A narrow bar brooch of silver lay there and in the middle were three small stones, an emerald and a sapphire, with a ruby in the centre.
“The stones we chose for Selma! Is it instead of the ring? Do you think she’ll like it better?”
“It’s not for Selma. It’s for you.”
“For me?” Jen stared at her. “But why? Oh, is it three of Jehane’s jewels, to remind me of her?”
“Three of those we didn’t bury,” Joy assented. “But it’s more than that. Joan and I each have one, just the same as yours. They’re the badge of a secret society.”
Jen’s eyes danced. “Oh, Joy! Joan, are they the badge of the Secret Buryers?”
“Is there such a word? How do you spell it? The Secret Diggers by Night,” Joan laughed. “A sign of the secret we share. As long as you wear that brooch, Jen Robins, nobody must know what happened in the crypt that evening.”
Jen laughed delightedly. “What a marvellous idea! Who thought of it? I’ll use mine to pin down my tie, and I’ll wear it always; much more useful than a ring, for I couldn’t wear that at school!”
“That’s what we thought. We’re going to wear ours in our ties too. It was Joy’s idea that we should have a secret badge.”
“It sounds like Joy. How clever! Has Aunty Shirley got one too?”
“We offered her one, but she told us not to bother. She has plenty of brooches.”
“Well, has the Curate got one? For he helped to bury the stones. I’m sure he ought to have a badge!”
“Where would he wear it? We didn’t keep enough jewels for the Curate. But he certainly gave his approval to our proceedings.”
“Perhaps he wouldn’t care about it. I am proud of my badge! If Nesta or Beetle asks where I stole it, I shall say you gave it to me and it has a secret meaning.”
“Don’t add that bit,” Joan advised. “It will make them tease you.”
“Wild horses wouldn’t drag it out of me! I won’t even tell Selma or Angus.”
“Oh, you mustn’t tell either of them!”
“No, I won’t. Is he really better?”
“He’s getting on quickly, so they’re sending him home, but he’ll have to report at hospital regularly.”
“You’ll keep him here, won’t you?” Jen asked anxiously. “You won’t let him go back to Glasgow?”
“What do you think, Jenny-Wren?”
“Of course you won’t. He’ll have to stay here for Christmas; jolly for him and Selma! I’d love to be here too, but——”
“But you’d rather be with your mother and father.”
“Yes,” Jen acknowledged. “I must be at home for Christmas. But I shall think about you all a lot. You’ll tell me if there’s any news about his arm?”
“You shall hear at once, if there’s anything to tell. But it’s going to take a long time.”
“It’ll be next term, before they’ll say anything, I expect. You’ll make Selma go back to school, won’t you?” Jen asked, in sudden alarm.
“I don’t know that we can. All this has made her grow up quickly. You want to come back to us in January, don’t you?”
“You know I do. I mean, I do so, Joan dear!” Jen said fervently.
“We’ll see what we can do about it,” Joan said, laughing.
CHAPTER 32
A PEBBLE RING
“Angus! Angus, can I be engaged to you properly and have the ring you said you’d get for me?” Selma raced to the bedroom and stood staring wildly at Angus, who was sitting by the fire.
Joan had been talking to him. She looked up in surprise. “What’s the matter, Selma?”
“What’s up?” Angus cried. “Have you gone daft, lassie?”
“No! It’s this letter. It’s just come. It’s from Sweden, from somebody who says he’s my uncle. Oh, Angus, I won’t go! They want me to go and get to know them. I’ll no’ go away from you! If I’m engaged to you they can’t make me go!”
“Selma, dear, what are you saying?” Joan cried.
“My father’s brother.” Selma thrust the letter towards her. “I want to be engaged to Angus, and then—then it will be my duty to stay with him!”
“But how did your uncle hear about you, lassie? I did no’ ken you had an uncle!”
“I didn’t, either.” Selma was on her knees by his chair. “But d’you mind I told you once about a man who came into the shop and heard Mollie call me Selma?”
“Aye, I mind that. He asked if you came from Sweden.”
