the hand of ethelberta-第61章

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slight　present　for　Mrs。　Menlove；　and　accept　this　for　yourself。'　　He
handed　money。

'Your　lordship　may　be　sure　we　will　not；'　the　valet　replied。



33。　THE　ENGLISH　CHANNEL　…　NORMANDY

On　Monday　morning　the　little　steamer　Speedwell　made　her　appearance
round　the　promontory　by　Knollsea　Bay；　to　take　in　passengers　for　the
transit　to　Cherbourg。　　Breezes　the　freshest　that　could　blow　without
verging　on　keenness　flew　over　the　quivering　deeps　and　shallows；　and
the　sunbeams　pierced　every　detail　of　barrow；　path　and　rabbit…run
upon　the　lofty　convexity　of　down　and　waste　which　shut　in　Knollsea
from　the　world　to　the　west。

They　left　the　pier　at　eight　o'clock；　taking　at　first　a　short
easterly　course　to　avoid　a　sinister　ledge　of　limestones　jutting　from
the　water　like　crocodile's　teeth；　which　first　obtained　notoriety　in
English　history　through　being　the　spot　whereon　a　formidable　Danish
fleet　went　to　pieces　a　thousand　years　ago。　　At　the　moment　that　the
Speedwell　turned　to　enter　upon　the　direct　course；　a　schooner…yacht；
whose　sheets　gleamed　like　bridal　satin；　loosed　from　a　remoter　part
of　the　bay；　continuing　to　bear　off；　she　cut　across　the　steamer's
wake；　and　took　a　course　almost　due　southerly；　which　was　precisely
that　of　the　Speedwell。　　The　wind　was　very　favourable　for　the　yacht；
blowing　a　few　points　from　north　in　a　steady　pressure　on　her　quarter；
and；　having　been　built　with　every　modern　appliance　that　shipwrights
could　offer；　the　schooner　found　no　difficulty　in　getting　abreast；
and　even　ahead；　of　the　steamer；　as　soon　as　she　had　escaped　the
shelter　of　the　hills。

The　more　or　less　parallel　courses　of　the　vessels　continued　for　some
time　without　causing　any　remark　among　the　people　on　board　the
Speedwell。　　At　length　one　noticed　the　fact；　and　another；　and　then　it
became　the　general　topic　of　conversation　in　the　group　upon　the
bridge；　where　Ethelberta；　her　hair　getting　frizzed　and　her　cheeks
carnationed　by　the　wind；　sat　upon　a　camp…stool　looking　towards　the
prow。

'She　is　bound　for　Guernsey；'　said　one。　　'In　half…an…hour　she　will
put　about　for　a　more　westerly　course；　you'll　see。'

'She　is　not　for　Guernsey　or　anywhere　that　way；'　said　an
acquaintance；　looking　through　his　glass。　　'If　she　is　out　for
anything　more　than　a　morning　cruise；　she　is　bound　for　our　port。　　I
should　not　wonder　if　she　is　crossing　to　get　stocked；　as　most　of　them
do；　to　save　the　duty　on　her　wine　and　provisions。'

'Do　you　know　whose　yacht　it　is？'

'I　do　not。'

Ethelberta　looked　at　the　light　leaning　figure　of　the　pretty
schooner；　which　seemed　to　skate　along　upon　her　bilge　and　make　white
shavings　of　all　the　sea　that　touched　her。　　She　at　first　imagined
that　this　might　be　the　yacht　Neigh　had　arrived　in　at　the　end　of　the
previous　week；　for　she　knew　that　he　came　as　one　of　a　yachting　party；
and　she　had　noticed　no　other　boat　of　that　sort　in　the　bay　since　his
arrival。　　But　as　all　his　party　had　gone　ashore　and　not　yet　returned；
she　was　surprised　to　see　the　supposed　vessel　here。　　To　add　to　her
perplexity；　she　could　not　be　positive；　now　that　it　came　to　a　real
nautical　query；　whether　the　craft　of　Neigh's　friends　had　one　mast　or
two；　for　she　had　caught　but　a　fragmentary　view　of　the　topsail　over
the　apple…trees。

'Is　that　the　yacht　which　has　been　lying　at　Knollsea　for　the　last　few
days？'　she　inquired　of　the　master　of　the　Speedwell；　as　soon　as　she
had　an　opportunity。

The　master　warmed　beneath　his　copper…coloured　rind。　　'O　no；　miss；
that　one　you　saw　was　a　cuttera　smaller　boat　altogether；'　he
replied。　　'Built　on　the　sliding…keel　principle；　you　understand；
missand　red　below　her　water…line；　if　you　noticed。　　This　is　Lord
Mountclere's　yachtthe　Fawn。　　You　might　have　seen　her　re'ching　in
round　Old…Harry　Rock　this　morning　afore　we　started。'

'Lord　Mountclere's？'

'Yesa　nobleman　of　this　neighbourhood。　　But　he　don't　do　so　much　at
yachting　as　he　used　to　in　his　younger　days。　　I　believe　he's　aboard
this　morning；　however。'

