Southbourne, and Lady Carew and her correct husband followed. An
Honourable or two, and a Colonel and his wife, made up the party of
people worthy of meeting each other. Toney had only begged for the
Hamiltons, Mr. Hales and Lewis Waycott, but this latter Lady Dove had
refused as "that tiresome Miss Waycott would have to be included." For
the concert everybody was coming, and a supper was to end this grand
party.
But Toney was too much occupied to give a thought to the county
magnates. Rose, who came to help her to put on her white dress, was not
allowed to stay long.
"I'm all right, Rose; I want you to go to the Miss Hamiltons' room and
beg them to come here before going down. I've got them some lovely
flowers."
"There's some come for you too, Miss Toney," said Rose, holding out a
lovely bunch of white lilies. "It was left at the back door, and was
specially to be given to you."
"Oh!" exclaimed Toney. "How lovely; I wonder who sent them. You see, I
haven't a young man, Rose."
"Cook said as how you ought to have one, Miss Toney; specially you being
so rich now."
Toney paused as she held the flowers lovingly; she always had reverenced
flowers. Oh, dear! even the servants associated money with love. It
was dreadful! Then she resolutely thrust away thoughts of self, and
looked at her two bunches of roses. Then, pinning in her lilies, she
waited a little anxiously. Time was flying. She had arranged with the
footman to call Mr. Weston at the last moment, and she must get the
Hamiltons down before he came. There was a knock at the door, and
Jeanie Hamilton stood in the doorway, a vision of beauty in a soft cloud
of pale blue silk and chiffon, whilst Maud looked nearly as much
transformed in rose.
"Oh!" exclaimed Toney, "how just awfully beautiful you look, Jeanie!
May I say it? and here are some flowers I got uncle to steal for you!
Let me pin them on."
Jeanie could not help admiring herself, and her spirits rose. Never had
she had such a dress.
"Wasn't it generous of Aunt Honoria? It's the most beautiful dress I
have ever seen; and, look at Maud, isn't hers pretty too? They must
have cost a small fortune."
"You both look perfect."
"We must tell you about the gentleman who took our measure," exclaimed
Maud, trying to hide her nervousness by talking. "But, oh, Toney, look
at the time; we ought to go down."
"Yes. We'll all go together, and if you go in first Aunt Dove's
big-wigs will be so struck of a heap with you that they'll forget me.
They do seem so very extra civil to me now, all because I've got so much
tin. Oh! they don't know the trouble of it; but in any case I don't
stick bank-notes on my clothes, so I can't see why I'm more interesting
than I was before. Come, let's run! No, you can't with those clo'."
But all the same, the three girls did run, seeing an anxious look on the
butler's face as they entered the hall.
The door was thrown open for them, and, as Toney had predicted, the two
Hamiltons made a sensation, especially Jeanie, whose face was so full of
pathos, and who looked especially beautiful. Toney crept in behind them,
but was seen by her aunt.
"Toney, how dreadfully late you are! The musician--what's his name--has
not come down yet. Tell Thomas to fetch him at once." Toney nodded.
"It's all right, Aunt Dove; I've done it. You know musical people are
not like others."
Sir Evas knew he had to obey orders, and got hold of Jeanie. He held
the list of the other pairs in his hand, but several gentlemen came up
to talk to this vision of beauty. Maud kept close to Toney; she could
not talk, she could hardly see. What would Jeanie do? and what would he
do? Why had Toney done this? How terrible; suppose there was a scene;
suppose----
The door flew open and Mr. Frank Weston was announced, but Jeanie was at
the other end of the room and did not hear the name.
Toney flew up to the genius and introduced him right and left till
dinner was announced; then she paused.
"You remember about--my friend, Mr. Weston?" The genius had bowed right
and left in rather a formal manner. He was so often introduced that he
barely listened to the names of the people introduced. He was thinking
of Miss Whitburn. The big-wigs were pairing off, and solemnly marched
away like a regiment of newly-trained recruits, when Sir Evas suddenly
introduced him to a lady whose name he did not hear. He held out his
arm mechanically; ladies were nothing to him, and he only saw a
beautiful dress. A symphony was floating through his brain, he was only
acting in a dream, till suddenly he felt the arm he held tremble. He was
recalled to earth. They were crossing the hall, and the noise of voices
was great Various scraps of conversation about hunting and the weather
reached him, and his own name--the great Frank Weston; what a surprise,
no one expected him! He looked down and exclaimed--he knew not what.
"Let me go away," she murmured, "you----"
"Impossible! Miss Hamilton, pray remember we are both guests--no one
knows. If my presence is so--distasteful to you----"
"I did not know."
