unheeded to the floor. When the bank-note rustled in my handHetty turned and looked at me. I got up and gave it to her.
"This is for you," I said. "I have had a letter from a friend of ours,and he has sent you this."
"Oh!" she exclaimed. She clasped the note in both her hands. "Tenpounds!" she repeated. "Rosamund," she continued, "I never had so muchmoney as this in all my life before."
"Well, make good use of it, dear child," I said. "Put it away safelynow. You'll be sure to want it."
"But ought not I to thank your friend?"
"I'll do that for you. I'll be sure to say something very pretty."
Hetty looked at the ten-pound note as if she loved it. Then shestretched out her hand, and proffered it back to me.
"You had better have it, Rosamund. You buy everything that we want.Take it, and spend it, won't you? You must need it very badly."
"No, no, no! This is your own nest-egg, and no one else shall touch it.See, I will put it into your purse; I know where your little emptypurse is, Hetty. I will put this nice crisp note into it. Is it notjolly to have so much laid by?"
"Yes," said Hetty, "I feel delightfully rich." She closed her eyes,smiling, wearied, happy. In the sleep which followed she smiled again,more than once. She was thinking of Jack, and of the good things shecould buy for him out of this purse of Fortunatus.
On the following day I was to go back to Lady Ursula to receive my rubyring. As I sat and worked by Hetty's side, I planned how I would takethe little excursion in the morning, bring back the ring, and amuse mysister in the afternoon by telling her the story of it.
I carried out the early part of this programme exactly as I had mappedit before my eyes on this peaceful afternoon. The next morning found meat an early hour ringing the ponderous bell under the heavy portico ofthe great house in Grosvenor Street. The liveried footman once more putin his appearance, and I was taken once again to Lady Ursula's prettyrose-coloured bower.
It was empty when I entered.
"Her ladyship will be with you in a minute or two," said the man, as heclosed the door behind the tapestry.
I sat back in an easy-chair, and waited. It was very nice to wait inthis pretty room. I felt quite easy in my mind, and not at all anxious.Circumstances had improved for me during the last fortnight. Hetty wasgetting well. Jack was better. Exposure and disgrace were averted. Inshort, the heavy pressure of expectant calamity was withdrawn, and lifesmiled at me with its every-day face. I thought how glad I should be tohave my little ring again--my pretty romantic treasure should be moreprized than ever. Nothing should induce me to part with it again.
As I lay back and reflected peacefully, footsteps approached. Thetapestry was pushed aside, and a man entered.
He was tall, with a dark complexion. His appearance was aristocratic.I glanced at him, and recognised him in a flash. I knew him by hislikeness to the excellent photograph Lady Ursula possessed--he was herlover.
I was seated rather in the shadow. At first when he came in he did notnotice me. He went straight up to Lady Ursula's table, and laid a smallmorocco case on it. He took up a photograph of the young lady, lookedat it steadily--a half smile played round his somewhat austere mouth,his eyes softened. He held the photograph close to his lips, but he didnot kiss it; with an almost reverent gesture he replaced it, then turnedto leave the room. As he did so he caught sight of me. I had beenlooking on with a very red face. It was now Captain Valentine's turn toget red. He grew scarlet; he looked intensely angry. I saw at a glancethat he was the last man who could bear to be caught in a sentimentalattitude, he was the last man who could bear even a shade of ridicule.
He bowed very stiffly to me and vanished.
The next instant Lady Ursula came in.
"Oh, here you are, Rosamund!" she said; "how do you do?"
"I am very well," I answered. I did not want Lady Ursula to call meRosamund. She sat down on the sofa with her hands crossed idly in herlap. Her face was full of interrogation; it said as plainly as facecould:
"Now, what do you want, Rosamund? Have the goodness to say it, whateverit is, and go away."
The look in her eyes was replied to steadily by mine. Then I saidcalmly: "I have come for my ring."
When I said this Lady Ursula dropped her mask. War to the knife gleamedin her bright eyes.
