afternoon.And when she went up-stairs again to dress for dinner, and found hersister--In bed indeed, but on the alert to jump up to see to Evelyn'stoilet--she rejoiced that Philippa's having been asleep before haddelayed her relating the new cause of alarm that bad arisen, till shecould at the same time tell of its happy dispersal.
This was what had happened.
Allusion had been made to Mrs Marmaduke's approaching departure, and inher thoughtless fashion she had grumbled somewhat at the long journey,"all by myself in a corner of a railway carriage." And thereupon, notunnaturally, Mr Gresham, the elder, had offered to escort her aconsiderable part of the way; as far indeed as the junction, where, aswill be remembered, she had, on her journey north, been startled by theunexpected apparition of her volunteer lady's-maid.
"It is really on my way," said the master of Merle, with thegraciousness of manner which, when he chose to exert it, was almostirresistible, "and as I must be home by the end of this week, a daysooner or later is immaterial. There are two routes, you see," hecontinued, "and your way only takes about an hour longer. So pray letme look after you as far at least as Wrexhill."
Evelyn was aghast; for a moment or two, realising her own folly, shecould not speak. Bernard Gresham saw her annoyance, and attributed it,fortunately, to a cause very foreign to the real one. He imagined thatshe was vexed at not being able to invite him to accompany her to herfather's house and spend a night there by way of breaking his journey.And with what he believed to be consummate tact, he hastened to set hermind at rest. For though few invitations would have suited him better,he knew that the Raynsworths were far from rich, and thus readilyexplained Mrs Marmaduke's not suggesting what in many cases would haveseemed a very simple arrangement.
Little did he suspect what was really passing through poor MrsMarmaduke's mind, and it was with some surprise that he noticed thestill troubled expression on her face, even after he had, as heimagined, reassured her, by remarking that he must go straight throughfrom Wrexhill, however late it was, as a new purchase of a valuableyoung horse was to travel by this train; a horse which he wished to keephis own eye on both at the start and on arrival at its destination.
Evelyn scarcely heard what he said. She murmured confusedly somethingin the way of thanks, and then hastily changed the subject till shecould fly up-stairs and consult her sister as to how to steer clear ofthis new and most uncalled-for complication.
But up-stairs she found Philippa fast asleep and looking so ill that toawake her would have been cruelty of which, with all herthoughtlessness, Evelyn Headfort was entirely incapable.
So it was not to be wondered at that when the young lady got down to thehall where most of the household were already assembled for tea, sheglanced round her in trepidation, earnestly hoping that her favouriteMr Gresham might not be one of the company.
"He is sure to begin again about the journey," she thought, "and I donot know what to say or what excuse to give. And I must fix the day;Mrs Headfort, kind as she is, does not, I can see, like people to hangon indefinitely, and it is an undignified thing to do. I wonder whatPhil would advise. I am really ashamed to tell her what a fool I was."
Her hopes were not realised. Both the Greshams were among the groupstanding round the tea-table, where Christine Headfort was handing cups.Nor did a letter, which had come by the afternoon post, and which herhostess begged her to read at once, help to cheer her.
"I must go--_decidedly_--on Thursday," she exclaimed, impulsively again,as soon as she had run her eye down the few lines it contained.
"No bad news, I hope?" said Mrs Headfort, senior, kindly.
"N-no, not exactly. It is only that--you see, I made my mother_promise_ to tell me precisely how the children were," she replied, sureof the elder lady's sympathy, "and she says Bonny has a cold and rathera suspicious cough; and baby is not looking _quite_ well either.Whooping-cough is about, and the doctor says he cannot be quite sure asto Bonny till Thursday. I had already spoken of Thursday to mamma, andshe says she is so glad I shall be back by then."
"I quite understand," said Mrs Headfort, "and sorry as we shall be tolose you, my dear Evelyn, I agree with you that you should be on thespot. When my children were young I never left them if they were theleast ill, not even to my mother's care. And it was thanks to that, Ido believe, that they all grew up so strong, even Geoff," with amoment's pathetic forgetfulness, instantly followed by a deep sigh."Yes," she continued, pulling herself together with the self-controlhabitual to her, "there is nothing like a mother's watchfulness."
