"No one could call Frances Kane mercenary," she said to herself. "Poor dear, she has some trouble upon her. Certainly her demand is exorbitant; never before since the world was known did a companion receive such a salary. Still, where would one find a second Frances?"
"So be it, dear," she said, aloud. "I admit that your terms are high, but in some ways your services are beyond purchase. No one ever did or ever will suit Aunt Lucilla as you do. Now, when will you come?"
"I am not quite sure yet, Carrie, that I can come at all. If I do it will probably be in a week from now. Yes, to-morrow week; if I come at all I will come then; and I will let you know certainly on this day week."
"My dear, you are a great puzzle to me; why can"t you make up your mind now?"
"My own mind is made up, Carrie, absolutely and fully, but others have really to decide for me. I think the chances are that I shall have my way. Carrie dear, you are very good; I wish I could thank you more."
"No, don"t thank me. When you come you will give as much as you get.
Your post won"t be a sinecure."
"Sinecures never fell in my way," said Frances. "May I see your aunt for a few minutes to-day?"
"Certainly, love--you know her room. You will find her very poorly and fractious this afternoon. Will you tell her that you are coming to live with her, Frances?"
"No; that would be cruel, for I may not be able to come, after all.
Still, I think I shall spend some time in doing my utmost to help you and yours, Carrie."
"G.o.d bless you, dear! Now run up to auntie. You will find me in the summer-house whenever you like to come down. I hope you will spend the afternoon with me, Frances, and have tea; I can send you home in the evening."
"You are very kind, Carrie, but I must not stay. I will say good-bye to you now, for I must go back to Martinstown for a few minutes early this afternoon. Good-bye, thank you. You are evidently a very real friend in need."
Frances kissed Mrs. Pa.s.smore, and then ran lightly up the broad and richly carpeted stairs. Her footsteps made no sound on the thick Axminster. She flitted past down a long gallery hung with portraits, presently stopped before a baize door, paused for a second, then opened it swiftly and went in.
She found herself in an anteroom, darkened and rendered cool with soft green silk drapery. The anteroom led to a large room beyond. She tapped at the door of the inside room, and an austere-looking woman dressed as a nurse opened it immediately. Her face lighted up when she saw Frances.
"Miss Kane, you"re just the person of all others my mistress would like to see. Walk in, miss, please. Can you stay for half an hour? If so, I"ll leave you."
"Yes, Jennings. I am sorry Mrs. Carnegie is so ill to-day."
Then she stepped across the carpeted floor, the door was closed behind her, and she found herself in the presence of a tall thin woman, who was lying full length on a sofa by the open window. Never was there a more peevish face than the invalid wore. Her brows were slightly drawn together, her lips had fretful curves; the pallor of great pain, of intense nervous suffering, dwelt on her brow. Frances went softly up to her.
"How do you do, Mrs. Carnegie?" she said, in her gentle voice.
The sound was so low and sweet that the invalid did not even start. A smile like magic chased the furrows from her face.
"Sit down, Frances, there"s a dear child," she said. "Now, I have been wishing for you more than for any one. I"m at my very worst to-day, dear. My poor back is so bad--oh, the nerves, dear child, the nerves! I really feel that I can not speak a civil word to any one, and Jennings is so awkward, painfully awkward--her very step jars me; and why will she wear those stiff-starched caps and ap.r.o.ns? But there, few understand those unfortunates who are martyrs to nerves."
"You have too much light on your eyes," said Frances. She lowered the blind about an inch or two.
"Now tell me, have you been down-stairs to-day?"
"How can you ask me, my love, when I can"t even crawl? Besides, I a.s.sure you, dear, dearest one"--here Mrs. Carnegie took Frances"s hand and kissed it--"that they dislike having me. Freda and Alicia quite show their dislike in their manner. Carrie tries to smile and look friendly, but she is nothing better than a hypocrite. I can read through them all.
They are only civil to me; they only put up with their poor old aunt because I am rich, and they enjoy my comfortable house. Ah! they none of them know what nerves are--the rack, the tear, to the poor system, that overstrained nerves can give. My darling, you understand, you pity me."