“And he said he had friends called Andersson, and they might be related to me. He said there were lots of Anderssons, but the ones he knew had a brother who had been lost at sea and who used to sail to Scotland. They didn’t know about me until he told them, but they wrote to people at Inverkip and found it was true—you know, birth certificates and that kind of thing. They say they really are my family, and they’d like to know me, and—and they’ll show me Sweden and all sorts of wonderful places. But I don’t want to go away from you, Angus.”
Angus put his left arm round her as she knelt. “Do you think it’s all right, Miss Joan?”
“I’m sure it is. It’s a kind friendly letter. You want to see new countries, Selma! Why not go and meet your relations?”
“No! Not unless Angus can come too.”
“Angus certainly can’t go at present,” Joan remarked.
“I will write.” Selma raised her head and spoke with great decision. “I’ll thank them and say perhaps I will go some day, but as I’ve just got engaged to Angus and he’s no’ well enough to travel. I can’t leave him just now. Can I be engaged to you, Angus?”
“You ken fine what I want,” Angus said.
He rose shakily, and, while Joan watched curiously and Selma still knelt gazing at him, he went to his suitcase and took out a ring-box. “It’s for you, lassie, as soon as you want it. I brought it from Glasgow, just in case you were ready for it. It’s a wee thing and no’ worth a great deal, but it’s bought with money I earned, no’ what Terry sent.”
Selma gave a gasp of joy. “Pebbles! Pebbles from our shore at home! Cornelian and amethyst and topaz! I’ve always wanted some! Oh, Angus, is it truly for me?”
“It’s for you, with all my love and all my heart, lassie,” said Angus, as Joan slipped out and closed the door.
“I thought that was where I withdrew,” she said to Joy. “Mother, they may be engaged, mayn’t they? It will be such a comfort to Selma.”
“She is not quite a child now, although she is so young. I have been talking to her,” Mrs. Shirley said. “She won’t change her mind. She will grow steadily into a deeper feeling for him. Yes, if there is any chance of her going so far from Angus, it is better they should be engaged.”
“She’s doing it so that she won’t have to go. It’s as serious as being married, to Selma, and she feels she can say she must stay with him now.”
“She ought to go to Sweden,” Joy said. “It’s a wonderful chance. I don’t see how she can resist it. I’d like to go with her.”
“She won’t leave Angus till we’ve heard about his arm. I’m sure Dr. Brown is more hopeful, but he won’t promise anything yet.”
“Joan! Joy! Look, isn’t it bonny? Oh, Mrs. Shirley dear, have you heard?”
Selma ran into the room, flushed and with shining eyes, to show her ring. “It’s stones from the shores of Clyde. You can find them, if you know where to look. See the lovely amethyst, and the bit of crystal, and the cornelians and the topaz! And that’s a wee agate.”
“A most original ring and very fascinating!” Joan exclaimed. “Aren’t you proud of it?”
“I am that! I’d far rather have our pebbles than your precious stones that people want to steal.”
“Oh, but——” Joy began.
“That’s very sensible,” Joan said hurriedly. “And it fits you beautifully, Selma.”
“Oh, aye! Angus has a friend who works in a jeweller’s shop, and one day he showed us a card with holes in it, a
nd Angus made a bit of fun about it and told me to put my wedding finger in the holes and find which was my size. I made out it was a joke too, but we both knew it wasn’t really. When I came away he went back to the shop and told them to make a Scottish ring for me.”
“For a Scottish lassie,” Joan said. “Angus has planned it for you beautifully and it’s a lovely ring. We hope you’ll be very, very happy.”
“We can’t give her another ring, Joy,” Joan said firmly, when Selma, after being kissed by everybody, had gone back to Angus.
Joy had been silent and thoughtful for some minutes. “I guessed what you meant. No, I don’t think we can. Ours is a much better ring than this one; it wouldn’t be fair to Angus.”
“It’s more valuable, but Selma would never love it as she’ll love his stones from the beach. The shop must change it. Selma must have a brooch, like ours.”
Joy assented. “They’ll do it. But we’ll give her a different design. An oval brooch, with the stones in the centre; it will look more important than our simple bars. We must write and tell Jen.”
