*CHAPTER XXIII.*
*TEN MINUTES.*
The carriages rolled up to the barn door in quick succession, and LadyDove did indeed feel proud as she received her guests at the entrance ofthe fairy bower, now styled the concert-room. Never had such anentertainment been given there by her before, and now a wireless messagewent round the guests that Frank Weston was the star they had come tohear. Such a treat had not been imagined, for crowned heads had topetition him, not to command. How had he been persuaded to come andgive a private concert at Aldersfield House? Words of gratitude wereheard on every side.
"How kind of you, Lady Dove! This is an unexpected treat; Lord Dashwoodtried in vain to get him! He is very proud and very original. I heardthe Emperor of Germany could not get him to play last year. The Germanssay we have never had such a genius. Quite a poor man was he? Geniusplays strange freaks. They say he can make as much money as helikes--Lady Gwen Steward was dying to marry him they say--but hewouldn't look at her. They say he was once jilted and that turned himinto a misogamist."
Lady Dove tried to answer appropriately and was all smiles. She keptMr. Russell near her, he was so clever and so useful, and Sir Evas wasneither!
"How kind of you to come this wet evening. Yes, Mr. Frank Weston isreally here, he dined with us--such a charming fellow--genius writtenall over him"--and so on whilst the crowd rustled into seats. Where wasToney?
Directly dinner was over, Toney flew to find Jim, who was always readyto do her bidding. She interviewed him in the housekeeper's room.
"Jim, I want you to see after Mr. Frank Weston. Show him to thewaiting-room we have rigged up, and stay at the door, and don't letanyone come in or out unless I tell you. I haven't any ring, that wouldbe the right thing, but look at this glove, Jim, you see it has onegreen finger, I was getting a nosegay in a hurry--if someone brings thisglove, let them in! The people won't be seated for a quarter of an houryet, and Jim--is your young woman still faithful to you?"
"Yes, miss," said Jim quite gravely, touching his cap.
"But if she wasn't what would you say?"
"Knock 'im over, miss."
"But if there wasn't a him, only she just thought you not good enough?"
"Get another, miss."
"Oh, Jim, that isn't at all having fine feeling. You'd have to be trueto her, and wait till she thought better of it, and then you'd not beproud, would you?"
"Can't say, miss."
"You'd just forgive and forget, wouldn't you? I want you to say so--ifyou really think it."
"Yes, miss. If you was to tell me I'd forgive and forget."
Toney laughed and then hurried Jim off.
"Remember my glove with the green finger!"
"Yes, miss," and Jim flew off to obey. If Toney had told him to runtwenty miles he would have gone. Next, Toney went to find theHamiltons; she did not think they would go to the barn at once and shewas right. In the little second drawing-room where the lights had beenlowered, she was conscious of soft murmuring tones, and rushing in sheheard Maud's voice.
"Oh, Jeanie darling, don't, don't cry like that! What shall we do?"
The beautiful vision in blue was hiding her face in the sofa cushionsand sobbing.
"It's only me," exclaimed Toney coughing. "Is anything the matter?"Jeanie jumped up.
"No, no, thank you, I did not feel very well. I think I would prefergoing up to my room."
"Oh! and miss Mr. Weston's playing! Please come and hear him, and afterthat you can go--and--and----" Poor Toney was non-plussed.
"Forgive me," said Jeanie, her pride giving way, "I was upset; I onceknew Mr. Weston and--we were great friends, but we quarrelled,and--he--won't forgive me."
"Is that all? Did you say you were sorry, Jeanie? It's best to bequite straight out, isn't it? No use beating about the bush, and let mesee---- Oh! he's in the little waiting-room now, I'll go and askhim--won't you give me one of your flowers or something?"
"Oh no, no, I can't--he would--throw them away--and I should deserveit."
"He looks awfully nice, Jeanie, such a good strong face; no nonsense atall. I expect he did feel a bit hipped, but--look here, if he sends youyour flowers back again, you'll know he can't forgive, but if he sendsyou the white camellia I gave him, then you'll know it's all right, andgo at once to the room. I'll send Jim, he's awfully safe. Will youwait here? There's crowds coming, and Aunt Dove and Mr. Russell aresaying a lot of nothings which people like, so there's time yet."
