LADY KATHLEEN.
For the past week, Janet May had managed, through her tact and
cleverness, to make Bridget's life quite comfortable to her. She had
shown her a way in which she could obey the rules and yet not feel the
fetters. She imparted to Bridget some of that strange and fatal secret
which leads to death in the long run, but which at first shows many
attractions to its victims. Bridget might live at the school, and have
a very jolly, and even independent time; all she had to do was to obey
the letter and break the spirit.
In point of acquirements, Biddy could scarcely hold a place even in
the middle school. She had many talents, but her education had never
been properly attended to. During the last week, however, she had made
rapid progress in her studies; she had been moved up a whole class, and
was steadily getting to the top of her present one. Her masters and
mistresses praised her, and these words of approval proved themselves
extremely sweet, and spurred her on to make genuine efforts in those
studies for which she had really a talent. Biddy's English was perhaps
her weakest point. Her spelling was atrocious; her writing resembled
a series of hieroglyphics; her sums were faulty; her history was
certainly fable, not fact.
She could speak French perfectly; her marks, therefore, in this
tongue were always good. Now her English, too, began to assume quite a
respectable appearance; her sums were invariably correct; her spelling
irreproachable; her various themes were well expressed, and her facts
were incontestable. She was making her way rapidly through the middle
school, and Mrs. Freeman said that she had every reason to hope that so
clever a girl might take her place in the upper school by the beginning
of the next term.
As it was, Bridget was accorded a few of the privileges of the upper
school. One of these privileges was very much prized; she might spend
her evenings, once preparation was over, exactly as she pleased.
After Violet's unexpected reproof she came slowly into the house. She
had that uncertain temperament which is so essentially Irish; her
spirits could rise like a bird on the wing, or they could fall into the
lowest depths of despondency.
She had felt gay and joyful while her birthday treat was going on; now
as she entered the house she could scarcely drag one leaden step after
the other.
Janet was standing in the stone passage which led to the common room,
when Biddy passed by.
"I have been waiting for you," she said, in a rather cross voice. "What
an age you've been! Surely the treat need not have been followed by a
whole wasted hour afterward?"
"I was telling the children a story," said Biddy; "the story was part
of the treat."
Janet's thin lips curled somewhat sarcastically.
"Well, come now," she said; "the committee have all assembled in the
common room, and we're only waiting for you to begin."
"You must do without me to-night," said Bridget; "I have got a
headache, and I'm going to bed." She turned abruptly away, utterly
disregarding Janet's raised brows of astonishment, and the faint little
disagreeable laugh which followed her as she went upstairs.
Bridget's room adjoined the one occupied by Evelyn Percival. As Bridget
was entering her bedroom, Evelyn was coming out of hers.
"Had you a nice treat?" she said, stopping for a moment to speak to
Bridget. "You never asked me to come and look on, and I should have
enjoyed it so much."
"But you're the head girl of the school; my treat was only for the
little ones," said Bridget, in a cold tone.
"I love treats for little ones," said Evelyn, "and I think it was so
nice of you to think of it. Aren't you coming down to the committee,
Miss O'Hara? This is the evening when we arrange our different
contributions. You know, of course, that the bazaar is only a week off."
"I don't care when it is held," said Biddy; "there never was such
a stupid fuss made about anything as that bazaar; I'm sick of the
subject. No, Miss Percival, I'm not going to join the committee
to-night."
"Well, good-night, then," said Evelyn.
She ran downstairs, and Biddy shut herself into her own room and locked
the door.
About an hour later the other girls went to bed. Biddy unlocked her
door, and getting between the sheets just as she was, in her pretty
blue muslin frock, waited until all the house was still. Miss Delicia
usually visited the girls the last thing before going to bed. She came
into Bridget's room as usual, but noticed nothing wrong. The top of a
curly head was seen above the sheet. Miss Delicia stepped lightly on
tiptoe out of the room, and a few moments later the large house, with
its many inmates, was wrapped in profound silence.
When this silence had lasted about a quarter of an hour, Biddy raised
herself on her elbow, and listened intently; then she threw aside the
bedclothes, and stepped lightly on to the floor. Her slippers were
discarded, and her little stockinged feet made no sound as she walked
across the boards. She managed to open her door without its making a
single creak, and a few moments later, guided by the moon, she was
standing in the deserted schoolroom, and was unlocking her school desk.
