The Criton Hunt Mystery

Front matter

VOL. Ill BY MRS. ROBERT JOCELYN AUTHOR OF 'THE M. F. H.S DAUGHTER,' 'A DISTRACTING GUEST,' '£100,000 VERSUS GHOSTS,' Etc. ' If fortune, with a smiling face, Strew roses on our way, When Bhould we stoop to pick them up? To-day, my love, to-day. But should Bhe frown, with face of care, And talk of coming sorrow, When Bhall we grieve, if grieve we must? To-morrow, love, to-morrow.' C. Mackay. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON : HURST AND BLACKETT, LIMITED, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1890. All rights reserved CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME. CHAPTER PAGE I. Miss Jones is Sympathetic ... 1 II. Mrs. Jones at a Dinner-Party . . 20 III. Marcia enjoys Herself . ... 44 IV. Posting the Letters .... 70 V. The Muddleton Bazaar .... 84 VI. Roses and Thorns 109 VII. ' I HOPE THAT I AM NOT QUITE A FOOL ' 1 24 VIII.

Helen Criton 138 IX. In Luck's Way 154 X. Only a Flirtation 172 XL Only a few Hundred Pounds . . .187 XII. ' I am Tired of being Miss Jones ' . 204 XHI. The Child 218 XIV. Turning the Tables

Chapter I. Miss Jones Is Sympathetic

' You do not mean to say that you are go ing out hunting to-day ?' exclaimed Marcia, expostulating. ' Oh, yes ; I think that I will go,' replied Nellie, who was struggling into a boot as she spoke. The boot on, she glanced up at Marcia, and smiled at the expression of dismay VOL. III. 1$ upon her face. Marcia was not dressed yet ; she wore a loose white flannel dress ing-gown ; her fair hair fell in waving masses over her shoulders, and the little feet in her slippers were bare. ' Why, it is pouring,' she returned, blank ly. ' You will certainly be drowned. And I am not coming with you, Nell. I warn you of that fact at once. Nothing in the world would persuade me to turn out on such a horrid day.' ' I am glad you do not want to come,' replied her sister, quietly. ' You would probably catch one of your bad colds.' ' I am sure I should,' was the prompt reply. ' So will you, I expect.

Well, you are a funny girl, Nell. Now, anyone know ing us would say that it would be I who would do this sort of hare-brained thing, and yet it is not, you see ; it is you.' Nellie laughed. ' Do go away, Mollie,' she returned. ' I am late as it is, and I shall never get dressed while you are here.' 'Well, I am going, but under the cir cumstances I ought to stay,' was the dry reply. ' Anyone with any sense would do their best to keep you at home, but then I have no sense, that is one of my many charms.' A quarter-of-an-hour later Nellie, attired in her habit, was sitting opposite Mrs. Jones at breakfast in the dining-room. Mrs. Jones had said her little say in oppo sition of her intention of going out on such a miserable day, and was now resigned to the fact. The parlour-maid brought in the letters. b Singularly few letters came to the cottage : an occasional circular, a few bills, and that was about all.

But to-day there was a letter for Mrs. Jones. A real letter, written on thick white paper, with ' The Nest,' printed in scarlet across the right hand corner, and ' Telegrams, Upperton. Par cels, Muddleton,' across the left. It was the invitation to dinner, and add ed the hope that Mrs. and the Miss Jones would spend the night at the Nest. Nellie calmly told Mrs. Jones to write and accept, and scribbled the outline of what she was to say, upon the back of the letter ; but Mrs. Jones demurred. ' If you could go without me,' she plead ed, nervously. ' I shall be certain to make so many mistakes. I really do not feel as if I could go.' Nellie smiled. ' You will not make any mistakes,' she replied, encouragingly. ' You will get on capitally. There is nothing to be afraid of in a simple little dinner-party ; and Mrs. Rickby-Foster is a very kind, homely little woman.

