by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XVII.
AUGUSTA'S RESOLVE.
The four girls in Mayfield Gardens were very busy just now. Frommorning to night there was not a moment to spare, for the holidayswere drawing near, and the prizes were to be competed for. It is truethat Augusta was not competing for any prize, but somehow in thisbusy, energetic, lively household she did not count for as much as sheherself believed she ought. Nan was trying hard, with all her might,with every scrap of energy she possessed; and so was Kitty trying, andso was Nora. Nora was perhaps less energetic than Kitty, but she was avery honourable, downright, straight sort of girl. She knew her motherwished her to bring home a prize after the final examinations at herschool, and she was determined, if girl could succeed, to do so.
Immediately after the school broke up, Mrs. Richmond was going to takethe four children to her country place in Devonshire. This was alovely place within a hundred yards or so of the seashore. Mrs.Richmond kept boats, and even a little yacht, and Kitty and Nora werenever tired of telling the other two of the happy, happy time whichlay before them. But Nan, although she was working so hard, had a careon her mind; never, day or night, did it leave her. It is true herreports in the orderly-book were first-rate; she seemed, as far asMiss Roy could make out, to do everything not only well, but withspirit. Her drill was splendid; she held herself erect like a realsoldier; she understood her drill-sergeant's directions as if bymagic. Then there were other exercises to be gone through, and Nannever failed in her early rising. No one could be more attentive andearnest over her lessons than Nan Esterleigh; and as to her morals,Miss Roy could find no fault with them. Sometimes, it is true, asnight after night she put down most justly and fairly the marks ofeach young soldier, she would look up after her invariable question,"Well, any special thing on your consciences, or may I mark 'Good'against your character for to-day?"
A wild light would come into Nan's eyes, and her face would turn pale;but ever and always, before she could say the fatal word, Augustawould manage to fix her bold, bright eyes on the little girl's face,and Nan would drop her head and say:
"Oh yes--at least, I mean, I have tried."
Nevertheless, she was anything but happy, and she thought of theAsprays as a possible means of relief. She made up her mind to seethem for herself before she went to the country; not to speak tothem--oh no! she would not do that for worlds: that time would notcome until she had fully made up her mind that she would give up theRichmonds, whom she so dearly loved, and would cast in her lot withthe Asprays. But she must see them.
One day, with her heart beating, and with great outward_sang-froid_, she asked Mrs. Richmond if she knew where theylived. Mrs. Richmond told her.
"Quite close to this," she said; "just at the corner turning into thesquare. It is a very large house with green railings round it; but, mydarling, you need have nothing to do with them."
"Oh! I know. I only wanted to be sure where they lived," answered Nan.
By-and-by, when tragic things happened, Mrs. Richmond remembered thisremark of Nancy's.
That day the little girl was sent out for a message with Susan. Susanthe housemaid was very fond of Nan; she had quite a respect for hersince that interesting time when she went with her to see Mr. Pryor andPhoebe and Mrs. Vincent gave her tea in the kitchen.
"I am so glad we are out together, Susan!" said Nan. "You need nothurry back very soon, need you?"
"No, miss--that is, I expect not. I don't think there is anything veryspecial doing this afternoon. I can stay with you for a little--anhour or so, anyhow."
"Oh! that will do splendidly," said Nan. "You know, Susan, I like youvery much."
"And so do I like you, Miss Nancy; but it is more than I do MissAugusta. We none of us can bear her--nasty, sly young lady!"
Poor Nan felt a fierce desire to corroborate these words, but sheremembered her duty as a soldier prevented her speaking evil even ofher enemies, and she restrained herself.
"We need not talk about Augusta now, need we?" she said.
"No, my dear Miss Nancy; but anybody with half an eye can see that sheworries you almost past bearing. Dear, dear! there are things I couldtell of her if I liked; but I don't want to be spiteful."
"It would be very wrong indeed to tell tales, Susan."
"I ain't telling them," said Susan somewhat tartly. "Now miss, hadn'twe best do our messages first?"
