CHAPTER XIV.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9214, 18 April 1908, Page 1

CHAPTER XIV.

STRATHMOIRA.

Mr Vernon found Mrs Vernon in the morning room, engaged with what seemed to be household accounts. As is apt to be the case when people have been married to each other for more years than they eometimee care to remember, morning greetings were with them a minus quantity. He began without any preface. " Everything all right for this afternoon?" She looked up from a bill. "Yes, I think so; as far as I know." She looked back at the bill. " I am confident Barnes has made a mistake; he is always doing it." She looked up again, turning half-round on her chair. " But, Harold, have you seen herP" "You me^ii Miss Gilbert? I hare,

and — I'm rather prepossessed with her. I confess that Frances's ecstasies made me & trifle nervous, but so far as appearance and manner go she strikes me as being distinctly good style, as girls run nowadays. But she — or someone — might have let us know that she was coming, considering, as far as we re concerned, that she's a perfect stranger. She eeems to have dropped from the clouds; she doesn't 6eem as if she were the kind of girl who'd do it. Who's the Mr Frazer she speaks oi?" "Mr Frazer?" " She says she came with Mr Frazer —Eric Frazer." "Eric Frazer P— ehe must mean dtrathmoira." " Strathmoira?" " Of course, his name is Frazer — Eric Frazer." "But why should she speak of the Earl of Strathmoira as Mr Frazer?" "My dear Harold, it's no use putting questions to me, because I keep putting questions to myself and I get no answers. Directly I begin to think I feel I am getting out or my depth, so I try not to think. I console myself with the reflection that I always have known that Strathmoira' s stark, staring mad." " But-^do you mean to say that Strathmoira brought Mies Gilbert to this house without letting us have the least hint that he was coming, at goodness knows what hour of the night?' "You may welf say goodness only knows. You had been gone, what seemed to me hours, and I was'just getting into bed when I heard a vehicle coming up the drive. I called to Parkes not to open the door till he had asked who it was through the window ; but I suppose I must nave spoken louder than I meant, and, of course, the windows in my room were wide open, and, as you know, it's right over the hall door — which for the woment, I'd forgotten — anyhow, a voice answered from without: 'It's all right, Adela! Don't you let me be the cause of Parkes straining - his vocal . chords ; it isn't burglars; it's yours to command.' When I realised that the voice was Strathmoira's you might have knocked me down with a feather."

I daresay. Why, how long is it since we've seen or heard anything of the fellow?" " As you put it, goodness only knows. I replied to him .through the window, * I'm alone in the house, I don|t know if you're aware what time it js; I'm just going to bed ; couldn't you come round in the morning?' " "He answered, ' No, I couldn't ; I've | got Miss Gilbert here, Frances' friend ; |so perhaps you won't mind hurrying down to let us in!' " " Pretty cool, upon my word." "Coolf When Parkes had opened the door, and I went down looking I don't know how, he was as much at his easa as if he'd dropped in to pay an afternoon call ; and there was a tall slip of a girl, with black hair, big grey eyes and a white face, whom I took to at once." "So did I, when I saw her just , now." i "He introduced her; and said she [ had come to make a long stay, and ask- ! Ed if I'd mind/her going to bed at once, as she'd nad a very tiring day, and was tired out ; eh© looked it, to nje she seemed unnaturally pale; as she stood there, without speaking a word, I felt quite sorry for the child. So I took her upstairs and lent her ITranoe 0 * things to go to bed with ; she hadn't ev^n so much as an extra pocket handkerchief of her own." "I thought you said she'd oome to stay." "So he said ; but she hadn't to much as a hand-bag in the way of luggage." "I suppose it's coming; or has it come?"

"It is not coming ; nor has it come. If you'll allow me I'll try to make you understand as much a* I understand, which is very little. The whole thing seems to me to be mysterious; however, by this time I oueht to know fitrathnioira. When I came downstairs again he told me a story of which I did not find it easy to make head or tail. It Eeems that Mise Gilbert has a guardian, in whose charge she appears to have been." "You remember Frances said she'd left the convent wi+h her guardian and that was why ehe didn't want to stoo." " I do remember.' It seetns that the guardian is not in a^ state of health to take proper care of his ward, though what ails him I couldn't make out; so Strathmoira brought her to me." " Of course, we are very glad to see her; Tint what h«s Strathmoira got to do with Mise Gilbert? and why, as a matter of course, has he brought Tier to you, without giving you any notion, in that unceremonious fashion P Hasn't she any friends of her own?"

