A Ring of Rubies
Page 28
"That accounts forit," she said, when she could find her astonished breath. "Thataccounts for the mysterious box, and for papa's manner. Does papa takeyou to the dressmaker, Miss Lindley? How very, very odd that he shouldsuperintend your toilet!"
Tottie looked at me with intense curiosity as she spoke. I knew that mycheeks were burning, and that a burst of angry words was crowding to mylips. With a violent effort I restrained them.
"Your father is very civil," I said, after a pause. "He has evidentlyfetched this box home. I am much obliged to him for his trouble. Nowperhaps, Miss Gray, you will let me get ready for dinner?"
Tottie blushed and stepped away from the bed as if my manner halffrightened her.
"Of course," she said. "I forgot how time was flying. But can I donothing to help you? Shall I send Dawson, our maid, to you presently tohelp you to put on one of your pretty dresses?"
"No, thank you," I replied. "I always prefer to dress myself."
With some difficulty I saw Tottie out of the room. Then I locked thedoor, and with a violent effort kept my hands from tearing those prettyand dainty robes. My heart was full of the most ungovernable anger. Ifelt that kind-hearted Mr Gray had offered me an insult. I must besacrificed, and Mr Gray must deck me for the altar. No, no, not quitethat; not this lowest depth of all. How thankful I was that I had mymother's wedding-dress in my trunk.
I dressed myself slowly and with care. I was determined to look well.I was determined to show Mr Gray that Rosamund Lindley was notaltogether dependent on him for her chance of looking nice--for lookingwhat she was, on her mother's side at least, a lady of old family andproud descent.
Remembering Hetty's advice, I piled my dark hair high on my head; then Iput on the dainty silk stockings and shoes with their funny pointedtoes; the rich embroidered petticoat came next; over all, the dress.The skirt was very full, but the silk was so soft and rich that it fellgracefully. It showed a peep of my shoes, with their seed pearlornaments, as I walked. Behind, it was cut away in a pointed train. Mymother's wedding-dress fitted me to perfection. The old ruffles oflovely lace lay softly against my young throat. More ruffles of lacehalf concealed half showed my arms. I did not need bracelets, and Iclasped no ornament of any kind round my neck.
As I was completing my toilet the dinner gong sounded solemn and loudthrough the house. I had heard the hall-door bell ring two or threetimes. I knew that the guests had arrived. Still I lingered, puttingfinal touches. At the last moment I pinned a bunch of the softest blushroses, which must have come straight from the Riviera, in the front ofmy dress. There was no need to add anything further. A glance in themirror revealed to me that the roses which lay near my heart matched inhue those which tinted my cheeks. For the time being I was beautiful--Iwas a picture, a walking picture out of long ago. I was glad to be thelast to enter the drawing-room. I wanted to startle Mr Gray; to showhim that he had presumed. I had no thought to give to any one else atthat moment.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
LIKE AN OLD PICTURE.
Tottie was right when she said that several young men were coming todinner. They were all more or less at home however; they wereaccustomed to the house and its ways. I saw when I entered thedrawing-room that I was the greatest stranger present. CaptainValentine and his brother were both in the room, but Lady UrsulaRedmayne was not one of Mr Gray's guests. I had thought to startle MrGray by the magnificence and quaintness of my toilet; but I must ownthat I forgot all about him when I glanced up and encountered anearnest, puzzled, respectful look from the wide-open eyes of my cousinTom. Like a flash my mind reverted to a memory which a moment ago I hadforgotten. I was back again in my room reading Cousin Geoffrey's will.I blushed all over as the hateful remembrance of the conditions of thatwill filled my brain.
"I cannot see this visit out," I said, under my breath; "I cannot evenspend a second night under this roof. I must go away, I must returnhome, for never, never can I fulfil the conditions of Cousin Geoffrey'swill."
At this moment Captain Valentine came up and offered me his arm. I wasrelieved to find that my other cousin was not to take me in to dinner;but matters were scarcely improved for me when I discovered that he satexactly at the opposite side of the table, and that I could scarcelyraise my eyes without encountering his.
