"I am going to hear an account of how you behaved yourself on the voyage, Code," she said, attempting severity.
"By an eye-witness?" Visions of Ellinwood, painfully arrayed, danced in his head.
"Um-m. Well, I won't be home until late, then, because it's a long story."
"You rascal!" said his mother, and kissed him.
On the way to Mallaby House (it was up the old familiar path that he had raced down so recklessly the night of the great fire), he thought over the thing that his eyes had seen for an instant the night before in the jail.
Elsa loved him, he knew now, and she had always loved him. He cursed himself for a stupid fool in that it had taken him so long to find out, but he was relieved to know at last upon what footing to meet her. She was no longer a baffling and alluring creature of a hundred chameleon moods; she was a lonely girl.
Martin, who had been his body-servant while aboard the mystery schooner, opened the door, and bowed with decided pleasure at seeing his temporary master. He ventured congratulations that Schofield was free of the law's shadow.
"Mrs. Mallaby is up-stairs, sir," he said, taking Code's hat. "Just step into the drawing-room, sir, and I'll call her."
It was a sample of Elsa's taste that she illuminated all her rooms with the soft flame of candles or the mellow light of lamps. The mahogany furniture, much of it very old and historic among the island families, gleamed in the warm lights. There were built-in shelves of books against one wall, splendid engravings, etchings, and a few colored prints of the daughters of Louis XV.
Presently Elsa came down the broad staircase. Her hair was parted simply in the middle and done into two wheels, one over each pink ear. Her dress was a plain one of China silk with a square Dutch neck. It fitted her splendid figure beautifully.
Never had she appeared to Code so fresh and simple. The great lady was gone, the keen advocate had disappeared, the austere arbiter of Freekirk Head's destinies was no more. She seemed a girl. He arose and took her hand awkwardly.
"I am glad you came so soon," she said; "but aren't you neglecting other people? I'm sure there must be friends who would like to see you."
"Perhaps so, but this time they must wait until I have paid my respects to you. As far as actions go, you are the only friend I have."