" My dear Harold, you are ly ' acquainted with Strathmoira. to be aware that you can Tain questions at him ; and that, without refusing to anewer one, he can evade them all, and do it in such a way that you aTe not sure if he knows that you over put them. I asked him everything I could : think of, in the 6hort time he stayed ; but all that he told m© amounted to this — that he hopes I'll treat Miss Gilbert as if I were her mother." "Upon my word! And she a stranger !" " He also hopes that I'll see her properly fitted up with clothes from tip to toe. h "With whose money P" "With his— or hers — I don't know whose. I only know that he gave me a hundred pounds in notes, and here they are. When he wondered if that would be enough to 6tart with, 'l said . it^ depended on the circumstances of the girl, and I asked if she had any means; and he replied, 'Ample! ample!' twice over; and he added that no expense was to be spared in fitting her up with all that a girl of her age ought to have. Now you know how Frances told us she was neglected by her people, and continually left without a penny of pocket-money; and how that man who took her away informed her that her father had died and left her penniless; twid how sorry I was for her; and because I was so sorry I gave Frances permission to ask her to spend the summer with us, and Frances couldn't, because she didn't know her address. I believe I am not a person to judge hastily and harshly; but I cannot reconcile those facts with Strathmoira's statement that her means are ample." "You've got the money; you needn't 6pend all of it; what's it matter?"

"Harold, it does matter; I should like to know whose money it is, and if more is coming when it's spent." " Strathmoira will give you all the explanations you want before very long. You're sure to hear from him — what's his address P" "Harold, I haven't a notion.; 1 asked, but he didn't say. When he'd gone I found that he'd left me with a general impression tjiat I might hear from him— s didn't know when." "Well, that's something. Anyhow, here's the girl; we know of nothing against her even if she did make an informal entry; she's Frances's friend, the child will be delighted to have her; you felt drawn to her." "I did; and I do; what I'v* seen

of her I like; there's something about the girl which appeals to me." " Very well, then, as I'm prepossessed we shan't do much harm if we give her house room for her own sake. As for Strathmoira, although he i 6 stark mad, he's an excellent fellow ; and longheaded, in his way. Whatever the connection may be between this girl and him, I'm quite' sure that there's < nothing discreditable about it to either side?' i

" Harold, I ' never for an instant thought there was. I quite agree with you in thinking that Strathmoira's one fault is that he's stark mad." "Then all we have to do, for the present, is to make the girl comfortable and happy. Did I understand you to 6ay that she has nothing with her but the clothes ehe is wearing?"

"She hasn't another rag; not so much as a toothbrush." " In which case you'll have to expend ! a part c'«that hundred in buying her a toothbiush, and other odds and ends." . (i That's exactly what. I'm going to do. I've drawn up a list of some of the things she must have; I've or<|ered the landau, and I'm going to drive the two girls over to Ringtown as soon as I have my hat on. Here are the girls." As she spoke the two girls appeared at the open French window. She spoke to her daughter. " Good morning, Frances; you see your fairy god-mother has sent you a present — the visitor you so much wanted. " Isn't it lovely? I've just been telling her that I'd sooner see her than that father should buy a motor-oar; and you know what that means. But I don't understand; she sajys she's brought no luggage." " That's all right ; I'm going to drive the pair of you over to Ringtown, and there I'm going to buy Dorothy what she wants. The other day I saw some pretty model gowns at Wingham's; if only one of them fits her it might do this afternoon. What do you say, Dorothy P" The girl, who had been standing by the window, came a little further into the room; she spoke with painful hesitation.

" Mrs Vernon, I— l have no money." "My dear child, I have some money of yours." I "Of mme — money of mine?" The girl looked as if she did not understand; then flushed — as if with sudden comprehension. "Did he — give it to you?" "By ' he ' do you mean the Earl of Strathmoira?" Mrs Vernon smiled ; but the girl looked as if she understood less than ever. "The Earl of Strathmoira? No; I mean Mr Frazer." Miss Vernon broke in. " Mother, what Mr Frazer does she mean P She says she came with Mr Eric Frazer; who is Eric Frazer?" 1 'Mr Frazer ifi Dorothy's quaint way of speaking of the Earl of Strathmoira." Miss Vernon stared at her mother, then at her friend; a look of puzzlement was on her pretty face. " Do-rothy, do you know Strathmoira?" Dorothy's look of bewilderment more than matched her own.

