CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR CLEARING UP MYSTERIES
While Josephine Bayley prepared her breakfast the next morning, everynow and then she paused to laugh gleefully. Was she doing wrong todeceive the fine man who loved her so dearly? And yet, after all, shehad not deceived him. He had never once asked her who her father hadbeen. He had merely jumped to the conclusion that she was poor becauseshe was teaching school in Woodford's Canyon. After all, that was anatural inference.
He had completely forgotten, or so it seemed, that on the first day oftheir acquaintance Josephine had mentioned that she had known MarlitaArden. The truth was that Frederick had not forgotten. He had, however,satisfied his own curiosity as to the manner in which the two girls hadmet. Marlita had a younger sister, Gladys Louise, and, as he thought ofher, he recalled that she had a governess named Josephine. He had neverseen her, but since his Josephine knew Marlita intimately, she probablyhad lived in their home as governess to the younger Arden girl.
As the young engineer walked toward the cabin beyond the inn at ninethat morning, with each stride his decision grew stronger. His aunt, heknew, would scorn any girl who earned her own living, but she would beespecially rude, he was convinced, to a young woman who had beengoverness in the home of one of her friends.
After all, perhaps it would be kinder not to take Josephine Bayley withhim when he went to see his aunt at the inn. He could announce hisintention to marry whom he would, and let the matter rest there, but, tohis surprise, when he told the girl he loved that he wished to spare herpossible humiliation, she looked so truly disappointed that heexclaimed: "Why, Josephine, you don't _want_ to go, do you? I thoughtyou were merely accompanying me because I had requested it."
She smiled at him, and in her expression there was no trace of timidity."I'm not the least bit afraid of dragoness aunts," she assured him. Thenshe added, "If you'll be seated a moment, I'll don my best spring hatand coat."
Five minutes later the girl emerged from her porch room, and the youngman leaped to his feet, gazing as though at a vision.
"How beautiful you are in that silvery gray," he said.
The small hat was wreathed with crushed roses, and the cloak, of softclinging material, was cut in the latest fashion.
At another time the young man might have been puzzled, but his mind wastoo full of one thing just then to admit of questionings.
"I'm glad you look so nicely," he confided as they started out, "foreven though mine aunt will, of course, spurn me for not wedding the girlof her choice, in her heart of hearts she will have to agree that I havechosen the more beautiful one for my bride."
The color in Josephine's cheeks deepened, although it may have been areflection of the rose-tulle lining of her hat.
In the meantime the strangers at the inn had inquired if FrederickEdrington were staying there.
Although Mr. Enterprise Twiggly well knew the young man whom Ken calledUncle Ed, he did not associate the two names, and replied that he knew"no such person."
Mrs. Edrington and her companions were in the parlor of the inn,awaiting the coming of the stage, when the two young people arrived.Josephine requested that she be permitted to remain in the outer officewhile Frederick went alone to meet his aunt.
The four occupants of the plainly furnished room turned as the dooropened, and the young engineer was somewhat surprised to see that one ofthem was no other than Lord Dunsbury. The two girls were Marlita Ardenand her younger sister, Gladys Louise. Frederick regretted this, sincehis Josephine undoubtedly had been her governess. Perhaps the girl heloved ought to be told to slip back to her cabin home, that she mightescape whatever humiliation would be in store for her, were she to meetthe snobbish Ardens.
"I'm so glad to see you again," said Marlita.
"More than pleased I assure you," rather coldly added the youngEnglishman.
Frederick crossed the room to where his aunt was standing, and spokewith her for several moments. The others, watching, could see the angryflush mounting to the face of the older woman. Then, unable to listenlonger in silence, she turned toward the curious group and exclaimed:"My nephew informs me that he is engaged to marry some girl he has methere in the mountains. A woodcutter's daughter, I suppose. Being wellacquainted with his stubbornness, I know that he will do as he wishes inthe matter."
Marlita shrugged her silk-clad shoulders as she said, "Do you know, AuntDelia, I really would like to see the mountain maid who has won theheart of friend Frederick." Then, turning to the young man, she addedwith a tantalizing smile, "However, I doubt if he would care to exhibithis rural fiancee." This remark had the effect desired.
"You are wrong Marlita," Frederick declared vehemently. "I should beproud to present my future wife to the queen of England, were thatpossible. If you will be seated, I will soon return with the young womanabout whom we are speaking."
It was a tense moment for the two who were most interested. The auntmoved to the window and looked out. Marlita leaned against the mantle,tapping her fingers nervously thereon.
It was not very complimentary to her that Frederick Edrington shouldprefer a mountaineer's daughter to the heiress of Colonel Arden'smillions.
