“And what made Jem Stickels knife him? Come, now, I should have thought you were above having anything to do with a chap like him. But I’ve seen him loafing about more’n usual lately.”
“It was not my fault, of course,” said Nell, simply. “And of course he had no right to—to—”
“To be jealous? So I should ha’ thought. Still, he was jealous, eh?”
“I suppose so.”
There was a short silence; then George Claris spoke again:
“Well, lass, it’s no use talking to women, ’cause they’ve got their own way o’ doing things, whatever you say to ’em. But you’ve brew’d yourself a peck o’ trouble between them two chaps, and neither me nor anybody but yourself can help you out of it. An’ mind, I won’t say I’ll have this chap turned out of the house, though I’ve a good mind to. But if the doctor says he’s to be laid up here, I’ll not have you hangin’ ’round. You’ll just go away sharp to my sister in London. Do you hear? I’ll have him properly nursed, that I’ll promise; but it’ll not be by you. Do you hear?”
Nell assented meekly. As long as Clifford was not made to suffer, she felt that there was nothing for it but to submit.
Uncle and niece exchanged no more words until the arrival of the doctor, when George Claris told his niece to put on her hat and to go to Miss Bostal’s, where she was to remain until he sent her luggage to her there, when she was to start without delay for London.
Now, there was no place to which Nell would not rather have gone than to Shingle End. For was not sentimental Miss Theodora the very cause of the outrage which had put Clifford’s life in danger? If it had not been for Miss Bostal’s well-meaning but ill-judged encouragement, Jem Stickels would never have dared to think he could have a chance with a girl who was so far removed from him in every way as Nell. Now, with natural feminine obstinacy, Miss Bostal would be sure to take Jem’s part against Clifford, especially when it reached her ears that the latter had come down by Nell’s own request. So that it was with slow, unwilling feet that Nell made her way to the colonel’s house.
Everything turned out as she expected, with this exception, that Miss Bostal was so much more concerned about Jem than about Clifford that she insisted on marching off that very moment to inquire as to Jem’s condition, and insisted on dragging the unwilling girl with her on the expedition.