The strange house or, A moment's mistake
Then Fritz came hurrying back and jumped into the cab, and they were
off again.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
BY AND BY.
BY the time the cab arrived at Hampstead, Fritz knew the extent of his
grief—knew that his only son would not be able to welcome his father or
respond to his love. Otto would not enter, but wished Gertrude farewell
when she left the cab, and had himself driven back in it to his hotel,
where his brother intended to join him later in the evening.
Mrs. Shaddock met Mr. Leigh in the hall, and after a few words of
kindly greeting, asked Gertrude to take her brother to his little boy's
bedside.
She led the way up-stairs and opened her sister's door, herself passing
on to her own chamber; she felt as if she could bear no more.
She did not know why, but the moment she was alone, she laid her head
down on the window-sill and cried as if her heart would break. She
thought she was crying over the sad scene that must be happening on
the next floor; she pictured Rose's face as she uncovered their little
Lester and showed what a shadow only was left of their bright darling;
she pictured Fritz's anguish and indignation. But all the while, she
wept with a nameless pain, as if for herself too, until she remembered
that she would be expected down-stairs, and must not give way thus.
This thought roused her, so taking off her bonnet and putting on some
little evening adornment, she hastened to the dining-room, where she
knew the whole family were just collecting for their late tea.
On the stairs were her brother and sister, who explained that nurse had
offered to stay with Lester, so they thought they would do well to join
the family circle, and put aside their anxiety in deference to the kind
wishes of their host and hostess.
At tea the merits of various physicians were discussed, Mr. Shaddock
recommending one of whom he had heard at his office, who had treated an
analogous case most successfully.
It was at last decided that Mr. Leigh should call in Harley Street on
his way home to his hotel, and should if possible make an appointment
for the morning with the physician, if he should advise little Lester's
being brought to him.
"And what am I to tell Otto?" he asked at last, when he rose to go.
Gertrude had been dreading that question all the evening. How could she
make Otto's proposition? And yet how could she refuse to do so?
"My brother came up from Rugby with me yesterday," said Mr. Leigh,
turning to Mrs. Shaddock, "and asks if you will allow Gertrude and some
of your young people to visit the South Kensington Museum with him. He
has never seen the Natural History collection yet, and if they would
like to come, he would be so pleased."
"I cannot come, because it is our 'at home' day," said Mollie. "Mother
always wants me."
"Would you like to go, Daisy?" asked Gertrude.
"I should," said Randall; "it would be far nicer than school."
"Thank you—" answered Daisy, hesitating, "if—I should 'like' it very
much; Hugh and I have always wanted to go there."
"I s'pose you wouldn't care to go without Hugh," said Randall, "but he
ought not to miss school; he is always missing school for something or
another!"
"Oh, Randall!" exclaimed Daisy. "It is not his fault that he is not
strong."
Randall shrugged his little shoulders expressively; he was, however,
too interested in the South Kensington plan to pursue the subject, so
he asked—
"Will you take me, Miss Ashlyn?"
"Certainly, my dear, if your mother will let you go."
Hugh's eyes were fixed on his mother's face, while his father was
watching him unobserved.
"To-morrow is your half-holiday, is it not, Hugh?" he asked.
Hugh started and coloured. "Oh, I should like to go," he exclaimed,
hesitating, "if Daisy is going, and if Miss Ashlyn does not mind."
Randall was close to him, and nudged his arm now with a whispered
comment, which, however, he did not hear.
"What did you say?" he asked, as he received a second nudge.
"Mother said you should have no treats nor anything because of your
burning that five-pound note."
Hugh crimsoned, and then, catching his father's eye, he went to his
side.
"Randall says I ought not to go because of that five-pound note."
"That is forgiven," answered his father quietly; "do not trouble about
Randall, my boy."
Hugh raised his head, a light shining in his eyes.
Gertrude was rapidly arranging times and trains with her
brother-in-law, as he was anxious to be off. Then he ran up-stairs once
more to kiss his newly-found child, and with a grateful adieu to the
rest, he was gone.
Rose remained with Lester; the boys were already busy down-stairs with
their lessons; Daisy and Hugh hastened to their schoolroom to prepare
theirs; and Gertrude, after a brief visit to her sister, sought them
and settled down to lessons and work, feeling as if the last few days
had been a dream.
When Daisy rose to say good-night, she put her hand on Gertrude's
shoulder: "Miss Ashlyn, Randall will love you by and by."
"I hope so, dear."
"I'm awfully sorry he is so disagreeable—but indeed if you go on being
kind, he will by and by."
"Yes, dear," she answered, "that is what I look for."
CHAPTER XXXVII.
A NEW THOUGHT.
IT was by the first post that Rose received a letter from her husband
appointing to be with her at ten o'clock, bringing an easy carriage for
their darling.
The whole household could think of nothing else, and now Randall's
dainty clothes, which he had grown out of a year or two back, were
brought out, and Lester was taken from the bed and carefully dressed in
them.
Mrs. Leigh sat with him on her lap, her face very white and quiet, as
each fresh thing done for her child made her realize more fully all he
had lost.
He passively suffered them to do what they would with him. But by the
time the little outside coat had been buttoned up, his head dropped on
his mother's shoulder, and he was tired out.
