by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER XI.--"I CANNOT ALTER MY PLANS."
Immediately after lunch Lady Frances beckoned Evelyn to her side.
"Go up-stairs and ask Jasper to dress you," she said. "The carriage willbe round in a few minutes."
Evelyn wanted to expostulate. She looked full at Audrey. Surely Audreywould protect her from the terrible infliction of a long drive alonewith Lady Frances! Audrey did catch Evelyn's beseeching glance; she tooka step forward.
"Do you particularly want Evelyn this afternoon, mother?" she asked.
"Yes, dear; if I did not want her I should not ask her to come with me."
Lady Frances's words were very impressive; Audrey stood silent.
"Please tell her--please tell her!" interrupted Evelyn in a voicetremulous with passion.
"We are going to have charades to-night, mother, and Evelyn's part issomewhat important; we are all to rehearse in the schoolroom at threeo'clock."
"And my part is very important," interrupted Evelyn again.
"I am sorry," said Lady Frances, "but Evelyn must come with me. Is thereno one else to take the part, Audrey?"
"Yes, mother; Sophie could do it. She has a very small part, and she isa good actress, and Evelyn could easily do Sophie's part; but, all thesame, it will disappoint Eve."
"I am sorry for that," said Lady Frances; "but I cannot alter my plans.Give Sophie the part that Evelyn would have taken; Evelyn can take herpart.--You will have plenty of time, Evelyn, when you return to coach forthe small part."
"Yes, you will, Evelyn; but I am sorry, all the same," said Audrey, andshe turned away.
Evelyn's lips trembled. She stood motionless; then she slowly revolvedround, intending to fire some very angry words into Lady Frances's face;but, lo and behold! there was no Lady Frances there. She had goneup-stairs while Evelyn was lost in thought.
Very quietly the little girl went up to her own room. Jasper, her eyesalmost swollen out of her head with crying, was there to wait on her.
"I have been packing up, Miss Evelyn," she said. "I am to go thisafternoon. Her ladyship has made all arrangements, and a cab is to comefrom the 'Green Man' in the village to fetch me and my luggage athalf-past three. It is almost past belief, Miss Eve, that you and meshould be parted like this."
"You look horrid, Jasper, when you cry so hard!" said Evelyn. "Oh, ofcourse I am awfully sorry; I do not know how I shall live without you."
"You will miss me a good bit," said the woman. "I am surprised, though,that you should take it as you do. If you raised your voice and startedthe whole place in an uproar you would be bound to have your own way.But as it is, you are mum as you please; never a word out of you eitherof sorrow or anything else, but off you go larking with those childrenand forgetting the one who has made you, mended you, and done everythingon earth for you since long before your mother died."
"Don't remind me of mothery now," said the girl, and her lips trembled;then she added in a changed voice: "I cannot help it, Jasper. I havebeen fighting ever since I came here, and I want to fight--oh, mostbadly, most desperately!--but somehow the courage has gone out of me. Iam ever so sorry for you, Jasper, but I cannot help myself; I reallycannot."
Jasper was silent. After a time she said slowly:
"And your mother wrote a letter on her deathbed asking Lady Frances tolet me stay with you whatever happened."
"I know," said Evelyn. "It is awful of her; it really is."
"And do you think," continued the woman, "I am going to submit?"
"Why, you must, Jasper. You cannot stay if they do not wish for you. Andyou have got all your wages, have you not?"
"I have, my dear; I have. Yes," continued the woman; "she thinks, ofcourse, that I am satisfied, and that I am going as mum as a mouse andas quiet as the grave, but she is fine and mistook; I ain't doingnothing of the sort. Go I must, but not far. I have a plan in my head.It may come to nothing; but if it does come to something, as I hope togoodness it will, then you will hear of me again, my pet, and I won't befar off to protect you if the time should come that you need me. Andnow, what do you want of me, my little lamb, for your face is piteous tosee?"