"I felt sure you would understand," said Evelyn, "So I will decide forThursday."
"Thursday," repeated a voice beside her; "you are speaking of yourjourney, Mrs Headfort, are you not?" It was Bernard Gresham, who hadoverheard her last words.
"I can manage Thursday, I feel sure, so you may feel quite happy aboutMrs Marmaduke," he went on, turning to Mrs Headfort the elder.
His words awoke no responsive smile on Evelyn's face, and but a faintone on that of his hostess, who, truth to tell, was somewhat too"old-fashioned" in her notions, altogether to approve of this masculinechaperonage for Duke Headfort's charming and girlish wife. And Evelynrose still some degrees higher in her estimation from her slackeagerness to avail herself of the young man's proposal.
"To be so pretty and attractive, and yet so very discreet, is reallygreatly to her credit," thought the old lady.
Another member of the group had noticed young Mrs Headfort'shesitation--noticed and thoroughly understood it, in a way which wouldhave greatly astonished her.
"What's that you're saying, Bernard?" said his cousin, stepping forward."Going on Thursday? What about the big shoot that day? They'recounting on you. The squire won't be pleased, will he, Mrs Headfort?"
"Indeed, no," said their hostess, quickly, "very much the reverse, I amafraid." Her husband was not present.
Mr Gresham glanced at Michael.
"You can take my place," he said; "you can drop your work for a day, itwill make you something less of a `dull boy';" for the younger Greshamhad been "grinding" pretty steadily during his stay at Wyverston.
"Sorry to disoblige you," said Michael, drily, "but my work has nothingto do with it, my work _here_, that is to say. I must be in London onThursday morning; I go up by the night express to-morrow. There is nogetting out of it," and he turned away determinedly.
When Michael "looked like that," his cousin, as well as Mrs Shepton,knew by past experience that there was no more to be said.
"Surly boor," he muttered under his breath, though the next instantthere was a smile on his face, as he addressed his hostess.
"Do you really think it would annoy the squire?" he inquired.
"I am quite sure it would, as you ask me, Bernard," Mrs Headfortreplied, decidedly, "and Evelyn would be the last--"
"Oh, dear, yes," interrupted Mrs Marmaduke, eagerly. "I would not forworlds, Mr Gresham, have you risk such a thing for my sake. I shall beall right--just as right as on my journey here."
In face of the want of enthusiasm with which his proposal had beenreceived, there was nothing to be done but for Mr Gresham to withdrawit, and this he did from a mixture of motives. Few things would havedistressed him more than to show want of consideration for the nowson-less old squire; furthermore, if Bernard Gresham had a specialpersonal foible, it was the fear of looking ridiculous, and he pridedhimself greatly on his tact.
So with a little bow of unruffled composure he accepted Evelyn's fiat.
"Some other time, perhaps, I may be more fortunate," he murmured, andmentally contrasting him with his cousin, by no means to the latter'sadvantage, Evelyn thanked him with graceful cordiality.
All this was what she now had to relate to her sister.
"Did you ever hear of such a lucky escape, by the skin of our teeth?"she concluded, with exuberant self-congratulation; and Philippa, lyingthere pale and fagged-looking after her rare fit of violent crying,could not but agree with her.
"I don't
know," she said, wearily, "I don't know what we _should_ havedone if he had travelled with us in the same train. It would have beenworse now for it all to have been found out than even at the beginning,now when we are within forty-eight hours of being safe at home! Ohdear, dear! I am sure I shall never want to leave it again. I wish Ihad not gone to Dorriford; somehow that seems to have begun it all. Themeeting Mr Gresham there!"
"You are too depressing," said Evelyn, impatiently, "instead of beingdelighted that I managed to get out of it so beautifully."
"I don't quite see that you _did_ get out of it," said
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