The Secret of Chimneys (1925)

24 The House at Dover

"You don't mind, I suppose," said Bundle after a minute or two, "if I drive rather fast? I started later than I meant to do."

It had seemed to Anthony that they were proceeding at a terrific speed already, but he soon saw that that was nothing compared to what Bundle could get out of the Panhard if she tried.

"Some people," said Bundle, as she slowed down momentarily to pass through a village, "are terrified of my driving. Poor old father, for instance. Nothing would induce him to come up with me in this old bus."

Privately, Anthony thought Lord Caterham was entirely justified. Driving with Bundle was not a sport to be indulged in by nervous, middle-aged gentlemen.

"But you don't seem nervous a bit," continued Bundle approvingly, as she swept round a corner on two wheels.

"I'm in pretty good training, you see," explained Anthony gravely. "Also," he added, as an afterthought, "I'm rather in a hurry myself."

"Shall I speed her up a bit more?" asked Bundle kindly.

"Good Lord, no," said Anthony hastily. "We're averaging about fifty as it is."

"I'm burning with curiosity to know the reason of this sudden departure," said Bundle, after executing a fanfare upon the Klaxon which must temporarily have deafened the neighbourhood. "But I suppose I mustn't ask? You're not escaping from justice, are you?"

"I'm not quite sure," said Anthony. "I shall know soon."

"That Scotland Yard man isn't as much of a rabbit as I thought," said Bundle thoughtfully.

"Battle's a good man," agreed Anthony.

"You ought to have been in diplomacy," remarked Bundle. "You don't part with much information, do you?"

"I was under the impression that I babbled."

"Oh! Boy! You're not eloping with Mademoiselle Brun, by any chance?"

"Not guilty!" said Anthony with fervour.

There was a pause of some minutes during which Bundle caught up and passed three other cars. Then she asked suddenly:

"How long have you known Virginia?"

"That's a difficult question to answer," said Anthony, with perfect truth. "I haven't actually met her very often, and yet I seem to have known her a long time."

Bundle nodded.

"Virginia's got brains," she remarked abruptly. "She's always talking nonsense, but she's got brains all right. She was frightfully good out in Herzoslovakia, I believe. If Tim Revel had lived he'd have had a fine career—and mostly owing to Virginia. She worked for him tooth and nail. She did everything in the world she could for him—and I know why, too."

"Because she cared for him?" Anthony sat looking very straight ahead of him.

"No, because she didn't. Don't you see? She didn't love him—she never loved him, and so she did everything on earth she could to make up. That's Virginia all over. But don't you make any mistake about it. Virginia was never in love with Tim Revel."

"You seem very positive," said Anthony, turning to look at her.

Bundle's little hands were clenched on the steering wheel, and her chin was stuck out in a determined manner.

"I know a thing or two. I was only a kid at the time of her marriage, but I heard one or two things, and knowing Virginia I can put them together easily enough. Tim Revel was bowled over by Virginia—he was Irish, you know, and most attractive, with a genius for expressing himself well. Virginia was quite young—eighteen. She couldn't go anywhere without seeing Tim in a state of picturesque misery, vowing he'd shoot himself or take to drink if she didn't marry him. Girls believe these things—or used to—we've advanced a lot in the last eight years. Virginia was carried away by the feeling she thought she'd inspired. She married him—and she was an angel to him always. She wouldn't have been half as much of an angel if she'd loved him. There's a lot of the devil in Virginia. But I can tell you one thing—she enjoys her freedom. And anyone will have a hard time persuading her to give it up."