"Neither did I--but this chance meeting might have happened anywhere."
"Yes----" Jeanie straightened herself, and they both walked on in
silence. They were shown their places, and Frank Weston glanced at the
name on his other side; Mrs. Arbuthnot. Jeanie had Colonel Arbuthnot on
her other side. They need not speak to each other. How terrible!
Jeanie searched for Maud, but she was on the same side and could not be
seen. Her heart beat so fast she could hardly speak. She looked for
Toney, someone to appeal to. Was she near Frank? Yes, Frank was here,
sitting beside her; but of course he hated her. Of course, he was
wishing himself miles away; of course, he would _never_ forgive her,
never, never love her again. Never--never, she repeated to herself.
Toney's eyes, which saw so much, were looking at them; she could see
they were silent, and she noticed they each turned to their other
neighbours. Oh! her plan was failing, had failed, and she had risked
everything on this dinner. Maud was looking deadly pale, but in spite
of all this the talk was loud, drowning nearly everything. Mr. Hales at
her side broke the spell.
"You are very preoccupied this evening, and yet you have secured the one
man everyone wants to hear," he said. "Are you not satisfied?" His
voice had a new tone in it, which made Toney look up wonderingly.
"Oh, yes, I am preoccupied; so would you be if you had conspired
tremendously and your conspiracy was no good."
"Indeed!"
"Mr. Hales, help me! Mr. Frank Weston isn't talking one scrap to Jeanie
Hamilton."
"He has come to play the violin, and I daresay he is not a good
conversationalist."
"It's not that, you don't know her story; he was in love with Jeanie
once, and she loved him really, but she sent him away because his father
had a shop and sold something, and now she's just frightfully sorry she
did it, and--but he doesn't look as if he was forgiving her. What would
you do?"
Mr. Hales smiled.
"I should never have hazarded the meeting--never."
"Was I wrong? Oh, but of course she _is_ sorry, and--but I wish they
would notice each other. If I were her I should just say I knew I was a
born fool when I said no." Mr. Hales laughed.
"I don't think _you_ would ever have said no for that reason!"
"I couldn't, because my father sort of kept a shop; we were always
selling drugs. Oh look, Mr. Hales, just out of the corner of your eye,
I see Jeanie looking up into his face, and she has just refused oyster
patties."
"But do I understand you did all this to--bring them together?"
"Yes. I did so want them to be happy, besides it would make Maud and
Mr. Waycott happy."
Mr. Hales was silent. He was considering whether Toney would ever
consent herself to say yes to somebody. A dream of a larger sphere of
work floated before his mental vision, a dream of a young wife who would
devote her money to their work, for in every mission-field money was
needed, money and workers. But love seemed very far removed from
Toney's ideas at this moment, and so he was silent. Then he asked after
the work at the Haven.
"Miss Phipps is doing wonders, and some of my first friends come
to-morrow. Two of the _avant garde_ and the deaf man. He has no one to
take care of him."
"You will indeed have the blind and the deaf," said Mr. Hales smiling.
"Yes, but I do wish we lived in the days of St. Clare and Sister
Ortolana. For when St. Francis sent them to sick people they made the
sign of the Cross, and immediately restored them all to health."
"And by their prayers, Toney, I think."
"Yes," answered Toney, "I suppose that's where we fail; but oh, Mr.
Hales, I did pray ever so hard about Jeanie and the genius! Do you
think--they will make it up? We have come to the cheese and they have
said nothing!" Mr. Hales hid a smile.
"Perhaps the music will work the miracle. Don't despair."
"Perhaps it will, though that is a mystery to me. Mr. Hales, you will
keep near me, won't you, as I see the Honourable Edward looking at me
sideways. I'm so afraid he'll want to talk to me privately."
"But perhaps----"
"Oh no! I couldn't possibly think of it! Besides, I'm afraid it's true
what Aunt Dove said. He wants the--money, and you see it would be a
dreadful disappointment to hear that it--was not to be had. I thought
money might make two people happy, and here are the ices and they
haven't yet melted!"
Everyone soon rose to proceed to the barn, and in that interval Toney
flew to find the genius.
*CHAPTER XXIII.*
*TEN MINUTES.*
The carriages rolled up to the barn door in quick succession, and Lady
Dove did indeed feel proud as she received her guests at the entrance of
the fairy bower, now styled the concert-room. Never had such an
entertainment been given there by her before, and now a wireless message
went round the guests that Frank Weston was the star they had come to
hear. Such a treat had not been imagined, for crowned heads had to
petition him, not to command. How had he been persuaded to come and
give a private concert at Aldersfield House? Words of gratitude were
heard on every side.