"I am a miserable girl," said Evelyn. "I could cry for hours, but thereis no time. Dress me, then, for the last time, Jasper. Oh, Jasperdarling, I am fond of you!"
Evelyn's stoical, hard sort of nature seemed to give way at thisjuncture; she flung her arms round her maid's neck and kissed her manytimes passionately. The woman kissed her, too, in a hungry sort of way.
"You are really not going far away, Jasper?" said Evelyn when, dressedin her coat and hat, she was ready to start.
"My plans are laid but not made yet," said the woman. "You will hearfrom me likely to-morrow, my love. And now, good-by. I have packed allyour things in the trunks they came in, and the wardrobe is empty. Oh,my pet, my pet, good-by! Who will look after you to-night, and who willsleep in the little white bed alongside of you? Oh, my darling, thespirit of your Jasper is broke, that it is!"
"Evelyn!" called her aunt, who was passing her room at that moment, "thecarriage is at the door. Come at once."
Evelyn ran down-stairs. She wore a showy, unsuitable hat and a showy,unsuitable jacket. She got quickly into the carriage, and flopped downby the side of the stately Lady Frances.
Lady Frances was a very judicious woman in her way. She reprimandedwhenever in her opinion it was necessary to reprimand, but she nevernagged. It needed but a glance to show her that Evelyn required to beeducated in every form of good-breeding, and that education the goodwoman fully intended to take in hand without a moment's delay, but shedid not intend to find fault moment by moment. She said nothing,therefore, either in praise or blame to the small, awkward, conceitedlittle girl by her side; but she gave orders to stop at Simpson's in theHigh Street, and the carriage started briskly forward. Wynford Castlewas within half a mile of the village which was called after it, andfive miles away from a large and very important cathedral town--thecathedral town of Easterly. During the drive Lady Frances chatted in thesort of tone she would use to a small girl, and Evelyn gave short andsulky replies. Finding that her conversation was not interesting to hersmall guest, the good lady became silent and wrapped up in her ownthoughts. Presently they arrived at Simpson's, and there the lady andthe child got out and entered the shop. Evelyn was absolutely bewilderedby the amount of things which her aunt ordered for her. It is true thatshe had had, as Jasper expressed it, quite a small trousseau when inParis; but during her mother's lifetime her dresses had come to herslowly and with long intervals between. Mrs. Wynford had been a showybut by no means a good dresser; she loved the gayest, most bizarrecolors, and she delighted in adorning her child with bits of feathers,scraps of shabby lace, beads, and such-like decorations. After hermother's death, when Evelyn, considered herself rich, she and Jasperpurchased the same sort of things, only using better materials. Thus thethin silk was exchanged for thick silk, cotton-back satin for the realarticle, velveteen for velvet, cheap lace for real lace, and the gailycolored beads for gold chains and strings of pearls. Nothing in Evelyn'sopinion and nothing in Jasper's opinion could be more exquisitelybeautiful than the toilet which Evelyn brought to Castle Wynford; butLady Frances evidently thought otherwise. She ordered a dark-blue serge,with a jacket to match, to be put in hand immediately for the littlegirl; she bought a dark-gray dress, ready made, which was to be senthome that same evening. She got a neat black hat to wear with the dress,and a thick black pilot-cloth jacket to cover the small person of theheiress. As to her evening-dresses, she chose them of fine, soft whitesilk and fine, soft muslin; and then, having added a large store ofunderclothing, all of the best quality, and one or two pale-pink andpale-blue evening-frocks, all severely plain, she got once more into hercarriage, and, accompanied by Evelyn, drove home. On the seat in frontof the pair reposed a box which contained a very simple white muslinfrock for Evelyn to wear that evening.
"I suppose Jasper will have gone when I get back?" said the little girlto Lady Frances.
"Certainly," said Lady Frances. "I ordered her to be out of the house byhalf-past three; it is now past five o'clock."
"What am I to do for a maid?"
"My servant Read shall wait on you to-night and every evening andmorning until our guests have gone; then Audrey's maid Louisa willattend on you."
"But I want a maid all to myself."
