Part 67 (1/2)
Good-night, ma'am; I won't disturb you again. The things can be left on the side-table. Is there anything else I can do?”
”No, I thank you,” said Kate, coldly.
”Very good, ma'am.”
The woman went back to the door, and Kate's last hope of her turning a friend to help her died out, for she heard her sigh and say softly, evidently to be heard:
”Poor dear master; it's very sad.”
”Good-night!” said Kate, involuntarily repeating the woman's words.
”G.o.d help me and protect me through the long night watches, and inspire me with the thought that shall bring me help. How can I dare to sleep?”
The answer came from Nature--imperative, and who knew no denial; for once more the prisoner awoke, wondering to find that it was morning and that she must have slept for many hours in a chair.
CHAPTER FORTY.
In the hope that an opportunity would soon come, and to be ready at any moment, one of Kate's first acts that morning was to write plainly a few words on a sheet of paper, begging Becky to post her letter, and inclosing it with the note in another envelope, which she directed to the woman herself. This she placed in the fold of her dress, where she could draw it out directly, and waited.
The housekeeper was not long before she made her appearance with the breakfast tray, and was respectful in the extreme.
”Master thought, ma'am, that perhaps you might like your breakfast alone this morning, but he hopes to see you at lunch. He is so unwell that he is not going out this morning.”
”Staying to watch for fear I should escape,” thought Kate, and a nervous s.h.i.+ver ran through her; but rest seemed to have given her mental strength, and after breakfast she felt disposed to ridicule the idea of her being kept there against her will. ”It must be possible to get away,” she thought. It only wanted nerve and determination, for there was but the wall of the house between her and safety.
Soon after breakfast the housekeeper appeared again, to remove the breakfast things.
”Would you mind me coming to tidy up your room, ma'am, while you are here, or would you prefer my waiting till you go down?”
”Do it now,” said Kate, quietly; and to avoid being spoken to, she took up a book and held it as if she were reading. But all the time she was noting everything, with her senses on the alert, and the next minute her heart began to throb wildly, for she saw the woman go to the door, pa.s.s out the tray, and it was evident that some order was given.
Becky was there, and Kate sat trembling, her excitement increasing when the next minute there was a light tap at the door, and Becky was admitted to a.s.sist in rearranging the room.
This went on for about a quarter of an hour, with Becky carefully minding not to glance at the prisoner, who, with head bent, watched her every movement, on the hope of her being left alone for a few minutes.
But as the mother was always near at hand, the opportunity did not come; and at last, with the envelope doubled in her hand, Kate began to feel that she might give up this time, and would have to wait till she could see the woman pa.s.sing her room.
The disappointment was terrible, and Kate's heart sank in her despair as the housekeeper suddenly said:
”There, that will do--get on downstairs.”
She stood back for her daughter to pa.s.s her, and then followed to the door, where a whispered conversation ensued.
”What? Left the brush?”
”Yes; other side of the room.”
”Be quick, then. Fetch it out.”
The housekeeper was pa.s.sing through the door as she spoke, and Becky reappeared, to cross the room hurriedly, with her face lighting up as she gave the prisoner a meaning look, drew something from her bosom, and thrust it into Kate's hand, and took the note offered to her.