"Hurt? Of course it would hurt! What has that to do with it, pray?"
"Lots," returned Mollie, unabashed. "I should think so, at least, if it
were my ankle. I can't endure pain."
"I'm not a girl," growled Jack the ungracious, between his teeth.
There was no denying the fact that he did not make an agreeable invalid.
In the first realisation of his accident he had meekly bowed his head
to Fate; but ever since he had, figuratively speaking, kicked against
the pricks, and repaid the kindness of his companions by incessant
grumblings and complaints. He hated having to give up his own way; he
hated being tied to a sofa and a bath-chair; he resented offers of help
as if they had been actual insults, and hindered his recovery by
foolhardy attempts at independence.
"How would you like to be an invalid for life?" Mollie asked him
severely after one of these outbursts. "There was a young man in
mother's district, every bit as strong and big as you, and a sack of
something fell on his back while they were trying to haul it up into a
warehouse. He was taken to the hospital, and they told him that he
would never walk again, never even sit up again. As long as he lived he
would be a helpless cripple. And he was just going to be married, too!"
"Well, I'm not, thank goodness!" cried Jack bluntly. "Why do you tell
me such gruesome stories? My own troubles are quite enough just now. I
don't want to hear any more horrors."
"It was just to distract your mind from yourself that I did tell you.
Once upon a time I met a man who read me a beautiful lecture upon the
dangers of being selfish and self-engrossed. I'll tell you his very
words, if you like. They made a deep impression upon me at the time,"
said Mollie naughtily. But instead of being amused, Jack was only
irritated afresh.
In these first days of invalidism Mollie's influence was the reverse of
soothing, for Jack was not in the mood to be teased, and if his inner
determination could have been put into words it would have been that he
objected to be cheered up, refused to be cheered up, and insisted upon
posing as a martyr; therefore, it followed that Ruth's gentle
ministrations were more acceptable than her sister's vigorous sallies.
If he could have seen again the Mollie of whom he had caught a glimpse
on Sunday evening, Jack would have chosen her before any other
companion; but, as she had made place for a mischievous tease, he
preferred to look into Ruth's lovely anxious eyes, and to dilate at
length upon his symptoms to her sympathetic ear.
Mr Farrell's behaviour at this critical juncture did not throw oil upon
the troubled waters. He took care that Jack should have every
attention, and inquired as to his progress with punctilious regularity;
but he plainly considered a sprained ankle a very trivial affair, which,
needless to say, did not coincide with the invalid's views of the case;
moreover, he absolutely refused to believe that the accident was
responsible for keeping Jack at the Court.
"It is only right to tell you, sir, that I had finally made up my mind
that I must return home to-day, as I could not agree with your
conditions," Jack informed him on their first interview after the doctor
had paid his visit; whereupon the old man elevated his eyebrows with
that air of ineffable superiority which was so exasperating, and said--
"And I, on the contrary, had made up my mind that you should stay. It
is satisfactory to me that the question is decided in my favour."
"By an accident, sir. By an accident only. If I'd been able to move--"
Mr Farrell held up his hand with a deprecatory gesture.
"In that case I should have called your attention to certain arguments
which would have brought about the same result. Believe me, my dear
Jack, it would have made no difference."
Jack's face flushed angrily. He forgot Mollie's entreaty, forgot his
own promise, and answered hotly--
"I cannot imagine any arguments that could keep me here against my will.
As soon as I can get about again I must return to my work. This
accident is only delaying my departure for a few weeks longer."
"So!" Could anything be more aggravating than that little bow and smile
which accompanied the word. "In a few weeks, my dear Jack, many things
may happen; therefore, it is superfluous to discuss the subject at
present. When the time arrives I shall be ready to meet it."
He turned and left the room, while Jack raged in helpless fury upon the
sofa. It was insufferable to be treated as if he were a boy who could
be ordered about against his will. When John Allen Ferguson Melland
said a thing, he _meant_ it, and not all the old men in the world should
move him from it, as Bernard Farrell would find out to his cost before
many weeks were past.
For three whole days Jack's ill-temper continued, and, like most angry
people, he punished himself even more than his companions, refusing to
sit in the drawing-room to see callers, and insisting on remaining all
day long in a dull little room at the back of the house. He grew tired
of reading. His head ached with the unusual confinement; just because
he was unable to move he felt an overpowering desire for half a dozen
things just out of reach, and the day stretched to an interminable
length. On the fourth morning depression had taken the place of ill-
temper, and he was prepared to allow himself to be petted and waited
upon, when, to his dismay, Victor came to his bedroom with the news that
the girls had gone up to town, accompanied by Mrs Thornton.
"They said, as you preferred to be alone it would be best to keep to
their plans," said Victor cruelly. "I am off for a ride, and shall
probably make a day of it, and lunch _en route_. I was thinking of
going to Barnsley. It is quite a decent-sized place. Would you like me
to try if I could find a masseuse for your foot?"
Jack looked up sharply; but Victor looked as he usually did. His face
was set and expressionless, as it always was when his eyes were hidden.
It was natural enough that he should make such a suggestion, seeing that
he had heard many lamentations on the subject, natural and kindly into
the bargain, yet Jack felt an instinctive unwillingness to accept the
offer.
"He wants me out of the way," came the leaping thought, while he bit his
lip, and appeared to ponder the question.
A few days before he himself had heartily echoed the sentiment; but now
that Fate--or was it something else?--had interfered to keep him at the
Court, Jack's views had slowly altered. It might be that there was a
duty waiting for him here, some duty which was even more important than
his work in town; and, if he shirked it, the consequences might fall
upon others besides himself. The two girls' faces rose before him,--
Ruth's shy and anxious, Mollie audaciously reckless,--children both of
them in the ways of the world, though innocently confident of their own
wisdom. If by staying on at the Court he could safeguard their
interests, it would be well-spent time which he should never regret.
