Read Online The Best Man by Grace Livingston Hill - Free Book Online
Authors: Grace Livingston Hill
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down through the back yard of the next neighbor, where a motor, just a plain regular one from the station, will be waiting around the corner in the shadow. Celia knows where it is. None of the party will know you are gone until you are well under way. The car they think you will take is being elaborately adorned with white at the front door now, but you won’t have any trouble about it. I’ve fixed everything up. Your coat and hat are out on the fire-escape, and as soon as Celia’s ready I’ll show you the way.”
Gordon thanked him. There was nothing else to do, but his countenance grew blank. Was there, then, to be no escape? Must he actually take another man’s bride with him in order to get away? And how was he to get away with her? Where was the real bridegroom and why did he not appear upon that scene? And yet what complications that might bring up. He began to look wildly about for a chance to flee at once, for how could he possibly run away with a bride on his hands? If only someone were going with them to the station he could slip away with a clear conscience, leaving her in good hands, but to leave her alone, ill and distressed was out of the question. He had rid himself of a lonely dog and a suffering child, though it gave him anguish to do the deed, but leave this lonely woman for whom he at least appeared to have become responsible, he could not, until he was sure she would come to no harm through him.
“Don’t let anything hinder you! Don’t let anything hinder you!”
It appeared that this refrain had not ceased for an instant since it began, but had chimed its changes through music, ceremony, prayer and reception without interruption. It acted like a goad upon his conscience now. He must do something that would set him free to go back to Washington. An inspiration came to him.
“Wouldn’t you like to go to the station with us?” he asked the young man. “I’m sure your sister would like to have you.”
The boy’s face lit up joyfully.
“Oh, wouldn’t you mind? I’d like it awfully, and – if it’s all the same to you, I wish Mother could go too. It’s the first time Celia and she were ever separated, and I know she hates it fiercely to have to say good-by with the house full of folks this way. But she doesn’t expect it of course, and really it isn’t fair to you, when you haven’t seen Celia alone yet, and it’s your wedding trip -”
“There will be plenty of time for us,” said the compulsory bridegroom graciously, and felt as if he had perjured himself. It was not his nature to enjoy a serious masquerade of this kind.
“I shall be glad to have you both come,” he added earnestly. “I really want you. Tell your mother.”
The boy grasped his hand impulsively:
“I said,” said he, “you’re all right! I don’t mind confessing that I’ve hated the very thought of you for a whole three months, ever since Celia told us she had promised to marry you. You see, I never really knew you when I was a little chap, but I didn’t used to like you. I took an awful scunner to you for some reason. I suppose kids often take irrational dislikes like that. But ever since I’ve laid eyes on you to-night, I’ve liked you all the way through. I like your eyes. It isn’t a bit as I thought I remembered you. I used to think your eyes had a sort of deceitful look. Awful to tell you, isn’t it? But I felt as if I wanted to have it off my conscience, for I see now you’re nothing of the kind. You’ve got the honestest eyes I ever saw on a man, and I’d take my last cent that you wouldn’t cheat a church mouse. You’re true as steel, and I’m mighty glad you’re my brother-in-law. I know you’ll be good to Celia.”
The slow color mounted under his disguise until it reached Gordon’s burnished brown hair. His eyes were honest eyes. They had always been so – until to-day. Into what a world of deceit he had entered! How he would like to make a clean breast of it all to this
Gordon thanked him. There was nothing else to do, but his countenance grew blank. Was there, then, to be no escape? Must he actually take another man’s bride with him in order to get away? And how was he to get away with her? Where was the real bridegroom and why did he not appear upon that scene? And yet what complications that might bring up. He began to look wildly about for a chance to flee at once, for how could he possibly run away with a bride on his hands? If only someone were going with them to the station he could slip away with a clear conscience, leaving her in good hands, but to leave her alone, ill and distressed was out of the question. He had rid himself of a lonely dog and a suffering child, though it gave him anguish to do the deed, but leave this lonely woman for whom he at least appeared to have become responsible, he could not, until he was sure she would come to no harm through him.
“Don’t let anything hinder you! Don’t let anything hinder you!”
It appeared that this refrain had not ceased for an instant since it began, but had chimed its changes through music, ceremony, prayer and reception without interruption. It acted like a goad upon his conscience now. He must do something that would set him free to go back to Washington. An inspiration came to him.
“Wouldn’t you like to go to the station with us?” he asked the young man. “I’m sure your sister would like to have you.”
The boy’s face lit up joyfully.
“Oh, wouldn’t you mind? I’d like it awfully, and – if it’s all the same to you, I wish Mother could go too. It’s the first time Celia and she were ever separated, and I know she hates it fiercely to have to say good-by with the house full of folks this way. But she doesn’t expect it of course, and really it isn’t fair to you, when you haven’t seen Celia alone yet, and it’s your wedding trip -”
“There will be plenty of time for us,” said the compulsory bridegroom graciously, and felt as if he had perjured himself. It was not his nature to enjoy a serious masquerade of this kind.
“I shall be glad to have you both come,” he added earnestly. “I really want you. Tell your mother.”
The boy grasped his hand impulsively:
“I said,” said he, “you’re all right! I don’t mind confessing that I’ve hated the very thought of you for a whole three months, ever since Celia told us she had promised to marry you. You see, I never really knew you when I was a little chap, but I didn’t used to like you. I took an awful scunner to you for some reason. I suppose kids often take irrational dislikes like that. But ever since I’ve laid eyes on you to-night, I’ve liked you all the way through. I like your eyes. It isn’t a bit as I thought I remembered you. I used to think your eyes had a sort of deceitful look. Awful to tell you, isn’t it? But I felt as if I wanted to have it off my conscience, for I see now you’re nothing of the kind. You’ve got the honestest eyes I ever saw on a man, and I’d take my last cent that you wouldn’t cheat a church mouse. You’re true as steel, and I’m mighty glad you’re my brother-in-law. I know you’ll be good to Celia.”
The slow color mounted under his disguise until it reached Gordon’s burnished brown hair. His eyes were honest eyes. They had always been so – until to-day. Into what a world of deceit he had entered! How he would like to make a clean breast of it all to this
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