The Trader's Wife Part 2

Brabant stopped in his walk, and Lester and Pedro Diaz drew aside a little.

"There must be something wrong about him, Bruce, else I am sure you would not speak as you do. We four are all old friends. Speak freely."

"That's just the thing I cannot do, Brabant. I don't like him, and can only repeat what I have said just now--he's not a straight man--not a man I would bring into my house as a _friend!_ Now I must be going.

Good-night, old fellow. I'm off again to my place in the morning."

Brabant took his outstretched hand. "Goodnight, Bruce. I wish there were more outspoken men like you in the world. _I under stand._"

He spoke the last two words with such a look in his deep-set eyes, that Bruce felt that he did at least understand that Captain Danvers was not a man to be trusted--outside of business matters.

CHAPTER III

About a week after Dr. Bruce had returned to his plantation Brabant and his wife were talking in their dining-room, from the wide-open windows of which the little harbour of Levuka lay basking in the fervid glow of the westering sun.

Pipe in mouth, and with a smile on his bronzed, rugged face, Brabant was scanning a heap of accounts which were lying on the table. His wife, seated in an easy-chair near the window, fanned herself languidly.

"You've spent a lot of money, Nell, in five months--nearly a thousand pounds. Two hundred a month is a big item to a man in my position."

"But you are very well off, Jack. You told me yesterday that you will clear three thousand pounds from this last voyage."

She spoke in a petulant, irritated manner, and her brows drew together as she looked out over the sea.

"Just so, my dear girl; but we cannot afford to live at such a rate as two hundred pounds a month."

"I have entertained a great many people." This was said with a sullen inflexion in her voice.

"So I see, Nell. But you need not have done so. We don't want such a lot of visitors."

"It is all very well for you to talk like that, Jack, but you must remember that I have to keep myself alive in this wretched place whilst you are away."

Brabant turned his deep-set eyes upon her. "Did you find it so very dull then, Nell?"

"Yes, I did. I hate the place, and hate the people, and so I suppose I spent more of your money than I should have done had I been living anywhere else."

"Don't say '_your_ money,' Nell. I am only too happy to know that I am able to meet all these bills, heavy as they are; and I want you to enjoy yourself as much as possible. But we cannot spend money at this rate, my girl."

He spoke with a certain grave tenderness that only served to irritate her.

"Am I to live here like the wife of one of the common shopkeepers on the beach--see no one, go out nowhere?"

"As my wife, Nell, I expect you to go out a good deal, and see a lot of people. It gives me pleasure to know that the people here like you, and that you have given all these dances and things. But, Nell, my dear, don't be so lavish. After all, I am only a trader, and it seems rather absurd for us to spend more money than any one else does in the matter of entertaining people who, after all, are merely acquaintances. You see, Nell, I want to make money, make it as quickly as I can, so that we can go home to the old country and settle down. But we can't do it if we live at the rate of two hundred pounds a month."

"But if you amalgamate your business with that of Captain Danvers's company, you will make 25,000."

"But I may not amalgamate with Captain Danvers's company, Nell. I am quite satisfied that they can pay me the 25,000, but I am not satisfied as to the _bond-fides_ of the company. Danvers himself admitted to me that it is proposed to float the new company in London at a figure which represents four times the value of my own and his own company's properties. I don't like it, Nell. My business as it stands I could sell to the Germans for 20,000, cash down. But I won't a.s.sociate myself with an enterprise that is not absolutely fair and square, for the sake of an extra 5,000."

"I suppose Dr. Bruce has prejudiced you against Captain Danvers."

"Bruce! No, certainly not, Nell. Why should he? Bruce has nothing to do with the thing. He quarrelled with Danvers over some matter that has nothing to do with me, and Danvers got the worst of it. Certainly, however, before I decide to sell my business to Danvers's company I shall consult Bruce."

"Why consult him?"

"Because he is a man in whose business judgment I have great faith. And he's an honest man."

"And you think Captain Danvers is not?"

"Not at all. But I do think that Captain Danvers attaches an exaggerated value to the prospects of the new trading company. He's very young, you see, Nell, and takes too rosy a view of everything. And I'd rather die in poverty than be the indirect means of making money at the expense of other people. I'm old-fashioned Nell, and when I die, I want to die with the knowledge that I have left a clean sheet behind me."

Nell Brabant rose with an angry light in her eyes. "I hate talking about money and such horrid things. But I do hope you will come to terms with Captain Danvers and his company."

"Wait a moment, Nell. I want to tell you something which I think will please you. Would you like a trip to Sydney?"

"Very much indeed," she answered, with sudden graciousness.

"Well, I'm thinking of sending the _Maritana_ there, to be docked and to be overhauled, with Lester in command. Then whilst you are away I shall charter the _Loelia_, cutter, and make a trip through the Line Islands.

You will have at least two months in Sydney, and Lester will take good care of you on the voyage."

"It will be a nice change for me, Jack? But why cannot you come?"

"I must make this cruise through the Line Islands before I decide to sell out to Danvers's company."

That evening Brabant announced his plans to his chief officer, and a week later both the _Maritana_ and the _Loelia_ were ready for sea.

During this time Captain Danvers was an occasional visitor to the bungalow on the hill, but he and Brabant met very frequently in the town to discuss business together, and it soon became known that the latter either intended to sell out to, or amalgamate with, the Danvers company.

Ten days before the _Maritana_ left Brabant bade his wife goodbye, for the _Loelia_ was to sail first. He kissed her but once, and looked so searchingly into her eyes as he held her hand that every vestige of colour left her cheeks.

"You must try and enjoy yourself," he said. "Minea" (her Samoan maid) "and you will be very comfortable on board. You'll have the entire cabin to yourselves, as Lester will take up his quarters in the deck-house."

Half an hour later he was giving Lester his final instructions.

"You will not leave Sydney till either you hear from me or see me. I may follow you in the _Loelia_ in a month. But no one else is to know this--not even Mrs. Brabant."

"You may depend on me," replied Lester.

"I know it well. Goodbye, Lester."

That evening the _Loelia_ sailed from Levuka. Pedro Diaz had been transferred from the _Maritana_ and was now mate of the cutter.

As night came on, and the green hills of Ovalau Island changed to purple, Brabant turned suddenly to his officer.

"Come below, Pedro, I want to talk to you."

The Chileno followed him in silence, and the two men remained conversing in almost whispered tones for some time.