was it, to endure nobly, that meant she must not be beaten by her pain.
Ah, she too would endure as did that young noble. Of course, endurance
was easy when everything went right, but the only thing worth a rag was
to endure when everything went wrong! And Toney looked this great
sorrow in the face and made up her mind, oh, if it were possible--and it
was possible--to endure _cheerfully_. Then, knowing she must be up
early, she went to bed and fell asleep.
She awoke to the sound of marriage bells through the open windows; for
one moment her face was all joy, then suddenly the pain returned. She
dressed very quickly in a plain white serge dress, and then ran out to
find the motor. Jim was ready with it. He looked beaming.
"I want to see if the church is properly beautiful. When you get
married, Jim, I'll do the same for you. When is it to be?"
"We're in no hurry, Miss Tonia, there's time enough."
Toney laughed, Jim did not feel as did Frank Weston evidently.
At the church there were busy helpers, and several men from London.
Large hampers of lilies were being unpacked.
Next, Toney motored to Waycott Hall and interviewed Maud, and then went
home to early breakfast. Jim and the motor were to be kept busy.
The actual wedding was simple in the extreme. Only the Waycott Hall
party, Miss Waycott, Mrs. Hamilton and Maud; and from Aldersfield, Sir
Evas, Toney, the bridegroom, and Dr. Mayo. As the party entered he was
already playing divine music, but the church was full of poor people and
of white lilies. Never had the little old building looked so beautiful;
Jeanie paused at the entrance.
"Oh! This is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen!" she whispered
to Frank.
Mrs. Hamilton looked at Toney and then at her sister.
"Honoria, what extravagance, but how beautiful!"
"It's Toney all over," said Miss Honoria.
As to Frank Weston, he thought, "This is as it should be, no fuss, only
poor people and flowers and heavenly music."
There were no jovial young men fussing and talking, no hustling, no
disgraceful pushing, no whispered conversations. To the poor it was
nearly as good as a funeral as they listened to Mr. Hales' strong manly
voice, and saw his face full of mystic joy.
If Jeanie Hamilton had wanted any more reforming she had it then. How
could pride exist in this sanctuary of beauty? She looked like a lily
herself in a white afternoon dress, not a ball dress to be minutely
described in the newspapers, Jeanie, belonging to one of the oldest
families in the county, was marrying a self-made man, but as she looked
up at his strong face, full of manly joy, she knew that she, not he, had
the best of the bargain! She was only proud now of belonging to him.
Mrs. Hamilton was touched by the beauty and the originality. There was
no vulgarity to hurt her pride, and she forgave Maud's first words in
the vestry,
"Oh dearest Jeanie, you are a lucky woman. Toney, it was quite, quite
perfect."
"You shall have the same, Maud, when you marry," answered Toney smiling.
Maud laughed and looked guilty. How pretty she appeared in her white
dress, looking not unlike a bride herself.
The poor people remained seated till the pair came out together, but
Toney stayed behind with a little army of helpers. All the lilies were
to be tied in bunches, and each poor person in the church was to take
home a bunch. Toney therefore missed seeing an uninvited guest at the
church door, who shook hands cordially with the wedding party.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Weston, I was not invited, but I heard a whisper of
your original wedding and----"
Jeanie smiled.
"It's Miss Whitburn's idea. Could anything be more beautiful?"
He was by Maud's side now and he said quite gravely,
"I took note of everything, Miss Hamilton."
"Oh," said Maud smiling, "it would not do for _your_ tastes. Hanover
Square and a rowdy audience!"
"Indeed you are unjust. This is the first wedding I have enjoyed----"
Mrs. Hamilton was smiling, but, thinking Edward Lang wanted to make up
to Toney, she did not invite him to the breakfast. Only Maud lingered a
minute to say something, and then the poor people came trooping out, and
when Toney reappeared she was too busy talking to them to see anything
else.
The breakfast at Waycott Hall was a great trial to Toney, but she fought
against this lion and no one found out she was in a battle. Dr. Mayo
acted as best man, and his speech was short but to the point.