You really must come. It will not do for us to go alone ; especially as she has asked you like this.' Mrs. Jones looked fussed and upset. ' And to stay the night ?' she inquired ' I think so. She means to be kind, and I should like to meet her half-way. Remember she is our first caller. She must be a courageous woman, and deserves to be rewarded.' Soon afterwards, just as Marcia entered the dining-room and began to scold Mrs. Jones for the fact that the toast was The Criton Hunt Mysieiy. leathery and the breakfast cold, Nellie was trotting briskly along the road which led to Caxton, on the back of her little bay mare. The rain came down steadily, and there seemed every likelihood of its being a soaking wet day. Had it not been for her extreme wish to try her new mare, possibly Nellie would not have ventured out ; she thought hunting would be de lightful, but she had hardly as yet become a keen sportswoman.

Grimsby was in high good spirits as he followed her that morning. The weather did not trouble him very greatly, and the fact that ' Miss Mary ' was safely at home, and that Miss Jones was going to have a day's hunting by herself, pleased him vastly. If only they had a run ; and really the cubbing season was nearly over, so there was no reason why they should not have a run ; he felt that Miss Jones would ' show them how to go,' and that his triumph would be complete. He was in blissful ignorance of the fact that she knew nothing whatever about it, and that her chances of ' going well ' were therefore extremely small ; and, as he rode behind her towards Caxton, he made up his mind that not only had he got some of the best horses in England in his stable, but that his young mistress was one of the finest horsewomen anyone had ever seen.

That was Grimsby's way ; he was blessed with a contented mind, and had a happy belief that anything that was ' his ' was perfect — more perfect, indeed, than any thing belonging to anyone else could possibly be. In spite of the rain, Nellie enjoyed her self that day. Her little bay mare en chanted her ; she had never even in her wildest dreams pictured any horse as being so charming a mount, and il was a pleasure to be on her back. She had rather high spirits, and was keen to so ; she had a mouth that Nellie con sidered perfect, and a light, springy way of moving which inspired her young mistress with a sense of life and enjoyment above and beyond matter-of-fact, everyday existence. Had no one spoken to her all day, Nellie would have been quite contented and happy, and never once have felt lonely or alone.

On horseback she never did feel lonely. The mere fact that she was riding satisfied her ; and, as for companionship, she had always her horse. She liked horses infinitely better than most people ; they had it in their power to render her happy ; they did not talk, or bother, or ask questions which it was tiresome to answer, or expect you to exert yourself to invent small talk for their benefit. But Nellie was not destined to spend the day without the companionship of her fellow-creatures. At the meet Lady Kath erine went straight up to her as soon as she arrived, and at once began to talk to her as if they were quite old friends. ' Ah,' she said, after their first greetings were over, ' I see that you are riding the little mare to-day. I have been looking forward to seeing you on her. You know I did want her myself, but you and the horridly long prices you give for your horses have ruined the market here.

Well, I am not blaming you. If I had any money I should certainly spend it on a good horse or two ; but then I have not, so there is no good talking about it. I would rather you had her than anybody else. It would have been maddening to have seen some of these women on her ; and, as she is essentially a lady's horse, if it had not been you it would have been some one else.' Nellie made no reply. She somehow felt rather guilty in having the mare. ' That is a nice horse that you are rid ing,' she remarked, after a pause. ' Yes, poor old dear ! he is,' replied Lady Katherine, affectionately. ' But I have had him ten years, and he is on his last legs.' At that moment a couple of gentlemen rode up to Lady Katherine's side, and, in spite of the somewhat scanty courtesy she bestowed upon them, they lingered there.

Before they left her, they had both been introduced to Miss Jones. She recognized in one of them the young man who had bid two hundred and fifty for Lothair at the sale. His name was Evelyn, Captain Eve lyn, and, as she afterwards discovered, he was Lord Dalebury's eldest son, and was quartered at Muddleton with his regiment, the — th Lancers. The other man, a Major Carrington, was one of his brother officers. Nellie never could understand how it was that so many people got introduced to her that day. She thought that the gentlemen who hunted with the Criton seemed a wonderfully kind-hearted, goodnatured lot of men ; or perhaps it was because Lady Katherine seemed to like her and rode about with her so much, and that everybody wished to please Lady Katherine, who was evidently a very popular woman.

