Her Father's Name. A novel

Chapter I. Miss Gibson

Leona Lacoste did not part readdy with a determination once arrived at, but when she came to sit down quietly in the Brighton hotel, and think over the difficulties of successfully impersonating an old woman like Mrs. Gibson, she was fain to cast about her mind for some more suitable idea. For there is no disguise less easy to maintain by daylight than that of a Avrinkled old crone by a plump, smooth skinned young woman. The imitation may pass muster beneath the gaslight, but it Avould VOL. III. B certainly be detected under the searching glare of day. Not only has the fair, firm flesh to appear shrivelled, discoloured, and empty, but the eyes must lose their brightness, the throat become drawn, the hands bony, pinched, and misshapen. Gray hair, false eyebrows, and paint judiciously applied, may do a great deal towards gaining the desired effect, might even accomplish it for one or two interviews.

But Leona foresaw that, in the disguise she adopted for Liverpool she would probably haA'e to return to London, and be again sub jected to the scrutiny of the Evans, and therefore she abandoned the idea of personating Mrs. Gibson, and determined to appear instead as a niece of that old lady, Avho had been asked by her aunt to institute inquiries re specting Miss Anson, on her way up to the North. The preparations for this disguise gave her very little trouble. Cosmetics she already possessed, and having procured a gray front and a few plain articles of attire, such as a female of the middle-class might wear, she put a thick veil over her face, settled her bill at the " Grand," and drove away with her boxes to a smaller hotel. Here she went straight up to her bedroom, Avhence, in the course of an hour, she emerged — a middle-aged woman.

Her chestnut curls all tucked away beneath smooth bands of gray hair completely altered the expression of her face ; whilst her dark arched eyebrows, dashed with white, and a few crow's-feet artistically pencilled at the corners of her eyes, drew off the attention from the liquid amber-coloured orbs, that could gleam so wrathfully or lovingly beneath them. She descended to the sittino* room, where her meal was prepared for her, such a staid, matronly-looking body, with her old-fashiOned cap tied under her chin, and a small three-cornered shawl pinned discreetly over her bosom, that the maids who had b watched her arrival, nudged each other to look at her now, and Avhispered, " Did they ever think she was such an old im, to judge by her voice." Not but what Leona had great command also OA'er her voice, and could alter it to suit her OAvn fancy.

But she had hardly had time to think about Avhat A'oice she should assume Aviien this little incident occurred. By the time she reached Liverpool she had accustomed herself to a tone, AA'hich no one Avould have recognised as that in Avhich Don Christobal Valera had ensnared the heart of poor Lucdla Evans. The acting and managing partner of the firm of Evans and Troubridge, in Liverpool, at that particular moment was a Mr. Lionel, a bachelor of some forty-five or fifty years of age, who was noted for his gallantry to the fair sex. It was a standing remark that whenever a Avoman had occasion to enter the office or the warehouse (whicii Avas very seldom), " Old Lionel," as the clerks irreverently termed him, could pay no attention to business, however pressing, until she had passed out of sight again.

So incurable was this amiable weakness on the part of the manager of the firm, that his subordinates had been known, on more than one occasion, to play the double trick of sending some pretty Avoman on a false errand to his office, in order that they might watch his delight at her reception, and ridicule him for all that passed during the interview after wards. But, naturally, only when his back was turned. It was, therefore, Avith a wink of intelligence to his brother clerks, that the sauciest of the lot demurely announced to Mr. Lionel one morning, that "a lady" Avished to speak to him. "A lady ! Watson," exclaimed the manager, pricking up his ears. " Who is she ? What is she like ? " " Her name is Miss Gibson, sir ; and — she's very nice-looking, sir." " Oh, show her in, Watson, show her in," said Mr. Lionel ; and thus, thanks perhaps entirely to the love of mischief on the part of Mr. Watson, Miss Gibson gained admittance to the presence of the head of the firm.

