Part 5 (2/2)
Bessie looked at Maud. ”Are you glad your name is not Drury?” she said.
Maud shook her head. ”I wish it was,” she said, ”and then I could make you understand better that I do not think Harry has disgraced it.”
”Then it can be, can't it?” said Bessie, drying her tears.
”What, dear?”
”Drury. You can change your name, can't you?”
A momentary blush overspread Maud's pale face, but it quickly faded, and a sadder look than ever came into her eyes as she shook her head and said, ”No, dear, I shall never change my name now.” Then, seeing that her sadness had brought back the tears to Bessie's eyes, she asked where Bertram had gone.
”To look after Harry's horse,” answered Bessie. ”Aunt Mabel says it is to be his, now; but Bertram says he will never ride it, for it will be like robbing Harry.”
”Suppose we go and look at Cavalier, too,” said Maud. ”He will miss his master almost as much as you do, Bessie,” she added, trying to speak cheerfully.
They went through the painted gallery and out of the side door, as Harry went in the morning, the little girl wondering why they went that way.
Bertram had sobbed out the first portion of his grief to his brother's dumb favourite, and now stood stroking its silky chestnut coat; but as Maud entered the paddock the n.o.ble creature p.r.i.c.ked up its ears and gave a pleased whining of recognition.
”It is not Harry, Cavalier,” said Bertram, sadly.
”Prithee, Cavalier is almost as fond of Maud as he is of Harry,” said Bessie.
”Oh, Maud, then you have him,” said Bertram, with a fresh burst of tears. ”He is mine now, Aunt Mabel says; but I shall never be able to ride him, for thinking of Harry; but he'll like to have you on his back, and Harry will like it too, I know.”
That Harry would like it Maud knew full well, but the appropriation of his things in this way she did not approve of at all; but Bertram's next words settled the matter.
”Aunt Mabel says Cavalier shall be sold, and a pony bought for me, if I don't like it; and I can't bear to part with Cavalier,” sobbed the little boy.
”We won't part with it, Bertie,” said Maud. ”I will have Cavalier, and ride him every day, and I will buy you a pony instead, and you can ride with me.”
Mistress Maud Harcourt possessed the sole right to a large fortune, and so she could do as she pleased in such a small matter as keeping a horse for her individual use. Mistress Mabel grumbled a little when she heard of this arrangement, but it did not alter matters, and in a few days Bertram's pony arrived.
CHAPTER VI.
THE HAYSLOPE WITCH.
There had never been much communication between the villagers of Hayslope and the family living at the Grange. Mistress Mabel believed that the villagers existed solely for the convenience of the family, but never troubled herself to consider their wants or necessities, and brought up her niece Mary upon the same principle. Maud appeared to be of a similar opinion; but sharing Harry's confidence in everything, she knew he went about among his poorer neighbours, and began to take an interest in them herself, although not very actively.
Now, however, she determined to follow Harry's example, and take up his work; and, mounted on Cavalier, she went out the very next day to make inquiries after an old woman whom she knew Harry had often befriended.
She inquired at the blacksmith's shed for Dame Coppins, but was surprised by the man coming to the door, and instead of pointing out the way to the cottage, saying, ”We'll do it, Mistress Harcourt! We'll have justice on the old witch that's done the mischief!”
”What mischief?” asked Maud, in some surprise, patting Cavalier to make him stand still.
”What mischief should it be but sending away Master Harry Drury to the Parliament wars, as though the king hadn't had enough of the lads from Hayslope?”
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