the hand of ethelberta-第45章

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comrade；　and　watched　its　motions　continually。　　The　schooner　was
considerably　in　advance　of　them　by　this　time；　and　seemed　to　be
getting　by　degrees　out　of　their　course。　　She　wondered　if　Lord
Mountclere　could　be　really　going　to　Cherbourg：　　if　so；　why　had　he
said　nothing　about　the　trip　to　her　when　she　spoke　of　her　own
approaching　voyage　thither？　　The　yacht　changed　its　character　in　her
eyes；　losing　the　indefinite　interest　of　the　unknown；　it　acquired　the
charm　of　a　riddle　on　motives；　of　which　the　alternatives　were；　had
Lord　Mountclere's　journey　anything　to　do　with　her　own；　or　had　it
not？　　Common　probability　pointed　to　the　latter　supposition；　but　the
time　of　starting；　the　course　of　the　yacht；　and　recollections　of　Lord
Mountclere's　homage；　suggested　the　more　extraordinary　possibility。

She　went　across　to　Cornelia。　　'The　man　who　handed　us　on　board
didn't　I　see　him　speaking　to　you　this　morning？'　she　said。

'O　yes；'　said　Cornelia。　　'He　asked　if　my　mistress　was　the　popular
Mrs。　Petherwin？

'And　you　told　him；　I　suppose？'

'Yes。'

'What　made　you　do　that；　Cornelia？'

'I　thought　I　might：　　I　couldn't　help　it。　　When　I　went　through　the
toll…gate；　such　a　gentlemanly…looking　man　asked　me　if　he　should　help
me　to　carry　the　things　to　the　end　of　the　pier；　and　as　we　went　on
together　he　said　he　supposed　me　to　be　Mrs。　Petherwin's　maid。　　I
said；　〃Yes。〃　　The　two　men　met　afterwards；　so　there　would　ha'　been　no
good　in　my　denying　it　to　one　of　'em。'

'Who　was　this　gentlemanly　person？'

'I　asked　the　other　man　that；　and　he　told　me　one　of　Lord　Mountclere's
upper　servants。　　I　knew　then　there　was　no　harm　in　having　been　civil
to　him。　　He　is　well…mannered；　and　talks　splendid　language。'

'That　yacht　you　see　on　our　right　hand　is　Lord　Mountclere's　property。
If　I　do　not　mistake；　we　shall　have　her　closer　by…and…by；　and　you　may
meet　your　gentlemanly　friend　again。　　Be　careful　how　you　talk　to
him。'

Ethelberta　sat　down；　thought　of　the　meeting　at　Corvsgate　Castle；　of
the　dinner…party　at　Mr。　Doncastle's；　of　the　strange　position　she　had
there　been　in；　and　then　of　her　father。　　She　suddenly　reproached
herself　for　thoughtlessness；　for　in　her　pocket　lay　a　letter　from
him；　which　she　had　taken　from　the　postman　that　morning　at　the　moment
of　coming　from　the　door；　and　in　the　hurry　of　embarking　had　forgotten
ever　since。　　Opening　it　quickly；　she　read：

'MY　DEAR　ETHELBERTA；Your　letter　reached　me　yesterday；　and　I　called
round　at　Exonbury　Crescent　in　the　afternoon；　as　you　wished。
Everything　is　going　on　right　there；　and　you　have　no　occasion　to　be
anxious　about　them。　　I　do　not　leave　town　for　another　week　or　two；
and　by　the　time　I　am　gone　Sol　and　Dan　will　have　returned　from　Paris；
if　your　mother　and　Gwendoline　want　any　help：　　so　that　you　need　not
hurry　back　on　their　account。

'I　have　something　else　to　tell　you；　which　is　not　quite　so
satisfactory；　and　it　is　this　that　makes　me　write　at　once；　but　do　not
be　alarmed。　　It　began　in　this　way。　　A　few　nights　after　the　dinner…
party　here　I　was　determined　to　find　out　if　there　was　any　truth　in
what　you　had　been　told　about　that　boy；　and　having　seen　Menlove　go
out　as　usual　after　dark；　I　followed　her。　　Sure　enough；　when　she　had
got　into　the　park；　up　came　master　Joe；　smoking　a　cigar。　　As　soon　as
they　had　met　I　went　towards　them；　and　Menlove；　seeing　somebody　draw
nigh；　began　to　edge　off；　when　the　blockhead　said；　〃Never　mind；　my
love；　it　is　only　the　old　man。〃　　Being　very　provoked　with　both　of
them；　though　she　was　really　the　most　to　blame；　I　gave　him　some　smart
cuts　across　the　shoulders　with　my　cane；　and　told　him　to　go　home；
which　he　did　with　a　flea　in　his　ear；　the　rascal。　　I　believe　I　have
cured　his　courting　tricks　for　some　little　time。

