Gone without leaving a trace behind! Would she take another engagement,
and write to Mrs Bray for a recommendation? She might, or she might
not. She had taken the train at Lexville station after Dudgeon had, by
Mrs Bray's gracious permission, driven the light cart in with "the
governess's boxes;" but upon Mr Dudgeon being favoured with five
shillings by Charley Vining, he shook his head.
"Sutternly, sir, I did see her boxes in the station, but I didn't read
the directions."
Foiled there, Charley inquired of the booking-clerk.
"O yes, sir; remember it perfectly well. Mr Max Bray asked the very
same question only this morning. She took a ticket for London, sir."
"Max Bray asking," mused Charley. "Then he did not know where she was,
and there could be no undercurrent at work there. Max wanted to know
her address, confound him! He had better mind how he stood in his way."
But, save when his thoughts turned in the direction of Laura Bray, which
complication in his affairs troubled him, Charley Vining felt lighter of
heart; for though Max held that ring, and so ostentatiously displayed
it, there was no reason why he might not have obtained it by some
hazard, as he himself had once gained possession of a plain golden
cross. Matters were not so desperate after all, and he need not give up
hope. And yet what misery for her to leave Lexville like that, without
one word of farewell--flying, as it were, from his persecution, as well
as from that of Max Bray!
Thinking over the words, too, of Nelly, how he could imagine the
wretched life the poor girl must have led! and then, with brightened
eye, he determined to find out where she had taken refuge. But London--
the place of all others where a quest seemed vain.
Charley's musings were interrupted by one of the servants handing him a
letter.
"John Dudgeon, Mr Bray's man, sir, gave it to our Thomas this morning."
Charley hastily tore open the thimble-sealed epistle, to find it written
on a very dirty sheet of paper, and in a character that was almost
undecipherable; but fortunately the note was not long, and he read as
follows:
"Hon'd Sur,--This comes hoppin to fine you verry wel, as it leves me
at presen. Mr Maxy Million comes a hordrin an a swerin at a pore
suvvant lik ennythink, an thare aint know pleesing im. An that ante
the wa 2 get ennythink out of him as nose. E say wairs Mis Bedfors
bocksis drecty 2, an off korse I wasn goin 2 tel he; but mi gal jain,
she se an rede em bofe, an I lik doin gents a good turn as has sivil
tungs for a por suwant, and shes gon to missus Brandins Kops all
laintun; an if Mr Macks Million wan 2 no, dont let im kum to ure
umbel suwant to kommarn,
"Jhon Dugegin.
"P.S. Wich you wone sa i tole u, ples, or yung marsta wil get me the
sak."
Mrs Brandon's, Copse Hall, Laneton! Why, across country that was, not
above a dozen miles off, on a branch of the South Midland Railway.
Nothing could have happened more fortunately. He would have the dogcart
and drive over at once--no, not at once: he would go the next day; and,
come what might, he would see her again. Surely she would not be so
hard, so cruel, with him--
His musings were brought to an end by the entrance of Sir Philip with a
note in his hand.
The old gentleman looked pale and troubled, but his words were gentle,
as he said: "A note from Mr Bray, Charley: he asks us to dinner there
to-morrow. Shall I say that we will go?"
"To the Elms?--to-morrow?" said Charley. "No, I cannot; I have an
engagement."
"An engagement!--to-morrow, Charley!" said Sir Philip sadly.
"Yes, I am going out--I cannot go," said Charley hastily.
Sir Philip said no more, but he sighed deeply as he turned and left the
room to decline the invitation, thinking bitterly the while of her who
had robbed him of his son's confidence and affection; for hitherto
father and son had lived almost for one another, and now there was
coldness and estrangement.
Laura Bray's eyes sparkled as she saw the servant returning on horseback
with the reply from Blandfield Court, for there was a strange excitement
now pervading her. In obedience to her brother's wish she had consented
to try and prevail upon Ella Bedford to stay; but it was a source of
infinite pleasure to her when she had written to tell Max, in London,
that, in spite of all persuasion, Miss Bedford had insisted upon
leaving, and had gone--bearing his reproaches and anger with the
greatest of patience, when he came down by the fast train, and abused
her, and charged her with counterplotting, in the midst of which scene
he was interrupted, as we know, by the coming of Charley Vining. As for
the events of the next quarter of an hour, they were burned in Laura's
memory; and, her rival gone, her heart was light, and she had sat
longing for the time when she should next see him who so engrossed her
thoughts.
It was at her instigation that a dinner-party had been arranged at the
shortest of short notices, ostensibly so that Maximilian Bray might have
Charley Vining to see him--a pleasant fiction, which formed the text for
much good-humoured banter at the Bray table, while Laura blushed and
looked conscious.
The man was a terrible while before he took in that letter, and Laura's
colour came and went a score of times. Then it seemed as if the footman
would never bring the letter up. But at last it was handed to Mr Bray,
who was so long getting out his glasses, that Laura, unable to contain
herself, exclaimed:
"Let me look for you, papa."
