Читать книгу The Girl at Bullet Lake - H. A. Cody - Страница 11

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About the middle of the afternoon Andrew Nairn was seated at his study desk. It was unusual for him to be in the house at this time of the day, as he was generally visiting throughout his parish. But this morning Hettie had been attacked with a severe headache, so she said, and had to go home. It seemed to Mr. Nairn that her headaches were becoming very common of late. Anyway, it was most annoying to-day when Nell was away, and he would have to stay home to look after the children.

After he had awkwardly prepared dinner for himself, Betty, and John, and washed the dishes, he was quite hot. The study was cool, so instead of putting on his coat and collar he laid them on a chair by his side for immediate use in case a visitor should arrive. He kept his mind upon the children as they raced through the house or played upon the verandah. He could hear their chatter and rippling laughter, so knew they were enjoying themselves. Once he heard them thumping upon the piano and listened as they tried to sing a simple hymn they had learned at Sunday school. The sound was sweet to his ears, and he longed for Nell to be present to hear them.

Gradually he became absorbed in the work before him. This consisted of examining a number of sermons he had prepared and delivered in his parish. He had spent much care and time upon them, and was quite proud of his productions. He knew that they were far beyond the heads of his people, but he was determined not to preach down to them, but to lift them up to his level. Often, however, he longed for a congregation that would appreciate his ability and scholarly sermons. If he were only in a city church what a pleasure it would be. The first opportunity had come when he had preached at St. Alban's. It had been a red-letter day to him, and he believed that he had made a favorable impression, so he had a strong hope of being elected. This afternoon he began to examine his best sermons and to arrange them in the order he would deliver them should he be chosen for St. Alban's. He dwelt fondly upon several, such as Religion and Science, The Quest for Truth, and Reality and the World's Needs. He was firmly convinced that they would make a greater appeal to intellectual minds than light and homely sermons.

Time sped swiftly by as he sat there. He had not forgotten the children, and occasionally he lifted his head to listen to their voices, and then satisfied that they were all right, he turned his attention again to the task before him.

He had almost finished revising the last sermon when the study door was flung suddenly open, and Betty danced into the room, her face beaming with animation.

"Daddy! Daddy!" she cried. "Here's a visitor to see you. I'm bringing her in."

Mr. Nairn rose quickly to his feet and reached for his coat and collar. This was a most embarrassing situation, as he had never expected anyone to catch him off guard in his study. But here was a woman right at the door. Without looking to see who she was, he struggled to put on his collar. But his fingers fumbled, a collar button fell to the floor and rolled around the desk. Dropping upon his hands and knees, he began a frantic search, and after he had found the button, he regained his feet, struggled into his coat, became confused and thrust his right arm into the left sleeve.

And while the Reverend Andrew Nairn was thus performing these desperate antics, Mrs. Augustus Rockbridge stood in the doorway, with John close behind. An expression of triumph lighted up her face as she watched the scene before her. So this was the Rector of Glengrow! How she longed for the members of St. Alban's to behold their Angel Gabriel in his study. But they should know about him just as soon as she could get a letter to her dear friend, Mrs. Casham. Imagine such a man as rector of a fashionable city church, collarless and coatless when a visitor called! Why, the church would be scandalized and the laughing-stock of the town. It would never do to have such a careless man as rector. She was pleased beyond measure, and as she stood triumphantly there she seemed like a cat watching a mouse which she had hypnotized.

When his struggles with the coat and collar were at last ended, Mr. Nairn straightened himself up and looked towards the door. His embarrassment at once increased when he beheld Mrs. Rockbridge standing before him. He recognized her, and knew her as one of the most influential members of St. Alban's. It was certainly most humiliating to be found in such an awkward predicament. It was the first time in his ministry that he had been so caught when a visitor arrived. He was greatly annoyed, and his face flushed.

All this was very gratifying to Mrs. Rockbridge. She could not have arrived at a more opportune time for her purpose. She could afford to smile in a most engaging manner as she advanced and held out her hand.

"I hope you will forgive me, Mr. Nairn, for my abrupt entrance. But I could not resist the invitation of this sweet maiden. What charming children you have, and how proud you must be of them."

Besides being angry at Betty and John for ushering the visitor into the study, the clergyman was ashamed of their grimy faces and dirty clothes. They looked more like waifs of the gutter than the clean, neat tots they had been that morning. And to think that Mrs. Rockbridge, of all women, should behold them in such a condition!

"I am sorry you have caught me off guard," he at length found voice to say. "The fact is, Mrs. Nairn is away from home to-day, and our maid had to go home on account of a headache, so I have been forced to keep house. I hope you will excuse me. Please sit down. But, no, not here in this disorderly place. The sitting-room will be better."

"You need not apologize," Mrs. Rockbridge gurgled. "A parson's study is his workshop, and what does it matter so long as he produces sermons such as you gave at St. Alban's when you were there. They were wonderful, and everyone has been speaking about them."

Quite pleased at this flattery, the clergyman felt greatly relieved as he led the way into the adjoining room. He longed to hear her speak more about his sermons. She had evidently forgotten the awkward predicament in which she had caught him. People of high social standing could easily overlook such an incident as that, he imagined.

But as he entered the sitting-room he received another shock, for the place was in great disorder. Books and sheets of music were scattered about the floor, chairs were upturned, and crusts of bread were lying upon the centre-table.

"The children!" he gasped. "They were playing in here this afternoon, but I had no idea they were up to such mischief. I thought they were playing Sunday school."

"And so we were, Daddy," Betty explained. "I was the teacher and John was the children. We had great fun."

"You evidently did, my dear," her father replied in a gentle voice. He was regaining his composure now and remembered the sweet voices to which he had listened so attentively. "I hope you will excuse this," he added turning to the visitor. "It was all my fault. I should have paid more attention to the children."

