Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Yes, she had forgotten them, or as good as forgotten them. Nothing remained impressed on her mind, unless it was impressed there by Nurse Evans. I began to think Connie's remarks were very much to the point. Still, it was impossible to remove Hilda anywhere before Hawkins returned, and Hawkins was was still in midAtlantic.

I determined to draw her attention to the state of the house, on the side where the fire had been. She woke up to that more readily than I expected, and we began to discuss what could be done immediately, and what ought to wait till spring. Hilda was

always sensible about her house, and keen on taking care of it. She said she would see Mr Hunter, her solicitor, and find out what he had done about the fire insurance claim.

He arrived next morning, and after the business with Hilda was over, he asked to see me. He was a quiet greyhaired man, not nearly so old as he looked, and I knew David placed a good deal of confidence in him.

"I have a letter for you, Miss Courtenay," he said. "It is from Mr Trent. I don't know if you have yet heard the terms of your cousin's will. He has left directions that you are to receive from his estate £500 a year during your life. This is his letter, which I will now leave with you."

He gave me a letter, and I remained speechless, gazing at David's familiar handwriting on the cover. I believe Mr Hunter was congratulating me in a kind but distant manner. He very soon went away, and I read the letter. It was months old.

"MY DEAR JOSEPHINE,-I always intended to provide for you on your marriage. But now it seems unlikely that I shall live long enough to see that. Five hundred a year is not magnificent, but it will keep you independent, and I leave it to you unconditionally. Would you mind very much if I ask you to look after Hilda a bit Only for a year or two, and only if you can live happily together. If not, you are better apart, of course.

But she will be lonely for a time, poor girl! and lonely women are often got hold of by some one or other. Don't discourage her from going to church as much as she wants to. You and I don't think alike on those matters. But you will feel quite differently about it all some day: it may be a long day.

"I wish you happiness, dear Joey, and wisdom, and peace. -Your affectionate cousin,

"DAVID TRENT."

I very nearly said, God bless you, David! and I very nearly cried for joy. That would have been indecent, when I hadn't cried for sorrow at the news of David's death; only packed in a hurry, and felt very wretched.

Now I dashed straight off to Hilda, and insisted on getting her out with me, actually with strong shoes on her feet and a hat on her head, instead of her trailing wraps and veilings. It is better to get through things in the open air, and I felt certain she would be injured and vindictive. So, as we tramped along the field-path, I began

CHAPTER III.

So we went. And while Hilda and Connie sat together in a dear little morning-room, I went out with Tom Milbanke, and saw all the horses, and then to the paddocks, and round the golf course.

We didn't think of playing, I was so much excited about

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

TROUBLE BEGINS.

David's legacy; I wanted some one to talk to about it. Tom was just the right person, not much older than I am, and very sympathetic. I think he really was delighted for the moment. I don't mean, of course, that he cared profoundly. But I did so enjoy

discussing all the things I could do now, and how the money should be spent. He gave me very good advice too.

"The main thing is to make up your mind," he said. "Remember, if you want to hunt, you can't get a decent fencer with any sort of breeding for less than a hundred. Then there's a groom to keep, and all the hay and oats

[ocr errors]

"But I should want two horses, of course. With only one I couldn't go out oftener than twice in ten days, and the groom would be almost idle with only one horse to look after. That would be bad economy."

"But what about this car that you want, this two-seat Rover! I should advise a Fiat myself, only it would cost you about a year's income. But, then, you could easily sell it, whereas a horse

[ocr errors]

"But now I remember it, I shall be going away with Hilda somewhere. There's no doubt I ought to get her away from here, as soon as her maid comes back. Everyone in her case ought to have a complete change."

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

The next days were peaceful enough. Hilda seemed to grow quieter, and I was full of pleasure in my plans, which I changed every morning. It's a most delightful thing to be an independent young woman, and far more thrilling when you have been hard-up before. Then one fine day came two letters from Canada for Hilda, and all the peace was over. Not that she said much, but her eyes got restless and bright, and she went back to her room and her black silk rest-gown. Worse than that, she began long conversations with Nurse Evans again. I couldn't make out what there was to worry about, though I saw both the letters.