But though the gray-haired woman who presently appeared to Mr. Lionel Avas not " all his fancy painted her," she Avas quite sufficiently " nice-looking " to engage his attention. " Nice looking," indeed, was just the term to apply to his visitor ; for though the hair, and the eyebrows, and the crow's-feet belonged to the supposed Miss Gibson, the clear eyes, the dimpled chin, the beautifully-formed mouth, and all that Leona Lacoste could not paint out of herself remained, to make the Avoman look as though age had overtaken her through trouble or sickness, rather than crept upon her unawares. " Miss Gibson, I believe. Pray be seated, madam," said the manager, courteously. " I presume that I am speaking to Mr. Evans ? " commenced the stranger, as she accepted the offer. " Oh no ! I am Mr. Lionel.

Mr. Evans is not in Liverpool at present, but if your business with him is not of a strictly private nature, I have no doubt I shall be able to act for him." "You are very kind, sir. Perhaps you wdl allow me to trouble you with a few questions. I have called here at the request of my aunt, Mrs. Gibson, of WilloAvside. She had charge, many years ago, of a Miss Lucilla Anson, a ward, I believe, of Mr. Evans ? " "Yes, yes! — well?" said Mr. Lionel, be coming grave directly. " And as I Avas passing through Liverpool, on my way north, my aunt was anxious that I should see Miss Anson, and send her word hoAV she is, and if she is married, and so on, or get her address that she may communicate with her by letter." " Miss Anson — who, by the way, is always termed Miss Evans uoav, by the desire of her adopted father — is not in Liverpool, nor likely to return here.

She is alive, and well, and stiU unmarried. You can tell your aunt so far, but I think I must consult Mr. Evans before giving you his private address. There is always a certain amount of etiquette ob servable in these matters, you knoAAA' " Mrs. Gibson thought that having had the charge of the young lady for so many years, and being fully acquainted Avith the history of her birth and her father's death " " Indeed ! " said Mr. Lionel, bringing his chair closer and loAvering his voice, " AA'as Mrs. Gibson told the secret of Miss Alison's adop tion by Mrs. Evans then ? " " It was pretty Avell knoAvn over the. country, sir, though it may be forgotten by this time. And the hand that Mr. Evans' brother had in the business too." " Hush ! my good lady ; pray speak loAver. The unhappy circumstances you allude to are not such public property as you imagine."

" But everybody knoAvs that Mr. George Evans disappeared at the time of the murder, sir, and that there Avas no suspicion cast on anyone else. I thought that fact Avas plain enough, though it's no concern of mine." " True, as you say, it's no concern of ours. But you must not be offended if I ask if your aunt has any idea of using this knowledge of hers in order to " While Mr. Lionel was looking about for a Avord, Miss Gibson supplied it. " In order to extort money from Mr. Evans or Miss Anson ? No, sir. We have no need of that. We are not well off, but we've not yet come to robbery." " My dear lady, you must not misinterpret my meaning." "I do not, sir. But I Avill tell you can didly, that Mrs. Gibson's desire to know Mr. Evans' address arose from the hope he might be able — and willing — to put me in the Avay of filling the situation of a housekeeper, or any place of trust.

My aunt is now a very old Avoman, unable to do anything more for her own living, and she did her duty by the child Mrs. Evans placed under her care, and has guarded the secret of how she came to lose her father ; and thinks she has — or rather I may have through her — some little claim in consequence on the gentleman's consideration. For Ave hear he is very rich." Mr. Lionel felt this was not a case to be dismissed hastily. He kneAV that women's tongues are long and loud, and that should he irritate Miss Gibson to proclaim her wrongs all Liverpool might soon be ringing again Avith the story that his partner had been trying so many years to put to sleep. He saw that he must be cautious to keep Miss Gibson in good humour — more than that, he must keep her under his own eye until he had communicated AA'ith Mr. Evans on the subject.

