CHAPTER XX.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 347, 1 August 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER XX.

DIANA'S EAVESDROPPING. The old man shook Ms head, and began making signs upon his fingers. Diana understood that he was using the deaf and dumb alphabet. . 'I do not understand it,' she said gently. * Are you dumb ?' He took out a piece of paper and pencil and wrote in a clear though somewhat shaky hand— 'Dumb, but not deaf. I can hear you speak.' / ' Are you a stranger here,' asked Diana. He shook his head, and wrote that he had been at Wynne in his boyhood ; that he had been living in London, and had come down for change of air, and that he was staying •with a farmer named Burton, who was an old friend of Ms. His own name, he added, was Joseph Roberts : then he looked inquiringly at Diana. 'My name is— Adeane, said Diana, remembering with some confusion that it was not Adeane ; 'and I am living at Wynne Court as companion to Miss Wynyard.' He asked then how Lord Wynyard was. ' I don't think he is in very good health/ answered Diana. 'He seems to me to be very feeble. They say that he has aged very much this last year.' A shadow stole over the old man's face. j .'Does he grieve over Ms son still?' was the next question. 'Very bitterly,' answered Diana, while a burning flush rose to her face. The old man seemed to be looking steadily at her, and she felt a little disconcerted. To change the subject she asked him if he was born dumb. ; No,' he wrote ; 'it was the result of an accident.' Diana looked pityingly at him. ' It is a great affliction,' she said gently. A bitter smile curved the old man's lips. ' There are worse,' he wrote ; ' far worse.' Diana looked at him with some curiosity, and he looked steadily back at her. There was something very dignified about Ms figure and bearing, though his garb was so humble, j and she did not like to question him. She took out her watch, said it was getting late, j and held out her hand to bid him good-bye. ' He took it, but seemed loth to let her go. He Avrote again on his paper : < I should like to see you again somewhere.' ' I am at church every Sunday,' said Diana ; ' you can always see me there, and I shall come here again.' Then she turned : Joseph Eoberts raised his, straw hat courteously, and stood watching her until she had disappeared from sight. Meanwhile Diana hastened homewards. She had stayed away longer than she had intended to, so interested had she been in Joseph Roberts ; now, to make up lost time she took the short cut across the park, instead of going by the avenue. It led in the direction of the lake, which lay about halfway between the gates and the house, in a straight line. Near a bend of the path was the boathonse, standing in the shadow of a grove of trees. As Diana approached the turn of the path, she fancied she heard a sound of voices proceeding from the boathouse. The sound was subdued, as though the speakers did not wish to be overheard ; and Diana hastily stepped aside into the shelter of the trees. Ever on the alert now, she did not stop this time to ask her conscience whether it was excusable to play the spy or not. ' I don't care,' was her mental resolve ; ' I will not do or leave undone anything that may help me to gain my end. I must not stop to ask whether it is honourable or not. It is all for Robert's sake.' The voices still continued, and Diana, creeping cautiously behind the trunks of the trees, gradually drew nearer. She had her reward, for a few yards from her, close by the edge of the „ lake, where the foliage screened them from the observation of anyone approaching the house, stood Lady Wynyard and a woman whose side face was turned towards the listener. She was a little thin woman, neatly, .'but plainly dressed, and though only her profile was visible, Diana guessed instantly that it was none other than Mrs Dawson. She remembered well Howard's description of her, and had often pictured her in her mind's eye. She could.not be mistaken. Here was Mrs Dawson at Wynne^Oourt, talking to Lady Wynyard, and yet "She had denied all knowledge of Wynne Court and its mistress^ ' I was right to play the spy, afteMW,' thought Diana. '~^& She could catch only a few words of the conversation, for both spoke low and cautiously. Mrs Damson appeared to be giving a long account of something which had occurred, and Lady Wynyard was listening with rapt attention. Her fac|svas deadly pale, and as Mrs Dawson finiSned, she clasped her hands together with a gesture of despair. 5 What shall I do? What gshall 1 doP Diana heard her say, in a tone of anguish. ' ' I cannot tell, my dear mistress,' said the •woman with evident pity. ' I am* afraid you are in danger now.' Lady Wynyard stood silent, in thought, for a moment oVtwo, then] she sighed wearily, and said, r _„ v > •

