Produced by Al Haines
[Frontispiece: 'I HAVE SEALED THE DIRECTIONS IN THIS ENVELOPE.']
THE CARVED CUPBOARD
BY
AMY LE FEUVRE
AUTHOR OF
'PROBABLE SONS,' 'TEDDY'S BUTTON,' 'LEGEND LED,'
'ODD MADE EVEN,' 'HEATHER'S MISTRESS,' ETC.
R.T.S., 4 Bouverie Street, London, E.C. 4
1899
Contents
CHAPTER I
A SUPPLANTER
CHAPTER II
FOUR VERSES
CHAPTER III
A COUNTRY HOME
CHAPTER IV
BLUEBEARD'S CUPBOARD
CHAPTER V
A QUIET SUNDAY
CHAPTER VI
A DEPARTURE
CHAPTER VII
UNREST
CHAPTER VIII
ENTERTAINING A STRANGER
CHAPTER IX
GWEN'S RESOLVE
CHAPTER X
CLARE'S DISCOVERY
CHAPTER XI
AGATHA'S LEGACY
CHAPTER XII
OUT IN CALIFORNIA
CHAPTER XIII
HIS LAST MESSAGE
CHAPTER XIV
THE COUSINS' RETURN
CHAPTER XV
ALICK LESTER
CHAPTER XVI
BRINGING BAD TIDINGS
CHAPTER XVII
ELFIE'S CHOICE
CHAPTER XVIII
PATTY'S GRAVE
CHAPTER XIX
THE RIGHTFUL HEIR
CHAPTER XX
BROUGHT BACK
ILLUSTRATIONS
'I HAVE SEALED THE DIRECTIONS IN THIS ENVELOPE.' . . . . . .
_Frontispiece_
AND SAW A MAN ON HIS KNEES BY THE CUPBOARD
THE CARVED CUPBOARD
CHAPTER I
A Supplanter
'For troubles wrought of men,
Patience is hard.'--_J. Ingelow._
The firelight shone upon a comfortably-furnished drawing-room in one of
the quiet London squares, and upon four girlish figures grouped around
a small tea-table. Agatha Dane, the eldest, sat back in her chair with
a little wrinkle of perplexity upon her usually placid brow. Rather
plump and short of stature, with no pretensions to beauty, there was
yet something very attractive in her bright open countenance; and she
was one to whom many turned instinctively for comfort and help.
Gwendoline, who sat next her, and was doing most of the talking, was a
tall, slight, handsome girl, with dark eyes that flashed and sparkled
with animation as she spoke, and there was a certain stateliness of
carriage that made some of her acquaintances term her proud.
Clare was toying absently with her spoon and tea-cup; she was
listening, and occasionally put in a word, but her thoughts were
evidently elsewhere. She had not the determination in her face that
was Gwendoline's characteristic; and perhaps the varying expressions
passing over it, and so transparent to those who knew her, formed her
chief charm. There was a wistfulness in her dark blue eyes, and a look
of expectation that one longed to see fulfilled; and her dreamy
preoccupied manner often made her friends wonder if she spent all her
time in dreamland.
Elfrida sat on the hearth-rug with her sunny hair glistening in the
firelight. She was the youngest and prettiest of the four, and had
only just returned from Germany that same day. It was her eager
questioning that was making them all linger over their tea.
'But I don't understand,' she said, a little impatiently. 'How does
Cousin James happen to be here at all? Aunt Mildred never cared for
him. She said last year when I was home that he was a regular screw,
and that he only came on a visit to save his housekeeping bills. Now I
come back and find dear Aunt Mildred gone, and he in full possession of
our home, ready to turn us out to-morrow, you say! Aunt Mildred always
told us we should never want after her death.'
'We shall not actually do that,' said Agatha quietly, 'for she has left
us a legacy each, which will at any rate keep the wolf from the door.'
'But hasn't she left us Dane Hall? She always said she would.'
'No; a codicil to that will has been added since James has been here.'
