The Hoyden Part 50

How Margaret and t.i.ta tread many Paths; and how Fortune, having turned her Back on t.i.ta, shows a smiling Front to Maurice

CHAPTER XX.

How Margaret starts as a special Pleader, and is much worsted in her Argument; and how a simple Knock at the Hall Door scatters one Being who delights in War

CHAPTER XXI.

How Margaret makes a fearful Discovery; how she rushes to the Rescue, but is far from well received; and how t.i.ta gives herself away, not once, but twice

CHAPTER XXII.

How Maurice smokes a Cigar, and muses on many Things; how he laments his Solitude; and how an unexpected Visitor comes to him

CHAPTER XXIII.

How Rylton's evil Genius comes to him and speaks sweet Treacheries within his Ear; and how he renounces her and all her Deeds

CHAPTER XXIV.

How t.i.ta pleads her Cause with Margaret; and how Margaret rebukes her; and how Steps are heard, and t.i.ta seeks Seclusion behind a j.a.panese Screen; and what comes of it

CHAPTER XXV.

How t.i.ta wages War with Margaret and Maurice; and how Margaret suffers ignominious Treatment on both Hands; and how Maurice at the last gains one small Victory

CHAPTER XXVI.

How some old Friends reappear again; and how some News is told; and how Maurice makes another Effort to win his Cause

CHAPTER XXVII.

How Maurice gains another Point; and how t.i.ta consents to think about it; and how Margaret tells a Lie

CHAPTER XXVIII.

How t.i.ta receives a Basket of Flowers and an Entreaty; and how she ceases to fight against her destiny

CHAPTER XXIX.

How a Journey is begun as the Day dies down; and how that Journey ends; and how a great Secret is discovered--the Secret of t.i.ta's Heart

THE HOYDEN.

CHAPTER I.

HOW MINNIE HESCOTT GIVES t.i.tA A HINT; AND LEARNS THAT HINTS MAY BE THROWN AWAY; AND HOW MARGARET'S SOUL IS GRIEVED.

Minnie Hescott, during the time it takes her to go down the terrace steps behind t.i.ta, comes to a resolution. _She will give t.i.ta a hint!_ It will be a gift of no mean order, and whether it be well received or not, will always be a gift to be remembered, perhaps with grat.i.tude.

And Minnie, who is strictly practical if nothing else, sees a fair hope of return in her present plan. She likes t.i.ta in her way--likes her perhaps better than she likes most people, and t.i.ta may be useful to her as Sir Maurice Rylton's _wife_. But t.i.ta, dismantled of her honours, would be no help at all, and therefore to keep t.i.ta enthroned is now a very special object with her astute cousin.

In and between all this is Minnie's detestation of Mrs. Bethune, who has occasionally been rude to her in the small ways that make up the sum of life.

Minnie, who is not sensitive, takes the bull by the horns.

"Mrs. Bethune," says she, as they go by a bed of hollyhocks now hastening to their death, "is a friend of yours?"

It is a question.

"Mrs. Bethune!" says t.i.ta, stopping and looking at her as if wondering.

What does she mean?

"Yes," says Minnie pleasantly. "A friend. An old friend!"

"Not an _old_ friend," says t.i.ta quietly. "She is a cousin of Maurice's."

"Yes. But not a friend of yours?"

"No," coldly.

"I'm glad of that," says Minnie, with hilarity. "I _hate_ old friends, don't you? They always cost one such a lot. They tell one such horrid news about one's self. They do such nasty things. Give me a stranger for choice. And as for Mrs. Bethune, now you have told me she is not a friend of yours, I suppose I may speak freely. Do you know, t.i.ta, I'd keep my eye on her if I were you. You have given me a free hand, so I can tell you what is in my mind. That woman--she means----"

"What?" asks t.i.ta, turning upon her with some haughtiness.

_ "Business!"_ says Minnie Hescott, with an emphatic nod. "Mischief all through. She's up to mischief of some sort. I tell you what,"

says Minnie, with her old young look, "you've _got_ to keep your eye on her."

"I could never keep my eye on anyone," says t.i.ta, with a sudden, irrepressible little laugh. "And why should I keep my eye on Mrs.

Bethune? To tell you a solemn truth, Minnie, I can't bear to look at her. She's beautiful, so they say, but to me she is hideous.

Therefore, why should I keep my eye on her? It," with a whimsical little glance, "would hurt me so."

"Nevertheless, you _should!"_ says Minnie solemnly. "She's a viper!"

"Vipers are ugly."

"And dangerous."