Castleton’s Captive.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17223, 14 December 1923, Page 5 (Supplement)

Castleton’s Captive.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

3y

G. B. BURGIN

'Author of “ More Memoirs and Some Travels,*’ “The Shutters of Silence,” &e., &c. [COPYRIGHT.] I. It was a dull Octol>er day. and Peggy Castleton. as she roamed disconsolately through the marble halls of the Strand Palace Hotel (she had removed to it because it was ‘alive” and fled from the decorous dulness of a more ‘‘hightoned ” hoetelry) felt desperately inclined to pack up her trunks and return to Lorivalle, tho little Canadian habitant village near Four Corners, where 6he had first seen the light. She was growing tired of the pursuit of European culture, which she had pro mised her late father to undergo in order to do justice to the pile of dol lars he had left her. Finally, she entered the writing room •nd relieved her feelings in verse : •‘They’re mighty kind at Lorivalle, they'll take you by the hand, And when your throat’s a-choking up and you can’t understand How they remember all you did before you went away, And how for you in London town they ne'er forget to pray. TThy. they’ll just drag you in the porch to talk of the old days. And that you’ve not been gaoled or wed they'll give to God the praise. I feel as if I loved them all. Return I never shall — They want me to go visitin’ ’way back in Lorivalle.” Then she tore up the verses and laughed at herself, though there • was something pathetic in the laughter. “I’ll look at ‘Punch’ and try to understand English humour,” she abruptly concluded, and went into the reading room. As she strolled from table to table a daily paper caught her eye. “ What a lot of persons want places or people to fill them." she mused. “I wish I had a place. Why shouldn’t Ijust to give me something to do? On his death-bed, Dad told me to try to meet Lady Castleton and say how much he regretted their quarrel. But she never comes to London, and probably wouldn’t receive me anyway. Why, waht’s this ? : —• “Wanted, a, Pious Young Person who can mend lace, renovate old clothes and bring them up to date, dress hair, and is accustomed to the care of Pekinese dogs. Wages. £BO per annum, and all the advantages ot a refined home. Tho young person, if suitable, will be offered other attractions, and the spiritual guidance of a vicar of good family.—Apply, with one or more testimonials, to Lady Castle ton. The Towers, Dulverton.” She must he Dad’s cousin. He always wanted me to look up our English re latives —the relatives who cheerfully paid his passage out to Canada —steerage—in order to get rid of a poor re lation. And Lady Castleton was the worst of them all. though once she and l)ad were great friends. Carried away by the impulse of the moment, Peggy answered the advertisement. and, with a flourish, signed her name as “ Peggy Malone.” her mother's maiden name. Then she went to the theatre, and forgot all about it until a fewr days later there came n irpidery letter from Lady Castleton, of fering her eighty pounds a year and Other things, which, practically, might be summed up as the free use of the

family Bible, provided her references were satisfactory. The greatly amusd Peggy gave Lady Castleton a reference from tier banker, and asked him to call her Miss Peggy Malone, as she had family reasons for not w ishing the “ Castleton ’’ to be mentioned. Though puzzled, the hanker looked upon it as a whim, and did so. for her balance at the bank was so largo that she was entitled to hav© whims. “ I want to see tho inside of an old English home at Christmas,” she explained to the banker. “ But this Lady Castleton is really a family connection of yours. Why don’t you want her to know who you are?” “She treated my father very badlc when he was a poor younger son, and. if she is nice. I want to forgive her. If she isn’t nice, 1 shall go away “ From what 1 know of Lady Castle ton,” the banker dubiously declared, “you'll need all your natural piety when you meet her. I give you three days at The Towers.” Peggy’s lovely blue eyes twinkled as she showed her white teeth in a bewil dering smile. “Don't look like that. Miss Castle ton.” the banker implored, “or J shall pray to be transmigrated (l think that’s the right word) into on© ot Lady Castleton’s pets. Here's your re Peggy thanked him. and. after again hearing from Lady Castleton. started for Dulverton in a third-class carriage. Guy Castleton, her ladyship’s heir, also wont by tho same train, but he travelled first-class, and heard Peggy inquiring at Dulverton whether anyone had coine to meet her. Nobody had, and Peggy stamped her little foot. “I’m not going to walk all the way up to The Towers,’’ she said to the bewildered porter. On seeing a pretty girl in a difficulty Castleton came forward and raised his hat. “If you’re going to Tbe Towers, the car has evidently come down for both of us.” he said. Peggy was quietly but extremely well dressed, her voice as musical as a lark’s, and the young man felt a thrill run through him when she raised her wonderful eyes to his. “But I’m only the poor companion,” she explained. ‘ I suppose I’m expected to walk and carry my luggage.” “You’ll do nothing of the sort!” said masterful Guy Castleton. “If you don’t rare to come with me. whoever you are, you'll go in the car and I’ll walk. Hadn't w© better put my trunk on the top?” They put the trunk on the top of the car, and wer© whirled up to The Towers; Lady Castleton, a tal], thin old woman. wearing a black lac© shawl in which were tangled a couple of Pekinese, met them in tho hall and dropped her pets from sheer astonishment. “ You never told m© you wer© married. Guy,” she gasped. “Married! Why, my dear aunt. I’m much too poor to marry.” said Castleton, as he picked up the flatten ed-out Pekes. “ You’d forgotten to send the car for this young lady, so I brought her along with me.” “Young lady! You have made a mistake, Guy. She ihust be the young person, my new companion. Jarvis, show Miss Malone the way to the housekeeper's room. You are the com panion person. aren't you?” she frigidly asked Peggy. Beggy shot a glance at Guy Castleton . “ Yes,” she said demurely. “I—l—am the young person. Lady Castleton.” “It’s an infernal shame.” thought Castleton. as h© deferentially relieved Reorgy of her umbrella and followed Lady Castleton into the library. “ Tho c-irl’s a lady, and if my aunt isn’t leasant to her I’ll do my best to make for it. ‘ Companion person * indeed! She’s raised in