* In any case I must not meet you in this spot again. It is too much exposed to chance passers-by on their way to the house. Can you wait about until it is dark ? I can admit you into the house then unseen, and can take you to my mother's rooms, where no one ever intrudes.' ' All right, my lady,' replied the woman ; ' I will do anything to help you.' ' Yet you will not give me those papers/ said her ladyship. ' I cannot, my dear lady. I promised MiKenny I would never let them out of my own possession,' answered Mrs Dawson, '< firmly. 'If Igo back to Australia, I will think about it. Trust me ; I shall take care of them.' ' They both moved slightly, as the woman finished speaking, evidently towards the thicket where Diana lay concealed. She crouched down close to the ground, and gathered her dress round her into the smallest possible compass. She could not i see either of them in this position, but she knew by the sound of their voices that they were passing by. She heard Lady Wynyard give Mrs Dawson minute particulars as to what way she should take to the Court that evening, and to what entrance she should go ; she heard all details, even to the hour, but nothing more of importance. She lay still until the voices had died away, then peered cautiously out. Lady Wynyard was almost out of sight, going towards the house ; but where was Mrs Dawson ? Why, sitting composedly down on the grass, only a few yards ironi her, and evidently making \ herself at home, for she had taken out a ; packet of sandwiches, and was calmly and deliberately munching one as if she were in no hurry, whatever. 'Surely,' said Diana to herself, in consternation, ' she is not going to stop there until it is dark. What shall I do ? They will wonder where I am, and it will end in my being discovered.' It was Mrs Dawson's intention apparently, for after she had concluded her repast, she still kept her seat, drawing her shawl more closely round her, and resting her head back against the tree at whose foot s.he was sitting. With extraordinary patience she sat there hour after hour, almost immovable, while Diana, afraid to move hand or foot, crouched in her hiding place in a fever of impatience and alarm. She had decided as she lay listening to Lady Wynyard and Mrs Dawson that after dinner she would steal out and post a letter to Mr Hope, informing him of Mrs Dawson's apx>earance at Wynne Court; but thai idea had to be ! abandoned now, unless she could carry it j out after she was released from imprisonment. She knew, however, that it would be too late then; yet it seemed to her most necessary that Mr Hope should know that the woman he was so anxious to keep in sight was at Wynne Court. She had ample time to refL ect while Mrs Dawson kept her a prisoner there. The post-office was some distance from the Court ; and she had not, of course, means for writing a letter on the spot. She decided that, as soon as she was released, she would run down to the farm where Mr Hope's parents still lived, as they had done from the day of their marriage, and write her letter there. She had several times been to visit Mr Hope, and she knew that the old lady would find a way of getting it sent to her son : most probably, indeed, one of the farm boys would be sent off at once on horseback with it direct to him. The farm — Oaklands it was called — was not half-a-mile from the gates, and Diana felt quite relieved as the plan suggested itself to her. Mrs Hope would doubtless be surprised to see her, but if she was, she would make no comment, either to her or any other xoerson. j To her great relief, as the twilight began to deepen into darkness, Mrs Dawson rose, straightened herself, and moved briskly I towards the house. When she was out of 1 sight, Diana also rose, thankful to be able to stretch her cramped limbs. She was very uneasy in her own mind as to her enforced 1 absence from the dinner - table, and its probable consequences ; moreover, she was ; decidedly hungry, and the thought of being compelled to go without her dinner was not ! quite pleasant ; but these seemed to her only i minor considerations. They certainly did not influence her in the least, for as soon as Mrs Dawson had disappeared she turned hastily in the direction of Oaklands. She j soon reached the high road, and was walking briskly on, when she noticed her new friend of the afternoon, Joseph Eoberts, in front of