And another thing puzzled Nellie great ly. The only lady out, besides Lady Katherine, was Lady Meyton ; and Nellie could not understand how Lady Meyton managed to get safely to the end of a short run they had in the afternoon. Her horse, apparently, had an even worse mouth than Wild Willie's, and possessed the same love of appropriating another horse's place at a fence. The oddest part of it was that it seemed to have a particular affection for Nellie's little bay mare, and, more than once, rushed madly across a field, from one corner to the other, so as to jump the very place that Nellie had selected. Later on in the day, Nellie mentioned it to Lady Katherine. She was riding be tween Lady Katherine and her brother at the time, jogging homewards in the wake of the hounds. 'Who was that lady out to-day?' she inquired. ' Lady Meyton,' returned Katherine, with a slight frown. ' You will get to know all about her soon enough, never fear.

I do not care how bad the weather is, it is never bad enough to keep her at home — worse luck !' she added, with quite a little show of temper and impatience. 'Now, Miss Jones, see what you have done,' protested Robert Criton. ' You have started Kitty off on the subject of her pet aversion, and we shall never stop her until we get home.' 'Do you dislike her?' questioned Nellie, addressing Lady Katherine. ' I do,' replied Lady Katherine. ' And I do not mind confessing it.' ' Well, of course I do not know her,' returned Nellie, gently. ' But even if she had been my worst enemy I could not have helped feeling sorry for her to-day, poor thing!' ' Why, what happened ?' exclaimed Lady Katherine. ' I have heard nothing ! Had she a fall ?' ' No,' said Nellie. ' I do not think so. But it is really marvellous that she had not.

I never saw such a horrid horse as that black horse she was riding to-day ; and it has just the very trick that you told me Wild Willie indulges in,' she added, turning to Mr. Criton as she spoke. For a second he looked puzzled ; and then a faint smile began to play round his mouth, so faint that it was hidden by his short black moustache. 'Ah,' he said, quietly. 'Has it? that is very odd, is it not ?' ' What trick ?' inquired Katherine, rather impatiently. ' Rushing at the places other horses are going to jump,' explained Nellie, quietly. It was Lady Katherine's turn to smile now ; she did more, she gave a little hysterical laugh, and only subdued it be cause Nellie looked so very grave and serious, and continued speaking, in a tone which plainly declared that she did not consider the matter at all in the light of a joke. ' I was so very sorry for her,' she went on, gently. ' I really could not help telling her so ; but she seemed so upset and tired out that I fancy she hardly heard anything I said.' Katherine glanced at her brother; and the glance was returned.

They both looked very solemn. 'And — and what did you say ?' enquired Katherine. 'Oh, there was not time to say much,' was the quiet reply. ' It was the last time it happened ; 1 got out of her way when I saw her coming as best I could — because, you see, it was rather dangerous for me as well — and — and I am afraid I thought as much of my own danger as of hers. And then when she was safely over the place I followed her; my little mare seems very fast, for she was beside her directly ; and I could not help just telling her how very sorry I felt for her, having such an un pleasant mount ; and I think I begged her not to go on. 1 know I felt really very anxious about her ; it was so very apparent that she could not manage the horse. Oh, yes ! that was what I said. I told her that I had a horse just like hers, and that 1 could not manage mine any better than she could, and that Mr. Criton had told me no lady could, and so that she need not mind.

What is the matter ?' she added, in direst surprise and consternation. ' Why are you both laughing so much?' But neither of them told her why, and it was not until ever so long afterwards VOL. III. c that Nellie found out. She thought that they were both suffering from a sit of temporary insanity at the time, and their prolonged hysterical state made her feel quite anxious. Nevertheless, their humour was infectious ; and Nellie, although she had not the slightest idea why they laughed,' began to laugh too. Lord Clarenby drew back from the side of the gentleman he had been talking to a little way ahead of them, and inquired what their joke was ; but Robert and Katherine refused to explain it, and Nellie could not do so. Robert told him that he would tell him by-and-by, but that for the present it would keep.