'Well；　Menlove　then　walked　by　me；　quite　cool；　as　if　she　were　merely
a　lady　passing　by　chance　at　the　time；　which　provoked　me　still　more；
knowing　the　whole　truth　of　it；　and　I　could　not　help　turning　upon　her
and　saying；　〃You；　madam；　ought　to　be　served　the　same　way。〃　　She
replied　in　very　haughty　words；　and　I　walked　away；　saying　that　I　had
something　better　to　do　than　argue　with　a　woman　of　her　character　at
that　hour　of　the　evening。　　This　so　set　her　up　that　she　followed　me
home；　marched　into　my　pantry；　and　told　me　that　if　I　had　been　more
careful　about　my　manners　in　calling　her　a　bad　character；　it　might
have　been　better　both　for　me　and　my　stuck…up　daughtera　daw　in
eagle's　plumesand　so　on。　　Now　it　seems　that　she　must　have　coaxed
something　out　of　Joey　about　youfor　what　lad　in　the　world　could　be
a　match　for　a　woman　of　her　experience　and　arts！　　I　hope　she　will　do
you　no　serious　damage；　but　I　tell　you　the　whole　state　of　affairs
exactly　as　they　are；　that　you　may　form　your　own　opinions。　　After
all；　there　is　no　real　disgrace；　for　none　of　us　have　ever　done　wrong；
but　have　worked　honestly　for　a　living。　　However；　I　will　let　you　know
if　anything　serious　really　happens。'


This　was　all　that　her　father　said　on　the　matter；　the　letter
concluding　with　messages　to　the　children　and　directions　from　their
mother　with　regard　to　their　clothes。

Ethelberta　felt　very　distinctly　that　she　was　in　a　strait；　the　old
impression　that；　unless　her　position　were　secured　soon；　it　never
would　be　secured；　returned　with　great　force。　　A　doubt　whether　it　was
worth　securing　would　have　been　very　strong　ere　this；　had　not　others
besides　herself　been　concerned　in　her　fortunes。　　She　looked　up　from
her　letter；　and　beheld　the　pertinacious　yacht；　it　led　her　up　to　a
conviction　that　therein　lay　a　means　and　an　opportunity。

Nothing　further　of　importance　occurred　in　crossing。　　Ethelberta's
head　ached　after　a　while；　and　Cornelia's　healthy　cheeks　of　red　were
found　to　have　diminished　their　colour　to　the　size　of　a　wafer　and　the
quality　of　a　stain。　　The　Speedwell　entered　the　breakwater　at
Cherbourg　to　find　the　schooner　already　in　the　roadstead；　and　by　the
time　the　steamer　was　brought　up　Ethelberta　could　see　the　men　on
board　the　yacht　clewing　up　and　making　things　snug　in　a　way　from
which　she　inferred　that　they　were　not　going　to　leave　the　harbour
again　that　day。　　With　the　aspect　of　a　fair　galleon　that　could　easily
out…manoeuvre　her　persevering　buccaneer；　Ethelberta　passed
alongside。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　Lord　Mountclere　had　on　her
account　fixed　this　day　for　his　visit　across　the　Channel？

'Well；　I　would　rather　be　haunted　by　him　than　by　Mr。　Neigh；'　she
said；　and　began　laying　her　plans　so　as　to　guard　against　inconvenient
surprises。

The　next　morning　Ethelberta　was　at　the　railway　station；　taking
tickets　for　herself　and　Cornelia；　when　she　saw　an　old　yet　sly　and
somewhat　merry…faced　Englishman　a　little　way　off。　　He　was　attended
by　a　younger　man；　who　appeared　to　be　his　valet。

'I　will　exchange　one　of　these　tickets；'　she　said　to　the　clerk；　and
having　done　so　she　went　to　Cornelia　to　inform　her　that　it　would
after　all　be　advisable　for　them　to　travel　separate；　adding；　'Lord
Mountclere　is　in　the　station；　and　I　think　he　is　going　on　by　our
train。　　Remember；　you　are　my　maid　again　now。　　Is　not　that　the
gentlemanly　man　who　assisted　you　yesterday？'　　She　signified　the
valet　as　she　spoke。

'It　is；'　said　Cornelia。

When　the　passengers　were　taking　their　seats；　and　Ethelberta　was
thinking　whether　she　might　not　after　all　enter　a　second…class　with
Cornelia　instead　of　sitting　solitary　in　a　first　because　of　an　old
man's　proximity；　she　heard　a　shuffling　at　her　elbow；　and　the　next
moment　found　that　he　was　overtly　observing　her　as　if　he　had　not　done
so　in　secret　at　all。　　She　at　once　gave　him　an　unsurprised　gesture　of
recognition。　　'I　saw　you　some　time　ago；　what　a　singular
coincidence；'　she　said。