her, leaning upon his stick as he stepped leisurely along. She would soon have overtaken him, but she came face to face with a gentleman, who had passed old Roberts, and stopped suddenly before her. It was Mr Hope himself ; and with a cry of delight Diana seized both his hands. j ' Oh, Howard! ' she cried joyfully, 'I am so pleased to see you ! I wanted to see you above all people.' ' Why, my dear ? ' asked Mr Hope. They did notnotice, either of them, that old Joseph Roberts had stopped abruptly; and they did not know, either, that in the still night air every word they uttered reached his ears distinctly. But he did not stand to listen to any more. ,He had stood "for a few moments when Mr Hope passed, as if his feet were rooted to the ground ; but he turned at Mr Hope's reply, and went on again more slowly than ever. • ' What brings you here at this time of night, Diana ?' asked Howard. ' And why did you particularly wish to see me ?' •Mrs Dawson is here at, Wynne Court,

whispered Diana, after a cautious glance around, < and I -was going to try and let you know.' ' Here ! ' exclaimed Mr Hope, but also in a whisper. 'Ah ! I was right then. Beak wired me she had given him the slip. How fortunate that I came.' I ' Were you on your way to the Court ?' asked Diana. ' I was, late as it is,' answered Howard ; ' I have just come by the train, and have walked from the station. I half suspected : that Mrs Dawson would turn up here, and I | wanted to be on the watch. How did you manage to stop away so late, Diana ? ' Diana explained all in a few whispered words. ' Then that decides the matter,' said ; Howard. ' You must certainly go to my mother's now. I will go with you and take you back to the Court, when you have had something to eat.' ' You poor child ! what a warning to eavesdroppers ! ' he added, laughing. ' You said that there was no harm in it, Howard,' said Diana, depreeatingly, as they turned towards Oaklands together. ' And I don't think there is, Diana,' said Howard. 'We are working in a good cause, so make yourself easy.' - ' What will Mrs Hope think of me,' asked Diana, so they drew near the form-house. ' Don't be uneasy,' said Howard smilingly ; ' I will make that all right. You were going to her to ask her to send an important letter to me immediately, aud 3ou met me on the way. That is quite true, is it not ? She will see nothing strange in that.' Nevertheless, Diana felt a little nervous as Howard led her into the house, and called his mother to receive her. Mrs Hope was perhaps a little surprised, but as she had settled in her own mind that there was ' something between ' her son and Miss Adeane, she was too wise to show it. She greeted Diana most warmly, an:l as Howard declared himself to be hungry — which was most partially true — a bountiful meal was soon spread before them, to which Howard, as well as Diana, managed to do justice. Mrs Hope was delighted to see her son, of whom, it must be confessed, his parents saw but little, lie had, as it were, passed beyond them by reason of the friendship and intimacy into which he was admitted at Wynne Court ; but they were content now that it should be so, knowing that it was inestimably for his advantage. They knew that he came to see them as often as he could, and that contented them ; but when Diana rose to go, Mrs Hope begged Howard so earnestly to return that night that he promised — half reluctantly the girl thought. ' Shall you mind going through the churchyard,' asked Mr Hope, when they were outside the house again.' 1 have a little news to tell you — not of Kobert, I am grieved to say — but something that will interest you, and there at least we shall be safe from interruption. Not one of the villagers would venture near the churchyard after dusk for a fortune.' ' I have heard Audrey say so,' answered Diana; 'but what is it, Howard? Good news — ah, why did you not tell me before ? It would have been better for me than any dinner.' 