by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XXVII.
BERTHA'S SECRET.
The two young people walked about, talking of nothing in particular,until at last it was time for them both to return to the house. Kittywent up to her own room, managed to dress before Mrs. Aylmer's maidappeared, and then proceeded to the drawing-room. There she found Berthaalone. She went straight up to her.
"Do you wish it known?" she said.
"Wish what known? I do not understand," replied Bertha.
Bertha was looking her very best in a black lace dress with some Gloirede Dijon roses in her belt. She raised her eyes and fixed theminsolently on Kitty.
"Do I wish what known?" she repeated.
"Why, that I met you, that I knew you, you understand. You mustunderstand. I thought, as you were here, that it would injure you if Ispoke of it."
Bertha suddenly took hold of Kitty's hands and drew her into the recessby the window.
"Keep it a secret," she said; "pretend you never knew me. Don't tellyour father; don't tell Sir John."
"But Sir John remembers you--he must remember you. You know whathappened at Cherry Court School. How can he possibly forget?"
"I shall be ruined if it is known. Mrs. Aylmer must not know. Get SirJohn to keep it a secret; you must--you shall."
"I have asked him not to speak of it; but I must understand how you cameto be here. I will say nothing to-night. To-morrow I will speak to you,"said Kitty.
Just then other people entered the drawing-room, and the two girlsimmediately separated.
Sir John, having taken his cue from Kitty, treated Miss Keys as astranger. She was very daring and determined, and she looked better thanshe had ever looked in her life before. Her eyes were shining and herclear complexion grew white and almost dazzling. No circumstance couldever provoke colour into her cheeks, but she always looked her very bestat night, and no dress became her like black lace, so dazzlingly fairwere her neck and arms, so brilliant her plentiful hair.
Sir John and Colonel Sharston looked at her more than once--Sir Johnwith that knowledge in his eyes which Bertha knew quite well hepossessed, and Colonel Sharston with undisguised admiration.
In the course of the evening the Colonel beckoned Kitty to his side.
"I like the appearance of that girl," he said; "but she has a strangeface: she must have a history. Why are we not to mention to Mrs. Aylmerthat you already knew her, Kitty?"
"I will tell you another time, father," answered Kitty. Then she added,in a low voice: "Oh, I am sorry for her, very sorry. It might ruin her,father, if it were known; you would not ruin her, would you?"
"Of course not, my dear child, and I will certainly respect your wish."
The next day, after breakfast, Kitty found herself alone with Bertha.Bertha was feeding some pigeons in a dove-cote not far from the house.Kitty ran up to her and touched her on the arm.
"I have made up my mind," said Kitty.
"Yes?" answered Bertha.
There was a fresh note in Kitty's voice--a note of resolve. Her eyeslooked full of determination; she was holding herself very erect. Berthahad never been worried by the thought of Kitty: a girl in her opinion soinsignificant. Now she looked at her with a new feeling of terror andalso respect.
"I don't understand," she said; "in what way have you made up yourmind?"
"I have spoken to Sir John and also to my father. They know--they cannothelp knowing--that I knew you, and that my dear friend, Sir John Wallis,knew you some years ago; but we do not want to injure you, so we willnot say a word about it. You can rest quite content; we will not talk ofyour past."
"In particular you will not talk of my past to Mr. Trevor?"
"No, not even to Mr. Trevor. In short," continued Kitty, "we have madeup our minds to respect your secret, but on a condition."
"Yes?" said Bertha. She spoke in a questioning tone.
"As long as you behave in a perfectly straightforward way; as long as Ihave no reason to feel that you are doing anything underhand toanybody's name, we will respect your secret and leave you undisturbedin the possession of your present post. I think," continued Kitty, "thatI partly understand matters. You have come here without telling Mrs.Aylmer what occurred at Cherry Court School and at Cherry Court Park;you don't want her to know how terribly you injured my great friend,Florence Aylmer. If you will leave Florence alone now, if you will donothing further in any way to injure her, I and those I belong to willrespect your secret. But if I find that you are tampering withFlorence's happiness, then my duty will be plain."
"What will your duty be?" said Bertha. As she spoke she held out a lumpof sugar to a pretty white fantail which came flying to receive it. Sheraised her eyes as she spoke and looked full at Kitty.
"I shall tell what I know," said Kitty. "I think that is all." Sheturned on her heel and walked away.