The Master of the Ceremonies
Page 40
had been gone some minutes when footstepswere heard, and James Bell and Fisherman Dick came quickly down thecliff.
"Is he much hurt, sir?" said the former, with real signs of trouble inhis face.
"No, my man: you may tell the Major that it was a narrow escape."
"Poor lad!" muttered the soldier, going down on one knee, and makingColonel Mellersh look at him with surprise, as he took one cold hand, tohold it between his own for a few moments.
"Can we carry him to my house, gen'lemen," said Fisherman Dick roughly."'Taint very far."
"No, my man, no," said the doctor; "he has only been stunned. Narrowescape, though. He'll walk home."
"Do you mean it, sir?" cried James Bell. "Beg pardon, sir. Only gladthe Major won't have to go. I'll get back to barracks now. He'll bewanting me."
"All right, my man. Take those confounded pistols with you. There: beoff."
The soldier placed the pistols in the case, and, saluting bothgentlemen, hurried away by the shore, while Fisherman Dick touched hishat again, and said in a whisper:
"I've got a drop of right Nantes sperrit at my cottage, gentlemen, ifyou can bring him in there."
"No, no," said the doctor. "There, he's coming round fast now," and hepointed to Linnell's staring eyes.
The doctor was right. Half an hour later, with no worse trouble tocombat than a fierce headache, and the wound smarting under itsstrapping, Richard Linnell was able to take the Colonel's arm and walkhome, a warning to other young men not to attempt to climb up the cliffto the Downs, and risk falling and cutting their heads!
For that was the version of Richard Linnell's mishap that ran throughthe town.
Volume Two, Chapter VII.
MISS CLODE IS OVERCOME.
It was a vain effort, for such an event was sure to be known to othersbesides the parties concerned.
Sent on a special mission by her aunt that morning, to see whether MrMiggles had any fish, and with a basket to obtain a small bottle of apeculiar water that Fisherman Dick secretly supplied to a few friendswhom he could trust, simple-faced Annie picked up some news.
"You don't want any more brandy, aunty," the girl had said; "there aretwo bottles not opened, and you said you wouldn't have any more fish forever so long."
"Oh, Annie!" cried Miss Clode, "I thought you were beginning to be of alittle use to me."
The girl's mouth opened wide, and her nose turned red; but directlyafter a cunning smile came in her face, and her eyes nearly closed.
"Oh, I say, aunty," she said softly, "I know what you mean now. Youmean go and make that an excuse for getting to know about pretty MissDenville going to see about the little girl."
"Worse and worse, Annie," cried Miss Clode. "Don't you understand thata still tongue makes a wise head?"
"Oh, yes, aunty, I know now;" and nodding her head very knowingly, Anniewent off on her mission.
She returned very quickly, with a face quite scarlet with heat andexcitement, full of the news she had picked up from Mrs Miggles, whohad determined not to say a word of what she knew, and ended by tellingall.
Miss Clode was in a state of excitement, for she had heard from acustomer that young Mr Linnell, of the Parade, had fallen from thecliff that morning and cut his head, and the news turned the littlewoman pale, and she staggered and felt sick. When Annie came back shehad recovered, but only ready on hearing her niece's news to faint deadaway and lie insensible, just as stout Mrs Barclay came in about a newaccount-book, and to purchase a couple of pounds' worth of bill-stamps.
"Poor little woman!" cried Mrs Barclay sympathetically. "Here, don'tmake a fuss, my dear; I'll help you. Let's get her on the sofa. It'sonly fainting, and the smelling-salts will bring her round. That's theway," she panted and puffed as she helped to carry the slight littlewoman into the inner room. "Worse disasters at sea. Not so bad as MrLinnell tumbling off the cliff this morning and cutting his head."
"He didn't tumble off the cliff," said Annie, round-eyed and tremblingwith eagerness, as she whispered in Mrs Barclay's ear.
"Oh, yes, he did, my dear."
"No, he didn't," whispered Annie, as Miss Clode lay quite senseless."Hearing about it all upset aunty."
