Cursed by a Fortune Part 25

"Perhaps he had no need to. He always treated him as a friend, and he has proved himself one to-day by the brave way in which he defended me, and spoke out to open my eyes to all this iniquity."

"But dear master did not make him his executor."

"How could he when he had his brother to think of? How could my dear father suspect that Uncle James would prove so base? It was a mistake.

You ought to have heard Mr Garstang speak to-day."

Eliza sighed.

"I don't think I should put all my trust in Mr Garstang, my dear," she said.

"Is not that prejudice, nurse?"

"I hope not my dear; but my heart never warmed to Mr Garstang, and it has always felt very cold toward that young man, his stepson."

"Harry Dasent? Well," said Kate, with a faint smile, "perhaps mine has been as cold. But why should we trouble about this? It would be no harm if I asked Mr Garstang's advice; but if we do not like it, nurse, we can take our own. One thing we decide upon at once: we will leave here."

"Can we, my dear? You have money, but--"

"Oh, don't talk about the hateful thing," cried the girl, pa.s.sionately.

"I must, my dear. We cannot take even a cottage without. This money is in your uncle's charge; you, as a girl under age, can not touch a penny without your Uncle James' consent."

"But surely he can not keep me here against my will--a prisoner?"

"I don't know, my dear," said the woman, with a sigh.

"Then that is where we want help and advice--that is where Mr Garstang could a.s.sist me and tell me what to do."

Eliza sighed.

"Well, if the worst comes to the worst, I can take a humble place where you can keep house and do needlework to help, while I go out as daily governess."

"You! A daily governess?"

"Well," said the girl, proudly, "I can play--brilliantly, they say--I know three languages, and--"

"You have a hundred and fifty thousand pounds in your own right."

"What are a hundred and fifty thousand pounds to a miserable prisoner who is being persecuted? Liberty is worth millions, and come what may, I will be free."

"Yes, you shall be free, darling; but you must do nothing rash. To-day has taught me that my dear girl is a woman of firmness and spirit; and, please G.o.d, all will come right in the end. There, this is enough. You are fluttered and feverish now, and delicate as you are, you require rest. It is getting late. Let me help you to undress for a good long night's rest. Sleep on it all, my child; out of the evil good will come, and you have shown them that they have not a baby to deal with, but a true woman, so matters are not so bad as they seem. Come, my little one."

"I must and will leave here, nurse," said Kate, firmly.

"Sleep on it, my child, and remember that after all you have won the day. Come, let me help you."

"No, Liza, go now. I must sit for a while and think."

"Better sleep, and think after a long rest."

"No, dear; I wish to sit here in the quiet and silence first. Look, the moon is rising over the trees, and it seems to bring light into my weary brain. I'll go to bed soon. Please do as I wish, and leave me now-- Nurse, dear, do you think those who have gone from us ever come back in spirit to help us when we are in need?"

"Heaven only knows, my darling," said the woman, looking startled. "But please don't talk like this--You really wish me to go?"

"Yes, leave me now. I am going to make my plans for to-morrow."

"To-morrow."

"No, before I lie down to rest. Good-night."

"You are mistress, and I am servant, my child. Good-night, then-- good-night."

"Good-night," said Kate, and a minute later she had closed and re-locked the door, to turn and stand gazing at the window, whose blind was suffused with the soft silvery light of the slowly rising moon.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

"Who's the letter from, Pierce?"

"One of the medical brokers, as they call themselves--the man I wrote to;" and the young doctor tossed the missive contemptuously across the breakfast table to his sister, who caught it up eagerly and read it through.

"Of course," she cried, with her downy little rounded cheeks flushing, and a bright mocking look in her eyes; "and I quite agree with him. He says you are too modest and diffident about your practice; that the very fact of its being established so many years makes it of value; that no one would take it on the terms you propose, and that you must ask at least five hundred pounds, which would be its value plus a valuation of the furniture. How much did you ask?"

"Nothing at all."

"What!" cried Jenny, dropping her bread and b.u.t.ter.

"I said I was willing to transfer the place to any enterprising young pract.i.tioner who would take the house off my hands, and the furniture."

"Oh, you goose--I mean gander!"

"Thank you, Sissy."

"Well, so you are--a dear, darling, stupid old brother," cried the girl, leaping up to go behind the young doctors chair, covered his eyes with her hands, and place her little soft white double chin on the top of his head. "There you are! Blind as a bat! Five hundred pounds! Pooh!

Rubbish! Stuff! Why, it's worth thousands and thousands, and, what is more, happiness to my own old Pierce."

"I thought that subject was tabooed, Sissy."

"I don't care; I have broken the taboo. I have risen in rebellion, and I'll fight till I die for my principles."

"Brave little baby," he said mockingly, as he took the little hands from his eyes and prisoned them.

"Yes," she said, meaningly, "braver than you know."

"Jenny! You have not dared to speak about such a thing?" he cried, turning upon her angrily.

"Not such a little silly," she replied. "What! make her draw in her horns and retire into her sh.e.l.l, and begin thinking my own dear boy is a miserable money-hunter? Not I, indeed. For shame, sir, to think such a thing of me! I never even told her what a dear good fellow you are, worrying yourself to death to keep me, and bringing me to live in the country, because you thought I was pining and growing pale in nasty old Westminster and its slums."