Jacob's Ladder Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  Jacob found life, for the next few months, an easy and a pleasantthing. He took a prolonged summer holiday and made many acquaintancesat a fashionable French watering place, where he devoted more timeto golf than gambling, but made something of a reputation at bothpursuits. He came back to London bronzed and in excellent health, butalways with a curious sense of something wanting in his life, anemptiness of purpose, which he could never altogether shake off. Hewas a liberal patron of the theatres, but he had no inclinationstowards theatrical society, or the easy Bohemian circles amongstwhich he would have been such a welcome disciple. He was broughtinto contact with a certain number of wealthy men in the city, whooccasionally asked him to their homes, but here again he was consciousof disappointment. He enjoyed wine, cigars and good food, but herequired with them the leaven of good company and good fellowship,which somehow or other seemed to evade him. Dauncey remained his chiefand most acceptable companion, a rejuvenated Dauncey, who haddeveloped a dry fund of humour, a brightness of eye and speech whollytransforming. There were many others who offered him friendship, butJacob's natural shrewdness seemed only to have increased with hisaccess of prosperity, and he became almost morbidly conscious of theattractions to others of his ever-growing wealth. He had joined aclub of moderate standing, where he met a certain number of men withwhom he was at times content to exchange amenities. He had a verycomfortable flat in the Milan Court, a country cottage at Marlingden,now his own property, with a largely increased rose garden, and halfan acre of forcing houses, over which domain Mr. and Mrs. Harrisreigned supreme. He possessed a two-seater Rolls-Royce, which was theenvy of all his acquaintances, and a closed car of the same make. Hebelonged to a very good golf club near London, where he usually spenthis week-ends, and his handicap was rapidly diminishing. And he hadmanaged to preserve entirely his bland simplicity of manner. Not asoul amongst his acquaintance, unless specially informed, would havesingled him out as a millionaire.

  It was about six months after his first visit from Mr. Dane Montague,when Dauncey one morning brought in a card to his chief. Jacob was nolonger under the necessity of resorting to imaginary labours on suchoccasions. There were tiers of black boxes around the room, reachingto the ceiling, on which were painted in white letters--_The CropstoneWood Estates Company, Limited_. There were two clerks in the outsideoffice, in addition to an office boy.

  "Young lady to see you," Dauncey announced quietly.

  Jacob glanced at the card and forgot all about the Cropstone WoodEstates Company, Limited. His fingers shook, and he looked anxiouslyat his secretary.

  "Did she ask for me by name?"

  "No. She asked for the Chairman of the Company."

  "You don't think she knows who I am, then?"

  "From her manner, I should imagine not," Dauncey replied. "As a matterof fact, she asked first to whom she should apply for informationrespecting the Company. I thought you might like to see her yourself,so I told her the Chairman."

  "Quite right," Jacob approved. "Show her in and be careful not tomention my name."

  Jacob's precaution was obviously a wise one. The young lady who waspresently ushered into the office paused abruptly as she recognisedhim. Her expression was first incredulous, then angry. She turned asthough to leave.

  "Miss Bultiwell," Jacob said calmly, as he rose to his feet, "Iunderstand that you desire information respecting the Cropstone WoodEstates. I am Chairman of the Company and entirely at your service."

  She hesitated for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders, swung acrossthe room, and threw herself into the client's chair with a touch ofthat insolent grace which he had always so greatly admired.

  "I had no idea whom I was coming to see," she told him.

  "Or you would not have come?"

  "I most certainly should not."

  The light died from his eyes. He felt the chill of her cold,contemptuous tone.

  "Can you not remember," he suggested, "that you are here to see anofficial connected with the Cropstone Wood Estates Company and forgetthe other association?"

  "I shall try," she agreed. "If I had not made up my mind to do that, Ishould have walked straight out of your office directly I recognisedyou."

  "You will pardon my saying," he ventured, "that I consider yourattitude unnecessarily censorious."

  She ignored his remark and turned to the business in hand.

  "My mother and I," she said, "have of course left the Manor House. Weare in lodgings now and looking for a permanent abode near London. Theidea of a residence at Cropstone Wood appeals to my mother. She hasfriends in the neighborhood."

  Jacob inclined his head.

  "I assure you the Estate is everything that we claim for it."

  "Most of the enquiries I have made have been satisfactorily answered,"she admitted. "I have found only one person who has had any criticismto make. He says that, before buying property there, one ought to havedefinite information about the water and lighting."

  "He is a very sensible man," Jacob agreed.

  "I have come here to ask about them."

  "The water and lighting," Jacob announced, "will be undertaken by theCropstone Wood, Water and Electric Light Company, a private enterpriseclose at hand. The charges will be normal and the supply adequate."

  "Thank you," the girl said. "If you are sure of that it is all I cameto ascertain."

  She rose to her feet. Jacob was desperately unwilling to let her go.

  "Any direct transactions, of course, are undertaken with the cityoffice," he explained, "but if you will accept a letter from me to themanager, he will see that your application is promptly dealt with, andthat you have all the choice of site that is possible. There is, asyou may know, a great demand for the land."

  "Thank you," she replied, "I will not trouble you."

  "Then again," he went on, "there is the question of whether you wantsimply to buy the land and employ your own builder, or place thecontract with Littleham, who has an office on the Estate. My adviceto you would be to go to Littleham. He can show you a dozen plans ofvarious sized residences, he has a stock of material close at hand--"

  "I am very much obliged," she interrupted. "My mother and I havealready decided upon one of Mr. Littleham's cottages. It was simplybecause we found his answers as regards the water and electriclighting a little indefinite, that I decided to come to you."

  "Indefinite?" Jacob murmured.

  "Yes. He told us that the water and lighting were to be supplied bythe private company you spoke of, but he seemed to have no idea as towhat price they would be likely to charge."

  Jacob inclined his head thoughtfully.

  "I think you may rest assured," he told her, "that the charge will benormal."

  She turned away.

  "You have given me the information I require," she said. "Thank youonce more, and good morning."

  Jacob lost his head for a moment. It was impossible to let her driftaway like this.

  "Miss Bultiwell," he protested, "you are very hard on me. I wish youwould allow me a few words of explanation. Will you--will you lunchwith me?"

  She looked him up and down, and not even the consciousness of thosewell-chosen and suitable clothes, of his very handsome bachelor flatat the Milan, his wonderful Rolls-Royce, and his summer retreat atMarlingden, with its acre of roses, helped him to retain an atom ofself-confidence. He was no longer the man to whom the finger of envypointed. The glance withered him as though he had indeed been acriminal.

  "Certainly not," she answered.

  She made her way towards the door, and Jacob watched her helplessly.In her plain tweed coat and skirt, her sensible but homely shoes, hercheap little grey tam-o'-shanter hat, with its single yellow quill,she was just as attractive as she had been in the days when the firstmodiste in London had taken a pride in dressing her. She reached thedoor and passed out before Jacob had been able to make up his mind tostep forward and open it for her. He gazed at the spot where she haddisappeared, with blank face and
unseeing eyes. Suddenly the door wasreopened and closed again. She came towards him very deliberately.

  "Mr. Pratt," she said, "I am a very selfish and a very greedy person.I have lunched most days, for the last three months, at an A. B. C.shop opposite the office where I am working, and I hate the food andeverything about that sort of place. If I accept your invitation, willyou allow me to order exactly what I please, and remember that it issheer greed which induces me even to sit down in the same room withyou?"

  Jacob sighed as he rose and stretched out his hand for his hat.

  "Come on any terms you please," he answered, with eager humility.