One Maid's Mischief Part 37

"Looks more like peace than war," thought Chumbley, as the boats neared the landing-place--a roughly-constructed platform of bamboo, alongside of which the steersman cleverly laid the first naga, the second boat being steered beside the first and there made fast. The Inche Maida, with her female attendants, then came slowly up between two lines of her slaves to welcome with floral offerings the party of guests.

"Oh, it's all nonsense, Chumbley," whispered the doctor to the lieutenant.

"Yes. I think it is," was the reply, "unless," he added, with a laugh, "they come one of the Borgia tricks and poison the cups. I mean to drink with the Princess so as to be safe."

"I don't mean to think any more about it," said the doctor.

As there was a good deal of ceremony observed by the Princess in coming to meet them, something in the form of a procession was made, the Rajah with great courtesy and good taste offering his arm to the oldest lady of the party--Mrs Doctor Bolter; and the pleasant little lady flushed slightly as she was led up to the Princess, who took her by the hands, kissed her on both cheeks, bidding her welcome and thanking her for coming; and then taking a magnificent bouquet of sweet-scented flowers from one of her attendants, she presented it to her guest.

Chumbley was one of the next to approach with the lady of a merchant settled at the station; and the Princess's eyes flashed as the bright look of welcome to the great manly young fellow changed into one of anger.

It was but a flash though, and the next moment she was smiling as if in contempt of her suspicions, for the lady Chumbley escorted was sallow and grey, and the greeting to her was made as warm and affectionate as that to the doctor's lady.

Then the Princess held out her plump, brown, well-shaped hand to Chumbley.

"I am glad to see you," she said, with a smile, and her eyes seemed to rest with satisfaction upon his goodly proportions. "Take that," she added, as she removed a great yellow jasmine sprig from her rich black hair; and Chumbley bowed, and placed it in his b.u.t.tonhole.

They pa.s.sed on, and other guests approached to be presented to the Princess in this sylvan drawing-room, held in the pale green light of the shade beneath the palms and lacing ferns, through which an arrowy rain of silver threads of sunlight seemed to be ever falling, flashing and scintillating the while.

The Resident was greeted with the most friendly warmth; and Grey, who held his arm, was folded in quite a warm embrace. The choicest bouquet of sweetly-scented flowers being placed in her hands, the fair English girl flushed with pleasure as her tawny hostess said, softly:

"Don't go away, Miss Stuart. You will stay and sit near me."

"You seem to have thoroughly won the Inche Maida's heart, Miss Stuart,"

said the Resident, looking smilingly into his companion's face.

"I like her very much," replied Grey. "She seems to be very natural and feminine. I hope she means it all."

"Yes; it would be unpleasant to find out that it was all glaze," said the Resident, thoughtfully. "But do you know," he continued, speaking very slowly, and watching the continuation of the reception the while, "I think she is a very jolly, good-hearted sort of woman, and--I-- should--think--she--is--very genuine. Yes," he added, after a pause and speaking now quickly, "I am sure now that she has no more dissimulation in her than a fly. What do you say?"

"Oh, Mr Harley, what does that mean?"

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THE FOREST BANQUET.

Grey Stuart's exclamatory question was drawn from her as she, like the Resident, watched the way in which the Princess continued to receive her guests.

Grey, in obedience to the Inche Maida's request, and remained with the Resident close by, where they had an excellent view of what was taking place, and as, rather flattered by her reception, Grey looked on, a pang shot through her breast, as she saw that almost the next couple to advance were Captain Hilton and Helen Perowne, the former looking flushed and happy as he walked proudly forward with his handsome companion upon his arm; the latter with her red lip slightly curled and her eyelashes half shading her large eyes, as she seemed to be superciliously, and with a contemptuous air, smiling at the people she looked upon as far beneath her and hardly worthy of her consideration.

As the Princess saw them approach--the most goodly couple of the company--her eyes seemed to dart a furious flash at Hilton, and then to become fixed and hard as her features, as she encountered the supercilious gaze of Helen Perowne.

For a brief s.p.a.ce she paused, as if too angry to continue her task. The pause was but momentary: for, apparently making an effort over herself, she received Helen Perowne with a grave, almost majestic courtesy, taking a bouquet from an attendant and handing it to her with a slight inclination of the head; while Helen Perowne made her the deportment curtsey that she had been taught at the Miss Twettenhams', throwing into it the dignity of a queen.

"Enemies!" said the Resident to himself. "Strange how women read each other's thoughts!" The Princess darted a quick, reproachful glance at Hilton, and then the couple pa.s.sed to the other side of the hostess as others advanced, and the Resident made his comment upon the Princess, while Grey Stuart exclaimed, in an eager whisper: "Oh! Mr Harley, what does all this mean?"

"Another diplomatic complication apparently, my dear child," he said.

