that the mere fact of my being in trouble made her kind tome.
"Rupert and I came away. We went back again to Grosvenor Street, and Ifelt more sure than ever that all must be up between us. I could nothelp it, Rosamund--when I got into the house I began to cry again. ThenRupert spoke--oh, dear, I can't tell you how--but somehow I suddenlylost all my terror, and I told him the whole story from the beginning.You dreadful, but dear little benefactress, I took your advice. Andwhat was the consequence? Rupert did just say one word of reproof. Hesaid, `Don't you suppose, Ursula, that I care more for you than for aruby ring?' So, of course, after that it was all right, and I havenever, never been half so happy before in all my life."
Captain Valentine, who had fidgeted on his chair, and seemed more orless on thorns during the recital of Lady Ursula's story, now jumped up,and went over to the window to look out. He had only a view of MrsAshton's back-yard, and surely the sight could not have beeninspiriting. Lady Ursula, whose eyes were full of tears, bent forwardto kiss me. I put my two arms around her neck and gave her a hug. Icould not help it. I forgot all about her title and her grandeur--shewas just a girl, like any other girl, to me at that moment.
"Now I have something to say," she continued in a changed voice."Neither Rupert nor I want your ruby ring, but we are very curious tosee it again, for Rupert has a story to tell you about it."
"A story to tell me about my own ring," I inquired.
"Well, yes," said Captain Valentine, returning, and speaking slowly."It so happened that during the week, when Ursula lived in such terrorof me, that she was obliged to hire a ring to prevent my righteousvengeance falling on her head,"--he laughed merrily as he spoke, andLady Ursula gave his hand a vicious pinch,--"during that week," hecontinued, "I noticed that the central ruby of the ring was a littleloose. I took it to my jeweller's to have it more firmly riveted. Itherefore had full opportunity of carefully examining your ring, MissLindley, and I can declare that it is in every particular preciselysimilar to the one Lady Ursula has lost."
"Similar, perhaps, but a different ring," I retorted.
"Precisely, a different ring, but one of a pair. I think I can tell yousome of the early history of your own ring, Miss Lindley."
"Please, Rosamund, admit that you are very much excited and thrilledwith interest," interrupted Lady Ursula.
"I am interested, undoubtedly," I replied. "Please tell me the story,Captain Valentine."
"My great-great-grandmother," he began at once, "came from the WestIndies, and brought with her, amongst much valuable gold, some rubies ofgreat price. Two of the largest and most precious of the rubies wereset in rings of very curious workmanship. I believe the rest of thegems, with the exception of a few smaller rubies which were used inperfecting the rings, were sold to meet a financial difficulty in ourfamily. These rings were given by my great-grandmother to her sons,with the request that they should be handed down as heirlooms, and wornas betrothal rings by the girls who should marry their directdescendants. The rings were made in a very unique fashion, and had acertain spring which could open at the back, and contain hair or someother tiny relic. Do you mind fetching your ruby ring and letting melook at it once again, Miss Lindley?"
"I will fetch it of course," I replied.
I ran off at once, my heart beating fast with wonder and curiosity.
Hetty's eyes devoured my face when I rushed into our bedroom.
"I am having a delightful time," I said, "everything is going onsplendidly."
"Oh, do, do tell me?" said Hetty, sitting up on her sofa, and lettingher work tumble to the ground.
"Yes, presently I will; but my visitors have not gone yet."
"Haven't they? They are staying a long time."
"Yes, and they will probably remain a little longer. I have come now tofetch the ring."
"Oh, Rosamund, you have not given way? You are not going to part withthe ring?"
"Not a bit of it," I answered, as I unlocked my small bag, and takingthe ring from its hiding-place slipped it on my finger. "Goodbye forthe present, Hetty," I said; "think of all pleasant and improbablethings till I return to you."
I flew down-stairs to the two who were now my friends. Lady Ursula mademe seat myself next to her on the sofa, and Captain Valentine, takingthe ring from me, turned it round and round in the light. How thatcentral ruby did flash--how blinding and bewildering were the rays whichit shot from the depths of its heart. I had an uncomfortable feeling,as if the costly gem was going to mesmerise me.
Suddenly I uttered an exclamation. By some deft movement, done soquickly that I could not follow it, Captain Valentine had touched aspring, and the ring had altered. The massive gold of the setting movedaside like tiny doors; the central ruby shot up a fiercer ray of almosttriumph; it revolved slowly from its position, and left the innermechanism or skeleton of the ring bare to view.
"There," said Captain Valentine, "behold the most cunning device everinvented for holding a few threads of hair, or any other invaluabletreasure. Yes, this ring is the companion one to yours,Ursula. No doubt on the subject, no doubt whatever, for it was mygreat-grandmother, or her double, who invented this unique littlehiding-place in the back of a ring."
"But this hiding-place, this secret treasure-house contains no hair, nodelightful discovery of any kind," said Lady Ursula.
"That is true; the space is empty," said Captain Valentine."Nevertheless, I identify the ring." He touched the secret springagain. The central ruby seemed to flash a wicked intelligent look intomy eyes; the embossed gold doors revolved back into their places; themagnificent middle ruby resumed its position as keeper of the doors, andthe little ring looked as it had done before.
