Chapter Sixteenth.
"Muse not that I thus suddenly proceed; For what I will, I will, and there's an end." --Shakespeare.
There were guests from the neighborhood at both dinner and tea, some ofwhom remained during the evening.
Juliet was unusually gay and sprightly, but to Mildred, who watched herfurtively, her unwonted mirthfulness seemed to cover other and deeperfeelings. There were signs of agitation, perhaps unnoticed by a casualobserver, a nervous tremor, a hectic flush on her cheek, a slight startat some sudden noise, or an unexpected address.
She was thrumming on the piano and shrieking out an air from a popularopera, at the top of her voice, when at ten o'clock, Mildred slippedquietly away to her own room.
Merely exchanging her evening dress for a neat dressing gown, Mildredthrew herself upon a couch to await Miss Worth's summons, and contraryto her expectations, presently fell into a sound sleep.
She was awakened by a touch on the shoulder and started up to find thegoverness standing by her side.
"Will you come now?" she asked in low, agitated tones. "It is half pasttwelve, and I must start out at once."
"Yes, I am quite ready," Mildred answered, and wrapping a shawl abouther shoulders, followed the lead of the governess.
A window on the landing of the principal staircase, down which Julietwould be likely to pass, was on the same side of the house with the oneunder which the signal was to be given.
There could be no better post of observation, and here Mildred seatedherself, upon the broad sill, while her companion, parting from herwith a whispered word of mingled thanks, caution and entreaty, glideddown the stairs and let herself out at a side door, using extremecaution to make no noise.
Thence she gained the avenue, and beyond that the road. Here she pausedand hesitated. She was not sure from which direction her brother wouldcome; but she must make a choice.
She did so and crept onward, keeping a narrow foot-path that ranparallel with the road, and between it and a hedge that enclosed thelawn and adjacent orchard.
Left thus alone, Mildred sat still, her heart beating fast withexcitement and timidity, for the house was dark and silent almost asthe grave.
But she bethought herself of Him to whom the night shineth as the day,and darkness and light are both alike, and with the thought grew calmand quiet. She was in the path of duty, and need fear no evil, becauseHe was with her.
Yet the waiting time seemed long. How would it end? If Miss Worth weresuccessful, only in her stealthy return; otherwise probably with thesignal and then a struggle between Juliet and herself.
She had begun to breathe more freely with the thought that the time forthat must have passed, and was straining her ear to catch the faintsound of Miss Worth's approach, when the loud hoot of an owl from theshrubbery beneath the window, broke the silence with a suddenness thatnearly startled her from her seat, and set her heart to throbbingwildly again.
She pressed her hand against her side to still it, while she bentforward, listening intently for some answering sound from above.
A moment of utter stillness, then a slight creak, as of a door openedwith extreme care, followed by other slight sounds as though some onewere stealing softly down the hall, and Mildred slipped from her perchand back into the shadow of the wall, almost holding her breath forwhat was to come.
The stealthy step drew nearer; something was gliding past her when,with a quick movement, she stepped before, and threw her arms aroundit--a tall, slight figure muffled in a cloak.
There was a low, half stifled cry, then a struggle for release.
"Unhand me," muttered Juliet in a tone of intense, but suppressed fury."Is there no limit to your insolent interference?"
"Juliet, it is I!" whispered Mildred, not relaxing her hold in theleast. "I only want to save you from falling a prey to a villain who isafter your money, would ruin you to get it: for he already has a wife."
"I don't believe a word of it! Let me go, let me go, I say!" andwrenching herself free she dealt Mildred a blow that sent herstaggering against the wall.
But she recovered herself instantly and sprang after Juliet, who wasgliding down the stairs toward the lower hall.
She caught her as they reached the hall below.
"Juliet, Juliet, are you mad?" she panted; "will you forsake all youlove--all that life holds dear for that scoundrel?"
"What business is it of yours?" demanded Juliet fiercely, and tryingwith all her strength to shake her off. "I tell you I will not beprevented by you or anybody. Let go of me, I say, or I will do you amischief."
"I will not let you go," returned Mildred. "Come back or I will callaloud and rouse the house." What would have happened it is impossibleto tell, had not help come at that precise moment.
A carriage had driven up to the front entrance, the rumble of itswheels sending the cowardly villain in the shrubbery flying to theadjacent woods.
The girls, in the excitement of their struggle, had not heard itsapproach, but the sudden opening of the front door, and the sound ofMr. Dinsmore's step and voice as he entered, accompanied by his bodyservant, to whom he was giving some order as to the disposal of hisluggage, caused them to loose their hold of each other.
