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+ float: left; + margin-right: 1em } + +.align-right { clear: right; + float: right; + margin-left: 1em } + +.align-center { margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto } + +div.shrinkwrap { display: table; } + +/* SECTIONS */ + +body { margin: 5% 10% 5% 10% } + +/* compact list items containing just one p */ +li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } + +.first { margin-top: 0 !important; + text-indent: 0 !important } +.last { margin-bottom: 0 !important } + +span.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; line-height: 1 } +img.dropcap { float: left; margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; max-width: 25% } +span.dropspan { font-variant: small-caps } + +.no-page-break { page-break-before: avoid !important } + +/* PAGINATION */ + +@media screen { + .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, .dedication, .plainpage + { margin: 10% 0; } + + div.clearpage, div.cleardoublepage + { margin: 10% 0; border: none; border-top: 1px solid gray; } + + .vfill { margin: 5% 10% } +} + +@media print { + div.clearpage { page-break-before: always; padding-top: 10% } + div.cleardoublepage { page-break-before: right; padding-top: 10% } + + .vfill { margin-top: 20% } + h2.title { margin-top: 20% } +} + +</style> +<title>THE GIRL WHO HAD NOTHING</title> +<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" /> +<meta name="PG.Title" content="The Girl Who Had Nothing" /> +<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" /> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/img-cover.jpg" /> +<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Mrs. C. N. Williamson" /> +<meta name="DC.Created" content="1905" /> +<meta name="MARCREL.ill" content="John Cameron" /> +<meta name="PG.Id" content="39730" /> +<meta name="PG.Released" content="2012-05-18" /> +<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" /> +<meta name="DC.Title" content="The Girl Who Had Nothing" /> + +<link href="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" rel="schema.DCTERMS" /> +<link href="http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators" rel="schema.MARCREL" /> +<meta content="The Girl Who Had Nothing" name="DCTERMS.title" /> +<meta content="girl.rst" name="DCTERMS.source" /> +<meta content="en" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC4646" name="DCTERMS.language" /> +<meta content="2012-05-19T02:01:54.780535+00:00" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.modified" /> +<meta content="Project Gutenberg" name="DCTERMS.publisher" /> +<meta content="Public Domain in the USA." name="DCTERMS.rights" /> +<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39730" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" /> +<meta content="Mrs. C. N. Williamson" name="DCTERMS.creator" /> +<meta content="John Cameron" name="MARCREL.ill" /> +<meta content="2012-05-18" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.created" /> +<meta content="width=device-width" name="viewport" /> +<meta content="EpubMaker 0.3.19b4 by Marcello Perathoner <webmaster@gutenberg.org>" name="generator" /> +<style type="text/css"> +.pageno { position: absolute; right: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } +.pageno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.lineno { position: absolute; left: 95%; font: medium sans-serif; text-indent: 0 } +.lineno:after { color: gray; content: '[' attr(title) ']' } +.toc-pageref { float: right } +pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap } +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39730 ***</div> +<div class="document" id="the-girl-who-had-nothing"> +<h1 class="document-title level-1 pfirst title">THE GIRL WHO HAD NOTHING</h1> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p> +<div class="noindent vspace" style="height: 1em"> +</div> +<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p> +</div> +<div class="align-None container coverpage"> +<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em"> +</div> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 55%" id="figure-36"> +<span id="cover-art"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-cover.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +Cover art</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<div class="align-None center container titlepage white-space-pre-line"> +<p class="pfirst white-space-pre-line x-large">THE GIRL WHO HAD NOTHING</p> +<div class="vspace white-space-pre-line" style="height: 2em"> +</div> +<p class="medium pfirst white-space-pre-line">By</p> +<p class="pnext white-space-pre-line">MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON</p> +<div class="vspace white-space-pre-line" style="height: 2em"> +</div> +<p class="center pfirst small white-space-pre-line">AUTHOR OF "THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR," ETC.</p> +<div class="vspace white-space-pre-line" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="center pfirst small white-space-pre-line"><em class="italics white-space-pre-line">ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN CAMERON</em></p> +<div class="vspace white-space-pre-line" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="center medium pfirst white-space-pre-line">LONDON</p> +<p class="pnext white-space-pre-line">WARD LOCK & CO LIMITED</p> +<p class="pnext white-space-pre-line">1905</p> +<div class="vspace white-space-pre-line" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +</div> +<div class="center transition"> +<p class="pfirst">――――</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="id1"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title">CONTENTS</h2> +<div class="container contents"> +<ul class="compact simple toc-list"> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-i-the-old-lady-in-the-victoria" id="id2">CHAPTER I--The Old Lady in the Victoria</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ii-the-old-lady-s-nephew" id="id3">CHAPTER II--The Old Lady's Nephew</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iii-a-deal-in-clerios" id="id4">CHAPTER III--A Deal in Clerios</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-iv-the-steam-yacht-titania" id="id5">CHAPTER IV--The Steam Yacht <em class="italics">Titania</em></a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-v-the-landlady-at-woburn-place" id="id6">CHAPTER V--The Landlady at Woburn Place</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vi-the-tenants-of-roseneath-park" id="id7">CHAPTER VI--The Tenants of Roseneath Park</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-vii-the-woman-who-knew" id="id8">CHAPTER VII--The Woman Who Knew</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-viii-lord-northmuir-s-young-relative" id="id9">CHAPTER VIII--Lord Northmuir's Young Relative</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-ix-a-journalistic-mission" id="id10">CHAPTER IX--A Journalistic Mission</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-x-the-coup-of-the-planet" id="id11">CHAPTER X--The Coup of "The Planet"</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xi-kismet-and-a-v-c" id="id12">CHAPTER XI--Kismet and a V.C.</a></p> +</li> +<li class="level-2 toc-entry"><p class="first pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#chapter-xii-a-new-love-and-an-old-enemy" id="id13">CHAPTER XII--A New Love and an Old Enemy</a></p> +</li> +</ul> +</div> +</div> +<div class="center transition"> +<p class="pfirst">――――</p> +</div> +<!-- vspace: 4 --> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-i-the-old-lady-in-the-victoria"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id2">CHAPTER I--The Old Lady in the Victoria</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Joan Carthew had reason to believe +that it was her birthday, and she had +signalised the occasion by running away +from home. But her birthday, and her +home, and her running away, were all so +different from things with the same name +in the lives of other children, that the +celebration was not in reality as festive as it might +seem if put into print.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the first place, she based her theory as +to the date solely upon a dim recollection +that once, eons of years ago, when she had +been a petted little creature with belongings +of her own (she was now twelve), there had +been presents and sweets on the 13th of +May. She thought she could recall looking +eagerly forward to that anniversary; and +she argued shrewdly that, as her assortment +of agreeable memories was small, in all +likelihood she had not made a mistake.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the second place, Joan's home was a +Brighton lodging-house, where she was a +guest of the landlady, and not a "paying" +guest, as she was frequently reminded. In +that vague time, eons ago, she had been left +at the house by her mother (who was, it +seemed, an actress), with a sum of money +large enough to pay for her keep until that +lady's return from touring, at the end of the +theatrical season. The end of the season +and the end of the money had come about +the same time, but not the expected mother. +The beautiful Mrs. Carthew, whose +professional name was Marie Lanchester, +had never reappeared, never written. +Mrs. Boyle had made inquiries, advertised, and +spent many shillings on theatrical papers, +but had been able to learn nothing. +Mr. Carthew was a vague shadow in a mysterious +background, less substantial even than a +"walking gentleman," and Mrs. Boyle, +feeling herself a much injured woman, had in +her first passion of resentment boxed Joan's +ears and threatened to send the "brat" to +the poorhouse. But the child was in her +seventh year and beginning to be useful. She +liked running up and downstairs to answer +the lodgers' bells, which saved steps for the +two overworked servants; and, of course, +when she became a financial burden instead +of the means of lightening burdens, it was +discovered that she could do many other +things with equal ease and propriety. She +could clean boots and knives, wash dishes, +help make beds, and carry trays; she +could also be slapped for misdeeds of her +own and those of others, an act which +afforded invariable relief to the landlady's +feelings. As years went on, further spheres +of usefulness opened, especially after the +Boyle baby came; one servant could be +kept instead of two; and taking +everything into consideration, Joan's hostess +decided to continue her charity. Therefore, +the child could have answered the +conundrum, "When is a home not a home?" +out of the stores of her intimate experience.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the third place, she had only run away +as far as one of the shelters on the Marine +Parade; she had brought the landlady's +baby with her, and, lurking grimly in the +recesses of her mind, she had the virtuous +intention of going home again when Minnie +should be hungry enough to cry, at tea-time.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was telling the two-year-old Minnie +a fairy story, made up out of her own head, +all about a gorgeous princess, and founded +on the adventures she herself would best +like to have, when, just as the narrative was +working towards an exciting climax, a girl +of Joan's own age came in sight, walking +with her governess.</p> +<p class="pnext">The story broke off short between Joan's +little white teeth, which suddenly shut +together with a click. This did not signify +much, as far as the Boyle baby was +concerned, for Joan unconsciously wove fairy +tales more for her own pleasure than that +of her companion, and as a matter of fact +the warmth of the afternoon sunshine had +acted as "juice of poppy and mandragora" +upon Minnie's brain. Her small, primrose-yellow +head was nodding, and she was +unaware that the story had ended abruptly just +as the princess was beguiling the dragon, and +that a girl almost as fine as the princess +herself was approaching.</p> +<p class="pnext">The new-comer was about twelve or +thirteen, and she was more exquisitely dressed +than any child Joan remembered to have +met. Perhaps, if the apparition had been +a good deal younger or older, the +lodging-house drudge would not have observed so +keenly, or realised with a quick stab of +passionate pain the illimitable gulf dividing +lives. But here was a girl of her own age, +her own height, her own needs and capacities, +and yet--the difference!</p> +<p class="pnext">It struck her like a thrust of some thin, +delicate surgical instrument which could +inflict anguish, yet leave no trace. Joan's +whole life was spent in dreaming; without +the dreams, existence at 12, Seafoam Terrace +would not have been tolerable to a young +creature with the nerves of a racehorse and +the imagination of a Scheherazade. She +lived practically a double life within herself, +but never until this moment had she been +consciously jealous of the happier fate of a +fellow-creature.</p> +<p class="pnext">In looking from the shelter where she +sat in shadow, at the other girl who walked +in sunshine, she knew the crunching pain +of the monster's fangs.</p> +<p class="pnext">The other girl had long, fair hair; she +wore white muslin, foaming with lace frills, +white silk stockings, and shoes of white +suede. Her face was shaded by a great, +rose-crowned, leghorn hat, which flopped +into soft curves and made a picture of small +features which without it might have seemed +insignificant. The magnetism that was in +Joan Carthew's eyes forced the girl to turn +and throw a glance as she passed at +the shabby child in faded brown serge (a +frock altered from a discarded one of +Mrs. Boyle's) who sat huddled in the shelter, with +a tawdrily dressed baby asleep by her side. +The glance had all the primitive, merciless +disdain of a sleek, fortunate young animal +for a miserable, hunted one, and Joan felt +the meaning of it in her soul.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why should she have everything and I +nothing?" was the old-new question which +shaped itself wordlessly in the child's brain. +"She looks at me as if I were a rat. I'm +not a rat! I'm as good as she is, if I had +her clothes. I'm cleverer, and prettier, too, +I know I am--heaps and heaps. Oh! I +want to be like her, only better--I must be--I shall!"</p> +<p class="pnext">She quivered with the fierceness of her +revolt against fate, yet in it was no vulgar +jealousy. The other girl's pale blue eyes, +in one contemptuous glance, had found +every patch on her frock and shoes, had +criticised her old hat, and sneered at her +little, rough, work-worn hands, scorning her +for them as if she were a creature of an +inferior race; but Joan had no personal +hatred for the happier child, no wish for +revenge, no desire to take from the other +what she had. The feeling which shook +her with sudden, stormy passion was merely +the sharp realisation of injustice, the +conviction that by nature she herself was worthy +of the good things she had missed, the savage +resolve to have what she ought to have, at +any cost.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was not tea-time yet, and Minnie was +happily asleep; Joan was certain to be +scolded just as sharply on her return as if +she had stopped away for hours longer, +therefore she might as well have drained her +birthday cup of stolen pleasure to the dregs; +but the good taste of the draught was gone. +She yearned only to go home, to get the +scolding over, and to have a few minutes +to herself in the tiny back room which she +shared with the baby. There seemed to +be much to think of, much to decide.</p> +<p class="pnext">The child waked Minnie, who was cross +at being roused, and refused to walk. The +quickest way of triumphing over the +difficulty was to carry her, and this method +Joan promptly adopted. But the baby was +heavy and fractious. She wriggled in her +young nurse's grasp, and just as Joan had +staggered round the corner of Seafoam +Terrace, with her disproportionate burden, she +tripped and fell, under the windows of No. 12.</p> +<p class="pnext">Minnie roared, and there was an echoing +shriek from the house. Mrs. Boyle, who +had been looking up and down the street +in angry quest of her missing drudge, saw +the catastrophe and rushed to the rescue of +her offspring. She snatched the baby, who +was more frightened than hurt, and holding +her by one arm, proceeded to administer +chastisement to Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">Instinctively she knew that the girl was +sensitive and proud, though she had no kindred +feelings in her own soul, and she delighted +in humiliating her drudge before the whole +street. As she screamed reproaches and +harsh names, raining a shower of blows on +Joan's ears and head and burning cheeks, a +face appeared in at least one window of +each house along the Terrace. Though a +cataract of sparks cascaded before the child's +eyes, somehow she saw the faces and imagined +a dozen for every one.</p> +<p class="pnext">The shame seemed to her beyond bearing. +She forgot even her love for the baby, which +(with the dreams) was the bright thread in +the dull fabric of her existence. After this +martyrdom, she neither could nor would +live on in Seafoam Terrace, which with all +its eyes had seen her beaten like a dog.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Into the house with you, you lazy, +good-for-nothing brat!" panted Mrs. Boyle, when +her hand was tired of smiting; and with a +push, she would have urged the girl towards +the open front door, but Joan turned +suddenly and faced her.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No!" she cried, "I won't be your +servant any more! I've done with you. I +will never go into your hateful house again, +until I come back as a grand lady you will +have to bow down to and worship."</p> +<p class="pnext">These were grandiloquent words, and +Mrs. Boyle would either have laughed with a +coarse sneer, or struck Joan again for her +impudence, had not the look in the child's +great eyes actually cowed her for the moment. +In that moment the thin girl of twelve, whom +she had beaten, seemed to grow very tall +and wonderfully beautiful; and in the next, +she had gone like a whirlwind which comes +and passes before it has been realised.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was desperate. Her newly formed +ambition and her stinging shame mounted +like frothing wine to her hot brain. She +was in a mood to kill herself--or make her fortune.</p> +<p class="pnext">For a time she flew on blindly, neither +knowing nor caring which way she went. +By and by, as breath and strength failed, +she ran more slowly, then settled into a +quick, unsteady walk. She was on the +front, running in the direction of Hove, and +in the distance a handsome victoria with +two horses was coming. The sun shone on +the silver harness and the horses' satin +backs. There was a coachman and a groom +in livery, and in the carriage sat an old lady +dressed in grey silk, of the same soft tint as +her hair.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had seen this old lady in her victoria +several times before, and had pretended to +herself, in one of her glittering dreams, that +the lady took a fancy to her and proposed +adoption.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now, in a flash of thought, which came +quick as the glint of light on a bird's wing, +the child told herself that this thing must +happen. She had no home, no people, +nothing; she would stake her life on the one +throw which might win all or lose all.</p> +<p class="pnext">Without stopping to be afraid, or to argue +whether she were brave or foolhardy, she +ran forward and threw herself in front of the +horses. The coachman pulled them up so +sharply that the splendid pair plunged, +almost falling back on to the victoria, but +he was not quick enough to save the child +one blow on the shoulder from an iron-shod hoof.</p> +<p class="pnext">In an instant the groom was in the road +and had snatched her up, with a few gruff +words which Joan dimly heard and +understood, although she had just enough +consciousness left to feign unconsciousness.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How dreadful! how dreadful!" the old +lady was exclaiming. "You must put the +poor little thing in the carriage, and I'll +drive to the nearest doctor's."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Better let me take her in a cab to a +hospital, my lady," advised the groom. "It +wasn't our fault. She ran under the horses' +feet. Tomkins and me can both swear to that."</p> +<p class="pnext">The arbitress of Joan's fate appeared to +hesitate, and the child thought best to +revive enough to open her eyes (which she +knew to be large and soft as a fawn's) for +one imploring glance. In the fall which had +caused her to drop the Boyle baby, she had +grazed her forehead against a lamp-post, +and on the small, white face there remained +a stain of blood which was effective at this +juncture. She started, put out her hand, +and groped for the old lady's dress, at which +she caught as a drowning man is said to +catch at a straw.</p> +<p class="pnext">"On second thoughts, I will take her +home, if she can tell me where she lives. +She seems to be reviving," said the +lady. "Where do you live, my poor little girl?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I--don't live anywhere," gasped Joan, +white-lipped. "I haven't any mother or +any home, or anything. I wanted to die."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, you poor little pitiful thing! What +a sad story!" crooned the old lady. "You +shall go to <em class="italics">my</em> home, and stop till you get +well, and I will buy you a doll and lots of +nice toys."</p> +<p class="pnext">The rapidly recovering Joan determined +that, once in the old lady's house, she would +stop long after she had got well, and that +she would, sooner or later, have many things +better than toys. But she smiled gratefully, +faintly, looking like a broken flower. +The groom was directed to place her on +the seat, in a reclining posture, and she was +given the old lady's silk-covered air-cushion +to rest her head upon. She really ached +in every bone, but she was exaggerating +her sufferings, saying to herself: "It's come! +I've walked right into the fairy story, and +nothing shall make me walk out again. +I've got nobody to look after me, so I'll +have to look after myself and be my own +mamma. I can't help it, whether it's right +or wrong. I don't know much about right +and wrong, anyhow, so I shan't bother. +I've got to grow up a grand, rich lady; my +chance has come, and I'd be silly not to +take it."</p> +<p class="pnext">Having thus disposed of her conscience--such +as her wretched life had made it--Joan +proceeded to faint again, as picturesquely as +possible. Her pretty little head, rippling +over with thick, gold-brown hair, fell on +the grey silk shoulder and gave the kindly, +rather foolish old heart underneath a warm, +protecting thrill. The child's features were +lovely, and her lashes very long and dark. +If she had been ugly, or even plain, in spite +of her appealing ways, Lady Thorndyke (the +widow of a rich City knight) would probably +have agreed to the groom's suggestion; but +Joan did not overestimate her own charms +and their power. A quarter of a century +ago Lady Thorndyke had lost a little girl +about the age of this pathetic waif, and she +had had no other child. There was a nephew +on the Stock Exchange, but Lady Thorndyke +was interested in him merely because she +thought it her duty, though he had been +brought up to take it for granted that he +would be her heir. In truth, the lonely +woman had half unconsciously sighed all +her life for romance and for love. She had +never had much of either, and now, in this +tragic child who clung to her and would +not be denied, there was promise of both.</p> +<p class="pnext">So Joan was borne in supreme spiritual +triumph and slight bodily pain to the big, +old-fashioned Brighton house where her new +protectress spent the greater part of the year. She +was put into a bed which smelled of lavender +and felt like a soft, warm cloud; she went +through the ordeal of being examined by a +doctor, knowing that her whole future might +depend upon his verdict. She lay sick +and quivering with a thumping heart, lest +he should say: "This child is perfectly +well, except for a bruise and a scratch or +two. There is nothing to prevent her being +sent home." But in her anxiety Joan had +worked herself into a fever. The doctor +was a fat, comfortable man, with children +of his own, and the escaped drudge could +have worshipped him when he announced +that she was in a highly nervous state, and +would be better for a few days' rest, good +nursing, and nourishing food.</p> +<p class="pnext">She had arnica and plasters externally, +and internally beef-tea. Then she told her +story. Had it been necessary, Joan would +have plunged into a sea of fiction, but she +had enough dramatic sense to perceive that +nothing could be more effective than the +truth, dashed in with plenty of colour.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's memory was as vivid as her +imagination. She was fired to eloquence by her +own wrongs; and her word-sketch of the +poor baby deserted by a beautiful, mysterious +actress, her picturesque conjectures as to +that actress's noble husband, the harrowing +portrait of her angelic young self as a +lodging-house drudge, the final climax, painting +the savage punishment in the street, and +her resolve to seek refuge in death (the one +fabrication in the tale), affected the secretly +sentimental heart of the City knight's widow +like music.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I would rather have been trampled to +death under your horses' feet than go +back!" sobbed the child.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't be frightened and excite yourself, +my poor, pretty little dear," Lady +Thorndyke soothed her. "No harm shall come +to you, I promise that."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's instinctive tact had been sharpened +to diplomacy by the constant need of +self-defence. She said no more; she only looked; +and her eyes were like those of a wounded +deer which begs its life of the hunter.</p> +<p class="pnext">Lady Thorndyke began to turn over various +schemes for Joan's advantage; but that +same evening, which was Saturday, her +nephew, George Gallon, arrived from town +to spend Sunday with his aunt. She told +him somewhat timidly about the lovely +child she was sheltering, and the +hard-mouthed, square-chinned young man threw +cold water on her projects. He said that +the girl was no doubt a designing little +minx, who richly deserved what she had +got from the charitable if quick-tempered +woman who gave her a home. He advised +his aunt to be rid of the young viper as soon +as possible, and meanwhile to leave the +care of her entirely to servants.</p> +<p class="pnext">His strong nature impressed itself upon +Lady Thorndyke's weak one, as red-hot +iron cauterises tender flesh. She believed +all he said while he was with her, and +conceived a distrust of Joan; but Gallon had +an important deal on in the City for Monday, +and was obliged to leave early, having +extracted a half-promise from his aunt that +the intruder should go forth that day, or +at latest the next.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had not seen Joan Carthew, and +therefore had not reckoned on her strength and +fascination as forces powerful enough to +fence with his influence.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan felt the difference in her patroness's +manner, as a swallow feels the coming of a +storm. She knew that there had been a +visitor, and she guessed what had happened. +She grew cold with the chill of presentiment, +but gathered herself together for a +fight to the death.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You look much better this morning, my +dear," began Lady Thorndyke nervously. +"You will perhaps be well enough to get up +and be dressed by and by, to drive out with +me, and choose yourself a doll, or anything +you would like. You will be glad to hear +that--that my nephew and I called on +Mrs. Boyle yesterday, and--she is sorry if +she was harsh. In future, you will not be +living on her charity. I shall give her a +small yearly sum for your board and clothing. +You will be sent to school, as you ought to +have been long ago, and really I don't see +how she managed to avoid this duty. But +in any case you will be happy."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan turned over on her face, and the bed +shuddered with her tearing sobs. She was +not really crying. The crisis was too tense +for tears.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't, dear, don't," pleaded Lady Thorndyke, +feeling horribly guilty. "I will see +you sometimes, and----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"See me sometimes!" echoed the child. +"You are the only person who has ever +been kind to me. I can't live without you +now. I won't try. Oh, it was cruel to +bring me here and show me what happiness +could be, just to drive me away again into +the dark!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"But----" the distressed old lady had +begun to stammer, when the child slipped +out of bed and fell at her protectress's feet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Keep me with you!" she implored. +"I'll be your servant. I'll live in the kitchen. +I'll eat what your dog eats. Only let me stay."</p> +<p class="pnext">She wound her slim, childish arms round +Lady Thorndyke's waist, her eyes streamed +with tears at last; her beautiful hair curled +piteously over the grey-silk lap. She +was at that moment a great actress, for +though she was honestly grateful, she neither +wished nor intended to live in the kitchen +and eat what the dog ate. She would be a +child of the house or she would be nothing. +Her beauty, her despair, and her humility +were irresistible. Lady Thorndyke forgot +George Gallon and clasped the child in her +arms, crying in sympathy. "If you care +so much, dear, how can I let you go?" she +whimpered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I care enough to die for you, or to die +if I lose you!" Joan vowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You shall not die, and you shall not +lose me!" exclaimed the old lady, +remembering her nephew now and defying him. +"You shall stay and be my little girl."