Captain Valentine handed the ruby ring back to me.
"You must explain to me the secret of those magical doors," I said tohim. "Where did you touch the spring which set that clever, enchantinglittle machinery in motion?"
He took the ring again in his hand, and began to explain the cunninglittle secret to me.
"Do you see that nick in the side of the gold?" he said. "Just at theleft of the serpent's eye. Press it: not too hard. A light touch issufficient--a heavy one might break the delicate machinery."
"I see," I answered, "thank you. No, I won't disturb my rubies againnow. It might break the charm if I got my ring to tell its secrets toooften."
"Rosamund," said Lady Ursula, suddenly, "it strikes me that you andRupert must be some kind of relations; that is, if that ring were leftto you by a relation."
"My mother's cousin left me the ring," I said.
"Your mother's cousin?" said Captain Valentine. "Do you mind giving mesome particulars? It is interesting to trace relationships; in thiscase especially so."
I mentioned Cousin Geoffrey's name, and then added:
"My mother can tell you all about him. I only saw him once in my wholelife; but my mother and I attended his funeral, and afterwards I foundhe had left me this ring."
Captain Valentine uttered an exclamation.
"So old Geoffrey Rutherford was your cousin?" he said. "Of course Iknew him,--he was also my cousin,--the queerest and the richest old manof my acquaintance."
"Were you at the funeral?" I asked suddenly.
"No; why do you ask?"
"I thought all the relations were," I answered, demurely.
Captain Valentine smiled.
"Ah," he said, "a good many people had expectations from poor oldGeoffrey. Who did he leave his wealth to, by the way?"
"I don't know," I replied.
"You don't know? But wasn't the will read after the funeral?"
"Something was read. I don't think it was a will; and the only thinggiven away was my ruby ring."
"Just like Geoffrey," exclaimed Captain Valentine. "Then I presume allthe wealth of his miserly old life went to endow a hospital."
"Even though you are a relation, you must not abuse Cousin Geoffrey," Isaid. "His wealth has not gone to endow any hospital, but is wai
ting."
"Waiting--for whom?"
"For the heir."
Lady Ursula suddenly broke in. "The longer I know you, Rosamund," shesaid, "the more mysterious you grow. Who in the world is the heir? Whyis not the wealth divided? Is not that poor relation," she pointed witha comical finger at Captain Valentine, "to share in any of the spoil?"
"I don't know," I replied. "You had better go and ask Mr Gray; he willtell you everything."
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
A BEAR'S HUG.
About a fortnight after the events mentioned in the last chapter, myquiet time in the queer little lodgings at Putney came to an end. Jackwas declared free from infection, Hetty was quite well again, and withsome difficulty we managed to get them both admitted to a ConvalescentHome at Broadstairs.
It was quite affecting to see the meeting between Jack and Hetty.Jack's illness had both improved and refined him. He was always thebest-looking of the family, and he really looked quite handsome as hetook that little confiding gentle wife of his into his arms and kissedher three or four times. Poor Jack,--he kissed me too with a fervour hehad never hitherto shown. He murmured something I could not quite catchabout never being able to show sufficient gratitude to me, and then heand Hetty went away.
I saw them off from the railway station. The last glimpse I got ofHetty, she was sitting very close to her husband, and looking into hisface. That poor young face of his looked worn and anxious enough, butHetty knew nothing of the anxiety, and nothing of Jack's fall from thepaths of honour;--to her he was a prince--the first of men.
I sighed as I left the railway station. "Poor Jack!" I said to myself,"the path that lies before him will not be too easy to climb. Fancyhaving a little wife like Hetty to look after and support, and no meanswhatever to earn money for either of them. His character and chance ofsuccess practically gone. What is to be done with them both after theirfortnight at Broadstairs is over?"
I returned home that afternoon to my dear mother. It was mid-winter andbitterly cold. Christmas was come and gone, we were well into January;snow rested on the ground, and as I entered the cottage, I saw by thelook of the sky that more was likely to fall.
My mother welcomed me with just that degree of warmth which seemed to methe perfection of greeting. It consisted of very little in the way ofembraces, scarcely anything in the shape of endearing words, but theexpression in my mother's eyes told me all I wanted to know. She wasvery, very happy to have me back again; and as to me, I felt for thetime being rested and satisfied. Why not? I was with the human being Iloved best on earth.
We had tea together, and then my mother began to speak.
"You saw Jack off, poor fellow?"
"Yes, mother," I answered; "I saw Jack and Hetty off."
"Oh, Hetty," repeated my mother, with the faintest perceptible toss ofher head. She had been very good about Hetty at first, but to have hercoupled with Jack in this cool and easy manner gave her something of ashock.
"Mother," I said with enthusiasm, "Jack had no right to marry any girlsecretly, but as he did so we cannot be too thankful that he has takenthis sweet little creature. She is as good as gold, mother, and asinnocent as a little flower, and she thinks Jack perfection."
"My dear," said my mother, "that's the right way; that's as it shouldbe. Though every one, I fear," she added with a sigh, "cannot live upto it."
