Walter's word : a novel

CHAPTER XXVII. Danger 224

CONTENTS. Vii

CHAPTER XXYtll. page The Chase m the Calm.... 234

CHAPTEU XXIX.

CHAPTER XXX.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Outdoor Lodgings , 259

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Captain and his Captive 266

CHAPTER XXXIII.

CHAPTER XXXIY.

CHAPTER XXXY,

CHAPTER XXXYI.

CHAPTER XXXYII.

CHAPTER XXXYIII.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Sir Reginald Takes his Own Yiew 340

CHAPTER XL.

CHAPTER XLI.

A Last Appeal 359

CHAPTER XLII.

Walter Sets his House in Order 371 viii CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XLIII. page The Temptek , 378

C HAPTEN XLIV.

The Promise Kept... 387

CHAPTEE XLY.

Leap- year: 396

CHAPTER XLYI.

The Escape 404

CHAPTER XLYII.

"He is Worth all Love Can Give Him" 409

CHAPTER XLYIII.

Homeward Bound 416

WALTER'S WORD.

Chapter I. In The Smoking-carriage

N a quarter of an hour the mid-day express will leave the terminus at Paddington for the west, and the platform is beginning to fill. Paterfamilias, with his mountains of luggage and oceans of children, is already there. The fidgety maiden lady, who " always likes to be in time,^^ has been there ten minutes ago, and has gone by mistake by the parliamentary " — a literal exemplification of " more haste less speed," since it shunts" at Windsor, to enable the express to pass. The old gentleman who prefers to " start comfortably " is ensconced in his favourite corner of the carriage, has acquired his pile of newspapers, seen his traps " put into the next compartment, and with his head out of window, and his travellingcap upon it, is urging the guard to signal ^' All right," since there is surely nothing more to wait for. The two nervous sisters, who, when they must needs travel on " those horrid railways," always do so together, that in death they may not be divided, are sitting, silent, hand in hand, hoping the best, and expecting the worst : their advertisement, addressed ^'To those who prefer the road to the rail, and are willing to share the expenses of posting to Exeter," having met with no response : they were "journey proud," and could eat no breakfast; but they have some sandwiches in a hand-bag, of which they will partake at Swindon, when the train (thank Heaven) is stationary for ten minutes, and all danger, save that of being run into, is temporarily suspended : as for getting out, that is out of the question, for these horrible trains never wait for ladies, and they would be sure to be left behind. The bride and bridegroom about to pass their honeymoon in Devonshire, have also come, A

WALTER*S WORD.

with the intention of securing a coup6, and are very much disgusted to find that there is no such carriage to be had ; Charles, who has three hundred pounds a year in the Customs, is halfdisposed to take a compartment to themselves ] a design which Angelina (already wife-like) combats on the reasonable score of expense ; it is true that there is one carriage with a door in the middle, but the gentleman departing quietly from his creditors is already in possession of its most secluded corner, and they come upon him unawares with a mutual shock. As for the business-men, to whom time (they say, is " such an object ; " and the yonng gentlemen who never hurry themselves ; and the young gentlemen who think it fine " to shave the train ; " and the ladies who " never have a notion of what o'clock it is" — these will not be here for the next twelve minutes, if they are so fortunate as to arrive in time at all. Of young gentlemen, indeed, there are but two as yet arrived, and these two of the very class that you would have expected to be among the latest. They are both well dressed, though one more fashionably than the other ; they are of too tender years (unless they have been very " imprudent ") to have any domestic ties, since, in the eye of the law, one is little more than " an infant," and the other only his senior by a few years ; and they are in a smoking-carriage, which at present they have all to themselves. The anomaly of their being so much before their time seems to strike the younger of the two as it does ourselves, for he removes his pipe to remark : " I hope you have brought me here early enough, Selwyn ; you did not use to be so punctual in your college days, if I remember right : I suppose it is the discipline of the Crimea which has effected the reform."

" Well, you see, old fellow, with a game-arm " (his left arm is in a sling) " and a game-leg " (he has limped across the platform with the aid of his friend, and also of a crutch), " one feels a little helpless j and hurry and bustle are to a poor cripple like myself"

" My dear fellow," interrupts the other effusively, his comely face blushing to the roots of his brown beard, " don't say another word ; I am ashamed of myself for having forgotten your misfortune even for an instant. I ought to have four legs myself — to be such a brute."