Rose looked up at nurse beseechingly. "Ought I to have dressed him?"
she asked anxiously.
"It is hard to say, ma'am," nurse answered, "but another time I would
not trouble about these last things, a shawl over all would have done
as well."
Then came the carriage, and Mr. Leigh was shut up in the dining-room
with Mrs. Shaddock and Rose for what seemed a very long time, while
Gertrude waited rather breathlessly up-stairs with the drooping child.
At last they came out, Mrs. Shaddock wiping her eyes, and Mr. and Mrs.
Leigh hastening up the stairs to where Gertrude sat, holding little
Lester on her knee.
In a moment more the young father came down carrying the little
invalid, Rose and Gertrude following.
"I can never, never thank you," said Rose, taking Mrs. Shaddock's hand.
"Some day I hope we may come back and be able to do so better than
to-day!"
She nearly broke down, but, struggling for calmness, she bade a hasty
adieu to the rest, and quickly got to the carriage, where already Fritz
was seated.
Gertrude went to the carriage-door, and kissed her sister through the
open window.
"Oh, how I wish you were going with me!" said Rose regretfully.
"I could not, dearest; they have been so kind already. We shall meet
this afternoon."
"Yes, yes; good-bye till then."
The carriage moved away, and Gertrude turned back to the house, wishing
intensely that she could have gone to the physician's with them.
Daisy and Mollie were waiting for her in the hall.
"Miss Ashlyn, do tell us what makes mother cry. Does the physician give
any hope? Mother does nothing but cry."
"Go up-stairs, dears," answered Gertrude; "I will follow you in a
moment. I expect your mother is rather upset with it all."
She really felt great compunction when she saw Mrs. Shaddock sitting
with her face buried in her hands.
She advanced to her side and sat down by her, quietly drawing her white
shawl over her shoulders, and said, in a soothing, comforting tone—
"They got off very comfortably, thanks to all your kindness, dear Mrs.
Shaddock. I hope that I may bring you a better account this evening."
"Oh, that poor little mother's face!" said Mrs. Shaddock.
"Rose?" questioned Gertrude.
"Yes—if you could have seen her face when her husband was telling her
what Dr. Blank said."
"Did he give any opinion?" asked Gertrude eagerly.
"Not on this case, of course," said Mrs. Shaddock, looking up, "but he
gave a hope."
Gertrude did not reply; this was almost more than she had dared to
expect.
"I could have wished that they might return here," Mrs. Shaddock went
on, "but I can see that the distance is great, and that it will be well
to be near Dr. Blank while things are not quite decided."
Gertrude expressed again her earnest thanks for their hospitality, and
then proposed that she should seek her pupils, and take up the lessons
which had been so interrupted.
"Do not worry over that," said Mrs. Shaddock; "their father says all
this is the best education they could have."
"Does he?" said Gertrude. "How very kind, and what a nice thought!"
She had risen to go to her pupils, but Mrs. Shaddock seemed as if she
could not bear to let her go.
"Miss Ashlyn—my dear—your sister. I cannot forget your sister."
"She will be better when all this is settled," said Gertrude
consolingly.
"Better?" echoed Mrs. Shaddock. "She could hardly be better! Her
patience, her resignation, her trust—I never saw anything like it."
"Yes, indeed it is," answered Gertrude heartily.
She had become so accustomed to Rose's beautiful character that she had
hardly noticed it.
"You found me very upset," Mrs. Shaddock went on hesitatingly, and yet
as if she must say it, "but she said something as we sat together last
night, which made me feel different from anything I have ever felt
before."
Gertrude looked inquiringly at her.
"I had just said to her, 'I never saw any one bear a trial such as this
so bravely; I suppose you would say it is religion helps you, but I do
not understand it.' And she answered, with such an earnest look, 'Mrs.
Shaddock, it is not 'religion,' it is just Jesus! He is everything to
me—everything!'"
"What Rose said is the truth," answered Gertrude softly. "She would not
have said it unless she had known it was true."
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
IN THE MUSEUM.
"AH! Here you are!" said Otto.
There were Hugh, Daisy, and Randall, all eagerly peeping out of the
train at Kensington.
"Here is Mr. Leigh," exclaimed Randall, turning round to Gertrude. "You
see he did not keep us waiting, did he?"
This referred to a discussion Hugh and Daisy had carried on during the
short journey, as to who would be at Kensington first.
Otto helped them out of the carriage, and then pointed to the way out,
telling the children not to get too far in front.
"Randall, my dear, keep near me," said Gertrude; "you are 'mother's
baby,' and must be taken care of!"
She said it with a playful smile, but Randall did not respond
pleasantly.
"I can take care of myself," he said, with a shrug. "I don't want to be
tied to girls' aprons!"
He walked, however, just in front of her, close to the heels of his
brother and sister, Otto and Gertrude bringing up the rear.
"I will not tell you till we get out of these noisy streets," said
Otto, "but I feel as if I had so many things to say, that I hardly know
where to begin!"
"I must not ask, then, whether they are back from Dr. Blank's?"
"You may ask," he said, smiling, "but I shall not answer."
"Then I had better not put the question," laughed Gertrude. "You are,
however, cheerful to-day, Otto!"
"That is because I am so glad to see you."
"Are you? So am I glad, Otto. I never prized friends so much before."