" You are perfectly right, madam," he said, after some little consideration, " and Avere my partner here, he would be the first to tell you so. Are you making any stay in Liverpool ? " Now, Leona, with her usual quickness, saw at once by this cautious answer, how the land lay. She had made no plans Avhen she entered the office, having determined to be. guided entirely by the force of such circumstances as might meet her there. The event had proved better than all her anticipations. She had the power to make them fear her, and her reply to Mr. Lionel's question was given in accord ance Avith her neAv discovery. " That's just as it suits my own pleasure, sir. I can stay or go as I see fit, but I think I shall remain till I've heard something one Avay or another from Mr. Evans, that is if you'll be so good as to give me his address."

" Well, I've already told you that I think I must ask his permission for that first, and meanwhile I will write anything you Avish to say to him. Have you got lodgings yet, Miss Gibson ?" " No, sir ; I only arrived in Liverpool this morning, and I don't even know Avhere to look for them." " I am sure Mr. Evans Avould not like to think you Avere put to any inconvenience AA'hile waiting for his answer. He will be the first, I feel assured, to acknowledge the strong claim your aunt has upon his gratitude (for he is much attached to his adopted daughter), and to find fault Avith me if I have in any way neglected it. I am a miserable bachelor, Miss Gibson," he went on airily, " but I have toler able accommodation for visitors in my house, and a highly respectable old housekeeper to look after my lady guests ; so if you wiU accept the offer of rooms there during your stay in Liverpool, I can promise you shall be as quiet and undisturbed as though you Avere under your own roof, and I shall feel it an honour to be of any use to a friend of Mr. Evans."

Leona did not know at first what to say to this proposal — how to decide — whether it would hamper or accelerate her search after the truth. But she saw no Avay of backing out of it, and she had a strong — almost a superstitious belief in the Fate which Avas bound to carry her on to the end of her sacred mission. So she accepted the offer of Mr. Lionel's rooms. "I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, sir, for taking such care of a stranger, and I think I should be very foolish to say No. And I suppose it cannot be for long that I shall have need to trouble you." " The longer the better, as far as L am concerned," returned Mr. Lionel gallantly; " but I shall communicate Avith Mr. Evans on the subject to-day, and I do not think you will have to wait for his answer. I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again, I hope, to-morrow, when we Avill talk further on this matter.

Meantime, I am sure I can trust you to mention it to no one." " Certainly, sir," Miss Gibson replied. Mr. Lionel drew pen and paper towards him, and hastily wrote a few lines. "These are for my housekeeper, Mrs. Hod gett, desiring her to see you have everything you may require," he remarked, as he folded the note, " and I will send one of my clerks round to my house Avith you." " My luggage is waiting at the door, sir, on a cab." " Very good. Then there need be no delay." He opened the door of his sanctum, and called into the outer office. " Levitt ! Is LeAitt there, Johnson ? Send him here to me at once." And thereupon a cry of " Levitt ! Levitt ! wanted immediately," sounded through the establishment. Leona started. Here was that name again — the name mentioned in Anson's letter, that was borne by the woman who wept at parting Avith Anson's child.

What mysterious chain of circumstances bound that name of Levitt with the destinies of the EA'ans family ? She had hardly had time to ask herself the question when the present owner of the title appeared. He was a good-looking lad of fifteen or thereabouts, with dark eyes and hair, and a HEB FATHERS NAME. bright complexion, who looked as though he could be wicked enough if he chose, but was all meekness and sobriety before Mr. Lionel. " Here, Levitt, you are to go round with this lady to my house, and give this note to Mrs. Hodgett, and tell her she is to make Miss Gibson as comfortable as possible, and that I ha\*e to go over to Manchester this afternoon, and shall not be home till late — ten, or half-past. Do you understand ? " "Yes, sir." " And after you have seen Miss Gibson safely there, you are to come straight back to the office.

