“Well!” returned Miss Wynward, dubiously, “many of them have business with her ladyship, and they come to see her upon it! I generally conduct them to her presence, and leave them alone with her, but that is all I see of them! They have never come here to a party, or dinner, to my knowledge!”
“How very extraordinary!” cried Harriet. “What do they come for then?”
“The Baroness must tell you that!” replied the other, gravely, “I am not in her confidence, and if I were, I should not feel justified in revealing it.”
This conversation drove Harriet to her room to indite a letter to Captain Pullen. If she were to be deprived of the society of dukes and princes, she would at least secure the company of one person who could make the time pass pleasantly to her. As she wrote to him, rapidly, unadvisedly, passionately, her head burned and her heart was fluttering. She felt as if she had been deceived—cheated—decoyed to the Red House under false pretences, and she was in as much of a rage as her indolent nature would permit her to be. The revelations of Miss Wynward had sunk down into her very soul. No parties, no dinners, with princes handing her into the dining-room and whispering soft nothings into her ears all the time! Why had Madame Gobelli so often promised to console her for the loss of Captain Pullen by this very means, and it was a dream, a chimera, they only came to the Red House on business—business, horrid unromantic word—and were shut up with the Baroness. What business, she wondered! Could it be about boots and shoes, and if so, why did they not go to the shop, which surely was the proper place from which to procure them! The idea that she had been deceived in this particular, made her write far more warmly and pleadingly perhaps, than she would otherwise have done. A bird in the hand was worth two in the bush—Harriet was not conversant with the proverb, but she fully endorsed the sentiment. When her letter was written and addressed to the Camp at Aldershot, and she had walked out with Bobby to post it in the pillar box, she felt happier and less resentful. At all events she was her own mistress and could leave the Red House when she chose, and take up her abode elsewhere. A hot sun had dried the garden paths and grass, and she spent the rest of the afternoon wandering about the unshaven lawn with Bobby, and lingering on the rotten wooden benches under the trees, with the boy’s arm round her waist, and his head drooping on her shoulder.
Bobby was blissfully happy, and she was content. If we cannot get caviare, it is wise to content ourselves with cod’s roe. They spent hours together that afternoon, until the dusk had fallen and the hour of dining had drawn nigh. They talked of Heyst and the pleasures they had left behind them, and Harriet was astonished to hear how manly were some of Bobby’s ideas and sentiments, when out of sight of his Mamma.
At last, the strident tones of the Baroness’s voice were heard echoing through the grounds. Harriet and Bobby leaped to their feet in a moment.
“’Ere, ’Arriet! Bobby! where are you? You’re a nice son and daughter to ’ide away from me, when I’ve been toiling for your benefit all the day.”
She came towards them as she spoke, and when Harriet saw how fatigued she looked, she almost forgave her for leaving her in the lurch as she had done.
“I suppose you thought we were both dead, didn’t you?” she continued. “Well, we are, almost. Never ’ad such a day’s work in my life! Found everything wrong, of course! You can’t turn your back for five minutes but these confounded workmen play old ’Arry with your business! I sent off ten fellows before I’d been in the factory ten minutes, and fined as many girls, and ’ave been running all over London since to replace ’em. It’s ’ard work, I can tell you!”
She plumped down upon the rotten seat, nearly bringing it to the ground, as she spoke, and burst out laughing.