A Very Naughty Girl
Page 31
CHAPTER XXXI.--FOR UNCLE EDWARD'S SAKE.
The Squire was a shade better the next morning; but Mr. Leeson, not twomiles away, lay at the point of death. Fever had claimed him for itsprey, and he continued to be wildly delirious, and did not know in theleast what he was doing. Thus two men, each unknown to the other, butwho widely influenced the characters of this story, lay within the GreatShadow.
Evelyn Wynford continued to efface herself. This was the first time inher whole life she had ever done so; but when Lady Frances appeared,punctual to the hour, to take her place at her husband's side, thelittle girl glided from the room.
It was early on the following morning, when the mistress of the Castlewas standing for a few bewildered moments in her sitting-room, her handpressed to her forehead, her eyes looking across the landscape, tearsdimming their brightness, that a child rushed into her presence.
"Go away, Evelyn," she said. "I cannot speak to you."
"Tell me one thing," said Evelyn; "is he better?"
"Yes."
"Is he out of danger?"
"The doctors think so."
"Then, Aunt Frances, I can thank God; and what is more, I--even I, who amsuch an awfully naughty girl--can love God."
"I don't like cant," said Lady Frances; and she turned away with ascornful expression on her lips.
Evelyn sprang to her, clutched both her hands, and said excitedly:
"Listen; you must. I have something to say. It was I who did it!"
"You, Evelyn--you!"
Lady Frances pushed the child from her, and moved a step away. There wassuch a look of horror on her face that Evelyn at another moment musthave recoiled from it; but nothing could daunt her now in this hour ofintense repentance.
"I did it," she repeated--"oh, not meaning to do it! I will tell you; youmust listen. Oh, I have been so--so wicked, so--so naughty, so stubborn,so selfish! I see myself at last; and there never, never was such ahorrid girl before. Aunt Frances, you shall listen. I loaded the gun,for I meant to go out and shoot some birds on the wing. Uncle Edwarddoubted that I could do it, and I wanted to prove to him that I could;but I was prevented from going, and I forgot about the gun; and thenight before last I ran away. I ran to Jasper. When you locked me up inmy room I got out of my sitting-room window."
"I know all that," said Lady Frances.
"I went to Jasper, and Jasper took me to The Priory--to Sylvia's home.Jasper has been staying in the house with Sylvia for a long time, and Iwent to Sylvia and to Jasper, and I hid there. Audrey came yesterdaymorning and told me what had happened; and, oh! I thought my heart wouldbreak. But Uncle Edward has forgiven me."
"What! Have you dared to see him?"
"The doctor gave me leave. I stayed with him half last night, until youcame at two o'clock; and I told Uncle Edward, and he smiled. He hasforgiven me. Oh! I love him better than any one in all the world; Icould just die for him. And, Aunt Frances, I did tear the book, and Idid behave shockingly at school; and I will go straight to MissHenderson and tell her, and I will do everything--everything you wish, ifonly you will let me stay in the house with Uncle Edward. Forsomehow--somehow," continued Evelyn in a whisper, her voice turning huskyand almost dying away, "I think Uncle Edward has made religion and _God_possible to me."
As Evelyn said the last words she staggered against the table, deadlywhite. She put one hand on a chair to steady herself, and looked up withpathetic eyes at her aunt.
What was there in that scared, bewildered, and yet resolved face whichfor the first time since she had seen it touched Lady Frances?
"Evelyn," she said, "you ask me to forgive you. What you have said hasshocked me very much, but your manner of saying it has opened my eyes.If you have done wrong, doubtless I am not blameless I never showedyou----"
"Neither sympathy nor understanding," said Evelyn. "I might have beendifferent had you been different. But please--please, do anything with menow--anything--only let me stay for Uncle Edward's sake."
Lady Frances sat down.
"I am a mother," she said, "and I am not without feeling, and notwithout sympathy, and not without understanding."
And then she opened her arms. Evelyn gave a bewildered cry; the nextmoment she was folded in their embrace.
"Oh, can I believe it?" she sobbed.
* * * * *
Thus Evelyn Wynford found the Better Part, and from that moment,although she had struggles and difficulties and trials, she was in thevery best sense of the word a new creature; for Love had sought her out,and Love can lead one by steep ascents on to the peaks of self-denial,unselfishness, truth, and honor.
Sylvia's father, after a mighty struggle with severe illness, came backagain slowly, sadly to the shores of life; and Sylvia managed him andloved him, and he declared that never to his dying day could he dowithout Jasper, who had nursed him through his terrible illness. Theinstincts of a miser had almost died out during his illness, and he waswilling that Sylvia should spend as much money as was necessary tosecure good food and the comforts of life.
The Squire got slowly better, and presently quite well; and when anotherNew Year dawned upon the world, and once again the Wynfords of WynfordCastle kept open house, Sylvia was there, and also Mr. Leeson; and allthe characters in this story met under the same roof. Evelyn clung fastto her uncle's hand. Audrey glanced at her cousin, and then she lookedat Sylvia, and said in a low voice:
"Never was any one so changed; and, do you know, since the accident shehas never once spoken of being the heiress. I believe if any thinghappened to father Evelyn would die."
THE END.