if dora was disappointed at failing to obtain explanations at chillum, she was still more so at canterbury. she ran the five miles under thirty minutes, and made sure she would be able to overtake allen before he could escape her. there was a vague idea in her mind that, owing to what had been told him by edermont--whatever it might be--he did not wish to submit himself to her questioning. this idea was confirmed by the discovery she made on reaching the tidy green-doored house near the cathedral. dr. scott was not at home.
"and to tell the truth, miss," said mrs. tice, a large, ample, motherly person, who had been allen's nurse and was now his housekeeper, "the doctor has gone to london."
"to london?" gasped dora blankly, "and without letting me know?"
"dear, dear; did he say nothing, miss? well, to be sure! and mr. allen so considerate! you'll pardon me, miss, but i have been with him since he was a baby, and i should be sorry to think he had quarrelled with you. it's few as loves as mr. allen does."
"there is no quarrel," said miss carew, a trifle stiffly. "dr. scott saw my guardian, and then left the house without speaking to me. i have called to ask for an explanation."
"well, miss, i'll--but, dear, dear! here i am keeping you out on the doorstep. a fine rage mr. allen would be in if he knew that, miss. come in and rest, my dear lady, and i'll make you a cup of tea."
dora accepted this hospitable offer with alacrity, not that she was anxious for rest or tea, but because it occurred to her that mrs. tice might throw some light on the darksome mysteries which were perplexing her brain. the old woman, as she had stated, had taken charge of allen since he was a baby, so she, if anyone, would know about this lady burville who had been acquainted with scott senior. but before dora asked any questions concerning this remote past, she wanted first to learn the circumstances of allen's hasty departure for london. when seated in mrs. tice's comfortable room, she spoke directly on the subject.
"had dr. scott decided to go up to town this morning?"
"why, no, miss," replied the housekeeper, poising a spoon over the caddy, "and that is just what puzzles me. mr. allen is not a young gentleman to make up his mind in a hurry like. but he came home about half an hour ago quite wild in his looks, and would not say what ailed him. before i could turn round, he had put a few things into a black bag, and went off on his bicycle."
"to the station?"
"no, miss: to selling. he said he had a patient to see there, and would catch the four twenty-six train from that place."
dora glanced at her watch. it was now three o'clock, and if she chose she could ride the nine miles to selling before the up-train left that station. but this she determined not to do. if allen insisted upon behaving so badly, she would do nothing to force him into an explanation. sooner or later he would tell her his reasons for this strange conduct. but there was no doubt in her mind that his sudden departure was the result of his mysterious conversation with mr. edermont.
"when did mr. scott say he would return, mrs. tice?"
"to-morrow, miss; and then i have no doubt he will explain why he went off in such a hurry."
"he did not tell you, i suppose?"
"not a word, miss," replied the housekeeper, pouring out the tea. "he'll be in a rare way when he finds out you have been here, and he not at home to make things pleasant for you. your tea, miss."
"you will make them pleasant enough, mrs. tice. what delicious tea and bread and butter! i feel quite hungry after my ride. by the way," continued dora, artfully preparing to take the housekeeper by surprise, "allen told me that he had a new patient--lady burville."
contrary to her expectation, mrs. tice did not appear to be astonished. from the composed expression of her face, from the friendly nod with which she received the news, dora was convinced that she was absolutely unacquainted with the name. failing in this attack, dora attempted to gain the information she wanted, if it were to be gained, by approaching the subject from another quarter.
"i am so glad that the doctor is to prescribe for lady burville," she said softly; "she will be able to do allen so much good in his profession. he only needs the chance, and with his talents he is sure to be successful."
"mr. allen is very clever indeed," said delighted mrs. tice, who could never hear her nursling praised sufficiently.
"and his father was clever also, i believe?" said dora, unmasking her batteries. this time mrs. tice changed colour, and placed the cup she was holding carefully on the tray. dora noticed that her hand trembled.
"the late dr. scott was eminent in his profession," she said in a low voice.
"what a pity he did not live to help allen on!" pursued dora, still observant; "how long ago is it since he died, mrs. tice?"
"some twenty years, miss."
"really! when allen was five years old; and you have had charge of him ever since?"
mrs. tice recovered a little of her self-control.
"i had charge of him before that, miss," she said genially; "his poor mother died when he was born, so i have had him in my care since he was in his cradle. and, please god, i'll stay with him until i die--that is, miss, if you do not object to my continuing housekeeper after your marriage to my dear mr. allen?"
"you shall stay and look after us both," declared dora impetuously; "we could not do without you."
"your guardian, mr. edermont, will miss you when you marry, my dear lady."
dora's lip curled. "i do not think so," she said quietly. "mr. edermont is too much wrapped up in himself to trouble about me. you have never seen him, have you?" and on receiving a shake of the head, dora continued: "he is a little womanish man, with a fine head of silvery hair."
"ah!" said mrs. tice, a startled expression coming into her eyes.