It did not keep long, however, as will be understood when it is said that Lady Meyton was an extremely unpopular woman ; and for days afterwards one Muddletonite repeated it to another as the last good thing. Indeed, as long as Lady Meyton hunted in Mudshire, it was remembered against her that Miss Jones had sympathized with her for crossing her at her fences, and had begged her not to mind being unable to control her horse. c2

Chapter II. Mrs

JONES AT A DINNER-PARTY. 'Who is it? Oh, come in!' exclaimed Marcia. She was standing by the dressing-table, fastening a row of large single diamonds round her soft, white neck. They were at the Nest, and it was the evening of Mrs. Rickby-Foster's dinner-party. Mrs. Jones entered the room, and ut tered a little exclamation of surprise and admiration. ' Oh, dear me, my lady,' she exclaimed, in her astonishment forgetting her new role, ' I never did think as you would come to look like that.' And, in truth, Lady Marcia Criton, as she turned to look at Mrs. Jones, looked about as bewitchingly pretty as any young lady of seventeen could ever hope to do.. Her dress, a cloud of sky-blue gauze, suited her to perfection. It was just as light and airy and dainty as herself. No wear and tear or lasting powers about it ; but in its freshness positively charming.

Her fair, fluffy hair, caught up by several beautiful diamond stars, the little satin shoes that just peeped out beneath her skirts, the mischievous, sparkling expres sion in her eyes, the little smile of satisfaction on her lips, all and everyone of tli em were enough to have called forth that exclamation of admiration from the humble Mrs. Jones. Admiration to Marcia was what sun shine is to flowers. Under it she instantly expanded and appeared at her best. 'You dear, silly old thing!' she return ed, with her most affectionate smile ; and then she tripped over to Mrs. Jones's side, and laid her hand upon her shoulder. ' Turn round,' she added, encouragingly. ' You really look very nice. I am glad we chose that dress ; it suits you.' It did not, and Marcia, had she been in less brilliant spirits, would have been ren dered miserable by poor Mrs. Jones's appearance in it.

It was a very handsome dress, and one of the best dressmakers in London had done all that was possible to make it look presentable upon Mrs. Jones's thick-set figure. Only a very little bit of arm appeared in view ; but, alas ! it was more than enough, and the red, blotched skin which covered its sturdy proportions looked quite remarkable against the handsome satin and gold embroidered draperies against which it hung. The bodice was happily high at the throat ; but Mrs. Jones's round red face, in contrast with the soft folds of the delicate Brussels lace just beneath it, and the little Medici collar behind, looked unkindly comical. The dress was well enough, and would have been most suitable on any woman, belong ing to the sphere for which it was intended, of Mrs. Jones's age ; but on poor Mrs. Jones it was strikingly unsuitable, and had the result of making rather a superior, better class woman appear ten times more ordin ary and commonplace than she really was.

It made her look vulgar as well as very plebeian ; and vulgar, in her proper place, Mrs. Jones certainly was not. But Marcia was far too well pleased with her own appearance — which indeed had exceeded even her hopes — to give so much as a passing thought to Mrs. Jones. The reflection of her own dainty figure in a long glass in the wardrobe near her, inter ested her considerably more than did the attire of her step-mamma, and her glance strayed in that direction, even as she spoke. ' Now, go downstairs, dear,' she added, impatiently, bestowing a little pat upon Mrs. Jones's arm, intended to inspire her with courage. ' You are quite ready; and I will follow you directly, with Nellie.' ' But tell me, do I not look odd with all those diamonds on my 'ead ? They seem to give me such a shiny, polished look,' protested Mrs. Jones, anxiously. ' And I was most particular not to wash my face with soap.

