HER LADYSHIP’S COMPANION

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 16

HER LADYSHIP’S COMPANION

Or THE WEB OF FATE

Author of

"Out of Darkness,” "A Day of Reckoning,” eto.

By

HEDLEY RICHARDS

CHAPTER VI. Ronald Gets a Rebuff. Esther Collinson was in a brown Itu<ly, at breakfast. Lady Jane had handed her a letter, remarking pleasantly , “It’s from India,” and as they had a rule to read their letters at breakfast, she had glanced at it, then put it into her pocket for further consideration; and now in the morningroom she was reading it for the second time. As she did so her face became very thoughtful. It was from her only brother, and he had written: “Dear Esther, —You will be surprised to hear that I am coming home, that is, to England. The thought of return brings to me more forcibly that the dear old dad and the home are alike gone, and makes me reproach myself afresh for the thoughtless way I had run into debt, making it impossible for me to offer you a home. But things have altered in that respect. Tom Charlton —you’ll remember him, he was always a great chum of mine—died a month ago. poor fellow, and lie’s left me live hundred a year, and five hundred pounds to be paid at once. He hadn’t any relations nearer than cousins, so I feel justified in taking it. I'd been trying to clear my debts off, and now I’ve made a clean sweep of them, and I’ve got six months’ leave of absence. Within a week of you receiving this letter I shall be in England, and will come as soon as possible to Lynton. I suppose there’s a pub. where I can put up for a few days? Then I want you to go with me to some watering-place, and make arrangements to return with me to India, so you had better mention the matter to your friend, Lady Jane. I can give you a jolly time out here. The Colonel’s wife says she’ll look after you, so you see, little Sis, a good time is coming. I am afraid, however, if you’re as beautiful as you look in the photograph, that I shan’t keep you long. A letter to Rutter’s Hotel will find me, if you have anything you want to say before seeing me.—Your loving brother, Tack Collinson.”

“How delighted I should have been at the prospect of going to India if this letter had only come a month or even a fortnight earlier, but now I wouldn’t leave here for anything. Unless I’m much mistaken there’ll be a rupture before long between Ronald Stapleton and Jane. He’s not the man to tolerate secrecy in the woman lie’s going to marry. I could see he was vexed. She wouldn't say wha.t she wanted that money for. Then when he hears about her meeting Dumarsque, as I shall take care he does, the engagement will be off, and I’m sure I shall win him. Xo, I’ll not go to India, and as for spending any time at the seaside with Jack, he’ll not catch me doing it; I came here because I’d nowhere else to go. I’ve spent eighteen deadly dull months,, and now I’m going to have a good time,” and Esther’s face flushed as she thought that among the good things she anticipated was winning Ronald Stapleton’s love. At that moment Lady Jane entered the room, and Esther flushed guiltily, but the former did not notice it. “I want you to read my brother’s letter, Jane,” 6he said as she gave it to her. “Oh, dear, it’s good and bad news. I’m glad your brother’s got this money and is coming to England, but I wish you hadn't to go to India, unless ” “Do you really, Jane? Well, to tell the truth, I don’t want to go among strangers, so if you will let me stay here,” interposed Esther. “Of course you mustn’t go. If you had wanted very much I should have had to do without you, but we’ve been such chums from the time we met at school that it would have been .a wrench.” “Then I shall tell my brother I’m going to stay here, that India has no charms for me; but I suppose I shall have to go to the seaside with him, unless he stays on at the White Swan in the village. Wo could see a good deal of each other in that way, and he used to be awfully fond of the country.” “I wish he would come and stay at the Hall for a month or two,” said Lady Jane, who thought how nice it would be for the brother and sister to have some time together, and slie iiad an idea that Esther would soon tire of life in lodgings. “That would be delightful. Oh, Jane, you are good.” Lady Jane smiled, ft was pleasant to be appreciated. Her guardian had let her see he did not approve of her actions; Victor Dumarsque asserted his power and sneered at her; so Esther's words were pleasant to hear, and her voice was very cordial as she said: “I'm sure I shall like your brother, his letter is awfully nice, and here comes Aunt. Sarah. I’ll ask her to write to him at Rutter’s Hotel,” said Lady Jane. In a very few minutes Miss Tempest had heard all and agreed to write to Captain Collinson at once. “I’m glad Jack’s coming here, he’ll be able to entertain Jane and give me a chance with Ronald Stapleton. Unless J’m very much mistaken he won’t be averse to such an arrangement,” thought Esther as she sat down to write to her brother to beg him to accept .Miss Tempest’s invitation. While she was thus engaged Ronald Stapleton—who had walked from the Grange—saw Lady Jane on the lawn with her dogs and joined her. “I'm glad I’ve found you alone, Jane,” lie said as they shook hands. “Are you?’.' and she gave him a quick glance. “Yes, I want to talk to you about what Sir John named yesterday.” “Oh, the money! I never heard anyone make such a fuss about a paltry five hundred pounds, and I’ve ten thousand a year, the best part of which has been saved ever since my father’s death.” “It’s a big sum for a girl to spend at once, but 1 didn’t come to talk about* that. You know Sir John suggested the money might be wanted for the trousseau, and I wanted to know if you would fix the wedding day.” She turned round and faced him indignantly as she said:

“I never promised to marry you.” “But there has been an understanding, and I thought ” “You thought I was so anxious to become your wife that you might ask me to name the wedding day without inquiring if I was willing to ratify the agreement.”

