By this time the gentleman who had done the mischief, with many words of
regret, had given the reins to his man and dismounted.
'I will go to the waiting-room for a moment,' whispered Viviette
hurriedly; and, loosing her hand from his arm, she pulled down her veil
and vanished inside the building.
The stranger came forward and raised his hat. He was a slightly built
and apparently town-bred man of twenty-eight or thirty; his manner of
address was at once careless and conciliatory.
'I am greatly concerned at what I have done,' he said. 'I sincerely
trust that your wife'--but observing the youthfulness of Swithin, he
withdrew the word suggested by the manner of Swithin towards Lady
Constantine--'I trust the young lady was not seriously cut?' 'I trust not,' said Swithin, with some vexation.
'Where did the lash touch her?' 'Straight down her cheek.' 'Do let me go to her, and learn how she is, and humbly apologize.' 'I'll inquire.' He went to the ladies' room, in which Viviette had taken refuge. She met
him at the door, her handkerchief to her cheek, and Swithin explained
that the driver of the phaeton had sent to make inquiries.
'I cannot see him!' she whispered. 'He is my brother Louis! He is, no
doubt, going on by the train to my house. Don't let him recognize me!
We must wait till he is gone.' Swithin thereupon went out again, and told the young man that the cut on her face was not serious, but that she could not see him; after which
they parted. St. Cleeve then heard him ask for a ticket for Warborne,
which confirmed Lady Constantine's view that he was going on to her
house. When the branch train had moved off Swithin returned to his
bride, who waited in a trembling state within.
On being informed that he had departed she showed herself much relieved.
'Where does your brother come from?' said Swithin.
'From London, immediately. Rio before that. He has a friend or two in
this neighbourhood, and visits here occasionally. I have seldom or never
spoken to you of him, because of his long absence.' 'Is he going to settle near you?' 'No, nor anywhere, I fear. He is, or rather was, in the diplomatic
service. He was first a clerk in the Foreign Office, and was afterwards
appointed attache at Rio Janeiro. But he has resigned the appointment.
I wish he had not.' Swithin asked why he resigned.
'He complained of the banishment, and the climate, and everything that
people complain of who are determined to be dissatisfied,--though, poor
fellow, there is some ground for his complaints. Perhaps some people
would say that he is idle. But he is scarcely that; he is rather
restless than idle, so that he never persists in anything. Yet if a
subject takes his fancy he will follow it up with exemplary patience till
something diverts him.' 'He is not kind to you, is he, dearest?' 'Why do you think that?' 'Your manner seems to say so.' 'Well, he may not always be kind. But look at my face; does the mark
show?' A streak, straight as a meridian, was visible down her cheek. The blood
had been brought almost to the surface, but was not quite through, that
which had originally appeared thereon having possibly come from the
horse. It signified that to-morrow the red line would be a black one.