I didn't do that really ; so don't look like that at it.' ' No, no ! You look all right. You cannot possibly appear here in the evening without a few diamond ornaments. No one does ; and how can / wear them if you do not. Cannot you see that that would look odd,' returned Marcia, quickly, hurry ing Mrs. Jones towards the door as she spoke. This argument was clenching ; and Mrs. Jones knew that she must say no more. ' Oh, dear, but I wish I was at 'ome,' she murmured, nervously, with her hand on the door handle. ' Now, you are not going to be silly, are you ?' inquired Marcia, suddenly becom ing severe. ' I do hope not. It will be miserable if you are ; and you will com pletely spoil my fun.' 'I will try not to do that,' was the gently-given reply. ' Trust me, I'll do my best to 'old up my 'ead to-night amongst these ladies.

I won't disgrace you and your sister, if I can 'elp it.' ' That is right, I know you will. And now, like a good, dear soul, do go away. I shall be late, if you do not, I warn you fairly.' Meaning to do her very best, but with an uneasy mind, Mrs. Jones departed, and slowly wended her way down the broad staircase, to the ordeal she so dreaded. Hardly had she gone when Nellie en tered the room. It was Marcia's turn to exclaim now. Oddly enough, it had never struck Marcia that Nellie was an exceptionally beautiful woman until that moment ; and then the truth came home to her with such sudden and certain conviction, that for the first time she began to feel just a little dissatis fied with herself. Nothing could have been more different than the dresses these sisters wore: Marcia's was all stuffiness and flimsyness, and its chief beauty lay in its airy lightness and the fantastic way in which it was arranged.

Nellie's was rigidly stiff. The skirt, except for one or two downward folds, was ab solutely plain, and the train was longer than the fashion of the day ; the bodice was devoid of any folds or softness at all, and the high collar at the back of it, made of the same dead-white silk as the dress, was heavily embroidered round the edge with pearls. There was a stiff little waist coat embroidered in the same way, and the rest was as plain as it well could be. Nothing could have been a fitter setting for the strictly beautiful face of the woman who wore it, or so well have harmonized with her stately figure, and her calm, imperious manner and air. She wore absolutely no ornaments at all, and she made her charming young sister look like a pretty, well-dressed, delicately made wax doll. There was a sisterly likeness, in spite of the fact that no two women could possibly have been more unlike ; but it would have been better for Marcia had it not existed.

Comparisons are odious always, and in this case, had it not been for that sisterly re semblance, the utter contrast between these two girls would have stood Marcia in good stead. The likeness, slight as it was, brought in its wake the comparison, and that was unfortunate, — for Marcia. ' You do look well in that dress, Nell !' she remarked, after a prolonged stare. ' Just as if you had stepped out of a picture.' Nellie smiled. She was glad that Marcia was pleased, and her child-like enthusiasm amused her. 'And you look a darling,' she returned, gently; 'just like the bewitching little fairy that you are.' Marcia drew up her slight figure to its utmost height, and, with her piquant little chin raised as high as it would go, she came and stood by Nellie's side. ' Little, indeed, my lady Nell,' she re torted, with an assumption of indignation in her tones. 'Not so much difference, after all.

I am mercifully saved from being like a walking sign-post ; but only by an inch or two, you see.' Nellie laughed. ' I am an inch or two too tall, I know,' she replied, carelessly, ' but I really do not mind that at all. There, that is the dinner bell ; we had better go downstairs. By the-by, I wonder if Mrs. Jones is ready yet?' ' She was ready ten minutes ago,' replied Marcia, 'I sent her down just before you came in here.' ' I do wonder how we shall get through the evening,' said Nellie, thoughtfully ; and by ' we ' of course she meant Mrs. Jones. ' I have made up my mind that it will be fun,' returned Marcia, airiby. ' And, whatever happens, I mean to enjoy it thoroughly. Do likewise, Nell,' she added, in a whisper, as they walked side by side down the stairs. Nellie nodded and tried to smile.

