by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VII
At nine o'clock Captain Hampton called at Chester Square and was showninto the drawing-room, from which, as previously arranged, Mr. Hawtreyhad dismissed Mrs. Daintree, telling her that he had some privatematters to discuss with Ned Hampton.
Mrs. Daintree had retired tearfully, saying that for her part shepreferred hearing nothing about this painful matter--meaning that of theletters, for she was ignorant of the later development.
Dorothy looked flushed and feverish. Her eyes were large and brilliant,and there was a restlessness in her manner as she shook hands with herold friend.
'Well, Ned,' she asked, with an attempt at playfulness, 'what is yourverdict--guilty or not guilty?'
'You need not ask me, Dorothy. Even the evidence of my own eyes wouldscarcely avail to convince me against your word.' Then he turned to herfather. 'I have done nothing but think the matter over since you leftme, and I can see but one solution--an utterly improbable one, Iadmit--but I will not tell you what it is until I have spoken to MissHawtrey. Would you mind my putting a question or two to her alone?'
'Certainly not, Ned,' said Mr. Hawtrey, rising.
But Dorothy exclaimed: 'No, no, father, I will not have it so. I don'tknow what Captain Hampton is going to ask me, but nothing that he canask me nor my answers could I wish you not to hear. Please sit downagain. There shall be no mysteries between us, at any rate.'
'Perhaps it is best so,' Captain Hampton agreed, though he felt the ringof pain in the girl's voice at what she believed to be a sign that hedoubted her. 'I am willing, as I said just now, to disbelieve theevidence of my own eyes on your word. I am determined to believe youinnocent. It is impossible for me to do otherwise. But there is onematter I want cleared up. On the fifteenth of last month--that is theday on which these things were missed--I saw a lady so exactly like youin face and in dress that I should under any other circumstances beprepared to swear to her, speaking to the man Truscott, in the LiverpoolRoad, Islington. This was at about half-past four in the afternoon.'
A look of blank wonderment passed across Dorothy's face as he spoke, andthen changed into one of indignation.
'I was never in Islington in my life, Captain Hampton; I never heard thename of Liverpool Road that I know of. I have never seen this man,Truscott, since that day at Epsom. And you have believed this? Youbelieve that I would meet this man alone, for the purpose, I suppose, ofbribing him to silence? I have been mistaken in you altogether, CaptainHampton. I thought you were a friend.'
'Stop, Dorothy,' her father said, authoritatively, as with her headerect she walked towards the door, 'you must listen to this; it isaltogether too important to be treated in this way. We must hear whatCaptain Hampton really saw, and he will tell us why he did not mentionthe fact to me before. Sit down, my dear. Now, Captain Hampton, pleasetell it to us again.'
Ned Hampton repeated his story, and then went on,
'You know I went suddenly out of town, Mr. Hawtrey. That I had beenmistaken never once occurred to me. Up to that time I had never for aninstant doubted your daughter's assertions that she knew nothing as toany letters in the possession of Truscott. That morning, as you mayremember, I mentioned before you the name of the place where he was tobe found, and when, as I thought, I saw her with him, it certainlyappeared to me possible that after the dread Miss Hawtrey expressed ofappearing in a public court to prosecute him, she might, in a moment ofweakness, have gone off to see the man, to warn him of the consequencesthat would ensue if he continued to persecute her, and to tell him thatunless he moved he would in a few hours be in custody. I thought such anaction altogether foreign to her nature, but I own that it never for amoment occurred to me to doubt the evidence of my own eyes, especiallyas the person was dressed exactly as your daughter had been when I sawher that morning. That the person I saw was not her I am now quite readyto admit. In that case it is morally certain that the person who tookaway those jewels was also not her; and this strengthens the idea I hadbefore conceived, and which seemed, as I told you, a most improbableone, namely, that there is another person who so closely resembles yourdaughter that she might be mistaken for her, and, if so, this person isacting with the man Truscott. Should this conjecture be the true one itexplains what has hitherto been so mysterious. The letters were designedto injure your daughter in public estimation, and to prepare the way forthis extraordinary robbery, which would enrich Truscott as well asgratify his revenge. What do you think, Mr. Hawtrey?'