Maud unpinned her sister's flowers with trembling fingers as Jeanie satup, clasping her hands.
"Toney, you are kind, but you don't understand. I behaved so horridly tohim. I let mother insult him, and he must have hated me. I deserve itall and now--now--it's horrid to say so but I would not be so unhappy ifonly he could forgive me, but he never will; he is proud too--as proudof his people as I am about mine, and I threw it at him. Would you everforgive that, Toney? He never spoke to me, only once--just to ask me tohave something. I nearly died."
Toney seized the flowers, there was so little time.
"Look here, Jeanie, I'll just go and reconnoitre. Here's my glove with agreen finger, if you get the camellia take my glove and Jim will let youin. All those old sillies would want to get at him, and one of hisconditions was a quarter of an hour alone before the concert."
Toney flew off leaving the sisters alone. Jeanie again hid her face,but she no longer sobbed, and Maud knelt by her holding her hand.
"Oh, Jim, is he in there? I've only ten minutes," said Toney. Jimnodded.
"He said no one was to come in, Miss Tonia."
"But I _must_ go, I'm just like Queen Esther. I do hope he'll hold outhis sceptre."
Jim opened the door, and Toney stood face to face with the genius, whowas pacing the narrow limits of the small waiting-room.
"Oh, please forgive me! I've come to tell you that Jim, who's a greatfriend of mine, says he could forgive and forget if I told him to doso--I thought I'd better tell you to--forgive and forget."
No one could have resisted a smile at this speech, even Frank Weston,who was smarting from the opening of the old wound, smiled, then sternlyhe said, "I--did not want to see anybody."
"I'm not anybody, indeed I'm not. Just a poor relation of Sir Evas,till I got a lot of money left to me by the dearest old General. He wasgood, you bet, and _he_ would have forgiven anyone, especially if--theysent these flowers."
There seemed to be no need of an explanation between these two. FrankWeston had now realised Toney's conspiracy.
Toney held out the lovely bunch of roses she had herself tied up forJeanie.
"Look, please take them--exchange them--if you forgive her. She is justsobbing her heart out and calling herself no end of names, I believe sheis heart-broken, and says she only wants your forgiveness."
The genius turned away and there was silence.
"There is so little time, Mr. Weston, can't you make up your mind?"
"You hardly understand, Miss Whitburn," he said turning suddenly towardsToney, who held the flowers in her hand. "I loved Miss Hamilton withall my heart. She made me believe she loved me, and then she threw meover because my father had honestly earned his living in trade, becausehe had nobly scraped every penny from his hard-earned money to give me amusical education. I can never make you rich people understand what Iowe to my father, and when Miss Hamilton----"
"Oh yes, don't dwell on it, I told you it was the old pussy cat, hermother--Aunt Dove would be just the same--but you must not think Jeanieis like that now--Pups--(that's my father)--did everything for me and Iquite understand, but then he would have been the first to tell me tomake it up. Wouldn't your father?"
"He often has told me to try again, but he did not understand."
"Then that's easy---- Oh, please, there's awfully little time--and justto please me, will you play one of the pieces you used to play togetherat the end of the concert. I've
got her fiddle here and she would be soawfully happy, and she has a lovely dress, and----"
Toney's words were as if the Dam of Assouan had given way and had letthrough the waters of the Nile, and then all at once she stood ontip-toe, for the precious minutes were flying and with deft fingers sheunpinned his camellia.
"You needn't say anything, the camellia will speak; there! I must fly,you've got eight minutes and then you'll have to come. There's a chairleft for Jeanie in front, it will sort of inspire you, won't it? Oh,thank you a thousand times."
She opened the door and flew past Jim with the reminder, "and, Jim, whentime's up, don't go in, only knock loud," and ran in the dim darknesstowards the house--but at that moment she ran against someone.
"Oh!--why it's you! How very, very nice."
"I was coming to look for you, Toney. Lady Dove is getting rather----"
"Yes, of course. Will you, please, go and give this camellia to Jeanie.Maud is there, and will you tell Jeanie to go to Mr. Weston. He wantsto see her about some music--and then will you take Maud into theconcert-room. Oh, that's all, but please run."
