Chapter LIX.

Otago Witness, Issue 1866, 26 August 1887, Page 29

Chapter LIX.

Mrs Erskine's Health Gives Wfty, " I met your father this morning, Letty," said Otway, as the little party of three sat down to dinner, "and he told me that he and Amy and Duncombe were going to the Haymarket to-night, and I fancy they have the box opposite to ours." ' " Did you tell him we were going ?" ' "Yes ; and he said he hoped Filraer would come round and be introduced. Amy was dreadfully disappointed not to see him last night." " How is she to-day ? Better, I hope ?" ' " Yes ; I believe so. But she had a return of the faintness last night or this morning. She says London does not snit her. Ido not think there is much the matter with her, myself. Perhaps our friend Duneombe is not quite in earnest enough to please her ! " he added, laughing. " I think she ought to know that he meets Rossitur," said Letty. " Perhaps she knows more than we give her credit for," said Filmer. "My own opinion is, I hope I am not too suspicious, that she was going out to see the woman and Duncombe together last night herself, and that her courage failed her at the last moment." And then Filmer explained to Otway that he had seen Rossitur talking to a man he took to be Duncombe, in the park the evening before. " How long was it after Filmer left that you found her in the library, Letty ?" Otway asked. > "Oh! half an hour, or perhaps threequarters. Yes; it was a quarter-past 11 o'clock when Arthur said good night, and it was striking 12, 1 remember, when I left Amy in the library and went away. She was then going upstairs to bed." " And she had not been out ? " " No ; as soon as she got outside the door she said she was frightened, it was so dark and she came back." . * " Well, one must take her word for it," said Otway. "Besides, we have no reason to suppose that she is making a mystery about it. It is just a coincidence ; nothing more." " I should.just like to know what Rossitur is about," said Filmer, " and how she and Duncombe have managed to meet again." " Amy says she is sure they kept up some communication since Rossitur left India" said Letty, " but I think he is in love with Amy herself, and that it was some other man you saw in the park, Arthur." "Perhaps so; but I 'never thought much of Duncombe, and Sir John ought to keep a sharp look out and watch what he is about. If he and that woman Rossitur meet in private, there must be some understanding between them."

"And in my opinion," said Otway, "Mrs John is in the secret."

" I do not see the Park street people anywhere; do you?" Otway said, as he examined the opposite boxes with his glass, . when the curtain fell after the first act. " Perhaps they are on this side." " No ; they were to be opposite to us ; and there is one empty box, you see. I suppose Amy is ill again." . v And I may as well give up all hope of ' ever seeing her," said Filmer, laughing. - "Oh, no!" exclaimed Letty. "Papa is sure to ask you down to the Chase. ■ You are a great favourite of his,- you know, and I hope to be there in August." , - "You think of going to Stoneshire, then,, when the season is, over?" said Otway, ad r dressing his wife. " I have not made any* definite plans myself yet." The curtain rose again as he was speaking, so Letty made no reply. When they got back* to Rutlandgate, Letty found a letter from Miss Larobton, "They were not at the theatre," she said, " and they are all off to the Chase to-morrow. The doctors say Amy must not stay in town r

— Wych Elm.

i

even another week, or these attacks of faintness may become serious.' ' She' had another bad one just as the carriage came round to take them to the Haymarket." " I wonder what it is," said Otway. " Has she taken to tight lacing, do you think ?" " 1 am afraid it is very conceited of me to say so," laughed Filmer, • " but, upon my word, I am beginning to think that -she wants to avoid me for some reason or other., She never liked me in India ; but still it seems absurd to think that she would get up fainting fits, and run away from town rather than meet me." " Very absurd indeed," said Otway, " and very improbable besides. I think she likes her fun in town as well as any young woman I know ! No, Filmer my boy! Younee'd' not flatter yourself that you have anything' to do with it. ,But it may have have something to do with Rossitur and Duncombe." "Yes; that is it, depend up ' it," said Filmer ; " Rossitur is at the bottom of it; and in my opinion she is capable of anything." The next morning Letty paid an early visit to Park street. She found the house in confusion, and the hall already filled with luggage, and her father in the library flurried and bewildered by the suddenness of the r*ove.