'The idea is too new for me to grasp it altogether, Ned. Until now thereseemed no possible explanation of the mystery. This, certainly, strangeand improbable as it is, does afford a solution.'
'Well, father, I will leave you to talk it over,' Dorothy said, risingagain, 'unless Captain Hampton has seen me anywhere else and wishes toquestion me about that also. And I think, father, that it will be muchbetter in future to put the matter altogether into the hands of alawyer; it would be his business to do his best for me whether hethought me innocent or guilty. At any rate, it is more pleasant to besuspected by people you know nothing about, than by those you thoughtwere your friends.' Then without waiting for an answer she swept fromthe room.
'No use stopping her now,' her father said, shrugging his shoulders; 'itis not often that I have known Dorothy fairly out of temper from thetime she was a child, but when she is it is better to let her cool downand come round of herself.'
'It will be a long time before she comes round as far as I amconcerned,' Captain Hampton said. 'I am not surprised that she should beindignant that I should have suspected her for a moment, but I don't seehow I could have helped it. I saw her, or someone as much like her as ifit was herself in a looking-glass, talking to this man Truscott, thevery day when we had for the first time found out where we were likelyto lay hands on him. What could anyone suppose? I did not think for amoment that she had done anything really wrong, or even, after what shehad said, that he could hold letters of any importance; but she hadevidently so great a dread of publicity that, as I say, it did strike meshe had gone to meet him in order to warn him, and perhaps to get backany trumpery letters he might have had, stolen from her or from some oneelse. I did think this up to the time when you told me of this affair atthe jeweller's. That seemed so utterly and wholly impossible that Ibecame convinced there must be some entirely different solution, if wecould but hit upon it, and the only idea that occurred to me was that ofthere being some one else exactly like her, and that this person,whoever she is, has been used by Truscott both to injure your daughterand to obtain plunder.'
'I don't see how you could have helped suspecting as you did, when yousaw Truscott speaking with some one whom you did not doubt beingDorothy. Had I been in your place and witnessed that meeting, it seemsto me that I must have doubted her myself. Though I am her father, I ownthat I did doubt her for a moment this morning when I heard the story atGilliat's; but let us leave that alone for a moment, Ned; the pressingquestion is, what am I to do?'
'I will give no opinion,' Captain Hampton said firmly; 'that must be aquestion for you and Miss Hawtrey to decide. If my conjecture is right,and this man, Truscott, and some woman closely resembling your daughterare working to obtain plunder on the strength of that likeness, you maybe sure that this successful _coup_ they have made will only be thefirst of a series. On the other hand, you have not a shadow of evidenceto adduce against Gilliat's claim; there is simply her assertion againstthat of two or three other people, and if he sues you, as, of course, hewill if you do not pay, it seems to me certain that a jury would givethe verdict against you--unless, of course, we can put this other womanand Truscott into the dock. Should such a verdict be given, althoughsome might have their doubts as to this extraordinary story, the publicin general would conclude that Miss Hawtrey was a thief and a liar.There is no doubt that your daughter's advice is the one to be followed,and if I were you I would go to Charles Levine, the first thing in themorning, lay the whole case before him, and put yourself in his hands.'
'I w
ill do so, Ned. Should I mention to him that you saw her, as youthought, with Truscott?'
'That must be as you think fit, sir. I don't think I should do so unlessit were absolutely necessary. He does not know your daughter as we do,and would infallibly put the worst construction upon it. I shouldconfine myself to the story of the letters and the jewels, stating thatyou believe there is a connection between them, and that, as youimplicitly believe Miss Hawtrey's word, the only conclusion you canpossibly come to is that the person who visited Gilliat's was someadventuress bearing a strong resemblance to her, and trading on thatresemblance.'