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan did stay. Before the week ended, +and another visit from George Gallon was +due, she had so entwined herself round Lady +Thorndyke's heart that the rather cowardly +old woman had courage to face her nephew +with the news that she meant to keep the +waif whom "Providence had sent her."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ii-the-old-lady-s-nephew"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id3">CHAPTER II--The Old Lady's Nephew</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">At first there was no question of formal +adoption. Joan simply stayed on and +was allowed to feel that she had a right to +stay. Gallon did all he could to oust her, for +his mind had telescopic power and brought +the future near. He feared the girl, but he +dared not actually offend his aunt, lest he +should lose at once what he wished to +safeguard himself against losing later.</p> +<p class="pnext">The child made Lady Thorndyke happier +than she had ever been. Her presence created +sunshine. She was never naughty like other +children; she was never sulky nor disagreeable. +A governess was procured for her, +a mild, common-place lady whom Joan +despised and astonished with her progress. +"I was born knowing a lot of things which +she could never learn," the little girl told +herself scornfully. But she did not despise +George Gallon, whom she occasionally saw, +nor did she exactly fear him, because she +believed that she would be able to hold +her own in case the day ever came for a +second contest, as she foresaw it would.</p> +<p class="pnext">When she had learned all that the +governess knew, and rather more besides, she was +sent to a boarding-school in Paris to be +"finished." After her first term, she came +back to Brighton for the Christmas holidays, +so grown up, so beautiful, and so +distinguished that Lady Thorndyke was very +proud. "What shall I give you for +Christmas, my dear?" she asked. "A diamond ring?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan kissed her withered leaf of a hand.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you love me," she said, "give me +the right to call myself your daughter. +That is the one thing in the world you have +left me hungry for. Will you adopt me, +so that I can feel I am your own, own child? +Think what it would be if any one ever +claimed me and took me away from you!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's love was not all a pretence. She +would have been a monster if it had been, +instead of the mere girl of seventeen she was, +with a large nature, and capacities for good +which had been stunted and turned the wrong +way. But the vicissitudes of life had taught +her to be even more observant than she was +critical, and she knew as well how to manage +Lady Thorndyke as if the kind old creature +had been a marionette, worked with strings. +It was not necessary to let her benefactress +know all that was in her mind, nor how she +had calculated that to be the rich woman's +legally adopted daughter ought to mean +being her heiress as well. While she pleaded +to be Lady Thorndyke's "own, own child," +she was saying to herself: "I will make a +good deal better use of the money than that +hateful George Gallon would."</p> +<p class="pnext">No normal young man, and no sentimental +old lady, could have doubted the +disinterestedness of a girl with eyes like Joan +Carthew's. Lady Thorndyke was delighted +with the dear child's affection, and promptly +sent for her lawyer to talk over the matter +of a formal adoption. She also announced +her intention of altering her will, and +leaving only twenty thousand pounds to her +nephew, the bulk of her property to Joan, +"who would no doubt be greatly surprised."</p> +<p class="pnext">Thinking it but fair that George should +be prepared for this change in his prospects, +she told him what she intended to do, in the +presence of a friend, lest there should be +a scene.</p> +<p class="pnext">There was no scene, for George was a +sensible man, and saw that a little butter on his +bread was better than none. But he hated +Joan, and respected her at the same time +because she had triumphed. He was not +quite beaten yet, however. He had a talk, +which he hoped sounded manly and frank, +with his young rival, told Joan that he bore +her no grudge, and paid her a compliment. +When she went back to school, flowers and +sweets began to arrive from "Cousin George"; +and the girl saw the game he was playing +and smiled.</p> +<p class="pnext">When she came home for Easter, he +proposed. He got her on a balcony, by +moonlight, where he said that he had loved her +for years, and could not wait any longer to +speak out what was in his heart.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your heart!" laughed Joan, with all +the insolence of a beautiful, spoiled young +heiress of eighteen, who has pined for +revenge upon a hated man, and got it at +last. "Your heart!" It was delicious to +throw policy to the wind for once and be +frankly herself. She was thoroughly enjoying +the situation, as she stood with the pure +radiance of the moonlight shining down +upon her bright head and her white, filmy +gown. "What a fool you must think me, +Mr. Gallon! It's your pockets you would +have me fill, not your heart. I acknowledge +I have owed you a debt for a long time, +but it's not a debt of love. When I was a +forlorn, friendless child, you tried to turn +me out into the cold; and if I hadn't been +stronger than you, you would have succeeded. +Instead, it was I who did that. I've +always meant to pay, for I hate debts. No, +I will not marry you. No; nothing that +your aunt means to give me shall be yours. +Now I have paid, and we are quits."</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 53%" id="figure-37"> +<span id="no-i-will-not-marry-you"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-040.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"'No, I will not marry you.'"</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">George Gallon was cold with fury. "Don't +be too sure," he said in his harsh voice, +which Joan had always hated. "They laugh +best who laugh last."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know that," the girl retorted; and +passing him to go indoors, where Lady +Thorndyke dozed after dinner, she threw +over her shoulder a laugh to spice her words.</p> +<p class="pnext">The next day she went back to school, +pleased with herself and what she had done, +for she was no longer in the least afraid of +George Gallon.</p> +<p class="pnext">Some things are in the air. It was in +the air at school that Joan would be a great +heiress. The girls were very nice to her, +and Joan enjoyed their flatteries, though +she saw through them and made no intimate +friends. When in June, shortly before the +coming of the summer holidays, the girl was +telegraphed for, because Lady Thorndyke +had had a paralytic stroke and was dying, +there was a sensation in the school. Of +course, as Joan would now inherit something +like a million, she would not return, but +after her time of mourning would come out +in Society, well chaperoned, be presented, +and probably marry at least a viscount. +The other girls were nicer than ever; tears +were shed over her, and farewell presents bestowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Joan arrived in England, Lady +Thorndyke was dead, and the girl was sad, +for she realised how well she had loved her +benefactress. After the funeral came the +reading of the will. The dead woman's +adopted daughter, the servants, and George +Gallon were the only persons present besides +the lawyer. Joan's heart scarcely quickened +its beating, for she was absolutely confident. +Any surprise which might come could be +merely a matter of a few thousands more or +less. She sat leaning back in an armchair, +very calm and beautiful in her deep +mourning. George Gallon's eyes never left her +face, and they lit as at last she lifted her +head, with bewilderment on the suddenly +paling face.</p> +<p class="pnext">There had been a few bequests to servants +and to a favourite charity. Everything else +which Lady Thorndyke died possessed of +was left unconditionally to her nephew, +George Gallon. There was no mention of +Joan Carthew. The will was dated ten +years before. Lady Thorndyke had put off +making the new one, and death had +rendered the delay irrevocable. Joan Carthew +had not a penny in the world; save for her +education, her clothes, and the memory of +six happy years, she was no better off than +on the day when she threw herself under +Lady Thorndyke's carriage.</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 52%" id="figure-38"> +<span id="joan-carthew-had-not-a-penny-in-the-world"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-042.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"Joan Carthew had not a penny in the world."</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">At first she could not believe that it was +true. It was like having rolled a heavy stone +almost to the top of an incredibly steep hill, +to find oneself suddenly at the bottom, +crushed under the stone. But the solicitor's +stilted sympathy, and the look in George +Gallon's eyes, which said: "Now perhaps +you are sorry for having made a fool of +yourself," brought her roughly face to face with +the truth. At the same time she was +stimulated. The words, the look, braced her +to assume courage, if she had it not.</p> +<p class="pnext">She was down--very far down; but she +was young, she was beautiful, she was brave, +and life had early taught her to be unscrupulous. +The world was, after all, an oyster; +she would open it yet somehow and make it +hers; this was a vow.</p> +<p class="pnext">When the solicitor had gone, George +remained. The house was his house now.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you intend to do?" he inquired.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have my plans," Joan answered.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the man's veins stirred a curious thrill, +which was something like dread. The girl +was wonderful, and formidable still, not to +be despised. He half feared her, yet he +could not resist the temptation to humiliate +the creature who had laughed at him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is a pity you never learned anything +useful, like typing and shorthand," said he +patronisingly. "If you had, I would have +taken you into our office as secretary. There's +two pounds a week in the job, and that's +better than the wages of a nursery governess, +which, in the circumstances, you will, no +doubt, be thankful to get. After what has +passed between us, you would hardly care, +I suppose, to accept charity from me, even +if I were inclined to offer it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I would take no favour from you," said +Joan, in an odd, excited voice. "But I +<em class="italics">will</em> accept that secretaryship; you'll find +me competent."</p> +<p class="pnext">George stared. "You don't know what +you are talking about. You have no +knowledge of typing or shorthand."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am expert in both. I thought, as a +woman with large property, the accomplishments +might be useful to me, and I insisted +on taking them up at school instead of one +or two others more classical but not as +practical."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You would actually come and work in +my office, almost as a menial, on a salary +of two pounds a week, while I enjoy the +million you expected would be yours?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Beggars mustn't be choosers," returned +Joan, drily. "You don't withdraw the offer?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No-o," replied George slowly, doubtful +whether his scheme of humiliation had been +quite wise, yet finding a certain pleasure +in it still. "The girl's expression is queer," +he said to himself. "She looks as if she +had something up her sleeve."</p> +<p class="pnext">He was right. Joan had something "up +her sleeve," something too small to be visible, +yet large enough, perhaps, to be the seed of +fortune.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iii-a-deal-in-clerios"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id4">CHAPTER III--A Deal in Clerios</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">George Gallon had lately left a +well-known firm of stockbrokers, in +which he had been junior partner, and set +up business on his own account. He had +started at a trying time, about the close of +the Boer war, when the financial world was +in a state of depression; but he had since +brought off two or three <em class="italics">coups</em> for his clients +and himself, and though he was unpopular, he +had begun to be talked of among a limited +circle in the City as a man who would succeed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan Carthew had heard "George's luck" +discussed by guests at Lady Thorndyke's, +when she had been at home from school on +her holidays; therefore it was that she had +so promptly accepted the offer thrown to +her in derision, as a bone is flung to a chained +dog. "If I keep my eyes and ears open, I +shall get tips," was the thought that flashed +into her mind.</p> +<p class="pnext">If Joan had been an ordinary eighteen-year-old +girl, she would have faltered before +the difficulty of turning such "tips" to her +own advantage, on a salary of two pounds a +week; but she would not have entered George +Gallon's service if she had been one to falter +before difficulties; and three days after +the reading of the will which left the girl a +pensioner on her own wits, she presented +herself at the office in Copthall Court.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was early, and Gallon had not yet arrived. +However, his curiosity to see whether Joan +would really keep her engagement brought +him to the City half an hour earlier than +usual. When he came in, there sat at an +inner office, at the desk used by his late +stenographer, a young woman plainly dressed +in black, though not in mourning deep +enough to depress the spirits of the beholder.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was Joan Carthew. She had already +taken off her hat and hung it on a peg. +Gallon noticed instantly that her beautiful +golden-brown hair was dressed more simply +than he had seen it. Every detail of her +costume was suited to the new part she was +about to play--that of the business woman.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good morning, Mr. Gallon," she said +crisply. "Your head clerk told me this +would be my desk. I have brought my +own typewriter. I hope you don't mind. +You know, from the test you made the other +day, that I take down quickly from dictation, +and that my typing is clear. I am ready to +begin work whenever you are."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Glad to find you so businesslike," said +Gallon, uncomfortable in spite of himself, +though there was a keen relish in the situation.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will, I hope, never find me anything +else," quietly replied Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">So the new <em class="italics">régime</em> began. At first, for +some days, the man was ill at ease, could +not collect his thoughts for dictation, and +stammered in his speech. He regretted that +his desire to humiliate the girl had tempted +him to offer this position; but Joan's attitude +was so tactful, so unobtrusive, that little +by little he forgot his awkwardness and +even the meanness of his motive in making +her his dependent. He almost forgot that +he had ever asked her to marry him; and +because he found her astonishingly clever +and useful, he waived the idea of further +insults which had flitted through his head +when first the dethroned heiress became +his secretary.</p> +<p class="pnext">One autumn morning, Gallon was late. +Joan sat waiting in his office, and had opened +such correspondence as was not marked +"Private," had typed several letters ready +for her employer's signature, and having +no more business which could be transacted +until he appeared, began to glance through +an illustrated Society weekly which she +took in. This paper she always read with +eagerness; not because she had the morbid +interest of an outsider in the doings of Society, +with a capital S, but because any information +she could glean about important people +might be of service in the career to which +she undauntedly looked forward.</p> +<p class="pnext">On one page of this particular paper, +country houses, electric-launches, libraries, +motor-cars, and even family jewels were +advertised; and it was an absorbing page +to Joan. To-day she gazed long at the +reproduction of a handsome steam-yacht, +which for some weeks past had been advertised +for sale, for the sum of twelve thousand +pounds. Only a few months ago, she had been +planning to have some day a yacht of her +own. It had been one of the many pleasant +things she had meant to do with Lady +Thorndyke's money.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shouldn't mind owning the <em class="italics">Titania</em>, if +she's as good as her photograph," the girl was +thinking, when George Gallon and a fat, +foreign-looking man came in.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You can go back into the next room, +Miss Carthew," said George, abruptly. "I +shall not need you at present, and you may +tell them outside that I am not to be disturbed."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan rose and walked into the outer office, +where the three clerks, who were all more or +less in love with the beautiful secretary, +glanced up joyfully from their work at +sight of her. The youngest, whose desk +was close to the door, had already proposed. +He was a dreamy youth with a fluffy brain, +but his father was a rich man known in the +City as "the Salmon King," who cherished +hopes that one day his son would cut a +figure on the Stock Exchange. These family +details the young man had confided to Joan +as a lure to matrimony, and though she had +answered that he was a "foolish boy," and +nothing was farther from her intention than +to settle down as Mrs. Tommy Mellis, she had +not in so many words refused the honour.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now she whispered a request that, if he +had still a regard for her, he would slip away +and buy a box of chocolates, for the need +of which she was perishing. A moment +later Tommy was out of his chair, and Joan +was in it. His was the one seat in the room +where conversation in Gallon's private office +could by any means be overheard; and +Gallon was aware that whatever might go +in at Tommy's right ear promptly went out +at the left, without leaving the smallest +impression of its meaning.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is the deal certain to come off?" she +heard George inquire.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sure as the sun is to rise to-morrow," +replied another voice with a foreign accent. +"You are the only outsider in the know. +That's worth something, isn't it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's worth what I've promised for it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"At least that. And I want an advance to-day."</p> +<p class="pnext">"In such a hurry? Remember I shan't make +anything, or be sure you haven't fooled me, +for weeks. Still, I can manage a hundred."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I need ten times that."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll have it the day the Clerios are taken over."</p> +<p class="pnext">"'Sh! not so loud! And no names, for +Heaven's sake, man!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, that's all right. The clerk near +the door is a fool. The only one out there +with any real brains is a girl, but she doesn't +know the difference between Clerios and +clerics. That's why I employ a woman for +a secretary. She spends her spare energy +on the fashions, and doesn't bother about +things which are none of her business."</p> +<p class="pnext">In spite of this protest, Gallon dropped +his voice. Only a word here and there +started out of the broken murmurs on the +other side of the door; but one more sentence, +almost whole, came to her ears. "Grierson +Mordaunt ... sort of chap ... carries these +things through." Then reappeared Tommy +with the chocolates, and Joan went to her +own desk; but the stray bits of information +were as flint and steel in her brain, and +together they struck out a spark of inspiration. +She was as sure as if she had heard all details +of the transaction that the World's Shipping +Combine, of which the American millionaire, +Grierson Mordaunt, stood at the head, had +arranged to take over the Clerio line of +Italian boats plying between Mediterranean +ports. The fat man with the foreign accent +was no doubt the confidential agent of the +Italian company, and being acquainted with +George Gallon and his methods, had given +the secret away for a consideration. Doubtless +he was poor, perhaps in difficulties; +otherwise he would have kept the information +and bought all the Clerio shares he could +lay his hands upon.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now Joan knew why Gallon had written +yesterday to a man in Manchester, asking +him how many Clerios he had to sell, and +what was the lowest price he was prepared +to take for them, adding that it would be +useless, in the present depressed state of the +market, to name a high figure. This man +had been requested to wire his answer, and +at any moment it might arrive.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Joan had jumped so far in her +conclusions, Gallon escorted his visitor out, +flinging back word that he would be in again +in half an hour.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl's blood sang in her ears. It +seemed to her that Fortune was knocking +at the door; but could she find the key to +open it? She called all her wits to the +rescue, and in five minutes that key was +grating in the lock.</p> +<p class="pnext">In Gallon's private room was a small +desk, which she used when her services were +wanted there. This gave her an excuse to go +in, and in passing she threw a glance at +Tommy Mellis, which caused him, after the +lapse of a decent interval (he counted eighty +seconds), to follow.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Once you said you would do anything +for me," she began, with a lovely look. +"Did you mean it?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Rather!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, then, the next question is: Will +your father do anything for <em class="italics">you</em>?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll do a good deal."</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you tell him you've a tip about some +shares that are bound to rise, will he give you +the money to buy them?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'd lend it. That's his way. He'd +be tickled to see me taking an interest in +business. But what has that got to do +with----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I want to buy some shares--lots of shares--all +I can get hold of. To-day they're +going cheap. To-morrow, who can say? +They are Clerios."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But, look here, even I know that Clerios +are no good. It's a badly managed line, +and the shares are down to next to nothing."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All the better. Mr. Gallon mustn't know +you are in this, as he wants to get hold of +all the shares himself. You must trust me +enough to have them put into my name, and +when I've got your profit for you, we'll go +halves. Can you see your father inside half +an hour?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"His place is just round the corner."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, then, if you <em class="italics">do</em> care anything for +me, ask him to see you through a big deal. +You shall really make on it, I promise you, +something worth having besides my--gratitude."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The governor's a queer fish. If I should +let him in----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You won't let him in. But we don't +want your father or anybody else in with us. +All we want is the loan, and his name, which +is a good one in the City, I know. I trust +you for that. You must show how clever +you are, if you're anxious to please me. +I'll manage the rest. Now, like a dear, good +boy, run off and arrange things with your father."</p> +<p class="pnext">Again Tommy became knight-errant, and +hardly was he out of the way when a strange +voice was heard in the adjoining office. +"Mr. Gallon in? I'm Mr. Mitchison, from +Manchester."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Mr. Gallon is out at present, but----" +a clerk had begun, when Joan appeared +and cut him short. "Mr. Gallon wishes +me to see Mr. Mitchison, in his absence. +Will you kindly step in here, sir?"</p> +<p class="pnext">The gentleman from Manchester obeyed. +Joan's quick eyes noted his worried air and +the genteel shabbiness of his clothing. "I am +Mr. Gallon's confidential secretary," she said. +"I know about this business of Clerios. +You came instead of wiring? Mr. Gallon +rather expected you would."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I had to come to London in a day or +two, anyhow, and it's always more +satisfactory to do business in person."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Exactly. Well, I'm sorry to tell you +that Mr. Gallon has seen reason to change his +mind about buying your block of shares +in the Clerio line, as he has some big things +on now, and finds his hands full; but +Mr. Mellis, a client of his--'the Salmon King,' +you know--wants to invest some money +privately for his son. Mr. Gallon has advised +them that, though Clerios are not likely to +rise much for some years, there is a certain, +if small, dividend; and if you can tell young +Mr. Mellis where they can get hold of other +blocks of the same shares, it might then be +worth his while to take over yours. Those +you hold are hardly enough for him without others."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know several men in Genoa, where I +did business for some years, who hold shares +and would part with them for a decent price. +I could work the deal for Mr. Mellis, I'm +certain."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good. He's at his father's office now. +I have Mr. Gallon's permission to introduce +you to him, but his only free time this morning +is in the next half-hour. I can go with +you to Mr. Mellis senior's office, if you're +inclined to settle matters at once."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The Salmon King," who had earned +his title by building up the largest "canned +goods" business of its kind in England, had +offices on the ground floor of an imposing +building not far away, and Joan was lucky +enough to guide her companion to the door +without the dreaded misfortune of meeting +George Gallon on the way. As they crossed +the threshold, Tommy Mellis issued from +a room with a ground-glass door. Joan +hurried to him, asked if his father had been +kind, was assured that all was well so far, +and hastened to explain the new development +of affairs so clearly that even Tommy's +slow intelligence grasped her meaning +without difficulty. "When I've introduced you +to Mr. Mitchison, offer him twenty pounds +a share (their nominal value is fifty), and if +necessary go up to twenty-five. Tell him +he shall have a commission on all the other +shares he can get, if the whole thing can be +fixed up by wire to-morrow. Say there is a +man coming to see you the day after about +some other investment, which your father +prefers, but you've taken a fancy to this, and +want everything settled before the two older +men come together. As Gallon must do all +his business in Clerios privately, and doesn't +want to ask for them in the House, that will +give us time to work."</p> +<p class="pnext">"By Jove! this will mean a lot of money," +faltered Tommy. "Of course, I'm delighted +to do this for you, but if the governor----"</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan soothed his fears; and introduced +Mitchison to young Mellis, who took them +both into a small, empty office. She hovered +about during the business conversation which +ensued, putting in a word here and there, +and impressing the Manchester man with her +shrewdness. In his opinion, George Gallon +had a treasure for a secretary, and he was +grateful to her for pushing on his affairs so +well, especially as he did not believe he could +have got from Gallon the price which Mellis +was willing to give.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Joan returned to the office in +Copthall Court, her employer had not yet come +back. "Don't tell Mr. Gallon I've been out, +will you?" she appealed to the clerks, her +slaves. As she spoke, the door opened, and +Gallon entered, just in time to hear the +ingenuous request. The young men flushed +in consternation for her, but the girl did not +change colour. As a matter of fact, she +had known that George was coming up, +and had probably seen her on the stairs. +She had not spoken without design.