"It is only natural for the little darlings to enjoy themselves," Mrs. Rockbridge smilingly replied. "I love children, and their quaint ways are so charming. We cannot expect them to be quiet and orderly like grown-up people."

"I am glad you understand children, Mrs. Rockbridge. Some women do. But it shows how helpless a man is when his wife is away. Now, if Mrs. Nairn had been at home this would not have happened. Will you please sit down and rest, that is, if you can find an upright chair."

Mrs. Rockbridge beamed good-naturedly. She could afford to be pleasant after such interesting incidents which would go a long way towards furthering her designs.

"I must not stay long," she declared as she seated herself in the only available chair in the room, while the clergyman sat down upon the piano stool. "I came merely to find out the hour of service in your church next Sunday. I could learn nothing at the hotel. I am afraid the people there are not church-goers."

Mr. Nairn's eyebrows lifted a little as he looked keenly at the woman.

"That is strange," he replied, "for I have several service notices tacked up in prominent places in the hotel."

"I didn't see them," Mrs. Rockbridge lied. She was feeling somewhat embarrassed now, an unusual thing for her.

"And some of my people are working at the hotel," the clergyman continued. "You might have inquired from them."

"I am not in the habit, sir, of asking servants questions."

"Oh, I see." A slight smile lurked about the corners of Mr. Nairn's mouth. "But the young man in charge of the office is one of my most faithful church members. He could have told you."

As Mrs. Rockbridge now became visibly confused, Mr. Nairn knew that she had been lying, and he became suspicious of her visit. Suddenly an idea flashed into his mind which caused him to understand the meaning of her abrupt entrance into his study. She had come under the pretext of learning about the hour of service that she might spy upon him and his household affairs. As a prominent member of St. Alban's she had either been sent by the church or she had come upon her own responsibility. He then remembered that she had a nephew who was a candidate for the rectorship of the church. Yes, it was as clear to him as day, and he was thankful that his eyes had been opened to the real object of her visit. She had caught him off guard, but henceforth he would be on his watch against her. He noticed that she averted her eyes from his, and that looked suspicious. He not only suspected her of hypocrisy, but he was beginning to dislike her, as well. The idea of a woman entering his house as a spy was repugnant to his nature.

Rising to his feet, he went into the study. When he returned a minute later, he had a paper in his hand.

"This is the list of my services," he explained. "You might like to have it."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Nairn. But do you hold services in six places?" Mrs. Rockbridge asked as she looked at the paper. "How do you manage to do so much?"

"I have three services every Sunday, besides Sunday school in two places."

"My! my! how busy you must be. And does your wife go with you on all your rounds?"

"As often as she can, especially when I go to places where there are no organists."

"But doesn't she get very tired?"

"Sometimes. But she enjoys playing at the services, and she generally has short practices afterwards. In this way we are building up several creditable country choirs."

"How grand!" Mrs. Rockbridge exclaimed, although inwardly she was disappointed. Mrs. Nairn must be a remarkable woman, and the idea was not altogether to her liking. "But does not your wife become tired of country people and rural ways. Does she not long for more congenial life?"

"Not at all. Mrs. Nairn was brought up in the country, and is very fond of it."

"That makes a great difference, then."

Mrs. Rockbridge's face brightened, for this was agreeable news to her. A woman brought up in the country would never suit as the wife of the Rector of St. Alban's. She would know little or nothing about high social life, and would, therefore, not understand how to conduct herself properly among fashionable people.

Mr. Nairn truly surmised her thoughts. He was perfectly at ease now, and all his embarrassment had disappeared. He waited a little before giving what he believed would completely confound this impudent woman. His was the pleasure of anticipation.

"Yes, my wife lived in the country until she went to college," he at length quietly explained. "After her graduation she travelled and studied for two years in Europe. She saw much of fashionable life in some of the large cities, and found it so shallow and artificial that she longed for the quietness of the country. It was a great relief to her when we came to this parish."

While thus speaking the clergyman had been closely watching his visitor. What he saw satisfied him. Her narrowed eyes told plainly her disappointment. She had evidently not expected to find such a woman in the wife of the Rector of Glengrow. But Mrs. Rockbridge was well versed in the art of dissimulation. She smiled sweetly as she rose to her feet and held out her soft plump hand.

"I am looking forward to meeting your wife, Mr. Nairn. I hope to see her often during my short stay here."

"We expect to call upon you," the clergyman replied. "We always call upon guests at the hotel who belong to our Church."

Whether this was intended as a rebuke Mrs. Rockbridge was not certain. Anyway, she was a very angry woman as she left the house and walked down the gravel path to the main road. She had been guilty of a serious breach of etiquette in calling first at the rectory. She knew that such a thing would not be tolerated among her set in the city. Such action would have placed the stamp of inferiority upon any newcomer at once. But she had imagined that such a custom was unknown in the country, so she could do as she pleased, and none would know the difference. But she realised now that this was not so. Mr. and Mrs. Nairn evidently knew what was proper, so that was one of the things which troubled her.

Mrs. Rockbridge was in no pleasant frame of mind as she made her way back to the hotel. She found some relief to her feelings, however, in the letter she wrote that night to her dear friend, Mrs. Sylvester Casham. She said nothing about her own indiscretions, but enlarged upon the rector's appearance in the study, the dirty children, and the disorderly condition of the house.

"A woman, no matter how well educated she may be, who will neglect her house and race over the country is not a fit person to be the wife of the Rector of St. Alban's, even though he is the Angel Gabriel, which Mr. Nairn is certainly not. But I shall remain here for a while and find out all I can."

Such were the closing words of the letter to her dear friend. Anyone acquainted with Mrs. Rockbridge knew that she would go to almost any length in order to further whatever design she had in her mind.