CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
THE SECRET CONFESSED.
"Something has happened! Something terrible has happened to the child!And she was left in our charge. We are responsible. Oh, if any harmhas happened to Peggy, however, ever, ever, can I bear to live and sendthe news to her parents--"
"My dearest, you have done your best; you could not have been kinder ormore thoughtful. No blame can attach to you. Remember that Peggy is inhigher hands than yours. However far from us she may be, she can neverstray out of God's keeping. It all seems very dark and mysterious,but--"
At this moment a loud rat-tat-tat sounded on the knocker, and with oneaccord the hearers darted into the hall, and stood panting and gasping,while Arthur threw open the door.
"Telegram, sir!" said a sharp, young voice, and the brown envelope whichcauses so much agitation in quiet households was thrust forward in asmall cold hand. Arthur looked at the address and handed it to thevicar.
"It is for you, sir, but it cannot possibly be anything about--"
Mr Asplin tore open the envelope, glanced over the words, and brokeinto an exclamation of amazement. "It is! It is from Peggyherself!--`Euston Station. Returning by 10.30 train. Please meet me attwelve o'clock.--Peggy.' What in the world does it mean?" He lookedround the group of anxious faces, only to see his own expression ofbewilderment repeated on each in turn.
"Euston! Returning! She is in London. She is coming back from town!"
"She ran away to London, to-night when she was so happy, when Arthur hadjust arrived! Why? Why? Why?"
"She must have caught the seven o'clock train."
"She must have left the house almost immediately after going upstairs todress for dinner."
"Oh, father, why should she go to London?"
"I am quite unable to tell you, my dear," replied the vicar drily. Helooked at his wife's white, exhausted face, and his eyes flashed withthe "A-word-with-you-in-my-study" expression, which argued ill for MissPeggy's reception. Mrs Asplin, however, was too thankful to know ofthe girl's safety to have any thought for herself. She began to smile,with the tears still running down her face, and to draw long breaths ofrelief and satisfaction.
"It's no use trying to guess at that, Millie dear. It is enough for meto know that she is alive and well. We shall just have to try andcompose ourselves in patience until we hear Peggy's own explanation.Let me see! There is nearly an hour before you need set out. What canwe do to pass the time as quickly as possible?"
"Have some coffee, I should say! None of us have had too much dinner,and a little refreshment would be very welcome after all this strain,"said Arthur promptly, and Mrs Asplin eagerly welcomed the suggestion.
"That's what I call a really practical proposal! Ring the bell, dear,and I will order it at once. I am sure we shall all have thankfulhearts while we drink it." She looked appealingly at Mr Asplin as shespoke; but there was no answering smile on his face, and the lines downhis cheeks looked deeper and grimmer than ever.
"Oh, goody, goody, goodness, aren't I glad I am not Peggy!" sighedMellicent to herself; while Arthur Saville pursed his lips together, andthought, "Poor little Peg! She'll catch it. I've never seen thedominie look so savage. This is a nice sort of treat for a fellow whohas been ordered away for rest and refreshment! I wish the next twohours were safely over."
Wishing, unfortunately, however, can never carry us over the painfulcrises of our lives. We have to face them as best we may, and Arthurneeded all his cheery confidence to sustain him during the damp walkwhich followed, when the vicar tramped silently by his side, his shovelhat pulled over his eyes, his mackintosh coat flapping to and fro in thewind.
They reached the station in good time, and punctually to the minute thelights of the London express were seen in the distance. The train drewup, and among the few passengers who alighted the figure of Peggy, inher scarlet-trimmed hat, was easily distinguished. She was assisted outof the carriage by an elderly gentleman, in a big travelling coat, whostood by her side as she looked about for her friends. As Mr Asplinand Arthur approached, they only heard his hearty, "Now you are allright!" and Peggy's elegant rejoinder, "Exceedingly indebted to you forall your kindness!" Then he stepped back into the carriage, and shecame forward to meet them, half shy, half smiling, "I--I am afraid thatyou--"
"We will defer explanations, Mariquita, if you please, until we reachhome. A fly is waiting. We will return as quickly as possible," saidthe vicar frigidly; and the brother and sister lagged behind as he ledthe way out of the station, gesticulating and whispering together infurtive fashion.
"Oh, you Peggy! _Now_ you have done it! No end of a row!"
"Couldn't help it! Had to go. Stick to me, Arthur, whatever you do!"