</p> +<p class="pnext">Having been delayed vexatiously, Gallon +was not in a good mood, and his black ones +were unpleasant for underlings. A frowning +look and a gesture of the head called +Joan to his private office. She followed +meekly; but when the scolding had reached +the stage which she mentally designated +as "ripe," her meekness vanished like snow +in sunshine.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How dare you speak to me like that!" +she exclaimed, her eyes blazing. "I'm not +your servant, though I have served you +well. I leave to-day."</p> +<p class="pnext">"This moment, if you choose," George +flung back at her furiously, though in reality +he had not intended matters to touch this +climax. Joan had become valuable, but, +as he said to himself in his sullen anger, +she was the "last person in the world whose +impudence he would stand."</p> +<p class="pnext">When Joan had gathered up her few +belongings, and remarked that she would +send for her typewriter, she added: +"Mr. Mitchison, of Manchester, called, and wanted +me to tell you that he'd already parted +with the shares you wired about last night. +I asked who had bought them, but he was +pledged to secrecy. I believe that is all I +need say, except that you will find all your +correspondence in good order, to be taken +over by my successor; and as you have +declared so often that clever stenographers +are starving for want of employment, you +will not be long in obtaining one."</p> +<p class="pnext">With this she was off, and, hailing the +first cab she saw (though in her +circumstances a cab was an extravagance), drove +to Woburn Place, where she lived in a back +bedroom on the top floor of a cheap boarding-house.</p> +<p class="pnext">She remained only long enough, however, +to change into one of the pretty dresses left +from last spring's wardrobe. Looking as if +her home should be Park Lane instead of +Bloomsbury, she went to the office of the +illustrated weekly in which she had been +interested that morning. When she inquired +the address of <em class="italics">Titania's</em> owner, she was +told that all business connected with the +yacht would be done at the advertising +bureau of the paper. This was a blow, for +the proposal that Joan had to make was not, +perhaps, of a kind suited to the taste of a +mere commonplace agent. She thought for +a moment, and then said, with a slight +accent which she had learned through mimicking +a girl at school: "Well, I'm very sorry, +but I'm afraid we can't do business, then. +I'm an American girl; my name is +Mordaunt. Grierson Mordaunt is my uncle. +I guess you've heard of him. I want to +buy a yacht, in a hurry--my people generally +are in a hurry--and I thought this one +might do. But if I can't see the owner +myself, it's no use. <em class="italics">Good</em> morning."</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 53%" id="figure-39"> +<span id="looking-as-if-her-home-should-be-park-lane-instead-of-bloomsbury-she-went-to-the-office"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-064.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"Looking as if her home should be Park Lane instead of Bloomsbury, she went to the office."</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">Before she had got half-way to the door +the dapper manager of the advertising bureau +stopped her. Possibly an exception might +be made in her favour; he would write to +his client.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Can you send the letter by district +messenger?" shrewdly asked the +newly-fledged Miss Mordaunt.</p> +<p class="pnext">The manager admitted that this could be +done. To what hotel should he transmit +the answer? "I'm staying with friends, +and I don't want them to know about this +till it's settled," said Joan. "I tell you +what I'll do: I'll wait here."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-iv-the-steam-yacht-titania"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id5">CHAPTER IV--The Steam Yacht <em class="italics">Titania</em></a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">She did wait, for three-quarters of an +hour; and at the end of that time the +manager received a reply to his letter. In +consequence, he told Joan that Lady John +Bevan would see her at Kensington Park +Mansions.</p> +<p class="pnext">As soon as the girl heard the name of +Lady John Bevan, she knew why the yacht +was for sale, and was hopeful that the eccentric +proposition she meant to make might be +received with favour. Lord John Bevan +was in prison, for the crime of forgery, +committed after losing a fortune at Monte Carlo.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan took another cab to Kensington +Park Mansions--a mean shelter for a woman +whose environment had once been brilliant. +But Lady John, a tall and peculiarly elegant +woman, shone out like a jewel in an +unworthy setting. The two women looked at +each other with admiration, and there was +eagerness in the elder's voice as she said: +"You want to buy the <em class="italics">Titania</em>, Miss Mordaunt?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm not sure yet, till I've tried, to see +how I like her," replied Joan. "That's +fair, isn't it? What I want, if I see the +yacht, take fancy to her, and we can +come to terms, is to hire the <em class="italics">Titania</em> for +a while. Then, at the end of that time, +if I don't buy her myself, I'll sell her for +you to somebody else; that's a promise. +What would you want for your yacht for a +couple of months, all in working order, and +the captain and crew's money included?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Five hundred pounds," returned Lady +John. "You can see her at Cowes."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, I don't mind telling you that's +more than I expected. I'm G. B. Mordaunt's +niece, and some day I suppose I +shall be one of the richest women in America, +but my money's tied up till I'm twenty-five. +I've only an allowance, and Uncle Grierson, +who is my guardian, is hard as nails. I'll +tell you what I can do, though. I have some +shares which are worth a lot of money, +but I don't want to deal with them myself, +as their value is a secret, and my uncle +would be mad with me if he knew I was +using it. What I was going to say is this. +The shares I speak of are worth mighty +little to those who aren't 'in the know,' and +a lot to those who are. If you'll call +to-morrow morning at ten o'clock on a +stockbroker in the City, whose address I'll give +you, and tell him you've a block of Clerios to +dispose of, he'll jump at the offer. All you +must do is to stand firm, and you can get +eight hundred pounds out of him. If he +says they're no good, just let your eyes +twinkle and tell him G. B. Mordaunt's +niece has been talking to you. That will +settle Mr. George Gallon! Keep your five +hundred for the yacht, and give the three +hundred change to me. Of course, this is +provided I like the yacht. You give me an +order to see her at Cowes. I'll start at once, +wire you what I think of her, and, if it's all +right, I'll call here first thing in the morning +with the share certificates."</p> +<p class="pnext">Carried away by the girl's magnetism and +dash, Lady John Bevan would have said +"Yes" to almost anything. She said "Yes" +now with a promptness which surprised +herself when she thought of it afterwards, +by the cold light of reason.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan arrived at Cowes before dark, and +was delighted with the <em class="italics">Titania</em> and her crew. +She wired her approval to Lady John, and +telegraphed Tommy Mellis, asking him to +meet her at Waterloo for the eleven o'clock +train from Southampton, bringing the share +certificates which had that morning been +Mitchison's. She was sure that Tommy +would not fail, and he did not. They had +supper together in the grill-room of the +Carlton, as Joan was not in evening dress. +She told him all she chose to tell, and no +more; and thus ended the busiest day of +Joan Carthew's life.</p> +<p class="pnext">The transaction in which Lady John +Bevan was to act as catspaw came off next +morning as the girl had expected, and she +would have given something handsome if +she could have seen George Gallon's face +when he found himself obliged to pay, for +the very shares he had expected to obtain +yesterday, four times what he had intended +to offer Mitchison. His profit would now +be small, when the great <em class="italics">coup</em> came off; +still, he could not afford to refuse the chance, +and Joan knew it. Some day, she meant that +he should also know to whom he owed his +defeat; but that day was not yet.</p> +<p class="pnext">For the shares sold by Mitchison he had +received two hundred pounds. A like sum +Joan agreed to place in Tommy's hands, as +part profit of the transaction; and when +Lady John Bevan was paid for the two +months' hire of the <em class="italics">Titania</em>, the girl would +have a hundred pounds over, to "play with," +as she expressed it to herself. The other +shares which Mitchison was pledged to obtain +from Genoa would be available within the +next few days, and Joan had made up her +mind what to do with them by and by. +She had had several inspirations since +overhearing snatches of conversation between her +employer and his Italian visitor yesterday +morning, and one of these inspirations +concerned Lady John Bevan.</p> +<p class="pnext">Lady John was pitied by the old friends +in the old life from which poverty and +misfortune had removed her. People would +have been glad to be "nice" to her in any +cheap way which did not cost too much +money or trouble, if she had let them. But +the woman was a proud woman, who still +loved her husband in spite of his guilt, and +she had not cared to go out of her hired +flat in Kensington to be patronised by the +world which had once flattered and fought +for her invitations. Joan guessed as much +of this as she did not know, and when Lady +John wished her, rather wistfully, a "pleasant +cruise," the girl said suddenly: "Come +along and be my chaperon! My aunt +Caroline, Uncle Grierson Mordaunt's sister, +came to England with me; but she hates the +sea, and flatly refuses to do any yachting. +I'm not sorry, because she's a prim old +dear, and what I want is to see a little life +and fun. I've been kept very close till +now, and though I'm of age, I'm only just +out, so I don't know many people, and you +would be sure to meet lots of nice friends of +yours, to whom you'd introduce me. It's so +foggy and horrid here now; I'm going to +make straight for the Riviera with the <em class="italics">Titania</em>, +and it will do you good. Please come."</p> +<p class="pnext">Lady John could not resist the prospect, +or that "Please," spoken cooingly, with +lovely, pleading eyes and a childlike touch +on her arm. Besides, she was fond of the +<em class="italics">Titania</em>, and before she quite knew what +she was doing, she had promised to chaperon +Grierson Mordaunt's niece.</p> +<p class="pnext">Considering the way in which she was +handicapped by false pretences and +shortness of cash, Joan could not have done +better for herself. She told Lady John that +she had had a disagreement with the friends +with whom she had been staying, and wished +to be recommended to a hotel for the few +days before they could get off on the <em class="italics">Titania</em>. +Of course, Lady John invited her to the +flat, and the girl accepted. She asked her +new chaperon's advice about dressmakers +and milliners for the Riviera outfit, which +must be got together in a hurry. Lady +John had paid all her own bills after the +crash, with money grudgingly supplied by +relations, and was still in the "good books" +of the tradespeople she had once lavishly +patronised. Introduced by her as a niece +of the well-known American millionaire, Joan +had unlimited credit to procure unlimited +pretty things. Everything had to be bought +ready made; and at the end of the week +the steam-yacht <em class="italics">Titania</em>, with "Miss Jenny +Mordaunt" and Lady John Bevan on board, +was bounding gaily over the bright waters +of the Bay. A few days later, the <em class="italics">Titania</em> +made one of a colony of other yachts lying +snugly in Nice harbour.</p> +<p class="pnext">Now, Joan's wisdom in the choice of a +chaperon justified itself even more pointedly +than when it had been a question of a pilot +among shoals of tradespeople. Lady John +believed in her young charge, whose +statements concerning her engaging self it had +never occurred to the elder woman to doubt. +Having undertaken the duties of a chaperon, +she was conscientious in carrying them out, +and lost no time in picking up old friendships +which might be valuable to Miss Mordaunt--just +how valuable, or in what way, Lady +John little dreamed.</p> +<p class="pnext">Not only did she know a number of rich +and titled English folk, who had come out to +spend the cold months at their villas, or in +fashionable hotels, at Nice, Monte Carlo, and +Mentone, but she could claim acquaintance +with various foreign royalties and +personages of high degree. These latter +especially were delighted to meet the beautiful +American girl, who was so rich and +independent that she travelled about the world +on her own yacht. It was nobody's business +that the <em class="italics">Titania</em> was but hired for two months, +since it was Miss Mordaunt's pleasure to +pose as the owner. The name of the yacht +had been changed, for politic reasons, since +gay Lord John had careered about the +waterways of the world in her; she had been +newly decorated, and the colour of her paint +had undergone a change, therefore she could +pass unrecognised by all save experts. Joan +and her chaperon kept "open house" on +board. The luncheon-table was always laid +for twelve, in case any one strolled on in +the morning whom it would be agreeable to +detain. On fine days--and what days were +not fine on these shores beloved of the sun?--tea +was always served on deck under the +rose-and-white awning; and Russian princes, +Austrian barons and baronesses, French counts +and countesses, with a sprinkling of the +English nobility, came early and stayed +late to drink the Orange Pekoe and eat the +exquisite little cakes provided by the +confiding tradespeople of Nice. Joan paid for +nothing, and got everything. Was she not a +great American heiress, and was not the yacht +alone a guarantee of her trustworthiness?</p> +<p class="pnext">Not even the owners of famous American +yachts lying alongside suspected the girl to +be other than she seemed, though they were +of the world in which Grierson Mordaunt +was prominent. He was not a man who +made intimate friends, and none of those +who knew him best had any reason to doubt +that he had a pretty niece named Jenny. +Concerning the great Mordaunt himself Joan +kept posted as to his whereabouts. She read +the papers and followed his movements in +Florida; therefore she felt safe and pursued +her business more or less calmly.</p> +<p class="pnext">For it was business more than pleasure +which had brought the girl on this adventure, +though she knew how to combine the two. +Her hospitality, her breakfasts, her tea and +cakes, her lavish dinners, were not supplied +to her guests for nothing, though they were +not aware that they were paying save by the +honour of their presence. When Joan had +established friendly relations with a person +worth cultivating (she abjured all others), +her next step was to drop a careless word +about a wonderful "tip" she had got from +Grierson Mordaunt. "It's all in the family," +she would say, laughing, "or he would never +have given it away; and, of course, I mustn't. +He just said to me: 'Buy up a certain +thing while you can get it,' and I did. My +goodness! I've got more than I know what +to do with, for, after all, I had more money +than I wanted before. By and by I shall be +<em class="italics">too</em> rich. Mercy! I'm afraid now of being +married for my money."</p> +<p class="pnext">Then the hearers, dazzled by this fairy +story, wondered whether they might possibly +ask Miss Mordaunt if they could profit by +the marvellous "tip," and pick up a few +crumbs from her overflowing table. If Joan +had hawked her wares, no doubt these +people would have fought shy; but as the +object was difficult of attainment and must +be manoeuvred for, according to the way +of the world they struggled for it with +eagerness. As soon as Joan could decently appear +to understand, in her innocence, what her dear +friends were driving at, she was so +"good-natured" that she volunteered to sell them +a few of her own shares. The only promise +she exacted in return was that nobody would +boast of the favour granted. The shares +which she had bought at a low price--not +yet paid--she sold for three times their +face value, sent half the profit to Tommy +Mellis as she got it in, and pocketed her own +half. She was thus able to pay the tradespeople +who had trusted her, and to lay in coal for +the trips round the coast which the <em class="italics">Titania</em> +often took with a few distinguished passengers.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl could have sung for joy over the +success of her adventure. In the end she +would cheat nobody; she would make a +decent sum for herself, and meanwhile she +was drinking the intoxicating nectar of +excitement. She was so happy that when +she had finished her business, sold all her +shares, and the two months for which the +<em class="italics">Titania</em> was hired were drawing to an end +she longed to stay on. She was her own +mistress, and could pay her way now--at +least, for awhile, until she had another +stroke of luck, which her confidence in +herself enabled her to count upon as certain. +She and Lady John were having a "good +time," everybody liked them, and she did +not see why this good time should not go +on indefinitely. Besides, she had promised +to sell the yacht for its owner. The two +ladies of the <em class="italics">Titania</em> had invitations for a +month ahead, and one evening were dressed +and waiting for the arrival of an English +bishop, a Roman prince, two American +trust magnates, and a French duchess and +her daughter, when the name of Mr. Grierson +Mordaunt was announced.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's blood rushed to her head, but she +stood up smiling. "Leave us for a minute, +dear," she breathed to Lady John, who +slipped off to her cabin unsuspectingly. +The girl found herself facing a grizzled, +smooth-shaven man with a prominent chin, +a large nose, and deep eyes of iron grey +which matched his hair and faded skin.</p> +<p class="pnext">"So you are the young woman who has +been trading on a supposed relationship to +me?" remarked Grierson Mordaunt, looking +her up and down from head to foot.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are related--through Adam," replied +Joan, whose lips were dry. "As for +'trading' on the relationship, I'm proud of it, +and I don't see why you should be ashamed +of me. I've done nothing to disgrace you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is your game, that you should have +selected my particular branch of the Adam +family?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because I have one of your family +secrets. If you are going to disown me, +there's no reason why I shouldn't give it away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What are you talking about?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Clerios. You aren't ready for the secret +of that deal to come out yet, are you? I +saw in the paper the other day that you had +denied any intention of taking the Clerio +line into your combine. It was the same +paper that said you had just returned to +New York from Florida."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are an adventuress, my young friend."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Every seeker of fortune is an adventurer +or an adventuress. The crime is, failure. +I'm not a criminal, because I am succeeding, +and my success has enabled me to meet my +obligations. If you don't think that I was +justified in claiming relationship with you +through so remote an ancestor in common +as Adam, you can make the rest of my stay +here very uncomfortable, I admit; and if +you have no fellow-feeling for a beginner, I +suppose you will do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How long do you intend your stay to +be?" inquired Mordaunt grimly, but with +a twinkle in his eye.</p> +<p class="pnext">"How long do you want it kept dark +about Clerios?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A fortnight."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then I should like very much, if you +don't mind, to stop here a fortnight."</p> +<p class="pnext">The great man laughed. "You've the +pluck of--the Evil One!" he ejaculated. +"I was in Paris, and read about one of my +niece's smart dinner-parties, so I came +on--especially to see you. Now----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Now you are here, won't you stop to one +of the dinner-parties? Some very nice people +are coming this evening."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And play the part of fond uncle? No, +I thank you. But, by Jove! I'm hanged if +I don't go away without unmasking you. +You may bless your pretty face and your +smart tongue for that----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"And the family secret."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That's part of it, but not all. I give +you a fortnight's grace. Mind, not a day +more; and respect the character you've +stolen meanwhile, or the promise doesn't +stand. This day fortnight you clear out, +and Miss Jenny Mordaunt must never be +heard of again."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's a bargain," said Joan. "By some +other name I shall be as great."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So long as it's not mine. Have you done +well with Clerios?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pretty well, thank you. I was a little +hampered for lack of capital. I might get +you a few shares here in Nice, if you like; +not cheap, exactly--still, a good deal lower +than they will be a fortnight from now."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Much obliged. You needn't trouble +yourself. But I shall keep my eye on you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall consider it a compliment," said +Joan, "and try to be worthy of it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good-bye."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Good-bye."</p> +<p class="pnext">When he was gone, Joan sank into a +chair and closed her eyes. It would have +been a comfort to faint, but the first guest +arrived at that moment, and she rose to them +and to the occasion. The dinner was a great +success, and every one was grieved to hear +that the <em class="italics">Titania</em> was due to steam away--for +a destination unmentioned--in a fortnight.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-v-the-landlady-at-woburn-place"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id6">CHAPTER V--The Landlady at Woburn Place</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Joan had no difficulty in selling <em class="italics">Titania</em> +for Lady John Bevan, to a Swiss +millionaire, the proprietor of a popular +chocolate, who was disporting himself on +the Riviera that winter. The yacht was +to be delivered to him at Corsica, so that +when the charming Miss Mordaunt and her +chaperon steamed out of Nice Harbour, none +of those who bade them farewell needed to +know that <em class="italics">Titania</em> was to be disposed of. If +they found out afterwards, it did not matter +much to Joan. After her the Deluge.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl had grown fond of Lady John +Bevan, and could not bear to exchange her +friend's warm affection and gratitude for +contempt. Therefore she made up a pretty +little fiction about an unexpected summons +to America, and parted from Lady John, +with mutual regret, at Ajaccio. Joan's one +grief in this connexion was that Miss +Mordaunt would scarcely be able to keep her +promise to write from New York; but this +grief was only one of the rain-drops in that +"deluge" which had to fall after the +vanishing of the American heiress.</p> +<p class="pnext">If she had been prudent, Joan might have +come out of this adventure with a small +fortune after sending Tommy Mellis his +share of the spoil; but she had been +intoxicated with success, and had spent lavishly, +as money came from the sale of the shares. +She made a good commission on the "deal" +with the yacht, which she sold for a somewhat +larger sum than Lady John had asked; but +where a less generous young person might +have closed the episode with thousands, +Joan Carthew had only hundreds. She had +also, however, many smart dresses, some +jewellery, and the memory of an exciting +experience. Besides, the money she kept +had been got easily, in addition to the joy +of her adventure.</p> +<p class="pnext">It had been in the girl's mind, perhaps, +that she might, as Miss Mordaunt, capture a +fortune and a title; but in this regard, and +this only, the episode of the <em class="italics">Titania</em> had +proved a failure. She had had plenty of +proposals, to be sure; but the men who +were rich were either too old, too ugly, or +too vulgar to suit the fastidious young woman +who called the world her oyster; and the +titles laid at her feet were all sadly in need +of the gilding which a genuine American +heiress might have supplied for the sake of +becoming a Russian princess or a French <em class="italics">duchesse</em>.</p> +<p class="pnext">So Miss Mordaunt disappeared from the +brilliant world where she had glittered like +a star; and at about the same time, Miss +Joan Carthew (who had nothing to conceal) +appeared at her old quarters in Woburn +Place. She went back there for two reasons; +indeed, Joan had bought her experience of +life too dearly to do anything without a +reason. The first was because she wished +to lie hid for awhile, spending no unnecessary +money until the twilight of uncertainty +should brighten into the dawn of inspiration +and show her the next step on the ladder +which she was determined to mount. The +second reason was that the landlady--a quite +exceptional person for a landlady--had been +kind, and Joan desired to reward her.</p> +<p class="pnext">If the girl had not gone back to Woburn +Place, her whole future might have been +different. But--she did go back, and arrived +in the midst of a crisis. Since Joan had +vanished, some months ago, bad luck had +come into the house and finally opened the +door for the bailiff.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan found the landlady in tears; but to +explain the fulness of the girl's sympathy, +the landlady must be described.</p> +<p class="pnext">In the first place, she <em class="italics">was</em> a lady; and she +was young and pretty, though a widow. Her +husband had been the Honourable Richard +Fitzpatrick, the scapegrace son of a penniless +Irish viscount. "Dishonourable Dick," as +he was sometimes nicknamed behind his +back, had gone to California to make his +fortune, had naturally failed, but had +succeeded in marrying an exceedingly pretty +girl, an orphan, with ten thousand pounds of +her own. He had brought her to England, +had spent most of her money on the +race-course, and would have spent the rest, had +it not occurred to him that it would be good +sport to do a little fighting in South Africa. +He had volunteered, and soon after died of +enteric.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile, the Honourable Mrs. Fitzpatrick +was at a boarding-house in Woburn +Place, where the landlord and landlady were +so kind to her that she gladly lent them +several hundred pounds, not knowing yet +that she had only a few other hundreds left +out of her little fortune.</p> +<p class="pnext">Suddenly the blow fell. Within three days +Marian Fitzpatrick learned that she was a +widow, that her dead husband had employed +the short interval of their married life in +getting rid of almost everything she had; +and that, her landlord and landlady being +bankrupt, she could not hope for the return +of the three-hundred-pound loan she had +made them.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was finally arranged, as the best thing +to be done, that she should take over the +lease of the boarding-house and try to get +back what she had lost, by "running" the +establishment herself.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Fitzpatrick had just shouldered this +somewhat incongruous burden, when Joan +Carthew had been attracted to the house by +the brightness of the gilt lettering over the +door, and the pretty, fresh curtains in the +windows. Joan was nineteen, and Marian +Fitzpatrick twenty-three. The two had been +drawn to one another with the first meeting +of their eyes. When, after a few weeks' +acquaintance, the girl had been told the +young widow's story, her interest and +sympathy were keenly aroused, for Joan's heart +was not hard except to the rich, most of whom +she conceived to be less deserving, if more +fortunate, than herself. Now, when she came +back fresh from her triumphant campaign +on the <em class="italics">Côte d'Azur</em>, to hear that things +had gone from bad to worse, all the latent +chivalry in her really generous nature was +aroused.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was tall as a young goddess brought +up on the heights of Olympus, instead of +at a French boarding-school. Despite the +hardships and wretchedness of her childhood, +she was strong in body and mind and spirit, +with the strength of perfect nerves and a +splendid vitality. Marian Fitzpatrick, broken +by disappointment, and worn by months of +anxiety, was fragile and white as a lily which +has been bent by savage storms, and the +sight of her small, pale face and big, sad, +brown eyes fired the girl with an almost +fierce determination to assume the <em class="italics">rôle</em> of +protector.