"You cannot have one. Louisa will give you what assistance is necessary.I presume you do not want to be absolutely dependent; you would like tobe able to do things for yourself."
"In mother's time I did everything for myself, but now it is different.I am a very, very rich girl now."
Lady Frances was silent when Evelyn made this remark.
"I am rich, am I not, Aunt Frances?" said the little heiress almosttimidly.
"I cannot see where the riches come in, Evelyn. At the present momentyou depend on your uncle for every penny that is spent upon you."
"But I am the heiress!"
"Let the future take care of itself. You are a little girl--small,insignificant, and ignorant. You require to be trained and looked after,and to have your character moulded, and for all these things you dependon the kindness of your relations. The fact is this, Evelyn: at presentyou have not the slightest idea of your true position. When you findyour level I shall have hopes of you--not before."
Evelyn leant back hopelessly in the carriage and began to sob. After atime she said:
"I wish you would let me keep Jasper."
Lady Frances was silent.
"Why won't you let me keep Jasper?"
"I do not consider it good for you."
"But mothery asked you to."
"It gives me pain, Evelyn, under the circumstances to refuse yourmother's request; but I have consulted your uncle, and we both feel thatthe steps I have taken are the only ones to take."
"Who will sleep in my room to-night?"
"Are you such a baby as to need anybody?"
"I never slept alone in my life. I am quite terrified. I suppose yourbig, ancient house is haunted?"
"Oh, what a silly child you are! Very well, for a night or two I willhumor you, and Read shall sleep in the room; but now clearly understandI allow no bedroom suppers and no gossip--but Read will see to that. Now,make up your mind to be happy and contented--in short, to submit to thelife which Providence has ordered for you. Think first of others andlast of yourself and you may be happy. Consult Audrey and Miss Sinclairand you will gain wisdom. Obey me whether you like it or not, or youwill certainly be a very wretched girl. Ah! and here we are. You wouldlike to go to the schoolroom; they are having tea there, I believe. Runoff, dear; that will do for the present."
When Evelyn reached the schoolroom she found a busy and animated groupall seated about in different parts of it. They were eagerly discussingthe charade, and when Evelyn arrived she was welcomed.
"I am ever so sorry, Evelyn," said Audrey, "that you cannot have thepart you wanted; but we mean to get up some other charades later on inthe week, and then you shall help us and have a very good part. You donot mind our arrangement for to-night, do you?"
Evelyn replied somewhat sulkily. Audrey determined to take no notice.She sat down by her little cousin, told Sophie to fetch some hot tea,and soon coaxed Evelyn into a fairly good-humor. The small part she wasto undertake was read over to her, and she was obliged to get certainwords by heart. She had little or no idea of acting, but there was acertain calm assurance about her which would carry her through manydifficulties. The children, incited by Audrey's example, were determinedto pet her and make the best of her; and when she did leave theschoolroom she felt almost as happy and important as she thought sheought to be.
"What a horrid girl she is!" said Sophie as soon as the door had closedbehind Evelyn.
"I wish you would not say that," remarked Audrey; and a look of distressvisited her pretty face.
"Oh, we do not mind for ourselves," remarked Juliet; "it is on youraccount, Audrey. You know what great friends we have always been, andnow to have you associated every day, and all day long with a girl ofthat sort--it really seems almost past bearing."
"I shall get used to it," said Audrey. "And remember that I pity her,and am sorry--very sorry--for her. I dare say we shall win her over bybeing kind."
"Well," said Henrietta, rising as she spoke and slowly crossing theroom, "I have promised to be civil to her for your sake for a day ortwo, but I vow it will not last long if she gives herself suchridiculous airs. The idea of her ever having a place like this!"
She said the last words below her breath, and Audrey did not hear them.Presently her mother called her, and the young girl ran off. The otherslooked at each other.
"Well, Arthur, and what is filling your mind?" said his sisterHenrietta, looking into the face of the handsome boy.
