Elster's Folly by Mrs. Henry Wood (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

Val,  Sternly. "Your Treachery Forced Maude Upon Me; And Let Me Tell You

Now,  Lady Kirton,  If I Have Never Told You Before,  That It Wrought Upon

Her The Most Bitter Wrong Possible To Be Inflicted; Which She Lived To

Learn. I Was A Vacillating Simpleton,  And You Held Me In Your Trammels.

The Less We Rake Up Old Matters The Better. Things Have Altered. I Am

Altered. The Moral Courage I Once Lacked Does Not Fail Me Now; And I Have

At Least Sufficient To Hold My Own Against The World,  And Protect From

Insult The Lady I Have Made My Wife. I Beg Your Pardon If My Words Seem

Harsh; They Are True; And I Am Sorry You Have Forced Them From Me."

She Was Standing Still For A Moment,  Staring At Him,  Not Altogether

Certain Of Her Ground.

"Where Are The Children?" He Asked.

"Where You Can't Get At Them," She Rejoined Hotly. "You Have Your Beloved

Wife; You Don't Want Them."

He Rang The Bell,  More Loudly Than He Need Have Done; But His Usually

Sweet Temper Was Provoked. A Footman Came In.

"Tell The Nurse To Bring Down The Children."

"They Are Not At Home,  My Lord."

"Not At Home! Surely They Are Not Out In This Rain!--And So Late!"

"They Went Out This Afternoon,  My Lord: And Have Not Come In,  I Believe."

"There,  That Will Do," Tartly Interposed The Dowager. "You Don't Know

Anything About It,  And You May Go."

"Lady Kirton,  Where Are The Children?"

"Where You Can't Get At Them,  I Say," Was Lady Kirton's Response. "You

Don't Think I Am Going To Suffer Maude's Children To Be Domineered Over

By A Wretch Of A Step-Mother--Perhaps Poisoned."

He Confronted Her In His Wrath,  His Eyes Flashing.

"Madam!"

"Oh,  You Need Not 'Madam' Me. Maude's Gone,  And I Shall Act For Her."

"I Ask You Where My Children Are?"

"I Have Sent Them Away; You May Make The Most Of The Information. And

When I Have Remained Here As Long As I Choose,  I Shall Take Them With Me,

And Keep Them,  And Bring Them Up. You Can At Once Decide What Sum You

Will Allow Me For Their Education And Maintenance: Two Maids,  A Tutor,

A Governess,  Clothes,  Toys,  And Pocket-Money. It Must Be A Handsome Sum,

Paid Quarterly In Advance. And I Mean To Take A House In London For Their

Accommodation,  And Shall Expect You To Pay The Rent."

The Coolness With Which This Was Delivered Turned Val's Angry Feelings

Into Amusement. He Could Not Help Laughing As He Looked At Her.

"You Cannot Have My Children,  Lady Kirton."

"They Are Maude's Children," Snapped The Dowager.

"But I Presume You Admit That They Are Likewise Mine. And I Shall

Certainly Not Part With Them."

"If You Oppose Me In This,  I'll Put Them Into Chancery," Cried The

Dowager. "I Am Their Nearest Relative,  And Have A Right To Them."

"Nearest Relative!" He Repeated. "You Must Have Lost Your Senses. I Am

Their Father."

"And Have You Lived To See Thirty,  And Never Learnt That Men Don't Count

For Anything In The Bringing Up Of Infants?" Shrilly Asked The Dowager.

"If They Had Ten Fathers,  What's That To The Lord Chancellor? No More

Than Ten Blocks Of Wood. What They Want Is A Mother."

"And I Have Now Given Them One."

Without Another Word,  With The Red Flush Of Emotion On His Cheek,  He Went

Up To His Wife's Room. She Was Alone Then,  Dressed,  And Just Coming Out

Of It. He Put His Arm Round Her To Draw Her In Again,  As He Shortly

Explained The Annoyance Their Visitor Was Causing Him.

"You Must Stay Here,  My Dearest,  Until I Can Go Down With You," He Added.

"She Is In A Vile Humour,  And I Do Not Choose That You Should Encounter

Her,  Unprotected By Me."

"But Where Are You Going,  Val?"

"Well,  I Really Think I Shall Get A Policeman In,  And Frighten Her Into

Saying What She Has Done With The Children. She'll Never Tell Unless

Forced Into It."

Anne Laughed,  And Hartledon Went Down. He Had In Good Truth A Great Mind

To See What The Effect Would Be. The Old Woman Was Not A Reasonable

Being,  And He Felt Disposed To Show Her Very Little Consideration. As He

Stood At The Hall-Door Gazing Forth,  Who Should Arrive But Thomas Carr.

Not Altogether By Accident; He Had Come Up Exploring,  To See If There

Were Any Signs Of Val's Return.