From out of it she took three very neat looking exercise-books. From
each of these books she tore a page. These three pages she deliberately
reduced to the minutest fragments; returned the books to her desk,
locked it, and went back to bed.
No one had heard her go or come. When she laid her head once more on
her pillow a little sob escaped her lips.
"You shan't ever say I'm unhonorable again, Violet," she muttered; some
tears stole from under her thick, curly lashes. Two or three minutes
afterward she had dropped into profound and peaceful slumber.
The next day at lesson time Bridget O'Hara was in extreme disgrace. She
had no exercises, either good or bad, to show; not the most careless or
untidy notes had she with regard to her history lesson; her geography
had simply not been prepared at all.
Biddy went to the bottom of her class, where she stayed for the
remainder of the morning.
She was to learn her lessons during the hours of recreation, and was
told by her indignant teachers that she might consider herself in great
disgrace.
She received this announcement with complacency, and sat with a
contented, almost provoking, smile hovering round her lips.
Morning school being over, the girls went out to play as usual;
but Biddy sat in the schoolroom with her sums, history lesson, and
geography all waiting to get accomplished.
"You have been a good girl lately, Bridget; you have prepared your
lessons carefully and cleverly," said Miss Dent, the English teacher.
"I am quite sure, therefore, that you will speedily retrieve the great
carelessness of this morning. I am willing to make all allowances
for you, my dear, for we none of us forget that yesterday was your
birthday. Now, just give your attention to these lessons, and you will
have them nicely prepared by dinner time."
"I don't believe I shall," said Bridget, with a comical expression. She
bent over her books as she spoke, and Miss Dent, feeling puzzled, she
did not know why, left the room.
A moment later Janet came in.
"What is the matter?" asked Janet. "I have just met Miss Dent, who
tells me that you failed in your three English lessons this morning.
How can that be? Your grammar and English history and geography were
perfect last night. They had not a single mistake!"
"You mean," said Bridget, raising her eyes and looking full at, Janet,
"that _your_ grammar and geography and English history were perfect
last night."
Janet shrugged her shoulders.
"It's all the same," she said. "I told you that I'd help you with your
lessons, and I shall keep my word. How is it that you have managed to
get into disgrace, after all the trouble I have taken for you?"
"You are never to take it again, Janet; that is all!"
"Never to take it again! Dear me, what a very superior voice we can
use when we like! And has our 'first' sweet little 'gem of the ocean'
discovered that her own mighty genius can tide her over all school
troubles?"
"I'm not going to be afraid of you, Janet," said Biddy. "Of course,
you've been awfully kind to me, and I'm not ungrateful. But
something--something _happened_ last night which made me see that I've
been a mean, horrid, deceitful girl to let you help me at all, and you
are not to do it again; that's all."
"What happened last night to open your virtuous eyes?"
"I'm not going to say."
"Have any of the girls found out?"
Janet turned decidedly pale as she asked this question.
"I'm not going to say."
"You don't mean to hint to me, Bridget, that you have told the teachers
about what I have done?"
"Of course I haven't, Janet. But I'll tell you what I did do. I went
down last night when all the other girls--you among them--were sleeping
the sleep of the just, and I tore a sheet out of each of these books;
the sheet which you had so carefully prepared for me last night. That's
why I had no English lessons, good, bad, or indifferent, to show this
morning."
Janet stood quite silent for a moment or two; her delicately formed
fingers beat an impatient tattoo on the top of Biddy's desk.
"You can please yourself, of course," she said, after a pause. "You
can wade through your lessons as best you can, and sink to your proper
position, you great big baby, in the lower school. You have shown a
partiality for the little children. You are likely to see enough of
them in future, for you will belong to them."
"They are dear little creatures, much nicer than any of the big girls,
except Dolly. I'd rather be with them and do right than stay in the
middle school, or even the upper, and feel as I did last night."
"It is delightful to see what a tender conscience you have got!