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've got money," she reflected, in mental +defiance of the Fate with whom she had +waged war since childish days, "and I can +make more when this is gone. I suppose I'm +a fool, but I don't care a rap. I'm going to +help Marian Fitzpatrick, and perhaps make +her fortune, as I mean to make my own. But +just for the present, mine can wait, and hers +can't."</p> +<p class="pnext">Aloud, she asked Marian what sum would +tide her over present difficulties. Two +hundred and fifty pounds, it appeared, were +needed. Joan promptly volunteered to lend, +on one condition, but she was cut short before +she had time to name it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Condition or no condition, you dear +girl, I can't let you do it," sobbed Marian. +"I'm perfectly sure I could never pay. I'm +in a quicksand and bound to sink. Nobody +can pull me out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can," said Joan; "and in doing it, I'll +show you how to pay me. You just listen +to what I have to say, and don't interrupt. +When I get an inspiration, I tell you, it's +worth hearing, and I've got one now. What +I want you to do is to give up trying to manage +this house. You're too young and pretty +and soft-hearted for a landlady, and you +haven't the talent for it, though you have +plenty in other ways, and one is, to be +charming. My inspiration will show you how best +to utilise that talent."</p> +<p class="pnext">Then Joan talked on, and at first Marian +was shocked and horrified; but in the end the +force of the girl's extraordinary magnetism +and self-confidence subdued her. She ceased +to protest. She even laughed, and a stain +of rose colour came back to her cheeks. It +would be very awful and alarming, and +perhaps wicked, to do what Joan Carthew +proposed, but it would be tremendously exciting +and interesting; and there was enough +youthful love of mischief left in her to enjoy +an adventure with a kind of fearful joy, +especially when all the responsibility was +shouldered by another stronger than herself.</p> +<p class="pnext">The first thing to do towards the carrying +out of the great plan was to get some one +to manage the boarding-house in Mrs. Fitzpatrick's +place. This was difficult, for +competent and honest managers, male or female, +were not to be found at registry-offices, like +cooks; but Joan was (or thought she was) +equal to this emergency as well as others. +She sorted out from the dismal rag-bag of +her early Brighton experiences the memory +of a wonderful woman who had done +something to make life tolerable for her when she +was the forlorn drudge of Mrs. Boyle's +lodging-house at 12, Seafoam Terrace.</p> +<p class="pnext">This wonderful woman had been one of +two sisters who kept a rival lodging-house in +Seafoam Terrace. The Misses Witt owned +the place, consequently it was not improbable +that they were still to be found there, after +these seven years; and as they had not always +agreed together, it seemed possible that the +younger Miss Witt (the clever and nice one, +who had given occasional cakes and bulls'-eyes +to Joan in those bad old days) might be +prevailed upon to accept an independent +position, with a salary, in London.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had always promised herself that, +when she was rich and prosperous, she would +sweep into the house of her bondage like a +young princess, and bestow favours upon +little Minnie Boyle, whom she had loved. +But Lady Thorndyke had not wished her +adopted daughter even to remember the sordid +past; and after the death of her benefactress, +the girl had not until lately been in a +position to undertake the <em class="italics">rôle</em> of fairy princess. +Even now, to be sure, she was not rich, but +she swam on the tide of success, and she had +at least the air of dazzling prosperity. She +dressed herself in a way to make Mrs. Boyle +grovel, and bought a first-class ticket, one +Friday afternoon, for Brighton. She took her +seat in an empty carriage, and hardly had she +opened a magazine when a man got in. It was +George Gallon; and if he had wished to get +out again on recognising his travelling +companion, there would not have been time for +him to do so, as at that moment the train +began to move out of the station.</p> +<p class="pnext">These two had not seen each other since +the eventful morning when Joan had resigned +her position as Mr. Gallon's secretary. She +was not sure whether she were sorry or glad +to see him now, but the situation had its +dramatic element. George spoke stiffly, and +Joan responded with malicious cordiality. +Knowing nothing of her identity with +Grierson Mordaunt's brilliant niece, long pent-up +curiosity forced the man to ask questions as +to where she had been and what she had been +doing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have an interest in a London boarding-house, +and am going to Brighton to try and +engage a manageress," Joan deigned to +reply, with a twinkle under her long eyelashes. +"I forgot that you would of course have kept +on the old place at Brighton. I suppose +you are going down for the week-end?"</p> +<p class="pnext">George admitted grimly that this was the +case, and as Joan would give only tantalising +glimpses of her doings in the last few months, +and seemed inclined to put impish questions +about the office she had left, he took refuge in +a newspaper. Joan calmly read her magazine, +and not another word was exchanged until +the train had actually come to a stop in the +Brighton station. "Oh! by the way," the +girl exclaimed then, as if on a sudden thought. +"It was I who got hold of those Clerios I +believe you had an idea of buying in so very +cheap. I knew you could afford to pay well +if you wanted them. One gets these little +tips, you know, in an office like yours. That's +why I snapped at your two pounds a week. +Good-bye. I hope you'll enjoy the sea air +at dear Brighton."</p> +<p class="pnext">Before George Gallon could find breath to +answer, she was gone, and he was left to +anathematise the hand-luggage which must +be given to a porter. By the time it was +disposed of, the impertinent young woman +had disappeared. Yet there is a difference +between disappearing and escaping. Joan's little +impulsive stab had made Gallon more her +enemy than ever, and perhaps the day might +come when she would have to regret the +small satisfaction of the moment.</p> +<p class="pnext">But she had no thought of future perils, +and drove in the gayest of moods to Seafoam +Terrace, where she stopped her cab before +the door of No. 12. There, however, she +met disappointment. Her first inquiry was +answered by the news that Mrs. Boyle had +died of influenza in the winter, and the house +had passed into other hands. The servant +could tell her nothing of Minnie; but the +new mistress called down from over the +baluster, where she had been listening to the +conversation, that she believed the little girl +had been taken in by the two Misses Witt +next door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Death had stolen from Joan a gratification +of which she had dreamed for years. Mrs. Boyle +could never now be forced to regret +past unkindnesses to the young princess +who had emerged like a splendid butterfly +from a despised chrysalis; but Minnie was +left, and Joan had been genuinely fond of +Minnie. She had therefore a double +incentive in hurrying to the house next door.</p> +<p class="pnext">The nice Miss Witt herself answered the +ring, and Joan had a few words with her alone. +She would be delighted to accept a good +position in London; and it was true that +Minnie Boyle was there. She had taken +compassion on the child, who was as penniless +and friendless as Joan had been when last in +Seafoam Terrace; but the elder Miss Witt +wished to send the little girl to an orphanage, +and the difference of opinion, and Minnie's +presence in the house, led to constant +discussion. "The only trouble is," said the +kindly woman, "that if I leave, sister will +send the little creature away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"She won't, because I shall take Minnie +off her hands," retorted Joan, with the +promptness of a sudden decision. "Do let +me see the poor pet."</p> +<p class="pnext">Minnie was nine years old, so small that +she did not look more than six, and so +pathetically pretty that Joan saw at once how she +might be fitted into the great plan. She +could do even more for the child now than +she had expected to do; and because the little +one was poor and alone in the world, as she +herself had been, Joan's heart grew more than +ever warm to her playmate of the past. She +made friends with Minnie, who had +completely forgotten her, and so bewitched the +child with her beauty, her kindness, and her +smart clothes that Minnie was enchanted with +the prospect of going away with such a grand +young lady.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I used to know some nice fairy stories +when I was very, very little," said the child. +"This is like one of them."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I told you those fairy stories," returned +Joan. "Now I am going to make them come true."</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vi-the-tenants-of-roseneath-park"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id7">CHAPTER VI--The Tenants of Roseneath Park</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">About the first of May, when Cornwall +was at its loveliest, everybody within +twenty miles of Toragel (a village famed for +its beauty and antiquity, as artists and +tourists know) was delighted to hear that +Lord Trelinnen's place was let at last, and +to most desirable tenants. Lord +Trelinnen was elderly, and too poor to live at +Roseneath Park, therefore Toragel had long +ceased to be interested in him; but it was +intensely interested in the new people, despite +the fact that their advent was the second +excitement which had stirred the fortunate +village within the last year or two.</p> +<p class="pnext">The first had been the home-coming of +Sir Anthony Pendered, the richest man in +the county, who had volunteered for the +Boer war, raised a regiment, and, when peace +was declared, had come back to Torr Court +covered with honours. He was only a knight, +and had been given his title because of a +valuable new explosive which he had +discovered and made practicable. He had grown +enormously rich through his various +inventions, and, after an adventurous life of some +thirty-eight years, had bought a handsome +place near his native village, Toragel. At +first the county had looked at him askance, +but the South African affair had settled all +aristocratic doubts in his favour. About +a year before the letting of Roseneath Park +he had been enthusiastically received by all +classes, and was still a hero in everybody's +eyes; nevertheless, the first excitement had +had time to die down, and the county people +and the "best society" of the village united +with more or less hidden eagerness to know +what poor old Lord Trelinnen's tenants would +be like.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Trelinnen pew in the pretty church of +Toragel was next to that where Sir Anthony +Pendered was usually (and his maiden sister +always) to be seen on Sunday mornings. +The first Sunday after the new people's +arrival, the church was full; but service +began, and still the Trelinnen pew was empty. +After all, the tenants of Roseneath Park +(whom nobody had seen yet) had come only +yesterday. Perhaps they would not appear +till next Sunday; but just as the congregation +was sadly resigning itself to this +conclusion, there was a slight rustle at the door. +The first hymn was being sung, therefore +eyes were able to turn without too much +levity; and it is wonderful how much and +how far an eye can see by turning almost +imperceptibly, particularly if it be the eye of +a woman.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two ladies and a little girl were shown to +the Trelinnen pew. Both ladies were young; +the elder could not have been more than +twenty-three, the younger looked scarcely +nineteen. Both were in half-mourning; both +were beautiful. They were, in fact, no other +than the Honourable Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and +her sisters, Miss Mercy and Mary Milton, +these latter being known in other circles as +Joan Carthew and little Minnie Boyle.</p> +<p class="pnext">The child, who appeared to be about six +years old, was charmingly dressed, and +exemplarily good during the service. As for +her elders, they were almost aggravatingly +devout, scarcely raising their eyes from +their prayer-books, and never glancing +about at their neighbours, not even at Sir +Anthony Pendered, who looked at the two +more than he had ever been known to look +at any other women. This was saying a +good deal, because he was by no means a +misanthrope, although he was forty and had +contrived to remain a bachelor. It was +rumoured that he wished to marry, if he +could find a wife to suit him, though +meanwhile he was content enough with the society +of his sister, who was far from encouraging +any matrimonial aspirations.</p> +<p class="pnext">When Marian and Joan and Minnie were +driven back to Roseneath Park (in the perfect +victoria and by the splendid horses which +advertised the solid bank balance they did +not possess), the two "elder sisters" talked +over their impressions.</p> +<p class="pnext">Minnie played with a French doll, that +somewhat resembled herself in her new white +frock, with her quantities of yellow hair. +Marian, leaning back on a cushioned sofa, +waiting for the luncheon-gong to sound, +was prettier and more distinguished-looking +than she had ever been; while Joan, as +Mercy Milton, would scarcely have been +recognised by those who knew her best. +Marian's maiden name had really been Milton, +and "Mercy" had been selected to fit the +picture for which Joan had chosen to sit. +Her beautiful, gold-brown hair was parted +meekly in the middle and brought down over +the ears, finishing with a simple coil in the +nape of her white neck. She was dressed as +plainly as a young nun, and had the air of +qualifying for a saint.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, dear, what did you think of him?" +she inquired of Marian.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of whom?" asked Mrs. Fitzpatrick, blushing.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, if you are going to be innocent! +Well, then, of the distinguished being +whose name and qualifications I showed you +in the <em class="italics">Mayfair Budget</em> a few days after I +got back to England and you. The <em class="italics">eligible +parti</em>, in fact, whose residence near Toragel +is responsible for our choice of abode."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Joan! <em class="italics">Don't</em> put it like that!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"'Mercy,' if you please, not Joan. And I've +found out exactly what I wanted to know. +Your reception of my brutal frankness has +shown me that you like him. So far, so good."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I may like him, but that won't help your +plan. Oh, Jo--Mercy, I mean, I do feel +such a wretch! That man looks so honest +and frank and nice, and he could hardly take +his eyes off you in church. If he knew what +frauds we are!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are not a fraud, and it is you with +whom he is concerned, or it will be, as I'll +soon show him, if necessary. Your name <em class="italics">is</em> +Fitzpatrick; you are a widow; we are +sisters--in affection. You haven't a fib to +tell; you've only got to be charming."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But it's you he admires. I told you it +would be so. If one of us is to be Lady----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"'Sh!" said Joan; and the gong boomed +musically for lunch.</p> +<p class="pnext">Had it not been for the existence of innocent +little Minnie, the county might not have +accepted the lovely sisters as readily as it did. +Joan had thought of that, as she thought of +most things; and Minnie, the <em class="italics">protégée</em> of +charity, was distinctly an asset. "A very +good prop," as Joan mentally called her, in +theatrical slang which she had learned, +perhaps, from her long-vanished mother.</p> +<p class="pnext">The presence of Minnie in the feminine +household gave a kind of pathetic, domestic +grace, which appealed even to tradespeople; +and tradespeople were extremely important +in Joan's calculations.</p> +<p class="pnext">She had obtained credentials, upon starting +on her new career, in a characteristic way. +Miss Jenny Mordaunt wrote to Lady John +Bevan, asking for a letter of introduction +for a great friend of hers, the Honourable +Mrs. Fitzpatrick, to the solicitors who had +charge of Lord Trelinnen's affairs, as +Mrs. Fitzpatrick wanted to take Roseneath Park. +Jenny Mordaunt's late chaperon gladly +managed this. Mrs. Fitzpatrick called upon +her, and Lady John was charmed. She had +known the "Dishonourable Dick" slightly, +years ago, had heard that he had married +an heiress, and marvelled now that he had +been tolerated by so sweet a creature as +this. Lady John offered one or two letters +of introduction to old friends in Cornwall, +and they were gratefully accepted. As the +friends were not intimate, and as Lady John +detested the country, except when hunting or +shooting was in question, there was little +danger that she would inopportunely appear +on the scene and recognise the saintly Mercy +Milton as the late Miss Mordaunt.</p> +<p class="pnext">Everybody called on the fair, lilylike +young widow and her very modest, retiring, +unmarried sister--everybody, that is, with +the exception of Miss Pendered, who pleaded, +when her brother urged, that she was too +much of an invalid to call on new people. +Soon, however, he boldly went by himself, +excusing his sister with some tale of +rheumatism which she would have indignantly +resented. Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Mercy Milton +were surrounded with other visitors when Sir +Anthony Pendered was announced, and he +was just in time to hear a glowing account of +the orphaned sisters' "dear old California +home," which Joan had learned by heart, +partly from Marian's reminiscences, partly +from a book.</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 54%" id="figure-40"> +<span id="mrs-fitzpatrick-and-mercy-milton-were-surrounded-by-other-visitors-when-sir-anthony-pendered-was-announced"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-116.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Mercy Milton were surrounded by other visitors when Sir Anthony Pendered was announced."</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">"When father and mother died, little +Minnie and I were the loneliest creatures +you can imagine," the gentle Mercy was +saying. "Dear Marian had just lost her +husband, and so she wrote for us to join her. +It is so nice having a home in the country +again. We both felt we couldn't be happy +without one, and we chose Cornwall because +we thought it the loveliest county in England. +We are very glad we did, now, for everybody +has been <em class="italics">so</em> kind."</p> +<p class="pnext">She might have added "and the trades-people +<em class="italics">so</em> trusting"; but on that subject she +was silent, though she intended that they +should go on trusting indefinitely. Indeed, +thus far the scheme worked almost too easily +to be interesting.</p> +<p class="pnext">Sir Anthony Pendered outstayed the other +visitors, and he stopped unconscionably long +for a first call; but that was the fault of his +hostesses, who made themselves so charming +that the man lost count of time--and perhaps +lost his head a little, also. At first it seemed +that Marian's impression was right, and that, +despite Mercy's retiring ways, it was the young +girl who attracted him. This made Marian +secretly sad; for when she had seen Sir +Anthony looking up from his prayer-book in +the adjoining pew, she had said in her heart, +with a sigh: "How good he would be to a +woman! How he would pet her and take +care of her! To be his wife would be very +different from----" but she had guiltily +broken short that sentence in the midst.</p> +<p class="pnext">Persuaded and fired by Joan, she had +entered into this adventure. She had even +laughed when Joan selected the neighbourhood +of Toragel because a Society paper +announced the advent of a particularly +desirable bachelor. "You will be the +prettiest and nicest woman in the county, of +course; therefore, he will fall in love with +you and propose. He will marry you; you +will live happy ever after; and you will be +able to pay all the debts that we shall have +run up in the process of securing him," the +girl had remarked. But now, when the +"desirable bachelor" had become a living +entity, and she felt her heart yearning +towards him, Marian's conscience grew sore. +Still, though she told herself that she could +not carry out the plan and try to win Sir +Anthony Pendered, it was a blow to see him +prefer Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">The symptoms of his admiration were +equally displeasing to the girl. She was +deliberately effacing herself for this episode; +while it lasted, she was to be merely the +"power behind the throne." Knowing that +she was more strikingly beautiful and brilliant +than Marian Fitzpatrick, she had studied +how to reduce her fascinations, that Marian +might outshine her. Evidently she had not +entirely succeeded; but during that first +call of Sir Anthony's, she quickly, +surreptitiously changed a diamond-ring from her +right hand to the "engaged" finger of her +left, flourished the newly adorned member +under his eyes, and spoke, with a conscious +simper, of "going back some day to California +to live." Sir Anthony did not misunderstand, +and as he had not yet tumbled over +the brink of that precipice whence a man falls +into love, he readjusted his inclinations. +After all, Mrs. Fitzpatrick was as pretty, +he thought, and certainly more sympathetic. +He was glad that Minnie was her sister, and +not her child. Though he had always said +he would not care to marry a widow, this +case was different from any that he had +imagined, for Mrs. Fitzpatrick had only been +married a year or two when her husband died, +and she had soon awakened from her girlish +fancy for the man--so Miss Milton had +guilelessly confided to him.</p> +<p class="pnext">Thanks to this, and much further +"guilelessness" of the same kind on the part of +the meek maiden, Sir Anthony Pendered +discovered, before the sisters had been for many +weeks tenants of Roseneath Park, that he +was deeply in love with Marian Fitzpatrick. +Accordingly, he proposed one June afternoon, +amid the ruins of a storied castle overhanging +the sea. Joan had got up a picnic to this +place expressly to give him the opportunity +which she felt triumphantly sure he was +seeking, and she was naturally annoyed with +Marian when she discovered that the young +widow had asked for "time to think it over."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You little idiot! Why didn't you fall +into his arms and say 'Yes--yes--<em class="italics">yes</em>'?" +the girl demanded, in Marian's bedroom, when +they had come home towards evening.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because I love him, and because I'm a +fraud!" exclaimed Marian. "Oh! I know +what you must think of me. I haven't +played straight with you, either. You've +done everything for me. I was to make this +match; and the rent of this place, and our +horses and carriages, the payment of all the +tradespeople on whom we've been practically +living, depend on my catching the splendid +'fish' you've landed for me. You've lent me +a lot of money; and what you had left when +we came here, you've been spending----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've spread it like very thin butter on +very thick bread, to make the hundreds look +like thousands. To carry off a big <em class="italics">coup</em> like +this, one must have <em class="italics">some</em> ready money," +broke in Joan, with a queer little smile at +her own cleverness, and the thought of where +it would land her if Marian's "conscientious +scruples" refused to be put to sleep. "We +<em class="italics">shall</em> be in rather a scrape if you won't marry +Sir Anthony--and you're made for each other, +too. But never mind, we shall get out of it +somehow. At worst, we can disappear."</p> +<p class="pnext">"And leave everything unpaid, and let him +and everybody know we are adventuresses!" +exclaimed Marian, breaking into tears.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't cry, dear; don't worry; and don't +decide anything," said Joan. "I have an idea."</p> +<p class="pnext">She induced Marian to go to bed and nurse +the violent headache which the battle between +heart and conscience had brought on. When +it was certain that Mrs. Fitzpatrick would +not appear again that evening, she sent a +little note by hand to Sir Anthony, as +fortunately Torr Count was the next estate to +Roseneath Park. "Do come over at once. +It is very important that I should see you," +wrote the decorous Mercy.</p> +<p class="pnext">Sir Anthony Pendered was in the midst of +dinner when the communication arrived, +and to his sister's disgust he begged her to +excuse him, as it was necessary to go out +immediately on business.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That adventuress has sent for you!" +Ellen Pendered fiercely exclaimed. "She +has got you completely in her net. I don't +believe those three are sisters. They don't +look in the least alike, and it is all very well +to say an ignorant nurse spoiled the child's +accent. I have heard her talk more like +a Cockney than a Californian. I tell you +there is something wrong, very wrong, about +them all."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I advise you not to tell any one else, +then," answered Anthony Pendered furiously--"that +is, unless you wish to break off for +ever with me. This afternoon I asked the +'adventuress,' as you dare to call her, to +marry me, and she refused. I had to plead +before she would even promise to think it +over." With this he left his sister also to +"think it over," and decide that, between two +evils, it might be wise to choose the less.</p> +<p class="pnext">Marian's lover could not guess why Marian's +younger sister had sent for him, and his +anxiety increased when he saw the gravity +of the girl's face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is Mar--is Mrs. Fitzpatrick ill?" he stammered.</p> +<p class="pnext">"A little, because she is unhappy; but you +can make her well again--if you choose," +replied Joan inscrutably.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Of course I choose!" he almost indignantly protested.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Wait," said she, "and listen to what I +have to say. Poor Marian is the victim of +her own goodness and sweet nature; and +because she swore to me that she would never +tell the story of our past, she feels it would be +wrong to marry you. I cannot let her suffer +for Minnie and me, so I am now going to tell +you, myself. But on this condition--if you +do decide that you want her for your wife in +spite of all, you will never once mention the +subject to Marian. I will inform her that +you know the truth and that she is not to +speak of it to you. Is that a bargain?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; but you needn't tell me the story +unless you like. I'm sure <em class="italics">she</em> is not to blame +for anything," replied the man, who was now +thoroughly in love with Marian, even to the +point of wondering what he had ever seen in +Mercy.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Certainly it is not she; but as she thinks +it is, it amounts to the same thing. The +facts are these: Dear, good Marian took +pity on Minnie and me in a London boarding-house, +where we chanced to meet after her +widowhood. She had decided to come here +to live, because she longed for the country, +but had not meant to take as grand a house +as this, as she had just found out that her +dead husband had spent most of her fortune. +I implored her to bring Minnie and me to her +new home, and give me a good chance of +getting into society by introducing us as +her sisters. She was rather a 'swell'--at +least, she had married an 'Honourable,' and +we were nobodies. The poor darling finally +consented to handicap herself with us. I +had a little money, too, which had--er--come +to me through a lucky investment, and +I was so anxious to live at Roseneath Park +that I made Marian (who is most unbusiness-like) +believe that together we would have +enough to take the place. I am supposed to +be practical, and so the management of +everything has been left to me. I have paid +scarcely anything, except the servants' wages, +so you see what I have brought my poor +Marian down to. The only atonement I +can make is to try and save her happiness +by confessing my wrongdoing to you and +begging that you will not visit it on her."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I certainly will not do that," said Sir +Anthony Pendered quickly. "As you say, her +one fault has been a kindness of heart almost +amounting to weakness, which, in my eyes, +makes her more lovable than ever. As for +the loss of her money, that matters nothing +to me. I have more than I want, and----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll pay everything, without betraying +me to Marian? Oh! I don't deserve it; but +<em class="italics">do</em> say you will do that, and I will relieve you +of my presence near your <em class="italics">fiancée</em> as soon as +possible, as a reward. I know that, after +what I have told you, it would be an +embarrassment to you to see me with Marian, +because as you are <em class="italics">very</em> chivalrous, you could +not let people know I was not really her +sister. I will disappear, and every one can +think I have been suddenly called out to +my Californian lover to be married."