IN THE SMOKING-CARRIAGE.

s

He leans across and pats the knee of the uninjured leg of his companion, an affectionate impulse strange to behold in one of his muscular and manly appearance, and which evidences, one would say, a very tender heart. He has not been thoughtless in his acts, in spite of that little verbal slip, for he has not only seen to everything, but taken as much care to make the other comfortable, as though he were a sick child. If he shewed impatience about the train, he shews it now in a much greater degree with himself, twisting threads of his silken beard as though he would tear them out, and looking volumes of penitence out of his large soft brown eyes. " What an idiot I am," he mutters : ^^a man that would say things like that" (he is referring to his malapropos observation) " would say anything, and steal the coppers from a blind man's tray."

His companion, quite unconscious of these ejaculations, is gazing out of window, watching the platform as it fills with its hurrying throng : a photographer would have an excellent chance of taking him, so intent is his expression of interest, and this is the portrait that would result. A lean, dark face, with wellformed, and what is called speaking features ; the mouth hard when in rest, but capable of much expression, and improved rather than otherwise by its delicate black moustache ; the eyes large and lustrous, but without the softness that is the characteristic of his friend's ; the nose aquiline, the forehead high : altogether a very handsome face, nor marred — to the female eye at least — by a certain haughtiness of aspect. When we add (for so far does he lean out of the window that we get a quarter-length " of him) that his left arm lies in a sling, it is clear that he must needs present an image as dangerous to woman's heart as he did but a few months back to England's foes, when, with that reckless few, he flew across the cannon-swept plain of Balaklava, and sabred the Eussians at their guns.

By Jupiter, there she is ! " cried he excitedly, and beckoning with eager joy to some one in the passing throng,

" What! " exclaims his companion, in a tone of astonishment ;

surely not your "

Yes, it's Lotty," interrupts the other, in a tone which has triumph in it as well as pleasure. " You don't know what a trump she is. I thought my letter would ' fetch ' her. Why, my darling, this kind."

Walter's word.

These last words were addressed to a young girl of singular beauty, who had hurried up, at his signal to the carriage-door, tall and well shaped, with a head crowned by bright brown hair,

a love of a bonnet," with delicate blonde features, that speak of gentle tendance and refinement, and with her air and attire breathing of luxury and the power that belongs to wealth. The expression of this young w^oman's face, as she caught sight of the wounded soldier, was (when we consider these attributes) a marvel to behold. If she had been a slave, and he a prince, nay, if she had been a Russian serf and he the Czar, her king and priest in one, it could not have expressed a more devoted and submissive admiration. An instant before, she had been moving with stately dignity, and that consciousness of superiority to those about her, consciousness of having more of style, that is, and being better dressed — of which women are so demonstrative, and now — having suddenly darted through the crowd like a boy after a dropped apple — she is standing by the carriage-door, flushed, palpitating, and speechless, with her right hand clasped in his, as though defying steam-power itself to part them.

" This is very, very good of you," continued the captain tenderly.

" Good of me, Eeggie why, when you wrote " Then she

stopped, and the flush mounted to her brow, as she saw for the first time that she and her lover were not alone.

That's only Litton, my dear," explained the captain assuringly ] " you've often heard me speak of Walter Litton."

0 yes, indeed," said she, with a sweet smile, as she disengaged her hand from Selwyn's grasp, and offered it to his friend :

his name is very familiar to me — and welcome."

It was now Mr. Litton's turn to blush, and he did so very thoroughly. He had by no means so much confidence in his own merits — perhaps he had none, as he had certainly no wounded arm to shew in proof of them — as his companion : in his eyes, every woman was hedged about with a certain divinity; and one so beautiful and winning as this sweet-voiced girl, he thought he had never beheld before. He was a painter, not only by profession, but by natural calling, and beauty, whether in face or landscape, had a marvellous charm for him. Moreover, as this face flashed upon him, it had begotten the thought :

IN THE SMOKING-CARRIAGE.

" If I were a favourite of Fortune, instead of a penniless painter, and might make bold to ask her for the highest bliss she could bestow on mortal, I would ask her for this woman to be my wife.'' The wish died in its birth, for he instantly remembered that her love was plighted to his friend ; but for all that, his soul was lost in glamour, his ready tongue was for the moment bewitched, when she made him that gracious speech.

Walter is modest, and you overcome him," said the captain pleasantly. Then he whispered in her bent-down ear : " How I wish, my darling, you were coming with me to-day, instead of bidding me good-bye for Heaven knows how long."

" Ah, how I wish I were ! " was the hushed response, and the tears rushed to her eyes.

In the silence that followed, the harsh platform bell began to knell, and the warning voice : All take your seats for the south," rang hoarsely out. To have seen me but for these fleeting moments is scarce worth the pain, Lotty."

