ONCE MORE IN CONCORD
BUT as Polly did not immediately recover from the shock and exposure of
the fire, Betty Graham did not return home with her family to Concord.
Anthony took the nurse and children and Faith Barton accompanied them,
in order to keep Angelique from being lonely, she explained. However,
her real desire, of course, was to be able to see as much as possible of
Kenneth Helm.
Nevertheless, the carrying on of her romance with the same secrecy as
she had first observed was not so easy now, nor did it seem to Faith so
desirable as in the beginning. Yet Kenneth still implored her to say
nothing for a short while longer. In a few weeks perhaps things would be
all right with him, so that he would have sufficient money not to worry
over the future. Then, of course, they could explain the reason for
their silence. In the meantime, however, perhaps they had best be a
little more careful, for people were noticing their intimacy and
beginning to talk. Indeed, Faith's chief difficulty was that her foster
parents, Rose and Doctor Barton, had observed her marked interest in
Kenneth Helm during his Christmas visit with them and had asked Faith if
there was anything between them.
Naturally this placed the girl in a painfully trying position. She was
devotedly fond of both Rose and Doctor Barton, who were in reality not
old enough to be her parents, although they had always treated her like
an adored child, giving in to most of her whims and wishes. But while
Faith was selfish and considered her own dreams and desires of the
utmost importance, she was neither ungrateful nor unloving, nor fond of
deceiving the people for whom she cared. The trouble was that she was
too much under Kenneth Helm's influence, else she would never have
consented to keeping their engagement a secret.
Faith was not aware of the fact, but in reality it was Kenneth who had
made the concealment of their affection for each other appear romantic
and alluring to her eyes. Often she had longed to confide the news to
Betty after Angel had proved so unexpectedly unsympathetic. However,
having given her word to Kenneth, she felt in duty bound to keep it, and
moreover she was the least bit afraid of him.
The real truth of the matter was that Faith Barton was more in love with
Kenneth than he was with her. Not that Faith was unattractive, but
because Kenneth was incapable of caring a great deal for any one except
himself.
In the beginning he had been greatly interested, for Faith was pretty
and full of a great many amusing ideas and ideals. Moreover, at the time
she was a favored member of Governor Graham's family and might turn out
to be useful. But Kenneth had no actual desire to marry any one for the
present and had not at first taken their engagement seriously. Recently,
however, discovering that Faith was desperately in earnest and that she
might at any moment announce the fact to her family and friends, the
young man had been extremely uncomfortable. More than once he had
reproached himself for not having made a friend of Angelique instead of
Faith. She was not nearly so pretty, but she was cleverer and she might
have been more helpful.
Indeed, Kenneth rather admired the fashion in which Angel had kept her
word with him and had not reported the fact of his presence in the
Governor's study on the night of the Inaugural Ball. Besides she had
never referred to his accusation against her, so there was no doubt that
the little French girl was a true sport, whatever else she might be.
Moreover, when Governor Graham and his family returned to the Governor's
mansion it was plain enough that Angel must have enjoyed some good
fortune in their absence. She seemed to have cast off her embarrassment
and chagrin over the suspicion which had rested upon her, and no one had
ever seen her so happy or so gay.
Before little Bettina had been at home five minutes she and Angelique
had vanished up-stairs together and were soon locked fast in the big
nursery.
Then Angel straightway drew a large envelope out of her pocket and began
waving it before Bettina's astonished eyes. Naturally the little girl
had no idea that a letter could be so very important, not even so large
a one as Angel's.
An instant later and she was the more mystified, for her companion had
slipped a long, rather narrow piece of paper, with queer scrawls written
upon it, out of the envelope and was also holding it up for her audience
to admire.
Bettina smiled politely although a trifle wistfully. It was hard luck
not being able to read anything except printed letters when one was as
old as six. However, her mother and father did not wish her to become a
student too early in life.
"It is a very nice letter, Angel, if it makes you so glad," Bettina
remarked gently; "only there does not seem to be a great deal of writing
on it."
Then the older girl threw her arm about her little friend's neck and
hugged her close.
"Of course you don't understand, darling, and it's hateful of me to
tease you," she protested. "But that piece of paper is a check; it
represents two hundred whole dollars, the most money I have ever had at
once in my life. And do you know how I got it? Our little picture of
'Snow White and Rose Red' received the prize in the magazine contest. I
had a letter, too, saying that though it was not the best drawing, it
was the loveliest little girl. So you see it was really all because of
you, Bettina, that I got the prize!"
Then Angel did another mysterious thing. She made Bettina close her eyes
very tight and while they were closed she clasped something around her
neck which fastened with a tiny click. Then on opening them the little
girl discovered a shining gold heart outside her white dress, and in the
center of the heart a small, clear stone that glittered like a star.
"I got it for you; it is your Christmas present from me, Bettina," Angel
explained. "And I want you to try and keep it always so that you may not
forget 'Snow White and Rose Red.' Only please don't tell any one of my
having gotten the prize until your mother comes home; I want her to know
first."
Naturally Bettina promised and having promised she was not a child who
ever broke her word. Perhaps the request was an unfortunate one under
the circumstances, and yet how could Angel ever have imagined such a
possibility?
A few days later, coming into his wife's private sitting room, which was
next her bedroom, quite by accident Governor Graham happened to catch
sight of a beautiful new silver bowl which he did not recall having seen
before. Then besides its newness it had a card lying inside which
attracted his attention.
"Some one has sent Betty a Christmas gift which she probably knows
nothing of," Anthony thought carelessly. "I must write and tell her of
it." Casually he picked up the card and saw Angelique Martins' name
engraved upon it.
The next moment he looked at the bowl more attentively. Of course he
knew very little of these matters, yet this present struck him as being
an exceedingly expensive one from a girl in Angelique's position. She
received a very small salary for her work and she must have many needs
of her own.
Then Governor Graham frowned uneasily, for he had suddenly remembered
that Bettina had exhibited a beautiful little gold chain and necklace
which her adored Angel had recently given her. How had the girl acquired
so much money all at once? Really he preferred not to have to consider
such a question, and yet it might possibly become his duty.
Sitting down in front of the fire, Anthony tried to forget his
annoyances in smoking a cigar, but found it impossible.
The close of the Christmas holidays had not made his responsibilities
less; indeed, they were crowding more thickly upon him. The lost papers
had not been found and in another week ex-Governor Peyton, Jack Emmet
and John Everett would have their bill before the Legislature. They had
many friends and unless he were able to prove their dishonesty the bill
might be passed in spite of the Governor's objections.
Finally Anthony glanced toward the mantel-piece where by chance his eyes
rested upon a photograph of Betty.
Immediately his expression changed. "I shall write Betty of this whole
business tonight," he announced out loud, in his determination. "I have
been an utter idiot to have kept the situation from her for so long a
time. I have wondered recently if perhaps she was not quite so fond of
me because I was taking her less into my confidence? Goodness knows,
that is the only sensible thing for a man and wife to do! Besides, Betty
seemed more like her old self when we were in Woodford and so perhaps I
can make her understand how I hate to seem hard on her old friends. But
in any case this suspicion that Kenneth Helm has fastened in my mind
against Angel must be looked into by Betty. Angel is a young girl and
Betty has been like her older sister. Whatever she has done, I don't
know that I would have the courage to disgrace her, but perhaps Betty
may be able to persuade the child to return the letters to us if she has
taken them. Heigh-ho! It will be a relief to me at least to have the
Princess take hold of this situation for me."
And Governor Graham spent the entire evening in his sitting room writing
to his wife until after midnight.