THE WRONG ROAD

Evening Star, Issue 7431, 28 January 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE WRONG ROAD

BY HOOK OR CROOK.

[By Maj r Arthur Griffiths, Author of 1 Fast and Loose,’ • Locked Ur,’ Etc.] (All Rights Reserved.) VOL. 1.-CHAPTER VI. ARRIVALS AT THE HAUL. Lady Lezaire had several letters from Rachel, and was kept well informed of the movements of tho newly married couple. No precise invitation had been issued to the St. Evelyns, but it was understood that directly they returned to England they were to conic down on a long visit to the Hall. Their arrival was heralded by the appearance of Gibbings, the Colonel’s man, who brought down the impedimenta —heavy baggage, guns, dogs, and horses. Of the latter there was a string. The Colonel was a hard rider when he got tho chance, and tho first use ho had made of the funds marriage had put at his disposal was the purchase of four sound serviceable animals, full of bone and sinew, well calculated to carry him forward with tho Thorpeshire limit. The Lezaire coachman, a grey ■ haired, cross-grained servitor, who had long been master of the horse in the limited establishment kept up by Lady Lezaire after her husband’s death, sent in his duty and begged her ladyship’s commands with regards to the Colonel’s stud. “ Where be I to put ’em, my lady ?” he asked testily. He had found Gibbings a little too free and easy—too ready to make himself at home, and take possession of the best quarters. “Surely there’s room enough. We’ve only got the carriage-horses, and tho ponies, and Sir Carysfort’^cob.” “ I thought of the six-stall stable in the clock-yard ” the oldest, darkest, and least satisfactory part of the Lezaire stables. “ Very well; that will give two stalls to spire.” “ But the Colonel’s man, he beant over well pleased. He says that the hunters cost money, and that they ought to be in looseboxes, and he wants the hunting stable.” This was a spacious addition made by Sir Percy Lezaire, when twenty years earlier he had hunted the Thorpe hounds. “The Colonel’s man will have to be satisfied with the accommodation provided,” replied Lady Lezaire, angrily. “ Be the Colonel’s horses likely to stand here long, my Lady ? ” “ I cannot say ; why do you ask ?” “ Becos the six-stall stable’s good enough for a few weeks. I should not like to keep valuable horses there all the winter.” “ They’ll not be here so long as that, Peters. Let them go into the six-stall stable. Those arc my orders, tell the Colonel's man.” The coachman disposed of, the keeper came to know what was to be 4one with the Colonel’s dogs. Three of them; they would disarrange the kennels. Sir Carysfort’s Better would have to turn out. And, by the way, was it likely any of tho coverts would be shot over the next week or two? The Colonel’s man had sent two breech-loaders into the gun-room, and had talked of a battue. Lady Lezaire dismissed the keeper with a few brief words. Anger was in her heart against her son-in-law. “ He wants to take entire possession of the Hall, I think. He quite forgets he is only my son’s and my guest.” But Lady Lezaire had not done with the St. Evelyns. Mrs Leleu was the next to remind her of tho importance of the expected visitors. She wished for instructions as to the rooms she should give tho St. Evelyns. “The blue suite in the south wing, 1 suppose.?” suggested the housekeeper. “ Certainly not,” said Lady Lezaire. “ Why should they have the best rooms in the ILU!’ “ I only thought that as it was a special occasion ” the housekeeper explained, “There is nothing special about it. I don't see why my daughter should not go back to her own room ; but I suppose that w'ould hardly do now she is married.” “ Shall I get the pink-and-white room ready then, my lady? The windows look into the rose-garden, and the aspect is southwest. ” “No, let them have the tapestry room. There is a dressing-room attached to it, and it is close to the back stairs leading to the gun-room—that will probably suit Colonel St. Evelyn best.” Tho happy couple arrived as evening was drawing in. They were shown straight into the library, which was generally used at the Hall as a cosy