the hand of ethelberta-第93章

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clean　gown。　　Ethelberta　asked　who　lived　in　so　pretty　a　place。

'Miss　Gruchette；'　the　servant　replied。　　'But　she　is　not　here　now。'

'Does　she　live　here　alone？'

'Yesexcepting　myself　and　a　fellow…servant。'

'Oh。'

'She　lives　here　to　attend　to　the　pheasants　and　poultry；　because　she
is　so　clever　in　managing　them。　　They　are　brought　here　from　the
keeper's　over　the　hill。　　Her　father　was　a　fancier。'

'Miss　Gruchette　attends　to　the　birds；　and　two　servants　attend　to
Miss　Gruchette？'

'Well；　to　tell　the　truth；　m'm；　the　servants　do　almost　all　of　it。
Still；　that's　what　Miss　Gruchette　is　here　for。　　Would　you　like　to
see　the　house？　　It　is　pretty。'　　The　woman　spoke　with　hesitation；　as
if　in　doubt　between　the　desire　of　earning　a　shilling　and　the　fear
that　Ethelberta　was　not　a　stranger。　　That　Ethelberta　was　Lady
Mountclere　she　plainly　did　not　dream。

'I　fear　I　can　scarcely　stay　long　enough；　yet　I　will　just　look　in；'
said　Ethelberta。　　And　as　soon　as　they　had　crossed　the　threshold　she
was　glad　of　having　done　so。

The　cottage　internally　may　be　described　as　a　sort　of　boudoir
extracted　from　the　bulk　of　a　mansion　and　deposited　in　a　wood。　　The
front　room　was　filled　with　nicknacks；　curious　work…tables；　filigree
baskets；　twisted　brackets　supporting　statuettes；　in　which　the
grotesque　in　every　case　ruled　the　design；　love…birds；　in　gilt　cages；
French　bronzes；　wonderful　boxes；　needlework　of　strange　patterns；　and
other　attractive　objects。　　The　apartment　was　one　of　those　which　seem
to　laugh　in　a　visitor's　face　and　on　closer　examination　express
frivolity　more　distinctly　than　by　words。

'Miss　Gruchette　is　here　to　keep　the　fowls？'　said　Ethelberta；　in　a
puzzled　tone；　after　a　survey。

'Yes。　　But　they　don't　keep　her。'

Ethelberta　did　not　attempt　to　understand；　and　ceased　to　occupy　her
mind　with　the　matter。　　They　came　from　the　cottage　to　the　door；　where
she　gave　the　woman　a　trifling　sum；　and　turned　to　leave。　　But
footsteps　were　at　that　moment　to　be　heard　beating　among　the　leaves
on　the　other　side　of　the　hollies；　and　Ethelberta　waited　till　the
walkers　should　have　passed。　　The　voices　of　two　men　reached　herself
and　the　woman　as　they　stood。　　They　were　close　to　the　house；　yet
screened　from　it　by　the　holly…bushes；　when　one　could　be　heard　to　say
distinctly；　as　if　with　his　face　turned　to　the　cottage

'Lady　Mountclere　gone　for　good？'

'I　suppose　so。　　Ha…ha！　　So　come；　so　go。'

The　speakers　passed　on；　their　backs　becoming　visible　through　the
opening。　　They　appeared　to　be　woodmen。

'What　Lady　Mountclere　do　they　mean？'　said　Ethelberta。

The　woman　blushed。　　'They　meant　Miss　Gruchette。'

'Oha　nickname。'

'Yes。'

'Why？'

The　woman　whispered　why　in　a　story　of　about　two　minutes'　length。
Ethelberta　turned　pale。

'Is　she　going　to　return？'　she　inquired；　in　a　thin　hard　voice。

'Yes；　next　week。　　You　know　her；　m'm？'

'No。　　I　am　a　stranger。'

'So　much　the　better。　　I　may　tell　you；　then；　that　an　old　tale　is
flying　about　the　neighbourhoodthat　Lord　Mountclere　was　privately
married　to　another　woman；　at　Knollsea；　this　morning　early。　　Can　it
be　true？'

'I　believe　it　to　be　true。'

'And　that　she　is　of　no　family？'

'Of　no　family。'

'Indeed。　　Then　the　Lord　only　knows　what　will　become　of　the　poor
thing。　　There　will　be　murder　between　'em。'

'Between　whom？'

'Her　and　the　lady　who　lives　here。　　She　won't　budge　an　inchnot
she！'

Ethelberta　moved　aside。　　A　shade　seemed　to　overspread　the　world；　the
sky；　the　trees；　and　the　objects　in　the　foreground。　　She　kept　her
face　away　from　the　woman；　and；　whispering　a　reply　to　her　Good…
morning；　passed　through　the　hollies　into　the　leaf…strewn　path。　　As
soon　as　she　came　to　a　large　trunk　she　placed　her　hands　against　it
and　rested　her　face　upon　them。　　She　drew　herself　lower　down；　lower；
lower；　till　she　crouched　upon　the　leaves。　　'Ay'tis　what　father　and
Sol　meant！　　O　Heaven！'　she　whispered。

She　soon　arose；　and　went　on　her　way　to　the　house。　　Her　fair　features
were　firmly　set；　and　she　scarcely　heeded　the　path　in　the
concentration　which　had　followed　her　paroxysm。　　When　she　reached　the
park　proper　she　became　aware　of　an　excitement　that　was　in　progress
there。

