I Say No

by Wilkie Collins

  CHAPTER LIX. THE ACCIDENT AT BELFORD.

  Early in the morning Mirabel set forth for Redwood Hall, in one of thevehicles which Mrs. Delvin still kept at "The Clink" for the convenienceof visitors. He returned soon after noon; having obtained informationof the whereabout of Mrs. Rook and her husband. When they had last beenheard of, they were at Lasswade, near Edinburgh. Whether they had, orhad not, obtained the situation of which they were in search, neitherMiss Redwood nor any one else at the Hall could tell.

  In half an hour more, another horse was harnessed, and Mirabel wason his way to the railway station at Belford, to follow Mrs. Rook atEmily's urgent request. Before his departure, he had an interview withhis sister.

  Mrs. Delvin was rich enough to believe implicitly in the power of money.Her method of extricating her brother from the serious difficulties thatbeset him, was to make it worth the while of Mr. and Mrs. Rook to leaveEngland. Their passage to America would be secretly paid; and they wouldtake with them a letter of credit addressed to a banker in New York. IfMirabel failed to discover them, after they had sailed, Emily could notblame his want of devotion to her interests. He understood this; but heremained desponding and irresolute, even with the money in his hands.The one person who could rouse his courage and animate his hope, wasalso the one person who must know nothing of what had passed between hissister and himself. He had no choice but to leave Emily, without beingcheered by her bright looks, invigorated by her inspiriting words.Mirabel went away on his doubtful errand with a heavy heart.

  "The Clink" was so far from the nearest post town, that the few letters,usually addressed to the tower, were delivered by private arrangementwith a messenger. The man's punctuality depended on the convenience ofhis superiors employed at the office. Sometimes he arrived early, andsometimes he arrived late. On this particular morning he presentedhimself, at half past one o'clock, with a letter for Emily; and whenMrs. Ellmother smartly reproved him for the delay, he coolly attributedit to the hospitality of friends whom he had met on the road.

  The letter, directed to Emily at the cottage, had been forwarded fromLondon by the person left in charge. It addressed her as "Honored Miss."She turned at once to the end--and discovered the signature of Mrs.Rook!

  "And Mr. Mirabel has gone," Emily exclaimed, "just when his presence isof the greatest importance to us!"

  Shrewd Mrs. Ellmother suggested that it might be as well to read theletter first--and then to form an opinion.

  Emily read it.

  "Lasswade, near Edinburgh, Sept. 26th.

  "HONORED MISS--I take up my pen to bespeak your kind sympathy for myhusband and myself; two old people thrown on the world again by thedeath of our excellent master. We are under a month's notice to leaveRedwood Hall.

  "Hearing of a situation at this place (also that our expenses would bepaid if we applied personally), we got leave of absence, and made ourapplication. The lady and her son are either the stingiest people thatever lived--or they have taken a dislike to me and my husband, and theymake money a means of getting rid of us easily. Suffice it to say thatwe have refused to accept starvation wages, and that we are still out ofplace. It is just possible that you may have heard of something to suitus. So I write at once, knowing that good chances are often lost throughneedless delay.

  "We stop at Belford on our way back, to see some friends of my husband,and we hope to get to Redwood Hall in good time on the 28th. Would youplease address me to care of Miss Redwood, in case you know of any goodsituation for which we could apply. Perhaps we may be driven to try ourluck in London. In this case, will you permit me to have the honor ofpresenting my respects, as I ventured to propose when I wrote to you alittle time since.

  "I beg to remain, Honored Miss,

  "Your humble servant,

  "R. ROOK."

  Emily handed the letter to Mrs. Ellmother. "Read it," she said, "andtell me what you think."

  "I think you had better be careful."

  "Careful of Mrs. Rook?"

  "Yes--and careful of Mrs. Delvin too."

  Emily was astonished. "Are you really speaking seriously?" she said."Mrs. Delvin is a most interesting person; so patient under hersufferings; so kind, so clever; so interested in all that interests_me_. I shall take the letter to her at once, and ask her advice."

  "Have your own way, miss. I can't tell you why--but I don't like her!"

  Mrs. Delvin's devotion to the interests of her guest took even Emilyby surprise. After reading Mrs. Rook's letter, she rang the bell onher table in a frenzy of impatience. "My brother must be instantlyrecalled," she said. "Telegraph to him in your own name, telling himwhat has happened. He will find the message waiting for him, at the endof his journey."

  The groom, summoned by the bell, was ordered to saddle the third andlast horse left in the stables; to take the telegram to Belford, and towait there until the answer arrived.

  "How far is it to Redwood Hall?" Emily asked, when the man had receivedhis orders.

  "Ten miles," Mrs. Delvin answered.

  "How can I get there to-day?"

  "My dear, you can't get there."

  "Pardon me, Mrs. Delvin, I must get there."

  "Pardon _me_. My brother represents you in this matter. Leave it to mybrother."

  The tone taken by Mirabel's sister was positive, to say the least of it.Emily thought of what her faithful old servant had said, and beganto doubt her own discretion in so readily showing the letter. Themistake--if a mistake it was--had however been committed; and, wrongor right, she was not disposed to occupy the subordinate position whichMrs. Delvin had assigned to her.

