THE MINISTERING ANGEL
"Are you alone?" he managed to ask.
"Yes; Granddad went out early. He'll be back in an hour or so. He has
been expecting to hear from you."
How sweet and fair she looked! There was no suggestion of the exotic
beauty of Olga Petrovic; she adopted no artificial aids to enhance her
appearance. Sweet, pure air and exercise had tinted her cheeks; the
beauty of her soul shone from her eyes. She was just a child of nature,
and to Dick she was the most beautiful thing on God's earth.
For a moment their eyes met, and then the love which Dick Faversham had
been fighting against for weeks surged like a mighty flood through his
whole being.
"I must go--I must not stay here," he stammered.
"But why? Granddad will be back soon."
"Because----" Again he caught the flash of her eyes, and felt that the
whole world without her was haggard hopelessness. Before he knew what he
was saying he had made his confession.
"Because I have no right to be here," he said almost angrily--"because
it is dishonourable; it is madness for me to stay."
"But why?" she persisted.
He could not check the words that passed his lips; he had lost control
over himself.
"Don't you understand?" he replied passionately. "I have no right to be
here because I love you--love you more than my own life. Because you are
everything to me--_everything_--and you have promised to marry Sir
George Weston."
"But I've not." She laughed gaily as she uttered the words.
"You've not promised to----But--but----"
"No, of course not. How could I? I do not love him. He is awfully nice,
and I'm very fond of him; but I don't love him. I could never think of
such a thing."
She spoke quite naturally, and in an almost matter-of-fact way. She did
not seem to realise that her words caused Dick Faversham's brain to
reel, and his blood to rush madly through his veins. Rather she seemed
like one anxious to correct a mistake, but to have no idea of what the
correction meant to him.
For a few seconds Dick did not speak. "She is only a child," he
reflected. "She does not understand what I have said to her. She does
not realise what my love for her means."
But he was not sure of this. Something, he knew not what, told him she
_did_ know. Perhaps it was the flush on her cheeks, the quiver on her
lips, the strange light in her eyes.
"You have not promised to marry Sir George Weston?" he asked hoarsely.
"No, of course not."
"But--he asked you?"
"That is scarcely a fair question, is it?"
"No, no, forgive me; it is not. But do you understand--what your words
mean to me?"
She was silent at this.
"I love you--love you," he went on. "I want you to be my wife."
"I'm so glad," she said simply.
"But do you understand?" cried Dick. He could not believe in his own
happiness, could not help thinking there must be some mistake. "This
means everything to me."
"Of course I understand. I've known it for a long time, that is, I've
felt it must be so. And I've wondered why you did not come and tell me."
"And you love me?" His voice was hoarse and tremulous.
"Love you? Why--why do you think I--could be here like this--if I
didn't?"
Still she spoke almost as a child might speak. There was no suggestion
of coquetry, no trying to appear surprised at his avowal. But there was
something more, something in the tone of her voice, in the light of her
eyes, in her very presence, that told Dick that deep was calling unto
deep, that this maiden, whose heart was the heart of a child, had
entered into womanhood, and knew its glory.
"Aren't you glad, too?" she asked.
"Glad! It seems so wonderful that I can't believe it! Half an hour ago
the world was black, hopeless, while now----; but there are things I
must tell you, things I've wanted to tell you ever since I saw you
last."
"Is it about that woman?"
"Yes, I wanted to tell you why I was with her; I wanted you to know that
she was nothing to me."
"I knew all the time. But you were in danger--that was why I could not
help coming to you. You understand, don't you? I had the same kind of
feeling when that evil man was staying with you at the big house. He was
trying to harm you, and I came. And he was still trying to ruin you, why
I don't know, but he was using that woman to work his will. I felt it,
and I came to you."
"How did you know?" asked Dick. He was awed by her words, solemnised by
the wondrous intuition which made her realise his danger.
"I didn't know--I only felt. You see, I loved you, and I couldn't help
coming."
Another time he would have asked her many questions about this, but now
they did not seem to matter. He loved, and was loved, and the fact
filled the world.
"Thank God you came," he said reverently. "And, Beatrice, you will let
me call you Beatrice, won't you?"
"Why, of course, you must, Dick."
"May I kiss you?" he asked, and held out his arms.
She came to him in all the sweet freshness of her young life and offered
him her pure young lips. Never had he known what joy meant as he knew it
then, never had he felt so thankful that in spite of dire temptation he
had kept his manhood clean.
Closer and closer he strained her to his heart, while words of love and
of thankfulness struggled for expression. For as she laid her head on
his shoulder, and he felt the beating of her heart, his mind swept like
lightning over the past years, and he knew that angels of God had
ministered to him, that they had shielded him from danger, and helped
him in temptation. And this he knew also: while he had been on the brink
of ruin through a woman, it was also by a woman that he had been saved.