snuggery in preference to the great drawing-rooms, and here Lady Lezaire received them with as much warmth as she could muster. She kissed her daughter, and gave her hand to her son-in-law, but spoke no cordial words of welcome. ‘ ‘ Will you have tea at once, Rachel, or would you like to go to your room ?” “I think I should like to go to ray room first. Where have you put us ? ” “ The tapestry room would, I thought, be most convenient.” Rachel’s face fell rather, but all she said was: “I suppose Bertram” (this was her maid) “ will be there with the things by this time. Come up, Ferdinand, by-and-bye.” “All right, my love,” replied hor gallant husband. “ I should like first to see after the nags. I suppose my man has arrived ?’’ This was to Lady Lezaire. “Certainly; ho came down yesterday with four horses and a whole pack of dogs.” “ Gibbings is a capital chap,” said tho Colonel, laughing pleasantly, and without seeming to notice any arrUre pensee in Lady Lczaire’s tone, “ I suppose I shall easily find the stables ? ” “ One of the men will show you if you ring,” said Lady Lezaire; and with that the Colonel took himself off. “Ah! you are here,” said a fresh voice cheerily, as St. Evelyn passed out into the courtyard. “ I’m jolly glad to see you. How is Rachel ? ” It was the young baronet, who was as usual loafing about the office and the stable-yard. Colonel St. Evelyn greeted him warmly. “Carysfort, my boy, how goes it? Well met. Come along and seo my horses, Ho you know where they are put up ? ” “Don’t I just? I say, Colonel, it’s a beastly shame—they have given your horses the six-stall stable. Why, it’s as damp as ditchwater, and a horse can’t lie down in any of the stalls.” “ Are you so pressed for room ?” “Room? There are not half a-dozen horses in tho whole place.” By this time they had reached the stables, where Gibbings was in waiting. “ Halloa, Gibbings ! is this the best you could do for us ? ” “It wasn’t my fault, sir. Peters, the coachman, said he had my lady’s orders that they were to come hero. I told him we should want at least two loose-boxes.” “ Where is Peters 1 Send him hero at once.” The cross-grained, surly old coachman came haltingly, but the first sound of the Colonel’s voice made him jump. “ Show me round the stables, will you ! I am not going to have my horses killed if I can help it. Get a lantern, or have the place lit up.” St. Evelyn fixed at once, with unerring quickness, upon the hunting stable. “What horses stand there generally?” he asked sharply. “ It was built for Sir Percy’s hunters.” “And what is it used for now ? What horses stand here, I ask you ? Come, look sharp ! ” “ There beaut none just at this moment, but ” “ There will be in less than half an hour. Call some of tho helpers, Gibbings, and bring my lot over here. I will come and see them bedded down myself by-and-bye.” “I’m very glad you did that, Colonel,” said Carysfort. “ Peters is a cross-grained old beast; he thinks the whole place belongs to him, and mother always gives way.” “Of course it was all a mistake; but you see, Carysfort, I have paid a good bit of money for those nags, so I’m bound to look after them.” . , St. Evelyn now went upstairs to rejoin his wife, and found there had been another mistake, to call it by no stronger name. Mrs St, Evelyn was having a warm discussion with the housekeeper when the Colonel came in, and bo was surprised to

find his gentle little wife speaking in so determined a fashion. “You know, Mrs Leleu, I have always hated this room, I had rather have gone anywhere. It is so dark, and it looks into the courtyard.” “My lady chose it herself; it ts no fault of mine, Mrs St. Evelyn.” “ What’s wrong, my love ?” asked the Colonel. “Oh, nothing; only Ido hate this room. Mother has forgotten, I think.” “We’ll arrange that by-and-bye—any place will do for to-night.” “ But you might have reminded her, Mrs Leleu,” went on Rachel, sticking to her point. “I am really very seriously put out.” . “There, there,” said the Colonel, soothing his wife, “ never mind now; we’ll soon put this right.” “I assure you it was not my fault,” repeated the housekeeper, and she left the room.

