by John Trevena
CHAPTER XV
A NEW HOUSE AND THE SAME OLD FURNITURE
Miss Yard became uncontrollable, almost dangerous, when Percy wroteinforming her he had discovered a house situated upon high ground, quitefifty feet above the meadows through which the Drivel percolated. Thegarden soil was a singularly fertile gravel; the view, which wasmonotonous, consisting chiefly of mole heaps, was fortunately blottedout by lichened apple trees; while the principal reception room had beendesigned, in his opinion, with a view to knitting parties; and a retiredArchdeacon had quite recently passed away in the best bedroom.
The old lady craved for Drivelford delights every hour of the day. Sheescaped constantly from the garden to begin the first of the hundredmiles which separated her from such a respectable abode. When imprisonedin the parlour, she wrote a quantity of letters to old friends, most ofwhom had travelled far outside the radius of the postal union, invitingthem to her first tea party at the Lodge, Drivelford. The name of thehouse was really Wistaria Lodge; but Percy had recommended the shorterform as less of a committal.
"Percy must live with us; he will enjoy the river. Don't you rememberthe gentlemen, in long coats and round hats, who used to sit all daysmoking and tasting something out of jars? Percy would like that," shesaid merrily.
"Mr. Taverner is now a married man, and by this time he is a thousandmiles away. I suppose you are referring to Mr. George," said Nellie.
"Of course I mean George. Why don't you listen, child? He can sit by theriver with the rest of the gentlemen. He can hand round the cakes, andtalk to the ladies. Give nice things, and say nice things. I wonder ifsomebody told me that, or whether I invented it. I used to be cleveronce; twenty years ago I could have told you what Wistaria meant."
"It's a creeper," explained Nellie. "But Mr. Taverner as good as saysthere isn't one."
"I'm glad of that. I do not like creeping things. Now I'm going to writeto George. My memory is wonderfully good today, and yet I cannotremember the name of the lady he married."
"My memory is better than yours, but I cannot remember it either,"laughed Nellie. "When Mr. George marries, I shall expect to hear yourbanns read out."
"I could have married once," declared Miss Yard. "He was a curate withsuch a funny face, and his nose was just like a cork."
"Why didn't you?" asked Nellie.
"I think there was some impediment. I rather fancy he took to comicsongs, or perhaps he forgot to mention the matter. Why did George goaway, if he never means to get married?"
"That's a long story, which I cannot tell you now, as I must get on withthe packing. Don't you write to Mr. George. Leave that to me."
"He is coming with us," cried Miss Yard.
"He is not," said Nellie.
She went out, locking the door lest Miss Yard should commence one of herperambulations towards Drivelford, murmuring to herself:
"Kezia goes with us, so there will be no trouble with her; but Bessie,of course, stays with her husband. Whatever will she and Robert say--anddo--when we begin to move the furniture? George must come back. He'spretty artful, and perhaps he'll suggest a plan."
The artfulness of George was a thing to be reckoned with, so, whenNellie wrote, she did not mention that the furniture was now the legalproperty of Miss Yard; but merely informed him they were leavingHighfield, and requested him to return as soon as possible.
She had hardly finished this letter when Kezia entered the room, seatedherself in the most comfortable chair, as prospective mistress of allshe surveyed, and announced her intention of getting to the bottom ofeverything.
"I don't know what's going on, but there's something being kept backwhat I have a right to know. Who stole my things, Miss Nellie? Who comeinto this house, when me and Bess wur sitting in the kitchen, and tookmy musical box, and my silver candlesticks, what dear Mrs. Drake leftme--snatched 'em out of my hand, as you might say? Mr. George had goneaway, so it couldn't be him. It warn't nobody here. It warn't theBrocks, they ses. That musical box wur so heavy the dear Captaincouldn't lift it without saying something Mrs. Drake wur sorry vor. Andit went off avore my face as if 'twur smoke."
"I'm just as much puzzled as you," said Nellie. "Perhaps the policemanwill tell us all about it when he comes home."
"I've got a fancy he took the things himself. He's got a way of hangingabout after dark what I don't like," said Kezia. "I ha' never trustedpoliceman, since one kissed me when I was a young gal. 'Twas ten o'clockat night, and I wur standing by the gate--and then he begged my pardon,said he'd mistook the house, and 'twas the gal next door he meant tokiss. You can't trust them, miss. They ses he's gone to run in a farmerwhose place got burnt down, but it's my belief he's gone to sell mycandlesticks."