To Victor's astonishment his offer was quietly but firmly refused, and
he set out on his ride marvelling what had happened to bring about such
a sudden change of front.
Meantime, Ruth and Mollie were enjoying their first experience of that
most delightful feminine amusement--shopping in London. They drove to
the doors of world-famed establishments, entered with smiling self-
confidence, and gave their orders, unperturbed even by the immaculate
visions in black satin who hastened forward to receive them; so
marvellous and inspiring are the effects of a purse and a cheque-book
behind it!
Mrs Thornton was purse-bearer, and, to do her justice, enjoyed the
occasion as much as the girls themselves. She had been personally
interviewed by Mr Farrell and coached for her part, which was to
chaperon the girls, take them to the best places in which to procure
their various requirements, but on no account whatever to direct the
purchases, or limit their extent.
"It is a good test; I wish to study it," said the old man, which speech
being repeated, Ruth looked grave, and Mollie laughed, and cried--
"There is only one question I shall ask you, `Do I look nice?' and one
piece of advice, `Which suits me best?' and you are free to answer them
both. In the present instance these hats are all so fascinating that it
would be a sin to choose between them. I shall take them all!"
"Mollie, don't be absurd. You shall do nothing of the kind. Four hats,
and you have two already! It would be wicked extravagance!" protested
Ruth vigorously.
But Mollie persisted, and the attendant volubly declared that indeed
"madam" was wrong. Six hats was a very moderate allowance. Madam would
need different hats for different occasions,--for morning and afternoon,
for fine and wet weather, for ordinary and dress occasions. Would she
herself not be persuaded to try on this charming model, the latest
French fashion, "ridiculously cheap at three guineas?"
"Thank you, I'll take the white hat, and the black chiffon. They will
answer all my purposes," declared Ruth frigidly.
She was shocked at Mollie's wanton extravagance, and all the more
disapproving that she herself badly wanted to be extravagant too, and
wear dainty colours for a change, instead of the useful black and white,
if only her sensitive conscience could have submitted to the outlay.
If hats had been a pitfall, dresses were even worse, for here the prices
were largely increased. It was a new experience to be ushered into what
looked more like a luxurious house than a shop, and to find oneself
confronted by a row of tall, willowy young women dressed in tightly
fitting black satin garments, so marvellously representing dress-stands
that they might have been mistaken for them had it not been for the
elaborately dressed heads.
"This is a very expensive place--just for your very best dresses," Mrs
Thornton ventured to explain; and the order, "Summer gowns for these
young ladies," having been given, presto! the animated dress-stands
disappeared through a doorway, to return a few minutes later to
promenade slowly up and down the floor before the dazzled eyes of the
beholders, each one attired in a different costume. Blue, green, white,
lavender, and yellow--perfect of cut, distracting of make--it was,
indeed, a problem to choose between them! And while they hesitated, lo!
another disappearance, and another triumphal entrance even more gorgeous
than the first.
"If I thought I should look as nice as they do, I'd have four at least,
but I shan't; my waist is twice as big, and I never learnt to glide,"
sighed Mollie humbly. "How much is the blue, please? I think that
would suit me best."
The price of that simple--looking frock gave Ruth an electric shock. It
was actually more than the whole of her yearly allowance. She looked it
over, making a rapid estimate of the cost of material and trimming, and
felt convinced she could have bought them all out of a five-pound note.
And then it could be made at home. Ah, no, that was just the
difficulty! The material was a detail, in the making-up thereof lay all
the charm and effect. She came out of her calculations to hear Mollie
say calmly--
"And I shall want them both home by the end of a week! Now my sister
will choose, and after that we will see some evening gowns."
Ruth took her courage in both hands, ordered one dress, and took
advantage of the first moment of solitude to rebuke Mollie in irritable
undertones.
"Do think what you are about! I'm the eldest, and it's most unsuitable
for you to be better dressed. You ought to let me decide, and follow my
example."
"But I promised Uncle Bernard that that was just what I would not do."
"Even if you did, he never intended you to order a whole trousseau. How
will he feel when he sees the bills?"
"I don't know; I think he will feel nice when he sees my clothes. Oh,
Ruth, do enjoy yourself when you have the chance! He gave you carte
blanche--why on earth can't you take it?"
But that was just exactly what Ruth could not do. The fear of the
bill--the fear of Uncle Bernard's displeasure, loomed so largely before
her eyes, that she dared not indulge her longing for needless fineries.
In every shop the same story was repeated, Mollie giving a lavish order
with beams of satisfaction, Ruth reducing hers by half, and feeling sore
and aggrieved. Each appealed in turn to Mrs Thornton for support and
approval, until that good lady became quite dazed and bewildered, and
was thankful to find herself once more in her quiet home.
Arrived at the Court, Mollie danced up to Mr Farrell, who sat reading
by the library fire.
"I'm back again, Uncle Bernard," she cried; "I've had a beautiful time!
I don't think I ever enjoyed myself so much! I'm bubbling over with
gratitude. I've spent heaps of money! You said I might, and I've taken
you at your word; and oh, I have got such lovely things in exchange!"
Mr Farrell looked at her grimly, but made no reply. His eyes turned
towards his other niece, who stood silently in the background.
"And you," he queried, "have you been equally fortunate?"
Ruth's face clouded.
"I got what I needed," she said; "I have a headache. I'm going upstairs
to rest."