"Ah! Home At Last,  Hartledon!"

"Carr,  What Happy Wind Blew You Hither?" Cried Val,  As He Grasped The

Hands Of His Trusty Friend. "You Can Terrify This Woman With The Thunders

Of The Law If She Persists In Kidnapping Children That Don't Belong To

Her." And He Forthwith Explained The State Of Affairs.

Mr. Carr Laughed.

"She Will Not Keep Them Away Long. She Is No Fool,  That Countess-Dowager.

It Is A Ruse,  No Doubt,  To Induce You To Give Them Up To Her."

"Give Them Up To Her,  Indeed!" Val Was Beginning,  When Hedges Advanced To

Him.

"Mrs. Ball Says The Children Have Only Gone To Madame Tussaud's,  My

Lord," Quoth He. "The Nurse Told Her So When She Went Out."

"I Wish She Was Herself One Of Madame Tussaud's Figure-Heads!" Cried Val.

"Mr. Carr Dines Here,  Hedges. Nonsense,  Carr; You Can't Refuse. Never

Mind Your Coat; Anne Won't Mind. I Want You To Make Acquaintance With

Her."

"How Did You Contrive To Win Over Dr. Ashton?" Asked Thomas Carr,  As He

Went In.

"I Put The Matter Before Him In Its True Light," Answered Val,  "Asking

Him Whether,  If Anne Forgave Me,  He Would Condemn Us To Live Out Our

Lives Apart From Each Other: Or Whether He Would Not Act The Part Of A

Good Christian,  And Give Her To Me,  That I Might Strive To Atone For The

Past."

"And He Did So?"

"After A Great Deal Of Trouble. There's No Time To Give You Details. I

Had A Powerful Advocate In Anne's Heart. She Had Never Forgotten Me,  For

All My Misconduct."

"You Have Been A Lucky Man At Last,  Taking One Thing With Another."

"You May Well Say So," Was The Answer,  In Tones Of Deep Feeling.

"Moments Come Over Me When I Fear I Am About To Awake And Find The

Present A Dream. I Am Only Now Beginning To _Live_. The Past Few Years

Have Been--You Know What,  Carr."

He Sent The Barrister Into The Drawing Room,  Went Upstairs For Anne,  And

Brought Her In On His Arm. The Dowager Was In Her Chamber,  Attiring

Herself In Haste.

"My Wife,  Carr," Said Hartledon,  With A Loving Emphasis On The Word.

She Was In An Evening Dress Of White And Black,  Not Having Yet Put Off

Mourning For Mrs. Ashton,  And Looked Very Lovely; Far More Lovely In

Thomas Carr's Eyes Than Lady Maude,  With Her Dark Beauty,  Had Ever

Looked. She Held Out Her Hand To Him With A Frank Smile.

"I Have Heard So Much Of You,  Mr. Carr,  That We Seem Like Old Friends.

I Am Glad You Have Come To See Me So Soon."

"My Being Here This Evening Is An Accident,  Lady Hartledon,  As You May

See By My Dress," He Returned. "I Ought Rather To Apologize For Intruding

On You In The Hour Of Your Arrival."

"Don't Talk About Intrusion," Said Val. "You Will Never Be An Intruder In

My House--And Anne's Smile Is Telling You The Same--"

"Who's That,  Pray?"

The Interruption Came From The Countess-Dowager. There She Stood,  Near

The Door,  In A Yellow Gown And Green Turban. Val Drew Himself Up And

Approached Her,  His Wife Still On His Arm. "Madam," Said He,  In Reply To

Her Question,  "This Is My Wife,  Lady Hartledon."

The Dowager's Gauzes Made Acquaintance With The Carpet In So Elaborate

A Curtsey As To Savour Of Mockery,  But Her Eyes Were Turned Up To The

Ceiling; Not A Word Or Look Gave She To The Young Lady.

"The Other One,  I Meant," Cried She,  Nodding Towards Thomas Carr.

"It Is My Friend Mr. Carr. You Appear To Have Forgotten Him."

"I Hope You Are Well,  Ma'am," Said He,  Advancing Towards Her.

Another Curtsey,  And The Countess-Dowager Fanned Herself,  And Sailed

Towards The Fireplace.

Meanwhile The Children Came Home In A Cab From Madame Tussaud's,  And

Dinner Was Announced. Lord Hartledon Was Obliged To Take Down The

Countess-Dowager,  Resigning His Wife To Mr. Carr. Dinner Passed Off

Pretty Well,  The Dowager Being Too Fully Occupied To Be Annoying; Also

The Good Cheer Caused Her Temper To Thaw A Little. Afterwards,  The

Children Came In; Edward,  A Bold,  Free Boy Of Five,  Who Walked Straight

Up To His Grandmother,  Saluting No One; And Maude,  A Timid,  Delicate

Little Child,  Who Stood Still In The Middle Of The Carpet Where The Maid

Placed Her.

