Wives and Widows; or The Broken Life Part 32

"I told you how it would be!" she exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Why, you're flying out at Babylon; she's mad, and you'll take the consequences, you will."

"I do not imagine they will be very terrible, Lottie."

"That's as a body may happen to think. There's been a great time since you started."

"What has happened?" I inquired, losing all scruples as to the manner in which Lottie might have obtained her information.

"In the first place, we had Lawrence--"

"Was he here?"

"No, no. Babylon went out to walk for her health--you see Babylon needs exercise. After you stole away, I had my eye on her--"

"Why, you did not see us go."

"Oh, didn't I?" she demanded, ironically, nodding her head with great significance. "I was at my window, Miss Hyde, and I always keep my eyes open. Howsumever, I wasn't watching you; I'm above such tricks, unless I feel it my duty, then I never stop at nothing--anything, I mean, thinking of the grammar."

"Did she see us, too?"

"I don't know; but she knew where you were going."

"Why, how did you find that out?"

"Heard her tell Mr. Lee, to be sure."

I was so angry that I felt myself growing pale. Lottie saw it and t.i.ttered.

"You would like to choke her, now, wouldn't you, Miss Hyde? What a pity!

it's agin religion and the law. I should just enjoy fixing her myself."

"For shame!" I said, but I am afraid it was only because I thought it a duty to check such expressions, not from any lack of sympathy with them.

Lottie tossed her head; but she was in too great haste to communicate her intelligence for much indignation.

"After you'd gone I watched her; she went about very uneasy for a while, then she put on her shawl and streaked off to the grove. I wanted some wild gra.s.s, so I went along, but Babylon didn't see me. She waited in the grove till Mr. Lawrence rode by, when she hailed him.

"'Where are you going?' said she.

"He stammered a little, and said something about it being his custom to ride every morning, and at that she laughed right out in her tantalizing way. Oh, she's awful tantalizing is Babylon.

"'You'd better tell the truth,' says she; 'you didn't believe what I told you last night, and you've been to see with your own eyes. Did you meet them?'

"'Miss Jessie and her friend have just entered Mrs. Bosworth's gate,' he answered, cross as two sticks.

"'Of course,' says Babylon; 'I tell you he is her lover. It was to be expected she'd visit him during the sickness brought on by jealousy. You see a grand flirtation has its inconveniences.'

"He shook uneasily in his saddle, but she hadn't any pity, and went on at an awful rate about all of you. Then she tried the old dodge--she was his friend--he might trust her. She went up to him and reached her hand, but he didn't seem to see it.

"'I must go,' said he.

"She tried to stop him, but he wouldn't hear a word.

"'When will you come again?' she asked.

"'G.o.d knows!' was all he said, and rode off like a whirlwind.

"Babylon watched him as long as he was in sight, then she gave way to the awfullest mad fit I ever see. I really thought she'd break a blood-vessel. She danced and wrung her hands, and clenched 'em both into fists, which she shook after him, and she bit her lips to keep from screaming; and then all of a sudden she started for the house on a fierce run. I went after her, and as I got into the garden I saw Mr. Lee ride up. She followed him into the house.

"I went round the corner and stood on the veranda, picking roses and humming 'Katy Darling;' only I chose all the low parts, and heard quite comfortable."

"That was wrong," I said, "very wrong."

"Oh! I didn't listen to him," she replied; "but I had to keep watch of Babylon."

I may as well confess my weakness. I longed to ask Lottie all she heard.

However, I did not have to wait long for the communication.

"'Jessie has gone out,' said she. He asked her where, and she put on such an innocent face. 'You must know,' says she; 'your daughter would not have taken such a step without your permission. No, no; I understand Jessie's womanly prudence too well.'

"He just stared at her; then he asked in that voice he has when he's angry, what she meant. She hemmed and hawed, and put him off; said he knew, and wouldn't speak.

"'Mrs. Dennison,' said he, 'what does this mean? Where has Jessie gone?'

"She put on the innocent look again; she really did it beautifully.

"'Don't you know?' she asked; 'don't you actually?'

"She worked him up almost into a fit. Goodness knows what fancy he got into his head.

"I have seen no one this morning,' he said; 'there were none of the family down when I went away. Where has Jessie gone?'

"Then she pretended to back out; she had been wrong--it was doubtless an innocent little secret of Jessie's--she ought not to have spoken--she was so frank and indiscreet--she would rather bite her tongue off than tell what Jessie wanted kept private, and all that. He grew white as death; you know nothing makes him so mad as to think there's any mystery in the house, or anything going on he don't understand.

"'Mrs. Dennison,' says he, 'if you won't speak, I must go to my wife.'

"'Don't, don't,' she said; 'she is so feeble; don't agitate her.'

"'Then tell me yourself,' says he.

"Then she went all through the old performance, but at last it came out--Jessie had gone to visit Mr. Bosworth in his sick-room. Lord, how mad he was! She told him you was with her, said she didn't blame Jessie, guessed it was all one of your old-maidish romances, and made him furious against you."

"How did it end?" I asked.

"It didn't really have no end; some man called him off on business. Just then you and Miss Jessie came up the steps, and I cut round here to tell you. Babylon--she sat down to the piano, and went to playing a jig; she likes the fun. I tell you she's all right when there's a row. But I'm going to Mrs. Lee; she must want to get up by this time. You're in a hobble, Miss Hyde--a precious hobble--was sure you would be. You playing a game with her--the idea!"