Cursed by a Fortune Part 57

he cried, pa.s.sionate in his earnestness now, "I love you, and I'm sorry for all that's gone by; but I'm getting squarer every day."

"But I tell you it is impossible. I'm going away; it was all a mistake.

I can't listen to you, and I tell you once more I'm going to be a miserable, peevish cripple all my life."

"No, you're not," said the lad, drawing himself up and tightening his lips. "You're not going to be miserable, because I'd make you happy; and I like a girl to be sharp with a fellow like you can; it does one good. And as to being a cripple, why, Jenny, my dear, I love you so that I'd marry you to-morrow, if you had no legs at all."

Jenny looked at him in horror, as he still stood framed in the doorway; but averted her eyes, turning them to the window, as she found how eagerly he was watching her, while her heart began to beat rapidly, as she felt now fully how dangerous a game was that upon which she had so lightly entered. Rough as his manner was, she could not help feeling that it was genuine in its respect for her, though all the same she felt alarmed; but directly after, the dread pa.s.sed away in a feeling of relief, and a look of malicious glee made her eyes flash, as she saw her brother coming along the road.

But the flash died out, and in repentance for her wish that Pierce might pounce suddenly upon the intruder, she said, quickly:

"Mr Wilton, don't stop here; go--go, please, directly. Here's my brother coming."

She blushed, and felt annoyed directly after, angry with herself and angry at her lame words, the more so upon Claud bursting out laughing.

"Not he," cried the lad. "You said that to frighten me."

"No, indeed; pray go. He will be so angry," she cried.

"I don't care, so long as you are not."

"But I am," she cried, "horribly angry."

"You don't look it. I never saw you seem so pretty before."

"But he is close here, and--and, and I am so ill--it will make me worse.

Pray, pray, go."

"I say, do you mean that?" he said, eagerly. "If I thought you really did, I'd--"

"You insolent dog! How dare you?" roared Pierce, catching him by the collar and forcing him into the room. "You dare to come here and insult my sister like this!"

"Who has insulted her?" cried Claud, hotly.

"You, sir. It is insufferable. How dare you come here?"

"Gently, doctor," said Claud, coolly; "mind what you are saying."

"Why are you here, sir?"

"Come to see how your sister was."

"What is it to you, puppy? Leave the house," cried, Pierce, s.n.a.t.c.hing the hunting whip from the young man's hand, "or I'll flog you as you deserve."

"No, you won't," said Claud, looking him full in the eyes, with his lips tightening together. "You can't be such a coward before her, and upset her more. Ask her if I've insulted her."

"No, no, indeed, Pierce; Mr Wilton has been most kind and gentlemanly-- more so than I could have expected," stammered Jenny, in fear.

"Gentlemanly," cried Pierce scornfully. "Then it is by your invitation he is here. Oh, shame upon you."

"No, it isn't," cried Claud stoutly. "She didn't know I was coming, and when I did come she ordered me off--so now then."

"Then leave this house."

"No, I won't, till I've said what I've got to say; so put down that whip before you hurt somebody, more, perhaps, than you will me. You're not her father."

"I stand in the place of her father, sir, and I order you to go."

"Look here, Doctor, don't forget that you are a gentleman, please, and that I'm one, too."

"A gentleman!" cried Pierce angrily, "and dare to come here in my absence and insult my sister!"

"It isn't insulting her to come and tell her how sorry I am she has been ill."

"A paltry lie and subterfuge!" cried Pierce.

"No, it isn't either of them, but the truth, and I don't care whether you're at home, Doctor, or whether you're out I came here to tell her outright, like a man, that I love her; and I don't care what you say or do, I shall go on loving her, in spite of you or a dozen brothers.--Now give me my whip."

His brave outspoken way took Pierce completely aback, and the whip was s.n.a.t.c.hed from his hand, Claud standing quietly swis.h.i.+ng it round and round till he held the point in his fingers, looking hard at Jenny the while.

"There," he said, "I don't mean to quarrel; I'm going now. Good-bye, Jenny; I mean it all, every word, and I hope you'll soon be better.

There," he said, facing round to Leigh. "I shan't offer to shake hands, because I know that you won't but when you like I will. You hate me now, like some of your own poisons, because you think I'm after Cousin Kate, but you needn't. There, you needn't flinch; I'm not blind. I smelt that rat precious soon. She never cared for me, and I never cared for her, and you may marry her and have her fortune if you can find her, for anything I'll ever do to stop it--so there."

He nodded sharply, stuck his hat defiantly on his head, and marched out, leaving Pierce Leigh half stunned by his words; and the next minute they heard him striding down the road, leaving brother and sister gazing at each other with flas.h.i.+ng eyes.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

For some moments neither spoke.

"Was this your doing?" cried Leigh, at last, and he turned upon his sister angrily.

At that moment Jenny was lying back, trembling and agitated, with her eyes half closed, but her brother's words stung her into action.

"You heard what Mr Claud Wilton said," she retorted, angrily. "How dare you speak to me like this, Pierce, knowing what you do?"

He uttered an impatient e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n.

"Yes, that is how you treat me now," she said, piteously; "your troubles have made you doubting and suspicious. Have I not suffered enough without you turning cruel to me again?"

"How can you expect me to behave differently when I find you encouraging that cad here? It is all the result of the way in which you forgot your self-respect and what was due to me."

"That's cruel again, Pierce. You know why I acted as I did."

"Pah!" he exclaimed; "and now I find you encouraging the fellow."

"I was as much taken by surprise as you were, dear," she said.

"And to use the fellow's words, do you think I am blind? It was plain enough to see that you were pleased that he came."