"The bridegroom being a friend of long standing, I rise to drink his
health. The bride I have only seen to-day, but I congratulate her from
the bottom of my heart. To be the wife of Frank Weston means to be the
wife of a genius--that is nothing, he was born a genius, he couldn't
help himself--but it also means to be the wife of a man who, having a
grand profession, has always ennobled it, and who has never, by thought,
word, or deed, lowered the high standard he set before himself, and I
think Mr. and Mrs. Weston are wise to go at once to Germany, so as to
avoid such demonstration from the musical world here as might be
overpowering."
The bridegroom's speech was also very short.
"I thank my friend for his words, because I think he believes them!--but
I rise to drink the health of Miss Whitburn. I believe she does not
like titles, so when we think of all she has accomplished, we mentally
say 'Toney'---- Round this word centres the gratitude of two persons
who can never forget her. I am further asked by Mr. Lewis Waycott, to
say how much he regrets not being amongst us, but his plans could not be
altered. He has ordered that all the cottagers on his estate are to
have a good dinner--he wishes us to accept that as his wedding present.
For my part he could not have offered me anything I appreciate more."
Toney felt her throat tighten again. Lewis had thought of the nicest
thing possible--if only he had been there himself! Maud was looking so
happy, but then she, of course, knew he was happy, and knew he could not
change.
Now Miss Honoria had something to say.
"I am very sorry that my nephew is not here in person, but he thought of
everybody before his departure, and he begged me to say that as all the
wedding arrangements were due to Miss Whitburn, he had asked all his
tenants to remember her when they enjoyed their dinner."
Toney actually blushed, and Sir Evas, who was sitting beside her, nudged
her.
"Come, Toney, say something. Don't say you're shy! Nobody would
believe that!"
Toney laughed and stood up.
"It's all a mistake. I'm just doing nothing but please myself awfully
when I plan a romance, so there is no credit at all but---- Gracious
stars! I can't spout any more."
There was a burst of laughter and the wedding ended in merriment.
Toney's one comfort was, "He did think of me anyhow." As they prepared
to get ready for going away, she went up to Maud, his Maud.
"Maud, you do look sweet! I want to kiss you. It will do me good."
It was so unlike Toney that Maud laughed.
"I want to hug you, dear Toney, it will do me good! I am so happy."
Jeanie's thanks were simple.
"Toney, Frank says he'll always come when you want him--for a private
concert or anything, and so will I."
"How charming of you both, but I don't think there is another romance
for me to undertake except Maud's."
"Oh, Maud--must wait," said her sister.
"Yes, of course. Well, now we're going to see you off in grand style."
*CHAPTER XXIX.*
*AN ANGRY LAWYER.*
Sir Evas and Toney travelled up to London directly after the wedding
pair had left in a private carriage ordered by Toney. In the train the
heiress was very quiet. Sir Evas put it down to weariness, and no
wonder after all she had accomplished this morning; so the "Good
Comrade" respected her silence and read his paper. He was very
understanding as Toney always expressed it. At Waterloo, Sir Evas
called a hansom for Toney.
"Toney, you'll only go to Mr. Staines. Eh? Why not come on to Charing
Cross Hotel later, and have tea or something?"
Toney turned away to find her umbrella. The temptation was very great.
"I shan't have much time, uncle, and I'll get back by the first train
possible; Aunt Dove will feel dull and will want to hear all about the
wedding. She doesn't quite approve of it, so she had a headache; but
she is dying to hear particulars I know!"
"You see, musicians are--well, I mean marrying out of your set wasn't
the fashion in her day."
"I wish I knew a nice sweep!" said Toney laughing, "but I don't; or I
might, perhaps, fall in love with him; anyhow, I'm booked for a
wallflower, so I shan't shock her!"
"Humph!" said Sir Evas. "Well, good-bye, I'll do your commission for
you, Toney, in fact I'm going straight to Lawn and Alders now, to order
a 450-bore high velocity cordite rifle for Lewis' lions. Make your mind
easy and I'll be back to-morrow. Any message to Waycott?"
"No, nothing in particular. Tell him it was mean to miss the wedding,
and tell him that Maud looked very pretty as well as the bride.
Good-bye, Ducky Uncle."
The cab drove off and Sir Evas was left on the platform looking after
it.
"There's something on the child's mind," he said to himself. "It's not
Lewis Waycott, she could have come to hunt me up if it had been. I laid
that trap nicely."
Chuckling at his own deep artfulness, Sir Evas went off to see about the
necessary kit for killing lions and tigers!
