The Third Miss St Quentin

by Mrs. Molesworth

muttered.

  Captain Omar smiled again, more thoroughly this time; he had very whiteteeth, and very blue eyes, though his hair was dark and his complexionbronzed. And as his eyes smiled as well as his lips, the effect wasvery pleasant.

  "I cannot expect you to remember," he said. "But I do--the last summeryou spent here, as a baby almost--before you went to live with youraunt--that summer I spent my holidays here--at Cheynesacre, that is tosay. That was in the days when Cheynes was `big Phil,' and ran raceswith a certain little lady perched on his shoulders."

  Ella grew crimson--but she would not seem annoyed by anything CaptainOmar said.

  "Yes," she replied--her calm tone belying her face, "what absurdcreatures children are. But I was really only a baby then. No, I don'tremember you, Captain Omar, but I am very pleased to make youracquaintance."

  She held out her hand graciously--Bernard took it deferentially, as ifhe appreciated the honour. Ella had not shaken hands with Philip.

  "I must be quick," she said, "my sisters will think I have forgottenwhat I was sent for," and with a smile and nod to Captain Omar she flewoff.

  "What a lovely girl she has become," said he enthusiastically.

  Sir Philip gave a sort of grunt.

  "You think so?" he said. "Well, yes--she is very much admired."

  "She will marry soon, I should think," said Captain Omar.

  Sir Philip said nothing.

  "She has no fortune," he remarked dryly after a minute or two's silence.

  Captain Omar gave a slightly bitter laugh.

  "Upon my word I think that fact is not likely to be an obstacle. If--ifMadelene had had no fortune you don't suppose things would have been asthey are for me? I wouldn't have allowed it in that case."

  Sir Philip hesitated.

  "It's not so much her being _rich_, as her having this place--and allthe responsibilities it brings, and the complication of her father andhis peculiar position, and--and latterly the addition of Ella and thecare of her future."

  "But Ella will marry--that's to say she's sure to have opportunities ofdoing so, if Madelene doesn't shut her up," said Captain Omarimpatiently. "Now that I have seen Ella, I understand all these newdifficulties less and less. Yet, surely," and he turned to Philip witha sort of anguish in his eyes, "don't think me a brute, Cheynes, forsaying it--you have known the whole story all through--it can't be thatshe has left off caring for me, and that she puts it on these pretexts,and--"

  "No, no," Sir Philip interrupted, "don't get anything of that kind intoyour head, Omar. I'm perfectly certain that Madelene is as true assteel, and--if things were to disentangle themselves a little, if shewas quite happy and satisfied about Ella's future and saw her way tomarrying you without any fear of conflicting duties, I'm sure it wouldbe all right. Don't lose heart just yet, my good fellow."

  "There's not much time left for keeping up my heart in," the otherreplied. "My leave's over next month, Cheynes."

  But Sir Philip had no time to say more, for just then some other weddingguests made their appearance in the drawing-room.

  It was not till late that afternoon that Sir Philip had an opportunityof putting into practice his doughty resolve of "having it out" withlittle Ella. All had "gone off," as the saying is, to perfection; thebride and bridegroom had driven away, most of the "assistants" hadthoughtfully taken their departure and Madelene, poor Madelene, hadventured to shut herself up for an hour or two like the bride's sisterin the old song. She had some reason for tears, though scarcely as muchas she made herself believe, but Ella in her new-born sympathy with hereldest sister, was almost inclined to exaggerate Madelene's troubles,and ready to fly out like a little turkey-cock at any one who shouldventure to think lightly of them.

  With the object of securing some quiet for Miss St Quentin, Ella hadcleverly decoyed away the few younger guests who were remaining till thenext day, out to the tennis-court, where, with Mrs Burton as chaperon,some sets were quickly arranged. But Ella herself hated tennis, she wasglad to find she was not required to play, and seeing everybodyapparently happily engaged, she strolled off a little way among theshrubberies by herself. A rustic bench in a shady corner tempted her;she sat down, gazing before her vaguely. She felt tired and strange,and the remembrance of the _contretemps_ in the unlucky fernery thatmorning did not tend to soothe or calm her feelings.