'But how about the dress, Ned?'
'If it was, as I take it, a preconceived plot, carefully prepared, onecan readily conceive that Miss Hawtrey's movements had been watched andthat a dress and bonnet closely resembling hers had been got inreadiness.'
'It is an ugly business, Ned,' Mr. Hawtrey said, irritably. 'You and Ibelieve Dorothy to be innocent, but the more one looks at it the moreone sees how difficult it will be to persuade other people that she isso. However, I will see Levine in the morning. He has had more difficultcases in his hands than any man living.'
'That is the best thing you can do, sir. Now I will say good-night. Youknow where I am to be found, and I must ask you to write to me there andmake an appointment for me to meet you if you want to see me. I shallstill do what I can in the matter, and shall spare no efforts toendeavour to trace this man Truscott, and if I can find him it isprobable that I shall be able to find the woman; but please do not letMiss Hawtrey know that I am taking any further part in the matter. Sheis deeply offended with me, and from her point of view this is perfectlynatural. She thinks I ought to have trusted her and believed in her inspite of any evidence whatever, even that of my own eyes, and she isnaturally extremely sore that one whom she regarded as a close friendshould not have done so. I regret it deeply myself, but seeing what Isaw----'
'You could not help doing so, Ned,' Mr. Hawtrey broke in warmly; 'as Itold you I should have doubted her myself. Do not worry yourself aboutthat. When she thinks it over she will see that you were in no way toblame.'
'That will be a long time first,' Captain Hampton said, gravely;'situated as she is, and harassed as she has been, it is very difficultto forgive a want of trust on the part of those in whose faith andsupport you had implicit confidence. I shall be very glad if you willlet me know what Levine advises.'
'That I will certainly do. I will write to you after I have seen him andhad a talk with Dorothy. There is the affair with Halliburn, whichcomplicates the whole question confoundedly. I wish to goodness he wouldstart for a trip to China and not come back until it is all over. It islucky that that they have got a serious debate on to-night in the UpperHouse, and that he was, as he told us when he called this afternoon,unable to go to the Alberys; if it hadn't been so he would have beenhere by this time, to inquire what had occurred to make us send ourexcuses at the last moment. He will be round here the first thing afterbreakfast. Well, good night, Ned, if you must be going.'
On reaching his lodgings Captain Hampton found a boy sitting on thedoorstep.
'Halloa,' he said, 'who are you? Out of luck, and want something to getsupper with, I suppose?'
'I wanted to speak to you, Captain,' the boy said, standing up.
'Why, you are the boy from Slippen's; have you got any news for me?'
'No, Captain, I ain't come on his account, I have come on my own. I haveleft Slippen for good.'
'Well, come up stairs; we can't talk at the door. Now what is it?' heasked, as he sat down.
'Well, sir, it is just this: I have left Slippen. You see, it was thisway: I was a-watching a female party and she wur a good sort. I got upas a crossing sweeper, and she never went across without giving me apenny and speaking kind like, and one day she sent me out a plate ofvictuals; so I didn't much like the job, and when Slippen wanted me tosay I had seen a bit more than I had, I up and told him as I wasn'tgoing to. Then he gave me a cuff on the head and I gave him some cheek,and he told me to take myself out of it and never let him see my faceagain, so you see here I am.'
'I see you are. But why are you here?'
'Well, you see, Captain, you allus spoke nice to me over there, and Isays to myself, "If I was ever to leave the governor, that is just thesort of gent as I should like to work for." I can clean boots with anyone, and I could run errands, and do all sorts of odd jobs, and if youstill want to find that chap I was after I would hunt him up for you allover London.'
'You are quite sure, Jacob, that you have done with Mr. Slippen? Ishould not like him to think that I had taken you away from him.'