0 yes, it is well worth it," answered she, no longer able to to prevent the pearly tears falling one by one down her now pale cheeks. It is something to think of afterwards."

Look here 1 " cried the captain eagerly : why not come with us as far as Eeading ; you will just catch the up-express there, and be back in town before six. None but Lilian need ever know."

A look of troubled joy came into her face. " How nice that .would be,'' murmured she ; "but then "

" Now, miss, you must please stand back," said the platform guard ; " the train is moving."

" This lady is coming with us," exclaimed the captain quickly ; and before a word of remonstrance could pass her lips, the door was opened, the official handed her deftly in, and the train glided softly past the lingering crowd of those who had come to say " good-bye," and to which she herself had a moment before belonged.

" 0 Eeggie," exclaimed the girl in frightened accents, as the train steamed out of the station, and the full consciousness of her audacity smote upon her for the first time. And it's a smoking-carriage too ! "

" Not now^'^ said Walter Litton, smiling, as he emptied out of the window the pipe which he had held concealed in his hand from the inoment of her appearance.

Walter's word.

Oh, I am so sorry," said she earnestly. " I don't at all object to smoking ; I rather like it/'

" You mean you like to see others smoke," observed the captain, laughing. " Well, you shall see me. Litton had only a pipe— the contents of which were, moreover, almost exhausted — but it really would be a sacrifice to throw away a cigar like this.^'

You're a naughty, selfish man,'' said Lotty, with such a loving stress upon each adjective, that you might have imagined she was eulogising the dead.

^' My dear, the doctors recommend it," answered the captain mildly ; all our men that have been badly hit — unless they were shot through the jaw — were enjoined to smoke the best tobacco, and very often.'^

" Poor fellows ! " ejaculated Lotty pityingly. " I am sure they deserve the best of everything."

One of them has got the best of everything," whispered the captain — at least so far as Reading."

Lotty sighed.

I believe I was very wrong to come, Eeggie ; the people stared so at me as we came out of the station. What must they have thought ! '^

The people always do stare," was the contemptuous rejoinder ; but I never heard of their thinking,"

" But I am afraid it was wrong," persisted she, "and that everybody must think so. Don't you think, Mr. Litton, it was a wrong thing to do ? "

This was rather a poser ; for Walter Litton did think it was' so j as wrong a thing, that is, as so exquisite a being as Lotty was capable of ; that is to say, he thought it injudicious, rash, and a little " fast ; " a thing which, if he had been in his friend's position, he would certainly not have permitted, far less have invited and pressed a young lady to do. In his own mind, he blamed the captain very much, but he was not so bold as to say so ; he felt that that would be much more dangerous than to blame Lotty herself.

" There can be no harm in it whatever," answered he, " if, as Selwyn says, the up-express can be caught so conveniently at Eeading. Our train stops nowhere else, so we cannot be in truded upon by strangers ; otherwise, that would certainly be

IN THE SMOKING-CARRIAGE.

embarrassing. As it is, you go back to town in the ladies' carriage, and no one need be any the wiser."

There was no very high morality in this speech of Walter Litton's, it must be owned ; but let the reader (male) put himself in his place ; he could not call her " a bold creature," and prophesy that harm would come of it — like a woman.

No more questions of conscience were put for his decision, and he hid himself at once behind the broad sheet of his newspaper, and left the lovers to themselves. It was a somewhat wearisome situation for one with so delicate a sense of what was due to his fellow-creatures ; for when he had read one sheet, he had still to keep it up before him, for the sake of appearances, or rather in order to ignore them. He did not dare turn the paper over : the liberty of the press " was denied to him. An accidental glance had shewn his two companions in such very earnest converse, that their lips seemed inclined to touch. He could not well cry " Ahem, ahem ! " before removing the obstacle between them and him ; and so he remained in durance. Stone walls, however, do not a prison make, and much less those of paper ; his thought was free, though always within honest bounds of license. He thought no more of Lotty as of one with whom he had fallen in love at first sight, but as of a sister who had become betrothed to his friend j and of her future. She v/as, he knew, the daughter of some wealthy self-made " man — Brown by name, and something, he did not know what, by trade — -and that her father was set determinately against the match. If he himself had been in Brown's place, he naight (he owned) have been of the same opinion ; not because his friend was poor (which was the obstacle in this case, Selwyn had told hini), but because be did not think him likely to make a good husband, tie was a good friend— or at least Litton had always persuaded himself so — genial, witty, bold, an excellent companion, and a man who had been a general favourite at college. Yet it was said of him, that if a room, no matter how many were its occupants beside himself, had but one arm-chair in it, Selwyn was sure to get it.

