<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</SPAN></span></p>
<div class="break">
<h2 class="p4">CHAPTER XI</h2>
<p class="pch">AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE</p>
<p class="drop-cap07"><span class="beg">SIR JOSEPH RAYNER</span>, as a solicitor, was at
the very head of his profession, and was supposed
to be trusted with more family secrets
than any other man in England. The confidence in
him was extraordinary, but no one could be found
to urge that it was not merited, and it was notorious
that he had averted more scandals and saved more
reputations than any other half dozen men in his
profession. Erring husbands, and wives deeply
wronged, sought his advice, and to the husbands he
was a man of the world, and to the wives a sympathetic
counsellor, always against the extreme remedy
of the divorce courts. To prodigal sons he was
the dispenser of paternal allowances, and to the
men caught in the toils of the blackmailer he was
like a delivering providence. As a family solicitor
he was unsurpassed, discreet as a cabinet minister
at question time, and as secret as the grave. And
in spite of his burden of secrets, usually as he
walked abroad among men, he wore a jaunty air, as
befitted a man with not a trouble of his own in the
wide world.</p>
<p>But one winter morning as he sat in his private
office his brow was black with care, and his demeanour
was as far removed as possible from the gay<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</SPAN></span>
one which his confreres knew. Before him was a
small ledger with a lock upon it, and a number of
documents, and as he bent over them, from time to
time he wrote figures upon a sheet of foolscap.
Presently he began to add up the figures, and that
done sat staring at the total.</p>
<p>“Ninety-seven thousand,” he whispered to himself.
“God! If anything were to come out!”</p>
<p>He sat looking at the figures, tapping softly with
his pencil, something like despair shining in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Suppose Adrian’s fine scheme goes awry? Or
suppose Joy refuses to sign?”</p>
<p>He rose from his chair and began to walk to and
fro, in the manner of a man whom nervousness
has made restless. Once he stopped and glanced at
the ledger, then nodded his head.</p>
<p>“The others will be all right, if——”</p>
<p>The whirr of the telephone bell on his desk
interrupted his thoughts. Frowningly he picked
up the receiver, and gave the stereotyped “Hallo!”</p>
<p>“Is that really you, Adrian? I didn’t know you
had arrived.... Last night you say.... I didn’t
get your telegram. I was dining with the Chancellor,
and went on to the theatre afterwards....
Yes, you are in time, though I have been praying for
your arrival for days. Things are very tight, and
that banker is getting nervous.... Yes, the sooner
the better. In half an hour? That will do very
nicely. I shall expect you both without fail. How
goes your matrimonial scheme?... Um! Hangs
fire a little does it, but you’re certain of the end.
Well the earlier it is arranged, the better I shall be
pleased. My nerves are not what they were. But<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</SPAN></span>
we can talk the whole business over later. Thank
heaven, I’m her guardian, and there’s only my consent
to be obtained. What sort of a savage has she
become in these three years?”</p>
<p>As he listened to the reply to his last question a
cynical smile came on his face. “Sounds as if you
had fallen in love!... You have, hey? Well,
well (he laughed a little), love is as good a qualification
for matrimony as anything I know, except
a thundering big bank account.... Yes, yes, I
know.... I shall be waiting. That’s all, I
think.”</p>
<p>Putting down the receiver, he began to gather
up the scattered papers on his desk, and after tying
them together with tape, he placed them in a large
envelope and sealed them with his private seal.
Then he locked the books and placed both the book
and the envelope in the safe. Care appeared to
have fallen from him like a garment. He even
hummed a little catch from the halls as he took
from the safe a new set of papers. Any one looking
at him would not have known him for the care-ridden
man of ten minutes before. Once more he
was the Sir Joseph Rayner, whom the city knew,
smiling, cheerful, and exceeding prosperous.</p>
<p>“That will do, I think,” he said as he arranged
the papers on the desk. “Fortunately the girl has
no business experience.”</p>
<p>Then he went to a small cabinet in the room,
and helped himself to a glass of port of a favourite
vintage, and to while away the time smoked a couple
of cigarettes, gazing into the fire with a musing look
upon his face. At the sound of voices in the office<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</SPAN></span>
of the head clerk, he threw away his cigarette and
turned to the door. A knock sounded, and the
door opened.</p>
<p>“Miss Gargrave and Mr. Adrian, Sir Joseph.”</p>
<p>A moment later he was on his feet welcoming the
travellers.</p>
<p>“This is a pleasure, Joy. I did not know that
you had arrived until half an hour ago, not having
had the telegram which Adrian sent me. You look
wonderfully well, and Adrian looks all the better
for his vacation. Take this chair, Joy, and throw
off your furs! The cigarettes are on the mantelpiece,
Adrian, if Joy does not mind.”</p>
<p>He looked at her with a smile and Joy shook her
head.</p>
<p>“Not in the least, Uncle Joseph! Adrian knows
that!”</p>
<p>“Then we can indulge. But how are you?