'I ain't a-going back to him no ways,' the boy said, positively, 'noteven if he would have me; and after what I said to him he would not dothat. He called me a blooming young vaggerbond, and I says to him,"Vaggerbond yourself, ain't you wanting to make up false evidence agin afemale? You are worse nor a vaggerbond," says I. "You are just the worstkind of a spy," says I, "and a liar at that." Then I had to make a boltfor it, and he arter me, and he run nigh fifty yards before he stopped;that is enough to show how mad he wor over it. First of all I thinks asI would go to the Garden, and take to odd jobs and sleeping under thewaggons, as I used to do afore I took up with him. Then I says tomyself, "There is that Captain Hampton; he is a nice sort of gent. Icould get along first-rate with him if he would have me."'
'But those clothes you have got on, Jacob; I suppose Slippen gave youthose?'
'Not he; Slippen ain't that sort; he got the clothes for me, and sayshe, "These 'ere clothes cost twenty-two bob. I intend to give youhalf-a-crown a week, and," says he, "I shall stop a bob a week for yourclothes." I have been with him about half a year, so we are square as tothe things.'
'But how did you live on eighteenpence a week?'
'I got a bob now and then from people who came to Slippen. When theyknew as I was doing the watching for them they would tip me, so as togive me a h'interest in the case, as they said. I used to reckon onmaking two bob a week that way, so with Slippen's eighteenpence, I hadsixpence a day for grub. I have got my old things wrapped up in thecupboard. I used to use them mostly when I went out watching. I can getthem any time; I have got the key. I used to have to let myself in andout, so I have only got to watch till I see him go out, and then go inand get my things, and I can leave the key on the table when I comeout.'
Captain Hampton looked at the boy for some time in silence; it reallyseemed a stroke of good luck that had thrown him in his way. There wasno doubt of his shrewdness; he was honest so far as his ideas of honestywent. He wished to serve him, and would probably be faithful. He himselffelt altogether at sea as to how to set about the quest for this man andthe unknown woman who must be his associate. Even if the boy could be ofno material assistance, he would have him to talk to, and there was noone else to whom he could say anything on the subject.
'Well, Jacob,' he said at last, 'I am disposed to give you a trial.'
'Thank you, Captain,' the lad said gratefully. 'I will do my best foryou, sir, whatever you tell me. I knows as I ain't much good to a gentlike you, but I will try hard, sir, I will indeed.'
'And now what am I to do with you?' Captain Hampton went on. 'I am suremy landlady would not like to have you down in the kitchen, so for thepresent you had better get your meals outside.'
'That is all right, Captain. I can take my grub anywhere.'
'Very well, then, I will give you two shillings a day for food; thatwill be sixpence for breakfast and tea and a shilling for dinner. Isuppose you could manage on that.'
'Why, it would be just a-robbing of you,' the boy said, indignantly. 'Ican get a breakfast of a big cup of tea and a whopping piece of cake fortwopence at a coffee-stall, and the same at night, that is fourpence,and for fourpence more I can get a regular blow out: threeha'porth ofbread and two saveloys for dinner. I could do first-rate on eightpence.'
'That is all nonsense, Jacob. If you are coming to be my servant youmust live decently. I dar
esay if you had a place where you could see toyour own food you might do it cheaper, but having to pay for things at acoffee-shop, two shillings a day would be a fair sum. As I don't wantyou to do anything for me in the house at present I do not see that itwill be of any use getting you livery, so we won't talk about that now.You will most likely want another suit of clothes of some sort whilegoing about to look for this man, whom I still want to find. As for yourlodgings, I will see if there is a room vacant upstairs; if not, youmust get a bed out.'
He rang the bell, and his landlord, who acted as valet to his lodgers,appeared.
'Richardson, I have engaged this boy to run errands for me. I do notwant him to interfere in the house, and have arranged about his board,as no doubt you would find him in the way downstairs; but if you have anattic empty I should like to arrange for his sleeping here.'