Now, in a friend, this might be overlooked ; indeed, it was so in Selwyn's case. His friends, and Litton least of all, did not grudge him the arm-chair, though he always got it ; but in a husband this was not a promising trait. It was unpleasant

WALTER'S WOKD.

to reflect on it. Half an hour before, Walter would have been ashamed to have found himself dv^^eliing on " dear old Selwyn's'^ little weaknesses ; but that was before he had seen Lotty, his siste/r (you see), as he was supposing her ; and, without doubt, Selwyn had behaved very selfishly in getting her to come to Eeading. There were risks in it — none to him, but all to her — such as he should not have allowed her to run, and which, as her brother, he (Litton) resented. Suppose she were to miss the up-train, or her absence were discovered at home, or some acquaintance were to recognise her as she left the carriage at Eeading. Any one of these unpleasant accidents might happen, and the consequences to her might be very serious. There was no knowing what a " self-made " man (probably intensely " respectable") might do, on hearing of such an escapade in a member of his family ; it might be even the cause of an estrangement between them, though that, indeed, would be likely to throw her into her lover's arms, which was the very

thing, perhaps, by-the-bye, that Selwyn ^

That is a pretty plan to impute to your old friend,^' here interpolated the voice of Conscience. ^' Why, if this girl had not been so uncommonly good-looking, and taken your precious ' artistic ' fancy, Master Walter Litton, you would never have attained this lofty elevation of ideas : you might have gone up a little way, I don't deny, but not so high as all this. Moreover, it is a sheer assumption that anything like an elopement was contemplated. How could Eeginald Selwyn know that this young lady would come to the platform to see him off to Cornwall 1 The whole affair was evidently the work of a moment ; and yet you were about to attribute a design — and a very mean one — to the lad who, when you were schoolboys together, had often stood between you and harm, and used his three years of seniority, and the superior strength that went with them, to your advantage and succour ; to your old chum at college j to the man who went down into the Valley of Death among those heroic Six Hundred, and whose wounds should be mouths to speak for him to the heart of every fellow-countryman. For shame, Master Walter ! "

Something like this did really pass through the young painter 's mind, and covered him with self-reproach ; and all this time the two objects of his thoughts were sitting hand in hand im -

IN THE SMOKING-CAKRIAGE.

mediately opposite to him, billing and cooing, but unseen, and almost unheard. All that he knew^ and could not help knowing, was, that Selwyn was pleading earnestly for something or other — advocating some injudicious and rash course of conduct, as was only too likely— and that Lotty was objecting to it, if those gentle tones of remonstrance could be called objecting.

At last, as the train shot through a station, with a whir, like the rising of some enormous pheasant, the captain observed aloud : " Why, that's Twyford, isn't it ?"

Yes,'' answered Litton : the next station, I believe, is Reading."

He took up his Bradshaw to see whether this was the case ; but hardly had he begun to peruse it before he uttered an exclamation of horror : " Look here ; Selwyn, you are quite wrong about the up-express : it does not start from Reading for the next two hours."

" Are you sure, my dear fellow ? Let's look. — Well, that's exceedingly inconvenient. I can't imagine how I could have made such a mistake."

" The only thing to be done," said Walter, moved by Lotty's white and frightened face, is for us two to get out also, and keep this young lady company ; our time is no object, or at least, none in comparison with her staying at the station for so long alone

" Oh, I don't mind that,'^ interrupted Lotty, in terrified tones; " but what am I to do about papa ? I shall not be back in London till eight o'clock. He will be certain to find it all out —0 dear, 0 dear ! "

^^He will be quite certain, Lotty," said Selwyn, with earnest gravity ; " and this necessitates the step to which I have been trying to persuade you all along. This mischance may be turned into the happiest stroke of fortune, if you will only take my advice ; and such an opportunity will assuredly never happen again."

" 0 Reggie, but I dare not. Dear papa would never forgive me."

" He will not forgive you for coming down with me to Reading and going back again, and will keep a very tight hand on you in future, you may be sure, Lotty ; but he will forgive you if you don't go back at all, when he finds there is no use in

Walter's word.

being in a passion, since the mischief is done, and you have become my wife/'

Your wife ! " exclaimed Litton. " You must not do anything rash, Selwyn."