"We were greatly disappointed not to meet you in the Chamber of Myths,"said Captain Valentine. "I think Lady Ursula very nearly cried. Thefact is, you have roused her profoundest interest, Miss Lindley."
"I am very much obliged to Lady Ursula," I answered.
"It was cruel to disappoint us all," pursued Captain Valentine,"particularly when you gave no adequate reason."
"That was just it," I retorted. "Had I come I should not have beenentertaining. I had no news to bring--I had nothing to say."
"But you promised to tell us something of the contents of the letter."
"I found I could not keep my promise. That letter, as far as we, any ofus, are concerned, might as well never have been written."
"Indeed!" Captain Valentine looked at me long and curiously. I kept myeyes fixed on my plate.
When he spoke next it was on matters of indifference.
Presently there fell a silence over most of the company. CaptainValentine bent towards me, and said in a low voice, almost a whisper:
"No one can tell a better story than my brother Tom; you must listen tohim."
After this whisper there was a kind of hush, and then the one voice,deep and musical, began to speak. It held every one under its spell. Iforget the story now, but I shall always remember how the voice of thespeaker affected me; how the turmoil and irritation in my breast firstsubsided, then vanished; how Cousin Geoffrey's will sank out of sight;how his odious conditions ceased to be. By degrees the enthusiasm ofthe narrator communicated itself to at least one of his listeners. TomValentine was relating a personal experience, and step by step in thatjourney of peril which he so ably described I went with him. I sharedhis physical hunger and thirst; I surmounted his difficulties; I livedin the brave spirit which animated his breast. In the end his triumphwas mine.
I suppose there was something in my face which showed a certain amountof the feeling within me, for by degrees Tom Valentine ceased to look atany one but me.
There was quite a little applause in the room when his story came to anend, but I think he sought and found his reward in the flashing andenthusiastic verdict which came from my eyes, although my lips saidnothing.
After dinner, in the conservatory, my cousin came up and spoke to me.
"You liked my story?" he asked.
"I did not tell you so," I answered.
"Not with your lips. Sit down here. I have another adventure torelate, and it is not often that a man's vanity is soothed by such alistener as you are."
He began to speak at once, and again I forgot Cousin Geoffrey under thespell of my cousin's voice. He told me two or three more of hisadventures that evening. I made very few comments, but the hours flewon wings as I listened. No one interrupted us as we sat together in theconservatory; but although I remembered this fact with burning cheeks,later on, it passed unnoticed by me at the time. Suddenly my cousinstopped speaking.
"You have been a very kind listener," he said. "I did not know a girlcould care so much just for a man's mere adventures. I'm going back toAfrica next week. I shall think of you in my next moments of peril."
Then I remembered Cousin Geoffrey's will, and all that Tom Valentine'sgoing away meant to my family and me.
"Must you go in a week? must you really go in a week?" I saidexcitedly.
"I have made my arrangements to go in about a week," he replied,starting back a little and looking at me in astonishment. I knew why helooked like that. The regret in my tone had been unmistakable.
Before I could reply Tottie rushed in.
"You two," she exclaimed; "you really must come to make up the number wewant in our round game."
Laughter filled her eyes
and bubbled round her lips.
"Come, come," she said; "we can't do without you, or rather the gamecan't."
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
SHE WAS EVERYTHING.
Notwithstanding the ardent vow which I had made before dinner, I didspend that night under the Grays' roof. I not only spent it there, butI slept profoundly in the luxurious bed in my large and luxuriouschamber. In my sleep I dreamt of Tom Valentine. I was with him inAfrica; I was going through adventures by his side. After theextraordinary fashion of dreams, there seemed nothing at all remarkableto me in the fact that Tom and I were going through peril together. Itseemed to me, in my dream, that we were following a somewhat forlornhope, and that the same spirit animated us both. I dreamt nothing atall about