"Why, you and I ought to be very happy and contented to feel that we are not of an inflammable nature and are heart-whole."

"But, Mr Harley," said Grey Stuart, colouring slightly, "I do not understand it."

"And you will not give me time to explain," he said laughingly.

"Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that just as we have comfortably got over the little piece of incendiarism done upon the Rajah Murad's heart by the lightning of Helen Perowne's eyes, the Inche Maida has singed her tawny wings in the light of the handsome brown optics of Master Hilton."

"Oh! but, Mr Harley," said the girl, hoa.r.s.ely, "you don't think that--"

"She has taken a fancy to him?" said the Resident, quickly. "Indeed, my dear, but I do."

"I--I did not mean that," faltered Grey. "I meant, do you think--he had trifled with the Princess?"

"No, certainly not," said the Resident, sternly, and his voice was very cold and grave as he spoke; "but I do see one thing, and that is, that it is an utter mistake to have a pack of handsome young officers and good-looking girls about the station. It makes my duties twice as hard," he continued firmly, "for we have no secret instructions, no Colonial Office despatches that deal with the unions of the s.e.xes; and if this sort of thing is going on, I shall have to ask the Government to send me out an a.s.sistant-resident well schooled in affairs of the heart."

He smiled grimly now, and there was a faint reflection of his smile in Grey Stuart's face as she looked up at him rather piteously, as if to see whether he was in earnest or in jest.

Further private remark was stopped by the Princess greeting her last guests, and then turning to lead the way towards what was literally her palm-tree palace in the jungle.

"You will stay with me, will you not?" she said, laying her hand affectionately upon Grey Stuart's arm; and she smiled down at the fair Scottish girl, who looked up at her in a half-doubting fashion; but dreading to show her feelings she took the offered hand, and the Princess led the way, the Rajah following with Mrs Bolter, and the others bringing up the rear. They pa.s.sed through quite an arcade cut in the wood, whose rich growth of wondrous canes and creepers was rapidly encroaching upon the narrow s.p.a.ce, and sending out long waving strands as if in greeting to others upon the opposite side.

At interval were openings where the green twilight was brightened by patches of sunshine; and here amidst the rich green mosses sprang up patches of many-tinted pitcher plants, while on the trunks of the huge forest trees cl.u.s.tered orchids of wondrous shape and hue. Bight and left was the jungle, dense and utterly impenetrable, except by cutting a way through; and as they pa.s.sed along this shady tunnel, the greens of some of the lower shrubs seemed to be of a velvety blackness that had a charming effect.

At last a patch of bright sunshine could be seen, showing the end of the woodland arcade, and beyond this, framed, as it were, the Inche Maida's home, with its high-pitched gabled roofs, chequered walls, woven windows, and palm-tree thatch, stood out bright and clear.

As they drew nearer they found that the house was placed on the farther side of a large lake that was literally ablaze with the crimson and golden blossoms of a kind of lotus, while its sh.o.r.es were fringed with an arrowy, gorgeously-spotted calladium, the surface of whose leaves seemed burnished and silvered in the sun.

"I say, doctor," said Chumbley, suddenly, "it doesn't seem such a very bad place for a picnic; and if they do mean mischief I hope it will not be till after we have had a good feed."

"Hungry?" said the doctor.

"Atrociously! I could eat the Inche Maida herself."

"She looked to me as if she could eat you," said the doctor. "I say, though, Chumbley, that was all nonsense of yours; the Rajah's as square as a cube. Not half a bad fellow; says he's coming to consult me about some of his symptoms, and is going to get me to put him right. Precious stupid of you to put such an idea in a fellow's head."

"Pitch it out, then," said the lieutenant, coolly.

"I've done it, my boy. I say, Chumbley, I'm like you, precious hungry, too. Look out for the sambals, my boy, and the curry. You'll get them all in delicious trim, I'll be bound. They say the Inche Maida keeps a capital cook, and I think it was a splendid idea to bring us here. The dinner will be ten times better than in a boat or on the sh.o.r.e. I say, my dear boy, what a tip-top place! Why, if I were a bachelor, I wouldn't mind marrying the Inche Maida myself, and succeeding to all her estates."

"It really is a charming place," said Chumbley, thoughtfully. "A man might make himself very jolly here. There's plenty of fishing, and shooting, and--"

"He could learn to chew betel, and smoke opium, and settle down into an Eastern dreamer."

"Oh, I don't know," said Chumbley, quietly. "He might make himself a sort of example to the people, and do a deal of good."

"Yes," said the doctor drily, "or let them do him a lot of harm. Hallo!

where are the ladies going?"

"Oh, up to the rooms, I suppose," said Chumbley. "I expect the Princess does things in style. I wouldn't bet a sovereign that she has not got a regular dining-room and drawing-room with a Broadwood piano."