Do you hear ? " " Yes, sir," replied the meek Master Levitt, who seemed to carry some remembrance in his face of a former occasion, when he had not come " straight back." " I'm sure I am much obliged to you, sir," said Miss Gibson, with a sweeping curtsey. " Pray don't mention it," returned Mr. Lionel, as he bowed her out of the office. " Mr. Evans would, I am sure, be greatly annoyed if he found it otherwise. I am only acting as his representative." Notwithstanding the stranger's gray hair and modest attire, there Avas an amount of tittering in the office Avhen it was discovered to what point Master Levitt had been desired to navigate her, and, for all her boasted strength of mind, Leona was not sorry Avhen the young gentleman had finished giving directions to the cabman, and, taking his seat by her side, was driven away with her.

She looked at his laughing face and wicked eye more than once before she ventured to ask him if he knew Mrs. Hodgett. "Know old Mother Hodgett ! Rather think I did. So will you by to-morroAV." " Why, is she such a formidable old lady then, Master Levitt ? " VOL. III. C " You wait till you see her. My eye I I'd sooner 'twas you going to stay with her than me." " Perhaps she doesn't like young gentlemen so well as I do." She was careful not to call him a " boy," and check the growth of his budding confi dence. " Do you like 'em ? Well, I think you look rather jolly, you know. But as for Hodgett, I never put my foot over her threshold if I can help it." " If she makes herself as unpleasant to me," said Miss Gibson, " I shall look out for some lodgings." " Why didn't you get lodgings at first ?

I Avould if I'd been you. I wouldn't stay with old Lionel if he'd give me a guinea a day." " Are there many lodgings to let in Liverpool ? " " Heaps and heaps. My mother lets 'em right down on the docks." "Does she ? I wonder, if I have to stay here long, whether your mother would let me have a room with her ? " " I'm sure she Avould if I asked her ; and we've got the whole house empty now. There's only mother and me and uncle Bdl lives there, and he's nobody." " You shouldn't speak of your uncle in that way, young man, it isn't respectful." " Oh, but he is nobody. He's sdly, you know — soft — what do you cad it ? I knock him about just as if he were a baby." " Poor fellow ! I knew a lady of the name of Levitt years ago. I wonder if it was your mother ? Do you mind telling me her name ? " " Mother's name is Mary Anne."

" Oh 1 This Miss Levitt's name was Rebecca." c "Aunt Becky ! Oh! I've never seen her, she lives in Paris or London or somewhere. Bill talks of her sometimes, but mother Avon't let him, because it makes him cry." " I should very much like to call upon your mother, and talk to her about the lodgings. Do you think she would let me come ? " " Of course she Avould. Our address is No. 3, Dock Buildings. We often have sailors lodging Avith us. I wanted mother to let me go to sea, but she wouldn't." "Are you her only child ? " " That's all, ma'am, and quite enough, as some people say. But here's old Lionel's house. And Avhen are you coming to see mother ? Don't come in the clay or I shan't be at home." " I'll come this evening if it's fine. I have nothing to do in this place." "All right then. I'll tell her, and then if you like the rooms you can take them, for you'll soon be sick of Mother Hodgett, I can ted you.

Vinegar's nothing to her. Here, hie ! Cabby, stop ! First door on the right. That's it. Noav, ma'am, here you are." Master Levitt's graphic description of Mr. Lionel's housekeeper proved but too true. Vinegar was nothing to her. She answered the door in person. A prim, stiff, starched old woman, with a sour mouth and a fallen-in jaw, Avho appeared to regard all of her own sex Avho had not quite reached her standard of womanhood as natural enemies. Miss Gibson looked fully five-and-forty, but there is a long stretch betAveen that and seventy, and Mrs. Hodgett, having snatched her master's note from Master Levitt's contaminating fingers, and perused it with a pursed-up mouth, turned looks of suspicion even on her middle-aged visitor. " Wed, of ad the unreasonable things," she commenced, " to expect a body to turn out her rooms at a moment's notice, and for a person as she never set eyes on before !

