Only One Love, or Who Was the Heir Part 38

"Ah, yes, yes; I remember," said Lady Bell, hastily. "Well, you will come and see how you like it, won't you?"

Una looked at Mrs. Davenant inquiringly, and Lady Bell looked from one to the other impatiently.

"Do not say 'No,' pray, Mrs. Davenant," she said, with her dark, bright eyes. "I have set my heart upon it, and a disappointment is intolerable. Besides, why should you say 'No?' You would like to come?"

"Yes, I should like to come," said Una gravely.

Lady Bell looked at her as if fascinated.

"From a convent, certainly," she murmured.

"Then it's settled. Remember! I shall look for you--shall wait for you with impatience. Mrs. Davenant, I count upon you."

"But--but I cannot go out, Lady Earlsley--I am in mourning."

Lady Bell sighed impatiently.

"I am so sorry! I have never set my heart upon anything so much in my life," she said. "Something tells me that we shall be great friends! Are you fond of jewels, lace, books?--what are you specially fond of?" And she seemed to dazzle Una with her smile. "You shall see them all--everything. Yes, let her come, and I will take such care of her as if she were something too precious to be touched; she shall not leave my side all the evening. Let her come, Mrs. Davenant!"

Mrs. Davenant paled and flushed in turn. What would Stephen say--would he be displeased or gratified? What should she do? She could not resist the half-imploring, half-commanding eyes which Lady Bell flashed upon her, and at last murmured a frightened "Yes."

With a smile that seemed to set the diamonds scintillating, Lady Bell shook hands with Mrs. Davenant, and taking Una's, held it for a moment in silence, then, with a sudden gravity, she said:

"Good-bye. I will take care of you. I will be your _chaperon_. We shall meet again," and was gone.

So interested and absorbed had she been in Una that she had quite forgotten her purpose in entering the shop, and had gone without another word to the jeweler.

He showed no surprise, however, but smiled complacently as he put the jewels back into their cases, being quite used to Lady Bell's vagaries, and he bowed Mrs. Davenant and Una out with increased respect and deference.

Lady Bell, attended by the two footmen, entered her carriage, and Mrs.

Fellowes, her friend and companion, who had been sleeping peacefully, awoke with a little start.

"Well, my dear, have you got the rubies?"

"The rubies?" said Lady Bell. "No, I quite forgot them."

"Forgot them!" said Mrs. Fellowes.

"Yes. What are stupid rubies compared with an angel?"

"My dear Lady Bell!" exclaimed Mrs. Fellowes, "what are you talking about?"

Lady Bell leaned back with her hands folded in her lap, and her eyes musingly staring at nothing.

"Yes, an angel," she repeated. "I never believed in them until today, but I have seen one this morning--in a jeweler's shop."

"Lady Bell, how strangely you talk. I am getting alarmed."

"You always are," said Lady Bell, coolly. "I repeat, I have seen an angel. You are always trying to flatter me by talking of my beauty and such nonsense; but I have seen today a real beauty. Not a mere pretty pet mortal like myself, but one of the celestials! With eyes like a wild bird's, and a lady, too, I'll be sworn!"

"My dear Bell, what language!" murmured Mrs. Fellowes.

"A perfect lady; her hands, her voice would vouch for that. Her voice is like a harp. If I had been a man I should have fallen in love with her on the spot."

"Fallen in love," said Mrs. Fellowes. "My dear Bell," with a politely suppressed yawn, "I am half inclined to think you have taken leave of your senses, and you will drive me out of mine. One night it is a young man whom we nearly run over; a--I must say--a tipsy young man."

"No; he had only taken too much wine."

"Well, if that isn't being tipsy----"

"Don't, don't," said Lady Bell, pleadingly; "we might have killed him."

"I don't know that he would have been much loss to the world at large,"

said Mrs. Fellowes.

"Home!" said Lady Bell to the footman; and she sank back with a brilliant flush on her face.

Mrs. Davenant drove home also, and in considerable perturbation. What had she done? What would Stephen say?

Fortunately for that young man's peace of mind, he was resting at ease at Hurst Leigh, little dreaming that Lady Bell, or any one else, would meet Una, and coax her out of his mother's nerveless hands.

Una, with quick sympathy, saw that her companion was distressed, and with a gentle touch of her hand, said:

"You do not like me to go to this lady's house. I will not go. No; I will not go."

"My dear," she replied, with a sigh, "it isn't in our hands now. You don't know Lady Bell--nor do I very well; but I know enough of her to be convinced that if you do not go tomorrow night, she would come and fetch you, though she left all her guests to do so."

"Is she then so--so accustomed to having her own way?"

"Always; she always has her own way. She is rich--very, very rich--and petted; and she is even more than that; she--she--I don't know how to explain myself. Well, my dear, she is a sort of queen of society, and more powerful than many real queens."

"So that when she commands such as I am I must obey," said Una, with her low, musical laugh.

"Just so," said Mrs. Davenant, with a sigh. "But you will be careful, my dear. I mean, don't--don't let her put you forward, remind her of her promise to keep you at her side."

"I think I would rather not go."

"Don't be frightened, my dear," said Mrs. Davenant, kindly; but Una's calm, steady look of response showed her that there was no fear in the young, innocent heart.

"No, I am not frightened," she said. "I do not know what I am to fear."

Having consented to Una's going, Mrs. Davenant lost no time in making the few necessary preparations. She selected a plain but rich evening dress, set her own maid to make the required alterations, selected from her own store a sort of old Honiton, and gave orders that some white flowers should be bought at Covent Garden the next morning.

"White flowers, my dear," she said, nervously. "Because I--I am not sure that Stephen would not consider that your being in the house with me you are not in mourning. But, then, you are no relation, my dear."

"I wish I were," said Una, kissing her.