"Oh, my dear!" he said, as soon as he saw his daughter. " Isn't this a pretty state of things 1 And I have the house for another six weeks ! Not that I care about that if only I were not so anxious about that poor, dear girl ! She is very ill, Letty— very ill indeed ! She made me feel her pulse this morning, and I could scarcely tell whether there was a pulse or not, it was so feeble. I wish with all my heart we had never come to town at all 1 But it was not my doing. These late hours have done for her, poor child 1 She was always in bed at 10, she tells me, in Sorrento." " Oh, papa ! lam sure it is not the late hours ! She must have eaten something that disagreed with her." " But I assure you she did not. She is thoroughly knocked up! The doctors say so, and they must know. ' "Very much below par — great want of tone !' That is what Sir Dash Blank told me last night in this very room, and Sir Dash Blank said the same this morning. She is to have chicken broth and champagne, and cheerful society three times a day ! What are you laughing at. Letty ? Upon my word, I am afraid you have very little feeling."

" Indeed, papa, I am very sorry for Amy ; but I was amused at the ' cheerful society three times a day!'"

" Oh, you know what I mean. And why shouldn't she have cheerful society all day long if she chooses. We hare been planning what people we are going to have down by-and-bye, lam sure I would do anything in the world to make the poor darling look more like, herself ! , You will find her in the drawing room; lying down. I desired her. on no account to pack even a pocket handkerchief! She took a turn in the -park this morning for a quarter of an hour. Sir Blank Dash said she was to have as much fresh air as possible, and Duncombe, who called early to know how she was, very kindly gave her his arm. But she said she was too tired to talk to him."

Letty found her sister-in-law on a couch in the t drawing room; the room was darkened and a white handkerchief .was laid on her forehead. , " My poor head aches so, dear," she said. *' I cannot bear the light ! Eeally, I feel awfully ill, and I am so worried about your poor dear father 1 It is very stupid of me to knock up in this way. I hope he is not very angry with me 1 " " He is not angry at all," Letty answered, " only a little put out. I think you are wise to leave town at once ; you will get all right at the Chase." " I hope so," the invalid murmured. " I was so sorry to miss the theatre last night ; and I did so want to have a nice chat with Arthur Filrner '• Please tell him how vexed I am." "By the way, I wanted to ask you," said Letty, " has Mr Duncombe said anything to you. lately about your maid Rossitur ? Did he mention her to you yesterday or this morning 1—Oh!1 — Oh ! Why did you not ask me to give it to you?" This sudden question was caused by the over -setting of- a , bottle of Eau de Cologne which stood on .a small table beside the couch. Mrs John put out her hand to reach it and knocked it down. "Oh, never mind!" said Amy. "There was very little in it ; you were asking something about Rossitur — Oh! how my poor head throbs !— and Mr Duncombe, I do not think he mentioned her lately ; he knows I do not like her now. Why do you ask 1 " " Because, when Arthur Filmer was going home from this house the night before last (you were hot well enough to meet him at dinner, you remember) he saw Rossitur standing at. Stanhopegate talking to Mr Duncombe." A wave of colour mounted slowly to Mrs John's pale face. She pulled the hankerchief from her forehead and eat up. " Inir possible Letty! He must be mistaken. Walter Duncombe dined at Windsor that evening, and the woman— Oh, goodness knows who the woman was ; not Rossitur, I jam sure." " Mr Filmer says it was certainly Rossitur; <thafc her face is , not a face you can forget ; but he is not so sure about Mr Duncombe." " I do not believe she is in London," said Mrs John, pettishly. " That Arthur Filmer is always making iip stories!* Ifeisanold trick of his. I wonder you like him so much, Letty ! If I' hael gone out that evening, as I had intended, he would have taken me for that woman ! It was he who said we were so mu6h alike ! Poor darling Jack never forgave him. There is Sir John calling you. Do ask him to remember my poor head, and not to talk so loud ! Everyone has been shouting and banging doors ever since 6 o'clock. Remember me to Filmer, and tell him is he sees Rossitur again, to speak to her, and ask her where she is living." "Letty!"- again Sir John called from the bottom of the stairs. " Coining, papa !" and away she ran. "And so she was seen the other night," said Mrs John to herself. " I must write a line to Walter and tell him." This was what she wrote. "YoungFilmer says he saw you and Bossitur talking together,' at Stanhbpegate, when he was on is way home the night fa.ef.orfi hist. Of

course he was mistaken about you, for you • could not dine here that evening because you were going to a dinner and dance at Windsor." "Look here, Letty," said Sir John, "you will never guess 'who has just ' been here. W,e must not tell Amy g for it might excite her too much in her' weak state." i" Who was it, papa ? Not Rossitur ?" ' ■" No, but Rossitur's husband, George Pottinger. He has been discharged from the asylum, quite well, and found, out my address, and came here to know if I could tell him anything of is*wife'. I gave him a£s note, and ■ told him ' to come down to the Chase next week. Amy will be well enough to see him then. Poor fellow ! The tears came into his eyes when he spoke of his dear young master." (To he continued. )