holly and what he must do before her brother showed her this
thing in to-morrow's paper.
*****
When Val had left them Soames and Winifred made their way to the
Cheshire Cheese. He had suggested it as a meeting place with Mr.
Bellby. At that early hour of noon they would have it to themselves,
and Winifred had thought it would be 'amusing' to see this far-famed
hostelry. Having ordered a light repast, to the consternation of the
waiter, they awaited its arrival together with that of Mr. Bellby, in
silent reaction after the hour and a half's suspense on the tenterhooks
of publicity. Mr. Bellby entered presently, preceded by his nose,
as cheerful as they were glum. Well! they had got the decree of
restitution, and what was the matter with that!