"You mustn't say such things," cried Nellie.
"And what's all this about going away? Mr. Percy come here, and I heard'en tell about finding a house, and Miss Sophy does nought 'cept worryabout packing and getting off, and her talks all day about a placecalled Drivelford. Nobody tells me nothing about it."
"Miss Sophy has told you a great deal."
"I don't pay no attention to what she ses. Mrs. Drake said Miss Sophywur to die here, and be put away in Highfield churchyard, and nothingwas to be touched in her lifetime."
"But surely Miss Sophy can please herself!"
"Mrs. Drake said I wur to look after Miss Sophy," muttered Kezia.
"And so you shall. We are going away, as Miss Sophy really ought to livein a place where she can see a few people. We have taken a house inDrivelford, which is where she used to live, and we shall go there sometime this month. Kezia, I want you not to mention this to anyone, noteven to Bessie," said Nellie impressively.
"Well, I never!" gasped Kezia. "I fancied we should never be going awayfrom here, and I don't think it's right. I'm sure Mrs. Drake wouldn'tlike it. What sort of a place is this Drivelford?"
"Oh, it's quite a bright little town, and a lot of old people go thereto live because the death rate is only seven and a half in a thousand."
"What do that mean?" asked Kezia.
"Statistics are beyond me, but I suppose if means that out of a thousandpeople only seven and a half die."
"What happens to the old folk what don't die? How long do the personwhat half dies bide like that? Do he get better or worse? How be us toknow whether me, and you, and Miss Sophy, won't be among the seven? Ican't sense the meaning of it."
"It does seem rather hard to explain, especially as Drivelford has thebiggest cemetery I ever saw in my life. You will like the place, Kezia.There are plenty of houses and rows of shops--one very big one, calledField, Stanley, and Robinson, where you can buy anything."
"I'd like to be among a few shops," said Kezia more cheerfully. "Ain'tStanley the name of that dreadful woman what came to Black Anchor?"
"I believe that was the name, but it is quite a common one. There are noStanleys in Drivelford anyhow; but there are three churches and twochapels."
"That'll keep us busy on Sundays," said Kezia delightedly.
"And there's an electric theatre."
"What's that?" asked Kezia suspiciously.
"A place where they show pictures."
"I won't go there. I've heard a lot of loud talk about them places. Iheard of a young woman who went into one, and was never seen again. ThatStanley woman came from an electric theatre, where there was singing anddancing and showing their legs, you may depend. Ah, they'll be weepingand wailing and gnashing their teeth some day. Is there a dentist inDrivelford?"
"Yes, and several undertakers, and a huge lunatic asylum," cried Nellie.
"Well, perhaps it won't be so bad. There's nothing to cheer a body inHighfield. I'll try to put up with it, vor the sake of dear Mrs. Drake.She said I wur never to leave Miss Sophy. Poor Bessie'll fret herselfinto a decline when she hears I'm agoing away vor ever."
"Mind you don't tell her. I know you two are great friends, but directlyBessie hears we are going to move the furniture, she and Robert will beover here claiming all s
orts of things."
"So they will," said Kezia uneasily. "I don't mind about Bessie--she'swelcome to anything I don't want--but Robert's been talking a bit toosharp lately. I can't lay a hand on anything in the kitchen without himsaying it belongs to Bessie, and telling me to be careful how I touchesit."
"If it comes to the worst, we might let them have the mummy. Miss Sophydoesn't really care for it," suggested Nellie.
"They ain't agoing to have he. I wouldn't part wi' the dear old stuffedgentleman, not vor fifty pounds," cried Kezia.
"Oh dear!" sighed Nellie. "I can see very well we are in for abattle--feather beds torn in pieces--carpets rent asunder--you andBessie tugging at opposite ends of Mrs. Drake's sofa. But suppose Robertbrings a crowd!"
"I won't say a word," promised Kezia, breathing heavily with excitement."They shan't know we'm going vor ever till the vans come. I suppose uscouldn't move the things on a dark night, same as they does in towns?"
