CHAPTER XXIII.
"PRIZE-DAY COMES IN A MONTH."
The next day at breakfast Kitty began to talk of the lost key.
"It is most provoking," she said. "What shall we do without having ourorderly-book properly signed? I cannot find the key anywhere."
"I have spoken to the servants," interrupted Nora, "and they havesearched mother's room, and even taken up the rugs and shaken them. Iknow for a positive fact," she added, "that neither Kitty nor I tookthe key from mother's room."
"What did I hear you say about the orderly-book?" asked CaptainRichmond.
"Why, Uncle Peter, how funny of you, and what a peculiar expressionyour eyes have! The orderly-book is locked up in the Sheratonchiffonier; and we cannot get it from a locked drawer, can we?"
"No, unless we break the lock or find that the drawer is alreadyopen."
"But it can't be; mother always kept it locked, and when she gave usthe key she spoke about its being locked."
"She _thought_ she locked it," said Captain Richmond; "but as amatter of fact I found it open. I read the orderly-book last night."
There was something very grave in his tone, and Kitty stopped talkingand stared at him with knitted brows. Nora went calmly on pouring outtea. Augusta got very red, and as she helped herself to a piece oftoast her hand trembled; while Nancy, with her wide-open, innocentdark eyes, looked full into the Captain's face.
He did not return Nancy's gaze.
"I hope we have all been good enough soldiers to satisfy you, UnclePeter," said Kitty. "You won't tell us what you think, will you?"
"No," he answered--"not now; prize-day comes in a month."
"Oh, Uncle Pete, what shall we do on prize-day? We must have a gaytime."
"The prizes will be given in the evening. The greatest prize--theRoyal Cross--will be presented with the others. But do not ask me totell you any more; that would be giving myself away."
He got up as he spoke and left the room. When he got to the hall hestood still for a moment, raised his hand, and pushed his short, crisphair up on his head. He then turned in the direction of thedrawing-room. There was a very wide and spacious hall to the Fairleighhouse. The dining-rooms opened into one end, the great drawing-room,the library, and morning-room into the other. Captain Richmondstrolled now through the big drawing-room. The French windows werewide open; the sunlit lawn blazed outside. The sun-blinds had beenalready drawn down, and the cool effect of the room itself compared tothe heat on the lawn was most refreshing. Captain Richmond opened thedrawer of the chiffonier and examined it carefully. His practised eyeeasily detected the marks of a tool which had forced the lock. He sawalso that the lock itself was poor and of a very simple make. Hepushed the drawer in and sat down by the window. Who could possiblyhave meddled with the lock? He took up the newspaper, opened it, andpretended to read it, but in reality his thoughts were far from thenews of the day. He continued wondering over the open drawer, over thelost key, and most of all did his thoughts puzzle over theorderly-book itself.
Nancy, whom he had trusted, had failed him; she had been guilty of thesin of all others most terrible and grave in his eyes--the sin ofcruelty. That gentle, kind, and loving child guilty of so grave afault! He could scarcely believe it.
Just at this juncture in his thoughts the door opened and Augusta camein. Augusta was in reality very nervous and troubled, and she had comenow, as she expressed it, to take the bull by the horns.
"Well, Uncle Peter," she said; and she chose a seat opposite to thatin which the Captain was sitting. "Oh, how hot it is outside," shecontinued, "and how beautifully cool here! I have brought my knitting.I am making a tie for you, Uncle Peter. May I work here while you readthe paper?"
"Of course, Augusta; just as you like," answered Captain Richmond.
Augusta took her work from its bag and began slowly to knit. Presentlyshe dropped a stitch, which caused her to utter an exclamation ofannoyance.
"What is it?" said the Captain; and he flung down his newspaper andlooked at her.
"I have dropped a stitch in my knitting. But it doesn't matter; Nancywill find it for me by-and-by."
"Has Nancy such good sight?"
"Yes. My eyes ache very often. And Nancy is very good-natured; shealways does what I ask her."
The Captain looked both pleased and relieved.
"You have found Nancy good-natured?" he asked.
"He is thinking of the report in the orderly-book," Augusta thought toherself. "I won't do poor little Nancy more harm than I can help."
"Nan is certainly good-natured," she said aloud.