Ethelberta's　absence　had　become　unaccountable　to　Lord　Mountclere；
who　could　hardly　permit　her　retirement　from　his　sight　for　a　minute。
But　at　first　he　had　made　due　allowance　for　her　eccentricity　as　a
woman　of　genius；　and　would　not　take　notice　of　the　half…hour's
desertion；　unpardonable　as　it　might　have　been　in　other　classes　of
wives。　　Then　he　had　inquired；　searched；　been　alarmed：　　he　had
finally　sent　men…servants　in　all　directions　about　the　park　to　look
for　her。　　He　feared　she　had　fallen　out　of　a　window；　down　a　well；　or
into　the　lake。　　The　next　stage　of　search　was　to　have　been　drags　and
grapnels：　　but　Ethelberta　entered　the　house。

Lord　Mountclere　rushed　forward　to　meet　her；　and　such　was　her
contrivance　that　he　noticed　no　change。　　The　searchers　were　called
in；　Ethelberta　explaining　that　she　had　merely　obeyed　the　wish　of　her
brother　in　going　out　to　meet　him。　　Picotee；　who　had　returned　from
her　walk　with　Sol；　was　upstairs　in　one　of　the　rooms　which　had　been
allotted　to　her。　　Ethelberta　managed　to　run　in　there　on　her　way
upstairs　to　her　own　chamber。

'Picotee；　put　your　things　on　again；'　she　said。　　'You　are　the　only
friend　I　have　in　this　house；　and　I　want　one　badly。　　Go　to　Sol；　and
deliver　this　message　to　himthat　I　want　to　see　him　at　once。　　You
must　overtake　him；　if　you　walk　all　the　way　to　Anglebury。　　But　the
train　does　not　leave　till　four；　so　that　there　is　plenty　of　time。'

'What　is　the　matter？'　said　Picotee。　　'I　cannot　walk　all　the　way。'

'I　don't　think　you　will　have　to　do　thatI　hope　not。'

'He　is　going　to　stop　at　Corvsgate　to　have　a　bit　of　lunch：　　I　might
overtake　him　there；　if　I　must！'

'Yes。　　And　tell　him　to　come　to　the　east　passage　door。　　It　is　that
door　next　to　the　entrance　to　the　stable…yard。　　There　is　a　little
yew…tree　outside　it。　　On　second　thoughts　you；　dear；　must　not　come
back。　　Wait　at　Corvsgate　in　the　little　inn　parlour　till　Sol　comes　to
you　again。　　You　will　probably　then　have　to　go　home　to　London　alone；
but　do　not　mind　it。　　The　worst　part　for　you　will　be　in　going　from
the　station　to　the　Crescent；　but　nobody　will　molest　you　in　a　four…
wheel　cab：　　you　have　done　it　before。　　However；　he　will　tell　you　if
this　is　necessary　when　he　gets　back。　　I　can　best　fight　my　battles
alone。　　You　shall　have　a　letter　from　me　the　day　after　to…morrow；
stating　where　I　am。　　I　shall　not　be　here。'

'But　what　is　it　so　dreadful？'

'Nothing　to　frighten　you。'　　But　she　spoke　with　a　breathlessness　that
completely　nullified　the　assurance。　　'It　is　merely　that　I　find　I
must　come　to　an　explanation　with　Lord　Mountclere　before　I　can　live
here　permanently；　and　I　cannot　stipulate　with　him　while　I　am　here　in
his　power。　　Till　I　write；　good…bye。　　Your　things　are　not　unpacked；
so　let　them　remain　here　for　the　presentthey　can　be　sent　for。'

Poor　Picotee；　more　agitated　than　her　sister；　but　never　questioning
her　orders；　went　downstairs　and　out　of　the　house。　　She　ran　across
the　shrubberies；　into　the　park；　and　to　the　gate　whereat　Sol　had
emerged　some　half…hour　earlier。　　She　trotted　along　upon　the　turnpike
road　like　a　lost　doe；　crying　as　she　went　at　the　new　trouble　which
had　come　upon　Berta；　whatever　that　trouble　might　be。　　Behind　her　she
heard　wheels　and　the　stepping　of　a　horse；　but　she　was　too　concerned
to　turn　her　head。　　The　pace　of　the　vehicle　slackened；　however；　when
it　was　abreast　of　Picotee；　and　she　looked　up　to　see　Christopher　as
the　driver。

'Miss　Chickerel！'　he　said；　with　surprise。

Picotee　had　quickly　looked　down　again；　and　she　murmured；　'Yes。'

Christopher　asked　what　he　could　not　help　asking　in　the
circumstances；　'Would　you　like　to　ride？'

'I　should　be　glad；'　said　she；　overcoming　her　flurry。　　'I　am　anxious
to　overtake　my　brother　Sol。'

'I　have　arranged　to　pick　him　up　at　Corvsgate；'　said　Christopher。

He　descended；　and　assisted　her　to　mount　beside　him；　and　drove　on
again；　almost　in　silence。　　He　was　inclined　to　believe　that　some
supernatural　legerdemain　had　to　do　with　these　periodic　impacts　of
Picotee　on　his　path。　　She　sat　mute　and　melancholy　till　they　were
within　half…a…mile