"Like a leech! We'll worry through somehow. Never say die!" Then thefly was reached, and they jolted home in silence.
Mrs Asplin and the four young folks were sitting waiting in thedrawing-room, and each one turned an eager, excited face towards thedoorway as Peggy entered, her cheeks white, but with shining eyes, andhair ruffled into little curls beneath the scarlet cap. Mrs Asplinwould have rushed forward in welcome, but a look in her husband's facerestrained her, and there was a deathlike silence in the room as he tookup his position by the mantelpiece.
"Mariquita," he said slowly, "you have caused us to-night some hours ofthe most acute and painful anxiety which we have ever experienced. Youdisappeared suddenly from among us, and until ten o'clock, when yourtelegram arrived, we had not the faintest notion as to where you couldbe. The most tragic suspicions came to our minds. We have spent theevening in rushing to and fro, searching and inquiring in alldirections. Mrs Asplin has had a shock from which, I fear, she will besome time in recovering. Your brother's pleasure in his visit has beenspoiled. We await your explanation. I am at a loss to imagine anyreason sufficiently good to excuse such behaviour; but I will say nomore until I have heard what you have to say."
Peggy stood like a prisoner at the bar, with hanging head and handsclasped together. As the vicar spoke of his wife, she darted a look atMrs Asplin, and a quiver of emotion passed over her face. When he hadfinished she drew a deep breath, raised her head and looked him full inthe face with her bright, earnest eyes.
"I am sorry," she said slowly. "I can't tell you in words _how_ sorry Iam. I know it will be difficult, but I hope you will forgive me. I wasthinking what I had better do while I was coming back in the train, andI decided that I ought to tell you everything, even though it issupposed to be a secret. Robert will forgive me, and it is Robert'ssecret as much as mine. I'll begin at the beginning. About five weeksago Robert saw an advertisement of a prize that was offered by amagazine. You had to make up a calendar with quotations for every dayin the year, and the person who sent in the best selection would getthirty pounds. Rob wanted the money very badly to buy a microscope, andhe asked me to help him. I was to have ten pounds for myself if we won,but I didn't care about that. I just wanted to help Rob. I said Iwould take the money, because I knew if I didn't he would not let mework so hard, and I thought I would spend it in buying p-p-presents foryou all at Christmas."--Peggy's voice faltered at this point, and shegulped nervously several times before she could go on with herstory.--"We had to work very hard, because the time was so short.Robert had not seen the advertisement until it had been out some time.I printed the headings on the cards; that is why I sat so much in my ownroom. The last fortnight I have been writing every morning before sixo'clock. Oh, you can't think how difficult it was to get it finished,but Robert was determined to go on; he thought our chance was very good,because he had found some beautiful extracts, and translated others, andthe pages really looked pretty and dainty. The manuscript had to be inLondon this morning; if it missed the post last night, all our workwould have been wasted, and at the last moment Lady Darcy took Rob awaywith her, and I was left with everything to finish. I _may_ have slepta little bit the last two nights; I did lie down for an hour or two,
andI _may_ have had a doze, but I don't think so! I wrote the last wordthis morning after the breakfast-bell had rung, and I made up the parcelat twelve o'clock. I thought of going out and posting it then; ofcourse, that is what I should have done, but,"--her voice trembled oncemore--"I was so tired! I thought I would give it to the postman myself,and that would do just as well. I didn't put it with the lettersbecause I was afraid someone would see the address and ask questions,and Rob had said that I was to keep it a secret until we knew whether wehad won. I left the parcel on my table. Then Arthur came! I was sohappy--there was so much to talk about--we had tea--it seemed like fiveminutes. Everyone was amazed when we found it was time to dress, buteven then I forgot all about the calendar. I only remembered thatArthur was here, and was going to stay for four days, and all the wayupstairs I was saying to myself, `I'm happy, I'm happy; oh I _am_happy!' because, you know, though you are so kind, you have manyrelatives belonging to you whom you love better than me, and my ownpeople are all far-away, and sometimes I've been very lonely! I thoughtof nothing but Arthur, and then I opened the door of my room, and there,before my eyes, was the parcel--Rob's parcel that he had trusted to me--that I had solemnly promised to post in time--"
She stopped short, and there was a gasp of interest and commiserationamong the listeners. Peggy caught it; she glanced sharply at thevicar's face, saw its sternness replaced by a momentary softness, andwas quick to make the most of her opportunity. Out flew the dramaticlittle hand, her eyes flashed, her voice thrilled with suppressedexcitement.