"i think he has quarrelled with allen," pursued dora, not noticing the change in the other's manner, "for he told him something which may prevent our marriage."
"what was it, my dear?" asked mrs. tice in some perturbation.
"i don't know; mr. edermont won't tell me. and i asked you about this lady burville because i feel sure she has something to do with it."
"but, miss carew, i do not understand!"
"well, mrs. tice," cried dora quickly, "mr. joad said lady burville knew my guardian and allen's father, and--i'm sure i can't tell how--but it has something to do with our marriage being stopped and allen's going to london."
by this time mrs. tice was perfectly livid, and trembling like a leaf. out of the incoherencies of dora's story she had picked an idea, and it was this which moved her so deeply. dora looked at her in astonishment.
"what is the matter, mrs. tice? are you ill?"
the housekeeper shook her head; then, rising with some difficulty, she went to a cupboard, and produced therefrom a book of portraits. turning over the pages of this, she pointed out one to dora.
"a little man with silvery hair," she said slowly--"is that your guardian, miss carew?"
dora looked and saw the face--clean-shaven--of a young man. notwithstanding the absence of beard, she recognised it at once. it was julian edermont, with some twenty years off his life.
"yes, that is mr. edermont," she said, astonished at the discovery.
"and you are his--his daughter?" questioned the housekeeper.
"no; i am his ward. mr. edermont has never been married."
mrs. tice looked thoroughly frightened.
"you say mr. edermont had a conversation with mr. allen?"
"yes: a conversation and a quarrel."
"oh, great heavens! if he should have learnt the truth!" muttered the old lady.
"if who should have learnt the truth?" demanded dora.
mrs. tice closed the book with a snap, and put it in the cupboard, shaking her head ominously. she kept her eyes turned away persistently from the face of the young girl. whatever discovery she had made from displaying the photograph, it was evident that she did not intend to communicate it to her companion.
"how did you come possessed of mr. edermont's photograph, when you said you did not know him?" asked dora suddenly.
"i did not know him until--five minutes ago. you had better ask me no more questions, miss carew."
"but can you not tell me, from your knowledge of allen's parents, why mr. edermont has quarrelled with him?"
"if mr. edermont is the man i take him to be, i can. but i shall not tell you, miss dora."
"why not?"
the housekeeper shuddered.
"i dare not," she said in a trembling tone. "oh, my dear, why did you come to-day? i know much, but i dare not speak."
"is your knowledge so very terrible?"
"it is more terrible than you can guess."
"does mr. edermont know as much as you do?"
"mr.--edermont," said the housekeeper, with a pause before the name, "knows more than i do."
"i do not see why i should be kept in the dark," said dora petulantly. "all that concerns allen concerns me."
"in that case," observed mrs. tice calmly, "i can only recommend you to wait until mr. allen returns. if he chooses to tell you, well and good; but for my part, i prefer to keep silent about the past."
"but is that fair to me, mrs. tice?"
"silence is more than fair to you in this case," said the old dame, looking steadily at the eager face of the young girl. "it is merciful."
"merciful? that is a strange word to use."
"it is the only word that can be used," replied mrs. tice emphatically. "no, do not ask me any more, my dear young lady. the secret i hold is not my own to tell. should mr. allen give me permission to reveal it, i shall do so; otherwise i prefer to be silent."
one would have thought that this speech was final; but dora was too bent upon learning the truth of allen's strange behaviour to be satisfied. she urged, she cajoled, she threatened, she implored, but all to no purpose. whatever it was that mrs. tice knew detrimental to the past of mr. edermont, she was determined to keep it to herself. evidently there was nothing left but to wait until allen returned. from experience dora knew that she could wheedle anything out of her easy-going lover.
"do you know anything about lady burville?" asked dora, finding she could not persuade mrs. tice into confessing what she knew.
"i know nothing--not even the name," said the housekeeper. "why do you ask?"
"because lady burville has something to do with the quarrel between mr. edermont and allen."
"i can safely say that i know nothing on that point, miss carew. lady burville is a complete stranger to me, and, i should say, to mr. allen. i have never heard him speak of her."
"but mr. edermont knows her."
"very probably. mr. edermont knows many people i am unacquainted with. you must remember, miss carew, that there is a vast difference between the position of a gentleman and that of a housekeeper."
"then, lady burville has nothing to do with mr. edermont's past?"
"so far as i know she has not," replied mrs. tice promptly. "i don't know everything, my dear young lady."
"can you guess the cause of this quarrel?"
"yes. i told you so before; but i cannot speak of it."
"do you fancy that mr. edermont told allen this secret you speak of?"
mrs. tice made no immediate reply, but smoothed her silken apron with trembling hands. at length she said:
"i do not know. i trust he did not. but if he did speak----"
"yes, mrs. tice," said dora eagerly, "if he did speak?"
the housekeeper drew a long breath. "if he did speak," she repeated, "you will never--never--never become the wife of allen scott."
