The strange house or, A moment's mistake
going back to Daisy and pointing out to her the Great Bear and the
"Pointers," which was the greatest astronomical achievement of which he
could boast at present.
Gertrude had echoed Otto's words, "a sea voyage," but the announcement
seemed in some inexplicable manner to darken her life, and make
everything dreary. She managed, however, to force herself to say, "And
you are going—you think it necessary?"
"Yes, not so much for my health, though that has not been very good
lately, but for my prospects—"
"Will that improve them? Otto, you are holding something back; you have
some news you do not like to tell me."
Otto did not reply to that. But after a moment he added, "Dr. Blank has
taken a sort of liking to me. I think he will try to push me on in my
profession."
Gertrude could not ask her question again, but she felt hopelessly that
they were nearing their destination, and then Otto would say good-bye,
and their day would be over.
"Gertrude, I have promised to go for this voyage if—if you do not
object."
"I?" said Gertrude.
"It is to accompany a patient of his, who needs care and supervision.
It will be for a year."
"And then?"
"Then I shall come home!"
Oh, the rest that seemed to come into his voice as he said that! They
had reached the turning to the Shaddocks' house. Still Gertrude knew
that Otto was withholding some of his thoughts. How could she bear to
part from her friend thus? She thought of their friendship at home, of
all his brotherliness, of their constant interchange of thoughts and
ideas, and she felt it very hard to be constrained just as they must
part.
"I am going to see Dr. Blank again to-morrow, and shall have a long
talk with him. He has asked me to spend Sunday at his country house.
After that I shall see you again, and tell you all."
"You will tell me all?" asked Gertrude, in a relieved tone.
"All—both bad and good. I might have done so to-day, but for this
child's doings. That has spoilt everything. Gertrude, you did not
answer me? Shall I go for the voyage?"
"Am I to be the arbiter of your fate?"
He smiled a sunny smile, while Gertrude could have cried.
"Ah, our future is in Better Hands," he answered gently, "but if you
thought I ought not to go, for any reason, I will not go."
"I know of no reason; if it will do your health good, it would be
everything you could wish!"
They had reached the steps. Already Mr. Shaddock had let himself in,
and Hugh was holding the door open for them.
"Now for Randall's mischief!" said Otto.
CHAPTER XLI.
TWO SIDES OF A STORY.
WHEN they entered, Randall was already in his mother's arms, and Mrs.
Shaddock was pouring out questions and condolences as fast as she could
speak. Her 'at home' day had come to an unpleasant end, as she had felt
too ill and pre-occupied to enjoy her guests.
"However was it?" she was asking him.
"Mr. Leigh and Miss Ashlyn were talking and I got lost," was his
response.
"They were not!" exclaimed Daisy, following him into the drawing-room.
"Mollie, don't let mother think so—"
Mollie shrugged her shoulders. "I do think it was awfully careless,"
she said, "and has given mother a dreadful fright!"
"He gave us a worse one," answered Daisy indignantly, "but Miss Ashlyn
will explain all about it."
"I don't care about explanations," said Mollie. "I should have thought
between you, you could have looked after Randall. You know how things
upset mother."
Gertrude and Otto had spoken to Mr. Shaddock in the hall, and then Otto
bade Gertrude farewell and went to the door.
"I wish you could stay to see me through with this," she said with her
hand on the latch, and her eyes raised to his.
"I wish I could—but I am not asked—"
"No, we are in disgrace," she said, "and that is very hard."
"It will come out all right in the end. I must go, but I would give
anything to stay—"
And then she opened the door, and his light feet sprang down the steps,
and he was gone.
She went slowly into the dining-room, feeling as if she could not bring
her mind down to Randall and his doings.
Otto had looked as white as a sheet, and had eaten nothing since an
early lunch; how could she have let him go like that?
Mr. Shaddock came in almost at once.
"Where is Mr. Leigh?"
"He is gone."
"Gone! Why did you let him go? I expected him to have supper, or
whatever meal it is. Have you had anything to eat?"
"I bought some buns—"
"Buns?" echoed Mr. Shaddock disdainfully. "Could you get no tea?"
"I was afraid to spend any time over that. We did nothing but search."
"Well, it cannot be helped now. I am very vexed Mr. Leigh has gone
so soon. As to this matter, the children and Randall give different
accounts. I suppose it often is so in a question of missing each other.
So I suppose we must think 'all's well that ends well,' and be glad
it has come right now. Pray sit down, Miss Ashlyn, you look ready to
faint."
"I never faint, thank you," Gertrude answered, "but we are very tired,
almost too tired, perhaps, to look at the matter fairly."
"Oh, I should let it drop," said Mr. Shaddock good-humouredly. "Randall
got lost, and is found again, and now let us forget it, and eat some
supper."
Gertrude had been wondering in the train what dreadful punishment would
be given the little delinquent, and only feared it might be too severe.
She was therefore astonished to find that all was to be overlooked, and
the matter left as if it had not happened.
She determined to talk to Randall herself, and try to get him to
confess his share of the spoilt day. But now nothing could be done but
to accept the offered tea, and think again of poor Otto making his way
back to the West End, tired and lonely.