good society. T suppose her people smashed up, and she’s had to turn out and earn her living, poor thing.” Jarvis took Peggy to the housekeeper’s room, and. mindful of Castleton’s deference to her. told the housekeeper that her ladyship wished Mrs Palfry to d 6 everything in her power to make Miss Malone comfortable. When Airs Palfry bustled away to do so, Peggy gave Jarvis five shillings. “ Thank you,” she said, “ T think we shall get on very nieelv.” “Thank you. Miss.” said Jarvis, pocketing the five shillings; “and if you want the Pekinese combed and brushed at any time, you may count on me. Miss.” In consequence of Lady Castleton’s garbled message, Peggy was given two delightful rooms at the top of Tho Towers (Lady Castleton never went up to the top) and proceeded to make herself comfortable. Guy Castleton, after a. scanty meal with his miserly aunt, sat in the gloomy old dining-room with a glass of very inferior port to keep him company, and felt delightfully miserable. 11. In the course of a couple of months, Peggy began thoroughly to enjoy herself in spite of Lady Castleton’s meanness and peculiarities; even the Pokes transferred their allegiance to her, although slio rigorously prevented them from eating too much. True to his promise, Jarvis combed them every day until they began to improve in appearance and assumed an air of mild joyon sness. Lady Castleton attributed this change for the better in her pets to her own care of them. When she snubbed Peggy, Peggy refused to see the snub, and honestly tried hard to win the old lady’s liking, although the ancient dame persecuted her with petty detaiiis and unpleasant tasks which, after a struggle with her moral consciousness, Peggy cheerfully paid the housemaids (they all adored her) to do for her. This left a good deal of spare time on her hands, and she spent most of it in exploring the innermost recesses of The Towers or in reading up the family history and affably confiding her impressions of life and various other recondite subjects to the portraits of bewigged cavaliers and closely cropped Roundheads. “ What you want,” sh© informed half-a-dozen of them in the great banqueting hall, “is to come out of your frames and put in a week or two at poor dad’s saw-mills. Then you’d take off your wigs and stop .glaring at me as if I were an intruder instead of being one of yourselves.” She did not hear Guy Castleton como up behind her. “ I’m sorry to see you’re a bit like Lady Ermentrude Castleton,” he said lightly. Boggy wheeled round to him with a welcoming smile. “ Why are you sorry, M r Cast 1 eton ?’ ’ ‘ The Lady Ermentrude was a bad lot; and I don’t like you, even remotely, to resemble a bad lot.” “It isn’t my fault, Mr Castleton. I am only the ‘ companion person ’ and have no right to resemble anyone of ancient linage, however bad that individual may have been.” “Truth will out,” said Castleton masterfully. “We’re such close friends, Miss Malone, that sometimes I wake up in the night and think of all the great truths I want to tell you. There’s one ” Beggy stopped him. “Never mind that one,” she said, with an expuisit© blush. “What are the others?” “ Well. I .heard you say something about saw-mills. Would I do to work in a saw-mill?” “ You! Why, you’ve never done a day’s work in your life.” “That’s the reason why. Here’s Christmas coming, a season of pcac© and goodwill to everybody except my creditors. I owe a lot of money, not because I’m extravagant but because

