Daisy Ashford: Her Book Part 34

Helen's cheeks and lips grew white as a sheet, and she crept behind the welcome shade of Gladys's back, as the gaze of the man she hated fell upon her.

"What is the meaning of this?" hissed Mr. Palsey between his teeth.

"The meaning of what?" enquired Gladys in a trembling voice.

"This--this--most un-called-for visit?" cried Mr. Palsey pointing to where Helen stood trembling like a leaf in every limb.

"It means" cried Gladys in a loud tone, "that I know all Mr. James Palsey, all your false deceitful ways, all your cruel treatment of my cousin Helen and above all the murder of her father, and the robbery of the safe!"

Mr. Palsey grew livid with fury and fear, and clung for support to the bannisters.

"Oh you know all that do you?" he enquired sardonically, "For once your imaginations have gone too far Miss Gladys Lincarrol, I did not murder Mr. Winston as it happens, perhaps his daughter can throw light on that subject."

"What do you mean?" cried Helen fiercely.

"What I say" replied Mr. Palsey.

"If you mean to infer Mr Palsey "that Cyrill has had anything to do with the murder you are wrong, he is far too honourable for that."

"Of course he is" said Mr. Palsey sarcastically.

"Then dont talk about what you dont know anything about" retorted Helen.

Mr. Palsey was about to reply, when Gladys interupted him, "well it is of no use to prolong matters James" she said "so I'll tell you straight what I mean; of course I shall not dream of becoming your wife after what I have discovered about you, and so I am going away; my parents will not have me at home, so I am going back with Helen Winston, till my brother Lawrence comes to fetch me, he will no doubt set me up comfortably and then I shall at least be free from your clutches, even if I am forced into marrying a poor man.

Mr. Palsey turned an ashy grey and his cruel green eyes gleamed viciously "What?" he gasped "you say you're going away, going to leave the man who has never been anything but loving to you; I tell you, you shant do it, you young cat----" and seizing hold of Gladys's slender wrists he tried to force her back into the bedroom.

Helen uttered a cry and with a blind idea of doing some good, she flung herself across Mr. Palsey's arms. Seeing his chance Mr. Palsey thrust Helen aside and tightning his grip on Gladys pinioned her to the wall, violently shaking her by the shoulders every time she opened her lips to speak.

At this critical moment, a loud ring was heard at the door quickly followed by voices in the hall below, the next moment steps were heard hastily ascending the stairs. Before anyone could speak, Mr. Palsey felt himself violently punched in the back, and Gladys recovering herself in a moment sank sobbing into the arms of _her brother_.

Lawrence Lincarrol was a tall, broad shouldered young man about 6 ft 2 inches. His hair was dark, rather curly and plentiful and was parted at the side. He had dark blue eyes a dark moustache and great regularity of features, but there was no resemblance to Gladys in his face whatever. In age, our hero was about three and twenty.

Having embraced his sister and shaken hands with Helen Lawrence turned his attention to Mr. Palsey who was s.h.i.+vering in the back-ground.

"Well!" he cried, after scanning the villian from head to foot, "this is nice conduct I must say; may I ask what you were doing with my sister when I came in?"

"Oh I was merely advising her to keep out of draughts," replied Mr.

Palsey glaring at the newcomer with hatred in his eyes.

"A most extraordinary way of giving your advice" replied Lawrence, "you were shaking her as if she was an animal."

"She is obstinate" persisted Mr. Palsey.

"Don't talk nonsense" cried Lawrence hotly, "a man who can contrive murders and robberies as well as you can, should be able to give a reasonable answer to a simple question, tell me at once, why you were shaking my sister in that horrible manner."

"If you think you can master me Mr. Lincarrol" said Mr. Palsey, "you will soon find your mistake, stand out of my way or we shall come to blows."

Lawrence did not move an inch, and Gladys and Helen waited with beating hearts, to see what would follow.

Mr. Palsey's evil nature was roused in a moment with a cow-like jump, and with the fury of a lion, he sprang upon Lawrence, dealing him a terrible blow between the eyes.

But in his rage Mr. Palsey had forgotten how much weaker and smaller he was than his combatant.

With wonderful coolness, Lawrence siezed Mr. Palsey by the shoulders and after a brief struggle, succeeded in forcing him backwards into the drawing room where he locked the door and slipping the key into his pocket.

"I did not wish to fight on a lodging house landing," he said turning to the girls "it might get talked about, Mr. Palsey will have time to grow cool locked in there for a little, I'll let him out soon."

"Yes, dont forget" said Gladys "Mrs. Norton will think it so strange."

"Well Gladys" said Helen "I really must go now; Cyril will be expecting me, and now that your brother has come you will be quite safe."

"Oh Helen!" cried Gladys "you cant go yet, Lawrence what are we to do?"

"I was going to tell you" replied Lawrence. "Lord Beaufort is living in London now, 26 Portman Square, and as he knows I am here too, he wants me to bring you Gladys to stay with him. I shall be there for a few days longer before I go home, but I dare say you and Lord Beaufort will have arranged matters by then.

Gladys blushed hard and pretended not to hear.

"We can all go to Holburn together by the next train" proceeded Lawrence, "and then when we have seen Miss Winston safely into a cab, we can drive to Portman Sq. where Lord Beaufort will be ready to receive us."

It is very kind of you" said Helen "but I really feel very mean presuming upon you like this."

"Not at all" replied Lawrence "it is the least we could do; and now Gladys if you are ready, we ought to be starting."

"I shant be long" cried Gladys "I've only my things to put on, and my boxes to strap."

"Well then I'll just go and see about a fly" replied Lawrence, glancing at his watch as he spoke, "you be ready by the time I get back will you?"

"Oh yes" answered Gladys, and darting back into her bedroom she commenced to put on her hat and jacket while Helen wrote labels for the luggage.

In a few moments Lawrence returned and running upstairs knocked at the bedroom door.

"Oh come in" cried Gladys "I'm nearly ready."

"Do hurry we've not so very much time" replied Lawrence, dragging out a large black trunk and carrying it to the landing where a cab man was waiting to take it down stairs.

"Now, I'm ready" said Gladys, "come on Helen."

"I am coming" replied Helen and picking up her umbrella, she followed the others downstairs.

"Oh I say we must'nt forget Mr. Palsey" cried Lawrence "I can hear him muttering in there now, I expect he is awfully wild."

"I expect he is" laughed Gladys.

Lawrence produced the key from his pocket and was about to slip it quietly into the lock, when Helen interupted him: "Mr. Lincarrol" she said "dont you think it would be safer to give the key to Mrs. Norton, because if Mr. Palsey hears you opening the door he would be sure to get out and then there might be another scene."

"So there might" replied Lawrence, "well I think that would be the best, come along Gladys, the sooner we get off the better."

"Let me out, let me out" screamed Mr. Palsey from within the drawing room, "I'll tell the police of it; let me out this instant."