CHAPTER XXV
It was then that Bert had his brilliant idea.
To explain it, reference must be made again to his family history. Hisfather's sister had married a grocer at Richmond, named Stodder, shehaving been cook in a family at Hampton Court previous to this event.
The pair had five children, and Bert, when a child, was often taken downto visit his relations; in the hot weather holidays the Stodders had himto stay with them for most of the summer. The children hated him, for hewas a spoilt, ill-tempered little boy from the start, but they had toput up with him, and he grew up on familiar if rather quarrelsome termswith the whole family.
The eldest boy, Ned, after he left school, was employed in driving hisfather's cart about the neighbourhood every day, in order to deliverorders received and to collect fresh ones. It was Bert's favouriteoccupation to sit in the back of the van, his legs dangling, or kickingagainst the backboard, while he watched the white roads slip under himand the grocer's dog trotting with extended tongue beneath his drummingheels. Ned was quite aware of the pleasure his cousin took in this notvery arduous form of exercise, and he soon devised a way of turningit to his own profit. He pointed out to Bert that he could not expectanyone to put up with his company unless he did something to make itworth their while, and that he for one would not suffer Bert's companyin the van unless he justified his presence by cleaning it when theycame home, and by helping to look after the harness and the horse. Bertdisliked work, but he hated to be cut off from his drives, and, as Nedwas quite firm besides being older and stronger than he was, he toldhimself that needs must--and Ned that he was the devil--and took up theduties of stable boy.
Under his critical and unsparing master and to the accompaniment ofmore than a few cuffs and kicks when he tried to shirk his work, Bertbecame more proficient in the care of the grocer's steed than any lesswell-adjusted mixture of pain and pleasure would have been likely toresult in.
As a further reward, too, the stern Ned so far relented as to allow himoccasionally to take the reins. The combination of discipline and freshair did the Tremmels' boy a world of good, and that was a happy summerfor him. Unfortunately, when he returned to Hanover Street his mothersoon undid the good effects of Ned's cuffings; and the following summerwhen he found himself again under his uncle's hospitable roof Ned hadleft it to enter private service in the stables, and his next cousin hadcome out of school and succeeded to the job of driving the van. Geoffreywas of a less good-humoured, easy-going disposition than his brotherNed, and Bert was at this age becoming more and more objectionable; itwas seldom that Geoffrey could be induced to let him go with him on hisrounds, but he followed his brother's example in forcing his cousin toassist him with the horse and cart when he returned with them. This onlyenraged and embittered Bert, and of the good done the year before thelast remnant was now utterly destroyed.
In the meantime, as the years went on, Ned grew up a credit to hisfamily, and a good and favoured servant. So rapid was his progress,and so astounding--as the Tremmels said--his luck, that by the timehe was three-and-twenty he had risen to the situation of coachman toan old lady named Mrs. Wilkinson, the aunt of his former master. Thislady kept only one horse and a brougham, and with them drove out everyafternoon, in winter from three to five, in summer from four to six. Itwas impossible to imagine an easier or more comfortable place, and Bertoften envied his cousin the soft thing he had stepped into.
Ned was the only one of his relations whom he ever went near nowadays,but he used often to go round to his stable during the luncheon hour andexplain to the young coachman how little he deserved his good fortune.
It was not till, for the first time, he beheld Madame Querterot at aloss, not till he heard what in their great plan she had forgotten toprovide for, that he suddenly realised that Ned's good fortune waspossibly his own as well.
"See here," he said to the agitated Frenchwoman, "I can manage thatpart." And he told her of his cousin the coachman.
"Mrs. Wilkinson, the lady he works for, has by the rarest luck ahouse in the same street as the one I have taken. She lives at No. 1Scholefield Avenue, only a few doors away from No. 13. More than that,it happens that she has a large garden at the back of the house, andthe stable is situated at the end of it, quite away from any otherbuildings. There's luck for you!"
"How is that?" cried Madame Querterot, "explain yourself quick." Shewas very nervous and excited, and for the only time during the wholebusiness her calm confidence deserted her. It was so near the hour! Shehad already smoothed away so many difficulties, done the impossible; andif all her hopes were to be shattered now, and by so small an obstacle,it would be, she told herself, the _comble_.
"Why, this way," Bert reassured her. "Ned is always wanting to go hometo Richmond, because the young lady he's keeping company with lives downthere, though he makes out to me that it's his family he wants to see.As if anyone wanted to see their family! But his old lady drives outtill six every day, and by the time Ned has cleaned up and rubbed downthe horse, and fed him, and washed the brougham and the rest of it, it'stoo late to get a decent train down to Richmond, for it's a tidy wayfrom Scholefield Avenue to Gloucester Road, where the trains connect.
"Now suppose I go to Ned, and tell him I know he wants an evening off,and that if he likes I don't mind doing his job for once, so as he canhave it. I'll offer to be about on Monday, when he comes in from takingold Mrs. Wilkinson out for her drive, and to look after the horse and toput it to bye-bye. I've often done it for him when I was a lad, so heknows I can manage, though I don't say he won't be a bit surprised atmy offering, so to speak. I think perhaps I'd best say I'll do it for aconsideration; he'll be good for a bob where his young lady's concerned,I'll bet. What's more, I'll say I'll feed the horse in the morning, sohe won't have to catch the last train back, but can stay down home forthe night. After I've seen him off the premises I'll get inside hislivery--he's a bigger man than me, though not so long in the leg--andI'll put the horse in again and drive down to Covent Garden and fetchthe lady up. We can say the Prince is sending his own carriage for her."
Madame Querterot nearly wept on Bert's neck in her joy and emotion.
"You will save us, my dear friend!" she exclaimed, pressing his hand,a demonstration that he resented by snatching it savagely away. "What amind, what a genius, to think of so splendid, so heaven-given a device!Let it be as you say. I am well assured now that all will go well."
These last days were a busy time for Madame Querterot, for there werecertain personal details, essential to the success of her plan, tobe attended to: there were bills to collect, sales to arrange, andpurchases to be made. At last all was done, everything ready, and shestood in the hall of No. 13 Scholefield Avenue awaiting, with only theleast flicker of the nerves, the sound of wheels before the door.
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