The clerks at Mr. Staines' office paid the heiress great attention. It
annoyed Toney, and indeed she looked so young and so simple it was
difficult to treat her as a great lady, but they all knew she was worth
L50,000 a year! You cannot be treated in an ordinary way if you are
worth that amount. Toney was shown into the private room at once.
"How are you, Miss Whitburn? Delighted to see you! This is nicer than
the telephone."
"Yes. Never quite sure who's hulloing," laughed Toney. "I shan't be
long. Do you know Stone House has been begun this week?"
Mr. Staines shook his head.
"It will swallow a large sum of--but you can afford it."
"I've given _carte blanche_ for everything about it The firm is honest
and I won't have scamped work. Pups said it never paid. I don't want to
ruin the building either, and I want a margin for improvements."
"You have a very good head for business, Miss Whitburn. Now, how can I
help you?"
Toney rose from the chair, she felt less cramped standing up.
"Why, ever so much!" She took a paper out of her pocket which was
covered with figures. "First, tell me how much I could live on suppose
I left Aldersfield House? Not yet; but suppose Aunt and uncle died
suddenly, the place goes to a distant cousin who is a Judge in New
Zealand, and he has a large family?"
"You would then make a home of your own."
"Yes; but I wouldn't have a big place in a park. They sort of stifle me.
I want just necessities, because I haven't screwed up my courage to beg
yet."
"To beg!" Mr. Staines thought his client had gone off her head.
"Yes. St. Francis did, you know--but then at that time you weren't
taken up for begging as I should be now."
They both laughed.
"I think you would be put in a lunatic asylum begging with L50,000 a
year."
"That's just it. Well, it's no good beating about the bush. Stone
House will cost a heap to build, but now I want to make sure it's
endowed."
"Endowed! Good heavens!"
"Why, of course, you can't live on nice rooms, can you? It may take in
about forty persons double and single--then----. Yes, I want all my
money to go to endow it, except just what will prevent my being a
beggar."
"When you die you mean," said the lawyer turning a little pink. It was
like someone suggesting throwing a priceless picture into the Thames.
"No, now, at once---- You know, Mr. Staines, my will was only
temporary. I told you so. If I build and endow Stone House it will be
a real monument to the memory of the General and Pups."
"What madness! You are so young, you will marry, and your husband has a
right to expect a large proportion of your fortune."
"There it is again," cried Toney. "I won't marry; but if I did, why
should he expect my money? If I'm not worth loving without, then--oh,
I'm glad I shall never, never marry--and if I give this away it will
save a lot of people the trouble of asking me for it."
"It's madness, utter foolishness," cried the lawyer, rising and pacing
about the room; "sheer, downright madness! I won't be a party to it."
Toney turned pale. Would no one help her? Would no one understand that
to give this away was real happiness, that she could never bear the
burden alone, and that by keeping it she was a temptation to every man
who required money?
"I think the General would understand, Mr. Staines, and so would Uncle
Evas."
"Though you are your own mistress, I must consult your uncle."
Toney shook her head.
"It's no use---- He wouldn't like to go slap against you! Old family
lawyers are such tyrants."
Mr. Staines looked furious.
"Tyrants, indeed! But for us half the owners of money would commit
endless follies such as you wish to do, Miss Whitburn!"
"You can't keep all that pile and remain on the 'Path of Perfection,'"
said Toney decidedly, "it can't be done. I wish you would read 'The
Little Flowers.'"
"This is pure drivelling----"
"Look here, Mr. Staines, I've a real regard for you. You wouldn't run
away with anyone's money, but--you don't understand. Anyhow, I've told
you I mean to keep some, because there are always needy people, and then
I think I shall keep the Haven to retire to myself, and I could live
then on--there I do want help. I've always lived on nothing before I
had this pile."
"Are you decided?"
"Quite, quite, quite--if you can't do it, hitch me on to a man that
will."
Toney stood now firm and strong. The colour returned to her cheeks.
Mr. Staines could not possibly lose the handling of the money, so he
bowed to necessity.
"I must reserve enough for your private needs and casual charity," he
said.
"That's it. I thought you'd come round to see it, Mr. Staines. Only I
want it done awfully soon, and then I shall breathe again! In fact draw
up something now, to make it quite secure. One never knows. I might
have a smash in the train to-day. You see I couldn't be sure about Aunt
Dove, she does love the coin. Sort of madness, I guess."
