HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 3, 4 January 1934, Page 17

HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

' By HEDLEY RICHARDS

Op the web of fate

___ Author of ■ - ■ "Out of Darkness," "A Day of Reckoning. 1 «to.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.

LADY JANB TEMPEST, an orphaned heiress, who is not considered even good looking, is expecting a visit from her cousin,

RONALD STAPLETON, who has arrived home after six yeurs' bier game shooting, expecting to marry Lady Jane, a plan made long ago by their parents because the estates of the two famllies joined. But Ronald first meets Lady Jane's beautiful companion, ESTHER COUjINSON, end falls in love with her at first sight. Esther and Lady Jane were at boarding school together In France. Ronald cannot refrain from comparing the two girls, and wishes h? were free to woo Esther; Bather realises Ronald is not in love with Lady Jane, and makes up her mind to win him herself. There is something in Lady Jane's past that is worrying her. A boy from the village brings Lady Jane a letter; she turns very pale when sho recognises the hand-writing, and that evening she secretly meets VICTOR DUMARSQUB, who was the drawing master at the boarding school in France. Dumareque succeeds in obtaining money from Lady Jane. Esther plays eavesdropper and learns that Lady Jane is in the power of Dumarsque.

CHAPTER V. A Postponed Marriage,

"Did you find Mrs. Norton at home?" asked Lady Jane, as Esther came towards the- lawn, where Ronald Stapleton, Aunt Sarah, and she were sitting under a big tree.

"Yes, I gave your message," she said as she shook hands with Ronald; then seating herself near Aunt Sarah she looked at Lady Jane, saying:

"I've had such a surprise, Jane. Do you remember Mr. Dumarsque, our drawing master at school?"

Lady Jane's face became like chalk, and for a moment ehe did not apeak; then the one word "Yes" was uttered with trembling lips.

"Isn't it funny?—he'e staying in the village; he's on a sketching tour or something of the kind; anyway, he's given up teaching drawing. He said hefa heard there were some lovely bits of scenery in the Park that he would like to paint, and he wanted me to give him permission to do so. Of course, I told him I couldn't do anything of the kind, and I advised him to come up to the house and see you, but he seemed to think you were a very great lady and would be displeased if he came. All the same, I shall not be surprised if he does come here," said Esther. Ronald, who had not been looking at Lady Jane during the discussion, now turned* towards her, eaying: "I should send him a note giving him permission to explore the park. There certainly avo some pretty bite well worth sketching." Then he broke oft" abruptly, exclaiming; "What ie the matter, Jane? Are you ill?" His words caused Aunt-Sarah'to look at her, and Esther, who had watched the change in her face, waited to hear what ehe would say. "I'm not very well; my head ie aching." "My dear, you will have to eee the doctor. You were not well yesterday. I expect the thunder upaet you." "Don't talk about thunder, I hate it," she exclaimed impatiently. Then she eeemed to regain control of herself as she eaid: . "About the drawing master. I think I would rather he hadn't the run of the park; he was a man I didn't like, and I don't care to have him about. I'm not fond of foreigners." "Then I'll tell Mr. Dumareque that you cannot allow him the privilege," said Esther. "Oh, a Frenchman! I eeem to have heard the name somewhere," eaid Ronald, and as he spoke Lady Jane rose and went into the house, but when she reappeared sho seemed to have forgotten all about her old drawing maeter, and during luncheen was unusually bright and lively. "Now, Ronald, pass the cups round," said Aunt Sarah, who was pouring out tea. The table had been placed under the big oak tree, and the tvo girls and Roland were sitting close to it. Aβ Lady Jane took her cup from her lover, a gentleman —in riding breeches— followed by a couple of big dogs, came towards them. He was big and goodnatured looking, a man who had passed • hie sixtieth birthday, but passed it in jovial fashion, knowing that time had left few marks upon him; true, it had amplified bis person, but with it he had gained the look of a man to whom the world had been good. "Hello, Jane, you didn't oxpect to see me?" he eaid as he drew near. "No! But you are always welcome," she said, though her face became pale. "Of course I am. Well, Miss Esther, I hope the world is treating you as it ought to treat a pretty girl, and, Aunt Sarah, how are you? So, Ronald, you've got back, and quite time, too," he said, turning from one to the other, while he spoke in a quick, energetic, yet jolly tone. "Yes, I suppose I've stayed away as long as I ought to," Ronald answered. "Thanka. You do know how to make a good cup of tea, just the right number of lumps of sugar," said Sir John Eslington ae be took his tea from Miss Tempest. Then he looked at Lndy Jane, eaying: "I got your letter, my dear, and I thought .I'd come and talk to you about it. i suppose Ronald and you have settled matters and you want the money for the trousseau?" "Oh, Sir John, please don't . talk about the matter just" now," said Jane, who had become scarlet, while her face wore a look of terror. "Nonsense, my dear. AH the world knows you and Ronald are going to marry some day, and when I heard he was coming home I hoped the matter would be settled. But you've been e'xpeditiow, my boy, and I'm glad. There is nothing to wait for, and I'm glad you're going to settle down like Darby and Joan, and I only hope you'll be as happy as my wife and I have been." "Oh, Sir John, do listen to me. You've " Jane began, but he laughed good-humouredly, his loud "Ha, ha" drowning her words. "Well, well, my dear, I'll listen to you. Now, about that fivo hundred pounds. My wife says you'll need every penny of it, and then it won't let you have many pretty frocks; so suppose we eay six hundred for the trousseau, and the wedding gown extra? But here am I talking and not wishing you happiness. I'm sure I hope you'll have just as much of it as my wife and I, and that's the best thing I can say," ha repeated. "Oh, do etop," exclaimed Jane, and her tone betrayed her distress: "Why, what's wrong?" And he looked from one to the other; then it dawned on him that in some way he had made a mistake. His wand looked pah? §pd

