Nuttie's Father

all the t

deceiver

d on as a heartless profligate, was dreadful to her beyond measure. And it involved Ursula's young life likewise? Could it be a duty, after these eighteen years, to return to him? What legal rights had he

lution in one bedroom, Nuttie, in another, was standing aghast at her mother

onate all on a sudden, 'quoth Nuttie;' if he is my cousin, an

this has come, I must tell you-you must hear-the sad thing your mother did. Yes

!' cried the girl in the

ont, in a tone of horror and i

t. You, little mother mine, you that are so timid and bash

ould make me quiet? I am always feeling when I see people,

about it. How very much in love you must have been!' said Nuttie, a magnific

intly said Mrs. Egremont. 'At least I didn't kno

it?' said Ursul

ng such as nothing else ever did, but I never t

e, much taken aback. 'Oh

-six, I think. Yes, h

med to the youthful fancy to be near decrepitude; but she ad

I ought, I know it now, to have waited, for they would have written to my aunt. But I was horribly frightened, and I couldn't bear to think of never seeing him again, and he came and comforted me, and said he would take me to Mrs. Houghton, the kind lady who was staying in the Ninon, and they would make it all square for me-and then-oh! it was very swe

ther. Do tell me. How

who was sick and hot-tempered, and he was obliged to keep everything secret from him, and therefore from every

d how I-your own little Frenchwoman-came to take care of you. And haven't we been jolly without any of these fine relations that never looke

said Alice Egremont, drying her eyes. 'But oh! Nutti

l get the water-soldier. Mr. Dutton needn't come, for he's like a cat, and won't soil his boots, but Gerard is dying to get another look at the old ruin. He can't make up his mind about the cro

s (such as they were) to the eccentricities of her timepieces; and as the cuckoo-clock had that night cuckooed all the hours round in succession, no one thought it wonderful that she should send a twisted note entreating him to call as early as he could in the afternoon. Of course Nuttie's chatter had proclaimed the extraordinary visitors, and it needed not the old lady's dash under "on an anxious affair" to bring him to her little drawing-

aware of the reappearance of the two Egremonts, or they did not think it worth while to look beyond the record which declared that all hands had perished, and th

n to accept anything from him. There was an impetuous and indignant spirit at the bottom of the old lady's heart, in spite of the subdued life she had led for so many years, and she hardly brooked the measured considerate manner in which her adviser declare

r. Dutton did think that for her own sake and her child's there ought to be full

y be a considerable heiress, and h

it be for her happines

remulously. 'Justice is what we have to look to, and to allow Nuttie to be

after all a selfish, faithless old woman, and it is not in my hands

better put the matter into a lawyer's hand

at the feeling that made him judge himself to be no fitting champion for Alice Egremont against her husband. Ever since, ten years ago, he had learnt that his beautiful neighbour did not regard herself so certain

ty that only made her more unhappy, and she was so restless and nervous that, in the middle of the evening's reading of Archbishop Trench's L

to indicate that it was to be reserved till after Nuttie's bedtime, but the young lady comprehended

who had been watching her aunt'

jumped up and looked at the door, as if she expected to see him appear that instant, clad in skins like Robinson Crusoe, but her aunt's nervous agi

Alice, unable to

e Ninon was burnt. He spent a good many years abroad with the old man, but he has now inherited the family

' said Mrs. Egremont. 'But we did write

rk found no traces of u

e send

uncle with his papers when he came on the evidence of your marriage, and, remembering you as he does, he forced the confessi

he; 'he always was such an

consider how you will receiv

lk now. Please let me go to bed. N

verpowering, and she fled away in the summer twilight, leaving Nuttie

ce!' sighed

ttie, 'was-I mean-is my fa

a daughter ask

e said it in a superior patronising tone that would have amused Miss Headworth very much at any other time); and it has not spoilt mother for being the dearest, sweetest, best thing in the world, and, besides, they had neither of them any fathers or mothers to disobey. But, then, when I found he was so old, and that he kept

have been a good while making his way back to Europe. I had taken care that our address should be known at Dieppe, but it is quite possible tha

moved heaven and earth to find her!' cried Nuttie;

romance as to Nuttie's future destiny sweeping across her mind in an instant, with a mental dispensation to

ort of lost heiress, like people in a story! I see

not concern you, and only go to male heirs. That would be the best thing, sinc

bout m

rk Egremont's communication will be received, or whether any wish will be expressed for your mother's rejoining your father. In such a case the terms

t deserve that moth

ntenance, and I think most probably you will be asked to stay with your uncle and cousins,' said Miss Headwor

m the family that does not

many trials, but you

rpose she went to bed, to find her mother either