I confess I did not know of its existence until to-day, but I
congratulate you most heartily on such a priceless possession. It will
be a great relief to me, not to have to worry any more about your
lessons. For the future I wash my hands of you."
"Am I not to be your chum any more, then, Janet?"
Bridget looked up, with decided relief on her face.
Janet saw the look. Her brow darkened; she had to make a great effort
to suppress the strong dislike which filled her breast. Bridget,
however, was rich; she might be useful.
"Of course, we are chums still," she said in a hasty voice. "It is your
own fault if I don't do as much for you as I promised. You are a great
little goose to reject the help which I am giving you. Your father sent
you to school in order that you might learn; you can't learn if you
are not helped. However, it's your own affair; but if you ever let out
to mortal that I gave you this assistance your life won't be worth
living, that's all."
"I'm not a bit afraid of your threats, Janet; but I won't tell, of
course."
"I say," exclaimed Janet, suddenly rushing to the window, "what a nice
carriage, and what fine horses! Who in the world can be coming to
Mulberry Court now?"
Bridget had again bent over her lessons. They were hopelessly
difficult. It was on the tip of her tongue to say:
"Janet, how am I to parse this sentence?" But she restrained herself.
Janet had forgotten all about her. She was gazing at the beautiful
carriage and spirited horses with eyes full of curiosity.
The carriage, a smart little victoria, contained only one occupant. The
horses were pawing the ground impatiently now; the lady had disappeared
into the house.
"I say," exclaimed Janet, turning to Bridget; but whatever further
words she meant to utter were arrested on her lips. There was the
swishing sound of voluminous draperies in the passage, a gay, quick
voice could be distinguished pouring out eager utterances, and the next
moment the room door was opened hastily, and a lady rushed in.
She was immediately followed by Miss Patience, who seemed somewhat
amazed.
"Really, Lady Kathleen----" she began.
"Now, my dear Miss Patience, don't interrupt me. I know what a good
soul you are; but if you think I'm going to sit in your drawing room
waiting until that precious child is brought to me, you are finely
mistaken. Ah, and here you are, my treasure! Come into Aunt Kitty's
arms!"
"Aunt Kathleen!" exclaimed Bridget.
She rushed from her seat, upsetting a bottle of ink as she did so, and
found herself clasped in a voluminous embrace.
"Now that's good," said Lady Kathleen. "I'll write full particulars
about you to Dennis to-night. And how are you, my pet? And how do you
like school? Are they very cross? Oh, _I_ know them! I was here long
ago myself. Patience, do you remember how you used to insist upon
punishing the girls, and dear old Delicia used to beg them off? I
expect you are just the same as ever you were. Does Miss Patience give
you many punishments, my ducky, and does Miss Delicia beg you off?"
"I'll leave you now, Lady Kathleen," said Miss Patience, still in
her stiff voice. "If you really prefer staying in this room to the
comfortable drawing room, I cannot help it. Of course, you will remain
to dinner? Mrs. Freeman will be delighted to see you again."
"Dear Mrs. Freeman! If there's a woman in the world I respect, she's
the one. But stay a moment, Miss Patience; I'll come and see Mrs.
Freeman another time. I want to take this dear child off with me now
to Eastcliff for the day, and I'd be delighted if her young companion
would come too. What's your name, my love?"
"May," replied Janet.
"May? What a nice little flowery sort of title. Well, I want you to
come and spend the day with me, May."
"My name is Janet May."
"It's all the same, I expect. Now, Miss Patience, may I take these two
sweet children to Eastcliff? I'll promise to have them back under your
sheltering wings by nine o'clock this evening."
Miss Patience hesitated for a moment, but Lady Kathleen Peterham was
not a person to be lightly offended.
"It is very kind of you," she said, "and also most natural that you
should wish to have your niece with you. But Janet----"
"Oh, come, come," said Lady Kathleen, with a hearty laugh, "I want to
have them both, dear children. Run upstairs, now, both of you, and make
yourselves as smart as smart can be. While the girls are getting ready,
you and I can have a little talk, Patience. Run, my loves, run, make
yourselves scarce."
Bridget and Janet both left the room. All the crossness had now
disappeared from Janet's face. She was in high good humor, and even
condescended to link her hand inside Bridget's arm as they mounted the
stairs to their bedrooms.
