Johnny Ludlow Fourth Series Part 81

"Yes, it's me. I thought I'd come over and see you. That old man was polite though, to leave me standing here."

"But where have you come from? And why are you so late?"

"Oh, I'm staying at Brighton; came down on the spree yesterday. I'm late because I lost my way on this precious moor--or whatever it calls itself--and got a mile, or so, too far. When the snow came on--and ain't it getting deep!--I turned into a house to shelter a bit, and here I am.

A man that was coming out of church yonder directed me to the place here."

She must have been at The Sheaf o' Corn. What if she had chanced to ask the route of _me_!

"You got my letter, then, telling you I had left my old place at Worthing, and taken service here," said Harriet.

"I got it safe enough; it was directed to the Bell-and-Clapper room,"

returned Lizzie. "What a stick of a hand you do write! I couldn't decipher whether your new mistress was Lady Beveen or Lady Beveer. I had thought you never meant to write to me again."

"Well, you know, Lizzie, that quarrel between us years back, after father and mother died, was a bitter one; but I'm sure I don't want to be anything but friendly for the future. You haven't written, either. I never had but that one letter from you, telling me you had got married, and that he was a gentleman."

"And you wrote back asking whether it was true, or whether I had jumped over the broomstick," retorted Lizzie, with a laugh. "You always liked to be polite to me, Harriet."

"Do you ever see Uncle d.y.k.e up in London, Lizzie?"

"And Aunt d.y.k.e too--she's his second, you know. They are both flourishing just now with rheumatism. He has got it in his chest, and she in her knees--tra, la, la, la! I say, are you not going to invite me in?"

Lizzie's conversation had been interspersed with laughs and antics. I saw Harriet look at her keenly. "Was it a public-house you took shelter in, Lizzie?" she asked.

"As if it could have been a private one! That's good."

"Is your husband with you at Brighton? I suppose you _are_ married, Lizzie?"

"As safe as that you are an old maid--or going on for one. My husband's a doctor and can't leave his patients. I came down with a friend of mine, Miss Panken; she has to go back to-night, but I mean to stay over Christmas-Day. I'll tell you all about my husband if you'll be civil enough to take me indoors."

"I can't take you in to-night, Lizzie. It's too late, for one thing, and we must not have visitors on a Sunday. But you can come over to tea to-morrow evening; I'm sure my lady won't object. Come early in the afternoon. And look here," added Harriet, dropping her voice, "don't _drink_ anything beforehand; come quiet and decent."

"Who has been telling you that I do drink?" demanded Lizzie, in a sharp tone.

"Well, n.o.body has told me. But I can see it. I hope it's not a practice with you; that's all."

"A practice! There you go! It wouldn't be you, Harriet, if you didn't say something unpleasant. One must take a sup of hot liquor when benighted in such freezing snow as this. And I did not put on my warm cloak; it was fine and bright when I started."

"Shall I lend you one? I'll get it in a minute. Or a waterproof?"

"Thanks all the same, no; I shall walk fast, I don't feel cold--and I should only have the trouble of bringing it back to-morrow afternoon.

I'll be here by three o'clock. Good-night, Harriet."

"Good-night, Lizzie. Go round to that path that branches off from our front-gate; keep straight on, and you can't miss the way."

I had heard it all; every syllable; unable to help it. The least rustle of the laurels might have betrayed me. Betrayed me to Lizzie.

What a calamity! She did not appear to have come down after Roger, did not appear to know that he was connected with Lady Bevere--or that the names were the same. But at the tea-table the following evening she would inevitably learn all. Servants talk of their masters and their doings. And to hear Roger's name would be ruin.

I found Roger in his chamber. "Uncle Brandon was putting inconvenient questions to me," he said, "so I got away under pretence of looking at the weather. How cold you look, Johnny!"

"I am cold. I went into the garden, looking for you, and I had a fright there."

"Seen a ghost?" returned he, lightly.

"Something worse than a ghost. Roger, I have some disagreeable news for you."

"Eh?--what?" he cried, his fears leaping up: indeed they were very seldom _down_. "They don't suspect anything, do they? What is it? Why do you beat about the bush?"

"I should like to prepare you. If----"

"Prepare me!" sharply interrupted Roger, his nerves all awry. "Do you think I am a girl? Don't I live always in too much mental excruciation to need preparation for any mortal ill?"

"Well, Lizzie's down here."

In spite of his boast, he turned as white as the counterpane on his bed.

I sat down and told him all. His hair grew damp as he listened, his face took the hue of despair.

"Heaven help me!" he gasped.

"I suppose you did not know Harriet was her sister?"

"How was I to know it? Be you very sure Lizzie would not voluntarily proclaim to me that she had a sister in service. What wretched luck! Oh, Johnny, what is to be done?"

"Nothing--that I see. It will be sure to come out over their tea to-morrow. Harriet will say 'Mr. Roger's down here on a visit, and has brought Mr. Johnny Ludlow with him'--just as a little item of gossip.

And then--why, then, Lizzie will make but one step of it into the family circle, and say 'Roger is my husband.' It is of no use to mince the matter, Bevere," I added, in answer to a groan of pain; "better look the worst in the face."

The worst was a very hopeless worst. Even if we could find out where she was staying in Brighton, and he or I went to her to try to stop her coming, it would not avail; she would come all the more.

"You don't know her depth," groaned Roger. "She'd put two and two together, and jump to the right conclusion--that it is my home. No, there's nothing that can be done, nothing; events must take their course. Johnny," he pa.s.sionately added, "I'd rather die than face the shame."

Lady Bevere's voice on the stairs interrupted him. "Roger! Johnny! Why don't you come down? Supper's waiting."

"I can't go down," he whispered.

"You must, Roger. If not, they'll ask the reason why."

A fine state of mental turbulence we were in all day on Monday. Roger dared not stir abroad lest he should meet her and have to bring her home clinging to his coat-tails. Not that much going abroad was practicable, save in the beaten paths. Snow had fallen heavily all night long. But the sky to-day was blue and bright.

With the afternoon began the watching and listening. I wonder whether the reader can picture our mental state? Roger had made a resolve that as soon as Lizzie's foot crossed the threshold, he would disclose all to his mother, forestalling her tale. Indeed, he could do nothing less.

Says Lord Byron, "Whatever sky's above me, here's a heart for every fate." I fear we could not then have said the same.

Three o'clock struck. Roger grew pale to the lips as he heard it. I am not sure but I did. Four o'clock struck; and yet she did not come. The suspense, the agony of those few afternoon hours brought enough pain for a lifetime.

At dusk, when she could not have known me at a distance, I went out to reconnoitre, glad to go somewhere or do something, and prowled about under shelter of the dark shrubs, watching the road. She was not in sight anywhere; coming from any part; though I stayed there till I was blue with cold.

"Not in a state to come, I expect," gasped Roger, when I got in, and reported that I could see nothing of her, and found him still sitting over the dining-room fire.