Confessions of a Young Lady

to see what she was doing. She was leaning over her writing-table, and as she did not seem to have notice

tea's on

answered, he ran forward and

the

ow unresponsive to his touch, he rushe

e wrote to me each Monday. And I expect she was just going to tell me the home news: what Nora had been doing, and what mischief the boys had been in, and beg me to be a good girl and think before I did things sometimes, and keep my stockings darned; those stockings were almost as great a trouble to her as they were to me. Not a creature had a notion that she was ailing. Indeed she was not. She was in good spirits--mothe

o start. But I rushed off to catch it; and Mrs Sawyer went with me. She bought my ticket and sent a telegram to let them kn

believe that she was dead. I thought that she was sleeping, and dreaming one of those happy dreams which, she used to tell us, she liked to dream. On her

t get Con away from the bed on which mother lay. And Dick, great fellow though he was, was almost as

s. He had a loud voice, and a loud way about him generally. We liked neither his looks nor his manners--nor had mother liked them either. But at the beginning I do not know what we should have done without him. That is, I did not know then what we should have

ave enough money to live on, because he did nothing except go about with a lot of dogs at his heels. In the charitable way which children have of talking we used to say that he was hiding from the law, and would speculate as to the nature of the crime of which he had been guilty. When he first came he tried to cultivate mam

itigated form. Although the world was still upside down, and everything seemed happening in a land of topsy-turvydom, I yet was conscious that a good deal took place at mother's funeral which I would rather had not have taken place. For one thing I felt sure that a great quantity of money was being spent on it, much more than need have been. A number of people were invited who had not the slightest right to be present, so that we children were almost lost amid a crowd of strangers. In spite of the dreadf

ally began after t

y treated. This hurt her pride, because, though she was such a darling, and so sweet, and beautiful, and clever, and true, and tender, she was proud, as she had every right to be. And I think, because they were so unkind, she took us straight off to that Sussex village, miles and miles away from everyone, and bought The Chase. Con was a baby when father died, and now he was nearly eleven, so we must have been there quite nine years. And during all that time I do not think we ever had a visitor. This may s

y last term at school. And it is my belief that it was her intention, when I left school for good, to tell me everything, or at least as much as it was desirable that I should know. But if such was her inte

is duties as coachman did not occupy anything like the whole of his time, and an odd lad, who was supposed to do whatever he was asked to do. The cook was a new one--she had come since my last holidays. On the day of mother's funeral she was intoxicated; she had indulged too freely in the refreshments which Mr Miller had so liberally ordered. So it may be imagined what sort of character she must have been. The next morning the housemaid, who had been with us longest, came and told me that she could not continue in a house in which there was no mistress. When I mildly suggested that I was the mistress now she remarked, qui

des. The day after Mary left we held

sooner that beggar downstairs is brought to understand as much the bet

do him good," declared Ja

do him any harm," added

th if he does

he was only fifteen he was five feet eight inches h

a will. There must be something to

aid. Dick took up

ettled. We'll go down and t

hose articles seemed to be his inseparable companions. One of his horrid dogs, which had been lying on the hearth-rug, came and sniffed at us as if we were the intruders. The whole room was in confusion. It looked as if it had not been tidied for days, and I daresay it had not been. When I thought of how different it used to be when

if they were so much rubbish. I am almost certain that if I had been a big strong giant I should have been tempted to knock him down. It was not surprising that Dick spoke to him in the

h those things? What do

Dick's eyes. He smiled--a nasty smile, for which I could have pinch

mething like order. I never saw anything like

ours is it what state they're in? Who asked you to p

was a person of not the slightest consequence. And he co

And some people might think that the questions t

? I never asked you to come her

st emphatica

looked at me out of the corner of his bloods

lly, that's u

in a

mother's; and as those persons she did not wish to know we do not care to know either

seconds,"

d like a litt

ways to

Ogre laid down on the table what he had bee

y world. I don't want to

what you like

nd to,

all me y

on which was on both their faces, that if we were not careful there was going to be trouble. I am n

there. You never made a greater mistake in the course of your short life. I am not the kind of man who will allow himself to be bullied by a hobbledehoy. I give you fair warning that if you treat

omething

with a pai

from the twins. The Ogre t

take the shape of the best licking you've ever had yet. You'll no

I wante

r Miller. We're quite willing to believe that you're more than a

re you sur

e. Do you mean to s

not to be too confident on a point on which some

nd all we ask--with all possible pol

ask. It seems to m

you were a gentleman it would no

irl's notion of what a gentleman ought to be--a sort of glor

ertain

y am, thank

are thankful

which I have every cause to be thankful--and my experience of the world has taught me not to pay m

uest? It's

ually!--at the open window was Harris, the coachman, staring into the room as if what was taking place was the slightest concern of his. I

en I heard you thanking Mr Miller with my own ears! A

did yo

s kind as kind could be, that if you liked he'd take the whole trouble off your hands and manage everything; and you said,' Thank you.' And now for you to st

anybody. I remembered Mr Miller coming, as cook said, but that anything which had been said on

er was saying, but I supposed that he was offering to assist in

beautifully too. He's made the family more thought of in this neighbourhood than it ever wa

had he

t have been a word said about it by

e two suits of c

arris, at

two suits

know that Mr Miller paid for it. Indeed, he paid for everything. And considering the handsome wa

ived that we were both of opinion that

had to say. And now, pleas

actly what I don't intend to do

you s

eclared Dick. "You'll be paid a month

nd in any case I shouldn't think of stopping in the house with a pack of rude, ungrateful children. But I should like more than one