troubled, Ronald perplexed, Esther uncomfortable and surprised, while Miss Tempest glanced from one to the other in astonishment. "I'm not going to be married," said Lady Jane eharply, her patience exhausted. "Not going to be married ? Then why didn't you stop me, Ronald?" The latter laughed, but there was some annoyance mingled with amusement. "Really, Sir John, you didn't give anyone a chance to speak. You interrupted Jane." "Yes. I suppose I do talk. My wife $ays I'm like a clock wound up, that never stops till it's run down. Still, I don't understand Jane's letter. If you aren't going to be married, what do you want five hundred pounds for ?" he asked, turning to her. The others looked at her. Her face became pale, but she drew herself up proudly, saying :- "If you don't mind, Sir John, we will discuss the matter in private." "Very well, my dear; but I really cannot see what you want five hundred pounds for," and he looked at Ronald, but the latter took no notice, and as Sir John put his cup down Lady Jane said: "If you come into the drawing room, we can have a talk." "All right." And Sir John followed her. Then, when sha had seated herself in an easy chair, he eaid: "Now, my dear, just tell me what you want this money for?" "I want it for a purpose of my own, and I think you've been horrible, talking about Ronald and I getting married," she said, her voice trembling with vexation. "Well, it was a mistake, but as you are going to marry, my congratulations were only a little premature, and I ask you what any girl can want with five hundred pounds extra to her allowance, unless it's to buy her wedding togs," he eaid. "I ehan't want five hundred pence to buy my wedding clothes," she eaid sharply. "Blees my heart, child. What do you mean?" he asked, regarding her with surpriee. "I don't want to get married, so I will not want a trousseau." "Not get married! Have you and Ronald been quarrelling?" and ho looked thoroughly uneasy, "because you know, my dear, it was the wish of your fathers, and the estates march together." "Wβ haven't been quarrelling, but I don't want to get married to anyone, and the estates can march to Jericho," ehe said shortly. Sir John looked puzzled. His wife was a placid, happy woman, and he did not understand Jane in this mood; in fact, since her return from school, be had not understood her, but to-day she was beyond his comprehension, and, good-natured ae he was, ho could be obstinate. Hβ decided that it was hie duty to know what Jane wanted tho fivo hundred pounds for before he gave it to her, so he eaid: "Well, my dear, I should like to know what you want this money for?" "I told you I wanted it for a purpose of my own." "But I muet know what that purpose is," he said firmly. "I don't intend to tell you; it is my own money I am a6king for," she said angrily. "I am your guardian until you are of age, and I must know what use you are going to make of it." "I shall not tell you, and I will have the money." Tho word "will" settled it; all the obstinacy in his nature rose. "You will not have it, Lady Jane," he said. "Then I shall tell Berry to raise a mortgage on the Corner Farm, or I'll sell it to the tenants for what I can get." "You soil the Corner Farm! Your godfather's gift!" he said in amazement. "Yes, I shall send for Berry and tell him to get a mortgage or sell it." He looked at her, wondering what ehe could want the money for; then his obstinacy gave way. It would never do for her to sell the farm. "My dear, are you in debt?" he said gently. She did not answer, and, feeling that further questioning was usolees, he took out his pocket book and handed her a cheque for five hundred pounds. "I brought it with me, thinking it was for the trousseau. Good-bye, Jane," and, leaving the room, he asked the butler to have his horee brought round, and without seeing the othcre, ho rode away. "I don't understand. I wonder what Mary will say," and Sir John brightened a little as ha thought that his wife might be able to explain what seemed to him inexplicable. After her guardian liad gone Lady Jane sat quite still, the cheque lying in her lap. She was vexed with him, angry at the mistake he had made in assuming she was going to ba married, vexed that Ronald should have heard hie words, and above all ehe wae at war with herself and the whole world. "Married! Never!" But she would make that man leave the neighbourhood, or she would tell the whole story to Mr. Ross, the family lawyer. Yes, Victor Dumaresque should leave her in peace. At that moment the butler entered and handed her a letter, which Lady Jane took carelessly, and, glancing at the writing on the envelope, she saw it was in an unknown hand, and the poetmark wae London. She had no friends there, and it could not be from her dressmaker. The bill had come in the other day; still, she scarcely felt curious. The battle with her guardian had made her feel limp and tired. Tearing it open, she drew out a sheet of paper, and read in a woman's hand: "Lady Jane Tempest, I warn you to have nothing to do with Victor Dumaresque, or trouble will come of it."

(To be continued daily.)