Ronald looked and felt vexed with himself. “I have alluded to the bond, and you didn’t tell me you intended to break it, but if you think I have been hasty I will wait awhile before talking of marriage, but meantime had the engagement better not be announced.” “Xo, I’ve never said I intended to be engaged to you. Just now I don’t feel inclined to tie myself to any man,” and turning on lier lieel she walked away. “Confound the girl, why cannot she say wliat she means? If she doesn't want to carry out the arrangement she might tell a fellow,” he thought. And Lady Jane, as she went to hei room, came to the conclusion that though Ronald was a good fellow, he didn’t understand women or he would not have asked her so abruptly to fix the day, “but I suppose he thinks Sir John’s words about the marriage made it necessary for him to s-peak. However, I’m pretty sure he’s not in love with me, and it won’t break his heart when he knows I’m not going to marry him, but I daren't speak plainly until Victor Dumarsque has left the neighbourhood.” Ten minutes later she was driving into Hepscott, a little town about four miles from the Hall. Her destination was the bank, and having presented the cheque she asked for fifty pounds in gold, and four hundred and fifty in notes. Then, on receiving them, she returned to the carriage, and as she drove home she made up her mind to tell Dumarsque this would be the last money he would ever get from her. Suddenly she remembered the mysterious letter of warning that she had received. Who was the writer, and what did she know of him? The warning had come too late. Already she had suffered bitterly through him, thought Lady Jane, as the carriage stopped at the Hall door. She was late for luncheon, and, to her satisfaction, found only her aunt and Esther at the table. “Ronald lias gone home. He said he shouldn’t come to-morrow. I thought he seemed vexed,” said Miss Tempest. Lady Jane smiled. “Then it’s just as well he’s gone,” she said, quickly—and Esther decided that her friend knew what had vexed him. That night Lady Jane seemed excited and Restless; and Esther, who observed her closely, felt convinced she had an appointment with the man she had previously met in the Park, an appointment she was anxious to get over, as he kept glancing at the clock; and at last, when Aunt Sarah said goodnight, she expressed her. intention of going to bed. Esther followed her upstairs, but instead of undressing, she seated herself in an easy-chair. It was a very dark night—the moon was hidden and the stars were not visible—so if Jane left the house she would not be able to see her; but she would have to pass her companion’s door, and the latter resolved to listen. So after some time had elaused she wrap bed herself in the cloak she had worn the other night, and, lowering the gas, sat waiting to hear footsteps. Time passed. A quarter to twelve chimed. Then Esther heard light, quick steps pass her door; and, after waiting a minute or two, she followed, and found, as she expected, that Lady Jane had gone out of the side door, which was left unfastened. It was so dark that she could not ace her, but decided to go in the direction that Lady Jane had taken the other night. The grass deadened the sound of her footsteps, and she was brought to a standstill by hearing Durnarsque’s voice say: “We needn’t go any farther. It’s too dark for you to be seen from the house, if anyone happened to be awake. I suppose you’ve got the money ?” “Yes, I’ve got it; but my guardian made a bother about it, and I rdiall not try to get you any moi*e.” “Won’t you?”—and he laughed Insolently. “Xo. I’ll risk exposure sooner than I’ll he blackmailed by you,” she said, firmly. “That's not a nice word to use —and I don’t think you’d like the world to know all I could tell them. I shouldn’t make it easy for you.” “You can say what you like,” she said, doggedly. “All right. Then, when I come again, if you don’t give me what I want, I’ll see Miss Collinson —she’s a lovely girl!—and ask her if she remembers that awful storm —it lasted six hours, didn’t it? —when you and Mademoiselle Dubois were missing until morning.” “Be quiet, you wretch! And let me tell you, there is someone here who knows your character as well as 1 do. I had a letter yesterday—l’m sure the writer was a woman—and she warned me against you. I wish I could find her. She might be able to help me,” said Lady Jane. For a moment he did not speak. Then his tone was strangely altered, as he said: “If you and that woman ever meet., there will be murder!” “Murder!” she repeated. But there was no answer; and at a little distance the breaking of a twig under his foot told her that he had gone. (To be continued daily.)