You have not yet told me, though of course there
is no need. You have the authentic hue of health
in your cheeks, and goodness! what a woman you
have become! I could almost find it in my heart
to envy Adrian the long journey you have made
together!” He laughed a little as he spoke, and
glanced from Joy to his son. A slight frown showed
itself on the young man’s face, and interpreting
it rightly, Sir Joseph deftly took another line.</p>
<p>“You have not found the journey too trying,
I hope, my dear Joy? But I forget. Of course
you are inured to difficulties and hardships at North
Star, and a journey of four or five thousand miles
does not daunt you as it would a city man like
myself.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>Joy laughed a little. “There was not much
hardship once we struck the railway. A first-class
Pullman and a state-room on a Cunarder are in
themselves alleviations of the tedium of a winter
journey!”</p>
<p>Sir Joseph laughed with her. “Possibly! But
it is not every one who would find them so. I think
I could not undertake such a journey now. And I
hope there will be no need for you to do so again.
Now we have you this side of the herring pond,
I hope we may keep you here for a very long time.
Your days of exile are over, and North Star Lodge—”</p>
<p>“Please, uncle,” Joy intervened quickly. “Please
do not say anything against North Star. I think
of it as my home. I was born there, you know,
and I have not found these three years to be like
years of exile—they have been full of happy days.”</p>
<p>“Possibly,” laughed the lawyer, “but there are
many sorts of happiness, and after the pleasures of
the wilderness you will be the better fitted to
appreciate the delights of civilization, since all
things, as you know, gain by contrast.... But
where is Miss La Farge? I thought—”</p>
<p>“She is at the hotel. She was a little tired, but
I think that was an excuse. She knew that I was
coming here to do business—”</p>
<p>“Of course! Of course! Very considerate of
her I am sure; but there was no need for her to be
so punctilious. But business is really of a very
simple nature, merely the signing of a few documents
which can be completed in under half an
hour.” He waved a hand towards the desk. “I<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</SPAN></span>
have anticipated your arrival, and everything is in
order for your signature.”</p>
<p>Joy glanced at the desk, and caught sight of the
papers. “Perhaps you will explain what the situation
is,” she said. “I am not sure that I understand.”</p>
<p>“Certainly,” answered Sir Joseph with a suave
smile. “It is not very complicated. Your father,
as you know, left a very large fortune—something
over a million pounds—in trust for you, and by his
will made me your guardian and sole trustee. One
of the conditions of the will was that for three
years you were to live at North Star Lodge, and
at the end of that time you were to be free to enter
upon your inheritance. You have fulfilled the
condition, and you now inherit. Indeed you ought
to have done so some months ago, and as my
trusteeship ended with the fulfilling of the conditions,
there are certain actions of mine that ought
to be regularized, and for which I shall require your
signature.”</p>
<p>“I do not quite follow,” said the girl.</p>
<p>“It is very simple. You were not here to administer
the estate, and though I had no authority from
you, I was compelled to do so. Of course as your
uncle and guardian there was really nothing else for
me to do.”</p>
<p>“Of course! Of course!” answered Joy hurriedly.
“And you want my signature to—to put
things right.”</p>
<p>“Just that!” answered Sir Joseph smilingly.</p>
<p>“Then the sooner you have it the better,”
laughed Joy. “Shall I sign them at once?”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>“If you like,” answered the lawyer in casual
tones, though there was a little flash of eagerness
in his eyes.</p>
<p>“It will take but a few moments.”</p>
<p>He moved towards the desk, and as Joy rose
from her seat near the fire placed a chair in position
for her. The girl seated herself, glanced carelessly
at the first document he placed before her, and then
asked, “Where do I sign?”</p>
<p>“Here!” answered the lawyer, indicating the
place. Joy signed quickly. There were other
papers that she did not even look at, but promptly
signed each one in turn, as it was presented to her.