  "I wonder what they are going to settle about me," she said to herself."I--I should like to stay here if I could be any good to Madelene, butit doesn't look as if that could be. And for some things I would liketo go away and never come back again. I should like never to see PhilipCheynes again."

  A wish not to be fulfilled, for at that moment a quick step along thepath made her look up, Philip stood before her. Ella's eyes fell, andshe grew red as she congratulated herself that her last words had notbeen spoken aloud. But she quickly looked up again, with a sort of coldinquiry in her face.

  Philip smiled slightly as he caught her expression.

  "Yes," he said, "I knew you would be vexed at my following you. I keptout of the tennis on purpose. I must speak to you, Ella. I want toknow what is the matter. Why did you behave so--uncivilly to me thismorning--and before Omar, too?"

  "I had overheard a little of what you were saying," said Ella haughtily."It was much the same sort of thing as--as that other time."

  Sir Philip muttered something between his teeth which Ella could notcatch. Then suddenly to her surprise his tone changed; he turned to herwith a smile.

  "Are you glad Ermine is married?" he said. "Don't you like West?"

  Ella hesitated.

  "I like what I have seen of him," she replied. "He is not good-lookingthough; he is small and rather insignificant."

  "Not like Omar?"

  "No," she agreed, "not nearly as handsome as Captain Omar." Then with asudden impulse, "Sir Philip," she said, "won't you explain to me--_why_won't Madelene marry Captain Omar? Why am I made a--a burden and adifficulty of? I would do anything; I have been so unhappy. I know Ihave misjudged Madelene in some ways, but I don't now. I do want to--tobe good and nice, and--and--"

  But the rest of her confidences were lost; her voice broke, and Philipknew that she was crying.

  "Ella," he exclaimed, "Ella, darling, I can't bear to see you like that.Have we all been very cruel to you, somehow? I feel as if we had. Ifeel as if _I_ had, and yet--and yet--I would do anything--I would givemy life to make you happy."

  Ella's sobs ceased. She glanced up at Philip with a curious mingling ofexpressions on her face.

  "Sir Philip," she said quietly, "I am not a child. You shouldn't speakto me quite--quite like that, though I know you mean it kindly."

  "Kindly!" he repeated hotly. "Ella--you know it isn't that. I dare sayI'm a fool--you will probably only laugh at me, but I have waited and Idon't think it has done any good. Granny said you were too young, andthat it wasn't fair upon you till you had seen more of the world, butthings have gone wrong quite enough. I won't risk it any more. Ella--do you, no, _could_ you ever get to care for me?"

  Ella's eyes filled with soft tears again.

  "Sir Philip, do you really mean it? Is it not only that you are sorryfor me? I--you are very kind--but I couldn't bear for you only to besorry for me!"

  "My darling--what a way to put it! Sorry for you--my princess! Noindeed! I shall be sorry for myself, if--but it's not going to be that.Ella, you will try to care for me, won't you?"

  "I don't need to try," she answered gently. "It wouldn't be worthy ofyou if any _trying_ were needed. Oh, Philip--if you are sure you meanit--I have been so unhappy. I was so ashamed of--of caring for you--"

  "Ashamed," Philip interrupted.

  "Yes--for I thought you cared for--I thought at least you were going tomarry--Ermine. That was how I misjudged Madelene. That was the _great_reason why I went away."

  Philip's face cleared; a good many mists were dispersed by these wordsof Ella's.

  "But when you _knew_ th
at wasn't true--up to this morning even, why wereyou so strange and cold to me?" he asked.

  "Because there was something you said about my being an obstacle or adifficulty--and of course I had no reason to think you cared for _me_,even if you did not for Ermine. Philip," with a sudden thought, "ifthis is to be--you and me, I mean--will it make it easier for Madeleneto marry Captain Omar?"

  Philip nodded.

  "She will think so, I have no doubt. Though really and truly there wasnothing