The thought of Beatrice Stanmore had been a power which had defied the
powers of evil, and enabled him to keep his manhood clean.
Even yet the wonder of it all was beyond words, for he had come there
that morning believing that Beatrice was the promised wife of Sir George
Weston, and now, as if by the wave of some magician's wand, his beliefs
had been dispelled, and he had found her free.
An hour before, he dared not imagine that this unspoilt child of nature
could ever think of him with love, and yet her face was pressed against
his, and she was telling him the simple story of her love--a love
unsullied by the world, a love unselfish as that of a mother, and as
strong as death.
"But I am so poor," he stammered at length; "just a voting machine at
four hundred a year."
"As though you could ever be that," she laughed. "You are going to do
great things, my love. You are going to live and work for the betterment
of the world. And I--I shall be with you all the time."
He had much to tell her--a story so wonderful that it was difficult to
believe. But Beatrice believed it. The thought of an angel who had come
to him, warned him, guided him, and strengthened him, was not strange to
her. For her pure young eyes had pierced the barriers of materialism,
just as the light of the stars pierces the darkness of night. Because
her soul was pure, she knew that the angels of God were never far away,
and that the Eternal Goodness used them to minister to those who would
listen to their voices.
Dick did not go to the great house that day. There seemed no reason why
he should. By lunch time old Hugh Stanmore returned and was met by the
two lovers.
Of all they said to each other, and of the explanations that were made,
there is no need that I should write. Suffice to say that Hugh Stanmore
was satisfied. It is true he liked Sir George Weston, while the thought
that Beatrice might be mistress of his house was pleasant to him; true,
too, that Dick Faversham was poor. But he had no fears. He knew that
this young man's love was pure and strong, that he would never rest
until he had provided a home worthy of her, and that his grandchild's
future would be safe in his hands.
When Dick left the cottage that night, it was on the understanding that
he would come back as soon as possible. Beatrice pleaded hard with him
not to go to London, but to stay at the cottage and be nursed back to
health and strength. But Dick had to make arrangements for a lengthened
stay away from his work, and to see some of his confrères, so, while his
heart yearned to remain near her, he looked joyfully forward to his
return.
"And you go away happy, my love?"
"The happiest man on earth. And you, my little maid?"
"Oh, Dick, everything is as I hoped and prayed for."
"And you loved me all the time?"
"All the time; but I did not know it until----"
"Until when?"
"Until another man told me he wanted me."
Dick was in dreamland as he returned to London. No sooner had he boarded
the train at Wendover than, as it seemed to him, he had arrived at
Victoria. As for the journey between that station and his flat he has no
remembrance to this day.
"Oh, the wonder of it, the glad wonder of it!" he repeated again and
again. "Thank God--thank God!"
Then, as if in fulfilment of an old adage, no sooner had he entered his
flat than another surprise awaited him. On his writing-table lay a long
blue envelope, which had been brought by hand that afternoon. Dick
broke the seal almost indifferently. What did he care about letters?
Then he saw the name of Bidlake, and his attention was riveted.
This is what he read:
"MY DEAR FAVERSHAM,--Forgive this unceremonious manner of writing,
but I fancy I am a little excited. Riggleton is dead, and thus it
comes about that the Faversham estates--or what is left of
them--revert to you. How it was possible for a man to squander so
much money and leave things in such a terrible mess in such a short
time it is difficult to say. But there it is. Still, a good deal is
left. Wendover Park, and all the lands attached remain untouched,
and a good deal of money can be scraped up. Will you call as soon
as possible on receipt of this, and I'll explain everything to you,
as far as I can.--With heartiest congratulations, yours faithfully,
"JOHN BIDLAKE."
Again and again Dick read this letter. He felt something like the lad of
the Eastern Story must have felt as he read. He would not have been
surprised if the Slave of the Lamp appeared, asking what his desires
were, so that they might be performed without delay. December had
changed into June in a single day.
His joy can be better imagined than described. To know that this old
homestead was his again, to realise that he was no longer homeless and
poor was a gladness beyond words. But he no longer felt as he had felt
when he first saw Wendover. Then his thought had been of his own
aggrandisement, and the satisfaction of his ambitions. Now he rejoiced
because he could offer a home to the maiden he loved, and because he
could do for the world what for years he had dreamt of doing.
But he was early at Mr. Bidlake's office the following morning.
"No, no, there's no mistake this time," Mr. Bidlake assured him. "You
can enter into possession with a confident mind. Money! Yes, the fellow
wasted it like water, but you need not fear. You'll have more than you
need, in spite of increased income-tax and super-tax. Talk about romance
though, if ever there was a romance this is one."