When she had finished she laid down the pen with
a little laugh.</p>
<p>“I feel quite a woman of business.”</p>
<p>“But you are not yet out of the wood,” laughed
Sir Joseph. “There is another important matter
to be settled, and that is the future management
of the estate. It is now your own to do with as
you like. You may wish to carry through all
transactions relating to it yourself, in which case—”</p>
<p>“Oh no! no!” cried Joy protestingly. “I should
be worried to death. You must manage it for me
in the future as you have done in the past. I could
not possibly undertake such a task.”</p>
<p>The lawyer smiled. “I was hoping that you
would think of that course, though, for obvious
reasons I did not care to suggest it. It will be
much simpler for you merely to have monies paid
into your account instead of occupying perhaps
several hours per week in worrying over investments.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</SPAN></span>”
He laughed a little. “You would require
an office and at least a couple of clerks, Joy.”</p>
<p>“Oh dear!” laughed Joy, “that must never be.”</p>
<p>“Then I will take the burden off your hands, and
you will have to give me power of attorney.”</p>
<p>“What is that?” inquired Joy, adding merrily,
“I am discovering an abysmal ignorance in myself.”
Sir Joseph explained, and the girl nodded.
“Of course. There is no difficulty about that. It
only gives you the right to continue to exercise the
powers you have had up to now, and it will save me
a great deal of worry. I suppose there will be another
document to sign?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” answered the lawyer smilingly. “One
more document to sign. Fortunately I anticipated
what your wishes would be; and I had it prepared.”
He looked at his son. “We must have a witness,
Adrian. Just ring for Benson, will you?”</p>
<p>The young lawyer touched a bell, and a moment
later a clerk entered.</p>
<p>“Yes, Sir Joseph.”</p>
<p>“In a moment, Benson. I want you to witness
Miss Gargrave’s signature.”</p>
<p>He went to the safe, took from it yet another
document which he gave to the girl.</p>
<p>“Read it, Joy.”</p>
<p>“If I must,” answered Joy, and ran through it
carelessly.</p>
<p>Then she signed it, and the clerk having witnessed
it and been dismissed, Sir Joseph gathered
all the papers together, and locked them up.
“Business is over for the day,” he said. “I’m
going to take a holiday. You will lunch with me<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</SPAN></span>
at the Ritz, Joy, you and Adrian. I shall take no
denial.”</p>
<p>“But there is Babette—” began Joy.</p>
<p>“Oh, we will telephone to her, and pick her up
on the way. We shall then be quite a complete
little party, and tonight we will dine, and go on to
a theatre afterwards. You will not have seen
much acting, of late—”</p>
<p>“None at all,” laughed Joy, “for three whole
years.”</p>
<p>“Then we must certainly go,” answered her
uncle. “Let me see—ah, yes! There is the
‘Grizzly Cub,’ a Klondyke play, pure American and
very strenuous and exciting. I have seen it once,
but I should like to see it again, with some one who
knows the country of the play. To me it seems
very real, and if it has illusions for you who know
the life, I shall know that it is really good. We
will go there. Adrian, just tell Benson to ring up
the Mitre and engage a box for me, and have my
car brought round from the garage.”</p>
<p>It was a merry party that lunched at the Ritz.
There was not a hint of the care that had betrayed
itself in the lawyer’s face in the solitude of his
private room. He was the gay, debonair man of
the world that all his acquaintances knew, and he
exerted himself to make the lunch an agreeable
one. But from time to time, he allowed his eyes
to stray towards a table where a couple of young
men were lunching with a lady. They seemed
very interested in his own party, and presently he<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</SPAN></span>
saw the lady rise from her seat and walk towards
his table. At the same moment Joy Gargrave
looked up, and as she caught the young lady’s eyes,
started impulsively from her seat.</p>
<p>“You, Penelope!” she cried.</p>
<p>“You, Joy!” mimicked the other. “I thought
you were dwelling in the forest primeval?”</p>
<p>“I arrived in London last night. I expect to stay
a little time in England. The years of what my
uncle calls my exile are over.” She glanced at the
lawyer. “Do you know my uncle? No! Then
I must introduce you. Uncle, this is Miss Penelope
Winter, an old—”</p>
<p>“You are wrong, Joy,” laughed the lady.
“This is no longer Miss Penelope Winter. This
is Mrs. Will Grasmore of Grasmore Grange, Westmorland.”</p>
<p>“You are married?” cried Joy.</p>
<p>Mrs. Will Grasmore waved a hand towards the
table she had just left. “There sits the happy
man, whose complete happiness began three
months ago.”</p>
<p>“Which—” began Joy, and then stopped suddenly,
as a curious look came on her face. “Of
course! I see! The other one is Geoffrey Bracknell,
isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” laughed her friend, “and he is dying to
renew the acquaintance he began in Westmorland
four years ago! May I bring him and Will over?