"Cannot I first see Sir Evas Dove?" groaned Mr. Staines.
"It would make no difference; still, when it's done you can tell him. I
like everything above board, don't you?"
"Above board" was the last thing suitable for his position. The lawyer
did not answer.
"I'll go and get a mouthful to eat, Mr. Staines, arguing with you has
made me so hungry, and then I'll come back and sign."
"Give me discretion to keep a sufficiency for----"
"Yes--and if it's too much I can come again, but, gracious stars! it's
enough to stifle a poor girl having to decide all these questions. Half
an hour will do for a preliminary canter, won't it, and make it sure."
Toney departed and took a cab to Lyons' Restaurant, Piccadilly. All the
time she looked out at the passers-by. By a bare chance she might see
Lewis Waycott walking about, and she would just nod a last good-bye.
What would he say to her action? She didn't know, but she believed he
would say "Quite right, Toney, much better secure it for these people."
Of course he was the only man who would not reproach her! Her heart
felt lighter.
The Lyons made her think still more of Lewis' lions! She ordered some
tea and hot toast to try and get him out of her thoughts, but she felt
terribly lonely in the big place so full of people going and coming. It
was like a miniature world full of persons thinking of their own
concerns or their own comfort. For the first time she began to
appreciate the lonely park at Aldersfield. It was this busy world that
oppressed her now. Was she changing? She who had jostled against so
many persons, and who had been afraid of nothing.
She felt better after her tea and jumped into a hansom again, to return
to Mr. Staines. How glad she would be when the deed of gift was done
and signed.
Once more she stood in the private room. Mr. Staines looked really
distressed.
"You have forced me to go against my conscience," he said, unfolding a
big paper.
Toney could not help laughing as she sat down with alacrity to sign.
"I've kept a sufficiency," he said; "don't try me too much."
"You are really nice," she answered, signing her full name with a
flourish whilst two clerks came to witness the signature and retired,
little guessing what they had helped to do.
"I've endowed Stone House with L30,000 a year. That will be ample for a
whole colony. The money you gave to Lady Dove has taken a slice of the
capital, and you have lived in fine style since then! Then the building
will take another large slice."
"When Aunt Dove dies I want you to settle the L2,000 on Miss Maud
Hamilton," said Toney. "She is a great friend of mine and poor. Oh,
I've had a glorious time, Mr. Staines, but I knew it was only for a
time. St. Francis never kept things with the excuse of giving them away
again."
"Hang St. Francis!"
Toney laughed, and Mr. Staines could not help smiling.
"Well, good-bye, I've got to catch a train, and please, Mr. Staines,
will you accept a little personal present? Not the firm---- Just to
show you forgive me, and _I_ won't say how _you_ are to spend it! Oh,
it's from me and the General."
Then like a strange gleam of unearthly sunshine Toney was gone. Mr.
Staines opened the envelope and discovered a cheque for a thousand
pounds. From another client it is doubtful if he would have accepted it,
but a strange smile passed over his face.
"They are going to shut up a wing of the Children's Hospital at
Margate," he said; "this will just save it; that girl sets a shocking
example, but I did my best----"
He was not yet happy, but, strange to say, he was somewhat comforted.
Toney walked into the Aldersfield drawing-room half an hour before the
dressing bell. Lady Dove was listening to Miss Grossman's rather loud
voice. The novel was dull, and she was glad to stop her. Usually Miss
Grossman insisted on reading the whole hour before dinner without
stopping or allowing her employer to talk.
"Oh, Aunt Dove, I've had a nice afternoon. I saw Mr. Staines and had a
jolly tea at the Lyons' Restaurant. Uncle is coming back early
to-morrow, but I knew you'd be dying to hear about our wedding."
"Mrs. Hamilton has been here and told me all. I'm sure, Toney, you must
have wasted a great deal on flowers out of season."
"They did good all round, and Jeanie and Mr. Weston just seemed lifted
up by them. So would you have been if you'd seen them."
"I never countenance useless waste," was the answer.
"Sentimentality is not sentiment," interposed Miss Grossman.
To herself Toney said, "Consider the lilies of the field how they grow;"
aloud, she added, "Anyhow Miss Honoria agreed that Jeanie and Maud
looked lovely!"