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Doesn't he exist?" questioned Sir +Anthony, looking at her "engaged" finger +and thinking of the matrimonial schemes +she had just confessed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not in California. But as I haven't been +a success here, I may decide to be true to +the person who gave me this ring." (She +had bought it herself.) "Now that I've +promised to go out of Marian's life for ever, +you'll guard her happiness by seeing that +everything is straightened here--financially?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I shall be only too delighted, if you will +tell me how to manage it without my name +appearing in the matter."</p> +<p class="pnext">"We--ll, if you'd trust the money to me, +I'd use it honestly to pay our debts, and give +you all the receipts."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So it shall be."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You're a--a brick, Sir Anthony. The +only difficulty left then is about poor little +Minnie, of whom Marian is really very fond. +People might gossip if Marian let her youngest +sister go back to California with me; for as +we are supposed to be so nearly related, +surely it would be better to save a scandal and +let--well, let sleeping sisters lie?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"If Marian is truly fond of Minnie, there +will be plenty of room for the child at Torr +Court, and she will be welcome to stay there, +as far as I am concerned. I must say, +Miss--er--Milton, that I think the child will be +better off under our guardianship than in +the care of her real sister."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You <em class="italics">are</em> good, and I quite agree with you," +responded Joan meekly, far from resenting +his look of stern reproach. "When you've +trusted me with that money to pay things, +and I hand you the receipts, I'll hand you +also a written undertaking never to trouble +you or--Lady Pendered. You would like +me to do that, wouldn't you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I--er--perhaps something of the kind +might be advisable," murmured Sir Anthony.</p> +<p class="pnext">When he had gone, the girl chuckled and +clapped her hands. Then she ran to a +looking-glass. "You're not exactly stupid, +my dear," she apostrophised her saintly +reflection. "You've provided splendidly for +Marian and you've saved her sensitive +conscience. <em class="italics">Her</em> slate is clean. As for Minnie, +she will be all right until the time comes, +if it ever does, that you can do better for her. +As for yourself--well, you can leave Marian +a couple of hundred for pocket-money, and +still get out of this with something on which +to start again. You've finished with Mercy +Milton, thank goodness! and--it <em class="italics">will</em> be a +relief to do your hair another way."</p> +<p class="pnext">Two days later, Joan Carthew had turned +her back upon Toragel, and Mrs. Fitzpatrick's +engagement to Sir Anthony Pendered was +announced.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-vii-the-woman-who-knew"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id8">CHAPTER VII--The Woman Who Knew</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Joan went straight from Cornwall to +London and the Bloomsbury boarding-house +in which some of her curiously earned +money was invested. All was to begin +over again now; but to the girl this idea +brought inspiration rather than discouragement, +for the world was still her oyster, if +she could open it, and experience had already +taught her some dexterity in the use of the +knife. At this house in Woburn Place +she had the right to live without paying, +while she "looked round," and Miss Witt, +who owed her present position to Joan, was +only too delighted to welcome her benefactress.</p> +<p class="pnext">The place was doing well, and the corner +of difficulty had been turned; this was the +news the manager-housekeeper had to give +Joan. Every room but one was full, and so +far the boarders seemed to be "good pay," +with perhaps a single exception.</p> +<p class="pnext">"There's only the little top floor back +that's empty," cheerfully went on Miss Witt. +"Of course, I will take that and give you mine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You'll do nothing of the sort, my dear +woman," said Joan. "I like running up +and down stairs. It does me good. Besides, +I'd rather be at the back. There's a tree, +or something that once tried hard to be a +tree, to look at, as I know well, for the room +used to be mine; so there's no use talking +any more about that matter--it's settled. +You stay where you are, and I will rise, like +cream, to the top. Now tell me about +this doubtful person you are afraid won't +pay. Is it a man or a woman?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"A woman," replied Miss Witt, "and +one of the strangest beings I ever saw. It +is a great comfort to me that you are here, +miss, for you can decide what is to be done +about her. She hasn't paid her board for a +fortnight, but she keeps pleading that as +soon as she is well, and can go out, she will +get remittances which have been delayed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, she is ill, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"So she says. But I'm not sure, miss, +it isn't just an excuse to work upon my +compassion, for why should she have to go +out for remittances? She stops in her room, +lying upon a sofa, and makes a deal of bother +with her meals being carried up so many +pairs of stairs, though it's hardly worth +while her having them at all, she eats so +little. Yet she doesn't look a bit different +from what she did when she was supposed +to be well and going about as much like +anybody else as one of her sort could <em class="italics">ever</em> do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What do you mean?" asked Joan, +whose curiosity was fired.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only that she is, and was, more a ghost +than a human being, with her great, hollow, +black eyes, like burning coals, set deep under +her thick eyebrows and overhanging +forehead; with her thin cheeks--why, miss, +they almost meet in the middle--her yellow-white +skin, her tall, gliding figure and stealthy +way of walking, so that you never hear a +sound till she's at your back."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Queer kind of boarder," commented Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"That she is, miss; and when she applied +for a room, I would have said we were full +up, but in those days we had several of our +best rooms empty, and, strange as she was, +her clothes were so good, and the luggage +on the four-wheeler waiting outside was so +promising, as you might say, that it did +seem a pity to send away two guineas a +week because Providence had given it a +scarecrow face. So I showed her the best +back room on the top floor----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Next to mine," cut in Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you will have it so, miss; and there +she's been for the last six weeks, not having +paid a penny since the end of the first month."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What is the ghost's name and age?" +the girl went on with her catechism.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Her name, if one was to take her word, +which I'm far from being certain of, is +Mrs. Gone; and as for her age, miss, she might +be almost anywhere between fifty and a +hundred."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What a clever old lady!" laughed the +girl. "Well, we can't turn the poor wretch +away while she's ill, if she is ill, can we? I +know too well what it is to be alone in the +world and down on your luck, to be hard +on anybody else, especially a woman. We +must give Mrs. Gone the benefit of the doubt +for a little while. But your description +has quite interested me; I should like to see +this ghost who doesn't walk."</p> +<p class="pnext">"The house is the same as yours, miss," +said Miss Witt. "You have the right to +go into her room at any time, more +particularly as she hasn't paid for it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Perhaps I'll carry up her dinner this +evening, by way of an excuse," returned +Joan--"if you think she could bear the +shock of seeing a strange face."</p> +<p class="pnext">Upon this, Miss Witt, who adored the +girl, protested that, in her opinion, the sight +of such a face could only be a pleasure to +any person and in any circumstances. Joan +laughed at the compliment, but she did not +forget her intention. Mrs. Gone's meals were +usually taken up a few minutes before the +gong summoned the guests to the dining-room, +because it was easier to spare a servant +then than later, and it was just after the +dressing-bell had rung that the girl knocked +at the "ghost's" door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was surprised to find her heart +quickening its beats as she waited for a +bidding to "Come in!" One would think +that a sight of this old woman who would +not pay her board was an exciting event! +She smiled at herself, but the smile faded +as she threw open the door in answer to a +faint murmur on the other side. Miss Witt's +sketch of Mrs. Gone had not been an exaggeration.</p> +<p class="pnext">There she lay on a sofa by the window, +her face gleaming white in the twilight; +and it was a wonderful face. A shiver went +creeping up and down Joan's spine, as a flame +leaped out from the shadowy hollows of +two sunken eyes to hers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This woman has been some one in particular--some +one extraordinary," the girl thought +quickly; and as politely as if she had +addressed a duchess, she explained her intrusion. +"The servants were busy, and I offered +to carry up your dinner," Joan said. "I +arrived only to-day; and as Miss Witt +looks upon me as a sort of proprietor, she +told me how ill you have been. I hope +you are better."</p> +<p class="pnext">The old woman with the strange face +looked steadily at the beautiful girl in the +pretty, simple, evening frock which was to +grace the boarding-house dinner. "Did Miss +Witt tell you nothing else?" she asked, in a +voice which would have made the fortune +of a tragic actress in the death scene of some +aged queen.</p> +<p class="pnext">"She told me that she was afraid you +were in trouble," promptly answered Joan, +who had her own way of dressing the truth. +By this time the girl had entered the room, +set the tray on a table near the sofa, and +taking a rose from her bodice, laid it on +the pile of plates. This she did on the +impulse of the moment, not with a preconceived +idea of effect, and she was rewarded +by a slight softening of the tense muscles +round the once handsome mouth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope you like roses?" she asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," Mrs. Gone answered brusquely. +"Why do you give it to me?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because I'm sorry you are ill, and +perhaps lonely," said Joan, able for once to +account for an action without a single mental +reserve. "I have had a good deal of worry +in my life, and can sympathise with others, +as I told Miss Witt when she spoke of you. +One reason why I came was to say that you +needn't distress yourself about your indebtedness +to this house. Try to get well, and +pay at your convenience. You shall not be pressed."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had not meant to say all this when +she arranged to have a sight of Mrs. Gone. +She had merely wished to satisfy her +curiosity; but now she felt impelled to utter +these words of encouragement--why, she +did not know, for she had not conceived +any sudden fancy for the sinister old woman. +On the contrary, the white face, with its +burning eyes and secretive mouth, inspired +her with something like fear. A woman +with such a face could not have many sweet, +redeeming graces of character or heart. +There was, to supersensitive nerves, an +atmosphere of evil as well as mystery about her; +but though Joan felt this, it gave a keener +edge to her interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you," said Mrs. Gone. "You are +kind, as well as pretty. I do not like young +people usually, but I might learn to like +you. I hope you will come again."</p> +<p class="pnext">The words were a dismissal and a compliment. +Joan accepted them as both. She +promised to repeat her visit, and after lighting +the shaded lamp on the table, left Mrs. Gone +to eat her dinner.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl would have given much to lift +the veil of mystery wrapped about this +woman's past and personality. She even +boasted to herself that she would find +some way, sooner or later, at least to peep +under its edge; but day after day passed, +and though she went often to Mrs. Gone's +room, and was always thanked for her kind +attentions, she seemed no nearer to attaining +her object than at first. Beyond occupying +a room which she did not pay for, Mrs. Gone +was not an expensive guest. She ate almost +nothing; and when Joan had been in Woburn +Place for a week, the white face with its +burning eyes had become so drawn with +suffering that in real compassion the girl +offered to call a doctor at her own expense. +But Mrs. Gone would not consent. "I hate +doctors," she said. "No one could tell me +more about myself than I know."</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl's own affairs were absorbing +enough, for she saw no new opening yet +for her ambition; still, she found time to +think a great deal about Mrs. Gone. "Am +I a soft-hearted idiot, allowing myself to be +imposed upon by a professional 'sponge'?" +she wondered; "or is there something in +my odd feeling that I shall be rewarded +for all I do for this extraordinary woman?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Such questions were passing through her +mind one night when she had gone to bed +late, after being out at the theatre. She had +been in Woburn Place eight days, and was +growing impatient, for none of the boarders +were of the kind to be used as "stepping-stones," +and none of the Society and financial +papers, which she studied, afforded any +hopeful suggestion for another phase of her +career. To be sure, the young man with +whom she had consented to go to the theatre +was employed as a reporter for a great +London daily, and she had been "nice" +to him, with the vague idea that she might +somehow be able to profit by his infatuation; +but at present she did not see her way, and +it appeared that she was wasting sweetness +on the desert air.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I suppose," Joan said to herself, turning +over her hot pillow, "that if I were an +ordinary girl, I might be contented to go on as I +am. I can live here for nothing, and get +enough interest on the money I've put into +this concern to buy clothes and pay my +way about, with strict economy. All the +men in the house are in love with me; and +if they were more interesting, that might +be amusing. But I'm not born to be +contented with small people or things. I don't +want clothes. I want creations. I don't +want the admiration of young men from +the City. I want to be appreciated by +princes. I believe I must have been a +princess in another state of existence, for I +always feel that the best of everything is +hardly good enough for me."</p> +<p class="pnext">As she thought this, half laughing, there +came a sound from the next room--that +room which might have been the grave of the +strange woman who occupied it, so dead +was the silence which reigned there day and +night. Never before had Joan heard the +least noise on the other side of the dividing +wall, but now she was startled by a crash as +of breaking glass, followed by the dull, soft +thud which could only have been made by +the fall of a human body. Joan sat up, +her heart thumping, and it gave a frightened +bound as a groan came brokenly to her ears.</p> +<p class="pnext">She waited no longer, but slipped her bare +feet into a pair of satin <em class="italics">mules</em>, flung on her +dressing-gown, and in another moment was +out of her room and in the dark passage, +fumbling for the handle of the other door.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mrs. Gone kept her door unlocked in the +daytime, perhaps to save herself the trouble +of rising to admit servants, or her only +visitor, Joan Carthew; but the girl feared +that it might not be so at night, and that +before she could penetrate the mystery of +the fall and the groan, the whole house +would have to be disturbed. She was +relieved, therefore, to find that the door yielded +to her touch. Pushing it open, she listened +for an instant, but only the dead silence +throbbed in her ears.</p> +<p class="pnext">As she got into her dressing-gown, with +characteristic presence of mind Joan had +caught up a box of matches and put it into +her pocket. The room was as dark as the +passage outside, and the girl struck a match +before crossing the threshold. The little +flame leaped and brightened. Something on +the floor glimmered white in the darkness, +and Joan did not need to bend down to +know what it was.</p> +<p class="pnext">The gas was close to the door, and she +lighted it with the dying match, which burnt +her fingers. Then she saw clearly what had +happened. In tottering uncertainly across +the floor, Mrs. Gone had knocked over a +small table holding a china candlestick, a +water-bottle, and a goblet. She had fallen, +and after uttering that one groan which had +crept to Joan's ears, she had lost consciousness.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl's quick eyes sought for an +explanation of the catastrophe. The long, white +figure lay at some distance from the bed, and +near the mantel. On the mantel stood a +curiously shaped, dark green bottle, which +Joan had once been requested to give to +Mrs. Gone. She had seen a few drops of some +colourless liquid poured into a wineglass of +water; and when it had been swallowed, the +ghastly pallor of the face had changed to a +more natural tint. Mrs. Gone had then +said that she took the medicine when very +ill. If she used it oftener, its effect would +disappear, and she would have nothing left +to turn to at the worst.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It was that bottle she was trying to +find in the dark," Joan guessed. "She +must have been too ill to try and light the +gas. Now, how much was it that I saw her +pour out? It might have been ten drops--no more."</p> +<p class="pnext">So thinking, the girl filled a glass on the +wash-handstand a third full of water, +measured ten drops of the medicine with a steady +hand, and raising Mrs. Gone's head, put the +tumbler to her lips. The strong teeth seemed +clenched, but some of the liquid must have +passed their barrier, for the dark eyes opened +wide and looked up into Joan's face.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Too late----" the woman panted, with +a gurgling in the throat which choked her +words. "Dying--now. Wish that--you--you +have been kind--only one in the world. +My secret--you might have--Lord Northmuir +would have given----"</p> +<p class="pnext">The voice trailed away into silence. The +gurgle died into a rattle; the woman's +breast heaved and was still. Her eyes had +not closed, but though they stared into +Joan's, the spark of life behind their windows +had gone out. Mrs. Gone was dead, and +had taken her secret with her into the unknown.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had never seen death before, but +there was no mistaking it. Her first impulse +was to run downstairs, call Miss Witt and a +young doctor who had his office and +bedroom on the dining-room floor. Nevertheless, +when she had laid the heavy head gently +down and sprung to her feet, she remained +standing.</p> +<p class="pnext">For some minutes she stood motionless, +almost rigid, her lips pressed together, her +eyes hard and bright. Then she struck +one hand lightly upon the other, exclaiming +half aloud: "I'll do it!"</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed certain by this time that no one +had heard the crash of glass and the fall +which had alarmed her, for the house was +still. Nevertheless, Joan tiptoed to the door +and bolted it. When she had done this, +she opened all the drawers of the dressing-table +and searched them carefully for papers. +Discovering none, she left everything exactly +as she had found it. Next she examined +the pockets of the three or four dresses +hanging in the wardrobe, but they were limp +and empty. There were still left the leather +portmanteau and handbag which had +appealed to Miss Witt's respectful admiration. +Both were locked, but Joan's instinct led +her to look under the pillows on the bed, and +there lay a key-ring. She was able to open +portmanteau and bag, but not a paper of any +kind was to be seen, and the girl recalled a +remark of Miss Witt's, that never since +Mrs. Gone had become a boarder in Woburn +Place had she been known to receive or send +a letter.</p> +<p class="pnext">Having assured herself that no information +was to be gained among the dead woman's +possessions, Joan unlocked the door and +went softly downstairs to rouse Miss Witt. +She justified what she had done by reason +of Mrs. Gone's last words, for she believed +that the dead woman would have made her a +present of the secret if she could.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-viii-lord-northmuir-s-young-relative"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id9">CHAPTER VIII--Lord Northmuir's Young Relative</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Awakened and informed of what had +happened, the housekeeper called the +doctor, who looked at the body and certified +that death had resulted from failure of the +heart, which must have been long diseased. +Joan paid for a good oak coffin and a +decent funeral. She bought a grave at Kensal +Green and ordered a neat stone to be erected. +If she had previously earned Mrs. Gone's +gratitude, she felt that she had now merited +any reward which might accrue in future, +and the curious, erasible tablet that did +duty as her conscience was wiped clear.</p> +<p class="pnext">The morning after Mrs. Gone's funeral, +the girl put on her favourite frock of grey +cloth, with a hat to match, which had been +bought at one of the most fashionable shops +in Monte Carlo. This costume, with grey +gloves, grey shoes, and a grey chiffon parasol, +ivory-handled, gave Joan an air of quiet +smartness, a combination particularly +appropriate for the adventure which she had +planned. She hired a decorous brougham +and said to the coachman: "Drive to +Northmuir House, Belgrave Square."</p> +<p class="pnext">It was but ten o'clock, and, as Joan had +gleaned some information concerning the +habits of the occupant, she was confident +that he would be at home. Mrs. Gone had +not been dead two hours when the girl +began searching through her own scrapbook, +compiled of cuttings taken from Society +papers. Whenever she came across the +description of any important member of the +aristocracy--his or her home life, manners, +fancies, and ways--she cut it out and pasted +it into this book, in case it should become +valuable for reference. The moment that +the dying woman uttered the name of +Northmuir, Joan's memory jumped to a paragraph +(one of the first that had gone into the +scrapbook), and as soon as she could shut +herself up in the little back room, she had +consulted her authority.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Earl of Northmuir was, according to +the paper from which the cutting had been +clipped, still the handsomest man in England, +though now long past middle age. Once he had +been among the most popular also, but for +some years he had lived more or less in +retirement, owing to illness and family +bereavements, seldom leaving his fine old town +house in Belgrave Square.</p> +<p class="pnext">"He'll be in London, and he won't be the +sort of man to go out before noon," Joan +said to herself.</p> +<p class="pnext">Her heart was beating more quickly than +usual, but her face was calm and untroubled, +as she stood on the great porch at Northmuir +House, asking a footman in sober livery if +Lord Northmuir were at home.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl in the grey dress and grey hat, +with large, soft ostrich feathers, might have +been a young princess. Whatever she was, +she merited civility, and the servant, who +could not wholly conceal surprise, politely +invited her to enter, while he inquired if +his Lordship could receive a visitor. "What +name shall I say?" he asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Give him this, please," said Joan, +handing the footman an envelope, addressed to +"The Earl of Northmuir." Inside this +envelope was a sheet of paper, blank, +save for the words, "A messenger from +Mrs. Gone, who is dead"; and the death +notice was enclosed.</p> +<p class="pnext">With this envelope the man went away, +leaving her to wait in a large and splendid +drawing-room, where stiffness of arrangement +betrayed the absence of a woman's taste.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan looked about appreciatively, yet +critically. Then, when she had gained an +impressionist picture of the room, she glanced +at the jewelled watch on her wrist, a present +from Lady John Bevan after the sale of the +<em class="italics">Titania</em>.</p> +<p class="pnext">What if Lord Northmuir had never known +the dead woman under the name of Gone? +What if--there were many things which +might go wrong, and Joan had put her +whole stake on a single chance. If she had +been mistaken--but as her mind played +among surmises, the footman returned.</p> +<p class="pnext">"His Lordship will see you in his study, +if you will kindly come this way," the servant +announced.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan rose with quiet dignity and followed +the man along a pillared hall to a closed +door. "The lady, my lord," murmured the +footman, in opening it. Joan was left alone +with a singularly handsome old man, who +sat in a huge cushioned chair by the +fireplace. It was summer still, but a fire of +ship-logs sparkled with changing rainbow +lights on the stone hearth. In a thin hand, +Lord Northmuir held an exquisitely bound +book. He must have been more than sixty, +but his features were of the cameo--fine, +classic cut, of which the beauty, like that +of old marble, never dies, and it was easy +to see why he had once borne a reputation +as the handsomest man in England. It was +easy to see also, by his eyes as they catalogued +each item of Joan's beauty, that he had +been a gallant man, not blind to the charms +of women. Nevertheless, his voice was cold +as he spoke to the unexpected visitor.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I haven't the pleasure of knowing your +name, or why you have honoured me by +calling," he said. "Forgive my not rising. +I am rather an invalid. Pray sit down. +There is something I can do for you?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Several things, Lord Northmuir," returned +the girl, taking the chair his gesture had indicated.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You will tell me what they are?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am anxious to tell you. In the first +place, I wish to be a relation of yours, and +not a poor relation. I wish to have a thousand +pounds a year, either permanently or until +my marriage, should I become the wife of a +rich man through your introduction."</p> +<p class="pnext">Lord Northmuir stared at the girl, and if +there were not genuine astonishment in his +eyes, he was a clever actor. "You are a +handsome young woman," he said slowly, when she +had finished, "but I begin to be afraid that +your mind is unfortunately--er--affected."</p> +<p class="pnext">"There is a weight upon it," Joan replied.--"the +weight of your secret. It's so heavy +that unless you are very kind, I shall be +tempted to throw the burden off by laying +it upon others."</p> +<p class="pnext">Now the blood hummed in her ears. If +she had built a house of cards, this was the +moment when it would topple, and bury +her ambition in its ignominious downfall. +But Lord Northmuir's slow speech had +quickened her hope, for she said to herself that +it was not spontaneous; and gazing keenly +into his face, she saw the blood stain his +forehead. She had staked on the right chance, +yet the risk was not past. Her game was +the game of bluff, but its success depended +upon the man with whom she had to deal.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I do not understand what you are talking +about," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I dare say I haven't made my meaning +clear," answered Joan, half rising. "Perhaps +I'd better explain to my solicitor, and +get him to write a letter----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are nothing more nor less than a +common blackmailer," Lord Northmuir +exclaimed, bringing down his white hand on +the arm of his chair.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I may be nothing less, but I am a good +deal more than a common one," retorted +Joan, surer of her ground. "I will prove +that, if you force me to do it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who are you?" he broke out abruptly.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am a Woman Who Knows," she replied. +"There was another Woman Who +Knew. She called herself Gone. She is dead, +and I have come. I have come to stay."