"Right under Bessie's window!" exclaimed Nellie. "Why, it will take thema whole day merely to pack the things."
"Robert won't let a thing be took. He ha' said so many a time. 'Not astick, Kezia, is to go out of the house,' he says, 'unless I takes it.'Whatever shall us do, Miss Nellie?"
"We had better wait until Mr. George comes. Then, if he cannot suggestanything, I shall have to write and ask Mr. Hunter to come down andlook after Miss Sophy's interests."
"But the furniture don't belong to she," objected Kezia.
"At all events she has a life interest in it," Nellie reminded her.
"Sure enough. Mrs. Drake said it wur to belong to Miss Sophy while shelived, but no longer. I suppose I'll have to see about letting the housenow," Kezia remarked, gazing yearningly at the oleographs. "I did thinkonce of living here, when Miss Sophy wur took, but it's too big vor me,and I'd feel lonely here. Besides, I wouldn't want to bring back thefurniture. I ought to get thirty pounds vor it, and that's a nice bitcoming in every year. Perhaps I might sell it, but I fancy Mrs. Drakewouldn't like me to do that. What would you do, if the place wur yours,Miss Nellie--would you let or sell it?"
The girl seized her letter and fled, being far too kindly a littlecoward to inform Kezia that the house belonged to George. She lookedinto the parlour, where Miss Yard was singing away happily and, afterbidding her to go on with her warbles for another ten minutes, she ranout of the house; but hardly had turned towards the post office when avoice called from the opposite direction. Nellie turned, shading hereyes, seeing nothing at first because she was staring into the glow ofthe sunset; and then two figures advanced towards her--the policeman andGeorge Drake.
"I was just going to post a letter to you. Whatever has made you turn upagain?" she cried.
"The bad shilling has saved you a good penny stamp," replied George. "Iseemed to have been away quite long enough and, as my lodgings werejolly dull, I decided to accept Aunt Sophy's invitation to live in myown house again. I ought never to have gone, for as soon as I was out ofthe house--what do you think the policeman has been telling me?"
"About the robbery."
"How that miserable Robert stole my things, while Bessie kept Kezia inthe kitchen."
"That's right, miss. I guessed how it was at once, but couldn't sayanything till I'd made sure. I was just coming to tell you when I metMr. Drake," said the new sergeant, stroking his moustache complacently.
"It doesn't pay to be a rascal here," said George. "This policeman hascaught a farmer burning down his house, and Robert making off with myproperty, within the last few days. I hope it won't be long before hegets a murder. I don't mind telling him to his face that he deserves adouble murder and suicide."
The constable expressed his gratitude for this unsolicited testimonial,and added, "Mr. Drake thinks, miss, I'd better not go any further in thematter, as there seems to be a sort of doubt as to who owns thefurniture."
"There is no doubt whatever. I own the things, and I'll see aboutgetting them back without troubling you," said George.
"Right, sir!" Then the policeman bade them good evening and went hisway.
Immediately they were alone, George burst out excitedly, "Nellie,there's another girl!"
"In your case? Well, nobody's jealous," she replied.
"A prettier one than ever, but very young, in short skirts, with herhair down, and her name's Teenie," he continued, without even hearingher comment.
"I think you've come back perfectly crazy," observed Nellie.
"If you don't believe me, you can just go to Black Anchor and find outfor yourself."
"Oh, you mean another girl there!" she exclaimed, flushing angrily, andadding, "I don't want to hear any more--but how do you know?"
"She travelled in the same carriage with me, and I thought what adear--I mean passable little thing she was. Directly the train stopped Isaw Sidney, and he called out, 'Here I am, Teenie darling!' And thelittle girl fairly shouted, 'Oh, Sidney dear, how brown you are!' Thenshe jumped out, and they kissed and hugged. I never saw anything moredisgraceful in my life. I sat back in the carriage so that Sidneyshouldn't see me. I suppose they have driven through the village by thistime, unless they have the decency to wait until it's dark."
"Where's your luggage?" asked Nellie rather sharply, but determined tochange the subject.
"First the painted lady, then Dolly, now Teenie! Thirty, then twenty,and now fourteen! The next will be twelve, and after that they'll becoming in perambulators. My word, young Sidney is a patriarch!"
"Hold your tongue," cried Nellie, more sharply than she had ever spokenin her life.