I’ve never had any mopey; and I’m ashamed to be at my aunt’s beck and call because I’m her heir. She’s fond of me in her way.” “ She might be more helpful if you told her about the debts.” Peggy’s tone was sympathetic. “Not she. She’s a miser. I want to tell her I’m not going to be her tame cat any longer but mean to go out into the w’orld and learn to respect myself.” “ She is fond of you, Mr Castleton.” “ She’s fond of the Pekes until they upset her; the nslie’s rough with themShe’d be rough with me if I upset her, though I’m hound to upset her.” “ Why are you bound to upset her?” “She’s asking an awfully pretty heiress here for Christmas and wants me to marry her.” “ Isnt that rather conceited? Are you so sure that the heiress would have you?” “-Certain. She doesn't want me particularly, but she does want The Towers, and, I’m given to understand, is willing to take me with the other fixtures.” “ And you don’t want to be taken with the other fixtures?” Peggy’s tone was a. little curious. “No. When I marry I w r ant to be married for myself, though that does sound a little conceited. But there’s another girl I’d like to marry—a poor girl.” “Will she marry you, Mr Castleton Are you confidently expecting to make her the captive of your bow and your spear?” The young man flushed. ‘‘The truth is. Miss Malone, I’m afraid of her.” “ Why?” “ Because she’s opened a new world to me. mad© me despise myself. Her smile is sunshine, her voice sweet music. I want to tell her so. to make her my captive although I’m here. But I've nothing to offer her, except a wasted life.” “ But you hav© hitherto wasted your life through force of circumstances and environment. Can't you make a fresh start ?” “ J’m going to try. although I'm afraid it’s a bit late to begin. In mv conceit, I thought I’d only to assert myself and carry everything before me by sheer will power. Now T’ve met a sweet, poverty-stricken girl whom T love with all my heart, a girl who, if she really wanted to, would help me to become a worthy member of society and—and who can twist me round her little finger. She makes me miserable although —’ ’ “ Although ?” “ I like being twisted round her little finger but daren’t tell her. so I’m going to sneak off to Canada after Christmas and be miserable, because I know she’ll be snapped up long Jiefore I can come back to say I’m worthy of her.” “ And what about the heiress?” “She can have The Towers if she wants it; I don’t. What’s the good of baronial halls if I don’t love my wife ?” H© shut his teeth with a snap, and went away. Peggy looked after him a little thoughtfully. “He wants a chance to make something out of his life, and the coming of Christmas, instead of bringing him happiness, is doing just the reverse. T. too. want to be happy and make something of my life Perhaps if he meant me when he talked of the girl who could twist, him round her little finger. Christma.s might, bring happiness to both of us instead of misShe was still in n reverie when Lady Castleton’s shrill voice broke in upon her thoughts. “So this is how you waste your time, Miss Malone! Is that lace washed yet?” “ Yes, your ladyship.” “ Are the dear dogs combed and brushed?” “ Yes, your ladyship.” “Is that black silk skirt unpicked and sponged?”

“ Yes, your ladyship.” “Then take it in at the waist, and when you’ve finished com© to me and I will give you something more to do.” “ Yes, your ladyship,” and Peggy went away with so sweet an air that it caused the spiteful old woman to regard her with unconscious envy, for the “companion person ” was so beautiful, young and strong that even Lady Castleton felt touched. “ She’s worth a good deal more money than I pay her,” she muttered; “but she’s dangerously prett-y, and I must keep her out of Guy's way or he may fall in love with her. He has been very restless lately. When he marries the heiress I can let them live at The Towers and pay all the expenses.” Beggy, with the black silk skirt under her arm, sought Mary, one of the housemaids. “Here’s something for 3-011 to do, Mary, only Lady Castleton musn’t see you doing it. I’ll give you a nice new one pound note to buy a Christmas present for your ‘ young man.’ I hope he’s worthy of you, Mary.” “If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be my young man, Miss,” laughed the grateful Mary. 111. “ You leave here to-morrow morning,” acidly said Lady Castleton to Beggy on Christmas Eve, as the joy bells rang out and the holly berries shone redly in the ancient hall. “My infatuated nephew has had the impertinence to tell me that he wants you to marry him, and I have told him that I will never give my consent to such a marriage or help him in any way. The manner in which you have encouraged him is perfectly shameful, tbe more so as his future wife will be here for the ball.” I’m sorry you’re angry with me.” said Peggy a little tremulously. “ T had looked forward to spending Christmas here. There is a particular reason for my doing so which one day, when you are no longer angry with me, I hope to have the pleasure of explaining to you, Lady Castleton.” “ I shall always be angry with you, and your reasons for wishing to stay her© are nothing to me.” “ Couldn’t you allow me this one favour, Lady Castleton?” Something in the girl’s pleading voice touched that hard old heart, for it sounded strangely familiar to L-ady Gastleton. “I am not accustomed to bargain with anyone, especially after the way in which you have behaved, Miss Malone. Still, if your request is not too unreasonable-—although 1 don't- know why T should grant it-—something in your voire just now reminded me of someone whom I once treated very badly -I will do as you wish.” " Thank you very much. I am fond of The Towers and, though I am afraid you will think it great presumption on my part, I should dearly love to see the ball to-night.” Agaiu Peggy’s voice stirred long-for-gotten chords in Lady Castleton. “ Very well. It is more than a. little unusual. Miss Malone: but the spectacle of society in which you can never hope to be received may serve to make you realise the folly of your hopes : I trust that T shall not. have to repent of my kindness to you. Tell Jarvis I want him.” Beggy. conscious of a. certain soften ing m Lady Castleton. found Guy e.agerlv awaiting her in thp picture gallery. “She knows you love me, Guy.” she said breathlessly. “ It was very brave of you to tell her.” “ Of course I told her, but she didn’t give me a chance of telling her that we were already married, as 1 meant to do. Sh© was so angry that, for her own sake, I couldn’t break it t-c> her. Wo must do it to-night, somehow, be-