Ethelberta　now　became　more　absorbed　than　ever　in　their　ocean
comrade；　and　watched　its　motions　continually。　　The　schooner　was
considerably　in　advance　of　them　by　this　time；　and　seemed　to　be
getting　by　degrees　out　of　their　course。　　She　wondered　if　Lord
Mountclere　could　be　really　going　to　Cherbourg：　　if　so；　why　had　he
said　nothing　about　the　trip　to　her　when　she　spoke　of　her　own
approaching　voyage　thither？　　The　yacht　changed　its　character　in　her
eyes；　losing　the　indefinite　interest　of　the　unknown；　it　acquired　the
charm　of　a　riddle　on　motives；　of　which　the　alternatives　were；　had
Lord　Mountclere's　journey　anything　to　do　with　her　own；　or　had　it
not？　　Common　probability　pointed　to　the　latter　supposition；　but　the
time　of　starting；　the　course　of　the　yacht；　and　recollections　of　Lord
Mountclere's　homage；　suggested　the　more　extraordinary　possibility。

She　went　across　to　Cornelia。　　'The　man　who　handed　us　on　board
didn't　I　see　him　speaking　to　you　this　morning？'　she　said。

'O　yes；'　said　Cornelia。　　'He　asked　if　my　mistress　was　the　popular
Mrs。　Petherwin？

'And　you　told　him；　I　suppose？'

'Yes。'

'What　made　you　do　that；　Cornelia？'

'I　thought　I　might：　　I　couldn't　help　it。　　When　I　went　through　the
toll…gate；　such　a　gentlemanly…looking　man　asked　me　if　he　should　help
me　to　carry　the　things　to　the　end　of　the　pier；　and　as　we　went　on
together　he　said　he　supposed　me　to　be　Mrs。　Petherwin's　maid。　　I
said；　〃Yes。〃　　The　two　men　met　afterwards；　so　there　would　ha'　been　no
good　in　my　denying　it　to　one　of　'em。'

'Who　was　this　gentlemanly　person？'

'I　asked　the　other　man　that；　and　he　told　me　one　of　Lord　Mountclere's
upper　servants。　　I　knew　then　there　was　no　harm　in　having　been　civil
to　him。　　He　is　well…mannered；　and　talks　splendid　language。'

'That　yacht　you　see　on　our　right　hand　is　Lord　Mountclere's　property。
If　I　do　not　mistake；　we　shall　have　her　closer　by…and…by；　and　you　may
meet　your　gentlemanly　friend　again。　　Be　careful　how　you　talk　to
him。'

Ethelberta　sat　down；　thought　of　the　meeting　at　Corvsgate　Castle；　of
the　dinner…party　at　Mr。　Doncastle's；　of　the　strange　position　she　had
there　been　in；　and　then　of　her　father。　　She　suddenly　reproached
herself　for　thoughtlessness；　for　in　her　pocket　lay　a　letter　from
him；　which　she　had　taken　from　the　postman　that　morning　at　the　moment
of　coming　from　the　door；　and　in　the　hurry　of　embarking　had　forgotten
ever　since。　　Opening　it　quickly；　she　read：

'MY　DEAR　ETHELBERTA；Your　letter　reached　me　yesterday；　and　I　called
round　at　Exonbury　Crescent　in　the　afternoon；　as　you　wished。
Everything　is　going　on　right　there；　and　you　have　no　occasion　to　be
anxious　about　them。　　I　do　not　leave　town　for　another　week　or　two；
and　by　the　time　I　am　gone　Sol　and　Dan　will　have　returned　from　Paris；
if　your　mother　and　Gwendoline　want　any　help：　　so　that　you　need　not
hurry　back　on　their　account。

'I　have　something　else　to　tell　you；　which　is　not　quite　so
satisfactory；　and　it　is　this　that　makes　me　write　at　once；　but　do　not
be　alarmed。　　It　began　in　this　way。　　A　few　nights　after　the　dinner…
party　here　I　was　determined　to　find　out　if　there　was　any　truth　in
what　you　had　been　told　about　that　boy；　and　having　seen　Menlove　go
out　as　usual　after　dark；　I　followed　her。　　Sure　enough；　when　she　had
got　into　the　park；　up　came　master　Joe；　smoking　a　cigar。　　As　soon　as
they　had　met　I　went　towards　them；　and　Menlove；　seeing　somebody　draw
nigh；　began　to　edge　off；　when　the　blockhead　said；　〃Never　mind；　my
love；　it　is　only　the　old　man。〃　　Being　very　provoked　with　both　of
them；　though　she　was　really　the　most　to　blame；　I　gave　him　some　smart
cuts　across　the　shoulders　with　my　cane；　and　told　him　to　go　home；
which　he　did　with　a　flea　in　his　ear；　the　rascal。　　I　believe　I　have
cured　his　courting　tricks　for　some　little　time。

'Well；　Menlove　then　walked　by　me；　quite　cool；　as　if　she　were　merely
a　lady　passing　by　chance　at　the　time；　which　provoked　me　still　more；
knowing　the　whole　truth　of　it；　and　I　could　not　help　turning　upon　her
and　saying；　〃You；　madam；　ought　to　be　served　the　same　way。〃　　She
replied　in　very　haughty　words；　and　I　walked　away；　saying　that　I　had
something　better　to　do　than　argue　with　a　woman　of　her　character　at
that　hour　of　the　evening。　　This　so　set　her　up　that　she　followed　me
home；　marched　into　my　p