'I could arrange that, sir. I have a small room at the top of the houseempty; I would let it at four shillings a week.'
'Very well then. He will sleep here to-night.'
'Perhaps he will step up with me and I will show it to him, sir.'
Hampton nodded, and the boy followed the man out of the room. Hereturned in a couple of minutes.
'That will do, I suppose, Jacob?'
'It just will do,' the boy said; 'it is too good for a chap like me. Thebed is too clean to sleep in: I would a sight rather lie down on the matthere, sir.'
'That won't do at all, Jacob. You must get into clean and tidy ways ifyou are to be with me. To-morrow morning I will give you some money, andyou must go out and get yourself a stock of underlinen--shirts, anddrawers, and stockings, and that sort of thing, and another pair or twoof shoes. And now it is getting late and you had better go off to bed.Give yourself a thorough good wash all over before you turn in, andagain in the morning. Here are two shillings for your food to-morrow. Behere at nine o'clock and then we will talk things over. Here is anotherhalf-crown to get yourself a comb and brush.'
The next morning the boy presented himself looking clean and tidy.
'In the first place here is a list, Jacob, of the things you must get,or rather that I will get for you, for I will go out with you and buythem. And now about your work. I still want to find this man. Did youdiscover what name he was known by at his lodging?'
'He was known there as Cooper, Captain, I got that out of the servantgirl, but lord bless you a name don't go for anything with these chaps.No, he may call hisself something else at the next place he goes to.'
'You learnt he went away in a cab?'
The lad nodded.
'The first thing to do is to find that cab. It may have been taken froma stand near; it may have been one he hailed passing along the road. Howwould you set about that?'
'Offer a reward,' the boy replied promptly. 'Get a thing printed and Iwill leave it at all the stands in that part.'
'Yes, that will be a good way.' Captain Hampton wrote a line or two on apiece of paper. It was headed--A Reward.--The cabman who took a man withseveral boxes from----'What is the address, Jacob, where the manlodged?'
'Twelve, Hawthorn Street.'
'From Hawthorn Street, Islington, on the evening of the 15th July, canearn one pound by calling upon Captain Hampton, 150 Jermyn Street.'
'That will do it,' the boy said, as the advertisement was read out.
'Well, I will get a hundred of these struck off at once, then you canset to work.'
Having gone to a printer's and ordered the handbills, which were to beready in an hour, Captain Hampton went with the boy and bought hisclothes.
'Now, Jacob, you will go back to the printer's in an hour's time andwait until you get the handbills. Here are five shillings to pay forthem; then take a 'bus at the Circus for Islington and distribute thehandbills at all the cab stands in the neighbourhood. I shan't want youany more to-day, but if I am at home when you come in you can let meknow how you have got on. Be in by half-past nine always. You had bettergo on at your night school; you have nothing to do after dark and thereis nowhere for you to sit here. There is no reason why you should not goon working there as usual.'
'All right, Captain; if you says so in course I will go, but I hates itworse nor poison.'
On his return Captain Hampton read the paper and wrote some letters, andwas just starting to go out to lunch when Mr. Hawtrey was shown in.