Janet had very quiet and very good taste in dress.
She came downstairs presently in a dove-colored cashmere, a black lace
hat on her head, and dove-colored gloves on her hands. A pretty black
lace parasol completed her ladylike attire. There was nothing expensive
about her simple toilet, but it was youthful, refined, and suitable.
Biddy did not return so quickly to the schoolroom. Alas! alas! she was
given _carte blanche_ with regard to her dress. Miss O'Hara loved gay
clothing. She came out of her room at last bedizened with fluttering
ribbons, wherever ribbons could be put. Her dress was of shimmering
sea green; she wore a large white hat, trimmed with enormous ostrich
feathers; white kid gloves were drawn up her arms. Her parasol was of
white lace, interspersed with bows of sea-green velvet. This gorgeous
costume had not before seen the light. It suited Biddy, whose radiant
sort of beauty could bear any amount of dress. Beside this splendid
young person, quiet Janet May seemed to sink into utter insignificance.
Miss Patience gave a gasp when Bridget appeared, but Lady Kathleen
Peterham smiled with broad satisfaction.
"Ah!" she said, rising from her chair, "I call that costume really
tasty. The moment I saw it at Worth's I knew it would suit you,
Biddy, down to the ground. No, you naughty child, I'd be afraid even
to whisper to you what it cost; but come along now, both of you, or
we'll be late for all our fun. Miss Patience, I see you are lost in
admiration of Bridget's turn-out."
"I must be frank with you, Lady Kathleen," said Miss Patience. "I
consider your niece's dress most unsuitable--the child is only fifteen.
A white muslin, with a blue ribbon belt, is the fitting costume for
her, and not all that tomfoolery. You'll excuse me, Lady Kathleen; I
think you and Mr. O'Hara make a great mistake in overdressing Miss
Biddy as you do."
"Oh, come, come," said Lady Kathleen, "Bridget is my poor dear sister's
only child, and my brother-in-law and I can't make too much of her. In
school hours, of course, she can be as plain as you please, but out
of school----" The lady raised her eyebrows, and her expression spoke
volumes.
"Come, my dear," she said.
A moment later the gay little victoria was bowling back to Eastcliff,
and Lady Kathleen was pouring out a volley of eager remarks to Janet
May. The change from the dull routine of school life bewildered and
delighted sober Janet; she forgot her habitual reserve, and became
almost communicative. Biddy, notwithstanding all her fine feathers,
seemed for some reason or other slightly depressed, but Janet had never
known herself in better spirits.
"What a sweet companion you are for my niece!" said Lady Kathleen. "You
may be quite sure, my love, that I'll tell my brother-in-law all about
you. I shouldn't be a bit surprised if he invited you to the Castle
for the holidays. I shall be there, and we are going to have all kinds
of gay doings. Eh, Biddy, love, what do you say to having your pretty
school friend with you? Why, how pensive you look, my deary!"
"When I see you, Aunt Kathleen, I cannot help thinking of father and
the dogs," said Bridget abruptly. She turned her head away as she spoke.
"Oh, my darling, the dogs; that recalls something to my mind. Minerva
has had four pups, elegant little creatures, thoroughbred, every one of
them. Dennis telegraphed their arrival to me last night."
Janet thought this information highly uninteresting, but Biddy's
cheeks quite flamed with excitement. She asked innumerable and eager
questions, and absorbed all Lady Kathleen's attention until they
reached the gay hotel where the lady was staying at Eastcliff.
Lady Kathleen Peterham had a suite of rooms to herself, and no pains
were spared to make these as luxurious and beautiful as possible. The
wide balconies of her drawing room, which looked directly over the
sea, were gay with many brilliant and lovely flowers. They were also
protected from the rays of the sun by cool green-and-white striped
awnings.
Lunch was ready when the girls arrived, but immediately afterward Lady
Kathleen took them out to sit on the balcony with her.
"We will have our ices and coffee here, Johnson," she said to the
servant who waited on them.
As she spoke, she sank into a comfortable chair, and taking up a large
crimson fan, began to move it slowly backward and forward before her
somewhat heated face.
