Nurse Elisia Part 51

"You will help me, Neil?"

"By not letting you be alone with our gallant, foxhunting baronet?"

"Yes, dear."

"I promise you," said Neil half sadly, half playfully. "I will watch over you while I stay down here like a lynx."

"Oh, my darling brother! But you are not going soon, Neil?" she cried, as she kissed him.

"Yes, very soon, dear. I must get back to my poor people and work. But I will work, too, to try and make my little sister happy."

"Thank you--thank you--thank you, dear Neil!" cried the girl. "You've made the world seem so bright and happy again; and--and I'm not afraid to meet Sir Cheltnam now--and--and--oh, Neil, Neil, I must go upstairs and have a good cry!"

She ran out of the room before he could stop her. "Poor little sis!" he said, as he looked at the door through which she had pa.s.sed. "Well, I can make someone happy if happiness is not to come to me." He looked sadly about him for a few moments, and then half aloud he whispered, as he formed a mental future:

"And I could be so happy, too--if--"

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

NEIL BREAKS HIS PROMISE.

"Just going down to dinner?" said Ralph Elthorne, as his son came into his room the same evening. "That's right, Neil. It looks like old times. It does me good. Wait a bit, and I'll join you--as of old. Not quite," he added, and his lip quivered--"not quite, my boy. But I can be carried down, and I shall not be an invalid."

"No, sir," said Neil, "no invalid, and you will soon forget your lameness."

"Yes, yes, Neil, I shall try hard to do that. There, I will not keep you. I'm getting independent, you see. Ask nurse to come and sit with me as you go out."

There was no need, for as Neil rose to go down, the nurse entered, book in hand, but drew back till the young surgeon had left the room to go thoughtfully downstairs, for he was forcing himself to think out what it would be best to do respecting his sister. He shrank from disturbing his father's mind, now that he was so much better and free from disturbing elements. A subject like that might bring on a fresh attack, or at least r.e.t.a.r.d his progress, and by the time Neil had reached the drawing room he had planned that he would speak firmly to Burwood; but he paused at the door, for he foresaw that such a proceeding would very likely drive the baronet to speak to his father, when the agitation would only be coming from another source.

"Bel must fight her own battle," he said to himself. "A woman ought to be able to cool a lover's courage. There the matter must wait. Like many more of the kind, give it time and it will settle itself."

He entered the room, to find the objects of his thoughts all there and waiting his coming. Aunt Anne was radiant, and Burwood, who was chatting with Alison upon the everlasting theme of the horse, came and shook hands in the warmest manner.

"I can't quarrel with him," thought Neil. "It must be done by diplomacy or scheming."

The dinner was announced directly after, and as Neil took in his sister, she pressed his arm.

"Please, please, dear, don't let me be out of your sight all the evening," she whispered.

"Impossible to do that, little one," he said quietly. "You ladies will leave the room, you see. Suppose I keep Burwood in sight all the evening, will not that do as well?"

"Oh, yes," she whispered eagerly. "Of course." The dinner pa.s.sed off wonderfully well, everyone seeming to be on the _qui vive_ to keep off anything likely to trench upon the past and the troubles in the house.

Aunt Anne did scarcely anything but beam; Sir Cheltnam related anecdotes; and Alison entered into conversation with his brother.

In due time the ladies rose, and the three men were left together over their wine, when the conversation went on as easily as if there had been no undercurrent of thought in either breast.

"It will be easy enough to keep them apart," thought Neil, as he sipped his coffee. "When we go into the drawing room Bel shall sing some of the old ballads."

A calm feeling of restfulness had come over Neil Elthorne, and it was as if his efforts at self-mastery were already bearing fruit, when after a quick glance had pa.s.sed between Burwood and Alison, the latter rose, went to the window, and looked out, taking the opportunity to glance at his watch.

"Very dark," he said. "Nasty drive back for you, Burwood. Want your lamps."

"Oh, the mare would find her way home if it were ten times as dark,"

said Burwood laughingly. "I think I could get safely back without reins. She always turns aside if we meet anything."

"Nothing like a good, well-broken horse," said Alison, looking furtively at his watch. "What do you say to joining them in the drawing room?"

"By all means," cried Burwood, rising.

At that moment the butler entered, and went straight to Neil's chair.

"Beg pardon, sir," he whispered. "You are wanted in master's room."

Neil started to his feet, and turned to their guest. "You'll excuse me for a few minutes?" he said hurriedly.

"Doctors need no excuse," replied the baronet, and Neil hurried out and upstairs to his father's room, expecting and dreading some fresh seizure, but, to his surprise, he found his senior lying back calmly on his couch, ready to salute him with a smile.

"I was afraid you were unwell," cried Neil.

"No, my boy, no; I've been lying very comfortably. In less pain than usual."

"But you are alone."

"Yes. Nurse has just gone. You might have met her on the stairs. A message came for her--from Isabel, I suppose. I don't mind. I told her not to hurry; I want to inure myself to being more alone."

"And you wanted me, sir?"

"Yes, my boy," said Elthorne. "Not particularly; but I knew that you had been seated over your wine for some time, and I thought you would not mind coming up to me for a little while. I get very dull sometimes, my dear boy. You do not mind?"

"No, sir, of course not."

"Well, don't look at me like that, Neil. It is the doctor examining me to see how I am. I want you to look like my son."

Neil smiled.

"Ah, that's better. Sit down close up here for a while. Burwood and Alison will have a cigar together, and not miss you."

"Oh, no," said Neil rather bitterly. "They do not care much for my society."

"Why not?" cried his father sharply. "You are an able, cultured man--a clever surgeon."

"But not a veterinary surgeon, father," said Neil, smiling.

Ralph Elthorne nodded and smiled.

"No," he said; "you are right. They do seem to think of nothing but horses. I was the same once, I'm afraid, my boy. Perhaps I shall think a good deal of horses still; but," he continued sadly, "from a very different point of view to that of the past."

"Never mind the past, father," said Neil quickly. "Think of the future."