“And Selma must write and tell her she is really properly engaged,” Joan agreed.
“I won’t go away from Angus now,” Selma said defiantly, that evening.
“Oh, but you’d like to see Sweden, Viking Daughter!” Joy protested.
“Only if Angus can come too.” Selma was resolute.
“Write and thank the relations and say you’d like to meet them, but as your engagement is so very new you can’t go at present,” Joan suggested. “I know you’re too anxious about Angus to go so far from him, but once we have good news from the doctors and you know it is only a matter of time till he is strong again, you can go and visit your new family for a month or so, and then come back and see how he is getting on.”
“Aye, I could do that, but I’m no’ wanting it. He wants to talk to you about things.”
Joan went to Angus presently. “What’s the matter, Angus? You ought to be very happy. Selma’s a good girl, and she’ll stick to you through thick and thin.”
“I ken that fine, Miss Joan. She’s the only girl in the world for me. That’s no’ what’s bothering me.”
“What’s the trouble, then?”
“I’ll be going back to Glasgow,” Angus said restlessly. “You’ll no’ be wanting me here. I can go to the hospital there. But will I leave Selma with you? Could she stay a while longer, Miss Joan?”
Joan looked at him with kindly eyes. “Do you think it has done her good to be here? Has it done what you hoped for her?”
“It has that!” he said fervently. “She’s a different lassie. She’s more like you folks than I’d have thought possible in this wee time. But if she comes to Glasgow, what’ll she do? The shop’s no’ good enough for her now.”
Joan laid a hand on his knee. “No, she mustn’t go back to the shop. Angus, do you really think we would let you go back to Glasgow, to live in rooms alone, with nothing to do and not able to work?”
His eyes met hers shyly. “You could no’ keep me here.”
“Wouldn’t you like to stay?”
“Would I no’? You’re all so kind. But it’s no’ fit——”
“Now don’t be silly,” Joan scolded. “You were hurt saving things that are very precious to us. It’s for our sake your training has been interrupted. You’ll stay here till you are able to work, and Selma will stay too, unless she decides to go to Sweden. We must leave that to her. When you are fit to go back to Glasgow you must decide what’s best for her; you’ll probably want to have her near you. But that’s in the future. Jen is hoping very much that she will find you both still here when she comes for the spring term. So don’t worry any more. We mean to take care of you till you are well again.”
“It’s mighty good of you, Miss Joan.”
“Not a bit of it! It was jolly brave of you to remember you were the only man in the house and rush to the rescue of our treasures.”
“Will they be safe now? Selma says you’ve put them somewhere.”
“They’re put away safely and burglars will never find them,” Joan said cheerfully. “And Alf Watson has gone back to his dad in New York. He feels he wasn’t a success in the Old Country.”
“Poor chap!” Angus gave a rueful laugh. “He’ll no’ trouble you again.”
“Will you tell me something? We’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“I will that, if I can, Miss Joan.”
“Did you know Alf would break your arm? Had you time to think?”
His face darkened. “Aye, I heard him say it. It was all over in a second; I could no’ say I really thought about what he would do. But I remembered my fiddle, all in a sort o’ flash, and—and I saw what it might mean. But I could no’ let him get away wi’ the stones.”
“It was wonderfully brave of you,” Joan said quietly. “We do appreciate what you did, every one of us, and we’re sorry it has meant so much suffering for you. We all thank you very warmly.” And she went to tell Joy, leaving Angus greatly comforted.
CHAPTER 33
GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYBODY
“This is your Christmas present, from Joy and me, Selma,” and Joan produced the silver brooch.
“To remind you of us, when you go to Sweden,” Joy added.
“It’s gey bonny! Is it some of the stones from the Abbey?”
“Just that; three little Abbey jewels. Joy and I have brooches too,” and Joan showed the jewelled bar in her tie. “We thought it was time to use some of the stones. Jen has one just the same.”
“So you’ll feel you are one of the family,” Joy remarked. “Ruby, sapphire, and emerald for everybody.”
