"We shall have dinner soon," said Maude sharply. "I should think you could wait until then."
"I will have some cake, if you really want me to," said Kitty, looking up at Lettice with a smile, the first she had been able to call to her lips. She liked Lettice the better of the two girls.
"Will you?" cried Lettice delightedly. "Then I will go and ask for something nice for you. I am sure Parkin will give me something if I promise her my little pansy brooch;" and off she went, returning a moment later with a plateful of huge slices of orange cake.
Kitty looked at the slices in dismay. "I can"t eat a whole one," she said. "I shouldn"t have time either, for I expect father will be down soon."
"Nonsense! you must. There is no knife to cut them smaller," cried Lettice, already making marked inroads on a slice herself. "Quick, take some, or I shall drop the plate."
Kitty unwillingly did as she was told, only to regret it bitterly as, at the first mouthful, a shower of crumbs descended on the polished floor.
After that experience it took her so long to make up her mind to take a second bite, that just as she did so voices were heard outside the door, the handle was turned, and Lady Kitson, followed by Dr. Trenire, entered the room. At the first sounds Lettice had seized the plate of cake and made a hasty exit through the conservatory, but for Kitty there was no such escape.
"Well, dear, are you ready to face the storm?" asked her father, smiling down at her.
"I think I must lend you a wrap of some sort," said Lady Kitson.
"I suppose you have none?"
Kitty, her mouth full of cake and one hand grasping the remainder, tried to swallow it hastily that she might reply, and, of course, choked.
As she often remarked afterwards, the misery of that visit would not have been complete without that final blow. Covered with shame and confusion, she rose awkwardly from her chair, looking about her for some place whereon to deposit that dreadful cake. There was none.
The tables were covered with books and frames, vases and ornaments, but the vases were full of flowers, and there was not even a friendly flower-pot saucer. There was nothing for her to do but carry it with her.
"Don"t hurry," said Lady Kitson politely; "stay and finish your cake."
"I can"t," said Kitty desperately.
She could not even say "thank you." In fact, there seemed so little to give thanks for that it never entered her head to do so.
"Then we will start at once," said her father briskly; and to her immense relief she soon found herself, her farewells said, mounting once more the dear homely carriage. With the reins between her fingers, and the responsibility on her of driving through the storm and darkness, some of her courage and self-respect returned, but not until she had flung that wretched cake far from her into the darkness.
"I shall hate orange cakes all the rest of my life," she thought.
"It was kind of Lady Kitson to take you in out of the storm," remarked her father absently.
"Was it?" she questioned doubtfully. "I suppose it was. But--another time I--I would rather stay out in the very worst storm that ever was,"
she added mentally. "Nothing _could_ be worse than what I have gone through, and what I shall feel whenever I remember it."
CHAPTER IV.
STORMS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
Time might soften Kitty Trenire"s recollections of that embarra.s.sing visit of hers, but it could never dim her remembrance of the drive home that night over that wide expanse of moorland which stretched away black and mysterious under a sky which glowed like a furnace, until both were illuminated by lightning so vivid that one could but bow the head and close the eyes before it. A gusty wind, which had sprung up suddenly, chased the carriage all the way, while the rain, which came down in sheets, hissing as it struck the ground, thundered on the hood drawn over their heads, but left their vision clear to gaze in wondering awe at the marvels which surrounded them.
Dr. Trenire presently took the reins from Kitty, and tucking her well up in the wrap that had been lent her, left her free to gaze and gaze her fill. Prue did not relish the din and uproar in the heavens, the flashing lightning, or the rain beating on her; but though she shook her head and flapped her long ears in protest, she stepped out bravely.
When they came at last to the houses and the more shut-in roads the wild beauty was less impressive, and Kitty"s thoughts turned with pleasure to home and dry clothes, and the nice meal Betty had undertaken to have in readiness for them. How jolly it all was, and how she did love her home, and the freedom and comfort of it.
The first sight of the house, though, decidedly tended to damp her pleasant antic.i.p.ations, for there was not a light to be seen anywhere.
All the windows were gaping wide to the storm, while from more than one a bedraggled curtain hung out wet and dirty.
Dr. Trenire drove straight in to the stable-yard, expecting to have to groom down and stable Prue himself. But Jabez had changed his mind about going home and early to bed, and was there ready to receive them.
At the sight of his bandaged head Kitty"s thoughts flew to the events of the day, to Aunt Pike and the fatal letter, and she simply ached with anxiety to know if Jabez had posted it or not.
While she was waiting for an opportunity to ask him Dr. Trenire solved the difficulty for her.
"Have you posted those letters I gave you, Jabez?" he asked, with, as it seemed to Kitty, extraordinary calm.
"Oh yes, sir," said Jabez cheerfully, very proud of himself for his unusual promptness. "I went down with "em to once. When there"s a hubbub on in the kitchen I"m only too glad to clear out."
For once Dr. Trenire did not appear particularly pleased with his a.s.siduity, and Kitty turned dejectedly away. The letter, the fatal letter, was gone, her hopes were ended, fate was too strong for them.
And to add to her trouble there had been a hubbub in the kitchen, which meant a quarrel. Oh dear, what could be the matter now? Emily was in a bad temper again, she supposed. Emily generally was.
As she went up to her room to change she met Emily coming down, and whatever else she might be in doubt about, she was in none as to the signs on Emily"s face. It was at "very stormy," and no mistake.
"I am wet through," said Kitty brightly, hoping to smooth away the frown; "but oh it was grand to see the storm across the downs.
I did enjoy it."
But Emily was not to be cajoled into taking an interest in anything.
"I"m glad somebody"s been able to enjoy themselves," she said pertly, and walked away down the stairs.
Poor Kitty"s brightness vanished. Was there never to be anything but worry and unpleasantness? All her excitement, and interest, and hopefulness evaporated, leaving her depressed and dispirited.
The memory rushed over her of former home-comings, before the dear mother died; the orderly comfort, the cheerfulness and joy which seemed always to be a part of the house in those days; and her eyes grew misty with the ache and loneliness of her heart, and the sense of failure which weighed her down. There rose before her that dear, happy face, with the bright smile and the ready interest that had never failed her.
"O mother, mother," she cried, "I want you so, I want you so!
Everything is wrong, and I can"t get them right. I am no use to any one, and I--I don"t know how to do better."
The hot tears were br.i.m.m.i.n.g up and just about to fall over, when flying footsteps sounded on the stairs--Betty"s footsteps. Kitty closed the door of her room, though she knew it was of no use. It was Betty"s room too, and nothing, certainly not a mere hint, could keep Betty out; and she sighed, as she had often sighed before, for a room of her very own, for some place where she could be alone sometimes to think, or read, or make plans, or hide when the old heartache became too much for her.
But Betty shared her room, and Betty had every right to walk in, and Betty did so. She was quiet, and vouchsafed no account of her doings, but she was quite calm and unperturbed.
"What has made Emily in such a bad temper?" asked Kitty wearily.
"Emily always is in a bad temper, isn"t she?" asked Betty placidly.
"I don"t take any notice of her." Then with some slight interest, "What did she say to you?"
"She didn"t _say_ anything," answered Kitty, "but she looked temper, and walked temper, and breathed temper. Have you got a nice supper for us?
I am starving, and I am sure father must be."
Betty did not answer enthusiastically; in fact, she gave no real answer at all, but merely remarked in an off-hand manner, "I shouldn"t have thought any one could want much to eat in this weather."
"Is it ready?"
"I don"t know."
"Well, will you go down and see, and tell them to take it in at once if they haven"t done so? I know father wants his supper."