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't you understand that I can hand +you over to the police?" demanded Lord +Northmuir, with difficulty controlling his +voice so that it could not be heard by possible +listeners outside the door.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes; and I understand that I can hand +your secret over to the police. They would +know how to use it."</p> +<p class="pnext">He flushed again, and Joan saw that her +daring shot had told. For the instant he had +no answer ready, and she seized the +opportunity to speak once more. "You can do +better for yourself than hand me over to the +police. There need be no trouble, if you +will realise that I am not a common person, +and not to be treated as such."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Again I ask: Who are you?" he cried.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan risked another shot in the dark. +"Can't you make a guess?" she asked, +with a malicious suggestion of hidden +meaning in her tone.</p> +<p class="pnext">An expression of horror and surprise passed +over Lord Northmuir's handsome face, +devastating it as a marching tornado devastates +a landscape. It was evident that he had +"made a guess," and been thunderstruck by +its answer. Joan's curiosity was so strongly +roused that it touched physical pain. Almost, +she would have been ready to give one of +her pretty fingers to know the secret.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Do you still wish to ask questions?" +she inquired.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Heaven help me, no! What is it that +you want?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have told you already. If I insisted +on all I have a right to claim, you would +not be where you are."</p> +<p class="pnext">She watched him. He grew deathly and +bowed his white head. Joan felt sorry for +the man now that he was at her mercy; but +her imagination played with the secret, as a +child plays with a prism in the sunshine. +Its flashing colours allured her. "Oh! if I +only <em class="italics">knew</em> something," she thought, +"something which would hold in law, and could +go through the courts, where might I not +stand? I might reach one of the highest +places a woman can fill. But it's no use; +I must take what I can get, and be thankful; +and, anyway, I can't help pitying him +a little, though I'm sure he doesn't deserve it. +He's old and tired, and I won't make him +suffer more than is necessary for the game."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan again named her terms, this time +with much ornamental detail. She was to +be a newly discovered orphan cousin. Her +name was to be, as it had been in +Cornwall, Mercy Milton. She was to be +invited to visit, for an indefinite length +of time, at Northmuir House. Her noble +relative was to exert himself to the extent +of giving entertainments to introduce her +to his most influential and highly placed +friends. He was also to make her an +allowance of a thousand pounds a year.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't think, if you gamble away +as--as the other did, that I will go beyond this +bargain, for I will not!" cried Lord Northmuir, +with a testy desire to assert himself +and show that he was not wholly to be cowed.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't gamble, except with Fate," said Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">This exclamation of his explained one +or two things which had been dark. She +guessed now why Mrs. Gone, evidently used +to luxuries, had been reduced to living on +the charity of a boarding-house keeper, and +why it had been necessary to wait until she +should be well enough to go out before she +could obtain "remittances."</p> +<p class="pnext">Having concluded her arrangement with +Lord Northmuir, and settled to become his +relative and guest, Joan went back in her +brougham to Woburn Place. She told Miss +Witt that she had been called away, packed +her things, left such as she would not want +in Belgrave Square in boxes at the boarding-house, +delighted the housekeeper with many +gifts, and the following morning drove off with +a pile of luggage on a cab. Turning the corner +of Woburn Place into the next street, she +also turned a corner in her career, and for +the third time ceased to be Joan Carthew.</p> +<p class="pnext">She had chosen to take up her lately laid +down part of Mercy Milton for two reasons. +One was, that in this character as she had +played it in Cornwall, with meekly parted +hair, soft, downcast eyes, simple manners +and simple frocks, she was not likely to be +recognised by any one who had known the +dashing and magnificent Miss Jenny Mordaunt; +while if she should come across Cornish +acquaintances, there was nothing in her +new position which need invalidate the story +of Lady Pendered's gentle sister.</p> +<p class="pnext">If Lord Northmuir had looked forward +with dread to the intrusion of the adventuress +whom he was forced to receive, he soon +found that, beyond the galling knowledge +of his bondage, he had nothing disagreeable +to fear. The young cousin did not +attempt to interfere with his habits after +he had provided her with acquaintances, +who increased after the manner of a +"snowball" stamp competition. The two +usually lunched and dined together, and--at +first--that was all. But Miss Mercy +Milton made herself charming at table, never +referred by word or look to the loathed +secret, and was so tactful that, to his +extreme surprise, almost horror, the man found +himself looking forward to the hours of +meeting. Joan was not slow to see this; +indeed, she had been working up to it. When +the right time came, she volunteered to help +Lord Northmuir with his letters (he had +no secretary) and to read aloud. At the +end of six months she had become indispensable, +and he would have wondered how +existence had been possible without his +treasure had he dwelt upon the dangerous +subject at all. If, however, the blackmailer's +instalment in the household had turned +out an agreeable disappointment to the +blackmailed, it was a disappointment of +another kind to the author of the plot. Joan +Carthew did not find life in Belgrave Square +half as amusing as she had pictured it, and +though she was surrounded by luxury which +might be hers as long as Lord Northmuir +lived, each day she grew more restless and +discontented.</p> +<p class="pnext">She had found society on the Riviera +delightful, but the butterfly crowd which +fluttered between Nice and Monte Carlo had +little resemblance to that with which she +came in contact as Lord Northmuir's cousin. +Jenny Mordaunt could do much as she +pleased--at worst she was put down as a +"mad American, my dear"; but Mercy +Milton had the family dignity to live up to. +Lord Northmuir's adopted relative could +not afford to be "cut" by the primmest +dowager; and being an ideal, conventional +English girl in the best society did not suit +Joan's roaming fancies.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was supposed that she would be Lord +Northmuir's heiress; consequently mothers +of eligible young men were charming to her, +which would have been convenient if Joan +had happened to want one of their sons. +But not one of the men who sent her flowers +and begged for "extras" at dances would +she have married if he had been the last +existing specimen of his sex. This was +annoying, for in planning her campaign, Joan +had resolved to marry well and settle +satisfactorily for life. Now, however, she found +that it was simpler to decide upon a mercenary +marriage in the abstract than when it became +a personal question.</p> +<p class="pnext">At the close of a year with Lord Northmuir +she had saved seven hundred pounds, +and at last, after a sleepless night, she made +up her mind to take a step which was, in a +way, a confession of failure.</p> +<p class="pnext">She went to Lord Northmuir's study as +usual in the morning, but this time it was +not to act as reader or amanuensis.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's a year to-day since I came," she +said abruptly, with a purposeful look on +her face which the man felt was ominous.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," he answered. "A strange year, +but not an unhappy one. What I regarded +as a curse has turned out a blessing. I +should miss the albatross now if it were to +be taken off my neck."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'm sorry for that," said Joan, "for +the albatross has revived and intends to fly +away."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What! You will marry?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. I'm tired of being conventional. +I've decided to relieve you of my presence +here; and you can forget me, except when, +each quarter, you sign a cheque for two +hundred and fifty pounds."</p> +<p class="pnext">Lord Northmuir's handsome face grew +almost as white as when she had first +announced her claim upon him. "I don't +want to forget you. I can't forget you!" +he stammered. "If I could, I would publish +the whole truth; but that is impossible, for +the honour of the name. You have made +me fond of you--made me depend upon +you. Why did you do that, if you meant +to leave me alone?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I didn't mean it at first," replied Joan +frankly. "I thought I should be 'in clover' +here, and so I have been; but too much +clover upsets the digestion. I must go, Lord +Northmuir. I can't stand it any longer. I'm +pining for adventures."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you fallen in love?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No. I wish I had. I've been trying in vain."</p> +<p class="pnext">"A year ago I would not have believed +it possible that I should make you such an +offer, but you have wrought a miracle. You +came to blackmail, you remained to bless. +Stay with me, my girl, till I die, and not +only shall you be remembered in my will, but +I will increase your allowance from one +thousand to two thousand a year. I can +afford to do this, since you have become +the one luxury I can't live without."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I was just beginning to say that, if you +would let me go without a fuss, I would +take five hundred instead of a thousand a +year."</p> +<p class="pnext">"But now I have shown you my heart, +you see that offer does not appeal to me."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan broke out laughing; this upsetting +of the whole situation was so humorous. A +sudden reckless impulse seized her. She +could not resist it.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Lord Northmuir, you will change your +mind when I have told you something," she +said. "I have played a trick on you. I +have no connection with your family, and +know no more about your secret than I +know what will be in to-morrow's papers. +Mrs. Gone, in dying, mentioned a secret +and your name. I put two and two together, +and they matched so well that I've lived on +you for a year, bought lots of dresses, made +crowds of friends, had heaps of proposals, +and kept seven hundred pounds in hand. +Now I think you will be willing to let me +go; and you can lie easy and live happy +for ever after."</p> +<p class="pnext">Having launched the thunderbolt, she +would have left the room, but Lord Northmuir, +old and invalided as he was, sprang +from his chair like an ardent youth and +caught her arm.</p> +<p class="pnext">"By Jove! you shan't leave me like +that!" he cried. "You have made your +first mistake, my dear. Instead of being +in your power, you have put yourself in +mine. I need fear you no longer. But as a +trickster I love you no less than I did as a +blackmailer. Indeed, I love you the more +for your diabolical cleverness, you beautiful +wretch! Stay with me, not as the little +adopted cousin, living on charity, but as +my wife, and mistress of this house. Or, +if you will not, I shall denounce you to the +police."</p> +<p class="pnext">For once, Joan was dumfounded. The +tables had been turned upon her with a +vengeance. She gasped, and could not answer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You see, it is my turn to dictate terms +now," said Lord Northmuir.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's breath had come back. "You are +right," she returned, in a meek voice. "I +have given you the reins. But--well, it +would be something to be Countess of +Northmuir."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't hope to be a widowed Countess," +chuckled the old man. "I am only sixty-nine, +and for the last ten years I have taken +good care of myself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I count on nothing after this," said Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"You consent, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"How can I do otherwise?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Lord Northmuir laughed out in his triumph +over her. "The notice of the engagement +will go to the <em class="italics">Morning Post</em> immediately," +he said. "To-morrow, some of our friends +will be surprised."</p> +<p class="pnext">But it was he who was surprised; for, +when to-morrow came, Joan had run away.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-ix-a-journalistic-mission"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id10">CHAPTER IX--A Journalistic Mission</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">It is like stating that the world is round +to say that London is the best of +hiding-places. It is the best, because there +are many Londons, and one London knows +practically nothing about any of the other +Londons. When, therefore, Mercy Milton +disappeared from Northmuir House, +Belgrave Square, Joan Carthew promptly +appeared at her old camping-ground, the +boarding-house in Woburn Place.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was no longer penniless, and as far +as Lord Northmuir was concerned, she was +easy in her mind. A man of his stamp was +unlikely to risk the much-prized "honour +of his name" to seek her with detectives; +while, unassisted, he would have to shrug his +weary old shoulders and resign himself to +loss and loneliness.</p> +<p class="pnext">But ambition kindled restlessness. She +grudged wasting a moment when her fortune +had to be made, her permanent place in +life fixed. Besides, she was dissatisfied with +her adventure in the house of Lord Northmuir. +She had not come off badly, yet it +galled her to remember that in self-defence +she had been driven to confess her scheme +to its victim, and that--this expedient not +proving efficacious--she had eventually been +forced to run away like the coward she was +not. On the whole, she had to admit that +if Lord Northmuir had not in the end got +the better of her, he had come near to doing +so. The sharp taste of failure was in her +mouth, and the only way to be rid of it was +to get the better of somebody else--somebody +disagreeable, so that the sweets of +success might be unmixed with bitterness.</p> +<p class="pnext">Existence as Lord Northmuir's adopted +relative had been deadly dull; existence as +his wife would have been worse; and the +remembrance of boredom was too vivid +still for Joan to regret what she had sacrificed. +Nevertheless, she realised that it had been a +sacrifice which she would not a little while +ago have believed herself fool enough, or +wise enough, to be capable of making. She +wanted her reward, and that reward must +mean new excitements, difficulties, and dangers.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I should like to do something big on a +great London paper," she said to herself on +the first night of her return to Woburn +Place. "What fun to undertake a thrilling +journalistic mission, and succeed better than +any man! I wonder whether Mr. Mainbridge, +who was a reporter on <em class="italics">The Planet</em>, +is here still. He wasn't at dinner, but then +he used often to be away. I must ask in the +morning."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan went to sleep with this resolve in +her mind, and before breakfast she had +carried it out. Mr. Mainbridge was still one +of Miss Witt's boarders, and had often +inquired after Miss Carthew. He had come +in late last night, was now asleep, but would +be down to luncheon, and there was no +doubt that he would be delighted to see the +object of his solicitude.</p> +<p class="pnext">All turned out as Miss Witt prophesied, +and Joan was even nicer to the reporter +than she had been before. He invited her +to dine that evening at an Italian restaurant, +and she consented. When they had come +to the sweets, Mr. Mainbridge could control +his pent-up feelings no longer, and was +about to propose when Joan stopped him.</p> +<p class="pnext">"We are too poor to indulge in the luxury +of being in love," said she, with a sweet +frankness which took the sting from the +rebuff and dimly implied hope for the future. +"I shall not marry until I am earning as +much money as--as the man I love. I +could not be happy unless I were independent. +Oh, Mr. Mainbridge! if you do care +to please me, prove it by introducing me to +the editor of your paper! I want to ask +him for work."</p> +<p class="pnext">The stricken young man felt his throat +suddenly dry. In his first acquaintance +with Joan he had boasted of his "influence" +with the powers that were upon that new +and phenomenally successful daily, <em class="italics">The Planet</em>. +As a matter of fact, the influence existed +in Mainbridge's dreams, and there only. +Sir Edmund Foster, the proprietor and +editor, hardly knew him by sight, and +probably would not recognise him out of Fleet +Street. To ask such a favour as an +introduction for a strange young girl, however +attractive, was almost as much as the poor +fellow's place was worth, but he could not +bear to refuse Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tell Sir Edmund that I have information, +important to the paper, for his private ear," +added the girl, reading her admirer's mind +as if it had been a book.</p> +<p class="pnext">"But--but if--er--you haven't really +anything which he----" stammered Mainbridge.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I have! I guarantee he shall be +satisfied with me and not angry with you. +Only I must see him alone. Tell him I come +from"--Joan hesitated for an instant, but +only for an instant--"from the Earl of +Northmuir."</p> +<p class="pnext">Mainbridge was impressed by the name +and her air of self-confidence. Encouraged, +he promised to use every effort to bring +about the introduction, if possible the very +next day. If he succeeded, he would +telegraph Joan the time of the appointment, +which would certainly not be earlier than +three in the afternoon, as Sir Edmund never +appeared at the office until that hour.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then I won't stop for the telegram and +give him a chance to change his mind before +I can drive from Woburn Place to Fleet +Street," said Joan. "I will be at the office +at three in the afternoon, and wait until +something is settled, if I have to wait till +three in the morning."</p> +<p class="pnext">The next day, after luncheon, Joan chose +her costume with extreme care, as she +invariably did when it was necessary to arm +herself for conquest. Radiant in pale blue +cloth edged with sable, she presented herself +at the offices of <em class="italics">The Planet</em>. There was a +waiting-room at the end of a long corridor, +and there she was bidden to sit; but +instead of remaining behind a closed door, +as soon as her guide was out of sight she +began walking up and down near the +stairway where Sir Edmund Foster must sooner or +later pass. She had never seen the famous +man, but she remembered his photograph +in one of the illustrated papers.</p> +<p class="pnext">Presently a tall, smooth-shaven, sallow +man, with eagle features and bags under his +keen eyes, came rapidly along the corridor, +accompanied by a much younger, less +impressive man, who might have been a secretary. +Joan advanced, pretending to be absorbed +in thought, then stood aside with a start of +shy surprise and a look nicely calculated +to express reverence of greatness. Sir +Edmund Foster glanced at the apparition +and let his eyes linger for a few seconds as +his companion rang the bell of the lift, close +to the wide stone stairway.</p> +<p class="pnext">"When he hears that there is a young +woman waiting to see him, he will remember +me, and the recollection may influence his +decision," thought Joan, who did not +under-value her beauty as an asset.</p> +<p class="pnext">Perhaps it fell out as she hoped (things +often did), for she had not read more than +three or four back numbers of <em class="italics">The Planet</em>, +which lay on the waiting-room table, when +Ralph Mainbridge, flushed and almost +tremulous with excitement, came to say that Sir +Edmund had consented to see her at once.</p> +<p class="pnext">Without seeming as much overpowered as +he expected, the girl prepared to enter the +presence of greatness. But she was not in +reality as calm as she appeared. The +thunderous whirr of the printing-machines had +almost bereft her of the capacity for thought, +just at the moment when she wished to think +clearly. Her nerves were twanging like the +strings of a violin which is out of tune, and +it was an intense relief to be shot up in the +alarmingly rapid lift to a quieter region. +The rumbling roar was deadened on Sir +Edmund's floor, and as the door of his private +office closed on her, it was shut out altogether.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Miss Carthew, from Lord Northmuir," +the famous editor-proprietor said. "I believe +you have some interesting information for +me." He smiled with a certain dry benignity, +for Joan was very pretty, and he was, +after all, a man. "I think I saw you downstairs."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I saw you, Sir Edmund." Joan's manner +was dignified now, rather than shy. "I +trust you will not be angry, but within +the last two hours everything has changed +for me. Lord Northmuir, whom I know +well through my cousin, Miss Mercy Milton, +his ward (you may have heard of her; we +are said to resemble each other), has now +changed his mind about allowing the piece +of information I meant for you to be +published. He has forbidden his name to be +used, but it was too late to stop that. I can +only beg, for my cousin Miss Milton's sake +more than my own, that you will not let the +fact come to his ears; if it should, she will +suffer."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You need not fear that," Sir Edmund +reassured her; "but if you have no +information to give me, Miss--er----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"I had to come and explain why I hadn't," +Joan cut in. "I hope you won't blame poor +Mr. Mainbridge for putting you to this +trouble. It isn't his fault, and he doesn't +even know."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Who is Mr. Mainbridge? Oh, ah! yes, +of course. Pray don't regard it as a trouble. +Quite the contrary. But unfortunately, I----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You would say you are a very busy man," +Joan threw into the editor's suggestive +pause. "I won't take up much more of your +time. But I want to say that, although I +have nothing of value, as I hoped, to tell, I +shall have later, if you will consent to engage +me on your staff."</p> +<p class="pnext">Sir Edmund laughed. He evidently +considered Joan a spoiled darling of Society +with a new whim. "My dear young lady!" +he exclaimed, "in what capacity, pray? +We do not devote space to fashions, even in +a Saturday edition. Would you come to us +as a reporter, like your friend Mr. Mainbridge?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"As a special reporter," amended Joan. +"I would undertake any mission of importance----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"There are none going begging on <em class="italics">The +Planet</em>. But" (this soothingly by way of +sugaring a dismissal) "you have only to +get hold of something good and bring it to +me. For instance, some nice, spicy little item +as to the truth of the rumoured alliance +between Russia and Japan. We would pay you +quite well for that, you know, provided you +gave it to us in time to publish ahead of any +other paper."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How much would you pay me?" asked +Joan, nettled at this chaffing tone of the +famous man.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Enough to buy a new frock and perhaps +a few hairpins; say a hundred pounds."</p> +<p class="pnext">"That isn't enough," said Joan; "I +should want a thousand."</p> +<p class="pnext">Sir Edmund turned a sudden, keen gaze +upon the girl; then his face relaxed. "We +might rise to that. At all events, I'm safe +in promising it."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It <em class="italics">is</em> a promise, then?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, certainly."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Thank you. Let me see if I understand +clearly. I'm not quite the baby you think, +Sir Edmund. I read the papers--yours +especially--and take, I trust, an intelligent +interest in the political situation. Now, the +latest rumour is that Russia is secretly +planning an understanding with Japan and +China. What you would like to know is +whether there is truth in the rumour, and +what, in that event, England would do."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Exactly. That is what all the papers +are dying to find out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"If you could get the official news before +any of them, you would give the person who +obtained it for you a thousand pounds. +If, in addition, they, or one of them--let us +say <em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em>--got the <em class="italics">wrong</em> news +on the same day, you would no doubt add +five hundred to the original thousand; for +revenge is sweet, even to an editor, I suppose, +and <em class="italics">The Beacon</em> has, I have heard, contrived +to be first in the field on one or two important +occasions within the last few years."</p> +<p class="pnext">This allusion was a pin-prick in a sensitive +place, for Joan was aware that <em class="italics">The Daily +Beacon</em> and <em class="italics">The Planet</em> were deadly rivals +as well as political opponents. Mainbridge +had told her the tale of <em class="italics">The Planet's</em> +humiliation by the enemy, and she had not forgotten. +<em class="italics">The Beacon</em> had been able, at the very time +when <em class="italics">The Planet</em> was arguing against their +probability, to assert that certain political +events would take place, and in time these +statements had been justified, to the +discomfiture of <em class="italics">The Planet</em>.</p> +<p class="pnext">Sir Edmund frowned slightly. "<em class="italics">The +Daily Beacon</em> possesses exceptional advantages," +he sneered. "It is difficult for less +favoured journals to compete with it for +political information."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I believe I can guess what you refer to," +answered Joan. "I hear things, you know, +from my cousin, Miss Milton." (This to +shield Mainbridge.) "Lord Henry Borrowdaile, +an Under Secretary of State, is a +distant relative of Mr. Portheous, the +proprietor of <em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em>, and it is said +that there has been a curious leakage of +diplomatic secrets, once or twice, by which +<em class="italics">The Beacon</em> profited."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are a well-informed young lady."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hope to earn your cheque as well as +your compliment," said Joan. "Perhaps +you will write it before many days have passed."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It must be before many days, if at all."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I understand that time presses, if you +are to be first in the field, for the great secret +can't be kept from the public for more than +a week or ten days at most. But look +here, Sir Edmund, would you go that extra +five hundred if, on the day that your paper +published the truth about the situation, +<em class="italics">The Beacon</em> made a fool of itself by printing +exactly the opposite?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes," said the editor, "I would."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, we shall see what we shall see," +returned Joan. She then took leave of Sir +Edmund, who was certainly not in a mood +to blame Mainbridge for an introduction +under false pretences, even if he were far +from sure that charming Miss Carthew could +accomplish miracles.</p> +<p class="pnext">As for Joan, her head was in a whirl. +She wanted to do this thing more than she +had ever wanted anything in her life, though +it had not entered her head a few moments +ago. She would not despise fifteen hundred +pounds; but it was not of the money she +was dreaming as she told her cabman to +drive to Battersea Park, and keep on driving +till ordered to stop. The strange girl could +always collect and concentrate her thoughts +while driving, and this was her object now.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had never met Lord Henry Borrowdaile, +but during her year at Northmuir +House she had known people who were +friends or enemies of the young man and +his wife. She had her own reason for +listening with interest to intimate talk about the +character and private affairs of persons who +were important figures in the world, for at +any time she might wish to use knowledge +thus gained. She did not believe, from what +she had heard, that Lord Henry Borrowdaile, +son of the Marquis of Wastwater, was +a man to betray State secrets for money. +He was "bookish" and literary, and though +he was not rich, neither did he covet riches. +But he did adore his beautiful young wife, +and was said by those who knew him to be +as wax in her hands. She was popular, as +well as pretty; was vain of being the leader +of a very gay set, and dressed as if her +reputation depended upon being the best-gowned +woman in London. Because Lady Henry +posed as an <em class="italics">ingénue</em>, who scarcely knew +politics from polo, Joan suspected her. "It +is she who worms out secrets from her husband +and sells them to Portheous," Joan said +to herself. "Oh! to be a fly on the wall +in the Borrowdailes' house for the next week!"