Nan agreed to this. They went to one or two shops for Mrs. Richmond,and Susan put her purchases into a bag which hung upon her arm.
"Now then, Miss Nancy, shall we go home, or what shall we do?"
"I know what I want to do," said Nancy. "I want to walk up and downoutside a house."
"Oh, lor', Miss Nancy! that do sound queer."
"And there is another thing," continued Nancy, speaking very eagerly,and a spot of bright colour coming into each of her cheeks; "I wantyou, Susan, not to tell anybody what we are going to do. Do not gossipabout it when you get back to the servants' hall. You won't, will you?"
"Not me," said Susan; "I ain't that sort."
"I know you are not," said Nancy in a sweet tone of voice, touchingSusan's arm for a minute with her hand; "and because I know it, thatis why I like you so much. Now then, this is the house."
Nan found herself outside the Asprays' dwelling. She looked up with abeating heart. The house was handsome, large, and commodious; comparedwith the Richmonds' house, which was also a very handsome one, itlooked palatial. There were balconies to most of the windows; andawnings were put up now, and sun-blinds, and a lot of people wereseated in the drawing-room balcony chatting and laughing. Theirlaughter was borne down on the breeze, and it reached Nan's ears. Theywere having tea on the balcony, and a couple of girls were seatedclose together talking eagerly. One of them turned to her companionand said:
"Do you see that odd-looking child? She keeps walking up and down justoutside our house. I suppose the person with her is her maid. Don'tyou recognise her, Flora?"
"No, I am sure I do not, Constance."
"Well, you have a very short memory. Don't you know that time when wewere at the florist's round the corner, and a nasty, horridbull-terrier came and pulled your skirt? It belonged to that child.Oh, see! oh, see! She has raised her eyes and is looking at us. Ofcourse it is she."
"Of course; I remember quite well now," said Constance. "How funny!She is a strange-looking little girl! I do not admire her at all. Itrust we may never see her again."
Down in the street, Nancy said in a faint voice to Susan:
"I have walked up and down long enough now, Susan; I should like to gohome."
For she, too, had recognised the girls with golden hair and handsomefaces. They were the Asprays! Would she exchange to a better fate ifshe threw in her lot with theirs? She felt very sad and lonely.
But the busy time was at hand; the very next day the schoolexaminations began. These continued for nearly a week, and then camethe prize-day, when all the parents and friends of the girls wereinvited; and Nan had the extreme felicity of winning a prize for herFrench studies. Oh, how proud she felt as she walked up to receive thehandsome volume from the hands of her mistress! She trembled all overas she clasped it to her heart, bowed to her mistress, said "Thankyou" in a tremulous voice, and went back to her seat. She was so happyand pleased that she even forgot Augusta in her joy. Kitty and Norahad also won prizes, and three happy, almost riotous schoolgirlsassembled in the schoolroom that night. Augusta came in with her headin the air.
"Hoity-toity!" she cried; "what a noise! Well, let me see the books. Itrust they are novels, for I have read through all my own store, andwant some fresh ones to amuse myself with.--Nan, you come and show meyours. Why, child, you look as if you were standing on your head; whatis the matter with you?"
"I am so awfully delighted," said Nan, "that I did get it.--Oh Kitty,Kitty, I almost wonder if it is true!"
"It is true enough, Nan," said Kitty. "Don't be over-excited, darling.Oh! I know you want to write to Uncle Peter."
&
nbsp; "Indeed I do: and I will, too. I expect he will be pleased."
"He will," said Kitty. "He will be extra pleased with you, for youworked so very hard."
"Well, show me the book, and do stop talking," said Augusta.
Nan put her treasured volume in Augusta's hands. It was a beautifullybound copy of the works of Racine. Augusta tossed it back.
"Beyond words tiresome," she said. "Who wants to read that stupidthing?"
"But I do; I mean to read every word of it. And, oh, it is sobeautifully bound! And see--do see where they have put my name--'NancyEsterleigh, Prize I. for'"----
"Oh! don't go on," said Augusta.--"Show me your book, Kitty."
