Part 50 (1/2)
”You are an angel! When I think that you, my sweet, will be mixed up in this, and-and injured by it, and brought to low esteem by it, oh, my dearest, what can I say?”
Audrey was silent for a moment. She bent her head and looked down; then she spoke.
”It is a trial,” she said, ”but I am not to be pitied as Evelyn is to be pitied. Mother darling, there is but one thing to be done.”
”What is that, dearest?”
”To get her to repent-to get her to confess between now and the morning after next. Oh mother! leave her to me.”
”I will, Audrey. If any one can influence her, you can; you are so brave, so good, so strong!”
”Nay, I have but little influence over her,” said Audrey. ”Let me think for a few moments, mother.”
Audrey sank into a chair and sat silent. Her sweet, pure, high-bred face was turned in profile to her mother. Lady Frances glanced at it, and thought over the circ.u.mstances which had brought Evelyn into their midst.
”To think that that girl should supplant her!” thought the mother; and her anger was so great that she could not keep quiet. She was going out of the room to speak to her husband, but before she reached the door Audrey called her.
”What are you going to do, mother?”
”It is only right that I should tell you, Audrey. An idea has come to me. Evelyn respects your father; if I told him just what I have told you he might induce her to confess.”
”No, mother,” said Audrey suddenly; ”do not let us lower her in his eyes. The strongest possible motive for Evelyn to confess her sin will be that father does not know; that he need never know if she confesses.
Do not tell him, please, mother; I have got another thought.”
”What is that, my darling?”
”Do you not remember Sylvia-pretty Sylvia?”
”Of course. A dear, bright, fascinating girl!”
”Evelyn is fond of her-fonder of Sylvia than she is of me; perhaps Sylvia could induce her to confess.”
”It is a good thought, Audrey. I will ask Sylvia over here to dine to-morrow evening.”
”Oh, mother darling, that is too late! May I not send a messenger for her to come in the morning? Oh mother, if she could only come now!”
”No dearest; it is too late to-night.”
”But Evelyn ought to see her before she goes to school.”
”My dearest, you have both to be at school at nine o'clock.”
”Oh, I don't know what is to be done! I do feel that I have very little influence, and Sylvia may have much. Oh dear! oh dear!”
”Audrey, I am almost sorry I have told you; you take it too much to heart.”
”Dear mother, you must have told me; I could not have stood the shock, the surprise, unprepared. Oh mother, think of the morning after next!
Think of our all standing up in school, and Evelyn, my cousin, being proclaimed guilty! And yet, mother, I ought only to think of Evelyn, and not of myself; but I cannot help thinking of myself-I cannot-I cannot.”
”Something must be done to help you, Audrey. Let me think. I will write a line to Miss Henderson and say I am detaining you both till afternoon school. Then, dearest, you can have your talk with Evelyn in the morning, and afterwards Sylvia can see her, and perhaps the unhappy child may be brought to repentance, and may speak to Miss Henderson and confess her sin in the afternoon. That is the best thing. Now go to bed, and do not let the trouble worry you, my sweet; that would indeed be the last straw.”