</p> +<p class="pnext">This wish was so vivid, that like a +lightning flash it seemed to illumine the dim +corners of the girl's brain. She suddenly +recalled another story of the inestimable +Mainbridge's, told in connection with the +rivalry of <em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em> and <em class="italics">The Planet</em>.</p> +<p class="pnext">"An eminent statesman's servant told the +secret of his master's intended resignation," +she said to herself. "Why shouldn't a +servant at the Borrowdailes'----"</p> +<p class="pnext">She did not finish out the thought at the +moment; the vista it opened was too wide +to be taken in at a glance. But after driving +for an hour round and round Battersea +Park, the patient cabman suddenly received +an order to go quickly to Clarkson's, the +wigmaker. At the shop, the hansom was +discharged, and it was a very different-looking +fare which another cab picked up at +the same door somewhat later.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-x-the-coup-of-the-planet"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id11">CHAPTER X--The Coup of "The Planet"</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">About half-past five, a plump old +country-woman, with a brown tissue veil over +her ruddy, wrinkled face, waddled into a +green-grocer's not far from South Audley Street. +She bade the young man in the shop a wheezy +"Good day," and asked if she might be +bold enough to inquire whether Lady Henry +Borrowdaile's housekeeper were a customer. +Yes, the youth admitted with pride, for +anything in their line which was not sent up +from the Marquis of Wastwater's, in the +country, they had the honour of serving her +Ladyship.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah! I thought how it would be, your +place being so near, and the nicest round +about," said the old country-woman. "The +truth is, I have to go to the house on a +disagreeable errand. I volunteered to do it +for a friend, and I've forgotten the number. +I've to break some bad news to one of the +housemaids."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not Miss Jessie Adams, I hope!" +protested the young man, blushing up to the +roots of his light hair.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, it is poor Jessie," said the old +woman. "You know her?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We've been walking out together the +last six months. I suppose her father's +took bad again, or--or worse?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"He's living--or was when I left; but----" +and the old-fashioned bonnet with the veil +shook ominously. "Well, I must go and +do my duty. I hope she'll be able to get +home for a week or so."</p> +<p class="pnext">A few minutes later, Joan, delighted with +her disguise and the detective skill she was +developing, rang the servants' bell at the +Borrowdailes'. She had learned what she +had hoped to learn, the name of one of the +maids, and she had also learned something +more--the fact that Jessie Adams had a +father whose state of health would afford an +excuse for absence; and the existence of a +lover, who would probably urge immediate +marriage if there were enough money on +either side.</p> +<p class="pnext">The old countrywoman with the brown +veil was voluble to the footman who opened +the door. She explained that she had news +from home for Jessie Adams, and was shown +into a servant's sitting-room, where presently +appeared a fresh-looking girl with languishing +eyes, and a full, weak mouth.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, I thought perhaps it would be Aunt +Emmy!" exclaimed the young person in +cap and apron.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, I'm not Aunt Emmy, but you may +take it I'm a friend," replied the old woman. +"Don't be frightened. Your father ain't +so very bad, but your folks would be glad +to have you at home if you could manage it. +And, look here, my gell, here's good news +for you. You may make a tidy bit of money +by going, if you can get off at once--this +very night. How much must you and that +nice young man of yours put by before you +can marry?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"We can't marry till he sets up in business +for himself, and it will take a hundred pounds +at least," said the girl. "We've each got +about ten pounds saved towards it. But +what's ten pounds?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Added on to ninety it makes a hundred, +and you can earn that by lending your place +here for one fortnight to a niece of mine, +who wants to be a journalist and write what +the doings inside a smart house are like. +She'd name no names, so you'd never be +given away. All you'd have to do would be +to tell the housekeeper your father was took +bad, and would she let you go if you'd bring +your cousin Maria in your stead--a clever, +experienced girl, with the best references from +Lord Northmuir's house?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"My goodness me, you take my breath +away!" gasped Jessie Adams. "How do +I know but your niece is a thief who'd steal +her Ladyship's jewels?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"You don't know, except that I say she +isn't. But, anyhow, what does it matter to +you? You don't need to come back or ever +be in service again. Here's the ninety pounds +in gold, my dear. You can bite every piece, +if you wish; and you've but to do what I +say to get them before you walk out of this +house. You settle matters with the +housekeeper, and I'll have my niece call on her +within the hour."</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl with the languishing eyes and +the weak mouth had her price, like many +of her betters, and it happened to be exactly +ninety pounds. Joan had brought a hundred, +and considered that she had made a bargain. +Jessie consented to speak to the +housekeeper, and the countrywoman departed. +By this time it was dusk. She took a +four-wheeler and drove to the gates of the Park. +In a dark and lonely spot the outer disguise +was whisked off, and the paint wiped from +her face. Underneath her shawl she wore +a neat black dress, suitable for a housemaid +in search of a situation. This, too, Joan had +thoughtfully obtained at Clarkson's, whence +her pale blue cloth had been despatched by +messenger to Woburn Place. The bonnet +was quickly shaped into a hat; the stuffing +which had plumped out the thin, girlish +form was wrapped in the shawl which had +concealed it, and hidden under a bush. +Joan's own hair was combed primly back +from her forehead, and strained so tightly +at the sides as to change the expression of +her face completely. "Cousin Maria" was +as different from Miss Joan Carthew as a +mouse is from a bird of Paradise.</p> +<p class="pnext">Cream could not be more velvety soft +than Joan's voice, the eye of a dove more +mild than hers, as she conversed with Lady +Henry Borrowdaile's housekeeper. And she +was armed with a magnificent reference. +There had been a Maria Jordan at Lord +Northmuir's, as housemaid, in Joan's day +there, but the real Maria had gone to America, +and it was safe and simple to write in praise +of this young person's character and +accomplishments, signing the document Mercy +Milton. At worst, even if Lady Henry's +housekeeper sent the reference to Lord +Northmuir's housekeeper, the imposition could +not be proved. Maria might have had time +to come back from America, and Miss Milton, +now departed, might have consented to +please the housemaid by giving her a written +recommendation.</p> +<p class="pnext">But Maria Jordan's manner as an applicant +to fill her cousin's place was so respectful and +respectable, and the need to decide was so +pressing, that Lady Henry's housekeeper +resolved to accept Jordan, so to speak, on +face value. That same night Jessie Adams +went home (or somewhere else), and her +cousin stepped into the vacant niche.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile, Joan had, on the plea of +picking up her luggage, driven to one or +two cheap shops in the Tottenham Court +Road, and provided herself with a tin box +and a suitable outfit for a superior +housemaid. She was thankful to find that she +would have a room to herself, and delighted +to discover that Jessie Adams and Mathilde, +Lady Henry's own maid, had been on terms +of friendship. Their rooms adjoined; Jessie +had been teaching Mathilde English in odd +moments, and Mathilde had often obligingly +carried messages to the enamoured greengrocer.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan lost not a moment in winning her +way into Mathilde's good graces, wasting the +less time because she had already made +preparations with a view to such an end. +She had bought a large box of delicious +sweets, which she pretended her own "young +man" had given her, and this she placed at +the French girl's disposal. It happened that +Lady Henry was dining out and going to +the theatre afterwards that night, and +Mathilde, being free, visited Maria easily +in her room, where she sat on the bed, +swinging her well-shod feet and eating cream +chocolates. Maria, in the course of +conversation, chanced to mention that her +"young man" was the partner of a French +hairdresser in Knightsbridge; that the two +were intimate friends; that the hairdresser +was young, singularly handsome, well-to-do, +and looking out for a Parisienne as a wife. +This Admirable Crichton was in France at +present, on business, Maria added, but he +would return in the course of a fortnight, +when Maria's "young man" should effect +an introduction, as she was sure that +Monsieur Jacques would fall in love at first +sight with Mathilde.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mathilde pretended indifference, but she +thought Maria the nicest girl she had met +in England, far more <em class="italics">chic</em> than Jessie; and +when she heard that her new friend longed +to be a lady's maid, she offered to coach her +in the art. Maria was gushingly grateful, +for though she had (she said) already acted +as maid to one or two ladies, they had not +been "swells" like Lady Henry, and lessons +from Mathilde would be of inestimable value.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I suppose," she went on coaxingly, +"that if I showed you I could do hair nicely, +and understood what was wanted of a lady's +maid, you wouldn't be took ill, and give me +a chance to try my hand on Lady Henry? +Practice on her Ladyship would be worth +a lot of lessons, wouldn't it? My goodness! +I'd give all my savings for such a chance in +a house like this! Think of the help it +would be to me afterwards to say I'd been +understudy, as you might call it, to a real +expert like Mathilde, Lady Henry Borrowdaile's +own maid, and given great satisfaction +in the part! It might mean a good +place for me. I ain't jokin', mademoiselle. +I've got twenty-five sovereigns saved up, +and if you'll have neuralgia so bad you can't +lift your head from the pillow for three or +four days, those twenty-five sovereigns are +yours."</p> +<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">Mais</em>, for me to have ze neuralgia, it do +not make that milady take you for my +place," said the laughing Mathilde.</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, but leave that to me. You shall +have the money just the same."</p> +<p class="pnext">"All right," said Mathilde, giggling, scarce +believing that her friend was in earnest. +"I have ze neuralgia <em class="italics">demain</em>--to-morrow."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan sprang up and went to the new tin +box. She bent over it for a moment, with +her back to Mathilde; then she turned, +with a stocking in her hand--a stocking fat +in the foot, and tied round the ankle with +a bit of ribbon. "Count what's there," +she exclaimed, emptying the stocking in +Mathilde's lap.</p> +<p class="pnext">There were gold and silver, and even a +little copper. Altogether, the sum amounted +to that which Maria had named, and a few +shillings over.</p> +<p class="pnext">Mathilde was dazzled. What with this +bird in hand, and another in the bush (the +eligible hairdresser), she was ready to do +almost anything for Maria. Later that night, +in undressing Lady Henry, she complained +of suffering such agony that she feared +for the morrow. Luckily, should she be +incapacitated for a short time, there was +a girl now in the house (a young person in +the place of the first housemaid, absent on +account of trouble in the family) who had +been lady's maid and knew her business. +Lady Henry was too sleepy to care what +might happen to-morrow--indeed, scarcely +listened to Mathilde's murmurings; but when +to-morrow was to-day, and a sweet-faced, +sweet-voiced girl announced that Mathilde +could not leave her bed, the spoiled beauty +remembered last night's conversation. After +some grumbling, she consented to try what +Jordan could do; and while the second +housemaid pouted over Maria's work, Maria +was busy ingratiating herself with Lady +Henry--ingratiating herself so thoroughly +that Mathilde would have trembled jealously +for the future could she have seen or heard. +Joan was one of those rare creatures, +born for success, who set their teeth in +unbreakable resolve to do whatever they must +do, well. Being a lady herself, with all a +lady's fastidious tastes, she knew how a lady +liked to be waited upon. She was not +attracted by Lady Henry, whom men called +an angel, and women "a cat," but she was +as attentive as if her whole happiness +depended on her mistress's approbation. +Mathilde was efficient, but frivolous and +flighty, sometimes inclined to sulkiness; and +Lady Henry, superbly indifferent to the +sufferings of servants, decided that she would +not be sorry if Mathilde were ill a long time.</p> +<p class="pnext">Two or three days went by; Joan kept +the Parisienne supplied with <em class="italics">bonbons</em> and +French novels, and carried up all her meals, +arranged almost as daintily as if they had +been for her Ladyship. Mathilde was happy, +and Joan was--waiting. But her patience +was not to be tried for long.</p> +<p class="pnext">On the third day, she was told that her +mistress was dining at home, alone with +Lord Henry. This was such an unusual +event that Joan was sure it meant something, +especially when Lady Henry demanded +one of her prettiest frocks. A footman, +inclined to be Maria's slave, was smiled upon, +intercepted during dinner, and questioned. +"They're behaving like turtle-doves," said he.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had expected this. "That little cat +has guessed or discovered that everything +is settled, and she means to get the truth out +of him this evening, so that somehow she +can give the news to <em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em> +to-night, in time to go to press for to-morrow," +the girl reflected.</p> +<p class="pnext">She was excited, but the great moment +had come, and she kept herself rigidly under +control, for much depended upon calmness +and fertility in resource. "They will have +their coffee in Lady Henry's boudoir," Joan +reflected, "and that is when she will get +to work."</p> +<p class="pnext">She thought thus on her way upstairs, +carrying a dress of Lady Henry's, from +which she had been brushing the marks of a +muddy carriage-wheel. She laid it on a +chair, and saw on another a milliner's box. +Her mistress had not mentioned that she +was expecting anything, and Joan's curiosity +was aroused. She untied the fastenings, +lifted a layer of tissue paper, and saw a neat, +dark green tailor-dress, with a toque made +of the same material and a little velvet. +There was also a long, plain coat of the green +cloth, with gold buttons, and on the breast +pocket was embroidered an odd design in +gold thread.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan suddenly became thoughtful. This +dress was as unlike as possible to the butterfly +style which Lady Henry affected, and all +who knew her knew that she detested dark +colours. Yet this costume was distinctly +sombre and severe; and the name of the +milliner was unfamiliar to Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"It's like a disguise," the girl said to +herself, "and I'll bet anything that's what it's +for. She went to a strange milliner; she +made a point of the things being ready +to-night; she chose a costume which would +absolutely change her appearance, if worn +with a thick veil. And then that bit of +embroidery on the pocket! Why, it's a +miniature copy of the design they print under +the title of <em class="italics">The Beacon</em>. It is a beacon, +flaming! She means to slip out of the house when +she's got the secret safe, and somebody at the +office of the paper will have been ordered to +take a veiled woman with such a dress as this +up to Portheous' private office, without her +speaking a word. Well--a woman will go +there, but I hope it won't be Lady Henry."</p> +<p class="pnext">Without stopping for an instant's further +reflection, Joan caught up the box and flew +with it to her own room, where she pushed +it under the bed. She then watched her +chance, and when no one was in sight, darted +into the boudoir, where she squeezed herself +behind a screen close to the door. She +might have found a more convenient +hiding-place, but this, though uncomfortable, gave +her an advantage. If the two persons she +expected to enter the room elected to sit +near the fireplace, as they probably would, +Joan might be able to steal noiselessly away +without being seen or heard.</p> +<p class="pnext">She had not had much time to spare, for +ten minutes after she had plastered herself +against the wall, Lord and Lady Henry came +in. They went to the sofa in front of the +fire and chatted of commonplaces until after +the coffee and <em class="italics">Orange Marnier</em> had been +brought. Then Lady Henry took out her +jewelled cigarette-case, gave a cigarette to +her husband and took one herself. To light +hers from his, she perched on Lord Henry's +knee, remaining in that position to play with +his hair, her white fingers flashing with +rings. She cooed to her husband prettily, +saying how nice it was to be with him alone, +and how it grieved her to see him weary and +worried.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Is the old Russian Bear going to take +hands and dance prettily with little Japan +and big China, darling?" she purred. "You +know, precious, talking to me is as safe as +talking to yourself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I know, my pet. Thank goodness, the +strain is over. England and France together +have brought such pressure to bear, that +Russia was in a funk. The ultimatum we +issued----"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, then, the ultimatum <em class="italics">was</em> sent?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. If Russia had held firm, nothing +could have prevented war. But for obvious +diplomatic reasons, the papers must not be +able to state officially that any negotiations +of the sort have ever taken place. There +has been a rumour, but that will die out."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah, well, I'm glad there won't be war; +but as <em class="italics">you're</em> not a soldier, and can't be +killed, it wouldn't have broken my heart. +Kiss me and let's talk of something amusing. +Your poor pet gets a headache if she has to +think of affairs of State too long."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan did not wait for the end of the last +sentence. She began with the utmost caution +to move the farther end of the screen +forward, until she could reach the door-handle. +With infinite patience she turned the knob +at the rate of an inch a minute, until it was +possible to open the door. Then she pulled +it slowly, very slowly, towards her. At +last she could slip into the corridor, where +she had an instant of sickening fear lest she +should be detected by a passing servant. +Luck was with her, however; but instead +of seizing the chance to run upstairs unseen, +she stopped, shut the door as softly as it +had been opened, and then knocked. Lady +Henry's voice, with a ring of relief, called +"Come in!" Joan showed herself on the +threshold, and announced that a person +from Frasquet's, of George Street, had called +to say that by mistake a costume ordered by +Lady Henry had been sent to the wrong +address, but that search would at once be +made, and the box brought to South Audley +Street as soon as found.</p> +<p class="pnext">Lady Henry sprang up with an exclamation +of anger, and called down the vengeance +of the gods upon the house of Frasquet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Might I suggest, your Ladyship, that I +go with the messenger, and make sure of +bringing back the box, if the dress is a valuable +one?" asked Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">Lady Henry caught at this idea. Joan +was bidden to run away and not to come +back till she had the box. "I will give you +a sovereign if you bring it home before +midnight," she added.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan walked calmly out with the box from +Frasquet's, took a cab, and drove to Woburn +Place, where, in her own room, she dressed +herself as Lady Henry had intended to be +dressed. The frock and coat fitted +sufficiently well, for Jordan and her mistress +were somewhat of the same figure. An +embroidered black veil, with one of chiffon +underneath, completely hid her features; +and, heavily perfumed with Lady Henry's +favourite scent, at precisely a quarter to +eleven she presented herself at the office of +<em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em>. A gesture of a gloved +hand towards the flaming gold on the coat +was as if a password had been spoken. She +was conducted to a private office on the +first floor, and there received by a bearded, +red-faced man, who sprang up on her entrance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well--well?" he demanded.</p> +<p class="pnext">The veiled and scented lady put her finger +to her lips.</p> +<p class="pnext">"'Sh!" she breathed. Then, disguising +her voice by whispering, she went on. "Russia +China, and Japan have signed the alliance, +in spite of England and France, whom they +have defied very insolently, and it's only a +question of a short time before the storm +breaks. There! That's all, in a nutshell. +I must run away at once."</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 53%" id="figure-41"> +<span id="sh-she-breathed"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-214.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"'Sh!' she breathed."</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">"A thousand thanks! You're a brick!" Mr. Portheous +pressed the gloved hand and +left a cheque in it. "We shall go to press +with this immediately."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan glanced at the cheque, saw it was +for seven hundred pounds, and despised +Lady Henry for cheapening the market. +Her waiting cab drove her a few streets +farther on, to the office of <em class="italics">The Planet</em>. A +card with the name of Miss Carthew, and +"Important private business" scrawled upon +it, was the "Open, sesame!" to Sir Edmund +Foster's door.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Have you your cheque-book handy?" +she nonchalantly asked.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What for?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">Quid pro quo.</em>" Joan rushed into her +whole story, which she told from beginning +to end, proving its truth by showing +Mr. Portheous' cheque made out to Mrs. Anne +Randall. "Lady Henry, no doubt, has an +account somewhere under that name. She's +too sharp to use her own," added the girl. +"Do you believe me now?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. You're wonderful. I shall risk +printing the news exactly as you have given +it to me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You won't regret your trust. But I don't +want your cheque to-night. I'll take it +to-morrow, when I can say: 'I told you so.'"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Would you still like to come on our staff--at +a salary of ten pounds a week?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No, thank you, Sir Edmund. I've brought +off my big <em class="italics">coup</em>, and anything more in the +newspaper line would be, I fear, an anticlimax. +Besides, I want to play with my fifteen +hundred pounds."</p> +<p class="pnext">"What shall you do now?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Go back to the house which has the +honour of being my home, change my clothes, +hurry breathlessly to South Audley Street, +and inform Lady Henry that her costume +can't be found. She will then, in desperation, +decide to send a note to <em class="italics">The Daily Beacon</em>, +which, my prophetic soul whispers, she will +order me to take."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Shall you go?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Out of the house, yes--never, never to +return, for my work there is done. But not +to the office of <em class="italics">The Beacon</em>. Lady Henry's +box shall be sent to her by parcel post +to-morrow morning, and Mrs. Randall's cheque +will be in the coat pocket. That will surprise +her a little, but it won't matter to me; for, +after having called here for my cheque, I +think I'll take the two o'clock train for the +Continent. I shall have plenty of money +to enjoy myself, and I feel I need a change +of air."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are wonderful!" repeated Sir Edmund Foster.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xi-kismet-and-a-v-c"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id12">CHAPTER XI--Kismet and a V.C.</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">"Now, where on earth have I seen that +girl before?" Joan Carthew asked herself.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was at Biarritz, where she was enjoying, +as she put it to herself, a well-earned holiday; +and she was known at her hotel, and among +the few acquaintances she had made, as +the Comtesse de Merival, a young widow with +plenty of money. She was a Comtesse +because it is easy to say that one has married +a sprig of foreign nobility, without being +found out; she was a widow because it is +possible for a widow to be alone, unchaperoned, +and to amuse herself without ceasing to be +<em class="italics">comme il faut</em>.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had amused herself a great deal +during the six weeks since she had left England, +and the cream of the amusement had consisted +in inventing a romantic story about herself +and getting it believed. It was as good as +acting in a successful play which one has +written for oneself.</p> +<p class="pnext">At the present moment she was walking +on the <em class="italics">plage</em>, pleasantly conscious that she +was one of the prettiest and best-dressed +women among many who were pretty and +well-dressed. Then a blonde girl passed +her, a blonde girl who was new to Biarritz, +but who, somehow, did not seem new to +Joan's retina. Her photograph was +somewhere in the book of memory, and, oddly +enough, it seemed to have a background of +sea and blue sky, as it had to-day.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl was pretty, as a beautifully dressed, +golden-haired doll in a shop window is pretty. +She was also exceedingly "good form," and +she was vouched for as a young person of +importance by a remarkably distinguished-looking +old man who strolled beside her.</p> +<p class="pnext">They turned, and in passing the "Comtesse" +for the second time, the girl looked +full in Joan's face, with a lingering gaze +such as a spoiled beauty often directs upon +a possible rival.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then, all in an instant, Joan knew.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why," she reminded herself, "it's the +girl I saw at Brighton--the girl I envied. +I know it is she. That's eight years ago, +but I can't be mistaken."</p> +<p class="pnext">Somehow this seemed an important +discovery. If Joan, a miserable, overworked +slavey of twelve, nursing her tyrant's baby, +had not been bitten with consuming jealousy +of a child no older but a thousand times +more fortunate than herself, she might have +gone on indefinitely as a slavey, and might +never have had a career.</p> +<p class="pnext">The little girl at Brighton had looked +scornfully from under her softly drooping +Leghorn hat at the shabby child-nurse, and +a rage of resentment had boiled in Joan's +passionate young heart. Now, the tall girl +at Biarritz looked with half-reluctant +admiration from under an equally becoming +hat at the Comtesse de Merival, who was +more beautiful and apparently quite as +fortunate as she. Nevertheless the old scar +suddenly throbbed again, so that Joan +remembered there had once been a wound; +and she knew that she had no gratitude +for the girl to whom, indirectly, she owed +her rise in the world.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan was usually generous to women, even +when she had no cause to love them, for, +with all her faults, there was nothing of the +"cat" in her nature; yet, to her surprise, +she felt that she would like to hurt this girl +in some way. "What a brute I must be!" +she said to herself. "I didn't know I was +so bad. Really I mustn't let this sort of thing +grow on me, otherwise I shall degenerate +from a highwayman (rather a gallant one, I +think) into a cad, and I should lose interest +in foraging for myself if I were a cad."