"I am thinking of Sylvia," he answered. "I wish she were here instead ofEvelyn. Don't you like her very much, Hennie? Don't you think she is avery handsome and very interesting girl?"
"I hardly spoke to her," replied Henrietta. "I saw you were taken withher."
"She was mysterious; that is one reason why I like her," he replied.Then he added abruptly: "I wish you would make friends with her,Henrietta. I wish you, and Juliet too, could be specially kind to her;she looks so very sad."
"I never saw a merrier girl," was Juliet's reply. "But then, I don't seepeople with your eyes; you are always a good one at guessing people'ssecrets."
"I take after Moss in that," he replied.
"There never was any one like her," said Juliet. "Well, I am going todress now. I hope the charade will go off well. What a blessing LadyFrances came to the rescue and delivered us from Evelyn's spoilingeverything by taking a good part!"
Meanwhile Evelyn had gone up to her room. It was neat and in perfectorder once more. Jasper's brief reign had passed and left no sign. Thefire burned brightly on the carefully swept-up hearth; the electriclight made the room bright as day. A neat, grave-looking woman wasstanding by the fire, and when Evelyn appeared she came forward to meether.
"My name is Mrs. Read," she said. "I am my mistress's own special maid,but she has asked me to see to your toilet this evening, Miss Wynford;and this, I understand, is the dress her ladyship wishes you to wear."
Evelyn pouted; then she tossed off her hat and looked full up at Read.Her lips quivered, and a troubled, pathetic light for the first timefilled her brown eyes.
"Where is Jasper?" she asked abruptly.
"Miss Jasper has left, my dear young lady."
"Then I hate you, and I don't want you to dress me. You can go away,"said Evelyn.
"I am sorry, Miss Wynford, but her ladyship's orders are that I am toattend to your wardrobe. Perhaps you will allow me to do your hair andput on your dress at once, as her ladyship wants me to go to her alittle later."
"You will do nothing of the kind. I will dress myself now that Jasperhas gone."
"And a good thing too, miss. Young ladies ought always to makethemselves useful. The more you know, the better off you will be; thatis my opinion."
Evelyn looked full up at Read. Read had a kindly face, calm blue eyes, afirm, imperturbable sort of mouth. She wore her hair very neatly bandedon each side of her head. Her dress was perfectly immaculate. There wasnothing out of place; she looked, in short, like the very soul of order.
"Do you know who I am?" was Evelyn's remark.
"Certainly I do, Miss Wynford."
"Please tell me."
The glimmer of a smile flitted across Read's calm mouth.
"You are a young lady from Tasmania, niece to the Squire, and you havecome over here to be educated with Miss Audrey--bless her!"
"Is that all you know!" said Evelyn. "Then I will tell you more. Therewill come a day when your Miss Audrey will have nothing to do with theCastle, and when I shall have everything to do with it. I am to bemistress here any day, whenever my uncle dies."
"My dear Miss Wynford, don't speak like that! The Squire is safe tolive, Prov
idence permitting, for many a long year."
Evelyn sat down again.
"I think my aunt, Lady Frances, one of the cruellest women in theworld," she continued. "Now you know what I think, and you can tell her,you nasty cross-patch. You can go away and tell her at once. I longed tosay so to her face when I was out driving to-day, but she has got theupper hand of me, although she is not going to keep it. I don't want youto help me; I hate you nearly as much as I hate her!"
Read looked as though she did not hear a single remark that Evelyn made.She crossed the room, and presently returned with a can of hot water andpoured some into a basin.
"Now, miss," she said, "if you will wash your face and hands, I willarrange your hair."
There was something in her tone which reduced Evelyn to silence.
"Did you not hear what I said?" she remarked after a minute.
"No, miss; it may be more truthful to say I did not. When young ladiestalk silly, naughty words I have a 'abit of shutting up my ears; so itain't no manner of use to talk on to me, miss, for I don't hear, and Iwon't hear, and that is flat. If you will come now, like a good littlelady, and allow yourself to be dressed, I have a bit of a surprise foryou; but you will not know about it before your toilet is complete."