I see that, like ourselves, you are almost at the
end of lunch. We might take coffee together.”</p>
<p>For the fraction of a minute Joy hesitated. Sir<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</SPAN></span>
Joseph, who was watching her, noticed that hesitation,
though he was the only one who did. Then
Joy spoke.</p>
<p>“Well, if you like, Penelope, and if my uncle
doesn’t mind. I am his guest, and—”</p>
<p>“Oh, Sir Joseph will not mind, I am sure,”
answered Mrs. Winter, flashing a smile at the
lawyer and assuming his consent, hurried back to
her own table.</p>
<p>“Did you say that the young man with Mr.
Winter was named Bracknell?” asked Adrian Rayner
suddenly.</p>
<p>There was just a splash of colour in Joy’s cheeks
as she replied shortly, “Yes!”</p>
<p>“I wonder if he is any relation of that Mounted
policeman who came to North Star, when—”</p>
<p>“He is his cousin,” answered Joy quickly. “His
father is Sir James Bracknell of Harrow Fell.
Geoffrey is the second son.”</p>
<p>“Ah! I remember them,” broke in Sir Joseph.
“There was another son who disgraced himself and
his family. He disappeared. I wonder what has
become of him. The succession to that estate will
offer a pretty tangle for somebody to unravel some
day, Adrian.”</p>
<p>His son nodded, but uttered no comment. His
eyes were fixed on Joy, as if he found something
particularly interesting in her demeanour at the
moment. At his father’s words the splash of colour
had ebbed swiftly from her cheeks leaving them
rather pale, but Joy’s manner was perfectly self-possessed,
and there was little to indicate that she<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</SPAN></span>
was passing through a moment of stress. Her
cousin still watched her when the others joined
them, and at the moment of meeting flashed a
quick searching glance at Geoffrey Bracknell. The
young man’s face was eager. There was a light in
his eyes that told that Mrs. Winter’s statement
about his wish to renew acquaintance with Joy had
not been over-coloured, and as he marked it, Adrian
Rayner smiled enigmatically to himself.</p>
<p>Sir Joseph also noticed it, and it troubled him a
little. He was thoughtful during the remainder of
the lunch, and even more thoughtful when, on the
evening of that same day, they again encountered
young Bracknell in the foyer of the theatre. He
was obviously waiting for them, and the lawyer was
far from pleased to learn that he had taken the
next box to his own. He was still less pleased when
the young man made an excuse for visiting them
between the acts, and it required all his skill to
avoid an acceptance of the invitation to supper
which he extended to Sir Joseph’s party.</p>
<p>“My dear Bracknell, you are too late. Our supper
is already ordered. On another occasion, perhaps,
but tonight it is quite impossible.”</p>
<p>“You did not tell me you had an admirer,” he
said to Joy, rallying her a little time later.</p>
<p>“An admirer!” Joy laughed. “Who—”</p>
<p>“Young Bracknell! He is most obviously in love
with you.”</p>
<p>“Oh no! no!” whispered Joy quickly, all the
laughter dying suddenly from her face. “You are
mistaken. It ... it would be too ... too....”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>The sentence went unfinished, and Sir Joseph,
noticing her face, did not press for the conclusion.
He was silent for a little time, wondering what lay
behind her sudden change of manner. Then he
spoke again.</p>
<p>“Young Bracknell is not your only admirer,” he
said smilingly. “You have another.”</p>
<p>“Indeed,” said Joy, very obviously embarrassed.</p>
<p>“Yes! Adrian is very deeply in love. He confided
the fact to me this morning.... I hope, my
dear, that you will be able to listen to him, that you
will be able to give a favourable—”</p>
<p>“Oh!” interrupted Joy nervously, “you must
not ask me, uncle. I shall never marry. Never!”</p>
<p>“Never, my dear Joy! That, it is often remarked,
is a very long time!” He smiled indulgently
as he spoke, and then added, “I hope we may
yet induce you to reconsider your very youthful decision.”</p>
<p>Joy did not answer. Her face was very pale,
and she sat staring at the stage with tragic eyes,
not watching the actors, but visioning a body lying
in the snow in the sombre woods at North Star.</p>
<hr class="chap" /></div>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />