Philippa

by Mrs. Molesworth

thoughreluctantly, following him.

  "The dog's gone," said Miss Raynsworth, turning to her sister with atouch of sharpness in her voice. "He was all right, I assure you. Heknew me again, because he travelled in the same compartment with me fromCrowminster."

  "Well, you might have said so," said her sister, half ashamed of herfright. "I wish you'd get into your carriage, Philippa; we are sure tostart immediately."

  "I'm going," the girl replied. "But _isn't_ he like Valentine, Evey?"

  She moved away, however, without waiting for a reply.

  The rest of the journey passed without incident. She spent the time intaking herself to task for having again lapsed into her ordinary tone toEvelyn, too confident of not being overheard, and in mentally drillingherself for the future.

  "It was all Solomon's fault," she said to herself, "both just now and inthe other train. I do hope he and his master are safely off in adifferent direction. But even if they are in the train, there is noreason why they should be going on to Wyverston station. I shall lookout every time we stop on the chance of seeing: them."

  She had plenty of opportunities for so doing. Never had a train gone onits way more deliberately, or come to a standstill more frequently. Buton none of the small platforms alongside of which they drew up didPhilippa perceive the pair of travellers for whom she was on theoutlook. Her hopes began to rise.

  "I really think," she said to herself, "that they can't have come bythis train. I daresay I am silly, but the very idea of that man's beingin the neighbourhood makes me nervous. I am so certain he was curiousabout me."

  This satisfaction at her fellow-travellers' disappearance proved,however, premature. A station or two before that of the sisters'destination, lo and behold! on a deserted-looking roadside platform,there stood, having evidently just emerged from the train, the dachshundand his master!

  Quick as thought, Philippa, who had been glancing out half carelessly,drew back, retiring to the farther end of her solitary compartment. Itmight have been fancy, but she felt certain that Solomon was looking outfor her. There was an indescribable air of alertness about him, evenhis long nose was elevated, and one of his pendent ears unmistakablycocked. Philippa felt almost guilty.

  "Poor darling," she thought, "I hate disappointing him, but I dare notrisk it. I devoutly hope the pair are not in the habit of countrystrolls anywhere near Wyverston, for we can't be far from there now."

  But in what direction they bent their steps, or whether any conveyancewas waiting for them, she had no means of discovering. Before the trainslowly moved on again they must have left the station; no trace of themremained, not even a little heap of luggage awaiting deliberate removalby a country porter.

  CHAPTER SIX.

  "MISS RAY."

  In the interest of their near approach to their journey's end, Philippaput her recent fellow-travellers out of her mind. The afternoon wasdrawing in as she stepped out on to the platform at Wyverston; a fresh,invigorating breeze met her, bringing with it what she could almost havefancied a faint scent of the sea.

  "We are not very far from the coast, I know," she thought to herself,"but I had no idea it was such hilly country. It must be very bleak inwinter," and the thought made her hasten to her sister to ensure herwrapping up before leaving the shelter of her comfortable compartment.

  Mrs Headfort was looking out for her.

  "Evey," began Philippa hastily, but in an instant corrected herself."You must let me undo the rugs, ma'am," she said in the quiet tone ofvoice she had adopted to suit her new personality. "It is ever so muchcolder here than at home."

  "Naturally," said Evelyn; "we have been coming north all the way. Yes,I suppose we had better get out my fur cloak."

  There was no time to do so in the carriage, however. But when all theirbelongings were safely collected on the platform, Philippa hastened toextricate the garment in question. She had laid the bundle of rugs onthe top of a portmanteau, imagining it to be one of their own boxes; butas she strapped up the roll again, the letters "M.V.G." on the surfacebeneath caught her eyes, and glancing round she noticed a gun-case onwhich was painted in white letters the name "M.V. Gresham."

  "How odd!" she thought; "whose things can these be? No other passengerhas got out. And what a strange coincidence that I had said to myselfthat Solomon's master somehow reminded me of Mr Gresham at Dorriford!"