've been insid

it's getting on fo

r always paid you ev

never paid me; nor more she didn't Betsy. There'

ther

s to you, isn't

now that it's qu

me yourself a

e side and scratched his he

-it mi

Dick f

y mother paid you your wages as they fell

was cook

to know that a woman of my age is not going to be called a cheat by a young lad like you. You oug

hand, as if to play t

, tilted back the chair on which he was seated, and considered the ceiling. "What I intend to do is this. At Miss Molly's request I have, reluctantly, incurred certain liabilities and assumed certain responsibilities. To know exactly what those responsibilities are it is necessary that I should examin

. And in any case I did not want his interference in our private affairs. It was dreadful to think of him peering and prying into mother's secrets, into the things which she held sacred. The way he was behaving now showed how much we could trust him an

to let him see that

ney which was in

? What

You have had access to her desk, though you'd no right

een no

s money that you have be

en paying for every blessed

d Dick. "I know there

lad--the next time you speak to me like that I'll make

hrashing, Mr Miller. He wants it. Accusing everyone of r

n his clenched fist

ing but a lot of paupers; and if you don't want to find yourself inside a work

at which he hinted was true, then things were miles worse than I had ever supposed. But was it true

d make a goose of myself and cry, I heard so

at home? Miss

was very tall and sunburned. He had his cap in his hand, so that you could see that he had short curly hair. And his moustac

Molly

ers, who tells me you are a friend of hers. I am staying a few miles from here, and she has written to

of her to think of me, and to send that great strong man!

e lost my mother. And n

ler? Wh

oped into the hall. Then Dic

n of Hetty Travers. You have heard me speak of Hetty. Mr Sa

ld like to do some

stopped, as

," said M

ed that he had taken a liking to Dick

g this man Miller through the window. He's alm

ning-room, Mr Sanford and Dick i

hough it belongs to him; he's made free with my mother's property and papers; and wh

he? Is he a rel

en my mother lay dead, took advantage of the state of mind we were

rd turne

Boyes, that this person

ch my wish. He

essary to emphasise the wish which M

struc

o other people's business you'll see that our wages are paid. Mr Miller's only trying to save us from b

at all to cook. He con

l, s

sir,

rd what

ar what I say, and not interfere in w

concern of yours," burst out

s this?" ask

d's ankles, showing his teeth and growling in a way that was anything but fr

bjects to strangers-

the window. Harris happened to be staring in at the time. The dog struck him as it passed. Over he went, and off tore the dog down the dri

u mean by d

ed his feet, gave ut

w a great dog like that right into

rd was m

ave been in the way." Then to the Ogre: "Well, sir, we are sti

little adventure his dog had had, apparently caused the Ogre to suspect tha

me know who's going to repay what I've advance

ed pounds out of pocket!

respectable woman. It begins to strike me that you

ation and temptation together were more than Dick could stand. Anyhow, Dick ga

ort of person you must be that you should permit you

adford and Bill Perkins and tell 'em I want 'em, qu

rceiving in which direction the wind was about to blow, "but if

as hor

hat! After all Mr Mil

too, Mrs Boyes was as good a mistress as anyone need have. I know it if no one else does. And, Miss Molly, your mother

t what is and is not o

gave a receipt for it. Why, you told me yourself that you took

ndignation was be

pack her box and take herself outside of such

I," sai

ngs are missing, and I shouldn't be at all surpr

cook. I believe that if it had not been

obable," he agreed. "Is the

ed to have arrived at a sudden resolution to attack his

ave no reason to regret it, Mr Harris. Neither of you women will leave this house

met Mr Sanford's stern glance. An

the Ogre, "I happen to know that there was mo

hot Harris hurried

to wear rather an ug

t to stop in this hugger-muggering hole! I am just as a

rdly think t

that I ever s

regret i

lad!"--this was Dick--"they shall hear of me very soon in quite

ford l

ings into his pocket at th

aking a mista

the Ogre feel dreadful. He looked as if

t the misera

and things down on the

n't accounted for a penny. And it's my belief too that he's been taking what he likes out of the house. H

e door, but it was too la

aited till Mr Parker arrives. We will accompany you to your own

d he had to give in. As it chanced, Harris met Parker i

ok of which Harris had spoken, in which they themselves had signed receipts for their wages. There was a tre

other. Her cheque-book, all sorts of papers, some of them representing stocks and shares, even some of her jewellery. He said he had taken them home to examine. Which seemed a very curious thing to do. The next morning he had vanished. He had

ot dare to think. We might have been plundered of every single thing we had. It was very nice of