"It lay there before my eyes, and I stood and looked at it.--I thoughtof nothing, but just stood and stared. I heard you all come upstairs,and the doors shut, and Arthur's voice laughing and talking; but therewas only one thing I could remember--I had forgotten Rob's parcel, andhe would come back, and I should have to tell him, and see his face! Ifelt as if I were paralysed, and then suddenly I seized the parcel in myhands, and flew downstairs. I put on my cap and cloak and went out intothe garden. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I was going to do_something_! I ran on and on, through the village, down towards thestation. I knew it was too late for the post-office, but I had a sortof feeling that if I were at the station something might be done. Justas I got there a train came in, and I heard the porter call out, `Londonexpress.' I thought--No! I did not think at all--I just ran up to acarriage and took a seat, and the door banged, and away we went. Theporter came and asked for my ticket, and I had a great deal of troubleto convince him that I had only come from here, and not all the way.There was an old lady in the carriage, and she told him that it wasquite true, for she had seen me come in. When we went off again, shelooked at me very hard, and said, `Are you in trouble, dear?' and Isaid, `Yes, I am; but oh, please don't talk to me! Do please leave mealone!' for I had begun to realise what I had done, and that I couldn'tbe back for hours and hours, and that you would all be anxious andunhappy. I think I was as miserable as you were when I sent off thattelegram. I posted the parcel in London, and went and sat in thewaiting-room. I had an hour and a half to wait, and I was wretched andnervous and horribly hungry. I had no money left except a few coppers,and I was afraid to spend them and have nothing left. It seemed like awhole day, but at last the train came in, and I saw an old gentlemanwith white hair standing on the platform. I took a fancy to hisappearance, so I walked up to him, and bowed, and said, `Excuse me,sir--I find myself in a dilemma! Will you allow me to travel in thesame carriage as yourself?' He was most agreeable. He had travelledall over the world, and talked in the most interesting fashion, but Icould not listen to his conversation. I was too unhappy. Then wearrived, and Mr Asplin called me `M-M-Mariquita!' and w-wouldn't letyou kiss me--"
Her voice broke helplessly this time, and she stood silent, withquivering lip, while sighs and sobs of sympathy echoed from every side.Mrs Asplin cast a glance at her husband, half defiant, half appealing,met a smile of assent, and rushed impetuously to Peggy's side.
"My darling! I'll kiss you now. You see we knew nothing of yourtrouble, dear, and we were so very, very anxious. Mr Asplin is notangry with you any longer, are you, Austin? You know now that she hadno intention of grieving us, and that she is truly sorry--"
"I never thought--I never thought,"--sobbed Peggy; and the vicar gave aslow, kindly smile.
"Ah, Peggy, that is just what I complain about. You don't think, dear,and that causes all the trouble. No, I am not angry any longer. Irealise that the circumstances were peculiar, and that your distress wasnaturally very great. At the same time, it was a most mad thing for agirl of your age to rush off by rail, alone, and at night-time, to aplace like London. You say that you had only a few coppers left in yourpurse. Now suppose there had been no train back to-night, what wouldyou have done? It does not bear thinking of, my dear; or that youshould have waited alone in the station for so long, or thrown yourselfon strangers for protection. What would your parents have said to suchan escapade?"
Peggy sighed, and cast down her eyes. "I think they would have beencross too. I am sure they would have been anxious, but I know theywould forgive me when I was sorry, and promised that I really and trulywould try to be better and more thoughtful! They would say, `Peggydear, you have been sufficiently punished! Consider yourselfabsolved!'"
The vicar's lips twitched, and a twinkle came into his eye. "Well then,I will say the same! I am sure you have regretted your hastiness bythis time, and it will be a lesson to you in the future. For Arthur'ssake, as well as your own, we will say no more on the subject. It wouldbe a pity if his visit were spoiled. Just one thing, Peggy, to show youthat, after all, grown-up people are wiser than young ones, and that itis just as well to refer to them now and then, in matters of difficulty.Has it ever occurred to you that the mail went up to London by the verytrain in which you yourself travelled, and that by giving your parcel tothe guard it could still have been put in the bag? Did that thoughtnever occur to your wise little brain?"
Peggy made a gesture as of one heaping dust and ashes on her head. "Inever did," she said, "not for a single moment! And I thought I was soclever! I am prostrate with confusion!"
About Peggy Saville Page 18