"Did it? What, his fall?"
"No, no, it wasn't a fall; but I mustn't say anything."
"You don't know anything," said Mrs Barclay contemptuously.
"Oh yes, I do," whispered Annie. "It's very horrid. Major Rockley shothim in a duel this morning for horse-whipping him after Major Rockleyhad insulted Miss Denville. There!"
"Hush!" whispered Mrs Barclay, whose face was now as red as Annie's."Your aunt is coming to."
"Don't say I told you. She would be so cross."
Mrs Barclay nodded; and, after saying a few comforting words to thesufferer as she came to, contented herself with buying the bill-stamps,and left the shop, while, as soon as she had recovered sufficiently,Miss Clode wrote a few hasty lines to Colonel Mellersh, and strictlyenjoining her to hold her tongue, sent her niece off to deliver the noteon the Parade.
Colonel Mellersh was not within, but Cora Dean and her mother werealighting from the pony-carriage, and Annie greeted them with a smileand a curtsey, which made Mrs Dean tap the girl on the shoulder with aformidable fan.
"Here, you come in, and walk upstairs. I want a word with you."
"No, no, not now, mother," said Cora hastily.
"Now, just you let me have my own way for once in my life, please,Betsy," said Mrs Dean; and to avoid having words in the hall, wherethey could easily be overheard, Cora gave way, and in due time, to herintense delight, Annie was seated in one of Josiah Barclay's gildedeasy-chairs, with a piece of cake in her hand, and a glass of gingerwine before her.
"Which is quite good enough for her," Mrs Dean had said to herself.
Cora had not taken off her things, but had gone to the window, to standlooking out, and biting her lips with shame and rage, as she heard hermother's words to the girl.
"Trust me, ma'am?" Annie said, with her mouth half full of sweetMadeira cake, "that you may, ma'am, as much as you would aunty. Oh,yes, I'm sure aunty gave his lordship the notes, and he only laughed."
Cora's beautiful white teeth gritted together as, ill-bred as she was,she knew well enough that had she wished Lord Carboro'sopenly-manifested admiration to ripen to her profit, her mother's openinvitations to him to call would have destroyed her chance.
Then she tried to shut her ears to what was going on, and stood therewondering whether Richard Linnell would go out while she stood there--why it was the house had been so quiet that morning, for she generallylistened for an hour to him playing duets with his father.
Then she wondered rather bitterly whether he would ever care for her,and his coldly polite way be changed. He was always civil and pleasant,and chatted with her when they met, but that was all, and at times itmortified her, as she thought how beautiful she was, making her vow thatshe would be revenged upon him, while at other times all this made hersit down and sob by the hour together.
"Why should I trouble about him?" she was asking herself just then, asshe gazed from the window, and ignored the low buzzing of Annie's voice,which came huskily through Madeira cake, "I, who might accept almost anyman I like. I've good looks, and money, and there are hundreds of menwho would be only too glad of a smile. As for--"
"Mr Linnell, ma'am? Oh, yes, it's quite true," Annie was whispering,and the name sent a thrill through Cora.
"But he lives downstairs, girl, and we should have known."
"Oh, yes, ma'am, I learn by heart--aunty makes me--where all thefashionable people live. I know Mr Linnell--two Mr Linnells--livedownstairs. It's in our visitor's list, along with you, and ColonelMellersh, and it's quite true."
What was quite true about Richard Linnell? If it was about ClaireDenville, she would tear him from her; she would crush her. How dareshe presume to think of her idol--the true, brave fellow who had dashedinto the sea and saved her when she was drowning?
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Poor Fisherman Dick, like many more, not being young and handsome, wasforgotten after that ten-pound note.
Cora's eyes flashed, her cheeks burned, and she looked as beautiful asan artist's idea of Juno, listening now with all the concentration ofher passionate nature.
"I oughtn't to talk about it, ma'am, and I wouldn't tell anyone butyou," Annie went on. "They said he fell over the cliff this morning andcut his head."
Cora Dean saw blood upon a white forehead, and she clutched the back