" Strathmoira P No-; is it a place — or a thing?" • " Dorothy, are you joking?" 1 ''Joking? Frances! What makes you think I'm joking? I haven't the faintest notion what you mean." Miss Vernon turned to her mother. "Mother, what is this mystery? Because it seems to me there is some mystery somewhere. I hope that you | and DoTothy understand each other better than I do either of you.* 1 "My dear Frances, I'm bound to say that I don't understand; especially if, as you say, she isn't joking. Dorothy, do you seriously wish to tell us that you don't know that 1 the gentleman who brought you to this house last night was the Earl of Strathmoira?" J The girl's eyes opened wider and wider ; no one saw the look of almost fear which came on her -face could think that she was jesting. " He — he told me .that his name was Frazer — Eric Frazer." " And so his family name is Frazer. and his Christian name ia Eric, but his style and title is the Earl of Strathmoira. By that style and title he is generally known: indeed I, who have known mm all his life, and am his cousin once removed, was not aware that he was ever known, as anything else. How long have you known him, my dear, and who introduced him to you as Mr Frazer?" The girl shrunk back. Inchoate thoughts were pressing on her harassed mindT She remembered what he had said about her endorsing his etory ; but what story had he told? Was it true that he was who these people said he was? If so, then — perhaps she had betrayed him already; with, a word she might betray him further. She recalled his words about playing him false. If she did, what would he think, after all he had done fox her? How they all three were looking at her 1 She wished Bhe could think what to say without — without committing anyone. But — she could not think.

While she was still struggling within herself for the words which would not come, Frances went flitting towards her across the room ; drawn to her by the anguish which was in her eyes, and on her face. "Dorothy! My darling 1 What us the matter? Don't lookJike that! Mother didn't mean to hurt you. You poor thing, how you're trembling! Mother, tell her that you didn't mean anything!" In her turn the elder woman, crossing the room, came and stood by the still speechless girl, into whose eyes, for some cause which she could not fathom, there had come a pain which was too great for tears. Her voice was very soft and gentle. "I assure you, my dear Dorothy, that nothing was further from my wish than a desire to pry into what, after all, is no business of mine. If my cousin i« Mr Frazer to you, then he is Mr Frazer. He's one <>f the most eccentric creatures breathing; but he is also one of the best. I'm sure, from the way in which he spoke to me of you last night, that he regards you with the utmost respect and reverence. He commended you to me as a very precious charge. He told me that you d never known your own mother ; and he asked me to try to be a mother to you." The speaker paused to smile, whimsically; "You know. Dorothy, 1 don't think that one can be quite lik» one's mother, if one isn't one's mother, but, if you'll let me, I'd like to play the part as well as a substitute can." Mr Vernon's interposition prevented

a reply from Dorothy ; if she. was capable of one. Perhaps he saw that she , was not; and his words were dictated by a masculine desire to cut short what was ver^ like a scene. I ct Now, Adela, if you're going to put your hat on, you'd better put it on. I heard the carriage come ten minutes ago. And you girls, if you're not ready, perhaps you will be ready inside a brace of shakes. Frances, do you hear?" The young lady took the hint. "All right, dad; we'll both of uo be ready in ever so much less than a brace of shakes!" Slipping her arm through Dorothys she led her from the room. When the two girls had gone husband and wife looked at each other. The man was the first to speak. , , " It's odd that ehe shouldn't know him as the Earl of Strathmoira; it strikes me that my gentleman's^ a queerer fish even than I thought.' His wife eyed him for a moment as if quizzically; then ehe turned aside, ostensibly to collect the papers on which ehe had been engaged. "Harold, have you ever heard of blindfold chessP" N Under the circumstances it seemed, a ourious question; so it seemed to strike him. , _ '

" Adela, what on earth do you mean?" "Tt occurs to me that we. are about to act as pawns in a game of chess without even knowing who are the players." Her husband stared at her as if with a total lack of comprehension. When he spoke his tone was irascible. "Adela, there seem to be puzzles enough in the air without your making them worse. Perhaps-you'll be so good i as to tell me what you may happen to mean." . ' " I am not sure that I knoW myself: only, as I looked at that girl's face, I had -,the queerest feeling." " Of what kind." "I'm not fanciful, am I?V "I can't say you are, as a rule." "Which makes it all the queerer." " I wish you'd be more explicit. To hear you take on this tone of mystery — you know how I hate mysteries — makes me conscious of a feeling which it would be mild to describe as queer. It didn't strike me that there was anything remarkable about the girl's looks, except that she looked pale and worried, you don't know what she may have had to go through lately." "No; I don't; and— l don't think I'd care to."

"Adela! Now you're at it a^ain. Will you go and put your hat on ? I don't know if you're aware that the time's going ; I suppose you* don't want to keep that carriage waiting all day." Mrs Vernon went out of the room withotat another word ; at the door she turned and favoured him with a look which he instinctively resented. He gave vent to his feelings as soon as she had gone. " Now what did ehe mean by looking at me like that ? There's something about the best of women which is — trying. She's got some notion into her head aßbut that girl ; and— l wonder what it isP When Ido get within reach of Strathmoira I'll speak a few. plain words to him; tho idea of his treating me, in my own house, .as if I were a pawn. Adela's too absurd I I should like to see him try it 1" ! On Mr Vernon' s face there was a smile which, if the Earl of Straithmoira had been there, he might have been ex« cused if he regarded it as a challenge.