Part 75 (1/2)
”My brother, Mr Wilton?” said Jenny, in a freezing tone.
”Oh, I say, please don't,” he whispered earnestly; ”I am trying so hard to show you that I'm not such a cad as you used to think, and when you speak to me in that way it makes me feel as if there's nothing, left to do but enlist, and get sent off to India, or the Crimea, or somewhere, to be killed out of the way.”
”Tell me quickly, where is she?”
”I can't yet. I'm not quite sure.”
”Pah!”
”Ah, you wait a bit, and you'll see; and if I do find her I shall bring her here.”
”Here?” cried Jenny, excitedly.
”Yes, why not? she likes you better than anybody in the world; he likes, her, and--. Here, I can't stop. Good-bye; tell him I'll be back again as soon as I can, for find her I will to-night.”
”But Mr Wilton--Claud!”
”Ah!” he cried excitedly, turning to her.
”Tell me one thing.”
”Everything,” he cried, wildly, ”if you'll speak to me like that.
Someone I thought had got her; I'm about sure now, but--I'd give anything to stop--but I can't.”
He rushed out into the street, and Jenny returned to her room and work, trembling with a double excitement, one moment blaming herself for being too free with her visitor, the next forgetting everything in the news.
”Oh, Pierce, dear Pierce! if it is only true,” she muttered, as her work dropped from her hands, and she sat hour after hour longing for her brother's return. This was not till ten, when she was trembling with excitement, and in momentary expectation of seeing Claud Wilton return first.
CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.
Jenny was standing at the window, watching the people go by, when a cab drew up and Leigh sprang out, to let himself in with his latch-key; and she was half-way down to meet him as he was coming up.
”Pierce,” she whispered excitedly. ”Claud Wilton has been. He has, he is sure, found Kate; and he is coming again to fetch you to where she is.”
Leigh staggered, and caught at the bal.u.s.trade to save himself from falling.
”Where is she?” he panted.
”I--don't know; he was not quite sure, but he is coming again. He says no one but you has a right to be there when she is found; and Pierce-- Pierce--he is going to bring her here!”
Leigh stood gazing straight before him, feeling as if he could hardly breathe, and he followed his sister into the drawing-room, but had hardly sunk into a chair when there was a tremendous peal at the bell.
”Here he is!” cried Jenny; and Leigh sprang from his seat to hurry down, but restrained himself, and to his sister's despair, stood waiting.
”Pierce, dear,” she whispered, ”pray go.”
”I have no right,” he said huskily; and Jenny wrung her hands and tried vainly for what she deemed the correct words to say.