After spending two hours with the lawyer Dick went to the House of
Commons, where he made the necessary arrangements for a couple of weeks'
further absence.
"Yes, we can manage all right," assented the Labour Member with whom he
spoke. "Not but what we shall be glad to have you back. There are big
things brewing. The working people must no longer be hewers of wood and
drawers of water. We must see to that."
"Yes, we _will_ see to that," cried Dick. "But we must be careful."
"Careful of what?"
"Careful that we don't drift to Bolshevism, careful that we don't abuse
our power. We must show that we who represent the Democracy understand
our work. We must not think of one class only, but all the classes. We
must think of the Empire, the good of humanity."
The other shook his head, "No mercy on capitalists," he cried.
"On the other hand we must make capitalists do their duty," Dick
replied. "We must see to it that Capital and Labour work together for
the good of the whole community. There lies the secret of stable
government and a prosperous nation."
It was late in the evening when Dick arrived at Hugh Stanmore's cottage,
so late indeed that the old man had given up hope of his coming; but
Beatrice rushed to him with a glad laugh.
"I knew you would come," she said. "And now I am going to begin my work
as nurse right away. You must have a light supper and go to bed at once,
and to-morrow you must stay in bed all day."
Dick shook his head. "And I am going to rebel," was his reply. "I am
going to sit up for at least two hours, while first thing to-morrow
morning I am going to take you to a house I have in my mind."
"What house?"
"A house I've settled on for our future home."
"Dick, don't be foolish. You know we must not think of that for
months--years."
"Mustn't we?" laughed Dick. "There, read that," and he handed her Mr.
Bidlake's letter.
"But, Dick!" she cried as she read, "this, this is----"
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dick replied joyously. "Will you read it, sir?"
and he placed it in old Hugh Stanmore's hands.
After that Beatrice no longer insisted that her lover must be treated as
an invalid. Hour after hour they sat talking, while the wonder of it all
never left them.
The next morning broke bright and clear. Spring had indeed come,
gladsome joyous spring, heralded by the song of birds, by the
resurrection of a new life everywhere.
"Will you go with us, Granddad?" asked Beatrice, as they prepared for
their visit.
"No," said Hugh Stanmore; "I'll come across alone in a couple of hours."
He was a wise man.
Neither of them spoke a word as they walked up the avenue towards the
great house. Perhaps their minds were both filled by the same
thoughts--thoughts too great for utterance. Above them the sun shone in
a great dome of cloudless blue, while around them all nature was putting
on her beautiful garments.
Presently the old house burst upon their view. There it stood on a
slight eminence, while behind it great trees rose. Away from the front
of the building stretched grassy lawns and flower gardens, while beyond
was parkland, studded by giant trees.
And still neither spoke. Hand in hand they walked towards the entrance
door, Dick gazing at it earnestly, as if looking for something. When
they had come within a dozen yards of it both, as if by mutual consent,
stood still.
Was it fancy or was it real? Was it because expectancy was in both their
hearts, and their imagination on fire, or did they really see?
This is what both of them told me they saw.
Standing in the doorway, with hands outstretched as if in the attitude
of welcoming them, was the luminous figure of a woman. Her face was lit
up with holy joy, while in her eyes was no sorrow, no doubt, but a look
of ineffable happiness.
For a few seconds she stood gazing on them, and Dick saw the look of
love in her eyes, saw the rapture that seemed to pervade her being. It
was the same face he had seen there before, the same love-lit eyes.
She lifted her hands as if in benediction, and then slowly the figure
faded away.
"It is my mother," whispered Dick. He had no remembrance of his mother,
but he knew it was she. He felt no fear, there was nothing to be fearful
about, rather a great joy filled his life. God had sent his angel to
tell him that all was well.
The door stood open, and they entered the great silent hall together. No
one was in sight. He opened his arms, and she came to him.
"Welcome home, my wife," he said.
THE END
PRINTED BY MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED, EDINBURGH
* * * * *
_JOSEPH HOCKING'S GREAT WAR STORIES_
ALL FOR A SCRAP OF PAPER
THE CURTAIN OF FIRE
DEARER THAN LIFE
THE PATH OF GLORY
"THE POMP OF YESTERDAY"
TOMMY
TOMMY AND THE MAID OF ATHENS
THE PRICE OF A THRONE
_OTHER STORIES BY JOSEPH HOCKING_
FACING FEARFUL ODDS
O'ER MOOR AND FEN
THE WILDERNESS
ROSALEEN O'HARA
THE SOUL OF DOMINIC WILDTHORNE
FOLLOW THE GLEAM
DAVID BARING
THE TRAMPLED CROSS
THE MAN WHO ROSE AGAIN
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
WARWICK SQUARE, LONDON, E.C.