His Family - Ernest Poole [92]
She was going slowly down the stairs. She stopped for a moment, frowning.
CHAPTER XXXII
On the floor below she met her father, who was coming out of his room. He looked at her keenly:
"What's the trouble?"
"Laura's here," she answered. "Trouble again with her husband. Better leave her alone for the present--she's going to stay in my room for a while."
"Very well," her father grunted, and they went down to dinner. There Deborah was silent, and Edith did most of the talking. Edith, quite aware of the fact that Laura and all Laura's ways were in disgrace for the moment, and that she and her ways with her children shone by the comparison, was bright and sweet and tactful. Roger glanced at her more than once, with approval and with gratitude for the effort she was making to smooth over the situation. Deborah rose before they had finished.
"Where are you off to?" Roger asked.
"Oh, there's something I have to attend to--"
"School again this evening, dear?" inquired Edith cheerfully, but her sister was already out of the room. She looked at her father with quiet concern. "I'm sorry she has to be out to-night--to-night of all nights," she murmured.
"Humph!" ejaculated her father. This eternal school business of Deborah's was beginning to get on his nerves. Yes, just a little on his nerves! Why couldn't she give up one evening, just one, and get Laura out of this snarl she was in? He heard her at the telephone, and presently she came back to them.
"Oh, Edith," she said casually, "don't send any supper up to Laura. She says she doesn't want any to-night. And ask Hannah to put a cot in my room. Will you?"
"Yes, dear, I'll attend to it."
"Thanks." And again she left them. In silence, when the front door closed, Edith looked at her father. This must be rather serious, Roger thought excitedly. So Laura was to stay all night, while Deborah gallivanted off to those infernal schools of hers! He had little joy in his paper that night. The news of the world had such a trick of suddenly receding a million miles away from a man the minute he was in trouble. And Roger was in trouble. With each slow tick of the clock in the hall he grew more certain and more disturbed. An hour passed. The clock struck nine. With a snort he tossed his paper aside.
"Well, Edith," he said glumly, "how about some chess this evening?" In answer she gave him a quick smile of understanding and sympathy.
"All right, father dear." And she fetched the board. But they had played only a short time when Deborah's latchkey was heard in the door. Roger gave an angry hitch to his chair. Soon she appeared in the doorway.
"May I talk to you, father?" she asked.
"I suppose so." Roger scowled.
"You'll excuse us, Edith?" she added.
"Oh, assuredly, dear." And Edith rose, looking very much hurt. "Of course, if I'm not needed--"
At this her father scowled again. Why couldn't Deborah show her sister a little consideration?
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Suppose we go into the study," she said.
He followed her there and shut the door.
* * * * *
"Well?" he asked, from his big leather chair. Deborah had remained standing.
"I've got some bad news," she began.
"What is it?" he snapped. "School burnt down?" Savagely he bit off a cigar.
"I've just had a talk with