Seizing the letter, she tore it open, read a few lines, and then dropped
it with a look of the utmost disappointment. Then she walked to the
window; but only to hurry the next moment from the room, so as to
conceal her tears.
Max joined her, though, ten minutes after. "I thought you two had made
it up?" he said inquiringly.
"Yes--no--I don't know," she answered passionately.
"He's going out to-morrow, is he?" continued Max musingly. "What's he
going to do?--where's he going?"
"Have you found out what you want?" said Laura, to turn the current of
the conversation.
"Not yet," he said. "You ought never to have given me the trouble. But
I am at work, and so is he."
"What!" cried Laura eagerly, as she caught her brother's hand.
"He's at work too," said Max. "Bai Jove! he thinks himself very
cunning, but he won't get over me."
"But you do not mean to say that he is trying to get that creature's
address?" cried Laura pitifully.
"Raving mad after it, bai Jove!" said Max. "You see you want me, Laury.
I must take her out of your way altogether, or it's no good. He won't
throw her up till he hears something."
"Hears something?" said Laura slowly.
"Yes," said Max in a whisper; "hears something. I had nearly ripened my
plans, only this evasion of hers disturbs them, and now I have to begin
all over again."
"But are you sure he has been trying to find out where she is gone?"
"Certain of it; yes, bai Jove, I am!"
"How cruel!--how treacherous!" muttered Laura.
"There, don't go into the high flights, and spoon!" said Max roughly.
"Set your wits to work. And look here, Laury, take my advice. Now,
then, are you listening?"
"Yes--yes!" cried Laura, for she had been pressing her hands
abstractedly together.
"Then look here. Don't show that you either hear or see anything. I
have him on the hip in a way he little thinks for. What you have to do
is to meet him always with the same gentle unvarying kindness. Wink at
everything you hear about him; and even if he comes to you straight from
her, you must receive him with open arms. Do you hear me?"
"Yes," said Laura bitterly; "I hear."
"For, bai Jove! he's not the man to be played with! Any show of
jealousy, or whim, or snubbing, or any of that confounded tabby-foolery
you women are so well up in, will drive him away."
Laura sighed.
"There, don't be a fool, Laury! Bai Jove, I'm ashamed of you! I
thought you were a woman of more spirit. But look here: I was put out--
I was, bai Jove!--when I came down and found the little dove had spread
her soft little wings and flown away, for it put me to a great deal of
trouble and inconvenience and expense; but you trust to me, and you
shall be Lady Vining--of course, I mean when the old gentleman drops
off. But Charley will come back to you like a great sheep as he is."
"How dare you, Max!" cried Laura, firing up.
"O, there, I don't want to upset the fair sister's sweet prejudices,"
said Max, with a sneer. "There, we'll call him the noble
baronet-apparent. He'll come back to you by and by to soothe the pains
in his great soft heart, and you shall heal them for him."
Laura bit her pocket--handkerchief fiercely, and kept tearing it again
from between her teeth.
"I have him, I tell you; and, bai Jove! the day shall come when he shall
frown at the very mention of the little soft dove's name!"
"But when--when?" cried Laura.
"When!" said Max coolly; "bai Jove! how can I tell? I shall work hard
as soon as I have found out the address, and when the proper time comes,
my charming sister, I shall want your help in a scene I have _in petto_.
It may be a month, or it may be two, or perhaps three; but," he said
excitedly, as he again threw off the drawl, and effeminate way, to let
flash out the evil passions of his heart, "I am in earnest, Laury, and
I'll have that address before many days are gone by."
"But how--how will you get it?" cried Laura.
"Well," said Max, sinking back into his old way, "I've got a plan for
that too--one that will give but little trouble, and so I don't mind
telling you."
"Well--quick, tell me!" cried Laura.
"Bai Jove! how excited you are!" said Max, laughing insolently, and
taking evident delight in probing his sister's wounds. "Charley is hard
at work trying to find out her address."
"Yes, yes!" cried Laura, pressing her hand to her side.
"And he'll be sure to find it sooner or later."
"Yes, yes!" cried Laura pitifully, her eyes flashing with jealous hate
the while she stood before her brother, the style of woman who, had she
lived at an earlier period, would have gladly taken a leaf from the book
of Lucrezia Borgia, and ridded herself of her rival.
"Well," said Max coolly, "I said he'd be sure to find it out, didn't I?"
"Max--Max! why do you torture me?" cried Laura. "Tell me how you will
manage, when you say that you will leave him to find out what should be
yours to do, if there is to be any faith in your promise!"
"Faith!--yes, bai Jove, you may have faith in me! And there, I won't
hurt your feelings any more. Charley will find out the address, and so
shall I."
"But how?" cried Laura passionately, stamping her foot.
"How? Why, bai Jove, _I shall watch him_!"
Volume 2, Chapter VI.