</p> +<p class="pnext">As she thought this, the girl and her +companion were joined by a man. Joan glanced, +then gazed, and decided that he was the most +interesting man to look at whom she had ever +seen in her life. Not that he was the +handsomest, as mere beauty of feature goes, +but he was of exactly the type which Joan +and most women admire at heart above all +others.</p> +<p class="pnext">One did not need to be told, to know that +he was a soldier. As he stood talking to +his friends, with his hat off, and the sun +chiselling the ripples of his close-cropped +hair in bronze, his head towered above those +of the other men who came and went. His +face was bronze, too, of a lighter shade, +blending into ivory half way up the forehead, +and his features were strong and clear-cut +as a bronze man's should always be. He +wore no moustache or beard, and his mouth +and chin were self-reliant, firm, and generous, +but Joan liked his eyes best of all. As she +passed slowly, they met hers for a second, +and their clear depths were brown and bright +as a Devonshire brook when the noonday +sun shines into it.</p> +<p class="pnext">It was only for a second that the man's +soul looked at her from its windows, but it +was long enough to make her sharply realise +two facts. One, that she was far, far beneath +him; the other, that he was the only man +in the world for her.</p> +<p class="pnext">"To think that <em class="italics">that</em> girl should know +him, and I not!" she said to herself +rebelliously. "He is miles too good for me, but +he's more miles too good for her, because +she hasn't any soul, and I have, even though +it's a bad one. Again, after all these years, +that girl passes through my life, taking with +her as she goes what I would give all I own, +all I might ever gain, to have. It's +Kismet--nothing less."</p> +<p class="pnext">"<em class="italics">Ah, Comtesse, bon jour</em>!" murmured a +voice that Joan knew, and then it went on +in very good English, with only a slight +foreign accent: "You are charming to-day, +but you do not see your friends. They +must remind you of their existence before +they can win a bow."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have just seen some one who was like +a ghost out of the past," returned Joan, +with a careless smile for the handsome, dark +young man who had stopped to greet her.</p> +<p class="pnext">"What!" his face lighted up. "You +know that young lady you were looking at? +That is indeed interesting, and I will tell +you why, presently, if you will let me. If you +would but introduce me--at all events, to the +father. The rest I can do for myself."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I don't know her," said Joan, "although +an important issue of my life was associated +with the girl. I can't even give you her name."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I can do as much as that for you," +said the Marchese Villa Fora. "She is a +Miss Violet Ffrench, and the old man is her +father, General Ffrench. Not only is she +one of the greatest beauties, but one of the +greatest heiresses in England."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Ah!" said Joan, "no wonder you are interested."</p> +<p class="pnext">"No wonder. But what good does that +do to me, since I have not the honour of +her acquaintance, and since she is to marry +that great, bronze statue of a fellow?"</p> +<p class="pnext">A pang shot through Joan's heart, and +she was ashamed because it was a +jealous pang. "She is to marry him! How +do you know that, since you are not acquainted +with her?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It is an open secret. I saw the father +and daughter in Paris three weeks ago, and +fell in love at first sight--ah! you may +laugh. You Englishwomen cannot understand +us Latins. It is true that I proposed +to you, but you would not take me, and my +heart was soon after caught in the rebound. +It is very simple."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You thought that you fell in love with +me at first sight, too; at least, you said +so, and without any introduction except +picking up my purse when I dropped it in the +Champs Élysées."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I got an introduction afterwards."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, a lady who was staying at my hotel."</p> +<p class="pnext">"At all events, she vouched for me. She +has known my family for years, in Madrid."</p> +<p class="pnext">"She warned me against you, Marchese. +She said that you were a fortune-hunter, and +that you fancied I was rich. When you had +proposed, and I had told you frankly that my +fortune was but silver-gilt, warranted to +keep its colour for a few years only, you were +very much obliged to me for refusing you, +as it saved you the trouble of jilting me +afterwards. You are still more obliged to +me now that you have met a genuine heiress +who has all other desirable qualifications as +well."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You are cruel," exclaimed Villa Fora, +to whose style of good looks reproaches were +becoming. "Cannot a man love twice? +What does it matter to the heart whether +there has been an interval of weeks or of +years? I am madly in love with Miss +Ffrench, and as you promised to be my +friend if I would 'talk no more nonsense,' I +have no hesitation in confessing it to you. +I followed her here from Paris, and arrived only +this afternoon. She is at the Hotel +Victoria; therefore, so am I."</p> +<p class="pnext">"So am I, but not 'therefore,'" cut in +Joan. "And the--the man you say she is to marry?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Colonel Sir Justin Wentworth? He is +at the Grand. But he has come for her. I +know the whole story--I have it from a +gossiping old lady who is <em class="italics">au courant</em> with +every one's affairs if they are worth +bothering with; and she does not make mistakes. +She has told me that General Ffrench was the +guardian of this Sir Justin, that the +father--a baronet--was his dearest friend. The +match has been an understood thing ever +since Wentworth was eighteen and the girl +five; for there is quite thirteen years' +difference in their ages."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Then he is about thirty-four or five," +said Joan thoughtfully.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, but in that I am not interested. +The awful part for me is that the girl +is now of age, and the obstacle of her +youth no longer prevents the marriage. +Any day the worst may happen. If +I could only meet her, I might have a chance +to undermine the cold, bronze statue, even +though he has a great reputation as a +soldier, and is a V.C. But how to manage +an introduction? The father has the air of +a mediaeval dragon."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan's heart said: "The man is not a +cold statue," but aloud she remarked: "I +see now why you hoped that I knew Miss +Ffrench. You wanted <em class="italics">me</em> to manage it. +Well, perhaps I can, even as it is. I have +undertaken more difficult things and succeeded."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, if you would! But why should +I hope it, since you have nothing to gain?"</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan dropped her eyes and did not answer.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yet you will try?" pleaded Villa Fora.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yet I will try, on one condition. You +must be a connection of the late Comte de Merival."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your husband!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan smiled as she nodded.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I am Spanish; he was, I understand, +French. But then that presents no difficulty. +There are such things as international marriages."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. Your mother's sister married an +uncle of my husband's, didn't she?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Quite so. It is settled," agreed the +Marchese gravely.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, then, that is the sharp end of the +wedge. I will do my best and cleverest to +insert it," said Joan. "As you have just +arrived, it will be the easier. We are cousins. +It can appear to all those whom it does not +concern (meaning the gossips of the hotel) +that you have run on to see your cousin. For +the rest, you must trust me for a day or two, +or perhaps more."</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had tea--with her cousin--at Miremont's; +and they saw the Ffrenches and Sir +Justin Wentworth, also having tea. Violet +Ffrench looked at Joan with the same +side-glance of half-grudging admiration as before, +and Joan looked, now and then, at Violet +Ffrench with a charming, frank gaze, which +seemed to say: "You are so sweetly pretty +that I can't keep my eyes off you, and I +like you for being pretty." In reality it +said something quite different, but it was +effects, not realities, which mattered at the +moment.</p> +<p class="pnext">Thus the campaign had begun, though +the enemy was blissfully ignorant of the +activity upon the other side.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan went back to the hotel rather earlier +than she had intended, and going straight +to the large, empty dining-room, rang for +the head waiter. When he appeared, she +asked if it were yet arranged where a new +arrival, General Ffrench, was to sit with his +daughter. The waiter pointed out a small +table or two, near the centre of the room; +but before his hand withdrew from the +gesture, it was turned palm upward in answer +to a slight, silent hint from Joan. Finally, +it retired with a louis in its clasp. "I want +you to put my table close to theirs," said +she. "It shall be done, madame," replied +the man; and it was done. Therefore Joan +and Violet could scarcely help exchanging more +glances from between their red-shaded candles +that night at dinner, which Joan ate alone, +unaccompanied by the wistful Villa Fora.</p> +<p class="pnext">The Ffrenches appeared to know nobody +in the hotel, and of this she was glad. There +was the more chance for her.</p> +<p class="pnext">After dinner there was conjuring, and +Joan contrived to sit next to Miss Ffrench. +Villa Fora was on the opposite side of the big +drawing-room, where he had reluctantly gone +in obedience to his "cousin's" instructions. +The conjuring made conversation, and Joan +was not surprised to find the heiress open to +flattery. When the performance was over, she +kept her seat; and by this time, having +introduced herself to Miss Ffrench, the +introduction was passed on to the father. +He, good man, was too well-born to be actually +a snob, but he had no objection to titles, +even foreign ones, and the Comtesse de +Merival was so pretty, so modest, altogether +such good form, that he had no objection +to her as, at least, an hotel acquaintance +for his daughter.</p> +<p class="pnext">It seemed that General Ffrench had been +ordered to Biarritz for his health, and that +he hoped to do some golfing; but Miss +Ffrench hated golf, and as she had no friends +in the place, she expected to be very dull.</p> +<p class="pnext">At this, Joan reminded her gaily of the +friend with whom she and her father had +been walking in the afternoon.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, but he is such an old friend, he +doesn't count," exclaimed Violet, blushing +a little.</p> +<p class="pnext">"She isn't a bit in love with him," thought +Joan. "What a shame! But--<em class="italics">tant mieux</em>. +She is vain and romantic; often the two +qualities go together in a woman. The ground +is all prepared for me."</p> +<p class="pnext">By and by, Sir Justin Wentworth strolled +in from his hotel. Though she was dying +to stay and meet him, and perhaps have a +few words, Joan rose and walked away. +This course was approved by General Ffrench. +He would have known what to think if the +beautiful Comtesse had made herself fascinating, +at such short notice, to his son-in-law elect.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan talked with her "cousin," who had +been in the smoking-room, and Violet Ffrench +had time to be intensely curious as to the +connection between her charming new +acquaintance, the Comtesse de Merival, and +the handsome, dark young man who had +been in her hotel at Paris. He had looked +at her then; he looked at her now. What +was he to the Comtesse? what was the +Comtesse to him?</p> +<p class="pnext">Next morning, both General Ffrench and +Sir Justin Wentworth walked off to the +golf-links, leaving Violet to write letters in +the glass room that looked out on the sea. +Presently Joan came in, with a writing-case +in her hand, and Violet stopped in the midst +of the first sentence of her first letter. Joan +did not even begin to write, nor had she ever +cherished the faintest intention of doing so.</p> +<p class="pnext">Violet rather hoped that she would mention +the dark young man, but she did not; and +then, of course, Violet hoped it a great deal +more. The two girls drifted from one subject +to another, and finally, by way of a favourite +author and a popular novel of the moment, +they touched the key of romance.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I used to think that romance was dead +in this century, but lately I have been +finding out that it isn't," said Joan. "Oh, +not personally. Romance is over for me. +I loved my husband, you see, and he died +the day of our wedding; I married him on +his death-bed. That is not romance; it is +tragedy. But I am speaking of what I +should not speak of, to you, so let us talk of +something else."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Why?" asked Violet.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Oh, because--because I have an idea +that you are engaged."</p> +<p class="pnext">"How can that matter?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"It does matter. I oughtn't to explain, +so you mustn't urge me."</p> +<p class="pnext">"You rouse my curiosity," said Violet; +but this was not news to Joan.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Engaged girls shouldn't have curiosity +about anything outside their own romances," +replied the Comtesse de Merival mysteriously.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I've never had a real romance," sighed +Violet. "I've always been more or less +engaged to Sir Justin Wentworth ever since +I can remember. He is a splendid fellow, +as you can see."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I hardly noticed," said Joan; then +added, in a whisper, but not too low a whisper +to be heard: "I was so busy pitying someone else."</p> +<p class="pnext">Violet's colour rose, and she was really a very +pretty girl, though vanity made her eyes cold.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Sir Justin's father and mine were old +chums," went on Violet. "Our place and +his lie close together in Devonshire. We +have even some of the same money-interests--mines +in Australia. He has heaps of +money, too, so there's no question of his +needing to think of mine."</p> +<p class="pnext">"As if any man could think of your money +when he had you to think of!" exclaimed +Joan. "No doubt you will be very happy. +Such a long friendship ought to be a good +foundation for the rest, and yet--and yet--it's +a pity that you should have to marry +and become a placid British matron without +first knowing some of the wild joys of <em class="italics">real</em> love, +real romance."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I thought you doubted there being any +left in the world?"</p> +<p class="pnext">"No; I said I had found at least one +case which had built up my faith again; +a case of passionate love, born at first sight, +and strong enough to carry the man across +the world, if necessary, to follow the woman +he loves."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Such love isn't likely to come my way."</p> +<p class="pnext">"It has come your way. It is here--close +to you. Oh, I have done wrong! I +should not have spoken. But I am so sorry +for him--my poor, handsome cousin."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Your cousin!" This was a revelation, +and Violet's eyes were not cold now, but +warm with interest.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes, the Marchese Villa Fora, the +best-looking and one of the best-born young men +in Spain. But indeed we must not talk +of him. What a lovely day it is! I must +have my motor-car out this afternoon. How +I should love to take you with me!"</p> +<p class="pnext">Violet would ask no more questions; +but all that had been dark was now clear, and +she could think of nothing and no one except +the Comtesse's cousin, the Marchese Villa Fora.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan had been in the hotel at Biarritz for +ten days, and by the trick of "being nice" +(she knew how to be very nice) to the +unattached old ladies and middle-aged dowagers, +she had been accepted on her own valuation. +She did not flirt, she had a title, she appeared +to be rich, she owned a motor-car, therefore +none of her statements regarding herself +was doubted. General Ffrench made an +inquiry or two concerning her, was satisfied +with the replies, and therefore consented +to let his daughter join an automobile party +arranged by the Comtesse for the afternoon.</p> +<p class="pnext">Somehow, in the motor-car, Violet sat +next to the Marchese Villa Fora, who gazed at +her sadly with magnificent eyes and said +very little. It was extremely interesting, +she discovered, to sit shoulder to shoulder with +a man who was dying of hopeless love for you, +and had followed you across France, though +he had never spoken a word to you until +to-day. It was he who helped her out when +they came back to the hotel, and the thrill +in her fingers after his had pressed them almost +convulsively for an instant remained for a long time.</p> +</div> +<div class="level-2 section" id="chapter-xii-a-new-love-and-an-old-enemy"> +<h2 class="level-2 pfirst section-title title"><a class="toc-backref" href="#id13">CHAPTER XII--A New Love and an Old Enemy</a></h2> +<p class="pfirst">Now, the thin end of the entering wedge, +of which Joan had hinted, was well in, +and after this day events moved swiftly. The +Comtesse de Merival and Miss Ffrench were +close friends. Violet opened her heart to +Joan and told her everything that was in it--not +a long list. Joan sympathised and +advised. She did so want dear Violet to be +happy, she said, for happiness was the best +thing in the world; and love was happiness. +She wanted her to have that.</p> +<p class="pnext">The two girls were together constantly, +and this meant that Joan soon began to see +a good deal of Sir Justin Wentworth. Quickly +she diagnosed that he cared nothing for +Violet Ffrench, except in a kindly, protective, +affectionate way, but that he had a deep +regard for her father. He would never try +to free himself of the tacit understanding +into which he had drifted as a boy; if any +change were to come, the initiative must +be taken, and firmly taken, by Violet.</p> +<p class="pnext">Meanwhile, two things were happening. +If Violet was not precisely falling in love +with Villa Fora, she was in love with +the idea of him which was growing up in her +mind; and Justin Wentworth had discovered +that he craved for something more in life +than Violet Ffrench could ever give him.</p> +<p class="pnext">He had gone on contentedly enough for +the several years during which he had +definitely thought of the marriage. There had +been the Boer war, and then the interest +of coming home to England and his beautiful +old place in Devonshire, which he loved. +But now, quite suddenly, he had awakened to +the fact that contentment is no better than +desperate resignation; and though he was +hardly aware of it yet, the awakening had +come to him when looking into Joan's eyes.</p> +<p class="pnext">He would not confess to himself that he +loved her, but he thought that she was the +most vivid creature he had ever met, and +he could not help realising how curiously +congenial they were in most of their thoughts. +Often he seemed to feel what she was feeling, +without a word being spoken on either +side, and unconsciously he was jealous of +the handsome Spanish cousin with whom +(General Ffrench innocently suggested) the +Comtesse would probably make a match.</p> +<p class="pnext">Joan, on her part, cared too much by this +time to be able to see clearly, where her own +affairs were concerned. She had begun the +little comedy she was playing not for the +sake of Villa Fora, but for her own, with +the deliberate intention of separating Violet +Ffrench from Justin Wentworth, even though +she might never come any nearer to him +herself. All the machinery which she had set +going was running smoothly. Violet was +fascinated by Villa Fora, was meeting him +secretly and receiving notes from him; he +was determined to bring matters to a climax +soon, and was sure of his success. General +Ffrench played golf all day, bridge half the +night, and suspected nothing; nor, apparently, +did any one else. Still, Joan was more +miserable than she had ever been in her life--far +more miserable than when Lady Thorndyke +had died without making a new will and +left her penniless.</p> +<p class="pnext">The girl saw herself at last as she was, +unscrupulous, an adventuress, living on her +wits and the lack of wits in others. She +hated herself, and worshipped more and +more each day the honourable soldier from +whom her own unworthiness (if there were +no other barrier) must, she felt, put her +irrevocably apart.</p> +<p class="pnext">Even as Joan talked to Violet of Wentworth +and Villa Fora, outwardly agreeing with the +girl that the one was cold, that it was the +other who knew how to love, her whole soul +was in rebellion against itself. "He does +not think of me at all," she would repeat over +and over again, despite the secret voice of +instinct which whispered a contradiction. +"He doesn't think of me; and even if he did, +he would only have to know half the truth +to despise me as the vilest of women."</p> +<p class="pnext">Then, one day, there was a great scandal +at the hotel. The Marchese Villa Fora had +run away with Miss Violet Ffrench, in the +Comtesse de Merival's motor-car, which lately +he had been learning to drive. Even Joan +was taken by surprise, for she had not known +that the thing was going to happen so soon. +She was actually able to tell the truth--or +something approaching the truth--when she +assured the father and the deserted <em class="italics">fiancé</em> that +she was innocent of complicity. So candid +were her beautiful, wet eyes, so tremulous her +sweet voice, and so pale the delicate oval +of her cheeks, that both men believed her, +and one of them was so happy in this sudden +relief from the weight of a great burden +that he could have sung aloud.</p> +<p class="pnext">General Ffrench was far from happy; +but he determined that, rather than give +fuel to the scandal, he would make the best of +things as they were. To this course he was +partly persuaded by the counsels of Justin +Wentworth. Villa Fora was undoubtedly +what he pretended to be, a Spanish marquis +of very ancient and honourable lineage, +though it would take many golden bricks +to rebuild the family castle in Spain. The +girl had gone with him, and gone too far +before the truth came out to be brought +back with good grace, therefore it were well +to let her become the Marchesa Villa Fora +quietly, without useless ragings.</p> +<p class="pnext">The thing Joan had set herself to +accomplish was done; she had separated Justin +Wentworth and Violet Ffrench for ever, and +now the end had come. She was hurt and +sore, and could hardly bear to see her own +face in the glass, for she imagined that it +had grown hard and cruel--that Justin +Wentworth must find it so.</p> +<p class="pnext">General Ffrench openly announced his +daughter's marriage to the Marchese Villa +Fora, and told all inquirers that he was going +to join her in Madrid; but Justin Wentworth +would not, of course, accompany his old friend +on such a mission. He would set his face +towards England, and with this intention +he said "Good-bye" to the Comtesse de Merival.</p> +<p class="pnext">"This has hurt and shocked you, +too," he said. "There is one thing I must +say to you, and it is this: it is only for her +father that I care. I want her to be happy +in her own way. We did not suit each other."</p> +<p class="pnext">"I used sometimes to think not," Joan +answered in a voice genuinely broken. "I +used to be afraid that--if you should ever +marry--you would not have been happy. +Perhaps she--wasn't the right one for you."</p> +<p class="pnext">Her eyes were downcast, but the compelling +power of love in the man's caught them +up to his and held them.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I have known that she wasn't the right +one for a long time," he said. "I have +known the right one, and it is you. I love +you with all my heart. I want you. You +are the one woman on earth for me. I +hadn't meant to say this now, but--I can't +let you go out of my life. I must do all I +can to keep you always."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Don't!" gasped Joan. "Don't! it will +kill me. Oh, if you only knew, how you +would hate me!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"Nothing could make me hate you."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Yes. Wait!" And then Joan poured +out the whole story--not only of this last +fraud, but of all the frauds; the story of her "career."</p> +<p class="pnext">He listened to the end, without interrupting +her once. Then, at last, when the +strange tale was finished, and the pale girl +was silent from sheer exhaustion of the +hopeless spirit tasting its punishment in +purgatory, he held out his arms.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Poor, little, lonely girl!" he said. "How +sorry I am for you! How I want to comfort +and take care of you all the rest of your life, +so that it may be clear and white, as your +true self would have it be! And--how glad +I am that you're not a widowed Comtesse!"</p> +<div class="center transition"> +<p class="pfirst">――――</p> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">She was in his arms still when a knock at +the door roused them both from the first +dream of real happiness the girl had ever known.</p> +<p class="pnext">A servant brought a card. She took it +from the tray and read it out mechanically: +"Mr. George Gallon."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Tell the gentleman----" she had begun; +but before she could go further with her +instructions George Gallon himself had entered the room.</p> +<p class="pnext">"Well, Miss Carthew," he said, "I heard +from an unexpected source that you were +here, swaggering about as the widow of a +French Comte. I needed a little holiday, +and so I ran out to see whether you were a +greater success as a Comtesse than you were +as a typewriter in my office. Oh! I beg your +pardon. You're not alone. I'm afraid I +may have surprised your friend with some +disagreeable news."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Not at all," said Justin Wentworth +calmly. "Miss Carthew has not only told +me of that episode in her life, but how it +became necessary for her to take up the +position of a typewriter. Your treatment of +her seemed almost incredible--until I saw +you. No wonder it was necessary for Miss +Carthew to adopt an <em class="italics">alias</em>, if this is the sort +of persecution she is subject to under her +own name. But in future it will be different. +As Lady Wentworth she will be safe even from +cads like you; and though she is not yet +my wife, I'm thankful to say I have even +now the right to protect her. When do you +intend to leave Biarritz, Mr. Gallon?"</p> +<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="width: 53%" id="figure-42"> +<span id="when-do-you-intend-to-leave-biarritz"></span><img class="align-center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt=" " src="images/img-254.jpg" /> +<div class="caption figure"> +"'When do you intend to leave Biarritz?'"</div> +</div> +<p class="pfirst">George opened his lips furiously, but snapped +them shut again. Then, having paused to +reflect, he said: "I am here only for an hour. +I'm going on to Spain."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Pray watch over your tongue in that +hour," returned Wentworth.</p> +<p class="pnext">Then George Gallon was gone.</p> +<p class="pnext">"I'll worship you all my life on my knees," +said Joan. "I'm not worthy to touch your +hand. But I will be. I will be a new self."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Only the best of the old one, that is +all I want," answered her lover. "The +past is like a garment which you wore for +protection against the storm. But there will +be no more storms after this."</p> +<p class="pnext">"Because you have forgiven me, because +you believe in me," cried Joan, "you will +make of me the woman you would have me!"</p> +<p class="pnext">"The woman you really are, or I would +not have loved you," he said.</p> +<p class="pnext">And so it was that Joan Carthew's career +ended and her life began.</p> +<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em"> +</div> +<p class="center pfirst small">Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London.</p> +<div class="vspace" style="height: 6em"> +</div> +<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- --> +<div class="backmatter"> +</div> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 39730 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |