*CHAPTER XXXI.*
*HOME AGAIN.*
Hardly had Maud, Toney, and Dr. Latham reached Waycott Hall in the greylight of morning, than a rider galloped up. It was Edward Lang, whothrew himself off his saddle to greet the girls.
"We heard such stories that I simply threw myself on Tempest andgalloped here. You were reported dead, Miss Whitburn--are you hurt,Miss Hamilton? They sent me on here from Aldersfield."
"Toney's arm is burnt, I was only a spectator."
"The fire is being got under, but the left wing looks bad." He keptclose to Maud and looked more at her than at Toney. Maud told the tale.Toney did not care to talk about it, so she left them to go and find heraunt, and met Miss Honoria, Mrs. Hamilton, and Miss Grossman looking forher.
"My dear child," cried Miss Honoria, kissing her, "is your arm bad? Youmust go to bed."
"We are all proud of you," said Mrs. Hamilton, conquered at last, forpersonal courage was her special admiration, "Miss Grossman told us all.Lady Dove has gone to bed and begged not to be disturbed, so you hadbetter not see her yet, she is much shaken."
"How did you get through?" said Toney to the companion. "Aunt Dovecouldn't move, I think fear paralyzed her, and, gracious stars! theshoot just finished her for a moment. We had to use force, I couldn'tgo down on her head, and by the time I could I had to move away from italong the sill, out of reach. But you know, Miss Honoria, Jim saved me.I was holding on for all I was worth, but--oh, I couldn't have done ithalf a minute longer."
Toney was simply bent on praising Jim, forgetting that these horriblemoments had been endured for Aunt Dove's sake.
"I couldn't have got through but for that soaked towel, Miss Whitburn,you saved my life, I shall feel in your debt for the rest of my life,"said Miss Grossman, who having washed and dressed looked quite normal.Toney laughed.
"Oh don't, please, a towel is a very old joke, isn't it?"
"I find, to my surprise, that the obvious escapes one at such moments.Lady Dove rang the bell in my room violently and, smelling smoke, I ranto her without thought. Once there I did the best I could for us both."
"Well, that was real lucky for her, but I guess you were nearly stifledin that wardrobe," said Toney smiling. "Tell me what Aunt Dove saidafterwards?"
"If you wish to know, she said it was the first time you had been ofreal use."
"That's grand from her! Now, Miss Honoria, I think I'll go and curl uptill Uncle Evas comes. I don't want to go to bed, thank you," she saidsmiling bravely.
"Then just come to Lewis' study. No one will go there to disturb you,dear," answered Miss Honoria.
"All right, I'll go, don't come with me. Maud's somewhere telling Mr.Lang."
Toney washed her face and brushed her hair in Maud's room, then shehurried towards the study. She would like to be there, quiet and alone;she wanted to get rid of that horrible feeling of holding on to animpossible position. She had fancied herself braver. Pups wouldn'thave turned a hair over it--neither would she formerly. This life ofluxury was unnerving her; how glad, how very glad she was that her willhad been altered. She heaved a sigh of relief as she opened the door.Then she stood still thunderstruck! The room was not empty, Maud wastalking eagerly to Edward Lang and they were close to each other and hewas holding her hand. How horrid of Maud! What would Lewis think?
"Ehem!" said Toney in a loud voice, and the two flew apart, Maud turninground with a crimson face.
"Oh, Toney, we--I didn't think you would come here---- I was tellingMr. Lang----"
"Oh I say, Miss Whitburn, I'll take a leaf out of your book---- I wantMaud to marry me and she won't say 'yes!'"
Toney nearly said, "How dishonourable," then by a sudden inspiration hermind was illumined. She must have imagined, all--the other thing? Agreat weight seemed to be suddenly lifted from her heart, she felt lightas air so that she actually burst out laughing.
"Oh! Stars and Stripes!--Maud--you never told me---- Is it reallytrue--or----"
Edward Lang's eyes were so blue and so kind, he seized Maud's hand.
"She'll obey you, Miss Whitburn--tell her to say 'yes'--and you can'tsay I love her for her money--because she has none, and if she will justreform this extravagant personage we shall be as happy as----"
"Gracious stars! Maud--do you----"
"He's most unworthy," said Maud laughing, "but I have a slight regardfor him only--it's all very well promising to reform but----"
"You can't tell unless you try me," he answered, looking really inearnest, "but be witness, Miss Whitburn, 'pon my honour I will, Maudsays I must work, and really I mean in future to be less of a lazy dog,but if Maud throws me up----"
"A gentleman always keeps his word, Maud," said Toney, "and indeed, Mr.Lang, Maud won't always be penniless, I've just made my will, and whenAunt Dove dies, you'll have two thousand a year, Maud--it's my weddinggift to you."
The lovers stared hard, then Maud actually cried and ended by laughing.
"Oh, Toney! We can't--he won't reform if I'm not a beggar!"
"Aunt Dove's got an awfully good constitution, so there's no hurry,"said Toney, "but I'm so very, very glad, Mr. Lang, though of course,Maud is too good for you, only----"
They all laughed, and Maud seeing Toney's tired look, suggested sheshould lie down and be left alone.
"Yes, I think I'll curl up," said Toney, "I'm still a bit dazed--but,oh, Maud--I never guessed!"
The lovers went out and Toney called Trick, then literally curledherself round on the big sofa, feeling that it would take a long time tore-adjust her ideas. Why had she believed Aunt Dove, and--oh, it was alla mistake--what about Lewis' strange coldness? But even the new sweet,strange puzzle, and the great lightness of heart, could not keep herweary eyes open, though she did not want to sleep but to see Sir Evasdirectly he appeared, so she took her little book out of her pocket andopened it at the place where the little boy saw St. Francis in a wood,surrounded with heavenly visitors, and she read how St. Francis,returning home, stumbled over the boy, and then lifted him in his arms,"as doth a good shepherd with his sheep," and Toney thought of theterrible moments on the sill, and thanked God that she had been upheldby the Good Shepherd till help had come, for she heard Jim tell someonethat it was a miracle how Miss Tonia had held on---- Then "The LittleFlowers of St. Francis" dropped from her hands and Toney fell asleep.
* * * * *
Sir Evas, getting out at Winchley Station, stumbled against LewisWaycott.
"Bless my soul, you came too, Waycott! How can you spare the time?There's a fly waiting, come with me, I wanted to talk about your lions,but all this has driven everything out of my head."
"The lions will wait," said Lewis gravely. Then Sir Evas spoke a fewwords to the Station Master, after which both men hurried into the fly.
"It might have been worse, but Ingram says it was a near shave forToney. However, now the fire is got under. She saved her aunt's life,Ingram says. What a fright I had, but Toney's safe; I'm as fond of thatgirl as if she was my own."
"Of course," said Lewis, "I'm sure she never thought of herself."
"Always was foolhardy--but coming down I was reading a letter fromStaines, he's terribly upset. What do you think Toney did yesterday?"
"Yesterday! Was she in town?"
"Yes, I forgot to say so--Staines said she insisted on making animmediate deed of gift to that confoun--well, that Stone House of hersof L30,000, and to think of all the time I wasted on that girl's moneyaffairs! It's preposterous! I don't wonder Staines is nearly off hishead!"
"A deed of gift of L30,000!" repeated Lewis turning towards Sir Evaswith a flash of joy in his eyes.
"Yes, I thought you'd be as surprised as I am. Worse--Staines said hewould tell me--out of the remainder, she's given my wife L2,000principal and interest, and at her death it's to go on to your CousinMaud."
"To Maud!"
"Yes, Tone
y's very fond of Maud, and--you know I expect she thought itwould help you."
"Help me! Why?"
"Oh she told me not to let the cat out of the bag, but I never couldkeep a cat in anything. She heard you were engaged to Maud--keeping itquiet--much better--I wouldn't have mentioned it but for this money."
"Good heavens! What else--she won't have much left."
"Confound it all--the rest, I suppose, will build Stone House, only----"and Sir Evas chuckled,
"Staines has kept the coal mines as her share, and there's no knowingwhat they are worth, unless the seam fails--there'll be pickings, butonly pickings. Such a fortune, a princely fortune. Stone couldn't haveforeseen it."
"I believe he did, Sir Evas, I believe it was his fashion of dispensingcharity."
"I don't know, he was a queer fish himself, gave lavishly in secret,but--it's really enough to turn Staines' hair white."
Here Lewis Waycott laughed aloud; Sir Evas looked at him a littlereproachfully.
"I don't see the joke."
"Forgive me, Sir Evas--I do--but what made Toney say that about Maud?What an absurd idea! I'm awfully fond of Maud--I think I told Toneyso--but I look upon these girls as my sisters. They're tremendouslyimproved, and it's Toney's doing."
"Then you're not engaged to Maud! I always said it surprisedme--Toney's too cute. Here we are--good heavens! It's not pleasant tosee your ancestral home looking like this!"
The two men were surrounded immediately by responsible and irresponsiblepeople. Sir Evas heard all that was known, and Lewis was shown whereToney had stood and told how she had saved the lives of Lady Dove andMiss Grossman. Lewis Waycott looked away. He was a strong man but atthat moment he felt faint.
"They are all at Waycott, Sir Evas," said Lewis, "I think I'll go on."
"Yes, do, say I am coming. I must thank my people for saving so much ofmy property. There isn't a picture burnt, and much of the furniture issaved."
Sir Evas had become very popular since Toney had rubbed his shyness off,so now he went about among his tenants scattering kind words, and he wasalmost overcome by their heartfelt sympathy. Though his treasures hadbeen at everybody's mercy, not the smallest thing had been injured.--"Itwill soon be built up again, sir--'Twas a mercy everyone was saved--Herladyship wouldn't face the shoot at first, sir--If Miss Tonia hadn'tbeen there the two ladies would have been roasted alive--The ways ofProvidence is wonderful! 'Tain't for such of us to understand them!"
On leaving Sir Evas, Lewis had stumbled on Jim.
"Jim, if you're not wanted, take me home in the motor--at least if itisn't burnt."
"No, sir, the stables never suffered. Miss Tonia asked after Colon andthe others, sir, and the little dorg went near mad with joy. He triedto run into the fire to find Miss Tonia. Trick ain't like other dorgs."
"I hear, Jim, you saved Miss Toney--you know we shan't forget that."
Jim grinned broadly, he was going faster than any regulation speed, sohe could not do more.
"That wasn't nothing, sir. I was so mad that they didn't move the shootquicker, I thought her ladyship must have stuck half-way, so I ran up aladder, and though it wasn't quite in the right place I managed, bystretching out, to hold Miss Tonia for a minute till the shoot came. Ifit hadn't been for that she couldn't have held on, how she did it atall, sir, is a miracle, but she's got such a cool head has Miss Tonia,'tain't another like her anywhere, sir."
"You're right, Jim, there isn't another like her, anywhere."
"Thought you had started for foreign parts, sir."
"I haven't started yet--I may go next week--or I may not. Tell me howthe fire began, Jim." And Jim's ideas on this point lasted till theyreached Waycott Hall gates.
"All right, Jim, I'll walk from here--I don't want to disturb theladies--they are not expecting me. Go back for Sir Evas." Lewis sneakedinto his own house like a thief. His brain seemed spinning round with amultitude of ideas, as if it were on fire. He mentally saw Toney onthat ledge and--he muttered some savage words about himself for notbeing there, adding, "Hang that Jim, he'll be unbearable for the rest ofhis life."
No one was expecting him, the hall was deserted, he walked through itand from habit made for his own study. He wanted to calm himself beforeseeing them all; of course Toney was upstairs--perhaps in bed. Oh! hecould wait now. If he told anyone he was here, Aunt Honoria would claimhim, and he should have to hear that horrid story again. He opened thedoor and stepped in. He walked to the fireplace--then---- Goodheavens! there was Toney on his sofa, fast asleep, and there too wasTrick, who pricked up his ears and barked!
Toney woke up with a start, and with her right hand rubbed her eyes.
"Gracious stars! Uncle--oh, it's----" She sank down again because herlegs refused to carry her.
"It's only Lewis," he said sitting down beside her. "Toney--Toney, I'vecome back to tell you what a fool I've been."
"You haven't yet killed all the lions in Somaliland, have you?" saidToney trying to laugh in her old manner; but the laugh died away beforethe look in Lewis' eyes.
"Let me tell you quick, Toney." He took her hand, and Toney felt shewas dreaming, for never had he looked like that before, never had heheld her hand in this manner. "I went away because I loved you--yes, Ihave always loved you, and you only, but that beastly money came in theway! Lady Dove said I wanted your money, and my horrid pride couldn'tswallow the gold! I sacrificed everything to it; then came the day whenI couldn't stand any more, I couldn't live and see you every day and saynothing when I wasn't sure--of your feelings. I wasn't worthy of you,Toney; I might have trusted you, I might have known that the money wouldnever stay with you, and now I've heard; but, oh, my Toney, will youbelieve that I was coming before I knew; I was coming to swallow thewhole fortune, and the _on dits_ of the whole county, only your uncletold me, and, anyhow, I ask you now, will you be my wife, not for themoney, but for yourself? If you say I don't deserve you, if you say youdon't care enough for me, I'll go off again and wait--and then, anotherthing, Toney, you thought about Maud--how could you? I expect it wasLady Dove again, and now you have just saved her life, andnearly--Toney--Toney." He put his strong arm round her and she did notresist. "Speak to me and tell me--and then I'll face all those Societylions."
Then Toney just laid her weary head on his shoulder, and there was alump in her throat and a great, great gladness in her heart.
"Don't go away, ever again--I've been very, very miserable, and I hatedmyself because I thought you belonged to Maud---- Is it true, quite,quite true?"
"It's awfully true--Toney, you won't go on believing about Maud?"
"Oh, gracious stars! no!" cried Toney lifting up her face that was sopink, and her eyes that were so bright; "because she's just beenengaging herself to the Honourable Edward Lang!"
"Maud?" shouted Lewis, and they both laughed together. "So youknew--when?"
"Oh, here, just before I went to sleep. Then all the horrid feelingswent away--and dear, dear Lewis, I sort of felt you would come back, andI was so happy--and you won't mind my being rather poor, though AuntDove says you ought to marry money; but even for you I could not keepit, because it was all dedicated long ago to the poor and needy."
"My darling, I've proved I don't care, though in a stupid way----Toney, say you forgive me for hurting you, and now--I claim the gift youpromised me long ago from the cottage window."
"Oh, Lewis, was it that? and I never guessed!" Then a great contentfell on them both. "I said I would give you what you asked, and I thinkthat I always have loved you, though I never knew it till--you wentaway! Oh! there's uncle--let me go--and tell him; he sort of guessed itbefore I did!"
"He's more sense than I have," said Lewis laughing.
Then they stood up with shining eyes waiting for Sir Evas, and Toneywhispered,
"I was so lonely, so lonely, and the work seemed so hard, and now you'llnever leave me and we'll work together; I see now I can't do it alone,and I do hope 'That is the way God
would have us to go,' as dear St.Francis said whenever he was starting on a journey!"
"We'll go, God helping us, all the way together, my Toney," said Lewisas they stood together "and as for the lions, they may eat each otherup. Come and tell Aunt Honoria, and Maud and the others, they will allbe so glad!"
"They've been so awfully good to me, but--I am not _quite_ sure aboutAunt Dove's joy!"
"Hang her," muttered Lewis.
As they went out hand-in-hand together, they laughed the old happylaugh, and met Sir Evas face to face at the hall door.
"What the Dickens!" he began. "By Jove! is _that_ it?"
"Yes, you dear, ducky uncle," said Toney, throwing her arms round hisneck and giving him a bear's hug, "yes, _that's_ it!"
THE END.
Printed in Great Britain at _The Mayflower Press, Plymouth_. William Brendon & Son, Ltd
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