Part 27 (1/2)
”It's all the better,” thought the little girl, ”it's easier to say good-by when she's not extra loving.”
Hilda went back to her accounts, and Judy and Susan walked down the terrace, and turning the corner were lost to view.
They had gone on a little way, and Susan was about to hail a pa.s.sing omnibus, when Judy suddenly put her hand on the servant's arm.
”Susan,” she said, ”I am going to tell you the secret now. You'll be _sure_ to keep it?”
”Well, of course, miss, I'll do my best--I hope I aint one of the blabbing sort.”
”I don't think you are, Susan--you look as if a person could trust you.
I'm going to trust you with a most important thing.”
”Very well, miss--I'll be proud I'm sure; but hadn't we better stop that 'bus--there's the conductor looking at us.”
”Does that 'bus go in the direction of Waterloo Station?” asked Judy.
”Waterloo--bless you, Miss Judy--I don't know whether it do or not. I don't s'pose so for a quarter of a minute. Waterloo is miles from here--that I do know. But it's nothing to us where Waterloo is, miss, it's to Kensington Gardens we're going, and the 'bus has gone on now, so there's no good our worrying ourselves about it. Another will pa.s.s us in a minute. There are plenty half empty at this hour of the day.”
”I wish you would stop talking, Susan, and let me explain what I mean,”
said Judy, almost fretfully. ”It's to Waterloo I want to go, not to Kensington Gardens. Do you hear me--do you understand what I'm saying?”
”I suppose you're joking me, Miss Judy. My missis said we were to go to Kensington Gardens.”
”Please, Susan, stop for a minute. I want to say something very important. _I am going home._ That's the secret. I am going home to Aunt Marjorie and to father, and my little sister Babs, and the way home is by Waterloo, so I must get there. Now do you understand? That's the secret--I am going home to-day.”
Judy's face was so pale, and her words so intensely earnest, that Susan saw at last that the secret was no joking matter, but something real and hard to bear.
”Now I wonder what the little dear is up to,” she said under her breath.
”You know, Miss Judy, pet,” she replied aloud in as soothing a voice as she could command, ”that you don't really mean to run away like that,--for it is running away to go back to your home, and never say a word to Mrs. Quentyns, and she so wrapped up in you, and your room furnished so prettily and all.”
Judy had to gulp down a sob before she answered Susan.
”I didn't expect you to understand me,” she said with a dignity which made a deep impression on the maid. ”I'm not running away, and I'm doing right not wrong. You don't suppose it's always very pleasant to do right, but sometimes one can't think about what's pleasant. I wouldn't have asked you to help me at all, Susan, but I don't know how to get to Waterloo Station. Of course I came from there with my sister, but I didn't notice the road we took, nor anything about it. I know we were a long time in a cab, so I suppose the station is a good way from Philippa Terrace. What you have got to do now, Susan, is to obey me, and not to ask any questions. I really know what I'm about, and I promise that you shan't get into any trouble.”
But to Judy's surprise Susan was firm.
”I won't have hand nor part in the matter,” she said; ”I was told to take you to Kensington Gardens, miss, and it's there we've got to go, or we'll turn round and go back to Philippa Terrace.”
For a moment or two Judy felt afraid that all her plans were in jeopardy. She might of course call a cab on her own account, and trust the driver to take her safely to her destination; but brave as she was, she had scarcely courage for this extreme step; besides, the driver of the hansom might take it into his head to listen to Susan's strong objections, and even if he did obey Judy, Susan would go back to Philippa Terrace, and tell Hilda everything, and then Hilda would follow Judy to Waterloo, and prevent her going home at all.
The strongest feeling in the child's mind was a desire to be safe back in the Rectory before Hilda knew anything about her determination.
”Then she can't do anything,” thought Judy. ”She'll have nothing for it but to make herself quite happy with Jasper again.”
Suddenly an idea came to her.
”I won't argue with you any more, Susan,” she said. ”I suppose you _think_ you are doing right, and if you do, of course I can't expect you to act in any other way. If you knew everything that is in my heart, I am quite sure you would help me; but as you don't, I must think of something else. You know Mr. Rivers, don't you--the gentleman who dined at Philippa Terrace two nights ago?”
”Yes, miss, of course.”