I noticed that there was growing trouble at the Halletts', and more than
once, when I went up, I found Linny in tears, which, however, she
hastily concealed.
This was the case on the night following my visit to Miss Carr, whose
words, "that I need be under no uneasiness," were verified. The fact
that I had been sent out by Mr Lister was sufficient for Mr Jabez
Rowle; and when, during the next day, I encountered Mr Lister himself,
he nodded to me in quite a friendly way, and said, "How are you?"
Mrs Hallett was asleep, and I went upstairs softly, tapped at Hallett's
room door, and went in, to find him deeply immersed in his task, over
which he was bending with knitted brows, and evidently in doubt.
"Ah, Antony," he said, "here we are, as busy as usual. How did you get
on last night?"
"With Revitts?"
"Yes; was it not your lesson-night?"
"Yes," I said; "but I thought perhaps you meant at Miss Carr's!"
He dropped the file with which he had been at work and stared at me.
"Where did you say?" he exclaimed.
"Mr Lister sent me with a note to Miss Carr, and she kept me there all
day."
He drew in his breath with a hiss, caught up the file and went on
working, while I chattered on, little thinking of the pain I was causing
the poor fellow, as I rapturously praised Miss Carr and her home, and
told him by degrees how I had spent the day.
I was too intent on my narration to pay much heed to Hallett's face,
though in fact I hardly saw it, he kept it so bent over his task,
neither did I notice his silence; but at last, when it was ten o'clock,
and I rose to go, he rose too, and I saw that he was rather paler than
usual.
"Are you ill, Hallett?" I said anxiously. "How white you look."
"Ill? oh no, Antony. I have been sitting too much over my model. You
and I must have another run or two into the country, and put roses in
our cheeks."
He looked at me with a smile, but there was a weary, haggard look in his
eyes that troubled me.
"Come, you must have a scrap of supper before you go," he said; and in
spite of my protest he led me into the sitting-room, where Mrs Hallett
was seated by the shaded lamp reading, and the supper-cloth was laid
half across the table.
"Yes," she said, looking up, as she let fall her book; "it's time you
came, Stephen. It's very, very, very cruel of you to leave me alone so
long."
"My dear mother," he said tenderly, "I did not know you were by
yourself. Where is Linny?" he said anxiously.
"Oh, I don't know," replied Mrs Hallett querulously. "You are always
either out or upstairs with your playthings."
"For Heaven's sake, mother, be just," Hallett exclaimed, with a burst of
energy, such as I had not seen in him before. "Don't goad me at a time
like this. Where, I say, where is Linny?"
"Goad you, Stephen! No, I don't goad you," whimpered the poor woman.
"I cannot help myself; say what you will to me. You neglect me, and
Linny is always running out."
"Has Linny gone out now, mother?" exclaimed Hallett.
"Yes, yes, and I am left all alone--a poor helpless invalid."
"Where has Linny gone, mother?"
"I don't know, Stephen. She said there was something to fetch. How can
I tell?" and she burst into tears.
"Mother, dear mother," cried Hallett, bending over her and kissing her,
"pray, pray don't think me unkind; I am working for you, and Linny too."
"But if you would only be more ambitious, Stephen--if you would only try
your poor father's profession."
"I cannot--you know I cannot, dear," he said appealingly.
"No, no, no," sobbed the poor woman; "always some low mechanic's
pursuit. Oh dear, oh dear! If it would only please God to take me, and
let me be at rest!"
"Mother, dear mother," whispered Hallett, "be reasonable. Pray, dear,
be reasonable, and bear with what does seem like neglect; for I am
indeed working for you, and striving to make you a happier and better
home. Believe this of me, and bear with me, especially now, when I have
two troubles to meet that almost drive me mad. Linny, dear: think of
Linny."
"Shall I go now, Mr Hallett?" I said, for the scene was terrible to
me, and I felt hot with indignation at one whom I looked upon as the
most unreasonable of women.
"No, Antony; stay, I may want you," he said sternly. "Now, mother," he
continued, "about Linny. She must not be allowed to go out at night
like this."
"No, my son," said Mrs Hallett piteously; "and if you had taken my
advice the poor child would not have been degraded to such menial
tasks."
"Mother," said Hallett, with more sternness than I had yet heard him use
in speaking to her, "it is not the mere going out shopping that is
likely to degrade your child. The time has come when I must insist upon
knowing the meaning of these frequent absences on Linny's part. Has she
gone out to-night on some necessary errand?"
"I--I don't know, Stephen; she said she must go."
"Tell me, mother--I beg, I insist," he exclaimed, "what you are keeping
from me."
"Nothing, nothing, Stephen," sobbed the poor woman. "You'll kill me
with your un kindness before you've done."
"Do you mean to tell me that you do not know where Linny has gone,
mother?"
"Yes, yes, Stephen; I do not know."
"Has--has she gone to meet anyone?"
"I don't know, Stephen; I think so."
"Who is it, mother?" exclaimed Hallett.
"I don't know, Stephen; indeed I don't know. Oh, this is very, very
cruel of you!"
"Mother," said Hallett, "is this just and kind to me, to keep such a
secret from my knowledge? Oh, shame, shame! You let that weak, foolish
child keep appointments with a stranger, and without my knowledge--
without my knowing it, who stand to her in the place of a father. It
must be stopped at once."
"Let me go, Hallett, please," I whispered.
"Yes; go, Antony; it is better that you should not be here when Linny
comes back. Good-night--good-night."
I hurried downstairs, and let myself out, feeling miserable with the
trouble I had seen, and I was just crossing Queen Square when I saw
Linny coming in the opposite direction.
She caught sight of me on the instant and spoke.
"Where did you leave Stephen?" she said hastily; and I saw that she was
flushed and panting with haste.
"With Mrs Hallett," I said.
"Was he scolding because I was out?"
"Yes."
She gave her head a hasty toss and turned away, looking prettier than
ever, I thought, but I fancied, as we stood beneath a lamp, that she
turned pale.
Before she had gone half-a-dozen steps I was by her side.
"Well? What is it?" she said; and now I saw that she was in tears.
"Nothing," I replied; "only that I am going to see you safe home."
"You foolish boy," she retorted. "As if I could not take care of
myself."
"Your brother does not like you to be out alone at night," I said
quietly; "and I shall walk with you to the door."
"Such nonsense, Antony! Ah, well, just as you like;" and she burst into
a mocking laugh.
I knew this was to hide from me the fact that she was in tears; and I
walked beside her in silence till we had nearly reached the door, when
we both started, for a dark figure suddenly came up to us.
"Oh, Steve, how you frightened me!" exclaimed Linny with a forced laugh.
"Did I?" he said calmly; and then he held out his hand to me and pressed
mine.
He did not speak, but that pressure of his hand meant thanks, I thought,
for what I had done; and once more I set myself to reach Caroline
Street, thinking very seriously about Linny Hallett, of her mother's
weakness and constant complaints, and of the way in which Stephen
Hallett seemed to devote himself to them both.