"I am always very sorry for you, Mrs. Carnegie, but I think when you are better you ought to exert yourself a little more, and you must not encourage morbid thoughts. Now shall I tell you what I did with that last five-pound note you gave me?"
"Ah, yes, love, that will be interesting. It is nice to feel that even such a useless thing as money can make some people happy. Is it really, seriously the case, Frances, that there are any creatures so dest.i.tute in the world as not to know where to find a five-pound note?"
"There are thousands and thousands who don"t even know where to find a shilling," replied Frances.
Mrs. Carnegie"s faded blue eyes lighted up.
"How interesting!" she said. "Why, it must make existence quite keen.
Fancy being anxious about a shilling! I wish something would make life keen for me; but my nerves are in such a state that really everything that does not thrill me with torture, palls."
"I will tell you about the people who have to find their shillings,"
responded Frances.
She talked with animation for about a quarter of an hour, then kissed the nervous sufferer, and went away.
Half an hour"s brisk walking brought her back to Martinstown. She reached the lawyer"s house, and was fortunate in finding him within.
"Will you tell your client, Mr. Spens, that if he will hold over the sale of the Firs until after my father"s death, I will engage to let him have five per cent. on his money? I have to-day accepted the post of companion to Mrs. Carnegie, of Arden. For this I am to have a salary of three hundred pounds a year."
"Bless me!" said the lawyer. "Such a sacrifice! Why! that woman can"t keep even a servant about her. A heartless, selfish hypochondriac! even her nieces will scarcely stay in the house with her. I think she would get you cheap at a thousand a year, Miss Kane; but you must be joking."
"I am in earnest," responded Frances. "Please don"t make it harder for me, Mr. Spens. I know what I am undertaking. Will you please tell your client that I can pay him his interest? If he refuses to accept it, I am as I was before; if he consents, I go to Arden. You will do me a great favor by letting me know his decision as soon as possible."
The lawyer bowed.
"I will do so," he said. Then he added, "I hope you will forgive me, Miss Kane, for saying that I think you are a very brave and unselfish woman, but I don"t believe even you will stand Mrs. Carnegie for long."
"I think you are mistaken," responded Frances, gently. "I do it for the sake of three hundred pounds a year, to save the Firs for my father during his lifetime."
The lawyer thought he had seldom seen anything sadder than Frances"
smile. It quite haunted him as he wrote to his client, urging him to accept her terms.
CHAPTER IX.
UNDER THE ELMS.
Squire Kane had spent by no means an unhappy day. The misfortune, which came like a sudden crash upon Frances, he had been long prepared for.
Only last week Mr. Spens had told him that he might expect some such letter as had been put into his hands that morning. He had been a little nervous while breaking his news to Frances--a little nervous and a little cross. But when once she was told, he was conscious of a feeling of relief; for all his hard words to her, he had unbounded faith in this clever managing daughter of his; she had got him out of other sc.r.a.pes, and somehow, by hook or by crook, she would get him out of this.
Except for Fluff"s rather hard words to him when he spoke to her about Frances, he had rather an agreeable day. He was obliged to exert himself a little, and the exertion did him good and made him less sleepy than usual. Both Fluff and Philip did their best to make matters pa.s.s agreeably for him, and when Frances at last reached home, in the cool of the evening, she found herself in the midst of a very cheerful domestic scene.
At this hour the squire was usually asleep in the south parlor; on this night he was out-of-doors. His circular cape, it is true, was over his shoulders, and Fluff had tucked a white shawl round his knees, but still he was sitting out-of-doors, cheering, laughing, and applauding while Arnold and Miss Danvers sung to him. Fluff had never looked more lovely.
Her light gossamery white dress was even more cloudy than usual; a softer, richer pink mantled her rounded cheeks; her big blue eyes were l.u.s.trous, and out of her parted lips poured a melody as sweet as a nightingale"s. Arnold was standing near her--he also was singing--and as Frances approached he did not see her, for his glance, full of admiration, was fixed upon Miss Danvers.
"Halloo! here we are, Frances!" called out the squire, "and a right jolly time we"ve all had. I"m out-of-doors, as you see; broken away from my leading-strings when you"re absent; ah, ah! How late you are, child!
but we didn"t wait dinner. It doesn"t agree with me, as you know, to be kept waiting for dinner."