party returned in a body to Sunshine Lodge.
Now the crucial moment was close at hand, and what might have occurredbut for an unexpected obstacle, no one can quite say; for there islittle doubt that Mr Durrant was deeply impressed by Harriet's conduct.He was such a brave man himself, that he could not but admire braveryin others, and the girl who had risked her life for his son was not tobe lightly regarded. He still continued to feel much puzzled about her,and still, in his heart of hearts, much preferred Robina.
But Robina Starling was by no means at her best just now. She lookeddull and sad and, notwithstanding every effort, care would sit upon heryoung brow and visit her frank, although troubled, eyes. Still, theperson who really quite upset the whole scheme which had been socarefully planned by Harriet Lane was the one who, under ordinarycircumstances, might have been least expected to do so. Her ownfamiliar friend was the obstacle who made matters just in the moment ofapparent victory exceedingly difficult.
Jane Bush was supposed to be a very commonplace little girl. In onesense, this was true. She was not particularly clever: she was not atall good-looking: she had few chances in life. She had, however, hergood points. She was devoted to the little brother and sister, who,much younger than herself, had none of the advantages which she enjoyed.While Harriet, in her way, was fearless and bold, Jane was a little bitof a coward. Now cowards are extremely useful to wicked, designingpeople. They are so easily entrapped, and when once they are in thetoils, it is almost impossible for them to get out again.
Jane felt herself in the toils as far as Harriet was concerned.Nevertheless, she was very unhappy. Harriet, who must have aconfidante, had given Jane a graphic account of what really occurred inthe little cove not far from Totland Bay. Jane had listened with herusual, absorbed attention, her round black eyes fixed on her companion'spale face. In the excitement of the narrative, Harriet had squeezedJane's hand, and had said, with passionate emphasis:
"Oh! it was such a near thing! and when I saw him throw up his dearlittle hands, and when I noticed that his little brown head went underthe waves, I thought I should go mad. Your five pounds, my own future,all the happiness that I had planned for myself, seemed to me as nothingat all--as nothing at all at that awful moment."
"I understand," said Jane. She spoke in a very low voice. "You don'tknow, Harriet," she said then, "what I felt on board the yacht. Theylet me on at once, of course, for the second mate saw me and sent a boatto the pier, and I was on deck with nothing to do only just to look atthe sea and think. You must have all been in the water at the time, forthere came up a cloud, and the sea got quite rough, and I heard thesecond mate say to one of the officers that there was a squall comingon. Oh! I was nearly mad!"
"Yes; that was about the time," said Harriet, calmly. "It was a veryfearful time. It was then, just then, that I was earning my happy,happy time with Ralph; my splendid future with all my educationalexpenses paid: and you, you silly Jane, were earning your five pounds.We were getting these things through our pain. I suppose it was worthit."
"I don't know," said Jane, in a listless voice, "perhaps so."
She got up as she spoke and walked to the other side of the deck. Thisconversation took place on Monday evening. It was overheard by no one.The other girls were absorbed in their own interests, and Ralph was withhis father. Robina was reading by herself.
The week on board the yacht had not been a success as far as she wasconcerned. Had she listened, as once before she was forced to listen toa conversation between Harriet and Jane, she might have made up her mindto a line of conduct which was now far from her thoughts.
As Jane lay down in her little berth in her pretty state cabin on thatlast night on board the "Sea-Gull" she could not help thinking overagain of Harriet's graphic narrative; and she could not help reflectingon her own most awful feelings, had anything really happened to Ralph.Had anything really happened! Poor Jane trembled from head to foot.She knew only too well what that "anything" would have been. Therewould no longer have been in this wide world a little boy called Ralph--a little brown-eyed boy with brown hair, and the sweetest smile in theworld, and the most gallant spirit. He would have gone away. No littleschool-mother would have been needed to look after him. Harriet herselfmight or might not be dead; but if Ralph had been drowned that time,poor little Jane felt that she would have gone mad. Five pounds! Theywere not so much after all. She felt dreadful: she could not sleep. Inthe visions of the night, ugly things seemed to come and visit her. Shestarted up, pressing her hands to her eyes. Could she go on with this?Could she allow a girl like Harriet to be companion, friend, and to acertain extent protector of such a very precious little boy as Ralph.Oh! how in her heart of hearts Jane did admire Robina! How earnestlyshe wished that it had been her lot to have Robina as her friend!