A very civil-spoken, plausible sort of person, but with rather a fierce look on her sallow, still handsome face, and in her large dark brown eyes, a suspicion of temper easily aroused. “ Your mother does not appear to bo particularly anxious to make us at homo, my dear.” “Oh, dou’t say that, Ferdinand; she is not really unkind, but she has never quite forgiven you, I think.” There were no secrets between husband and wife, “ I suppose that’s it, but she might have been pleasanter on our first day at the Hall. Why, she ordered my horses into a tumbledown place not fit for cows ! But I soon made a change.” “ Do you mean that you countermanded anything that mother had arranged ? ” “Yes, my dear, that is what I mean ; and to-morrow, if you will choose the rooms you prefer, I daresay your mother will give you them.” There was a set look about St. Evelyn’s eyes as he made this remark, which showed that ho intended to try conclusions with Lady Lezaire. CHAPTER VII. A FIRST FASSACiE OF ARSI3. There was no discussion or contest between Lady Lezaire and Colonel St. Evelyn till next morning. The first difference of opinion arose concerning Carysfort, and the future disposal of his time. The Colonel had been studying the county map, and had discovered that the next meet of the Thorpe hounds was within very easy reach of the Hall. “ Would you like to go to Gerard’s Cross ?” (tho meet) he asked Carysfort. , “ Wouldn’t I rather ?” cried the bdy, looking doubtfully at his mother. “ Dear Carysfort has never hunted,” said Lady Lezaire in a cold forbidding manner. “ The risks are so great that I have never liked to trust him.” “ But he must begin some day,” expostulated St. Evelyn; “you cannot allow him to grow up without practice in the habits and customs of an English country gentleman.” “I have followed the hounds scores of times,” cried Carysfort ; “ but only on foot with Hubert.” “ Very infra dig for the son of a M.F.H. But I suppose you can stick on a horse ? ” “ Can’t I just ?” replied the boy. “ And have you jumped a fence ? ” Carysfort looked queerly at his mother before he replied—- “ Dozens of times. My cob is ‘AI ’ at timber.” “ He won’t do for Gerard’s Cross, though; you shall ride one of my lot. Sennacherib will carry you well; he is easy to steer, and has a light mouth.” “ Carysfort shall not ride to hounds till ho is eighteen,” said Lady Lezaire, decisively. “ I absolutely forbid it.” “ Please don’t say that, Lady Lezaire,” the Colonel pleaded. “It will be too late for him then to get confidence or a proper scat. I will take the greatest care of him.” On Yes, X mvist go. You won’t bo so cruel. I’m big enough now. Why it’s as bad as about the shooting.” St. Evelyn looked as if he did not understand. “ Mother did not like Carysfort using firearms,” explained Mrs St. Evelyn. “ So she makes mo have a safety-gun—a thing with a false hammer, which you have to put in before you lire. When a bird gets up I have to fumble in my waistcoat pocket or ask Hubert or the keeper for the hammer, , and when I get it I have lost my shot.” “ You might as well try putting salt on a bird’s tail,” said St. Evelyn, laughing heartily. “But all that can be easily mended.” “ Never with my consent,” put in Lady Lezaire, with increased severity. “ I hate your having anything to do with guns. They are always going off.” “ Which I might suggest is what they are intended for,” said the Colonel. “I mean, going off unexpectedly. We hear constantly of such terrible accidents.” “ Due to want of care, and want of knowledge and experience. I am sure the very way to let Carysfort shoot himself ” “ Heaven forbid ! ” cried the anxious mother. “ or someone else, is to give him no chance of handling firearms. He should get accustomed to them at once.” “ I have my own views as to the education of my son,” said Lady Lezaire stiffly, intending to end the discussion—“and I w'ant no one to give me advice or teach me my duty.” “ You don’t know hoys, my dear Lady Lezaire, so well as I do.” St. Evelyn laughed again, and good-humoredly. “I am ready to back my plan against yours any day. ’ Lady Lezaire gave him a look of sour displeasure, but made no reply. “ Come, Carysfort, and look at the nags. You shall try Sennacherib, if you like, round the yard.” “You area brick, Colonel—l like you,” cried Carysfort; “ and we’ll have a talk with the keeper about the coverts. We might have a little pot-hunting, you and I, this afternoon.” “ Carysfort, Mr Lewisham ” (a neighbouring curate, who came daily to perform the thankless and unprofitable task of teaching tho young baronet) “will be hero in half an hour,” said Lady Lezaire. “ Have yon prepared for him ?” But Carysfort was already out of earshot, bounding round St. Evelyn like a dog just let loose from his chain. They went out into the great courtyard, which was to the right of the drive and entrance to the Hall, and passed through this on their way to the stable-yards beyond. Suddenly Carysfort left St. Evelyn’s side, and ran off to slip his arm familiarly into that of another lad who was walking ahead of them. St. Evelyn came up with the two boys at the doorway of the hunting stable. “ This is Hubert,” he said, by way of introduction. “Oh!” remarked St. Evelyn carelessly, but he bent