CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
Pages 172 and 173, the first two pages of Chapter XXVI, are missing fromthe scan. We will continue to try to find what was upon them.
the best way, but it was the best way that offered, was it not?"
"Of course; yes," she said eagerly.
"Yes, decidedly it was," he said, still speaking in the same quiet,thoughtful way. "You set me thinking, too, my dear, whether I have doneright by you in bringing you here. Yes," he said, turning upon hersharply, "I am sure I have, if I treat it as a temporary asylum. Yes,it is right, my child: but perhaps we ought to set to at once--if youfeel equal to it, and now that we have time and no fear ofinterruption--and go over what distant relations or what friends youhave, and invite the most suitable, that is to say, the one you wouldprefer--always supposing this individual possesses the firmness toprotect you. Then he or she shall be sent for, and you shall go there."
"I do not wish to be ungrateful to you, Mr Garstang."
"You ungrateful! It isn't in your nature, my dear. But what do youthink of my suggestion?"
"I think it is right, and what I should do," she replied.
"Very well then, you shall do it, my dear child; but you cannot, ofcourse, do it to-night. It is a very important step, and you mustchoose deliberately, and after due and careful thought. In themeantime, Great Ormond Street is your temporary resting-place, where youare quite safe, and can make your plans in peace. As for me, I am yourelderly relative, and we, I mean Mrs Plant and I, are delighted to havethe monotony of the place relieved by your coming. Now, is thisright?--does it set your little fluttering heart at rest?"
"Yes, thank you, Mr Garstang. I--I am greatly relieved."
"Very well then, let us set all `the cares that infest the day,' as thepoet has it, aside, and have a calm, restful evening. You need it, andI must confess that I do not feel in my customary fettle, as the countryfolk call it. Why, you look better already. I see how it is. Yourmind is more at ease."
She smiled.
"That's right; and by the way, man-like I did not think of it till Ireached my office to see some letters. I did tell Mrs Plant to try andmake everything right for you here, but it never occurred to me that alady is not like a man."
She looked at him wonderingly.
"I mean that a man can get along with a clean collar, a tooth-brush, anda pocket-comb, while a lady--"
He stopped and smiled.
"Now, look here, my child," he said, "I will leave you for a few minuteswhile you ring and have up Mrs Plant. You can give her whatinstructions you like about immediate necessities, and they can befetched while we are at dinner. Other things you can obtain at leisureyourself."
"Thank you, Mr Garstang," said Kate, with the look of confidence in hereyes increasing, as she rose from her seat and laid her hands in his.
"No, no, please don't," he said, with a pleasant smile, as he gentlyreturned the pressure of her hands, and then dropped them. "Let's see,dinner in half an hour." He looked at his watch. "Don't think me agourmet, please, because I think a good deal of my dinner; for I workvery hard, and I find that I must eat. There, I'll leave you for abit."
He laid his book on the table, nodded and smiled, and walked out of theroom, while with the tears rising to her eyes Kate stood gazing afterhim, feeling that the cloud hanging over her was lightening, and thatshe was going to find rest.
She rang, and Sarah Plant appeared with her head on one side, lookingmore withered than ever, and to her was explained the needs of themoment.
"Yes, ma'am," said the woman, plaintively; "of course I'll go, onlythere's the dinner, and if I wait till afterwards the shops will be shutup. I don't think you or master would like Becky to wait table with herface tied up, and if I make her take the handkerchief off she'll go intoshrieking hysterics, and that will be worse. And then--would you mindlooking out, ma'am?"
She walked slowly across to the window, and drew aside one of the heavycurtains.
Kate followed her, looked, and turned to the woman.
"Draw up the blind," she said.
There was a feeble smile, and a shake of the head.
"It is up, ma'am, and it's been like that all day--black as pitch.Plagues of Ejup couldn't have been worse."
"Oh, it is impossible for you to go," said Kate, quickly. "What am I todo?"
"Well, ma'am, if you wouldn't mind, I think I could tell you. You see,master come to this place when Mr Jenour died, and there hasn't been athing taken away since. It's just as it used to be when Mrs Jenour wasalive, years before. There's drawers and drawers and wardrobes full ofeverything a lady can want; and there's never a week goes by that Idon't spend hours in going over and folding and airing, and I spendshillings and shillings every year in lavender. So if you wouldn'tmind--"
Sarah Plant did not finish her sentence, but stood looking appealinglyat the visitor.
"It is impossible for you to go out, Mrs Plant."
"Sarah, if you wouldn't mind, ma'am, and it's very good of you to sayso."
"Well, then, Sarah," said Kate, smiling, and feeling more at ease, "youshall help me to get over the difficulty. Now go and see to yourduties. I do not wish Mr Garstang to be troubled by my visit."
"Troubled, my dear young lady! I'm sure he'd be pleased to do anything.I'm not given to chatter and gossip, and, as I've often told Becky, ifshe'd been more obedient to me, and not been so foolish as to talk tomilkmen, she'd have been a happier girl. But I can't help telling youwhat I heard master say this morning to himself, after he'd been givingme my orders: `Ah,' he says, quite soft like, `if I had had a child likethat!' and of course, miss, he meant you."
Speaking dramatically, this formed Sarah Plant's exit, but Kate calledher back.
"Would you mind and see that these two letters are posted? Have you anystamps?"
"There's lots, ma'am, in that little stand," said the woman, pointing tothe table; and a couple being affixed the woman took the letters outwith her.
About half an hour later Garstang entered, smiling pleasantly, andoffering his arm.
"Dinner is waiting," he said, and he led his guest into the dining-room,where over a well-served meal, with everything in the best of taste, helaid himself out to increase the feeling of confidence he saw growing inKate's eyes.
His conversation was clever, if not brilliant; he showed that he had anamply stored mind, and his bearing was full of chivalrous respect; whilefeeling more at rest, Kate felt drawn to him, and the magnitude of herstep grew less in her troubled eyes.
The dinner was at an end, and they were seated over the dessert,Garstang sipping most temperately at his one glass of claret from timeto time, and for some minutes there had been silence, during which hehad been gazing thoughtfully at the girl.
"The most pleasant meal I have had for years," he said suddenly, "and Ifeel loath to break the charm, but it is time for the lady of the houseto rise. Will you make the curiosity place the drawing-room, and whenthe tea has been brought up, send for me? I shall be longing to come,for I enjoy so little of the simple domestic."
Sarah Plant's words came to Kate's mind, "Ah, if I had had a child likethat!" and the feeling of rest and confidence still grew, as Garstangrose and crossed the room to open the door for her.
"By the way, there is one little thing, my dear child," he said gravely.
Kate started, and her hand went to her breast.
"Don't be alarmed," he said, smiling, "a mere trifle in your interest.You are rapidly getting over the shock caused by the troubles of thepast twenty-four hours or so, but you are not in a condition to bearmore."
"My uncle!" cried Kate, excitedly.
"Exactly," said Garstang firmly. "You see, the very mention of troublesends the blood rushing to your heart. Those letters that were lying onthe hall table ready for posting: is it wise to send them and bring himhere post haste, with his gentlemanly son? Yes, I know neither is tohim, but he would know where you were as soon as he saw your lett
er inthe bag."
"Mr Garstang, you do not think he would dare to open a letter addressedto my maid?"
"Yes," said Garstang, quietly; "unfortunately I do."