Lady Kathleen was still a very handsome woman. Her blue eyes resembled
Bridget's in their brightness and vivacity; but her skin, brows,
and hair were much darker, and her expression, although vivacious
and winning, had not that charming innocence about it which marked
Bridget's young face.
Lady Kathleen was a woman of about five-and-thirty. She was made on a
large scale, and the first slenderness of youth was already lost. She
had seen a great deal of what she called "life," for she had married
early, and had lived almost ever since in Paris with her husband.
Hers was a somewhat frivolous nature. She was imprudent, injudicious,
incapable of really guiding the young; but, at the same time, she was
the soul of good nature, and would not willingly have hurt the smallest
living creature.
Janet could not help being greatly impressed by Lady Kathleen. If there
was one point more strongly developed than another in Janet's character
it was her worldliness. She was a lady by birth, but she was poor. Some
day Janet knew that she would have to earn her own living. She had
the most intense respect, therefore, for those people who were blessed
with an abundance of this world's goods. Hers was naturally a cold,
cynical, and calculating nature. Bridget was, in reality, not in the
least to her taste, but the rumors of Bridget's wealth had always been
pleasant to listen to. On account of these rumors, Janet had done what
she considered good service to the willful and headstrong schoolgirl.
She felt highly pleased now with her own worldly wisdom, as she sat
under the shelter of the green-and-white awning, and ate strawberry
ices, and sipped her coffee.
Lady Kathleen was, in all respects, a woman to Janet's taste. She had
the _savoir faire_ which impresses young girls. Janet's respect for
Bridget increased tenfold when she saw that she was related to such
a woman, and she wondered to herself how the aunt could have so much
style and the niece be so _gauche_.
Lady Kathleen, who was determined to make the day delightful to her
young companions, questioned Janet eagerly with regard to her school
and school pursuits.
"Now, my darling," she said, "you must tell me about your little world.
I know what school is. I was at school myself for many a weary year. At
school there always is a big excitement going on. What's the present
one?"
Biddy had seated herself close to the edge of the balcony, and
was looking out over the sea. She was thinking of the Castle, and
of Minerva, and of the cherished litter of pups; of her father's
excitement, and Pat Donovan's raptures, and Norah Mahoney's comments.
She saw the Irish serving man and woman gesticulating and exclaiming;
she saw her father's white hair and weatherbeaten, eagle face, and
could almost hear his deep tones of satisfaction as he bent over
Minerva, and patted her wise head.
"Biddy!" shrieked Lady Kathleen; "Biddy, child, wake up! What in the
world have you gone off into one of those brown studies for? Here's
this dear little Janet telling me that you're going to have a Fancy
Fair at Mulberry Court."
"Oh, yes, Aunt Kathie," said Bridget; "I believe we are."
"Well, child, and isn't that a bright, lively sort of amusement for
you? And the bazaar is to be for a charitable object, too? Splendid!
splendid! Why, Dennis will be quite delighted when I tell him. I always
said the Court was the right school for you, Biddy. It gives a sort
of all-round training. It isn't only accomplishments--tinkle, tinkle
on the piano, and that sort of thing--hearts are also thought of, and
trained properly to think of others. Well, darlings, I'm very much
pleased about the bazaar, and this good little Janet tells me that it
is her idea; most creditable to her. You are the head of the whole
thing, are you not, Janet?"
"No," said Janet, trying to speak in a calm, indifferent voice; "of
course _I_ don't mind; I _can't_ mind, but one of Mrs. Freeman's
strictest rules is that seniority goes before all else. I am not the
head girl of the school, Lady Kathleen; the head girl's name is Evelyn
Percival, and, although I was the one to think of the Fancy Fair, and
although Evelyn was away from the school during the first two or three
weeks while the matter was being planned out and we were getting
materials ready for our stalls, still, the moment she came home, Mrs.
Freeman insisted on our asking her to join the committee, and since
then she has taken the lead, and hers will be the principal stall on
the day of the fair."
"And you'll be nowhere, so to speak?" said Lady Kathleen.
"Well, I don't know that; I hope to have a pretty stall too; Bridget is
helping me with my stall; aren't you, Biddy?"