Daisy and Hugh came in at the sound of the gong, but Mrs. Shaddock had
Randall's tea carried to him in the drawing-room by Mollie. And when
they went there after the meal, he had gone to nurse to be put to bed.
Gertrude soon went up to her schoolroom, and sat down in her arm-chair
utterly wearied out.
Daisy and Hugh came to wish good-night, and then she was left alone for
half an hour.
She tried to recall all the events of the day, all Otto's words and
tones which had been so refreshing to her as part of her old home
life, but nothing seemed to come before her eyes but that scene in the
Museum, when he had appeared in the doorway without Randall, and then
their frantic search afterwards.
She was just coming to the conclusion that she should never be happy
at the Shaddocks' any more if they were going to blame her for the
accident, when a tap came at the door, and nurse's kind face peeped in.
"I came to see if you might want anything, Miss Ashlyn," she said
quietly, "and to tell you I am so sorry about the child being missed."
"Thank you," faltered Gertrude. Her lips trembled, and she could not
get out another word.
"Don't you be upset, miss. The children have told me their different
stories, and I can see how it is."
"I wish I could be sure he did not do it on purpose—" began Gertrude;
and then she wished she had not said so. She looked up quickly in
nurse's face. "I hardly like to have said that," she added, "but—"
Nurse nodded. "Time will show," she said. "Sometimes when we can't
right ourselves, there's One takes it up for us, miss, and brings good
out of bad!"
"Oh, if He only would!" said Gertrude with a long breath.
"Don't be afraid, miss; I've seen it over and over, and have reason to
trust Him!"
CHAPTER XLII.
CLOUDS.
EARLY the next morning Gertrude was up, and was bending over her Bible
to get refreshment before the day's work began. She dreaded what it
might bring to her, for she had seen enough of the way Randall had
carried through the misfortune of the bank-note, to hope that he would
unsay any of his yesterday's story.
Nurse's cheering words, however, had done her good, and she rose from
her reading with a heart at rest in the promises which were so abundant
and so full.
Her eyes had rested on some words which seemed to fit into her
perplexity and vexation, giving her fresh hope and courage.
"'I will love Thee, O LORD, my strength!'"
So when Daisy peeped into her room, she met the child's inquiring look
with a smile.
"Here is a letter for you, Miss Ashlyn."
It was from Rose, telling of their disappointment at her non-appearance
the evening before, and saying how sorry Otto was to arrive alone
without the bright party which Fritz had invited to tea at his hotel.
Then Rose went on to say a few words about Lester, adding that time
forbade her to write more, but if Mrs. Shaddock and Gertrude could call
upon her during that day, she could better explain everything by word
of mouth.
"I shall not ask that," said Gertrude to herself, "though I suppose I
must convey Rose's invitation."
"Mother is not very well this morning," said Daisy, "and Randall is as
cross as two sticks."
"Never mind that, dear. He must be sorry he was so unkind."
"I do not think he is. Miss Ashlyn, make haste, for the boys are ready
for breakfast, and Mollie is not down. They want to get off to school
in good time; they've got to meet a boy at the station."
Gertrude felt her life had begun again in good earnest. She put away
her Bible and followed Daisy to the dining-room, where Conway and Ned
were already eating their breakfast in haste.
When Mollie came in, she did not seem to have recovered her temper from
yesterday any more than Randall had. She brought a message from her
mother, however, that she begged Miss Ashlyn to spend the afternoon
with her sister, but that she did not feel equal to any excitement, and
was going to stay in her room all the morning.
"Will you take your mother the letter I have had from my sister?"
Mollie took the letter in her hand, but sat down to her breakfast
without offering to carry it to her mother.
By the time Daisy's music-lesson was over, however, she brought back
the answer.
"Mother thanks Mrs. Leigh, and if she is well enough in the afternoon
she will drive to town and call upon her. At any rate, you are to go,
Miss Ashlyn. Daisy and I are to go to see our cousins who live on the
Heath, you know. Randall is to stay with nurse."
Gertrude felt that the plan was very kind, and yet she would almost
have preferred to remain quietly at home with her pupils.
"Are you sure that is what your mother wishes?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Ashlyn. Mother would not like to be worried with any more
questions. She had quite enough worry yesterday."
Gertrude looked up steadily at the pretty girl as she stood before her
with her little air of half-condescending, half-defiant politeness.
"We all had a great deal of worry yesterday, Mollie. However, I will do
as your mother so kindly suggests. I hope I may be able to thank her
for all her kindness some day."
Mollie looked rather surprised at the quiet answer, under which she
could not but perceive a slight reserve. She, however, dismissed the
matter with a light—
"Well, let it be settled so, Miss Ashlyn. I am sure you must be longing
to see Mrs. Leigh." And with a toss back of her long hair over her
shoulders, she hastened away to fulfil the housekeeping duties before
school, which devolved upon her when Mrs. Shaddock was ill.
Gertrude rang the school-bell, but as Randall did not appear, she made
her way to the nursery to inquire for him.
He was there, leaning over the guard, with his chin on his hands. "Are
you ready for lessons, my dear?" she asked kindly.
"He does not seem quite the thing to-day, Miss Ashlyn," said nurse.
"Perhaps he had better remain up here with me? He says his head aches."
"If you think Mrs. Shaddock would wish that."