his eyes keenly upon the newcomet. A slouching, slipshod youth, older probably than he looked. There was a strong line of black down upon his upper Up, indicating that he might be three or four-and-twenty, even more, but his manner and appearance were those of sixteen. Round shoulders took from his height, which was about the medium ; very small sharp features gave a childish look to a naturally small face. Straight, wiry-looking black hair straggled over a low projecting forehead, under which gleamed two black, shifty, restless little eyes, generally cast down, for their owner had a strong objection to look yon in the face. His whole aspect—his loose, undecided gait, his shy, shrinking manner, his weak and constantly averted face, and his sullen and abrupt speech—was decidedly unprepossessing. “ Oh ! ” repeated St. Evelyn, “ and what is Hubert’s other name?" “ Hubert Podifat is my name,” said the youth reluctantly, as though the admission was likely to do him harm. “ And pray, what do you do with yourself by daylight ? ” went on tho Colonel. Hubert Podifat hung his head, and looked stupidly stolid, as though ho did not understand the question, “ Hubert is my particular friend,” said Carysfort, answering for him. “ Wo_ go about together, fishing, shooting, hunting, ratting,—any larks. Hubert’s up to everything, I can tell you.” “Is he?” said the Colonel, with rather a sneer in his tone; “ but that will do for

Master Hubert. Come, Carysfort, and look attho horses. Wo will have a saddle put on Sennacherib, and then you can try him." Hubert Podifat slunk away, but lie remained in the far corner of the yard while Carysfort and Colonel St. Evelyn were together, and the moment St. Evelyn turned to go back to the house, he rejoined Carysfort with the eagerness of an inseparable friend. Tho Colonel had been recalled by a message to the effect that Lady Lezaire wished to speak to him. He found hor in the library with a flushed face. There was decided anger in her tone when she began, “Can it be possible. Colonel St. Evelyn, that what Peters my coachman tells me is true?” she said “that you have taken upon yourself to alter arrangements I have made, and moved your horses into other stables ? ” “ It is perfectly true,” replied St. Evelyn, calmly. “ Then may I ask how you dared ” St. Evelyn interrupted her. “One moment, Lady Lezaire,” said he. “It is perhaps as well we should have an explanation, I should like to ask you at once whether you deliberately wished to put an affront upon me.” “ I do not understand you.” “Has not your treatment of us since we arrived been an affront—or worse? We come here as your guests, your own daughter, and I, your son’s guardian as well as your son-in-law,—and what do wo find ? Although the Hall is absolutely empty, you lodge us in the worst rooms in the house ” “ That is not the case,” interrupted Lady Lezaire, hotly. “Rachel has been making mischief.” “Everyone knows that the tapestry room, where you put us, is only used when the house is quite full; and you are well aware. Lady Lezaire, that the apartment is particularly distasteful to my wife.” “ I am mistress here, and I will put my guests where I choose,” said Lady Lezaire. “ Quite so ; but that does not remove the affront. Then as regards the stabling. There are no end of vacant stalls—l saw them with my own eyes this morning—yet yo would have allowed my horses to run all sorts of risks in the very worst, the dampest, the darkest, and the most unwholesome stable at the Hall,” “ I never asked you to bring your horses down here.” “Pardon me! It was understood that I was to hunt, and I should never hare presumed to look for mounts in your stables.” “ You have taken a great liberty, i think, and I must insist that you will not again interfere with any orders I may give,” said Lady Lezaire, hoping that the argument might now end. But St. Evelyn had more to say, “I should not dream of setting up my authority against yours, but I repeat that as Carysfort’s guardian I am entitled to more consideration than I have received. It is very unpleasant to mo to have to assert myself, but I feel that I am bound to do so if lam to take my proper place. I cannot look after your son’s interests if I am to be treated as a mere cipher. You insist—so must I.” “ What do you insist on ? ” asked Lady Lezaire, a little cowed by his masterful tone. “On not being humiliated and made to appear small before all the servants and retainers, I have not come down here as a poor relation, to pick up the crumbs and be satisfied with any small scraps of civility that you may throw to me. I claim to be of some consequence at tho Hall, and I repeat I must insist upon being so treated,” “It is quite a mistake to suppose that I wish to affront you,” said Lady Lezaire, now quite crestfallen. “I am quite ready, I assure you, to do anything in my power to make your stay pleasant.” “ Thank you extremely, Lady Lezaire, I will take you at your word. Perhaps you will tell the housekeeper to move us ioto the blue suite in the south wing ; as to my horses, I have seen to them already.” Thus, in her first engagement with her son’s guardian, Lady Lezaire had tried to stand to her guns, but bad been utterly worsted in the fight. (To he continued.)