"A bit of a surprise!" said Evelyn, who was intensely curious. "What inthe world can it be?"
"I will tell you when you are dressed, miss; and I must ask you tohurry, for my mistress is waiting for me."
If Evelyn had one overweening failing more than another, it wasinordinate curiosity. She rose, therefore, and submitted with a very badgrace to Read's manipulations. Her face and hands were washed, and Readproceeded to brush out the scanty flaxen locks.
"Are you not going to pile my hair on the top of my head?" asked thelittle girl.
"Oh dear, no, Miss Wynford; that ain't at all the way little ladies ofyour age wear their hair."
"I always wore it like that when I was in Tasmania with mothery!"
"Tasmania is not England, miss. It would not suit her ladyship for youto wear your hair so."
"Then I won't wear it any other way."
"As you please, miss. I can put on your dress, and you can arrange yourhair yourself, but I won't give you what will be a bit of a surprise toyou."
"Oh, do it as you please," said Evelyn.
Her hair, very pretty in itself, although far too thin to make muchshow, was accordingly arranged in childish fashion; and when Evelynpresently found herself arrayed in her high-bodied and long-sleevedwhite muslin dress, with white silk stockings and little silk shoes tomatch, and a white sash round her waist, she gazed at herself in theglass in puzzled wonder.
Read stood for a moment watching her face.
"I am pretty, am I not?" said Evelyn, turning and looking full at hermaid.
"It is best not to think of looks, and it is downright sinful to talk ofthem," was Read's somewhat severe answer.
Evelyn's eyes twinkled.
"I feel like a very good, pretty little girl," she said. "Last night Iwas a charming grown-up young lady. Very soon again I shall be acharming grown-up young lady, and whether Aunt Frances likes it or not,I shall be much, much better-looking than Audrey. Now, please, I havebeen good, and I want what you said you had for me."
"It is a letter from Jasper," replied Read. "She told me I was to giveit to you. Now, please, miss, don't make yourself untidy. You look verynice and suitable. When the gong rings you can go down-stairs, or soonerif your fancy takes you. I am going off now to attend to my mistress."
When alone, Evelyn tore open the letter which Jasper had left for her.It was short, and ran as follows:
My darling, precious Lamb,--The best friends must part, but, oh, it is a black, black heart that makes it necessary! My heart is bleeding to think that you won't have me to make your chocolate, and to lie down in the little white bed by your side this evening. Yes, it is bleeding, and bleeding badly, and there will be no blessing on her who has tried to part us. But, Miss Evelyn, my dear, don't you fret, for though I am away I do not mean to be far away, and when you want me I will still be there. I have a plan in my head, and I will let you know about it when it is properly laid. No more at present, but if you think of me every minute to-night, so will I think of you, my dear little white Eve; and don't forget, darling, that whatever they may do to you, the time will come when they will all, the Squire excepted, be under your thumb. --Your loving "Jasper."
The morsel of content and satisfaction which Evelyn had felt when shesaw herself looking like a nice, ordinary little girl, and when she hadsat in the schoolroom surrounded by all the gay young folks of hercousin's station in life, vanished completely as she read Jasper'sinjudicious words. Tears flowed from her eyes; she clenched her hands.She danced passionately about the room. She longed to tear from herlocks the white ribbons which Read had arranged there; she longed to getinto the white satin dress which she had worn on the previous occasion;she longed to do anything on earth to defy Lady Frances; but, alack andalas! what good were longings when the means of yielding to them weredenied?--for all that precious and fascinating wardrobe had been put intoEvelyn's traveling-trunks, and those trunks had been conveyed from theblue-and-silver bedroom. The little girl found that she had to submit.
"Well, I do--I do," she thought--"but only outwardly. Oh, she will neverbreak me in! Mothery darling, she will never break me in. I am going tobe naughty always, always, because she is so cruel, and because I hateher, and because she has parted me from Jasper--your friend, my darlingmothery, your friend!"