'Yes; he has managed it beautifully,' put in Gwendoline, with scorn in
her tone. 'He came down here directly he heard she was ill, and
established himself in the dressing-room next to hers. Clare has been
away, but Agatha and I were virtually shut out of the sick-room from
the time he entered the house. He got a trained nurse; said Agatha was
worn out, and must rest; and told Nannie she was too old and too
near-sighted to be left alone with her mistress. The poor old soul has
been weeping her eyes out since! Then he took advantage of Aunt
Mildred's state of weakness, and worried and coaxed her into making
this unjust codicil. All in his favour, of course; I don't believe
poor aunt knew what she was doing. And we shall have to shift for
ourselves now. I hope he will enjoy his unrighteous possessions. I--I
hate him!'
'What are we going to do?'
'Well,' said Agatha, rousing herself, 'we have been talking over
matters together. You see, we can be independent of each other if we
choose, for we are all of age, and have each about 100 pounds a year,
besides what the sale of this house will bring us.'
'Oh, she left us this house, did she? Then why can't we go on living
here?'
'The lease terminates at the end of this year, and we have not the
income to keep it up. Why, Elfie, a town house like this is ruinous
for people of small means! I feel anxious for us to have a home
together somewhere, even if we have to go into the country for it; but,
of course, I would not influence any of you to side with me against
your inclinations.'
'It would be an establishment of old maids; single women, shall we say?
It doesn't sound very nice, buried away in the country.'
Elfie spoke dubiously; then Gwen broke in, 'Well, if Clare is wise, she
will marry soon. I'm sure two years' engagement ought to be long
enough in all conscience to satisfy her!'
Clare's soft cheeks flushed a little.
'Hugh is going out to Africa, you know, with a survey party. We could
not settle till after that. He is quite of the same mind as I am on
that point!'
'Do you like the country plan, Gwen?' asked Elfie.
'Yes, I think I do. I am personally sick of town. A suburban life
would be intolerable, and we have all resources enough to prevent us
from stagnating.'
Elfie gave a little sigh.
'You don't know how I was looking forward to a London season. I have
been in Germany ever since I left school, studying music. And now what
is the good of it? I shall be out of touch with it entirely.'
'Would you like to stay in town for a little?' asked Agatha
sympathetically. 'We could easily arrange for you to board with some
nice people somewhere.'
'No, I will come with you, and see how it works. I suppose we shall
not be banished from London for ever? We can sometimes come up for a
short stay?'
'Oh yes, I think so. We have not settled where to live yet, but we
have been looking through some house agents' lists, and Gwen is full of
plans, as usual.'
'You would be badly off without me to keep you all alive,' said Gwen
laughing. 'If I were by myself, I would like nothing better than a
caravan or a house-boat; but that wouldn't suit all of us.'
'Not me,' said Clare, with a little grimace of disgust.
'Oh, it is a shame!' exclaimed Elfie, springing up, and walking up and
down in her excitement; 'how dare Cousin James behave so treacherously!
Can't we dispute the will? Can't we go to law?'
'It is useless to think of such a thing. We can prove nothing. He is
a man, and has had a jealous feeling of us all our lives. Now fortune
has favoured him, and he is glorying in his prosperity. He is rightly
named James, or Jacob, for he is a base supplanter!'
'Will you give me a cup of tea?'
Gwen started at the voice following her hot outburst so quickly, and
Elfie stopped her hurried walk, and turned a little defiantly towards
the new-comer.
Mr. James Dane was a quiet-looking, sprucely-dressed man of over forty
years of age. He seated himself with the greatest equanimity in the
midst of the group, and Agatha in silence poured him out a cup of tea,
and handed it to him.
'I am afraid I have interrupted a very animated discussion,' he said
blandly. 'I suppose you are arranging future plans. Of course, you
cannot well remain here. Would you like me to take any steps about the
sale for you? I shall be a week longer in town.'
'Mr. Watkins will arrange all that for us, thank you,' replied Agatha
quietly.
'Oh, very well. Why, Elfrida, I never noticed you! Just come back
from Germany, have you? It seems to have suited your health. You are
looking quite bonny.'
'I don't feel so,' was the blunt reply; 'it is not a very happy
home-coming!'