"Mrs. Hamilton really bored me about her daughters' perfections. I said
I was sorry her son-in-law's escutcheon was a blank, but, of course, she
is going to keep Maud in her own set. Lewis Waycott has as many
quarterings as the Hamiltons."
Toney's heart went thump, thump, again. How horrid she was!
"Quarterings are no use at all to the Westons. They will be just perfect
without them," said Toney.
"But of course," continued Lady Dove, "I do wonder at her countenancing
the marriage of cousins."
"The future owner of Waycott will be an idiot," said Miss Grossman
decidedly. Then Toney rushed away; the atmosphere of the drawing-room
without Uncle Evas suffocated her. "If it weren't for him," she
thought, "I would fly to the Haven at once, but I can't forsake him, no,
I can't, he's so awfully good to me."
Happily everybody was tired that evening (Miss Grossman condescended to
dine with them as Lady Dove was alone, for Toney's companionship did not
count), and Toney did her best to rattle on about all sorts of things
till the early bedtime when all three were glad to retire to bed, little
guessing what the night would bring forth, but as Toney said her prayers
her heart seemed suddenly to feel light again.
"It will be easier to get to the other side," she thought, "without that
load, anyway!"
*CHAPTER XXX.*
*A FIERY ORDEAL.*
Toney was usually an excellent sleeper and it took a good deal to wake
her before morning, and she had gone through much in the last
twenty-four hours. The brain, however, can be powerfully impressed by
smell, and this must have been the reason why at two o'clock she heard a
soft whine close to her ear, then a short, sharp bark, and then Toney
started up in bed, fully awake. Next she gave a sniff and then the
strong clear mind went straight to the mark.
"Powder me pink!" she exclaimed, then she jumped out of bed and dressed
quicker than she had ever done in her life before. Her garments were
few and substantial, and she drew on a skirt and a flannel blouse. Next
she seized a big bath towel and soaked it in her hip bath.
"It's shorter in the long run," she thought, then she cautiously opened
the door of her small room at the top of the house. The passage had
smoke in it too, thicker smoke than in her room. For half a second she
paused to think as she snatched up Trick in her arms. "Maids up
here--the men in the other wing--bother, the telephone is down in my
room--worse luck!" Then she dashed along the passage to the maids'
rooms, opening each door as she passed, and shouting, "Get up! Fire!
Quick!" At the end of the passage the cook opened the door, she was
dressed, having also been awakened by the smell of smoke.
"Oh, Miss Tonia! It's fire--God have mercy on us!"
"All right, ring a bell out of the window, the men in the other wing
will hear it. Shout Fire!--and, look here, tell the maids to dress
first, it's safer in the end."
The elderly cook felt that Miss Tonia was right, her words acted like a
strong restorative and brought back her presence of mind as the
half-dressed maids crowded into the passage.
"Dress all of you girls, thick jackets, it's cold; we are safe at
present." Toney paused.
"Yes, all safe at present, take wet towels with you. I'm afraid it's on
the first floor, and these stairs don't look inviting!"
A volume of smoke rolled up now, and for a moment hid them from each
other. Toney wrapped her wet towel round her head and shoulders and
once more called out,
"Keep together--shout loud--try the other stairs, not these. I'll go
and explore, but you had better not. Try the leads, you'll be safer
there. Good-bye!"
"Miss Tonia! for God's sake don't go down those stairs, it's madness,
stay here," cried the cook.
"I can't, Aunt Dove and Miss Grossman, but look here, Rose, take Trick
and hold him tight, he will want to follow me and I must have my two
hands," then suddenly Toney disappeared in another volume of smoke. The
maids shrieked and wrung their hands, but the cook had happily regained
her senses.
"Girls! follow me, the other stairs may be safe."
Clinging to each other they ran down the long passage, but at the other
end they found quite as much smoke, for the narrow stairs seemed to act
like two funnels.
"Let's go down, oh, let's go down!" cried the maids, "we must go before
it's too late!"
"Miss Tonia said, 'the leads'--I think, girls, she's right. We can call
for help from there. We might be suffocated in this smoke. Make for
the trap-door on to the leads," and soon they were breathing pure air
and exercising their lungs with screams. To their delight they saw that
men were already running about below and were signalling to them that
help was coming.