A BLESSING.
Miss Egerton took Arthur Noel--for it was he--straight back into her
little sitting-room, and sitting down on her worn little horse-hair
sofa, and raising her eyes anxiously to the young man's face, she told
him the story of the attic upstairs, of the furniture she had
purchased, of the girls she had meant to serve. She showed him, with
hands that trembled, the envelope with its queer inscription, and she
unfolded for his benefit the empty sheet of blank paper. She told her
story at once without any reservation, even relating with a little
hasty blush how she felt obliged to pay for the furniture herself.
Perhaps Arthur Noel was the only person in the world to whom she would
have made this confession; for she was one of those who made it a
practice never to let her right hand know what her left did, but she
had known Arthur from his boyhood, and he was one of those men who
inspire trust and sympathy at a glance.
He listened to the story with interest, and even excitement--he was
naturally enthusiastic, but even Miss Egerton had never seen him so
perturbed and so moved as he was at present.
"I know about those girls," he said at last; "what are their names?--I
am sure I know about them. Nay, let me ask you a question--Is not one
called Jasmine? Has she not a piquant face, and very soft and yet
bright eyes, and a great lot of curly brown hair? Yes, Miss Egerton, I
am sure the girls you speak of are in a certain sense _my_ girls; for
if they are the ones I mean I took them under my protection long ago."
"Their name is Mainwaring. My dear Arthur, where and how have you met
them? My dear boy, I fully believe, I have always believed, in your
good intentions, in your wish to do your utmost for every one; but if
you have really known Primrose, and Jasmine and Daisy, and have taken
them, as you say, under your protection, I must say that of late you
have lost sight of them--you have not been as kind as you generally
are to people in difficulties, for I never met three more absolutely
friendless girls than these."
"It was a good Providence sent me here this morning," said Noel. "You
are quite right, Miss Egerton; I did lose sight of the children. I
tried to follow them, but they managed to hide themselves most
effectually. Think of my coming up to see you this morning, with a
message from Mrs. Ellsworthy, and finding that our lost lambs are all
but safe in your kind fold. How relieved my dear mother-friend will
be!"
"Mrs. Ellsworthy is the kindest and best of women," said Miss Egerton;
"I will receive your message presently, Arthur, but you puzzle me more
and more when you tell me that she too knows my girls. I came across
them quite accidentally. They called to ask me to give Jasmine lessons
in English composition, and I took a fancy to them, and, in
particular, felt drawn to the little one--for she reminded me of--,
but no matter! The girls have been in and out of my house ever since.
I saw that they were fearfully independent, but in many trivial ways I
tried to help them. Well, Arthur, it is most surprising--it is
altogether incomprehensible, but never during the months we have been
seeing each other daily have they alluded to you or the Ellsworthys.
They seemed perfectly unconstrained, and chatted many times of their
cottage home in the country, but they never spoke of the Ellsworthys."
"They would not be likely to do," answered Noel. "I think, Miss
Egerton, I must now tell you Mrs. Ellsworthy's and my side of the
story."
Certainly Miss Egerton appeared to neglect her duties that morning;
fortunately, her school had not yet re-opened, but Bridget waited for
orders, and the tradesman left the house unattended to. Bridget knew
that Miss Egerton was always greatly taken up with Mr. Noel, and she
had to admit that he was a bonny-looking young man with a pleasant
face; but Bridget hitherto had given her mistress credit for always
putting duty before pleasure. What, therefore, did her present neglect
of household management mean?
Arthur Noel had a long story to tell, and Miss Egerton listened,
weighing each point, and not giving too undue sympathy to either
party. Noel was of course enthusiastic in Mrs. Ellsworthy's cause, and
announced his intention of going to see her that very day.
"She is in town," he said; "and if you give me the girls' address I
can bring her to them this afternoon."
But here Miss Egerton laid her thin hand on the young man's arm.
"No, Arthur, I won't betray their secret, poor little dears! they may
have been headstrong, and silly, and rash, and, poor children, they
may fail utterly, but they have not failed yet by any means, and if
they wish not to be tempted into a luxurious and dependent life, even
by the kindest friend, I, for one, will stand by them. You have come
on me by accident, Arthur, and have learned about the girls by
accident; you have no right to tell what you have thus discovered. I
have studied those girls' characters and I know that Primrose at least
would die of a broken heart if her independence were taken from her.
No, Arthur; if you wish really to help them you must put them in the
way of earning their own living, and in this manner the Ellsworthys
can doubtless assist, for they are rich, and have influence."
Then Miss Egerton and her guest had another long and earnest
discussion, at the end of which time a compromise was arrived at. Noel
might tell the Ellsworthys that he and Miss Egerton knew where the
girls lived, and the Ellsworthys might give in-direct help by aiding
him in his efforts to find suitable work for Primrose and Jasmine--he
too, could be their open and acknowledged friend, and he arranged with
Miss Egerton to call and see them that very afternoon.
Finally, Miss Egerton again drew his attention to the envelope, which
was only given to mock, as it contained nothing but blank paper.
Noel examined it carefully.
"This must have been given to the girls by Mr. Danesfield, the banker
at Rosebury," he said. "I know him well; he is the last person who
would play them such a trick. Don't you think, Miss Egerton it is
quite possible that this envelope may have been opened, and the money
removed?"
"But the envelope does not look tampered with," answered Miss Egerton,
turning it round, and examining it carefully.
"Thieves are very clever," answered Noel. "It is easy to open an
envelope by holding it over steaming water."
"But Primrose always kept this letter locked up in her trunk."
"Well, I will settle the point by writing direct, and in strict
confidence, to Mr. Danesfield. In the meantime let us say nothing to
Miss Mainwaring; and you will let me pay for the furniture, kind
friend."
But Miss Egerton's face flushed brightly, and she drew back a step or
two.
"No, my dear boy, I cannot. Since I drew that cheque I have felt
strangely happy. I think this very small act of self-denial will bring
me a blessing, and I don't wish to be deprived of it. Good-bye,
Arthur; come to see me again at three, and I will take you to my
girls."