They all glanced toward the closed door when they heard Frederickreturning. Gladys Louise was the only one pleased with the little dramathat was being enacted. How she did hope that Fred's fiancee would proveto be the picturesque type of mountain maid that she had read about inromantic stories! Perhaps, though, they were only to be found inSwitzerland.
However, there was no further time for speculating. The door wasopening, and in another moment they would know.
Josephine Bayley had never looked lovelier than she did when she enteredthe parlor of the inn, her head held high. Although her lips were notsmiling, surely an amused expression was lurking in the depths of herclear hazel eyes.
Before Frederick Edrington could introduce his fiancee to his aunt,Gladys Louise, with a glad cry of recognition, leaped forward, bothhands outstretched. "Oh, you dear, darling Josephine!" she exclaimed."Why didn't you tell us where you disappeared to when you left sosuddenly?"
And so the young engineer's surmise had been correct. His fiancee hadbeen this impulsive girl's governess. What would his aunt say? Heglanced at Marlita, to see how she would welcome one who had lived inher home in a paid capacity. The proud girl's expression was hard tounderstand.
Then, to his surprise, Josephine made the first advance. Crossing theroom, she held out her hand as she said: "Marlita, dear, please try tobe glad for my happiness. You and I were room-mates at boarding-school,and now--"
She said no more, for the girl to whom she had spoken drew herself awaycoldly. "You are not honest, Josephine Bayley," she said, "posing as awoodcutter's daughter when--"
The young teacher shook her head. "I have not posed," she repliedquietly. "Frederick has asked no questions concerning my family." Then,again holding out her hand, she pleaded, "Marlita, won't you be myfriend?"
But the girl whom she addressed tossed her head and left the room,beckoning her sister and Lord Dunsbury to follow, which they did.
When the three were alone, Frederick, whose astonishment had seemed torender him speechless, apologized. "Pardon me, Aunt Delia," he said,"permit me to introduce to you my fiancee."
"We'll waive the formality of an introduction," replied the woman, who,through half-closed eyes, had been watching the little drama.
Then, turning to the girl in gray, she asked, "Are you the daughter ofWilliam Wallace Bayley whose summer home is in the Orange Hills, andwhose winter home is in New York on the Hudson?"
"I am," was the quiet reply.
It was Frederick Edrington's turn to be amazed, but his aunt wascontinuing: "I thought so. With my former husband, Mr. JamesHaddington-Allen, I frequently visited your home when you were a verysmall child."
The young school-teacher stepped forward, as she asked eagerly:"You--are you Mrs. James Haddington-Allen? Frederick has always sp
okenof you as Mrs. Edrington."
"Naturally, since that is my present name. Mr. Allen died long ago, andtwo years later I married Frederick's uncle. But pray, Miss Bayley, whyhas the discovery of my former name occasioned you so much concern?"
"Because you are also the aunt of the four children named Martin who areour proteges here in the mountains," Frederick began. But the face ofthe older woman hardened. "You are mistaken," she said. "The children ofwhom you speak are related to my first husband, but in no way to me;and, since he is dead, I see no reason why I should look up his poorrelatives, and, what is more, I shall not do so."
The young man's voice was almost severe when he asked, "You knew oftheir need, then?"
"Some banker wrote me last year concerning these children, and I repliedthat I was not at all interested in hearing about them. However, Ithought the name of their town was Genoa." Then, turning to theschool-teacher, who was finding it very hard to listen quietly, theolder woman said, "Miss Bayley, if you will give up this ridiculousnotion of teaching school and will come with me, I will forgive you bothand take you into my home, but mind, I wish never again to hear the nameof Martin."
"I thank you for your offer, but I have made other plans," wasJosephine's reply. "When the spring term is finished, I shall return tomy New York home and take with me the four Martin children."
"Then, as there is nothing more to be said, I will bid yougood-morning." Haughtily saying this, the aunt left the room, and didnot even glance at her second husband's nephew.
"Shall we tell the children?" was Josephine's first question as theyleft the inn.
"No," Frederick replied. "Mrs. Edrington is their aunt only by marriage,as she is mine." Then he added, "Dearest, what a wonderful home you andI are to have with such nice kiddies in it."
"Aren't we?" the girl smiled up at him. "We shall be happy just becausewe are all together." Then she continued, "I want to make those fourlittle Martins the happiest children in all the world."
THE END
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Transcriber's Notes
--Copyright notice provided as in the original printed text--this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and dialect unchanged.
--Moved promotional material to the end of the text.
--In the text versions, included italics inside _underscores_ (the HTML version replicates the format of the original.)
Dixie Martin, the Girl of Woodford's Cañon Page 45