1 1 did not think so,' said Mr Hope ; ' but here, at all events, we shall be quite secure from interruption.' They had" reached the churchyard by this time, and certainly it looked weird and ghostly enough to frighten any ordinary mortal. The tombstones gleamed white and ghastly in the dim moonlight, which imparted to them an endless variety of fantastic shapes ; even the faint night breeze seemed to have a peculiar hollow sound as it rustled amongst the grass and swayed the branches of the trees. As they drew near a large yew-tree, beneath which a ghost was reported to promenade regularly at midnight, Diana felt slightly nervous herself. She drew closer to her companion, and finally slipped her hand through his arm. She even shuddered as he suggested that they should take a seat on a tablet beneath the tree ; but she made no objection, and they sat down. All unknown to them, the churchyard had one other living inhabitant. Old Joseph Roberts had been sitting on a tombstone there for an hour or more when they entered it. As they approached, he had slipped cautiously into the ground, where he still was, out of ear-shot, : but near enough to see every movement of the new-comers. ' If only we could possess ourselves of two surplices from the church, we should make splendid ghosts,' said Diana, as they seated themselves. 'No one would venture near us, then.' ' We are safe enough here,' answered Mr Hope. ' That is an idea worthy of Audrey. Now, Diaua, I must be as brief as possible. Beak has discovered one important fact about Lady Wynyard and her mother.' ' What is it ?' asked Diana, with breathless' interest. 'He has discovered,' said Howard in a whisper, bending his head close to hers, 'that they came from Australia together only a few months before Lady Wynyard's marriage.' ' From Australia !' cried Diana. - < Oh, Mr Hope, what does it mean !' ' It means a great deal, in our opinion,' said Mr Hope, gravely ; 'it means, most probably, that her acquaintance with Mr Kenny began in Australia, and not in England at all. It certainly means that she and her mother have spent some part of their lives in Australia, and have carefully concealed the fact. Beak had considerable difficulty in tracing their

antecedents so far, but lie has succeeded. You remember that at the time of her marriage she was living as companion to Lady D herself. He went there, and was told that the house had changed hands, but he managed to trace the former tenants. They, however, could only tell him that Mrs Norton and her daughter had come to them in a cab from some other lodgings. Fortunately they remembered the address. He went there, only to be told a similar tale. To cut a long story short, he found that Mrs Norton and her daughter had repeatedly changed theirtotsality during the few months they were together in London — perhaps hoping to escape detection, by that means — taking our supposition of facts to be correct. He had much difficulty in tracing them from place to place. Sometimes the landlady had forgotten even their name until it was recalled to her by describing the persons. Once lie seemed to have lost sight of them altogether through the death, of one iandlady. Plowever, he was successful at last. He traced them back to an hotel where they had gone direct from the London Docks. The people of the hotel were able to tell him that Mrs Norton and her daughter had stayed there a few days, that they had come from Australia in a sailing vessel, and that their luggage was labelled with the name of the ship and their destination ; indeed, they had not made a secret of the fact. He tried to discover the exact date and the name of the ship, but they could not give either correctly. He believes, however, that he will be able to find out both, if necessary. I had given him a small photograph of Lady "Wynyard which I had in my possession , and it was immediately recognised by several of the people with whom she came in contact. How she came to obtain the situation of companion to Lady D. without any references is probably known to Lady D. herself. She had the reputation of being a most disagreeble and exacting mistress, and was never able to keep a companion long. Probably she was as glad to secure Blanche Norton as Blanche was to secure the situation. She does not appear to have troubled herself about Miss Norton's antecedents, and beyond the fact of her having a mother in London, knew nothing of her or of her family. So far Beak has traced Lady Wynyard's history ; there is much more yet to be done. He has meanwhile been keeping a vigilant watch upon Mrs Dawson, and I think that he'ifeas not allowed the grass to grow under his feet. ' What do you say ? ' 'I think so too,' she replied. ' I am glad you have got such a good ally, Mr Hope. I am beginning to feel more hopeful now.' 'So am I,' agreed Howard. ' Now, Diana we must hasten to the Court. It is nearly eleven, and if your absence has been noticed it will be rather awkward.' ' Mrs Norton is sure to liave missed me,' said Diana ; ' I have an impression that she is always watching me.' They rose and left the churchyard ; and as soon as they were out of sight Joseph Roberts left it also, dispensing altogether with the use of his stick, and walking with great agility for one so old.