And what are you staying here for?" she continued, turning round upon the lad, who was gazing at her with his mouth wide open with delight ; "you've done what you were told to, I suppose ? Be off to your work, you lazy A'arlet, and don't stand gaping at me as if you'd never seen a respectable woman before." " Never have ! That's why I gape," re pHed Master Levitt, audaciously. "Haven't done what I was told to either ! I've a message for you, old lady, from your master, and you'd better attend to it, or it'H be the worse for you." " You hold your imperent tongue, and tell me what it is ! " "Why, that you're to make this lady as comfortable as you can, and see that she has everything she wants. Roast turkey, ice cream, green peas, asparagus, &c. &c. &c. Whether in season or out of season. Do you understand that ?

" " He never said anything of the sort," grumbled the old housekeeper. " Didn't he though ? You'd better believe it, or he'll let you know the reason AA'hy. And the governor's going over to Manchester this afternoon, and won't be back tdl three in the morning, and you're to sit up for him and keep his supper hot." " I sit up ! I sit up till three in the morning ! An old creature like me, with every bone aching with the rheumatics ! I don't believe the master sent any such mes sage. But how's one to know what to believe or disbelieve when he keeps a set of devil's imps hke you to carry his orders backwards and forwards ? Oh dear ! oh dear ! " "Well, you can believe it or not as you choose," shouted the boy as he went down the street ; " but don't say afterwards that I didn't tell you." And with that Master Levitt disappeared.

Mrs. Hodgett shut the hall-door Avith a groan and ushered her unAvelcome guest into a sitting-room. " You seem a quiet sort of a body," she said, as she scrutinised her appearance. " I suppose I needn't turn the house upside down for you ?" Leona's object was to conciliate the old housekeeper, so she immediately disclaimed the idea of such a thing. " I should be very sorry if you took any trouble at all on my account, Mrs. Hodgett.. I have a little business connected with the firm, and as I am only in Liverpool for a feAv days Mr. Lionel insisted upon my coming here. The plainest food in the world Avill do for me. And as I have a great many things to do in the tOAvn, I shall be out of doors most of my time." " Oh ! very well ! you can please yourself about that, so long as you don't Avant me to go with you.

For I've enough Avorry down stairs, with only one girl to do the cooking and housework, without running after visitors. If the master meant this to be a lodging house he should have told me. And then to send up his orders by a worriting young varmint like that Levitt. It's enough to put any Avoman out. Do you want breakfast to be got for you now ? It's past twelve o'clock." " I should very much like a cup of tea," replied Leona, Avho had tasted nothing that morning. " Just what I thought it would be," grumbled Hodgett, as she prepared to crawl downstairs ; " worry, and trouble, and cooking, going on from morning till night. It's begun already, and it'll never leave off. WeU ! I don't caU this Avaiting on a single gentleman, and so I shall tell him, and if he can't live without — ■ — " The rest of her soliloquy was lost in the depths of the kitchen stairs.

If Leona's mission had not been such a solemn one, she could have laughed heartily at the old woman's exhibition of temper. But the boy Levitt's information had startled her, and she was rather glad than otherwise to find that Mrs. Hodgett 's dislike would remove all bar to her movements whdst she was Mr. Lionel's guest. For her food, she was blissfudy indifferent as to what they might place before her. English cooking was distasteful to her palate after the highly-seasoned dishes of the Brazils. And if she could not eat what Mrs. Hodgett sup plied, she had but to go out and get her meals elsewhere. What were meals to a woman Avho felt herself trembling on the brink of a discovery that should clear her father's name from shame ! Leona never anticipated that the search she was prosecuting might end in convincing the Avorld of her father's guilt.

Her faith was as strong as her love ! She had no knowledge, but she had feeling ! She, felt that he Avas in nocent, and it was this beautiful unswerving filial faith that led her on, Avithout the least doubt of ultimate success, through circum stances of difficulty that Avould have caused a less brave spirit to turn back and throw up the game long before. But Leona Lacoste was a woman who would never give in — until she died.

