Only One Love, or Who Was the Heir Part 36

An hour or two pa.s.sed in this way; then she heard a bell ring and Mary entered, and, eying her shyly, said:

"Mistress says will you be kind enough to step up to her room, miss."

Una went upstairs and knocked at Mrs. Davenant's door, and in answer to the "come in," entered, and found Mrs. Davenant in the hands of her maid Jane.

Una crossed the room with her swift, light step, and kissed the face turned up to her with a timid, questioning smile on it.

"My child," exclaimed Mrs. Davenant, "have you been up all night? I sent Jane to your room to help you dress."

Una started, and a smile broke over her face.

"To help me dress?" she repeated, Jane regarding her with wide open eyes the while. "Why should she do that? I have always dressed myself ever since I can remember."

Mrs. Davenant flushed nervously.

"I--meant to brush your hair and tie your ribbons--as she does mine; but it does not matter if you would rather not have her."

"I should not like to trouble her," said Una.

"And how long have you been up, my dear?"

"Since five," said Una, quietly.

Mrs. Davenant stared aghast, and Jane nearly dropped the hair-brush.

"Since five! My dear child! Ah! I see, you--you have been used to rising early. I am afraid you will soon lose that good habit. We Londoners don't rise with the lark."

"I don't think there are any larks here," remarked Una, gravely; "and at this time of the year the lark begins to sing at four. I have often watched him rise from his nest in the gra.s.s."

"My poor child, you will miss the country so much."

"No," said Una; "I am so anxious to see the world, you know."

"Well, we will begin today."

"Una, you know I wish you to be quite--to be very happy with me.

And--and I hope if there is anything that you want you will ask for it without hesitation."

"Anything I want?" repeated Una, with a smile. "Is it possible that any one could want anything more than is here? There seems to be everything.

I was thinking, as you spoke, of what my father would say if he saw this table, with all the things to eat, and the silver and gla.s.s."

"My dear child, this is nothing. I live very simply. If you saw, as you will see, some of the homes of the wealthy, some of the homes of the aristocracy, you would discover that what you deem luxury is merely comfort."

"I was never uncomfortable at the cottage," said Una, gravely.

"That is because you were unused to anything better, and--and--you must not speak of the past life too much, Una. I mean to strangers. Strangers are so curious, and--and my son, Stephen, does not wish everyone to know where you come from and how you lived."

"Does he not? Well, I will not speak of it; but I do not understand--quite----"

"Neither do I. I am afraid I do not always understand Stephen; but--but I always do as he tells me."

And she looked up with the anxious, questioning expression which Una noticed was always present when Stephen Davenant was mentioned. Was Mrs.

Davenant afraid of her son?

Una mused for a minute in silence; then she looked up and said:

"I ought to do what Mr. Stephen wishes. Do you know what he wants me to do?"

"You are to be companion to me, my dear."

"I am very fond of fairy tales," she said; "but I have never read one more strange and beautiful than this."

"Let me show you how to put on your gloves, dear," she said. "Yes, you have got a small hand, and a beautifully-shaped one, too. Strange, small hands are a sure sign of high birth."

"Perhaps I am a princess in disguise. No! I am a woodman's daughter in the disguise of a princess, that is it."

Mrs. Davenant looked at her curiously.

"You are not ashamed of being a woodman's daughter, Una," she said; "but yet--perhaps the time will come when you will----"

Una's opened-eyed surprise stopped her.

"Ashamed?" she echoed, with mild astonishment. "Why?"

"I--I don't know. Never mind, my dear," said Mrs. Davenant, as the brougham stopped.

"You are a strange child, and--and you say such strange things so naturally that I am puzzled to know how to speak to you."

CHAPTER XIX.

As the days pa.s.sed on, Mrs. Davenant grew to understand more fully the innocent but frank and brave nature of the beautiful girl whom her son Stephen had so strangely committed to her charge; grew to understand and to love her, and, bit by bit, her nervousness and timidity wore off in Una's presence. Insensibly she grew to lean and rely on the girl, who, with all her innocence and ignorance of the world, was so gently calm and self-possessed, and Una, in return, lavished her love upon the timid, shrinking woman.

Mrs. Davenant had heard no word from Stephen; she was accustomed to such silence, and almost dreaded to hear, lest it should be a message tearing Una from her side. She did not know that Stephen was master of Hurst Leigh and all the immense wealth of Ralph Davenant.

Una did not know that Jack Newcombe was back here in London, almost within half an hour of her. When she thought of her father and mother there in Warden, it was always with the confident trust that they were well, for she felt that if it were otherwise, Gideon would somehow let her know. She was quite ignorant that the cottage was empty and deserted.

Indeed, there was not much time for thought. Day after day brought its succession of wonderful sights and experiences, as the little green brougham bore them about town, and Mrs. Davenant showed her all the marvels of the great city.

Una was dazzled, bewildered sometimes: but her instinctive good taste helped her to keep back all extravagant expressions of surprise on her voyage through Fairyland.

One day, however, an exclamation of delight escaped her, as she came in sight of a jeweler's window, opposite which the brougham had stopped.

To her who had only read of precious stones, and regarded them as objects almost fabulous, the window looked as if it contained the wealth of the Indies and of Aladdin's palace combined.