CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.
The memories of her slight friendship with the Leighs--slight in therareness of their meetings--grew and grew as the days passed on, tillKate Wilton found herself constantly thinking of the brother and sistershe had left at Northwood. Jenny's bright face was always obtrudingitself, seeming to laugh from the pages of the dull old German book overwhich she pored; and it became a habit in her solitary life to sit anddream and think over it, as it slowly seemed to change; the merry eyesgrew calm and grave, the broad forehead broader, till, though thesimilarity was there, it was the face of the brother, and she wouldclose the book with a startled feeling of annoyance, feeling ready toupbraid herself for her want of modesty--so she put it--in thinking somuch of one of whom she knew so little.
At such times she began to suffer from peculiar little nervous fits ofirritation, which were followed by long dreamy thoughts which troubledher more than ever, respecting what the Leighs would think of herflight.
Music, long talks with Sarah Plant, efforts to try and draw out poorBecky, everything she could think of to take her attention and employher mind, were tried vainly. The faces of the brother and sister wouldobtrude more and more, as her nervous fretfulness increased, and rapidlynow the natural struggle against her long imprisonment increased.
She tried hard to conceal it from Garstang, and believed that he did notnotice it, but it was too plain. Her efforts to appear cheerful andbright at breakfast time and when he came back at night, grew forced andpainful; and under his calm smiling demeanour and pleasant chatty way oftalking to her about current events, he was bracing himself for theencounter which he knew might have to take place at any moment.
It was longer than he anticipated, but was suddenly sprung upon him oneevening after an agonising day, when again and again Kate had had tofight hard to master the fierce desire to get away from the terriblesolitude which seemed to crush her down.
She knew that she was unwell from the pressure of her solitary life uponher nerves; the thoughts which troubled her magnified themselves; andnow with terrible force came the insistent feeling that she had behavedlike a weak child in not bravely maintaining her position at her uncle'shouse, and forcing him to fulfill his duty of protector to his brother'schild.
"Is it too late? Am I behaving like a child now?" she asked herself,and at last with a wild outburst of excitement she determined that herpresent life must end.
She had calmed down a little just before Garstang returned that evening,and the recollection of his chivalrous treatment and fatherly attentionto her lightest wants made her shrink from declaring that in spite ofeverything she must have some change; for, as she had told herself inher fit of excitement that afternoon, if she did not she would go mad.
She was very quiet during dinner, and he carefully avoided interruptingthe fits of thoughtfulness in which from time to time she was plunged,but an hour later, when he came after her to the library from his glassof wine, he saw that her brows were knit and that the expected momenthad come.
"Tired, my dear?" he said, as he subsided into his easy chair.
"Very, Mr Garstang," she said, quickly; and the excited look in hereyes intensified.
"Well, I don't like parting from you, my child," he said; "I have grownso used to your bright conversation of an evening, and it is so restfulto me, but I must not be selfish. Go to bed when you feel so disposed.It is the weather, I think. The glass is very low."
"No," said Kate quickly, "it is not that; it is this miserable suspensewhich is preying upon me. Oh, guardian, guardian, when is all thisdreadful life of concealment to come to an end?"
"Soon, my child, soon. But try and be calm; you have been so brave andgood up to now; don't let us run risks when we are so near success."
"You have spoken to me like that so often, and--and I can bear it nolonger. I must, at any risk now, have it put an end to."
"Ah!" he sighed, with a sad look; "I am not surprised to hear you talkso. You have done wonders. I would rather have urged you to be patienta little longer, my dear, but I agree with you; it is more than a brightyoung girl can be expected to bear. I have noticed it, though you havemade such efforts to conceal it; the long imprisonment is telling uponyour health, and makes you fretful and impatient."
"And I have tried so hard not to be," she cried, full of repentance now.
"My poor little girl, yes, you have," he said, reaching forward to takeand pat her hand. "Well, give me a few hours to think what will be bestto do, and then we will decide whether to declare war against JamesWilton and cover ourselves with the shield of the law, or go right awayfor a change. You will give me a few hours, my dear, say till this timeto-morrow?"
"Oh, yes," she said, with a sigh of relief. "Pray forgive me; I cannothelp all this."
"I know, I know," he said, smiling. "By the way, to-morrow is mybirthday; you must try and celebrate it a little for me."
She looked at him wonderingly.