Juliet darted up the stairs, while Mildred dropped into a chair; herstrength completely forsaking her with the withdrawal of the necessityfor its exertion.
"Who is here?" demanded Mr. Dinsmore, his ear catching the rustle ofJuliet's garments and the sound of Mildred's heavy breathing.
"Solon, strike a light instantly."
"It is I, uncle," panted Mildred, bursting into hysterical sobs.
"You, Mildred!" he exclaimed in utter astonishment as he recognized thevoice. "Why, child, what on earth are you doing here at this time ofnight? All in the dark too. What has gone wrong? are you sick?"
Solon had struck a match and succeeded in lighting the hall lamp, andwith Mr. Dinsmore's last question its rays fell full upon Mildred'sface, showing it pale, agitated, and with eyes brimming with tears.
"Why, you are as white as a sheet!" he exclaimed, laying his handaffectionately on her shoulder. "Child, child, what is the matter?"
In a few rapid, rather incoherent sentences, she gave him an inkling ofthe state of affairs; to which he returned a volley of questions, andwithout waiting for an answer to any of them, "Out into the shrubbery,Solon," he commanded, "call Ajax and Pomp, to help; catch the rascal ifyou can, and bring him to me."
Then to Mildred, repeating his queries, "Where is Juliet!" he asked."Where is Miss Worth? How does she come to know about the villain orhis plot to carry off Juliet? what is he to her?"
"I don't know, sir, what he is to her," said Mildred, "but she says shehas known him all his life, and a letter she received to-day told herof his marriage; that he has a living wife."
"He has? the scoundrel!" cried her listener.
"Yes sir; and of course, on learning that, Miss Worth was more thanever determined to frustrate his plans."
"Well, what more, and where is this precious fool of a Juliet? I wishall girls were blessed with your common sense, child."
"She ran up stairs as you came in, sir."
"And may have come down by the back stairway and made off with therascal, after all!" he exclaimed in alarm. "Run up to her room, Milly,and see if she is there, while I look about below here."
Mildred went at once, though she would much rather have been excused;for the errand was no pleasant one; she was very reluctant to meetJuliet again at that moment; but fortunately was spared the necessity,as, on nearing the door of Juliet's sleeping room, she distinctly heardher voice in conversation with Reba.
She hurried down again with her report, which her uncle received withgrim satisfaction.
"That is well," he said. "Now I'll join in the search for thescoundrel, and I promise you that if we catch him, he'll not get awayunhurt. But where is Miss Worth, child? you have not answered thatquestion yet."
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bsp; As he spoke, a side door opened, and a tall black robed figure glidedin.
"Miss Worth!" he exclaimed, catching sight of her face.
"Yes," she said in a hoarse whisper, leaning back against the wall, andlooking ready to faint.
"You are ill," he said; "let me help you into the library and give youa glass of wine."
She hardly seemed to hear him. Her eyes were fixed in eager, terrifiedquestioning upon Mildred's face.
"Juliet is in her room," the latter hastened to say.
"Thank God for that!" she said in quivering tones. "And he?"
"Is gone, I suppose. No one has seen him, as far as I know."
At that moment one of the men put his head in at the door. "Can't findthe rascal, massa; reckon he dun gone cl'ar off de place."
"Quite likely; but as he may return, you are to be on the watch tillsunrise," was the reply.
"You didn't meet him?" Mildred asked, drawing near the governess, andspeaking in an undertone.
"No; I must have taken the wrong road. Mr. Dinsmore, I owe you anexplanation. Shall it be given now?"
The voice was very low, very tremulous, but the sad eyes were liftedunflinchingly to his stern face.
"As you please," he said, his features softening a little at sight ofher distress. "You look hardly able to make it now, and some hourslater will answer just as well. Indeed, I think we would all do well togo to our beds as soon as possible. But stay a moment."
He stepped into the dining-room, and returned with a glass of wine,which he offered to the governess, saying, "You look ready to faint;drink this, it will do you good."
"No, no, never," she cried, shuddering and recoiling as from a serpent;"it has been the ruin of those I love best."
"Very well," he said coldly, "Mildred, will you take it?"
"No, thank you, uncle; I do not need it and would rather not," theyoung girl answered pleasantly.
"Silly girl," he said, draining the glass himself. "Well, good night,ladies; or rather good morning. Miss Worth, I will see you in thelibrary directly after breakfast."
So saying he left them.
"What a blessing that it has turned out so well," Mildred said to hercompanion.