"All right, Toney," said Lewis laughing.
In another moment, Toney herself was entering the concert-room lookingvery red and hot, but smiling graciously and shaking hands witheverybody who came in her way, in spite of Lady Dove's loud whisper,
"Antonia, how very rude to come in so late. What will people think ofyou!"
"So sorry--I had to see about Mr. Weston's duet. It will be just thebest thing of all! How do you do? Isn't this lovely? He is a greatgenius and I don't even feel a bit sleepy!"
Five minutes to the time, Jeanie, like a cloud of blue, appeared at thewaiting-room door, holding a lovely camellia, and a discoloured whiteglove. She held it out to Jim but could not speak.
"All right, miss, but there's only five minutes."
Jim then opened the door and closed it quickly. Jeanie looked like abeautiful ghost in the half-lighted room. Her heart beat so fast thatfor a moment she could not speak. With one hand she grasped the back ofa chair, and with the other she held out the camellia.
"Frank--forgive me--I--can't forgive myself, Miss Whitburn _made_ mecome--I---- Oh, Frank, I'm so miserable, I'm not proud any more." Herhead drooped and Frank Weston only saw a beautiful head of soft goldenbrown hair; then the greatness of his character triumphed over hispride, for suddenly he put his strong arms round her.
"Jeanie," he said; "Jeanie----" He only heard a sob, and his answer wasa passionate kiss imprinted on her golden hair, for her face was hidden;then a minute of exquisite silence and then a loud knock which made themfly apart.
"If you please, sir, time's up."
"Jeanie, _she_, Miss Whitburn, asked us--will you play that last duet weplayed together, do you remember it?"
"Remember it! Oh, Frank, I can't, I've no violin."
"Yes. Here it is, she brought it here."
"It's all Toney."
"Miss Whitburn is a very wonderful person. Come, she said a chair wasready for you. Oh, my love, my love!"
Jeanie fled to the side door, then she sank into a chair that was closeby. The next moment Frank Weston appeared on the platform amidst astorm of welcome. He did not smile or bow, but at once took his violin,nodded to the accompanist who had come by a later train, and began toplay. All those who had a soul for music seemed to be lifted to anothersphere, and even those who had not, watched with breathless wonder theface of the great musician. He saw only, sitting before him, JeanieHamilton, and she never took her eyes from him, for her there was no oneelse in the room.
Right at the other end of the barn Lewis Waycott sat next to Maud, whowas still trembling with excitement.
"Oh, Lewis, it's too, too wonderful. The camellia you brought was his.It's all Toney's doing. I think she is the most wonderful person I haveever known---- _You_ always appreciated her, you have nothing to besorry for."
"Yes, I always did. How did she manage this?"
"I can't think how. He was so proud--I think Jeanie would soon havedied--of a broken heart."
"There are no such things, Maud."
"Hush!" she said. "Listen!"
That concert was talked of for many a long day. Those who knew said thatFrank Weston excelled himself, but something else wonderful happened.There was still ten minutes of the allotted time when he had finishedhis last piece. He put down his violin, walked down the steps andoffered his arm to Jeanie Hamilton.
There was another storm of applause. Miss Hamilton, whom so manypresent knew was considered worthy to play with the genius--and howbeautiful she looked! How was it no one had sooner recognised herbeauty and her talent, and what a lovely dress! Jeanie was still in adream. This was happening all long ago, when she and Frank had playedtogether, of course it was for the last time--but she must play herbest, she must not disgrace him in public, though it was the hardestthing she had ever done.
"Now," he said softly, looking at her, and then they began. How kindlyhe moderated his pace to hers, how thrilling were the tender notes. Itwas a little bit of heaven, and then it was over!
What a storm of applause followed, but Jeanie fled and Frank Westonfollowed her after simply saying "Thank you" to his audience.
Jim was keeping the door as they passed in, and when Toney arrived Jimhad seized the situation.
"I think, Miss Tonia," he said, touching his cap, "I think Miss Hamiltonmust be _his_ young lady."
"Yes, she is, but in ten minutes tell them to come to supper at theHouse. Mind, only ten minutes, Jim, for I'm just dying to congratulatethem."