"I mean, make Sarah Plant prepare an extra dinner, and I will bring homeplenty of fruit and flowers; and after dinner we will discuss our plansand strike for freedom. Ah, my dear, it will be a great relief to me,for I have been growing very, very anxious about you. Too tired to giveme a little music?"
"No, indeed, no," she said eagerly. "Your words have given me morerelief than I can tell."
"That's right," he said, "but to be correct, I ought to ask you to readto me, to be in accord with the poem. But no, let it be one of myfavourite songs, and in that way,
"`The night shall be filled with music, And the cares which infest the day Shall fold their tents like the Arabs, And as silently steal away.'"
"Longer than I expected," said Garstang, as she left him that night forher own room. "Now let us see."
In accordance with his wish, Kate tried to quell the excitement withinher breast by entering eagerly into the preparations for the evening'srepast, but the next day passed terribly slowly, and she uttered a sighof relief when the hands of the clock pointed to Garstang's hour ofreturning.
He came in, smiling and content, laden with flowers and fruit, part ofthe former taking the shape of a beautiful bouquet of lilies, which hehanded to her with a smile.
"There," he cried; "aren't they sweet? I believe, after all, thatCovent Garden is the best garden in the world. I'm as pleased as achild over my birthday. Here, Mrs Plant, take this fruit, and let ushave it for dessert."
The housekeeper came at his call, and smiled as she took the basket hehad brought in his cab, shaking her head sadly as she went down again.
"Hah!" ejaculated Garstang; "and I must have an extra glass of wine inhonour of the occasion. It is all right, my dear," he whispered, with agreat show of mystery. "Plans made, cut and dried. We'll have themover with the dessert."
Kate gave him a grateful look, and took up and pressed her bouquet toher lips, while Garstang went to a table drawer and took out a key.
"You have never seen the wine cellar, my dear. Come down with me. Itis capitally stored, but rather wasted upon me."
He went into the hall and lit a chamber candle, returning directly.
"Ready?" he said, as she followed him down the dark stairs to thebasement, Becky being seen for a moment flitting before them into thegloom, just as Garstang stopped at a great iron-studded door, and pickedup a small basket from a table on the other side of the passage.
The door was unlocked, and opened with a groan, and Garstang handed hiscompanion the candlestick.
"Don't you come in," he said; "the sawdust is damp, and young ladiesdon't take much interest in bottles of wine. But they are interestingto middle-aged men, my dear," he continued as he walked in, his voicesounding smothered and dull. Then came the chink of a bottle, which heplaced in the wine basket, and he went on to a bin farther in.
"Don't come," he cried; "I can see. That's right. Our party to-nightis small," and he came out with the two bottles he had fetched, stampedthe sawdust off his feet, re-locked t
he door, and led the way upstairs,conveying the wine into the dining-room.
Ten minutes later they were seated at the table, and Garstang opened thebottle of champagne he had fetched himself.
"There, my dear," he said; "you must drink my health on this mybirthday," and in spite of her declining, he insisted. "Oh, you mustnot refuse," he said. "And, as people say, it will do you good, for youreally are low and in need of a stimulus."
The result was that she did sip a little of the sparkling wine, with thecustomary compliments, and the dinner passed off pleasantly enough. Atlast she rose to go.
"I will not keep you long, my dear," he said. "Just my customary glassof claret, and by that time my thoughts will be in order, and I can giveyou my full news."
Kate went into the library, growing moment by moment more excited, andtrying hard to control her longing to hear Garstang's plans, which wereto end the terrible life of care. It seemed as if he would never come,and he did not until some time after the housekeeper had brought in thetea things and urn.
"At last," she said, drawing a deep breath full of relief, for there wasa step in the hall, the dining-room door was heard to close, anddirectly after Garstang entered, and she involuntarily rose from herseat, feeling startled by her new guardian's manner, though she couldnot have explained the cause.
"I have been growing so impatient," she said hastily, as he came towhere she stood.
"Not more so than I," he said; and she fancied for the moment that therewas a strange light in his eyes.
But she drove away the thought as absurd.
"Now," she cried; "I am weary with waiting. You have devised a way ofending this terrible suspense?"
"I have," he said, taking her hands in his; and she resigned themwithout hesitation.
"Pray tell me then, at once. What will you do?"
"Make you my darling little wife," he whispered passionately; and heclasped her tightly in his arms.