"I'm sorry, but my feelings ran away with me--she was such a prettyyoungster--but of course it's fearfully sad. I had to walk from thestation, as I couldn't get a conveyance: the carrier can fetch my box.What's the news? Has Percy been?"
"He came, saw me, and fled," replied the girl more amiably.
"I knew he was a coward, but I didn't suppose you could frighten anyone."
"He wanted Miss Sophy to buy the furniture. I told him it was hersalready. He blustered and threatened; I stood like a tor. He was sorude that I lost my temper; and when I am angry I can frighten anyone.He yielded and ran. The news," continued Nellie, "is that we are goingto run too."
"For a change of air. I'll come with you."
"A permanent change. We are going back to Drivelford. The house istaken, and the problem before me is how to move the furniture."
"So you wrote asking me to come back and do the dirty work?"
"If you like to put it that way."
"Aunt Sophy has no right to leave without giving notice. She is mytenant for life. If she breaks her contract I shall claim thefurniture--it is mine really, as Percy didn't give me a fair price, andnow he's gone to Tasmania he can't interfere. I have always regarded thefurniture as belonging to me in spite of Percy's interference. Ofcourse, when I say to me, I mean to us."
"Don't worry," she said. "Mr. Taverner has signed a deed of gift makingover everything in the house to Miss Sophy; and, as she has signed awill in my favour, the furniture should come to me eventually--if Keziaand the Mudges don't grab it all."
"So you made Percy give my furniture to Aunt Sophy. Percy, who has nevergiven away anything in his life except a bad cigar!"
"Marriage has improved him."
"He wasn't married when he came here."
"He was on the brink. I persuaded him that, as Miss Sophy had paid forthe things, she ought to have them."
"That argument would simply slide off his back. You said he threatenedyou, and, from what I know of him, it's fairly certain that he swore atyou. Is it likely he would threaten one moment, and give way the next?His young woman may have changed his vile nature--I hope she has--butyou can't reform the stripes off a zebra. You found out something abouthim--you made him confess how he got hold of that money he wrote tellingus about, and why he was clearing out of the country. He has defraudedthe Yard estate, and Hunter helped him. The next thing we shall hear isthat Hunter has gone to study the busines
s habits and professionalmorals of the Esquimaux. Out with it, Nellie, or I shall suffer from ahorrible suspicion that Percy has squared you."
"I have spoken nothing but the truth, and you won't squeeze anythingmore out of me," she said.
"When a fellow stays in lodgings," said George, "he must either readnovels or go mad. I have been reading a quantity of novels, and theyconvinced me that women are deceitful beings."
"They have to protect themselves against the perfidy of men," criedNellie.
"Remember poor innocent Adam! He was all right as long as he was engagedto Eve; but what happened when he married her?"
"It's a shame that story was ever invented."
"He wouldn't have eaten the apples; peaches and bananas were good enoughfor him," George continued.
"But the serpent started it, and the serpent was the devil in disguise,and the devil is a fallen angel, and all angels, as you told me once,are gentlemen. So the male sex is the most deceitful after all."
"Why can't you stick to the subject?" said George sourly.
"Certainly," laughed Nellie. "This business about the furniture must besettled finally one way or the other. Are the Mudges to have anything,and, if not, how are they to be prevented from taking just what theywant?"
"Robert and Bessie are not to take a stick from the house, or a stonefrom the garden; and they must give back the things they have stolen,"replied George.
"Are those scraps of paper worth anything at all?" she demanded.
"They are as useless as agreements between nations."
"Then why don't you tell Kezia?"
"Because the law is so slippery."
"That means you are not certain."
"I am quite positive; but how can I be responsible for judicial errors?Kezia may put her case into the hands of some shady lawyer--worse eventhan Hunter--and some stupid court may make a mistake in her favour.Kezia is going with you, so there will be no trouble with her while AuntSophy lives."
"But it's not fair to keep her in ignorance."
"It's supposed to be a state of bliss."
"Oh, I can't argue with you. Will you answer one question properly?"
"I'll try," said George.
"How are we to rescue the furniture from the Mudges?"
"If they don't know you are going to move, and have no suspicions,"began George.
"They have none," said Nellie.
"And are not told."
"They won't be."
"Then you can leave it to me," said George.