Chapter II

"UNCLE BILL." It was about six o'clock on a fine summer's evening Avhen Leona took her way towards No. 3, Dock Buildings", Liverpool. She had been feverishly anxious to commence her pil grimage earlier, but two reasons had deterred her. One was the lad's request that she would wait until he Avas. at home. She felt it would be better if he related the circumstances of his meeting with her, and the need that might arise for her requiring apartments, to his mother first. He seemed to have taken a fancy to her, and he was an only child, and probably exerted considerable influence at home. Then, too, she AA'anted time before " UNCLE BILL." 29 she met these Levitts to think over the sen tences in Abraham Anson's letter that alluded to their name, in case anything occurred by which she could gain fresh information con cerning it.

She had draAvn forth the letter from its hiding-place — her bosom — and well pondered over those portions that mentioned the family that seemed in some mysterious way to have been mixed up with her dead father's fortunes. " I'm sorry to say he's heard about that business Avith the Levitt's girl, and wanted me to give him particulars. I pretended to know nothing of the affair ; but it appears old Levitt has been up to the house, so I'd get away for a short time, Master George, if I Avas you. I don't want to have to say anything, so I hope the chief won't put me on my oath, but I think the matter might be settled by money. Levitt's very close-fisted, and I shouldn't wonder if that's all he cares about. But if I try and bleed the chief again, it wid bring the Levitt affair right about your ears."

This was ad that related to the Levitt famih', but Leona saw that the letter had been chiefly Avritten with the view of cautioning her father on this particular subject. Of course she guessed that the "Levitt affair" was a love affair ; but hoAv far had it gone ? and Avhy should the clerk have been so alarmed lest it should reach the " chief's " ears ? " Old Levitt," the father of the girl, to whom allu sion was twice made, had probably been employed in the firm, which rendered any trifling Avith his daughter more likely to annoy the head of it, particularly when the trifler was his own nephew. Leona considered that even an ordinary flirtation, which was destined to end in nothing, might, under the circumstances, be spoken of in as serious a manner. But she could not understand how such a piece of badinage could be thought worthy of " UNCLE BILL." 31 compensation by money.

It must have been an injury that went deeper than a flirtation. And it was to procure this money to patch up his own folly that her father was supposed to haA'e robbed his uncle's till, and murdered the man who was so anxious to befriend him ! Leona's lip curled even Avhilst her frame shuddered at the pitiful idea ! Her mind was full of these thoughts as she asked her way to Dock Buildings, which were at some distance from Mr. Lionel's house and situated in a less fashionable quarter of the town. When she came to them she found a plain but cheerful row of small chvellings, close to the quay, Avhere ad manner of lading and unlading was going on. Dock Buildings were evidently frequented by the seafaring tribe. There was quite a marine appearance about the pink lipped conch shells, and lumps of rough coral, that adorned the solitary plot of grass or flowers that stood before each doorway ; and a card with the inscription — " Apartments for a single gentleman," Avas displayed in almost every Avindow.

No. 3 Avas amongst the brightest and most cheerful-looking of the lot. There Avas an evidence of care about the little place that betokened the industry of the inhabitants. The tiny front garden Avas filled with blossoming annuals, the steps Avere as Avhite as snoAV, and the palings looked as if they had been painted yesterday. Leona's knock Avas immediately answered by the lad Levitt himself. He had certainly taken an unusual fancy to his middle-aged acquaintance. " Here's the lady, mother," he shouted, to some one in the back part of the house. " Do come in, Miss Gibson, and sit doAvn, I say, how have you got on with Mrs. Hodgett ? What did she give you for dinner ? Old boots and garden snails ? She's close enough to do it." " UNCLE BILL." 33 " Not quite so bad as that, Master Levitt," replied Leona, as she followed him into a tiny, neatly-furnished parlour.