'A　charming　one；'　said　Lord　Mountclere；　smiling　a　half…minute　smile；
and　making　as　if　he　would　take　his　hat　off　and　would　not　quite。
'Perhaps　we　must　not　call　it　coincidence　entirely；'　he　continued；
'my　journey；　which　I　have　contemplated　for　some　time；　was　not　fixed
this　week　altogether　without　a　thought　of　your　presence　on　the　road…
…hee…hee！　　Do　you　go　far　to…day？'

'As　far　as　Caen；'　said　Ethelberta。

'Ah！　　That's　the　end　of　my　day's　journey；　too；'　said　Lord
Mountclere。　　They　parted　and　took　their　respective　places；　Lord
Mountclere　choosing　a　compartment　next　to　the　one　Ethelberta　was
entering；　and　not；　as　she　had　expected；　attempting　to　join　her。

Now　she　had　instantly　fancied　when　the　viscount　was　speaking　that
there　were　signs　of　some　departure　from　his　former　respectful　manner
towards　her；　and　an　enigma　lay　in　that。　　At　their　earlier　meetings
he　had　never　ventured　upon　a　distinct　coupling　of　himself　and
herself　as　he　had　done　in　his　broad　compliment　to…dayif　compliment
it　could　be　called。　　She　was　not　sure　that　he　did　not　exceed　his
license　in　telling　her　deliberately　that　he　had　meant　to　hover　near
her　in　a　private　journey　which　she　was　taking　without　reference　to
him。　　She　did　not　object　to　the　act；　but　to　the　avowal　of　the　act；
and；　being　as　sensitive　as　a　barometer　on　signs　affecting　her　social
condition；　it　darted　upon　Ethelberta　for　one　little　moment　that　he
might　possibly　have　heard　a　word　or　two　about　her　being　nothing　more
nor　less　than　one　of　a　tribe　of　thralls；　hence　his　freedom　of
manner。　　Certainly　a　plain　remark　of　that　sort　was　exactly　what　a
susceptible　peer　might　be　supposed　to　say　to　a　pretty　woman　of　far
inferior　degree。　　A　rapid　redness　filled　her　face　at　the　thought
that　he　might　have　smiled　upon　her　as　upon　a　domestic　whom　he　was
disposed　to　chuck　under　the　chin。　　'But　no；'　she　said。　　'He　would
never　have　taken　the　trouble　to　follow　and　meet　with　me　had　he
learnt　to　think　me　other　than　a　lady。　　It　is　extremity　of　devotion
that's　all。'

It　was　not　Ethelberta's　inexperience；　but　that　her　conception　of
self　precluded　such　an　association　of　ideas；　which　led　her　to
dismiss　the　surmise　that　his　attendance　could　be　inspired　by　a
motive　beyond　that　of　paying　her　legitimate　attentions　as　a　co…
ordinate　with　him　and　his　in　the　social　field。　　Even　if　he　only
meant　flirtation；　she　read　it　as　of　that　sort　from　which　courtship
with　an　eye　to　matrimony　differs　only　in　degree。　　Hence；　she
thought；　his　interest　in　her　was　not　likely；　under　the　ordinary
influences　of　caste　feeling；　to　continue　longer　than　while　he　was
kept　in　ignorance　of　her　consanguinity　with　a　stock　proscribed。　　She
sighed　at　the　anticipated　close　of　her　full…feathered　towering　when
her　ties　and　bonds　should　be　uncovered。　　She　might　have　seen　matters
in　a　different　light；　and　sighed　more。　　But　in　the　stir　of　the
moment　it　escaped　her　thought　that　ignorance　of　her　position；　and　a
consequent　regard　for　her　as　a　woman　of　good　standing；　would　have
prevented　his　indulgence　in　any　course　which　was　open　to　the
construction　of　being　disrespectful。

Valognes；　Carentan；　Isigny；　Bayeux；　were　passed；　and　the　train　drew
up　at　Caen。　　Ethelberta's　intention　had　been　to　stay　here　for　one
night；　but　having　learnt　from　Lord　Mountclere；　as　previously
described；　that　this　was　his　destination；　she　decided　to　go　on。　　On
turning　towards　the　carriage　after　a　few　minutes　of　promenading　at
the　Caen　station；　she　was　surprised　to　perceive　that　Lord
Mountclere；　who　had　alighted　as　if　to　leave；　was　still　there。

They　spoke　again　to　each　other。　　'I　find　I　have　to　go　further；'　he
suddenly　said；