"How kind of you, Lady Dove! This is an unexpected treat; Lord Dashwood
tried in vain to get him! He is very proud and very original. I heard
the Emperor of Germany could not get him to play last year. The Germans
say we have never had such a genius. Quite a poor man was he? Genius
plays strange freaks. They say he can make as much money as he
likes--Lady Gwen Steward was dying to marry him they say--but he
wouldn't look at her. They say he was once jilted and that turned him
into a misogamist."
Lady Dove tried to answer appropriately and was all smiles. She kept
Mr. Russell near her, he was so clever and so useful, and Sir Evas was
neither!
"How kind of you to come this wet evening. Yes, Mr. Frank Weston is
really here, he dined with us--such a charming fellow--genius written
all over him"--and so on whilst the crowd rustled into seats. Where was
Toney?
Directly dinner was over, Toney flew to find Jim, who was always ready
to do her bidding. She interviewed him in the housekeeper's room.
"Jim, I want you to see after Mr. Frank Weston. Show him to the
waiting-room we have rigged up, and stay at the door, and don't let
anyone come in or out unless I tell you. I haven't any ring, that would
be the right thing, but look at this glove, Jim, you see it has one
green finger, I was getting a nosegay in a hurry--if someone brings this
glove, let them in! The people won't be seated for a quarter of an hour
yet, and Jim--is your young woman still faithful to you?"
"Yes, miss," said Jim quite gravely, touching his cap.
"But if she wasn't what would you say?"
"Knock 'im over, miss."
"But if there wasn't a him, only she just thought you not good enough?"
"Get another, miss."
"Oh, Jim, that isn't at all having fine feeling. You'd have to be true
to her, and wait till she thought better of it, and then you'd not be
proud, would you?"
"Can't say, miss."
"You'd just forgive and forget, wouldn't you? I want you to say so--if
you really think it."
"Yes, miss. If you was to tell me I'd forgive and forget."
Toney laughed and then hurried Jim off.
"Remember my glove with the green finger!"
"Yes, miss," and Jim flew off to obey. If Toney had told him to run
twenty miles he would have gone. Next, Toney went to find the
Hamiltons; she did not think they would go to the barn at once and she
was right. In the little second drawing-room where the lights had been
lowered, she was conscious of soft murmuring tones, and rushing in she
heard Maud's voice.
"Oh, Jeanie darling, don't, don't cry like that! What shall we do?"
The beautiful vision in blue was hiding her face in the sofa cushions
and sobbing.
"It's only me," exclaimed Toney coughing. "Is anything the matter?"
Jeanie jumped up.
"No, no, thank you, I did not feel very well. I think I would prefer
going up to my room."
"Oh! and miss Mr. Weston's playing! Please come and hear him, and after
that you can go--and--and----" Poor Toney was non-plussed.
"Forgive me," said Jeanie, her pride giving way, "I was upset; I once
knew Mr. Weston and--we were great friends, but we quarrelled,
and--he--won't forgive me."
"Is that all? Did you say you were sorry, Jeanie? It's best to be
quite straight out, isn't it? No use beating about the bush, and let me
see---- Oh! he's in the little waiting-room now, I'll go and ask
him--won't you give me one of your flowers or something?"
"Oh no, no, I can't--he would--throw them away--and I should deserve
it."
"He looks awfully nice, Jeanie, such a good strong face; no nonsense at
all. I expect he did feel a bit hipped, but--look here, if he sends you
your flowers back again, you'll know he can't forgive, but if he sends
you the white camellia I gave him, then you'll know it's all right, and
go at once to the room. I'll send Jim, he's awfully safe. Will you
wait here? There's crowds coming, and Aunt Dove and Mr. Russell are
saying a lot of nothings which people like, so there's time yet."
Maud unpinned her sister's flowers with trembling fingers as Jeanie sat
up, clasping her hands.
"Toney, you are kind, but you don't understand. I behaved so horridly to
him. I let mother insult him, and he must have hated me. I deserve it
all and now--now--it's horrid to say so but I would not be so unhappy if
only he could forgive me, but he never will; he is proud too--as proud
of his people as I am about mine, and I threw it at him. Would you ever
forgive that, Toney? He never spoke to me, only once--just to ask me to
have something. I nearly died."
Toney seized the flowers, there was so little time.
"Look here, Jeanie, I'll just go and reconnoitre. Here's my glove with a
green finger, if you get the camellia take my glove and Jim will let you
in. All those old sillies would want to get at him, and one of his
conditions was a quarter of an hour alone before the concert."
