Within the Law [51]
"I married him to get even with his father," she said. "That's all there is to it.... By the way, I expect Dick will be here in a minute or two. When he comes, just remember not to--enlighten him."
Aggie sniffed indignantly.
"Don't worry about me, not a mite. Whenever it's really wanted, I'm always there with a full line of that lady stuff." Thereupon, she sprang up, and proceeded to give her conception of the proper welcoming of the happy bridegroom. The performance was amusing enough in itself, but for some reason it moved neither of the two for whom it was rendered to more than perfunctory approval. The fact had no depressing effect on the performer, however, and it was only the coming of the maid that put her lively sallies to an end.
"Mr. Gilder," Fannie announced.
Mary put a question with so much of energy that Garson began finally to understand the depth of her vindictive feeling.
"Any one with him?"
"No, Miss Turner," the maid answered.
"Have him come in," Mary ordered.
Garson felt that he would be better away for the sake of the newly married pair at least, if not for his own. He made hasty excuses and went out on the heels of the maid. Aggie, however, consulting only her own wishes in the matter, had no thought of flight, and, if the truth be told, Mary was glad of the sustaining presence of another woman.
She got up slowly, and stood silent, while Aggie regarded her curiously. Even to the insensitive observer, there was something strange in the atmosphere.... A moment later the bridegroom entered.
He was still clean-cut and wholesome. Some sons of wealthy fathers are not, after four years experience of the white lights of town. And the lines of his face were firmer, better in every way. It seemed, indeed, that here was some one of a resolute character, not to be wasted on the trivial and gross things. In an instant, he had gone to her, had caught her in his arms with, "Hello, dear!" smothered in the kiss he implanted on her lips.
Mary strove vainly to free herself.
"Don't, oh, don't!" she gasped.
Dick Gilder released his wife from his arms and smiled the beatific smile of the newly-wed.
"Why not?" he demanded, with a smile, a smile calm, triumphant, masterful.
"Agnes!" ... It was the sole pretext to which Mary could turn for a momentary relief.
The bridegroom faced about, and perceived Agnes, who stood closely watching the meeting between husband and wife. He made an excellent formal bow of the sort that one learns only abroad, and spoke quietly.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Lynch, but"--a smile of perfect happiness shone on his face--"you could hardly expect me to see any one but Mary under the circumstances. Could you?"
Aggie strove to rise to this emergency, and again took on her best manner, speaking rather coldly.
"Under what circumstances?" she inquired.
The young man exclaimed joyously.
"Why, we were married this morning."
Aggie accepted the news with fitting excitement.
"Goodness gracious! How perfectly lovely!"
The bridegroom regarded her with a face that was luminous of delight.
"You bet, it's lovely!" he declared with entire conviction. He turned to Mary, his face glowing with satisfaction.
"Mary," he said, "I have the honeymoon trip all fixed. The Mauretania sails at five in the morning, so we will----"
A cold voice struck suddenly through this rhapsodizing. It was that of the bride.
"Where is your father?" she asked, without any trace of emotion.
The bridegroom stopped short, and a deep blush spread itself over his boyish face. His tone was filled full to overflowing with compunction as he answered.
"Oh, Lord! I had forgotten all about Dad." He beamed on Mary with a smile half-ashamed, half-happy. "I'm awfully sorry," he said earnestly. "I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll send Dad a wireless from the ship, then write him from Paris."
But the confident tone brought no response of agreement from Mary. On the contrary, her voice was, if anything, even colder as she replied to his suggestion.