"You need not be so ungracious," said Kitty. "I do not think I willshow you my book. Nancy has got a darling, lovely prize.--Have younot, Nancy pet?"
Kitty's prize consisted of a vellum-bound copy of Macaulay's History,and Nora had the works of Shakespeare in several small volumes.Augusta pronounced all the prizes not worth considering, andensconcing herself in a low chair in the window, continued to devour avolume which she had secreted from the drawing-room. Nan was not theonly one who had noticed this habit of Augusta's. Miss Roy was alsoaware of it; but she had made up her mind to say nothing yet.
On the very day before the little party were to go to the country,Augusta received a letter from her mother. It was written from SouthAmerica, and evidently caused the young recipient a good deal ofconsternation.
"My dear Augusta," wrote her mother, "I have been wishing for sometime to send you a really serious letter. I am leaving you at presentin Aunt Jessie's care, and I have no doubt that all has been done foryour benefit. My dear, we left home in a great hurry, and a quickchange had to be made in all our plans. You know, Augusta, that one ortwo things occurred at home before we left which displeased yourfather and me very much. I allude to a certain matter when you werenot quite straight with us. If there is one thing more than anotherwhich your father and I would break our hearts over, it is that you,our precious only child, should be guilty of want of openness or wantof regard for the truth. Now, my dear, I wish to say that we intend toput you on trial during your stay with Aunt Jessie. I have notbreathed a word to her of that fault which, alas! most undoubtedlylies in your character--you are arrogant and selfish, and if it wereto further your own interests you would not hesitate to tell a lie. Itis terribly painful to me to have to write like this to you whom I sodearly love; there is a dreadful pain in my heart, and I could cryover it. But now, Augusta, your father and I have made up our minds.If during your stay with Aunt Jessie you are discovered to haveswerved in the very least from the path of truth and honour, we willnot send you to school in Paris, which it is our present intention todo on our return to England; on the contrary, we will keep you at homewith a very strict governess. My dear, I am obliged to say this, andyou must take what comfort you can out of this letter. It remains withyou whether you go to Paris or not; all, all depends on your conductwhile we are away from you. Pray to God to help you, my dear girl. Iwrite in great sorrow of mind.--Your affectionate mother."
Augusta read this letter over twice; then she took it to her room andput it away in a little drawer, which she locked. That night as shelay down to, rest she thought a good deal over what her mother hadsaid. She was quite determined, at any cost, to go to Paris. If herconduct with regard to Nan were ever known she would lose her chanceof this delightful plan being carried out. Far from going to Paris,she would be immured at home with a dull, old-fashioned, and tiresomegoverness to look after her. Augusta knew by past experience what sucha life would mean. She had more than once already tried the patienceand half-broken the hearts of different governesses who had beenengaged to instruct her. She was fully resolved to have nothing moreto do with so dull an existence. At any cost, therefore, Nan must besilenced. For if Nan brought herself to confess what lay so heavily onher conscience, Augusta must be implicated; therefore Nan must keepsilence.
"What a tiresome little girl she is! I have met no one like her. Howswiftly she fell! and ever since she has been in a wretched state ofmind--making my life quite a misery. Well, I have her pretty much inmy power. I will cosset her up a little when I get to the country, andmake a fuss over her. With all her faults, she is affectionate, and ifI coax and flatter her a bit she will come over to my way of thinking.But I do wish one thing, and it is this---- Why did that tiresomeUncle Peter propose that extraordinary plan of his? I am sure I don'twant to be a soldier. Tiresome, stupid man! But I have promised, and Imust go on with it. To be degraded from the ranks now would be as goodas a failure; to have bad marks in the orderly-book would stamp me forever in mother's eyes. Captain Richmond's plan is just what woulddelight the mother; and father too would be pleased. Of course, whenthey both come back they will hear all about it. Yes, I see what mustbe done: Nan must be encouraged and petted and fussed over, and I musttake my laurels modestly; and then, when the good parents come backfrom America, hurrah for Paris and a good time!"