Toney flew off leaving the sisters alone. Jeanie again hid her face,
but she no longer sobbed, and Maud knelt by her holding her hand.
"Oh, Jim, is he in there? I've only ten minutes," said Toney. Jim
nodded.
"He said no one was to come in, Miss Tonia."
"But I _must_ go, I'm just like Queen Esther. I do hope he'll hold out
his sceptre."
Jim opened the door, and Toney stood face to face with the genius, who
was pacing the narrow limits of the small waiting-room.
"Oh, please forgive me! I've come to tell you that Jim, who's a great
friend of mine, says he could forgive and forget if I told him to do
so--I thought I'd better tell you to--forgive and forget."
No one could have resisted a smile at this speech, even Frank Weston,
who was smarting from the opening of the old wound, smiled, then sternly
he said, "I--did not want to see anybody."
"I'm not anybody, indeed I'm not. Just a poor relation of Sir Evas,
till I got a lot of money left to me by the dearest old General. He was
good, you bet, and _he_ would have forgiven anyone, especially if--they
sent these flowers."
There seemed to be no need of an explanation between these two. Frank
Weston had now realised Toney's conspiracy.
Toney held out the lovely bunch of roses she had herself tied up for
Jeanie.
"Look, please take them--exchange them--if you forgive her. She is just
sobbing her heart out and calling herself no end of names, I believe she
is heart-broken, and says she only wants your forgiveness."
The genius turned away and there was silence.
"There is so little time, Mr. Weston, can't you make up your mind?"
"You hardly understand, Miss Whitburn," he said turning suddenly towards
Toney, who held the flowers in her hand. "I loved Miss Hamilton with
all my heart. She made me believe she loved me, and then she threw me
over because my father had honestly earned his living in trade, because
he had nobly scraped every penny from his hard-earned money to give me a
musical education. I can never make you rich people understand what I
owe to my father, and when Miss Hamilton----"
"Oh yes, don't dwell on it, I told you it was the old pussy cat, her
mother--Aunt Dove would be just the same--but you must not think Jeanie
is like that now--Pups--(that's my father)--did everything for me and I
quite understand, but then he would have been the first to tell me to
make it up. Wouldn't your father?"
"He often has told me to try again, but he did not understand."
"Then that's easy---- Oh, please, there's awfully little time--and just
to please me, will you play one of the pieces you used to play together
at the end of the concert. I've got her fiddle here and she would be so
awfully happy, and she has a lovely dress, and----"
Toney's words were as if the Dam of Assouan had given way and had let
through the waters of the Nile, and then all at once she stood on
tip-toe, for the precious minutes were flying and with deft fingers she
unpinned his camellia.
"You needn't say anything, the camellia will speak; there! I must fly,
you've got eight minutes and then you'll have to come. There's a chair
left for Jeanie in front, it will sort of inspire you, won't it? Oh,
thank you a thousand times."
She opened the door and flew past Jim with the reminder, "and, Jim, when
time's up, don't go in, only knock loud," and ran in the dim darkness
towards the house--but at that moment she ran against someone.
"Oh!--why it's you! How very, very nice."
"I was coming to look for you, Toney. Lady Dove is getting rather----"
"Yes, of course. Will you, please, go and give this camellia to Jeanie.
Maud is there, and will you tell Jeanie to go to Mr. Weston. He wants
to see her about some music--and then will you take Maud into the
concert-room. Oh, that's all, but please run."
"All right, Toney," said Lewis laughing.
In another moment, Toney herself was entering the concert-room looking
very red and hot, but smiling graciously and shaking hands with
everybody who came in her way, in spite of Lady Dove's loud whisper,
"Antonia, how very rude to come in so late. What will people think of
you!"
"So sorry--I had to see about Mr. Weston's duet. It will be just the
best thing of all! How do you do? Isn't this lovely? He is a great
genius and I don't even feel a bit sleepy!"
Five minutes to the time, Jeanie, like a cloud of blue, appeared at the
waiting-room door, holding a lovely camellia, and a discoloured white
glove. She held it out to Jim but could not speak.
"All right, miss, but there's only five minutes."
Jim then opened the door and closed it quickly. Jeanie looked like a
beautiful ghost in the half-lighted room. Her heart beat so fast that
for a moment she could not speak. With one hand she grasped the back of
a chair, and with the other she held out the camellia.
"Frank--forgive me--I--can't forgive myself, Miss Whitburn _made_ me
come--I---- Oh, Frank, I'm so miserable, I'm not proud any more." Her
head drooped and Frank Weston only saw a beautiful head of soft golden
brown hair; then the greatness of his character triumphed over his
pride, for suddenly he put his strong arms round her.