  "This luggage is not ours," she went on aloud, to the attendant porter;"has it been put out by mistake?"

  "It's all right, miss," said a young footman, whom she now observed forthe first time; "it's to go up in the cart along of your lady's. MrGresham--I should say Mr Michael--always gets out at Linley and walksup across the moor."

  Philippa's heart for a moment seemed to stand still. She saw it all ina flash. The young man, her fellow-traveller, some relation no doubt ofhis namesake at Dorriford, was evidently an _habitue_ of Wyverston--anexpected guest there like her sister Evelyn!

  She bit her lips with vexation and dismay. "To think what a fool I havemade of myself! Was there ever anything so unlucky?" and her inwardfeelings gave a stiffness to her manner scarcely judicious under thecircumstances, as she turned to the civil-spoken young servant, hardlymore than a boy in years.

  "Will you see to those things then," she said, as she turned with thecloak to wrap it round her sister, already shivering with the fresh air,which to Philippa's stronger frame seemed pleasantly bracing.

  "The maid's far high-and-mightier than the lady," thought the youngfellow to himself, as Evelyn thanked him with her usual prettygraciousness as he arranged a fur carriage-rug round her when she wasseated in the brougham. And this first impression was not improbablycommunicated to his fellow-servants at the Hall.

  "Phil," said Evelyn, eagerly, as they drove off, "I've quite made up mymind already that I don't at all want Duke to succeed to Wyverston.It's far too bleak and cold. It would kill me; I don't know how I shallstand even my week here."

  Philippa could not help laughing.

  "You really are too absurd, Evey," she said, "in the way you jump atconclusions. I shouldn't wonder if the bracing air were to do you agreat deal of good, and the house is pretty sure to be warm andcomfortable. But there, now, you are tempting me again to forget whom Iam. You really mustn't do it, Evelyn; it makes it so much harder to getinto it again each time."

  "We can't sit looking at each other without speaking, and when we arealone together it would be a perfect absurdity to keep up the farce.Why, you said yourself what a comfort it would be to have a good talknow and then," remonstrated Mrs Headfort.

  "We shall have to be very guarded about it," said Philippa, gravely,"very guarded indeed. To tell you the truth, I do not think I realisedhow very difficult _I_ should find it to act my part consistently."

  "Why, you have scarcely begun it yet," said her sister. "You have hadno opportunity of testing yourself."

  Philippa did not reply at once, then she said more lightly:

  "All the more reason for beginning it now in good earnest. Don't let ustalk about anything personal just at present; I wish we were in an opencarriage, this sort of country is so new to me, such a contrast withhome. I like the feeling of the air, a mixture of moor and sea."

  "I think it's awfully chilly and bleak-looking," said Evelyn, with alittle shiver. "But I always have a sort of cold feeling on arriving ata strange place. It may go off after a little."

  "It is only nervousness," said Philippa, encouragingly.

  "No, no," said Evelyn, "it is worse than that. If you weren't here, Ishould be most terribly homesick already. You don't know what Isuffered, Phil, after I was married, when we went out to India, eventhough Duke was always so kind. And now, since I came back, I havelearnt to lean on _you_ so! I am afraid I am rather contemptibly weak."

  "Poor little Evey," said her sister, tenderly. "You mustn't say that ofyourself; I understand you perfectly. Physical strength has a greatdeal to do with moral strength, after all. But,
oh, dear! we arefalling back worse than ever! Now, I am not going to say another wordtill we get to the house."

  Evelyn was not attracted by the rather wild scenery through which theywere passing. She leant back in her corner and shut her eyes, which hersister did not regret, as anything was better than going on talking asthey had been doing. To her the look of the country was full ofinterest, and from its very novelty invigorating.

  "I hope I shall sometimes be able to go a good walk by myself," shethought. "If only I could make friends with some