The Adventures of Don Lavington Part 15

"Jessie, Jessie!"

No reply.

"Jessie, Jessie!"

"Two new and one stale," said the maid.

"Oh, how tiresome! Jessie, Jessie!"

"Slack baked."

"Jessie!" and this time there was a shake of the maid's shoulder, and she jumped up, looking startled.

"Lor, Miss Kitty, how you frightened me!"

"You were asleep."

"Sleep? Me, miss? That I'm sure I wasn't."

"You were, Jessie, and I heard father tell you to sit up till Cousin Lindon came home."

"Well, that's what I'm a-doin' of, miss, as plain as I can," said Jessie.

She spoke in an ill-used tone, for it had been a busy day consequent upon a certain amount of extra cleaning, but Kitty did not notice it.

"I shall stay till I hear my cousin's knock," she said; "and then run upstairs. I hope he will not be long."

"So do I, Miss Kitty," said the woman with a yawn. "What's made him so late? Is it because of the trouble at the yard?"

"Yes, Jessie; but you must not talk about it."

"But I heerd as Master Don took some money."

"He did not, Jessie!" cried Kitty indignantly. "There isn't a word of truth in it. My Cousin Lindon couldn't have done such a thing. It's all a mistake, and I want to see him come in, poor boy, and tell him that I don't believe it I'll whisper it to him just as he's going up to bed, and it will make him happy, for I know he thinks I have gone against him, and I only made believe that I did."

_Snurrrg_!

The sound was very gentle, and Kitty did not hear it, for she was looking intently toward the door in the belief that she had heard Don's footstep.

But it was only that of some pa.s.ser on his way home, and Kitty went on,--

"You mustn't talk about it, Jessie, for it is a great trouble, and aunt is nearly heart-broken, and--"

_Snurg-urg_!

This time there was so loud and gurgling a sound that Kitty turned sharply upon the maid, who, after emitting a painful snore, made her young mistress the most polite of bows.

"Jessie! You're asleep."

_Snurrg_! And a bow.

"Oh, Jessie, you're asleep again. How can you be so tiresome?"

_Snurrg_! Gurgled Jessie again, and Kitty gave an impatient stamp of her little foot.

"How can any one sleep at a time like this?" she half sobbed. "It's too bad, that it is."

Jessie bowed to her politely, and her head went up and down as if it were fixed at the end of a very easy moving spring, but when Kitty reproached her the words had not the slightest effect, and a dull stupid stare was given, of so irritating a nature that some people would have felt disposed to awaken the sleeper by administering a sound slap upon the hard round cheek.

One hour, two hours, three hours pa.s.sed away, and still no Don; and at last, unable to bear the company of the snoring woman longer, Kitty left her and went into the drawing-room, where, kneeling down at the end of the couch under the window, she remained watching the dark street, waiting for him who did not come.

Kitty watched till the street began to look less dark and gloomy, and by degrees the other side became so plain that she could make out the bricks on the opposite walls.

Then they grew plainer and plainer, and there was a bright light in the sky, for the sun was near to its rising.

Then they grew less plain, then quite indistinct, for Kitty was crying bitterly, and she found herself wondering whether Don could have come in and gone to bed.

A little thought told her that this was impossible, and the tears fell faster still.

Where could he be? What could he be doing? Ought she to awaken her aunt?

Kitty could not answer these self-imposed questions, and as her misery and despair grew greater it seemed as if the morning was growing very cold and the bricks of the houses opposite more and more obscure, and then soon after they were quite invisible, for she saw them not.

CHAPTER NINE.

A SOCIAL THUNDERBOLT.

"Morning!" said Uncle Josiah, as, after a turn up and down the dining-room, he saw the door open and his sister enter, looking very pale and red-eyed. "Why, Laura, you have not been to bed."

"Yes," she said sadly. "I kept my word, and now I feel sorry that I did, for I fell into a heavy sleep from which I did not wake till half an hour ago."

"Glad of it," said her brother bluffly. "That's right, my dear, make the tea; I want my breakfast, for I have plenty of work to-day."

Mrs Lavington hastily made the tea, for the urn was hissing on the table when she came down, Uncle Josiah's orders being that it was always to be ready at eight o'clock, and woe betide Jessie if it was not there.

"Have--have you seen Don this morning?"

"No. And when he comes down I shall not say a word. There, try and put a better face on the matter, my dear. He will have to appear at the magistrate's office, and there will be a few admonitions. That's all.

Isn't Kitty late?"

"Yes. Shall I send up for her?"

"No; she will be down in a few minutes, I daresay, and Lindon too."

The few minutes pa.s.sed, and Uncle Josiah looked stern. Then he rang for the servants, and his brow grew more heavy. Neither Kitty nor Lindon down to prayers.