'No, of course not. But, as my wife was saying this morning, you girls
can only have pleasant memories of your dear aunt, who did so much for
you all when she was alive. I remember when first you all arrived from
India, and she was in such an anxious state of bewilderment at the
thought of the charge of four orphan children, my mother said to her,
"Oh, well, Mildred, if you are good enough to educate them, they will
naturally do something later to relieve you of the burden of
maintaining them." And my wife and I have been so surprised at your
all continuing to look upon her house as your rightful home. I suppose
in the goodness of her heart she insisted upon it. Still, nowadays,
young ladies are so independent, and have such a wide scope for their
talents, that we quite expected to hear you were supporting yourselves,
after the liberal education that you have received.'
There was dead silence after this speech, which Gwen broke at last, and
her tone was haughtiness itself.
'As you have met with such success in your visit here, Cousin James,
you could at least afford to be generous towards us. You have one
mercy to be thankful for, and that is, that we never have, and never
shall, look to you to maintain us!'
And then she left the room, shutting the door behind her with a rather
ungentle hand. Mr. Dane smiled, passed his cup to be refilled, and
then turned to Clare.
'I suppose your marriage will be hastened now, will it not? When is
the happy day to be?'
'I will let you know when it is settled,' was the quiet reply.
'Come upstairs with me, Clare, and see Nannie,' said Elfie impetuously;
'I haven't been near her yet, dear old thing!'
The two girls quitted the room together, and with a little sigh Agatha
settled herself down to a _tête-à-tête_ with her cousin.
'You girls have all assumed such aggressive demeanours towards me, that
I really hardly know if you will take any advice from me. It is
exceedingly foolish to adopt such airs. No doubt you are disappointed
in not being the sole heiresses of our aunt, but you ought not to have
expected it for a moment. She had for a long time regretted making
that rash will, which was drawn up when her heart was full of pity for
your penniless condition. Only, being in such robust health, she
always put off doing it until this last sad illness of hers. Where do
you think of settling?'
'We have not made up our minds.'
'Have you heard from your brother lately? Is he doing better than he
was? It is such a mistake for a young fellow to think he will make his
fortune in the Colonies nowadays. I only hope you may not find him
thrown on your hands soon.'
'Walter is doing very well, thank you. There is no chance of his
coming back to England for a good long time.'
'I have been wondering whether you would like to settle somewhere near
London. I have some house property at Hampstead, and could let you
have a small villa there at a very reasonable rent. Of course,
understand, this is entirely because I should like to give you any help
that I can.'
At this Agatha could not help smiling.
'It is very kind of you, but we have decided to live in the country.'
'I am surprised. Have you ever tried a country life in the winter? I
am afraid you will find it a great failure. And, remember, unprotected
females, choosing an isolated position, run the risk of being robbed.
If you do go to the country, be sure and get a house near others.
Well, I must be going. Say good-bye to the others for me. I shall
look in again on you before long, and if you want me, you know my club.
Your cousin Helen has left town, and I shall be taking a trip to the
Continent with her very soon.'
He rose, shook hands politely, and directly the door closed upon him,
Agatha hastened to find her sisters.
She knew where to look for them. In a small room at the end of the
passage past the best bedrooms, Nannie would now be taking her
afternoon cup of tea. She had been with them all since they were quite
tiny children; had brought them over from India after their parents'
death, and had been kept in Miss Dane's service ever since--first as
their nurse, then as housekeeper, when they no longer needed her care.
She was an old woman now, crippled with rheumatism; but she was a
bright and happy Christian, and had a good influence upon all who came
in contact with her. It had been already arranged that she was to go
into an alms-house when the house was sold, and Miss Dane had left her
a small legacy, so that her future was provided for. Agatha's face as
she opened the door was a troubled one. She saw the old woman in her
easy chair by the fire; Gwen and the two younger ones making themselves
comfortable round her; and all were talking freely to her of what had
passed downstairs.
'Come along, Agatha; has he gone?'
'Yes,' was the reply; 'and I have come to Nannie to be soothed. All
the way upstairs I have been saying to myself, "Fret not thyself,
because of him who prospereth in his way." But it is hard to see his
self-complacency.'
'Poor old thing! When Agatha is disturbed, it must be something
indeed! Here is a seat. Nannie has been scolding us, and now she
shall scold you.'