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Read Ebook: 1914 by Oxenham John
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Ebook has 2524 lines and 98568 words, and 51 pages
"Honor!" said her mother reprovingly.
"Well, I don't mean that, of course. But a war does make lively papers, doesn't it? I'm sick of Ireland and suffragettes."
"If this war comes you'll be sicker of it than of anything you ever experienced, before it's over, my dear," said Mr Dare gravely.
"Why?--Austria and Servia?"
"And Russia and Germany and France and Italy and possibly England."
"My Goodness! You don't mean it, Dad?" and she eyed him keenly. "I believe you're just--er--pulling my leg, as old No would say?" and she plunged again into the paper.
"Bitter fact, I fear, my dear."
"How about Lois? Will she be in the thick of it?" she asked, raising her head for a moment to stare meditatively at him, with the larger part of her mind still busy with the news.
"We were just thinking of her. I'm inclined to wire her to come home at once."
"Cricket's off, my son," said Honor, reading on. "It's war and a case of fighting for our lives maybe."
"Oh, come off!"--then, noticing the serious faces of the elders,--"Not really? Who with?"
"Everybody," said Honor. "--Armageddon!"
He went round to her and pored eagerly over the paper with his head alongside hers. They were twins and closely knit by many little similarities of thought and taste and feeling.
"Well!... I'll--be--bowled!" as he gradually assimilated the news. "Do you really think it'll come to a general scrap?"--to his father.
"Those who have better means of judging than I have evidently fear it, my boy. I shall learn more in the City no doubt," and he hurried on with his breakfast.
The front-door bell shrilled sharply.
"Post!" said Honor. "Must be something big," and dashed away to get it. She never could wait for the maid's leisurely progress when letters were in question, and she and the postman were on the best of terms. He always grinned when she came whirling to the door.
"Bull's-eye first shot," said a stentorian voice. "Has your father gone yet, Honor?"
"Just finishing his breakfast, Colonel. I'll tell him," and as she turned to go, her father came in.
"How are you, Colonel?" said Mr Dare. "Good morning, Ray! What are our prospects of keeping out of it, do you think?"
"None," said the Colonel gravely. "It's 'The Day' they've been getting ready for all these years, and that we've been expecting--some of us, and unable to get ready for because you others thought differently. But we want a word or two with Mrs Dare too. Will you beg her to favour us, Honor, my dear?" and Honor sped to summon her mother to the conference.
"We must apologise for calling at such an hour, Mrs Dare," said the Colonel, as they shook hands, "But the matter admits of no delay. Ray here wants your permission to go out and bring Lois home. We think she is in danger out there."
"You know how things are between us, dear Mrs Dare," broke in Ray impulsively. "We have never really said anything definite, but we understand one another. And if it's going to be a general scrap all round, as Uncle Tony is certain it is, then the sooner she is clear of it the better. I've never been easy in my mind about her since that little beast von Helse brought her over last year."
At which a reminiscent smile flickered briefly in the corners of Mrs Dare's lips and made Ray think acutely of Lois, who had just that same way of savouring life's humours.
"I was thinking of wiring for her to come home, as soon as I got to town," said Mr Dare.
"It is very good of you, Ray,"--began Mrs Dare, warmly.
"Not a bit. It's good of you to trust her to me. I can start in an hour, and I'll bring her back safe or know the reason why. Thank you so much!" and he gripped her hand and then suddenly bent forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm nearly packed,"--at which Mrs Dare's smile flickered again.--"I'll cut away and finish. I must catch the ten o'clock from Victoria, and bar accidents I'll be in Leipsic to-morrow morning. You might perhaps give me just a little note for her, saying you approve my coming," and he hurried away to finish his preparations.
Honor and Noel heard him going and sped out after him, all agog to know what it was all about.
"Here! What's up among all you elderly people?" cried Noel.
"No time to talk, old man. They'll tell you all about it," Ray called over his shoulder and disappeared through the front gate.
"Well!--I'm blowed! Old Ray's got a move on him. What's he up to, I wonder."
"After Lois? Why--what's wrong with Lo?"
"Oh--years! It'll all be over in a month. Wars now-a-days don't run into time. It's too expensive, my child."
"Well, anyway, old Lo will be a good deal better safe at home than in the thick of it. And I guess that's what Ray and the Colonel think."
"I'd no idea they'd got that far. Of course I knew he was sweet on her. You could see that when that von Helse chap was here, and old Ray used to look as if he'd like to chew him up."
"I knew all about it."
"Of course. Girls always talk about these things."
"She never said a word. But I knew all the same."
"Kind of instinct, I suppose."
Here the elders came out of the drawing-room, preceded, as the door opened, by the Colonel's emphatic pronouncement,
"--Inevitable, my dear sir. We cannot possibly escape being drawn in. Their plans are certain to be based on getting in through Belgium and Luxembourg. We've been prepared for that for many years past. And if they touch Belgium the fat's in the fire, for we're bound to stop it--if we can. If some of us had had our way we'd be in a better position to do it than we are. Anyhow we'll have to do our best. We'd have done better if you others had had less faith in German bunkum. Noel, my boy," as Noel saluted, "We shall probably want you before we're through."
"You think it'll be a tough business, sir?"
"Tough? It'll be hell, my boy, before the slate's all clean again. And that won't be till the Kaiser and all his gang are wiped off it for ever."
"I thought it would be all over in a month or two."
"A year or two may be more like it. Germany is one big fighting-machine, and till it's smashed there'll be no peace in the world."
"Think they'll get over here, sir?" chirped Honor expectantly.
"They'll try, if we leave them a chance. Thank God,--and Winston Churchill--we're ready for them there. That man's looked ahead and he's probably saved England."
"Good old Winston!"
"If you're off, Dare, I'll walk along with you. I must call at the Bank. It won't do for Ray to run out of funds over there. Good-bye, Mrs Dare! Bring you good news in a day or two. Ta-ta, Honor!"
"Tut, man! You'll need all your spare cash before we're through and I've plenty lying idle."
"You really think it may be a long business?"
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