"Jeanie," he said; "Jeanie----" He only heard a sob, and his answer was
a passionate kiss imprinted on her golden hair, for her face was hidden;
then a minute of exquisite silence and then a loud knock which made them
fly apart.
"If you please, sir, time's up."
"Jeanie, _she_, Miss Whitburn, asked us--will you play that last duet we
played together, do you remember it?"
"Remember it! Oh, Frank, I can't, I've no violin."
"Yes. Here it is, she brought it here."
"It's all Toney."
"Miss Whitburn is a very wonderful person. Come, she said a chair was
ready for you. Oh, my love, my love!"
Jeanie fled to the side door, then she sank into a chair that was close
by. The next moment Frank Weston appeared on the platform amidst a
storm of welcome. He did not smile or bow, but at once took his violin,
nodded to the accompanist who had come by a later train, and began to
play. All those who had a soul for music seemed to be lifted to another
sphere, and even those who had not, watched with breathless wonder the
face of the great musician. He saw only, sitting before him, Jeanie
Hamilton, and she never took her eyes from him, for her there was no one
else in the room.
Right at the other end of the barn Lewis Waycott sat next to Maud, who
was still trembling with excitement.
"Oh, Lewis, it's too, too wonderful. The camellia you brought was his.
It's all Toney's doing. I think she is the most wonderful person I have
ever known---- _You_ always appreciated her, you have nothing to be
sorry for."
"Yes, I always did. How did she manage this?"
"I can't think how. He was so proud--I think Jeanie would soon have
died--of a broken heart."
"There are no such things, Maud."
"Hush!" she said. "Listen!"
That concert was talked of for many a long day. Those who knew said that
Frank Weston excelled himself, but something else wonderful happened.
There was still ten minutes of the allotted time when he had finished
his last piece. He put down his violin, walked down the steps and
offered his arm to Jeanie Hamilton.
There was another storm of applause. Miss Hamilton, whom so many
present knew was considered worthy to play with the genius--and how
beautiful she looked! How was it no one had sooner recognised her
beauty and her talent, and what a lovely dress! Jeanie was still in a
dream. This was happening all long ago, when she and Frank had played
together, of course it was for the last time--but she must play her
best, she must not disgrace him in public, though it was the hardest
thing she had ever done.
"Now," he said softly, looking at her, and then they began. How kindly
he moderated his pace to hers, how thrilling were the tender notes. It
was a little bit of heaven, and then it was over!
What a storm of applause followed, but Jeanie fled and Frank Weston
followed her after simply saying "Thank you" to his audience.
Jim was keeping the door as they passed in, and when Toney arrived Jim
had seized the situation.
"I think, Miss Tonia," he said, touching his cap, "I think Miss Hamilton
must be _his_ young lady."
"Yes, she is, but in ten minutes tell them to come to supper at the
House. Mind, only ten minutes, Jim, for I'm just dying to congratulate
them."
*CHAPTER XXIV.*
*LEWIS' DECISION.*
How did the secret come out? It was whispered, then murmured, then
everybody seemed to say at once, "Isn't it romantic! The great Frank
Weston is just engaged to Miss Hamilton. Didn't they look a perfect
pair as they played. What a sensation it will make--an old romance.
Quite charming"--and so on.
And among these buzzing remarks Toney flitted about at the stand-up
supper, where everything was of the best, and where everybody seemed to
enjoy themselves, but none so much as Toney herself. She had not dreamt
of reward, but she certainly had it this evening. First came Maud with
dewy eyes, she had not yet got over her fears.
"Oh, Toney, is it true? I have not seen her. It is all your doing.
Tell me everything."
"Ouf!" said Toney, "I thought it was all white of egg at first, but--oh,
Maud, it's just the most perfect romance there ever was, that is only
second to my dear Chum, who is here, and I haven't had a moment to talk
to her, but of course you'll both sleep here to-night and see him off
to-morrow. Hasn't he a face of--iron, will sort of prop her up all her
life. He hasn't a mean idea in his brain. I say, Maud, you'll be true
to me and not let it out, won't you?"
At this moment Mrs. Hamilton and Miss Honoria came up looking much
flustered.
"Antonia, there you are! My dear child, do you know anything about
this--report? Where is Jeanie? Maud, do you know? Toney, what is
happening?"
Toney shook her head.
"They are in the waiting-room; looks true, doesn't it, Mrs. Hamilton?
Jim is keeping guard so I expect he let it out. Jim's got a young woman
himself, so he's rather cute over the subject."