"I am glad you like her," continued the Captain; and he sighed a verylittle as he spoke.
Augusta fiddled with her knitting. After a time she looked up.
"As we are quite by ourselves, may I speak to you?" she said suddenly.
"Why, of course, Gussie. What is it?"
"Well, you know that father and mother are away?"
"So my sister-in-law has told me."
"And I am their only child, and I feel being parted from my parentsvery much."
"Of course you do," said the Captain; and he looked with suddeninterest at Augusta. Hitherto he had not admired her in any way. "Whenwill your parents be back?" he asked.
"Next year; and when they come back they are going to send me toParis."
"To Paris! What for?"
"Oh, Uncle Peter, don't you know? To be educated--to be finished--toget Parisian French and Parisian deportment and dancing, you know, andall the rest."
"I am afraid I do not know, Augusta. I am unacquainted with any youngladies who have been educated in the French capital. I have noparticular love for the French ways. You see, I am an Englishman tothe backbone."
"But I shall still be an English girl even if I have got a little bitof French polish. Besides, it will so please father and mother! If Igo it will be because"---- Here she dimpled and smiled and looked fullat the Captain.
"Because of what?"
"Because of you, Uncle Peter."
"Now I do fail to understand you. What on earth can I have to do withit?"
"You have a great deal more to do with it than you can guess. If mymarks are very good--particularly my marks as regards conduct--I shallgo. And, oh, I am so anxious to go! And if by any chance I could winthe Royal Cross, then indeed I should be safe."
"And suppose you did win it, would that be your object?"
"Oh! besides that there would be many others; but that too. Can youblame me, Uncle Peter? It would so please my parents!"
"No, I cannot blame you, Augusta; and, without giving myself away inany manner, I may as well say that you have at least as good a chanceas the others."
"Have I indeed? Have I truly? Oh, how very happy you have made me!"
"Continue to behave well, Augusta, and nobody knows what will happen."He rose as he spoke.
"I am bound," he thought, "after the excellence of Augusta's marks, togive her that much encouragement, but surely never before was thereman so disappointed.--I am going into the woods," he said aloud."Good-bye for the present."
"Oh! one word, please, before you go. What do you say to our walkingthrough the woods and having a gipsy tea there this afternoon?"
"If your cousins like it, Augusta, I am quite agreeable. Do you preferthe woods to the seashore?"
"Yes; it will be so very hot on the sands to-day," said Augusta.
"I am, as I said, at your disposal."
The Captain strolled away, and the moment he had gone Augusta flew tothe chiffonier, pulled open the drawer, and looked at it.
"Any one can see that it has been tampered with," she said to herself."I am certain by his manner that he has discovered it. But one thingat least is clear--he has not the remotest suspicion of me.--Oh Nancy,what are you doing here?"
"I thought Uncle Pete was here," said Nancy, who had entered the roomand looked with disappointed eyes all over it; "Kitty said he was, andI wanted to talk to him. What are you doing by that drawer,
Gussie? Isit not very strange that it should be open--that Aunt Jessie left itunlocked?"
"What are you doing by that drawer, Gussie?"]
"Solve the mystery if you can, Nancy," said Augusta, quite vexed atbeing discovered. "But if you want your darling Captain, he has juststrolled through the woods."
"Of course I want him," replied Nancy; "I love him so much."
She ran out of the open window, and was soon seen flitting across thelawn in the direction of the cool and sheltered woods. CaptainRichmond was not far off. Nancy called his name, and he whistled to herto come to him. She ran quickly to his side.
"It is so lovely to have you here!" she exclaimed. "And, oh, UnclePete, I _have_ tried! It has been very hard, but I have tried."
Her eyes were raised to his face. There were dimples in her cheeks andsmiles round her lips.
"What a face!" thought the Captain. "Angelic is the only word for it.And yet, my eyes cannot deceive me--she is a hypocrite;" and in spiteof himself he shook off the loving hand which touched his arm, andbegan to talk quickly of indifferent matters.
For a moment a cold, curious sensation visited Nancy's heart, but itsoon passed off! She was so sympathetic that she could throw herselfwith zest and interest into almost any conversation. Notwithstandinghis grief and displeasure, the Captain could not help confiding inher, telling her some of his own worries, and laughing when she gavechildish but practical advice.