"I don't know that I am," replied Bridget. "Father sent me a little
money to buy a few pretty things, and that was about all that I could
do. I love pretty things, but I am no worker."
She turned away as she spoke, and once more looked out over the sea
with longing in her eyes.
Lady Kathleen had a keen perception of character. Janet had spoken
in a very quiet, subdued voice, but the fact was by no means lost on
the good lady that she was terribly chagrined at the position she was
obliged to occupy at the fair.
"Confess, my little one; you don't like being second," she said,
bending over her and tapping her fair head with the large crimson fan.
Janet colored faintly. "'What can't be cured,'" she said, shrugging her
shoulders.
Lady Kathleen took up the proverb and finished it. "'Must be endured,'"
she said. "But I don't believe that this position of affairs can't be
cured. It strikes me as extremely unfair that you should have had the
trouble of getting up this fair, and then that you should be pushed
into a second position. I don't care if fifty Mrs. Freemans say you
are not to be first. I don't choose that my niece, Bridget O'Hara,
should have anything to do with a second-rate stall; or a second-rate
position. Wake up, Biddy, child, and listen to me; I insist upon one
thing--you and Janet are to be first on the day of the fair."
Janet's eyes began to sparkle, and the faint glow in her cheeks grew
bright and fixed. Her eager expression spoke volumes, but she did not
utter a word. Bridget, however, exclaimed wearily:
"Oh, what does it matter who is first! Besides, whether you like it or
not, Aunt Kathie, you can't alter matters. Mrs. Freeman is mistress in
her own school; and if she decides that Evelyn is to take the lead,
Evelyn will take the lead, no matter whether you wish it or not, fifty
times over."
"My good little Biddy, you are a bit of an innocent for all you are
growing such a fine big girl--the pride of your father's heart, and
the light of your old auntie's eyes! Little Janet has more wisdom than
twenty great handsome creatures like you. Now, my pets, you listen to
me; we'll manage this matter by _guile_. Miss Percival may have the
first stall at the bazaar, if she likes. Who cares twopence about that?
You, Janet, and you, Biddy, will have the stall that all the visitors
will flock to. You leave me to manage the matter; I'll make your stall
so lovely that all the others will sink into insignificance."
"Oh, will you?" exclaimed Janet; "how--_how_ good you are!"
"I will do it, my dear, I certainly will; the honor of the O'Haras is
involved in this matter. Now, girls, you just put on your hats, and
we'll go round Eastcliff, and see if we can't pick up a basketful of
pretty trifles for you to take home with you this evening. Of course,
they will be nothing to what will presently follow, but they'll just do
for a beginning. You leave it to me, my loves; leave it all to me. This
great, grand, wise Evelyn Percival can't compete with Paris and the Rue
Rivoli; you leave it all to me."
"How kind you are," said Janet again.
"Don't thank me," said Lady Kathleen, rising; "it's for the honor of
the O'Haras. Whoever yet heard of an O'Hara eating humble pie, or
taking a second position anywhere? Now, girls, run into my room, and
make yourselves smart as smart can be, for we have plenty to do with
our time, I can assure you."
The rest of the day passed for Janet in a sort of delicious dream.
Money seemed as plentiful to Lady Kathleen Peterham as the pebbles
on the seashore. Janet almost gasped as she saw the good lady take
one gold piece after another out of her purse to expend on the merest
nothings. Lady Kathleen had exquisite taste, however, and many useless
but beautiful ornaments were carefully tucked away in the large basket
which was to be taken to Mulberry Court that evening.
"I shall go to Paris on Monday," said Lady Kathleen; "I will telegraph
to my husband to expect me. When is your bazaar? next Thursday? I shall
be back at Eastcliff on Wednesday at the latest. One day in Paris will
effect my purpose. I mean to attend this bazaar myself, and I mean to
bring several friends. Do your best, loves, in the meantime to make as
creditable a show as possible, but leave the final arrangements, the
crowning dash of light, color, and beauty to me."
When the two girls were starting for Mulberry Court in the evening,
Lady Kathleen opened her purse and put five golden sovereigns into
Biddy's hand. "I don't know how you are off for pocket money, my pet,"
she said, "but here's something to keep you going. Now, good-night,
dears; good-night to you both."