" Rash ! no, quite the reverse, my good fellow. This young lady has promised to marry me sooner or later ; that has been settled long ago, but her father will not consent to it. He says ' never -/ so it is no more disobedient in her to marry me now than it would be ten years hence. By this lucky piece of imprudence, she will have already offended him beyond measure ; her life will henceforth be made a burden to her under his roof. She can't possibly get back, you see, without the most tremendous row ; and after that, there would be the other row, when we were married. Now, why shouldn't we have the two rows in one, and get it over for good and all ! When the knot is once tied, the old gentleman, perceiving it is of no use to anathematise us, is all the more likely to listen to reason."

• ^ But really, Selwyn, this is a most serious step "

" Of course it is, my dear Litton," interrupted the captain ; ^4t's the most important step in the world just now, but only to two people in it — to her and to me. Lotty is of age, and can judge for herself"

To this speech, so significant in its tone, Walter Litton did not know what to reply. The affair was certainly not his business, nor did any valid objections to Selwyn's arguments occi^r to him, save one — namely, that the young lady in her present position, separated from those who had the right to give her good advice, and urged by one whom she passionately adored, was not a free agent.

" I don't know what to do for the best," cried Lotty, wringing her hands. ' ' Oh, why was I so foolish as to get into the train ! "

Not foolish, darling, only so fond," whispered the captain. " You acted as your heart dictated, and that is a guide to which it is always safe to trust. So far from regretting your position, you should rejoice that it has placed the happiness within our grasp which sooner or later we had promised ourselves. Life is too short for such procrastination."

IN THE SMOKING-CARRIAGE.

" Oh, what will papa say ? " sobbed Lotty, uncomforted by this philosophy, but at the same time obviously giving way to the Inevitable, which in her idea was Captain Eeginald Selwyn.

"I can very easily guess, my darling," said he, smiling. *' There will be an eruption of the volcano ; burning lava — some very strong language indeed — will stream forth in every direction, and overwhelm the solid Duncombe and his myrmidons. Then after a while there will be silence and calm. The crater will cease to agitate itself ; ' What's done can't be undone/ it will sigh, and nobody will be a penny the worse."

A penny the worse," reiterated Litton softly : is it possible he is calculating upon getting money with her 1 " All his . uncharitable thoughts regarding his friend had gathered strength again ; he could not forgive him for taking advantage of this girl's love and isolation.

What will Lily say?" sobbed Lotty, after a long pause, during which the whistle sounded shrilly, to proclaim their approach to the station.

" She will say how lucky dear Lotty is to have married the man of her choice. Shall I ever have the like good fortune ? And, in the meantime, being the kindest-hearted girl (save one) in the whole world, she will employ herself in effecting a reconciliation between your father and ourselves. Come, darling, the time is come for your final decision; be firm, be courageous- "

*^ Selwyn," interrupted Litton abruptly, " there is one thing that has been forgotten : with whom is this young lady to reside until you can procure a marriage-license ? Have you any female relative in Cornwall who can receive her ? Otherwise, the whole plan must needs fall to the ground ; that is positively certain."

" You are as right as the Bank," said the captain admiringly. " What a stickler you are for the proprieties ; if it was not for your beard, you would make a most excellent chaperon ! Why, of course, I have thought of a home for Lotty until she shall be mine. My aunt Sheldon lives at Penaddon — that is only a few miles from Falmouth, for which we are bound, and quite

as pretty ; you will fill your portfolio there just as well "

Never mind me,'' interrupted Litton impatiently. "Good Heavens! as if anything signified except /te. But are yovi sure of her getting a kind reception, a welcome 1 "

Walter's word.

" Yes, quite sure," answered the captain decisively. Mrs. Sheldon will do anything for me. We shall be married from her house in the orthodox manner ; it will be scarcely an elopement at all. See, here we are at Eeading ; and to think that my own darling is not going to leave me, neither now nor ever ! "

"0 dear! O dear! what will poor Lily sayV murmured Lotty, nestling, however, close to her Eeginald, and evidently quite resolved to stay there.

" Can we not telegraph to her ^ " inquired Litton eagerly.

" What ! and tell her where we have gone ? " cried the captain. " That would be madness indeed."

" No, no; I mean to relieve her mind ; to let her know that her sister is safe and well. Otherwise, they will think she has come to harm."

" Oh, thanks, Mr. Litton," answered Lotty gratefully ; " I should never have thought of that."

Litton thinks of everything," said the captain laughing ; ^' he ought to be a courier to a large family travelling on the continent, but seriously it is an excellent thought ; and as I am~ a cripple, and I daresay Lotty would find her pretty hand shake a bit under existing circumstances, you shall telegraph for us."

" Yes, but not home, Eeginald. Lily will not be at home until five o'clock ; and some one else might open it ; and no one must tell poor papa, but Lily. She will be at the drawingclass in George Street, you know."