"Oh! the ring," she said; "well, you can't have it, so there!"
At that instant Captain Valentine hastily re-entered the room. With abrief apology to me he turned to Lady Ursula and spoke:
"Here is your ring," he said, taking up the morocco case, touching aspring and opening it. "I have had the central ruby properly fastenedin; there is no fear of your losing it now."
He was leaving the room again when an impulse, which I could notovercome, made me rush forward and lay my hand on the table.
"Don't, Rosamund, I beseech of you," said Lady Ursula.
There was entreaty, almost anguish in her bright blue eyes. I paused,the words arrested on my lips.
Captain Valentine stared from one to another of us with a puzzled,amazed glance. Lady Ursula slipped her hand through his arm. She ledhim towards the door. They passed out together; the door was a littleajar, and I heard him murmur something. Her gentle caressing replyreached my ears:
"My love, there is not the smallest fear, she is only a very excitable,eccentric young person, but I shall soon get rid of her."
Those words decided me. Lady Ursula was coming back. I had not asecond to lose. I was determined that she should see how the excitable,eccentric young person could act. I opened the morocco case, took thering out, and slipped it on my finger.
The moment she returned to her table I held up my hand, and let her seethe glittering treasure. She gave a cry of sharp pain.
"Oh, Rosamund, you are not really going to be so cruel!"
"I am very sorry," I answered, "but I must have my ring. This is not acase of cruelty. It is simply a case of my requiring my own propertyback. Under great pressure I lent it to you for a week. Now I musthave it back. Good-bye."
"But, Rosamund, Rosamund!" She caught hold of my dress. "I gave youthirty pounds for the ring last week. You found the money useful; youknow you did."
"Yes," I said. I blushed as the memory of all that that money meantrushed over me. With some of that thirty pounds I had saved Jack andour family honour. The money had been undoubtedly useful, but I heldthe glittering ring on my finger, and I loved it better than gold.
"I will give you forty pounds this week," said Lady Ursula.
"No, no, I cannot accept it," I replied. I walked towards the door.
"Fifty pounds," she said, following me. "Oh, Rosamund, Rosamund, youare not going to be so cruel!"
"I must have my ring," I said. "You have many treasures, and this is myone ewe-lamb. Why should you seek to deprive me of it?"
"Rosamund, please sit down." She took my hand.
"Come and sit by me on the sofa, dear Rosamund. You know why I wantthis ruby ring; Captain Valentine knows nothing of the terrible loss Ihave sustained. If he hears of it--if he knows that his ring is gone,he will break off his engagement."
"Then I have only one thing to say, Lady Ursula," I replied; "if that isthe nature of the man you are about to marry, you had better find it outbefore marriage than afterwards. Do you think _I_ would marry a man wholoved a trinket more than me? No! I am a poor girl, but I should betoo proud for that. Lady Ursula, take your courage in your hands, andtell Captain Valentine the truth. He is not what you think; even I knowbetter than that."
"You don't. You don't know him a bit."
"I know what a brave and good man ought to be; surely you could marry noone else."
Lady Ursula got up and stamped her foot.
"Child," she said, "you sit there and dare to argue with me. You arethe cruellest creature I ever came across, the cruellest, the hardest.I hate you! I wish I had never met you."
Her voice r
ose high in its petulance and passion. Once more the doorwas opened, and Captain Rupert Valentine came in.
"What is the matter?" he asked in some alarm. His indignant eyesflashed angry fire at me; I am sure he considered me a young persondeprived of the use of her intellect, who was seeking to terrify LadyUrsula, perhaps even to lay violent hands on her.
His glance stung me to the quick. "There is nothing the matter," Isaid, taking the words out of Lady Ursula's mouth. "Lady UrsulaRedmayne and I are unfortunate enough to differ on a certain point, butthere is really nothing the matter. May I wish you good-morning now,Lady Ursula?"
I bowed to the young lady, bestowed upon the gentleman the