His mother retorted: "It's true, Raife, and I am glad of it. Well,
Hilda, they are ringing those bells to welcome him back home, and to
welcome you to Aldborough as the future Lady Remington."
Hilda felt very glad and very proud. She had loved Raife for his own
sake, before she had known of all these things so wonderful to her, and,
indeed, before she knew he was a baronet. She had loved him for his
modesty and courage in fighting the Nubian who was beating the woman in
Khartoum.
Lady Remington presently said, graciously:
"Hilda, you have had a long and trying day; perhaps you would like to
retire early?" Together they walked along the terrace, and Lady
Remington took Hilda's arm, and personally conducted her to her room.
There the two women talked awhile. The elderly lady, so soon to be a
"Dowager," and the young American girl who was to hand down the
traditions of the ancient family, and, perchance, become the mother of
the future heir to the estate. Lady Remington spoke very kindly, but
there was a sad note throughout. She told of her anxiety until they had
met. She expressed, ungrudgingly, how Hilda's manner had charmed her
from the moment of their meeting. She alluded to the great
responsibility she was undertaking. They talked for long, and at
length, Lady Remington affectionately bade her good-night, and Hilda was
left in privacy to her thoughts and sleep, if it would come.
A maid tapped discreetly at the door, and offered her services. Hilda's
needs were very slight that night, and she was glad when she had
dismissed the maid. Attired in a loose dressing-gown she sat in a chair
and wondered whether all could possibly be as well as it appeared. Her
reverie lasted long. How long she did not know. Rousing herself she
made preparation for sleep. Impulse prompted her to have a final look
at the fine night and beautiful scene. To view those lovely gardens
that were to be hers with Raife. As she approached the window, a slip
of paper appeared underneath the door which opened on to a balcony. She
started, but Hilda was not the type of girl to scream or become
panic-stricken. She opened the paper and read a typewritten message on
a plain piece of paper:
"It is dangerous to rob another."
What did it mean? Rob another of what? Was it her fancy that the paper
had just been placed there, or had it lain there a long time? Perhaps
it was a text, or something of that kind. If so, it was harmless and
was, perhaps, a crazy fad of some one who had occupied the room before.
She studied the fastenings of the window and went to bed without looking
at the night as she intended. Then she thought of "the other woman"
Raife had told her about. She decided to say nothing about it, as it
might make her appear foolish. It was long before sleep overtook her,
but her youthful nature asserted itself and she, being very tired, at
length slept.