  "If you will look at Mrs. Rook's letter again," Emily replied, "you willsee that I ought to answer it. She supposes I am in London."

  "Do you propose to tell Mrs. Rook that you are in this house?" Mrs.Delvin asked.

  "Certainly."

  "You had better consult my brother, before you take any responsibilityon yourself."

  Emily kept her temper. "Allow me to remind you," she said, "that Mr.Mirabel is not acquainted with Mrs. Rook--and that I am. If I speak toher personally, I can do much to assist the object of our inquiries,before he returns. She is not an easy woman to deal with--"

  "And therefore," Mrs. Delvin interposed, "the sort of person whorequires careful handling by a man like my brother--a man of the world."

  "The sort of person, as I venture to think," Emily persisted, "whom Iought to see with as little loss of time as possible."

  Mrs. Delvin waited a while before she replied. In her condition ofhealth, anxiety was not easy to bear. Mrs. Rook's letter and Emily'sobstinacy had seriously irritated her. But, like all persons of ability,she was capable, when there was serious occasion for it, of exertingself-control. She really liked and admired Emily; and, as the elderwoman and the hostess, she set an example of forbearance and good humor.

  "It is out of my power to send you to Redwood Hall at once," sheresumed. "The only one of my three horses now at your disposal is thehorse which took my brother to the Hall this morning. A distance, thereand back, of twenty miles. You are not in too great a hurry, I am sure,to allow the horse time to rest?"

  Emily made her excuses with perfect grace and sincerity. "I had noidea the distance was so great," she confessed. "I will wait, dear Mrs.Delvin, as long as you like."

  They parted as good friends as ever--with a certain reserve,nevertheless, on either side. Emily's eager nature was depressed andirritated by the prospect of delay. Mrs. Delvin, on the other hand(devoted to her brother's interests), thought hopefully of obstacleswhich might present themselves with the lapse of time. The horsemight prove to be incapable of further exertion for that day. Or thethreatening aspect of the weather might end in a storm.

  But the hours passed--and the sky cleared--and the horse was reportedto be fit for work again. Fortune was against the lady of the tower; shehad no choice but to submit.

  Mrs. Delvin had just sent word to Emily that the carriage would be readyfor her in ten minutes, when th
e coachman who had driven Mirabel toBelford returned. He brought news which agreeably surprised both theladies. Mirabel had reached the station five minutes too late; thecoachman had left him waiting the arrival of the next train to theNorth. He would now receive the telegraphic message at Belford, andmight return immediately by taking the groom's horse. Mrs. Delvin leftit to Emily to decide whether she would proceed by herself to RedwoodHall, or wait for Mirabel's return.

  Under the changed circumstances, Emily would have acted ungraciously ifshe had persisted in holding to her first intention. She consented towait.

  The sea still remained calm. In the stillness of the moorland solitudeon the western side of "The Clink," the rapid steps of a horse wereheard at some little distance on the highroad.

  Emily ran out, followed by careful Mrs. Ellmother, expecting to meetMirabel.

  She was disappointed: it was the groom who had returned. As he pulled upat the house, and dismounted, Emily noticed that the man looked excited.

  "Is there anything wrong?" she asked.

  "There has been an accident, miss."

  "Not to Mr. Mirabel!''

  "No, no, miss. An accident to a poor foolish woman, traveling fromLasswade."

  Emily looked at Mrs. Ellmother. "It can't be Mrs. Rook!" she said.

  "That's the name, miss! She got out before the train had quite stopped,and fell on the platform."

  "Was she hurt?"

  "Seriously hurt, as I heard. They carried her into a house hard by--andsent for the doctor."

  "Was Mr. Mirabel one of the people who helped her?"

  "He was on the other side of the platform, miss; waiting for the trainfrom London. I got to the station and gave him the telegram, just as theaccident took place. We crossed over to hear more about it. Mr. Mirabelwas telling me that he would return to 'The Clink' on my horse--whenhe heard the woman's name mentioned. Upon that, he changed his mind andwent to the house."

  "Was he let in?"

  "The doctor wouldn't hear of it. He was making his examination; and hesaid nobody was to be in the room but her husband and the woman of thehouse."

  "Is Mr. Mirabel waiting to see her?"

  "Yes, miss. He said he would wait all day, if necessary; and he gave methis bit of a note to take to the mistress."

  Emily turned to Mrs. Ellmother. "It's impossible to stay here, notknowing whether Mrs. Rook is going to live or die," she said. "I shallgo to Belford--and you will go with me."

  The groom interfered. "I beg your pardon, miss. It was Mr. Mirabel'smost particular wish that you were not, on any account, to go toBelford."

  "Why not?"

  "He didn't say."

  Emily eyed the note in the man's hand with well-grounded distrust. Inall probability, Mirabel's object in writing was to instruct his sisterto prevent her guest from going to Belford. The carriage was waitingat the door. With her usual promptness of resolution, Emily decided ontaking it for granted that she was free to use as she pleased a carriagewhich had been already placed at her disposal.

  "Tell your mistress," she said to the groom, "that I am going to Belfordinstead of to Redwood Hall."

  In a minute more, she and Mrs. Ellmother were on their way to joinMirabel at the station.