Nurse Elisia Part 27

"Yes; as my dear loving patient Aunt," said Neil, smiling. "There, don't take any more notice of it. Good-bye. Come, come, don't look at me like that. It brings back one of your old scoldings when I was a boy."

He kissed her and went out of the room.

"But I don't like it," said Aunt Anne, "and I am not one to be deceived.

I disliked that woman from the hour she entered the house. I had my forebodings then, and they grow firmer every day. He took her part directly. Why, Isabel, my dear, I thought you were down the garden,"

she cried, as her niece entered the room.

"I? No, Aunt. I just went to get a few flowers for papa, and I wanted to take them and arrange them in his room, but Nurse Elisia keeps watch there like a dragon, and would not let me go in."

"Why, she would not even let me go in," cried Aunt Anne with great emphasis on the first personal p.r.o.noun.

"Wouldn't she, Aunt?"

"No, my dear, and I shall bless the day when that woman goes. She is not what she appears."

"Isn't she, Aunt?"

"No, my dear."

"I've thought something of that kind," said Isabel dreamily. "She seems so much of the lady, and as if she quite looked down upon me, as being superior to us."

"Yes, my dear, and it makes my blood boil at times."

"Oh, I don't mean like that, Aunt, dear, for she is always gentle and kind and respectful too."

"No, my dear, no," cried Aunt Anne emphatically, "not to me. There, never mind that now, for I've something else to say. Did you see Sir Cheltnam down the garden?"

"Sir Cheltnam!" cried Isabel, changing colour. "Is he here?"

"Yes, my dear, and I told him you were down the garden."

"Aunt! Oh, you should not have told him that. Is he there now?"

"I presume that he is, and really my dear child, I see no reason why you should be so disturbed. Of course a little maidenly diffidence is nice and becoming and--good gracious! child, don't run away like that."

But Isabel had reached the door and darted out, for, through the window came the faint _crunch, crunch_, of manly steps upon the gravel.

For, naturally enough, Sir Cheltnam's quest had been in vain, as far as Isabel was concerned, but after looking about the lawn he had caught sight of someone seated beneath the drooping ash at one corner, and in the hope that it was she whom he sought, he had walked silently across the velvet gra.s.s to find that the heavy leafy screen was deceptive and that it was Alison leaning back in a garden-chair.

"Oh, it's you," he said, as he pulled aside the pendent boughs.

"Yes. Who did you think it was?" replied Alison surlily.

"Your sister. Is she always going to play hide-and-seek with me like this?"

"Like what? How should I know?"

"Look here, young fellow," cried Sir Cheltnam; "what's come to you these last three weeks?"

"Nothing."

"Bah! I'm not blind. There's something the matter. It isn't filial affection and grief, because the old man's getting better. It isn't love, because the fair Dana is pining for you on horseback somewhere.

There is only one other grief can befall a hale, hearty young man; so it's money."

"Nonsense!"

"Must be, and if so, my dear boy, come in a brotherly way to me for help, and it is yours, either with a check of my own or somebody else's in the city."

"It isn't money," said Alison shortly. "I've as much as I want."

"My dear Alison Elthorne," cried Sir Cheltnam, grasping his hand, "that will do. You must stop now. You can go no farther. A young man of your years, appearance, and pursuits who can say that he has as much money as he wants, is a paragon, a _rara avis in terris_, a perfect model."

"Don't fool."

"I am not fooling, but speaking in sober earnest. My dear boy, you must be photographed, painted, modelled, sculptured, and, hang it all, my dear Alison, you will have to be put in Madame Tussaud's."

"Then it will be in the Chamber of Horrors for killing you," said Alison fiercely. "I'm not in a humour to be played with, so leave off."

"Then if it is not money, it's love," said Sir Cheltnam. "I've done, my dear boy; but tell me where your sister is."

"I don't know."

"Or won't know," said Sir Cheltnam. "Never mind. You will be better soon, and then apologetic." Alison made no answer, and Sir Cheltnam walked slowly away.

"Sulky cub!" he muttered. "What's the matter with him? Quarrelled with Dana perhaps, and she is leading him a life. Well, she is quite capable of doing it, and her sister will keep a pretty tight curb on Neil. I shall have a nice set of brothers and sisters-in-law when it comes off.

Well, I don't know that it much matters. I am quite capable of keeping a watch over my own front door."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

MARIA IS VENOMOUS.

"Come in," said Aunt Anne, in response to a knock, and Maria Bell entered, to stand for a moment watching while a few entries were made diligently in the housekeeping book. Then Aunt Anne raised her head and coughed, a signal which Maria knew of old as premonitor of a scolding, and, to ward it off, struck first.

"Oh, much better, ma'am, thank you," she said hastily; "and it's very kind of you to ask. I'm getting as strong as I was before I went to the hospital, and I think the wine you gave me has done me a deal of good.

I hope master's much better this morning, ma'am."

"Yes; your master is much better, Maria."

"I'm very glad, ma'am, for more reasons than one." Aunt Anne had made up and rehea.r.s.ed a speech relative to the neglect of certain duties, now that Maria was back, and that though she had been ill, and allowances would be made and she would still be well cared for, she was not to expect that she was to lead a life of idleness, especially as there was now an invalid permanently in the house. But Maria's manner and that addition or qualifying of her joy at her master's improvement, quite drove the admonitory remarks out of her head by exciting curiosity.

"Eh?" she exclaimed, "for more reasons than one, Maria? What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing, ma'am," said the woman, tightening her lips, and taking up the hem of her ap.r.o.n to arrange in plaits.

"Maria, you know, and have known for years, how I hate and detest mystery. I desire that you tell me what you mean."

"Nothing at all, ma'am, indeed. I really--that is--I am very glad that master is better--that's all."