One was from Bill Gresham, and was rather chilly, but satisfactory as far as it went, I should have thought. He had wired to the Hardings from New York, following up his letter to announce the return of Patsy to her parental roof. The answer he received bade him meet the Hardings in Calgary instead of Victoria, as they were leaving Vancouver Island, and intended to live on a ranch in Alberta. This We got back to the house made the journey much shorter,

"Oh, I don't know. That's not certain, is it? Mrs Trent would want to look after the builders working in her house, and she would have to be on the spot to do that. I should think you would both be better here than anywhere. You would hunt with us, and go out with Connie. The shires wouldn't suit you a bit, you can believe me."

and he had handed Patsy over to her family in Calgary, and had also arranged for Hawkins' return journey with some lady who was travelling from there to Liverpool. He hoped Hilda would approve of everything, and feel her mind relieved. He did not intend to return to England himself at present. And this was all.

The letter from Hawkins was short. She was anxious about her mistress's health, and earnestly hoped to survive the dangers of the return journey and soon be with her again. She could only say that Mr Gresham had been kind and thoughtful to a wonder, especially being a gentleman. The child was too seasick to give much trouble on board ship, but was all herself on the land journey, and now that she was handed over safe where she belonged, it was plain to see what you might expect by way of gratitude from them that would part with their own flesh and blood. Gratitude indeed!

Hawkins was clearly ruffled. But Hilda was worse than ruffled. I wouldn't talk to her on the subject, and Nurse Evans entirely agreed with me that it was very bad for her, but continued to hold long conversations about nothing else, and in her soothing voice encouraged all the excited unreasonableness that was Hilda's

bane.

I began to dislike the woman thoroughly, and whenever I could get Hilda away, took her long drives in poor David's

little car over hill and dale of the Kentish country. But the days were short and the weather broken, and I was very thankful whenever Connie Winder came to see us. Of course other people kept away, as the house was in mourning.

At last Hawkins came back. I fetched her from the station myself, and warned her not to give Hilda any disturbing news, or any imaginable cause of indignation against the Hardings.

"You know what it is, Hawkins, when she gets worked up; it's awfully bad for her," I said.

"Well, I ought to know," Hawkins replied with dignity. "And if she gets no more excitements than what I give her, you can rest easy, Miss Joey."

I have no doubt she did her best, but she was no match for the other woman, who appeared to encourage all my efforts at bringing Hilda back to her normal life, and yet privately convinced her that she was an invalid, and quite unable to part with her invaluable nurse.

Two days after Hawkins' return we had a letter from Mr Hunter, who wrote to inform Hilda that he had just heard from Mr Harding from Canada, in answer to his own letter with the information of David's death and the annuity to Patsy. Mr Harding expressed his sincere sorrow for Mr Trent's death, and firmly declined to receive any provision whatever for his daughter.

This was a real blow to

Hilda, and no imaginary grievance. She turned very pale, and actually said nothing for a bit. Then she sent for Hawkins, and questioned her closely. "What did Mr Harding say, Hawkins, when you arrived with Patsy "

"That I couldn't tell you, ma'am, for the plain reason that he never said a word. He just took the child's hand and went straight away with her, leaving her mother all standing, and Mr Gresham trying to speak pleasant, and ___” What did her mother say, Hawkins?"

66

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

"She and her husband had a pretty long hard difference about something, and talked into the middle of the night about it. I was sleeping in the next room, and the walls in these hotels over there are so thin." Pause.

"Did you hear anything if it's a fair question, Hawkins."

"Well, I think I heard the word money. I think so. Yes, I may say I heard the word money," she concluded with decision.

I turned round, to find Nurse Evans just within hearing in the window-seat, her head bent over her drawn-linen work with fine unconcern. That is the way these nurses conduct themselves: like a piece of furniture in the room at one time, so unobtrusive are they, and at another time chattering with all the liberty of a family friend.

"She said plenty, and more than I can recollect, ma'am." Hawkins turned an uncomfortable look on me, then burst forth : She minded the child's clothes more than she minded the child herself, by all that I could see; ran to get her box opened, and turned 'em all over and over, and asked me questions that I had no mind to answer. But as to the little boys, they were pretty, and Of course Mr Hunter was fair, and clean-skinned; fav- sent for, and Dick Harding's oured the father, not one morsel letter was demanded, or a copy like their sister, but all dying of it. But Mr Hunter had misto get to their ranch and ride laid the letter, "with very unponies. Well, the mother was usual carelessness," he said. a fine-looking woman, I must He was not without tact, that say, tall as yourself, ma'am, grey-faced man. And when he and taller, and as handsome added that the letter was sure as a pictureto turn up within a very short "Yes, of course. I knew time, I nearly winked at him.

[ocr errors]

CHAPTER IV.

The days went by, and no letter came for Hilda from either of the Hardings, which,

VOL. CCXV.-NO. MCCCII,

AN EXPERIMENT.

considering her husband's death, seemed a little brutal on their part, but considering the man

T

« ZurückWeiter »