"She would have made me strong," thought poor Jane. "She is never ascrap afraid. Now I am always afraid. Perhaps it will be better for meat school if Harriet is not there. Of course I am fond of Harriet: Iought to be, for she and I are chums; and a girl must be a mean sort toforsake her chum. But still--oh! she does make me feel wicked! Ialmost wish I had not earned that five pounds. I don't think it willbring any luck to Bobbie and Miriam."
Jane tried to force her thoughts to dwell upon the very shabby conditionof her little brother and sister; but, notwithstanding all her efforts,she could not manage to do this. Miriam's lack of nice clothes, andBobbie's lack of shoes and socks could not appeal to her, for were nottheir consciences quite contented and calm and happy? After all, wasthere anything, anything so nice in the whole world as a contentedconscience?
The next day, when all the children went back to Sunshine Lodge, Janewas greeted by a letter from the aunt who had charge of little Miriamand Bobbie. It was a wonderfully cheerful letter. The aunt--Polly byname--assured Jane that the children were particularly well, and that akind lady had taken a fancy to them and had given them a lot of clothes.These clothes belonged to some of her own children who had outgrownthem, but they were of such good quality and so well made that bothBobbie and Miriam looked almost stylish in them. Bobbie had got shoes,and Miriam pretty frocks; and, in short, for a time at least, the littleones wanted for nothing.
Jane felt as she read this letter that she quite hated it. It seemed totake the ground from under her feet. Her five pounds could have beendone without. Ralph's life need not have been risked, and Jane herselfneed not have been so fearfully deceitful, and need not have told a lie.
"Oh dear, oh dear!" she said to herself. Her face looked so comical inits distress that Vivian Amberley, who was standing near, asked her ifanything was the matter.
"Oh yes," said Jane; "I have had a letter about the children."
"Are they ill?" asked Vivian.
"No, no," answered Jane. "They never were better; and they have gotsuch a lot of beautiful clothes--oh dear, oh dear!"
She gave a deep sigh, and went away.
"Well," said Vivian, turning to her companion; "I never heard of such afunny reason as that for Jane to be so dismal. The children are well,and have got a lot of new clothes! What can be up?"
"It's something to do with Harriet, of that I am sure," said Frederica.
Vivian lowered her voice. "I can't make out what is wrong," she said.
"There is something wrong: we all feel it," said Patience. "Why, lookat Robina."
Robina was not present, so no one could look at her. Patience went onexcitedly:
"From the very first, there has been something up with Robina, and shelooks worse than ever now. You know what a thoroughly jolly girl sheis. She won't tell us why, but she is not enjoying herself."
"I suppose she is excited," said Frederica, "about Mr Durrant'sdecision. He is quite certain sure to choose her as school-mother forRalph."
"Quite certain sure?" repeated Patience. "You know very little when yousay that. I am equally certain that he won't choose her. Anyhow, weare all to know to-morrow morning. This
is Tuesday: he will tell uswhat he has decided after breakfast to-morrow. It is exciting, isn'tit?"
"Well," said Rose, "I do love Mr Durrant, but I think he'll be an awfulgoose if he chooses that Harriet to be Ralph's school-mother."
"She is very brave, whatever she is," said Vivian. "She was magnificentthat time when she got into the dangerous current and tried to saveRalph. That sailor said it was touch and go, and that although hebrought them back to shore, Ralph might have been drowned but forHarriet."
"Yes, it was brave enough," said Frederica then; "but somehow I don'tlike the state of things. There's something up with Jane, there'ssomething up with Harriet.