"Has it?" queried the governess, in a bewildered tone, and putting herhand to her head. "I feel as though the earth were reeling beneath myfeet. I can not think."
"Let me help you to your room; a few hours' rest will make all rightagain with you, I trust," Mildred said compassionately.
"Don't allow yourself to feel anxious or distressed," she went on, asshe assisted her up the stairs. "I am sure uncle will not be hard withyou when he learns how free from blame you are; Juliet has been saved,and he seems to have escaped, and will not be likely to try it again."
"Ah, if I could have met and warned him," sighed the governess.
"Surely it is better as it is, since he has got away without," reasonedMildred: "for might he not have been angry and abusive?"
"True, too true!" she murmured, catching at the balusters to keep fromfalling; "yes, it is better so; but my brain reels and I cannot think."
Mildred was alarmed. "What can I do for you?" she asked.
"Nothing, nothing, but help me to my bed, thank you, I shall be betterwhen I have slept off this horrible fatigue and weakness. Oh, such atramp and weary waiting as it was!--out in the cold and darkness on alonely road," she gasped shudderingly, as she sank down upon her bed."It seemed as if I should drop down and die before I could get back tothe house. And my terror for him! that was the worst of all!"
"I don't think he deserves your love and care for him!" Mildred said,her indignation waxing hot against the worthless villain.
"Perhaps not," she sighed, "but he loved me once, and he was a noblefellow then. And I--ah, he told me I had helped to ruin him!"
"But it wasn't true?" Mildred said in a tone of indignant inquiry.
Miss Worth did not seem to hear. "I shall do now," she said presently,"and you need rest. Do go to your bed, Miss Mildred. Perhaps I shallsleep if left alone."
Perceiving that she could be of no further assistance, Mildred went notunwillingly, for she too was quite worn out with fatigue and excitement.
It was eight o'clock when she woke, but she was ready for the summonsto breakfast, which was not served that morning until near nine.
Juliet did not make an appearance at the meal. She was indisposed, Rebareported, and would take a cup of tea in her own room.
"The best place for her," commented Mr. Dinsmore shortly.
"What do you mean by that?" queried his wife, who had heard nothing ofthe occurrences of the past night.
"Just what I say and I hope she will have the grace to stay there tillher father comes for her, as I requested him to do by this morning'smail."
"Mr. Dinsmore, _will_ you explain yourself?" exclaimed his wife in atone of exasperation.
"It will not require many words," he answered drily. "She would haveeloped with another woman's husband last night if she had not beenhindered."
"Another woman's husband!" echoed Reba in astonishment and dismay--"Idid not know it was so bad as that!"
"Dreadful! impossible!" cried Mrs. Dinsmore, dropping her knife andfork and bursting into tears. "Don't tell me a niece of mine could dosuch a thing as that! Mr. Dinsmore, it's a cruel joke."
"No joke at all," he said, "but the simple, unvarnished truth; thoughof course she refused to believe that the man was married."
"And who is the wretch?" cried his wife, grinding her teeth. "If you'dbeen half a man, you'd have shot him down!"
"I'm no murderer, madam," was the biting retort, "and in my opinion acowhiding would much better befit so cowardly a scoundrel. I shouldhave administered that with hearty good will, could I have laid handson him."
"I wish you had!" she exclaimed with passionate vehemence. "I am gladyou wrote for Mr. Marsden, and I hope he will come at once and takethat shameful girl away before she does anything more to bring disgraceon the family. Reba, why did you let her do so?"
"I, Aunt Belle? I'm not in her confidence, and was as ignorant andinnocent as yourself in regard to the whole thing."
"Who did hinder her? am I not to hear the whole story?" demanded Mrs.Dinsmore, turning to her spouse again.
"I presume it will all be unfolded to you in time," was the cool reply."I have not heard it fully myself yet. Mildred here," and he lookedpleasantly at her, "knows more about it than I do; and to her, Ibelieve, our thanks are due for preventing the mischief."
"To Miss Worth, uncle, much more than to me," Mildred said, blushingand feeling decidedly uncomfortable under the surprised, scrutinizingglances of her aunt and Reba. "It was she who found it all out, triedto persuade Juliet to give it up, and when she failed in that, toldme--"
"Told you!" interrupted Mrs. Dinsmore, with indignation. "Why did shenot come to me instead? I was the proper person by all odds."
Mildred was at a loss for a reply that should not damage the cause ofthe governess; but Mr. Dinsmore came to her relief. "I presume, mydear, it was to save you from the mortification of hearing of yourniece's contemplated folly, and her from that of having you madeacquainted with it."
Mildred at Roselands Page 16