"Hetty will," I said quickly, for I did not want my mother to have timeto make unhappy comparisons even in her heart.
"She has got an excellent husband," proceeded my mother. "Rose, I didnot know there was half as much in Jack as I find there is. Hesurprised me wonderfully during his illness; he really is a very finefellow."
I was silent.
"It was a great comfort to be alone with him," proceeded my mother; "Igot really to know my boy at last. Yes, his wife is a lucky woman. Itrust she will prove worthy of him." This time I was spared making anyfurther remarks, for my father's latch-key was heard in the front-door.The next moment he and George entered the little drawing-room together."Bitterly cold night," said my father, walking up to the fire, andmonopolising the whole of it. "A sharp frost has set in already. Ha!is that you, Rosamund? Home again? How do you do? My dear," turningto his wife, "did you register the thermometer as I told you to do thisafternoon?"
"Yes, George. There were five degrees of frost then."
"Ha! there'll be fifteen by nine o'clock to-night. Why do you womenkeep such miserable fires? This thimbleful is enough to freeze anyone."
My father turned, and seizing the coal-scuttle, dashed a quantity ofloose coal into the grate. It raised a dust, and almost extinguishedthe fire, but we none of us expostulated, for my father wasunquestionably master in his own house.
George meanwhile flung himself into a deep easy-chair, crossed one muddyboot over the other, and seizing my mother's favourite tabby cat, beganto stroke it the wrong way, and otherwise to worry it. He laughed onceor twice, when pussy resisted his endearments. He suddenly flung her onthe ground almost roughly.
"Do turn that ugly thing out of the room, Rosamund," he said.
I did not stir. I thought the time had come when I would cease to allowGeorge to bully me.
"By the way," said my father suddenly, in his harsh voice, "what's thisI hear, that Chillingfleet has given Jack the sack? You gave me theinformation, didn't you, George?"
"Yes, sir, and it's correct," replied George. "I suppose Jack wasplaying the fool in some way, and Chillingfleet took advantage of hisillness to get rid of him."
"Monstrous, I call it," interrupted my father; "an unprecedented sort ofthing to do. I shall call on Chillingfleet to-morrow morning, and siftthis matter to the very bottom."
My mother looked up in alarm when my father spoke in this tone.
"I understand," she said in her gentle voice, "that Jack has had aparticularly kind letter from Mr Chillingfleet. He did not show it tome, but he told me of it."
"Then you knew of this?" said my father, angrily.
"Yes, George, Jack told me that he was going about a fortnight ago."
"H'm--ha! The young cub doesn't choose to confide in me. Did he giveyou any reason for his dismissal?"
"No, I did not think any necessary. Jack has been ill for weeks, andunable to attend to his work. Mr Chillingfleet had naturally to getsome one to take his place."
"Naturally, indeed! That's all you women know!"
My father began to pace the floor in his indignation.
"Much chance a poor young clerk would have, if just because he wasunlucky enough to take fever, he was dismissed from his post. But, ofcourse, people who know nothing jump to conclusions. Now if I had beenconsulted at the time, as I ought to have been, I might have talkedChillingfleet round, and shown him the enormity of his own proceeding."
"I don't think your talking would have had the least effect," suddenlyinterrupted George. "If there is a hard old flint in this world, itsChillingfleet. Every one knows his character." My father frowned atGeorge's presuming to doubt his powers of eloquence. After a pause, hesaid, emphatically:
"Your mother has acted in a very foolish way, keeping this affair toherself; but even now it is not too late, and notwithstanding youropinion, George, for which I am much obliged, I shall tackleChillingfleet in the morning."
With these last words my father left the room, banging the door noisilyafter him. My mother looked disturbed, George cross. How little theyknew what revelations might reach them, what agony and distress might betheirs through my father's untimely interference! I felt that I mustprevent his having an interview with Mr Chillingfleet at any cost.
It was easier, however, to make this resolve than to act upon it.
"Rose, you don't look at all well," said my father, as we sat over ourevening meal. "You have knocked yourself up nursing that common placeyoung woman. I might have told you that would be the case. If you goon in this erratic fashion you will be old before your time."
Even this rather gruff notice from my father was so unusual that I quiteblushed with pleasure.
"I will not let him be humiliated," I said to myself. "After all he ismy father. Hard he is--sometimes cruel--but always, always the verysoul of honour. I must--I will save him from what would bring his greyhairs with sorrow to the grave."
My eyes travelled slowly from my father's face to George's.
George was also hard. George could also be cruel, but he at least wasyoung. George might share my burden. If George knew, it would be hisinterest to keep the thing quiet, and I felt sure that where I waspowerless to keep my father from turning even a hair's-breadth from hisown way, George might have many means of influencing him.
After dinner I came up to where George was idly reading the newspaper.
"Can I speak to you before you go to bed?" I said, in a low voice.
"What about?" he asked, crossly.
"I can't tell you in this room. Will you come to my bedroom before yougo to sleep?"
"Very well," he answered, still very gruffly.
"Now what is it?" he asked, when he came to my room between