'I am very glad I have caught you, Ned; I meant to tell you I would comeround after seeing Levine. This business will worry me into my grave.This morning Dorothy declared that the thing must be fought out. Herobjection to going into court has quite vanished. She says that it isthe only chance there is of getting to the bottom of things, and that ifthat is not done we must go away to China or Siberia, or someout-of-the-way place where no one will know her. Then I went to Levine.Danvers called for me and took me there. I wrote to him last night andasked him to do so. Nothing could have been more polite than Levine'smanner--I should say he would be a charming fellow at a dinner table. Iwent into the whole thing with him, he took notes while I was talking,and asked a question now and then; of course, I told him our lastnotion, that there must be somebody about exactly like Dorothy in faceand figure. "And dress, too?" he asked, with a little sort of emphasis."Yes, and dress too," I said. When I had done he simply said that it wasa singular case, which I could have told him well enough, and that heshould like to take a little time to think it over. His present idea wasthat I had best pay the money. I told him that I did not care a rapabout the money, but that if this thing got about, the fact that I hadcompromised it would be altogether ruinous to my daughter. He said, "Ithink you can rely upon it that Gilliat will preserve an absolutesilence. I can assure you that jewellers get to know a great manycurious family histories, and it is part of their business to bediscreet." "Yes," I said, "but don't you see if, as I believe, thisfellow Truscott got up the first persecution purely to revenge what hebelieves is a grievance against me--if that is so, and if he has anyconnection with this second business, you may be sure that somehow orother he will get something nasty about it put in one of these gutterjournals." That silenced him, and he again said he would think it over.When I got up to go he asked Danvers to wait a few minutes, as he tookit that if the matter went into court he would, as a matter of course,be retained on our side. So I came away by myself and drove here. Theworst of it is, I believe that the man thinks that Dorothy did it. Ofcourse, as he does not know her he is not altogether to be blamed, butit is deucedly annoying to have to do with a man who evidently thinksyour daughter is a thief.'
'Did he say anything as to our idea that some one else must haverepresented her?'
'Not a single word; he listened attentively while I told him, but hemade no remarks whatever about it.'
After the doors of Mr. Levine's office had closed behind Mr. Hawtrey,the solicitor leant back in his chair and looked at Danvers with raisedeyebrows.
'You have heard the story before, I suppose?' he asked.
'I heard about the first business, but not about this matter of thejewels; except that he gave me a slight outline as we drove here thismorning. It is a curious business.'
'It is a very unpleasant business, but scarcely a curious one,' thelawyer said, with a grave smile. 'I have heard so many bits of queerfamily history, that I scarcely look at anything that way now ascurious. You would be astonished, simply astonished, did you know howoften things of this kind occur.'
'Then you think that Miss Hawtrey took the jewels?'
Mr. Levine's eyebrows went up again in surprise at the question. 'Myimpression so far is,' he said, 'as between solicitor and counsel, thatthere is not the slightest doubt in the world about it. The girl had gotinto some bad sort of scrape; some blackguard had got her under histhumb. She had a good marriage on hand; it was absolutely necessary toshut the fellow's mouth. A largish sum was wanted, and she dared not askher father, so she played a bold stroke--a wonderfully bold stroke Imust say--relying upon brazening it out and getting her father tobelieve--as she evidently has succeed
ed in doing--that there is a doubleof herself somewhere about, who represented her. All the first part ofthe case is a comparatively ordinary one. This is curious, even tome--in its daring audacity, it is really magnificent. Of course, herfather must pay the money; to defend it would be to ruin her utterly. Doyou mean to say you don't agree with me?'
'I hardly know what to think,' Danvers said, doubtfully. 'I know MissHawtrey intimately, and have done so for some years, and in spite of theapparent impossibility of her innocence, I own that I cannot bringmyself to believe in her guilt. She is one of the brightest, frankest,and most natural girls I know.'
The lawyer looked at him with a smile of almost pity.
'You surprise me, sir. My experience is that in the majority of cases ofthis kind it is just the very last girl one would suspect who goeswrong. Why, my dear sir, if we were to set up such a ridiculous defenceas this in an action to recover the price of the jewels, we shouldsimply be laughed out of court.'
'Mr. Hawtrey tells me that his daughter is most anxious that he shoulddefend the case.'
Again the eyebrows went up.
'Of course she would say so. She must know well enough that, whether herfather put himself into my hands or any one else's, the advice would bethe same: Pay the money; you have no shadow of a chance of getting averdict, and to bring it into court would utterly ruin your daughter'sprospects. Of course, it is her cue to appear anxious for a trial,knowing perfectly well that such a thing is out of the question.'
'I think you might alter your opinion if you saw her.'
