"And yet you would tell him?"
The girl's colour rose.
"Yes," she said very proudly; "whatever comes of it, he shall never say
that I have deceived him. I shall tell mother, and she will do what is
best."
"Whenever," murmured her companion--"whenever you sweet-tempered people
take the bit between your teeth, I have noticed that it is absolutely
hopeless to attempt to turn you. Well. Kitty, since you are determined
to set a torch to the gunpowder, I hope we shan't all go up with the
explosion. My father is good for a magnificent fizz. I hear him now in
the passage."
Another moment saw him in the room, and with him came Mrs Lascelles, a
large, kindly-faced woman, in whose brown eyes gleamed the same clear
brightness which met you in her daughter's. The old colonel was as
stormily benevolent as usual.
"So you gave me the slip after all, eh, Miss Bell? I've just been
telling your godmother that she hasn't brought you up well; little Kitty
here would never dare to be so undutiful. Eh? I met your precious
rascal of an Italian close by here; can't think how you admit such a
fellow within the gates. I stopped him, but he was as sulky as a bear.
I have it, though, I have it!" he cried, slapping his thigh; "to be
sure! That's the man the painter-fellow last night was like. What was
he called?--Egerton--Elliott--friend of Marchmont's, you know, Bell.
'Pon my word, the most extraordinary likeness, eh, Bell, eh?"
"There was a likeness, certainly," said his daughter calmly.
"A likeness! This man is his double. It's been annoying me all the
night. I never will be beaten by a likeness."
"But I hope the model is not such a disreputable being as you describe,"
said Mrs Lascelles, a shade of anxiety in her voice. "If he is, it
cannot be very pleasant for you, Kitty."
"He behaved well enough," said the girl, in a low voice.
"And he is not coming again; he has not the time to spare," Bell said
cheerfully. "Kitty has been very successful with him, and ought to be
exceedingly obliged. Look, Mrs Lascelles!"
"Obliged!" grumbled her father. "The fellow gets paid, eh? Well, upon
my word, that's not at all bad, Kitty. I tell you what I'll give you
your first order, and I'll sit for you myself. Then you needn't have
those fellows sneaking about the place. They'll be bringing dynamite
one of these days. If I were Lascelles I wouldn't stand it--I wouldn't
stand it."
"Father," said Bell promptly, "I'm ashamed of you! You're only saying
this to tease Kitty, and she's just as white as a ghost already. Come
home with me at once; and, Kitty, don't you think about anything that he
has said."
Then she flung herself upon her friend, and kissed her with the warmth
which marks a certain phase in young ladies' friendships.
When they were gone, Mrs Lascelles went to the window, where her
daughter was standing.
"There's something the matter, Kitty," she said, putting her hand on her
shoulder.
"Yes, mother, there is," returned the girl gravely.
Neither of them spoke for a little while, for Mrs Lascelles never
extracted confidences. Kitty sighed.
"To tell you the truth," she said, "I can't be sure whether I had better
say it out or not."
"And I can't help you," said Mrs Lascelles, with a laugh.
"You see, mother, so far as I am concerned, it would be the greatest
relief; but Bell thinks that by repeating it will be made of more
importance, and I don't know that she isn't right."
"Well," said her mother, after a pause, "I trust you entirely, Kitty."
"I believe I must tell you," said the girl, "and then you must decide
whether it should go any farther." For in her heart of hearts, Kitty
knew that her father was not the safest person in the world for such a
confidence, and knew that her mother was aware of it, too. "It is about
the model."
Mrs Lascelles looked uneasy.
"Mother, Bell thinks that Mr Everitt could not get the man he promised
to send, and that--he came himself."
"Kitty!"
"Yes. It's dreadful," Kitty said despairingly.
"It's absurd! It must be Bell's imagination. Came himself?"
"Do you think she can have imagined it?"--more hopefully. "She declares
she is quite sure. And you heard what Colonel Aitcheson said?"
"There may be a likeness--of course there must be a likeness--but it is
far more probable that this likeness misled them, than that such an
extraordinarily unlikely thing should be done by any one. Still, the
very idea would distress your father more than I can say."
"That's what I thought,"--despairingly again. "Mother, ought he to
know?"
Mrs Lascelles hesitated, "No. I think, while it is all so uncertain,
and may be only Bell's fancy, that Bell is right in saying it should be
kept quiet. Of course, if he were coming here again, it would be
necessary to ascertain one way or the other; but you say there is no
fear of that?"