“It’s a lovely present! Thank you a thousand times! I must show it to Angus,” and Selma raced off to his room.
“Angus comes first in every thought,” Joan laughed. “It’s very satisfying!”
Angus’s gift was a cheque. “Now don’t be silly and proud!” he was told, when he protested. “Put it away carefully; you’ll need it presently. We didn’t know what to give you, so this seemed the best way.”
The Scottish guests were a little stunned to find Christmas a day of high festival; a total holiday, and a day for church and gifts and feasting; while New Year’s Day was passed over with mere good wishes and no other recognition. “Happy New Year, everybody! Very happy New Year, Angus and Selma!” Joy’s shout echoed through the house. But that was all, and Selma, much astonished, explained that things were the other way round at home.
“You must put up with our queer customs,” Joan laughed. “I wonder what a Swedish Christmas would have been like!”
A few days later Selma came to her, her face one blaze of excitement. “A letter from Sweden; a marvellous letter! They really are the kindest people—after you folks here! They say I must come to see them and Angus must go too. They say they want to see him! Oh, Joan, tell us what to do!”
“Here’s a use for that cheque!” Joan cried in delight. “Do? Go, of course, as soon as Dr. Brown will allow it. Angus will take care of you, and you’ll help him and wait on him. You’re doing all sorts of things for him already.”
“Cutting up his meat at dinner,” Selma agreed. “What fun it would be to go together!”
“You’re going to have fun all your lives doing things together. You may as well begin. Does Angus like the idea? Good! Then we’ll talk to Dr. Brown, and Joy shall see about passports and boat trips. It’s just the sort of job she’ll love—making inquiries and planning journeys. Some day she’s going to be a traveller.”
“How you’ll enjoy sailing across the ocean in a real ship, Viking Daughter!” Joy said with enthusiasm. “It will be your first big adventure.”
“No, that was when I came here,” Selma told her.
“Were you terrified?”
“I was a wee bittie feart. It was all so new.”
“You won’t be afraid any more, for you’ll always have Angus with you now,” Joan said.
Dr. Br
own made a careful examination and then gave permission for the journey. “The lad is well, except for the arm,” he said to Joan. “The trip will be excellent for him; he needs new interests to cheer him up.”
“And the arm? Couldn’t you give him some hope, to take away with him?”
“Oh yes! I’ve told him there is every hope of a complete cure. With care, his arm will be as strong as ever. But he must be careful on this visit to Sweden. No skating or ski-ing! The girl may do them all, but he must be content to look on. Tell him to ask for massage for his arm. It’s ready for that now, and Swedish massage is famous. You’d better go to the lassie; she’s in tears of joy.”
Joan held herself in with difficulty as she thanked him and saw him to his car. Then she went racing to find Selma.
“Oh, my dear, I am so glad! We told you it would be all right, but isn’t it wonderful to be sure! Angus, most hearty congrats! You’ll soon be playing again, and better than ever, because of this long rest. Selma, you silly girl, there’s nothing to cry about!”
“I’m no’ greeting!” Selma sobbed.
“If ‘greeting’ is crying, I’m afraid you are. Well, I’ll forgive you; it’s a great relief. Angus, you will be most fearfully careful, won’t you? You don’t want any setbacks now.”
“I will that!” Angus was near to tears himself, in his vast relief and happiness.
“I’ll go and tell Mother and Joy. But I had to say how glad I was.” And Joan left them to plan for a happy future.
“I told Angus he’d play better than ever,” Joan said, when she had told the news.
“And you spoke a true word,” Joy agreed. “His appreciation of good music has deepened enormously in these last weeks. Haven’t you seen his face when I’ve been playing at night? No one had played piano sonatas to him before; he’s had Beethoven—so far as I can play them! I don’t pretend to do justice to them—and Mozart and Schubert and Bach. I’ve done my best for him.”
“It’s been a real musical education. He’ll always be grateful to you.”
“His own good taste made him love the best. Do you remember how he played to us last July? But he hadn’t the faintest idea of the treasures that were before him. He knows a little more about his job now. These weeks haven’t been wasted.”
Selma at the Abbey Page 17