Part 7 (1/2)
”Surely you did not take the lady's ring?”
”I done take ring? Oh, no, neva touchin' ring,” cried the child, looking up with candid eyes.
”But, Rosie, you said you were going to confess to me,” faltered Hester.
”Oh, yes, I 'fess Missus cause Missus believe me. I done 'fess, and I done 'fess butler, only he p.r.i.c.k my hands werry sore. Ramaswamy neva believe one word.”
Hester was now entirely satisfied as to the child's innocence, and felt touched by the quick confidence with which she dried her tears and even smiled. She decided to call the ayah and relieve her poor heart by a.s.suring her of the innocence of her granddaughter. She found her in the next room making everything, as was her wont, exquisitely tidy. She listened attentively to her mistress, but the strain did not leave her face.
”Missus speakin' true,” she said, nodding her head in acquiescence. ”My little girl neva done touch the lady's jewel. I know that from first.
But what that matter when English lady done say she did. How can pore native woman stand up against one white lady? 'Tis Rosie's bad fate, Missus. 'Tis the will of the G.o.ds--the G.o.ds make angry at my one pore chil'? What I do?”
The ayah's face wore a bitter look, though she held her head high and went about her duties in silence.
A spirit of dreariness took possession of Hester. All seemed dark and mysterious concerning the matter. Her heart ached for the old woman, though she felt unable to make any reply to her bitter words. But though she could not bind broken hearts, she could at least dress wounded fingers, she decided, and getting out lint and bandages she applied herself to that, and was rewarded by a patient smile from the little sufferer.
CHAPTER VII.
Mr. Rayner had not, as Hester supposed, been accompanied by his guest on his drive. Some letters had reached Mark which required immediate reply, and as he was leaving for Puranapore after breakfast, he decided he must forego the tennis-party in question, and devote himself to his correspondence. He was now seated in a room adjoining the library which his host had put at his disposal. Mr. Rayner was meanwhile on his way back from the tennis-party, not in the best of tempers, for his sworn enemy, the sun, was now high in the heavens and its rays were beating fiercely on his mail-phaeton.
He was driving himself, and as he swept into Clive's Road he perceived in the shade of the hedge a waiting figure whom he recognised with anything but satisfaction, to judge from his quick frown.
”Leila Baltus, by jove! So she's turned up again,--worse luck! Thought she'd taken herself off to Calcutta for good! She's evidently lying in wait for me too! Better interview her here than nearer the house,” he muttered to himself, as he threw the reins to the syce and leapt to the ground, saying he would walk the rest of the way, and directing that the phaeton should be taken to the stables.
”She's evidently bound for No. 7, or she wouldn't be so far from Vepery.
Fortunate that I've waylaid the creature; she might have tackled Hester and introduced herself as a former acquaintance of mine! What a close shave I've had! Well, I'm in for a tussle now!”
His angry frown was replaced by a studied smile as he hurried forward to meet the same girl who had accosted Mark at Mr. Morpeth's gate. She was now carefully attired in a spotless white muslin dress and a gay hat with a wealth of flowers.
Mr. Rayner lifted his sun-topee.
”Good morning, Leila! You're far from home! Didn't know you were in these parts at all--thought you had gone to Calcutta to keep house for your brother!”
The girl's face was lit up by smiles. ”No,” she answered. ”I'm here again in that hole Vepery. Claud took a wife and don't want me. But I didn't know you were back from England, Alf, till two nights ago, when I see you and another gent in that smart mail-phaeton. Oh my, what a toff you did look! All the same, you oughtn't to turn your back on old friends. You might have looked me and mother up. She will be awfulee glad to see you. You used to enjoy a bit supper with us. You'll mind that prawn curry of mother's, don't you, now?” said the girl, with an insinuating smile.
Alfred Rayner stood hesitating. Was it possible the girl did not know that he was now a married man, and had no intention of continuing the acquaintance of his bachelor days or of eating prawn curry in Vepery again? How bitterly he repented those days of his ”griffinage!” when he had been fool enough in idle hours to be feted and flattered by the Baltus household and other undesirable a.s.sociates! The memory rankled, and was indeed the chief source of his bitterness against the whole Eurasian cla.s.s. And with this pretty Leila he had been unwise enough to be betrayed into a flirtation. He winced to recall it. Ever since his return with his bride he had been congratulating himself that Leila Baltus was no longer a denizen of Vepery, and would not cross his path again. Yet there she was, glancing at him with encouraging eyes and an anxious smile. What would she say when she learnt that only a few yards distant a beautiful English wife awaited him? It was an awkward dilemma.
No wonder the young man felt the need of choosing his words carefully.
”The truth is,” he began slowly, ”I'm too busy a man now to avail myself of the pleasures of bachelorhood, Miss Baltus. Besides, the distance between Nungumbauk.u.m and Vepery is great; so you must excuse me. Salaams to your mother, forgive my hurrying off--haven't even had my tub yet!”
Lifting his sun-topee he was about to beat a dignified retreat.
”So that's where we are, Mister Rayner! You would fling off your old acquaintance like a pair of done shoes!” cried the girl, her insinuating smile changing to an angry scowl. Her companion making no reply, she seemed to decide on more conciliatory tactics.
”Well, maybe it's truth that you've grown such a grand toff and you'll want to fight shy of prawn curry and all that. And to tell the truth there ain't much supper going with us now a days, or anything else.
We've got behindhand, mother and me, and Claud won't be good for a single pice now he's married, so we're real hard up. Come now, since I'm so close to your beautiful house this morning you'll not grudge me a cup o' coffee in your verandah. It's a long tramp between Vepery and this grand place of yours. Oh, my, it's grand and no mistake!”
The girl looked admiringly towards the fine two-storied house, at one of the entrances of which the mail-phaeton was now disappearing on its way to the stables.