"I am so excited about the prize!" she said as the two presentlyreturned to the house. "I don't believe I have any chance of gettingthe Royal Cross, but I have tried for it."
"Have you indeed, Nancy?"
"Yes, Uncle Pete. Why do you look at me with such a sad face? Do youthink I would not try?"
"I always thought you would try," he answered. "But remember, it is across _for valour_. Do you know what that means?"
"Bravery," said Nancy.
"I think it means rather more than ordinary bravery. It needs both atender and gallant heart to really aspire to valour; it needs a rareunselfishness. I want you all to forget the prize in the joy ofattaining to it. It is the attainment that really matters; the prizein itself is but a symbol."
"Yes," said Nancy gravely, "but the symbol testifies to theattainment."
"What a serious subject for a little girl!" said the Captain.
Nancy's eyes were full of tears.
"Sometimes it is rather hard for me," she said, "but when you are hereI can do almost anything."
"Is it possible that that child can be cruel?" thought the Captainafter she had left him. "It certainly seems inconceivable; and yetJessie would not have put such a mark in the orderly-book for nothing.If there is a very capable, careful, and trustworthy person it is mysister-in-law. And she loves Nancy, too; she would not act so to herunless there were some very grave reason. Poor little girl, when dideverything fail and the great crash come? She doesn't look a bit likeit."
At early dinner the four girls and the Captain were, to allappearance, in the highest spirits; and soon afterwards they startedon their expedition to the woods.
Augusta had now fully and absolutely made up her mind to obtain theRoyal Cross, and for this reason she was determined to show to theutmost advantage in Captain Richmond's eyes.
It was arranged they were to have their gipsy tea in a part of thepine-woods about two miles away from the house. This part was justabove the seashore. The place of rendezvous was not only shelteredfrom the rays of the sun, but freshened by the sea-breezes.
The picnic basket was packed, and the kettle, spirit-lamp, &c. wereput into another basket.
"Come," said the Captain, seizing the heavy basket and stridingforward; "you girls must take turns in carrying the edibles."
"I will carry the basket first," said Augusta.
She dragged it out of Nancy's hands, who gave it up in someastonishment, for, as a rule, the office of carrying Augusta's thingsdevolved upon her. Having secured the basket, Augusta ran forward andjoined Captain Richmond. The three other girls walked together behind.
Augusta's heart beat hard, for not only had she to play the part of agood and unselfish girl for the Captain's benefit, but she was lookingforward to meeting her fascinating friends, the Asprays, and theirdelightful companion, Mr. Archer. What would happen when the meetingtook place she must leave to circumstances.
But she was quite resolved that if it lay within the realm ofpossibility she would get the Captain to admire her friends and to letthem join their picnic party. By-and-by Kitty ran up to her.
"Come, give me the basket now, Augusta," she said; "you are lookingvery hot and red in the face. Nancy and I will carry it between us."
"No, thank you," said Augusta, "I don't feel its weight at all, andyou are so pale it would tire you to carry it. Leave it to me," sheadded. "I really like it; I assure you I do."
"Then leave her the basket by all means," said the Captain. "It issuch a pity to take from us what we like, particularly when we aredoing a service to others."
Augusta could not be quite sure whether Uncle Peter was laughing ather or not. But in another moment a sudden bend in the roadeffectually diverted her thoughts, for coming to meet them were thetwo Aspray girls, looking remarkably pretty in white embroidereddresses and big shady hats; and walking between the two girls was atall young man of about two-and-twenty years of age. The moment FloraAspray saw Augusta she gave a shout of welcome, and rushing to meether, kissed her with great _empressement_.
"How very nice!" she said. "Oh, so you are all here! Now I do thinkthis is a rare piece of luck. Let me introduce Mr. Archer."
"Captain Richmond, this is my friend, Flora Aspray; and this is myother friend, Constance Aspray," said Augusta.
The Captain talked to the two girls in a polite and pleasant fashion;Mr. Archer began to notice Augusta; and the three girls from behindcame and joined the group. In a very short time, no one quite knewhow, the Asprays and Mr. Archer found themselves invited to join theRichmond party. They now all turned in a mass and walked in thedirection where the picnic was to take place.