She felt that if only Marcia enjoyed herself her own happiness was secured. Only one thing could render the evening miserable : she hoped sincei-ely that her cousin Robert would not be there. In this, as we know, she was disappoint ed. She knew he was there the moment she entered the room. There were many people there, but her first glance caught sight of only two of them ; and somehow or other, as she stood near the door talking to her host, those two occupied her thoughts to the exclusion of all else. Un a distant sofa sat Mrs. Jones, and standing by her, with his back to the room, Avas Robert Criton. She dimly realised that, when they entered the room, there was a momentary lull in the murmur of many voices, and that for a perceptible second or two the conversation ceased. She also noticed that Lord Clarenby, looking very handsome in his evening clothes, advanced hurriedly to Marcia's side, and that he and another black-coated individual, introduced by Mrs. Rickby- Foster, kept up an animated flow of con versation with her until dinner was an nounced.

Marcia was looking charming, her tongue never seemed to cease, and now and then a little rippling, musical laugh was borne across the room to her sister's ears. But even Marcia's movements failed to interest Nellie greatly. Only those two figures seemed ever prominent ; and Nellie could not banish them from her thoughts. Nellie was not feeling happy. Her host, good-hearted, genial natured old George Foster, did his utmost to interest her, and be friendly; but Nellie, hating herself for her stiff, cold manner, could not VOL. III. d respond. Her replies were merest mono syllables, her manner of uttering them mechanical ; and all the time she wished with all her heart that she had never left Gayscourt. Surely it was an unkind fate which destined that one of Mrs. Rickby-Foster's most important guests should be nearly a quarter-of-an-hour late that evening.

No one with spirits less versatile than Lady Marcia Criton could possibly have enjoyed that quarter-of-an-hour, and by the end of it she and the two men talking to her were the only animated people in the room. That they were enjoying them selves thoroughly was perfectly apparent, and it is saying a good deal for Marcia's powers of attraction when it is said that these two hungry cavaliers of hers were M?'s. Jones at a Dinner-Party. 35 unfeignedly sorry when Lady Meyton was announced. Making no apologies for being late, her ladyship swept into the room, shook hands with Mrs. Rickby-Foster and Lady Claren by, nodded to Lady Katherine, ignored many people altogether whom she knew quite well, and then was taken in to dinner by Mr. Criton, who would greatly have preferred taking in anybody else.

Marcia went in with the gentleman in troduced a quarter-of-an-hour ago by her hostess. He was one of the — th Lancers, a Captain Bristowe, and already they were quite good friends. Nellie was taken in by Mr. Goodrich ; Mrs. Jones by Major Carrington. 'Tom Goodrich,' as everybody seemed to call him, was a man of about thirty-five, d2 who looked older than he was. He was wrapped up in sport, and cared for abso lutely nothing outside it. He was rather startled for a moment, when Mrs. Rickby- Foster led him up to Nellie and introduced him to her, and he was dimly conscious of the fact that she was one of the very best-looking women he had ever seen ; but before many minutes were over he had discovered the fact that this Miss Jones, who they all told him rode so well, knew nothing whatever about hunting or hounds, and that a horse in her eyes was simply ' a dear creature;' after that, he studied the menu, gave his entire attention to his dinner, and did not bestow another thought upon Miss Jones.

Nellie was thankful that this was so. Habitually reserved with strangers, and not an adept in the art of making small talk, she discovered as quickly as he had done that they had not an idea in common, and that their natures were far from being congenial or sympathetic. She was there fore thoroughly glad to be left in peace. Not that she was happy in her mind, or that her own thoughts were pleasant, but partly because they absorbed all her attention and rendered her listless and dull. Whenever she raised her eyes from the plate, they turned instinctively to the opposite left-hand side of the table. There sat Mrs. Jones, with Major Car rington on one side of her and Robert Criton on the other. And it was to Mr. Criton that she was always talking ; it seemed to Nellie that she never ceased. What she said Nellie could not hear; but she kept imagining it incessantly, and her imagination took the form of a bad nightmarc.