'I certainly should be glad to see her,' Charles Levine said. 'I admiretalent, and she must be amazingly clever. I have a great respect foraudacity, and I never heard in all my experience of a more brilliantpiece of boldness than this. She must be a great actress, too; of thehighest order. Altogether I should be very glad to see her. She deservesto succeed, and as there is no doubt that you and I will be able topersuade her father that there is nothing for it but to pay the money. Ithink her success is pretty well assured.'
'I agree with you that this money must be paid, but I am not prepared togo further yet.'
'My dear sir,' the lawyer said, 'you confirm the opinion I have alwaysheld, that the judgment of no man under fifty is worth a penny where ayoung and pretty woman is concerned. Mind, there are many men, perhapsthe majority, who cannot be trusted in such a matter up to any time oflife, but up to fifty the rule is almost universal.'
'I am glad to hear it,' Danvers said, 'for in that case your ownjudgment cannot be accepted as final.'
'I rather expected that, Mr. Danvers, but you must remember that inmatters of this kind I have had more experience than a dozen ordinarymen of the age of eighty. Now, I really cannot spare any more time. Ihave given your client a good two hours, and my waiting-room must befull of angry men. I shall write to Mr. Hawtrey to-morrow to say thatupon thinking the matter well over my first impressions are more thanconfirmed, and that I am of opinion that no jury in the world would givehim a verdict, and that it would be nothing short of insanity to go intoCourt. I shall mention, of course, that I am much struck with his theoryof the affair, which indeed appears to me to furnish the only completeexplanation of the matter, but that in the absence of a singleconfirmatory piece of evidence it would be hopeless for the mosteloquent counsel to attempt to persuade twelve British jurymen toentertain the theory. I think it would be as well if you were to call onhim this evening or to-morrow morning and shew him that your view agreeswith mine. That much you can honestly say, can you not?'
'Certainly. However difficult I may find it to persuade myself that MissHawtrey is in any way the woman you picture her, I am as convinced asyou are that it is absolutely necessary that the money should be paid.'
On Mr. Hawtrey reaching his home he found Mrs. Daintree upon the sofa intears, while Dorothy, with a book in her hand, was sitting with anunconcerned expression a short distance from her.
'What is the matter now?' he asked testily. 'Upon my word I believe myannoyances would have upset Job.'
'Would you believe it? Cousin Dorothy has just declared to me herintention of writing to Lord Halliburn to break off the match.'
Mr. Hawtrey did not explode as his cousin had expected that he would do.
'It is not a step to be taken hastily,' he said, gravely, 'but it is oneupon which Dorothy herself is the best judge. You have not written yet,child?'
'No, father. I should not think of doing so without telling you first. Ihave, of course, been thinking a good deal about it, and it certainlyseems to me that it would be best.'
'Well, a few hours will make no difference. The idea is at present newto me: I will think it over quietly this afternoon, and this evening wewill talk it over together.'
'It would be nothing short of madness for her to do so,' Mrs. Daintreesaid, roused to a state of real anger by Mr. Hawtrey's defection, whenshe had implicitly relied upon his authority being exerted to preventDorothy from carrying out her intention. 'It would be madness to breakoff so excellent a match. It would make her the talk of the whole town,and would seem to confirm all the wicked rumours that have been goingabout.'
'As to the match, cousin, there are as good fish in the sea as ever cameout of it. As to the public talk, it is better to be talked about for aweek or two than to have a life's unhappiness. That is the sole pointwith which I concern myself.'
Dorothy, with a softened face now, got up and kissed her father.
'That is right dear,' he said. 'Now let us put the matter aside for thepresent. I have been busy all the morning and want my lunch badly; soeven if you are not hungry yourself, come down and keep me company.Come, cousin, dry your eyes, and put your cap straight, and come down tolunch.'
'Food would choke me,' Mrs. Daintree said; 'I have a dreadful headache,and shall go and lie down.'