It is doubtless the law of life to get, more or less quickly, according
to one's nature, accustomed to everything. In about six weeks I, who had
lived so quietly with Aunt Penelope, had settled down to my new
existence. I was spoken of as Lady Helen's daughter, and invariably
addressed as Miss Dalrymple. I was dressed according to Lady Helen's
wishes, and I was taken here, there, and everywhere. What I did notice,
however, was that although Lady Helen, my father, and I went to numerous
concerts, and although Lady Helen had her box at the opera, and took a
box frequently at the theatres, and although we often dined at the
Savoy, and the Carlton, and the Ritz hotels, and on all these occasions
my gallant-looking father accompanied us, yet when we went into
so-called Society he was hardly ever present. I asked Lady Helen the
reason one day. I said to her:
"It is so dull without father. Why doesn't he come with us?"
On this occasion she frowned and looked anxious; then she said:
"Oh, we shall manage it, probably, by next year; we must not be too
eager. People forget very quickly, and we must not expect too much this
year, but next year doubtless things will be all right."
"But what can there be to forget?" I said.
"Nothing, nothing at all," she replied. "Don't be so inquisitive,
child."
Meanwhile, I will own that I was having a good time--that is, if
admiration, expressed and unexpressed, could give it to me. Lady Helen
was proud of me when she saw people flocking round me and when she
observed that the nicest men asked me to dance, and the ladies whose
houses she was most anxious to get invited to sent me also invitations.
She made a fuss over me, and petted me according to her lights. So I was
happy in a kind of fashion, although, to tell the truth, there were
times over and again when I felt very like a prisoner--a prisoner in a
gilt cage.
One day something rather peculiar occurred. I did not think much of it
at the time, although I was destined to give it several thoughts later
on. Lady Helen received a letter amongst many others, which she opened
shortly after breakfast. Father was in the room. He was leaning back in
a big chair, and was reading _The Times_. I noticed that father always
turned to the army news first in reading any paper; he was looking at
the army news at that moment. He was intensely interested about
everything to do with the army; and that I could scarcely wonder at,
seeing that he himself was a Major in His Majesty's service.
Lady Helen opened her letter, turned a little white, and flung it across
the table to father.
"There!" she said. "What are we to do now?"
Father took up the letter and read it slowly. His face did not look
exactly white, but a very peculiar mottled sort of colour spread slowly
over his cheeks, and his eyes became fierce and wild. As a rule, he was
quick and eager in his movements, but now he rose up deliberately,
stamped his foot, and crossing the room, put the letter into a small
fire which was burning in the grate.
"Gordon, why have you done that?" said Lady Helen.
"Because your brother will not enter this house," was his reply.
"Ah, poor fellow!" she exclaimed. "And am I never to see him? I must see
him--I _will_! Child, go out of the room."
"No, child, you are to stay here," said my father. He swept his arm
round my waist, and drew me down to sit close to him. I could feel that
he was trembling all over. Lady Helen got up.
"Heather, I wish you to leave the room."
"Darling father, come to me presently to my own room," I whispered. "Do,
please--what--mother wishes--now."
I brought out the words with an effort.
"You are a plucky girl, my darling," he said, kissing me. "Well, then,
go--I will come to you by and by."
I was glad to escape. I ran up to my room, and sank down into an
easy-chair. Morris, who constantly walked out with me in the morning,
came in to know if she was to do anything, but I sent her away. I took
up a book, I tried to read, I put it down again; I could not fix my
attention on anything. Oh, never, never before had I seen father's eyes
blaze with such fire, and never before had I seen Lady Helen at once
angry and cowed. What were they saying to each other now? Until that
moment I had not guessed that Lady Helen had a brother. Who was he, and
why could not he come? Why should father be so angry? Why should father
have burnt his letter? Why did father tremble from head to foot, and try
to keep me in the room? Ah! I heard his step on the stairs. I ran to my
door and flung it open.
"Daddy, daddy, come in!" I said.
He strode towards me; in a minute he was in the room, and had clasped me
to his heart.
"Upon my word, little woman," he said, "upon my word, I have gone
through a pretty scene!"
"Sit down and rest, Daddy darling; don't talk for a minute or two. This
is my room, and you are my visitor, and you shall do just as you like."
"Smoke a pipe, for instance?" he asked, giving me a quizzical glance.
"Indeed you may and shall," I said. I began to poke in his pocket for
his pipe, and when I found it filled it for him and lit it, as I used to
do when I was a small child; then I gave it to him to smoke.
"You are a dear little thing," he said. "You are the comfort of my
life."
His pipe and the peace of my room seemed to soothe him wonderfully, but
over and over I heard him mutter, "Upon my word!" and then I heard him
say, "No, not quite that; I have done a good bit for her ladyship, but
that scoundrel--she must know that he can never come here."
"Daddy, what is wrong?" I asked.
He took his pipe out of his mouth, gave a profound sigh, and looked me
full in the face.
"There's nothing wrong at all," he said. "I was in a bit of a
passion--not a temper--a _passion_--my passion was right and
justifiable, but her ladyship's nearly all right now."
"And won't you let her brother come to see her, Daddy?"
"Stop that, Heather; you are not to question me."
"Then he is not coming?" I said.
"That man shall never darken my doors."
"Daddy!"
"Miss Curiosity is not to know the reason," he said, smiling once more
and pinching my cheek. "Now then, look here. Her ladyship is in a bit of
a tiff--oh, not much; she'll be herself by this evening. You and she are
going to a very big affair to-night, and what do you say to _our_
enjoying a very big affair to-day? Richmond, eh? in her ladyship's
motor, eh? and no questions asked, eh, eh?"
"Oh, father, how truly rapturous!"
"Well, then, we'll do it. Get Morris to make you look as smart as
possible, and I will order the motor-car to come round. Now, then, off
with you!"
I flew to get ready, and father and I had a very happy day together. As
we were coming back in the motor-car, just in time for me to get dressed
for that great function which he would not attend, I said to him:
"Daddy, I thought that when people were a long time in the army----"
"Eh, eh?" he said. "What about the army?"
"I thought that they got promotion--I mean you ought to be a full
colonel, or even a general, by now."
"Little Heather, will you promise with all your heart and soul never to
repeat something I am going to say to you?"
"Of course, I will promise you, my own daddy."
"Well, I am not in the army--I haven't been in the army for years."
"Daddy!"
"Now listen, and keep that knowledge deep down in your heart. But for
that scoundrel who wanted to pay us a visit I'd have been a general in
his Majesty's service now. No more words, Heather; no more words--keep
it dark, _dark_ in your heart. I am called Major by her ladyship as a
matter of courtesy, but I was snuffed out some time ago, child; yes,
snuffed out. Now then, here we are! We've had a good day--very jolly to
be alone with my little Heather--life's not half bad when you consider
that your own child need not understand every black and evil thing about
you. But I am snuffed out for all that, little Heather mine."