The Dowager Was Just Then Too Busy To Pay Attention To The Children,  But

Anne Held Out Her Hand With A Smile. Upon Which The Child Drew Up To Her

Father,  And Hid Her Face In His Coat.

He Took Her Up,  And Carried Her To His Wife,  Placing Her Upon Her Knee.

"Maude," He Whispered,  "This Is Your Mamma,  And You Must Love Her Very

Much,  For She Loves You."

Anne's Arms Fondly Encircled The Child; But She Began To Struggle To Get

Down.

"Bad Manners,  Maude," Said Her Father.

"She's Afraid Of Her," Spoke Up The Boy,  Who Had The Dark Eyes And

Beautiful Features Of His Late Mother. "We Are Afraid Of Bad People."

The Observation Passed Momentarily Unnoticed,  For Maude,  Whom Lady

Hartledon Had Been Obliged To Release,  Would Not Be Pacified. But When

Calmness Ensued,  Lord Hartledon Turned To The Boy,  Just Then Assisting

Himself To Some Pineapple.

"What Did I Hear You Say About Bad People,  Edward?"

"She," Answered The Boy,  Pointing Towards Lady Hartledon. "She Shan't

Touch Maude. She's Come Here To Beat Us,  And I'll Kick If She Touches

Me."

Lord Hartledon,  With An Unmistakable Look At The Countess-Dowager,  Rose

From His Seat In Silence And Rang The Bell. There Could Be No Correction

In The Presence Of The Dowager; He And Anne Must Undo Her Work Alone.

Carrying The Little Girl In One Arm,  He Took The Boy's Hand,  And Met The

Servant At The Door.

"Take These Children Back To The Nursery."

"I Want Some Strawberries," The Boy Called Out Rebelliously.

"Not To-Day," Said His Father. "You Know Quite Well That You Have Behaved

Badly."

His Wife's Face Was Painfully Flushed. Mr. Carr Was Critically Examining

The Painted Landscape On His Plate; And The Turban Was Enjoying Some

Fruit With Perfect Unconcern. Lord Hartledon Stood An Instant Ere He

Resumed His Seat.

"Anne," He Said In A Voice That Trembled In Spite Of Its Displeased

Tones,  "Allow Me To Beg Your Pardon,  And I Do It With Shame That This

Gratuitous Insult Should Have Been Offered You In Your Own House. A Day

Or Two Will,  I Hope,  Put Matters On Their Right Footing; The Poor

Children,  As You See,  Have Been Tutored."

"Are You Going To Keep The Port By You All Night,  Hartledon?"

Need You Ask From Whom Came The Interruption? Mr. Carr Passed It Across

To Her,  Leaving Her To Help Herself; And Lord Hartledon Sat Down,  Biting

His Delicate Lips.

When The Dowager Seemed To Have Finished,  Anne Rose. Mr. Carr Rose Too As

Soon As They Had Retired.

"I Have An Engagement,  Hartledon,  And Am Obliged To Run Away. Make My

Adieu To Your Wife."

"Carr,  Is It Not A Crying Shame?--Enough To Incense Any Man?"

"It Is. The Sooner You Get Rid Of Her The Better."

"That's Easier Said Than Done."

When Lord Hartledon Reached The Drawing-Room,  The Dowager Was Sleeping

Comfortably. Looking About For His Wife,  He Found Her In The Small Room

Maude Used To Make Exclusively Her Own,  Which Was Not Lighted Up. She Was

Standing At The Window,  And Her Tears Were Quietly Falling. He Drew Her

Face To His Own.

"My Darling,  Don't Let It Grieve You! We Shall Soon Right It All."

"Oh,  Percival,  If The Mischief Should Have Gone Too Far!--If They Should

Never Look Upon Me Except As A Step-Mother! You Don't Know How Sick And

Troubled This Has Made Me Feel! I Wanted To Go To Them In The Nursery

When I Came Up,  And Did Not Dare! Perhaps The Nurse Has Also Been

Prejudiced Against Me!"

"Come Up With Me Now,  Love," He Whispered.

They Went Silently Upstairs,  And Found The Children Were Then In Bed And

Asleep. They Were Tired With Sight-Seeing,  The Nurse Said Apologetically,

Curtseying To Her New Mistress.

The Nurse Withdrew,  And They Stood Over The Nursery Fire,  Talking. Anne

Could Scarcely Account For The Extreme Depression The Event Seemed To

Have Thrown Upon Her. Lord Hartledon Quickly Recovered His Spirits,

Vowing He Should Like To "Serve Out" The Dowager.

"I Was Thankful For One Thing,  Val; That You Did Not Betray Anger To

Them,  Poor Little Things. It Would Have Made It Worse."

"I Was On The Point Of Betraying Something More