fore we go off to your beloved Jiori valle.” “ Sh© will be angrier than ever.” “ Not when she knows who you are dearest. Besides, Christmas wili soften lier heart. She was very fond of your father until they quarrelled and she incited the rest of her relatives to send him out of the country. More than once sh© has hinted to m© that she would like to know what has become of him and whether he ‘made good 5 or married and had children.” “I know, Guy, sh© is always worrying herself about something ; and I’ve thought of a plan by which to ‘ save her face’ and my own.” “I thougt you would. We mustn’t hurt her more than w© can help.” “ T thought, Guy, if I put on my best clothes to-night and got leave from her to appear at the hall to-night, 1 should look so like my father that she would be. softened. I don’t want her to disinherit you, Guy.” “ I don’t care a button as long as I hav© you, Peggy. I made you marry mo secretly, because then nothing could separate- us. Of course, I won't ask you to share my hardships until T have mad© good; that would b© too selfish ou mv part.” “Never mind about the hardships. Guy. I shall appear at the ball at ten to-night, and you mustn’t be startled by my finery.” “As long as you do appear, I don’t care what you wear. Peggy.” As the ladies wer© about to leave tbe Banqueting Hall after dinner, Guy Castelton got up, and motioned them to stay “ One moment, ladies. T have a little surprise for you. At this festive season of the year, this year which has brought me great happiness, T have a wonderful present to make to my aunt. It will be shown to you at ten o’clock to-night, before the hall opens. In the meantime, I must ask you and my aunt to repress your curiosity.” At ten o’clock. Lady Castelton, surrounded by curious guests, took her place •at the head of the ballroom. Scarcely had she done so when the doors ivere flung open, and Jarvis magnificently announced : “ Miss Peggy Castelton'” A smiling, beautiful girl entered tho room, a girl in a softly shimmering white dress and sparkling gems which mingled with the orange blossoms in her lovely fair hair. Lady Castelton turned pale, then eagerly came up to her. “ You’re—you're not Tom Castelton’s daughter?” “Yes. Lady Castelton. In my father’s last moments, he wanted me to tell you that lie was sorry for the quarrel, and so I— And so I came to tell 7you aud try to make you like me for his and my own sake, and—and— I’ve failed.” Lady Castelton suddenly became womanly as sh© looked at the beautiful girl before her. “ Ah, if I had only known,” sh© said sadly. “Why didn’t Guy make you marry him ? Then for your sake and poor Tom’s sake, I could have helped you both.” And greatly to Peggy’s joy, she. took the trembling girl in her aims and kissed her. “ He—he did,” faltered Peggy, warmly returning Lady Castelton’s embrace. “ And he thinks I’m poor, but I’m objectionably rich.” Lady Castelton turned to Guy. who stood produly beside Peggy. “Take her hand, Guy. Take her hand.” Guy did so. “Ladies and gentlemen,” said Lady Castelton, to the wondering crowd of guests, “this young lady. Miss Peggy Castelton, is now Mrs Guy Castelton, and has been formally presented to me by her adoring husband. I feel sure that, both for her sake and mine, you will welcome her among us.” You didn't tell me about the money,” sorrowfully whispered Guv. “ or I should never have dared to--” Peggy put her finger on his li ps . YYe’ll talk about that- when we o-et to Lorivalle. I didn’t tell you. because Was afraid you would run away from And-the Christmas bells rang out as the dance began. (The End. 1