A Very Naughty Girl Part 48

She returned to the house. No one saw her as she slipped in by the back entrance. She ran up to her room, smoothed her hair, and went down to the drawing-room. Lady Frances and Audrey were alone in the big room.

They had been talking together, but instantly became silent when Evelyn entered.

"They have been abusing me, of course," thought the little girl; and she flashed an angry glance first at one and then at the other.

"Evelyn," said her aunt, "have you finished learning your lessons? You know how extremely particular Miss Henderson is that school tasks should be perfectly prepared."

"My lessons are all right, thank you," replied Evelyn in her brusquest voice. She flung herself into a chair and crossed her legs.

"Uncross your legs, my dear; that is a very unlady-like thing to do."

Evelyn muttered something, but did what her aunt told her.

"Do not lean back so much, Evelyn; it is not good style. Do not poke out your chin, either; observe how Audrey sits."

"I don't want to observe how Audrey sits," said Evelyn.

Lady Frances colored. She was about to speak, but a glance from her daughter restrained her. Just then Read came into the room. Between Read and Evelyn there was already a silent feud. Read now glanced at the young lady, tossed her head a trifle, and went up to Lady Frances.

"I am very sorry to trouble you, madam," she said, "but if I may see you quite by yourself for a few moments I shall be very much obliged."

"Certainly, Read; go into my boudoir and I will join you there," said her mistress. "I know," added Lady Frances graciously, "that you would not disturb me if you had not something important to say."

"No, madam; I should be very sorry to do so."

Lady Frances and Read now left the room, and Audrey and Evelyn were alone. Audrey uttered a sigh.

"What is the matter, Audrey?" asked her cousin.

"I am thinking of the day after to-morrow," answered Audrey. "The unhappy girl who has kept her secret all this time will be openly denounced. It will be terribly exciting."

"You do not pretend that you pity her!" said Evelyn in a voice of scorn.

"Indeed I do pity her."

"What nonsense! That is not at all your way."

"Why should you say that? It is my way. I pity all people who have done wrong most terribly."

"Then have you ever pitied me since I came to England?"

"Oh yes, Evelyn-oh, indeed I have!"

"Please keep your pity to yourself; I don't want it."

Audrey relapsed into silence.

By and by Lady Frances came back; she was still accompanied by Read.

"What does a servant want in this room?" said Evelyn in her most disagreeable voice.

"Evelyn, come here," said her aunt; "I have something to say to you."

Evelyn went very unwillingly. Read stood a little in the background.

"Evelyn," said Lady Frances, "I have just heard something that surprises me extremely, that pains me inexpressibly; it is true, so there is no use in your denying it, but I must tell you what Read has discovered."

"Read!" cried Evelyn, her voice choking with pa.s.sion and her face white.

"Who believes what a tell-tale-t.i.t of that sort says?"

"You must not be impertinent, my dear. I wish to tell you that Read has found you out. Your maid Jasper has not left this neighborhood, and you, Evelyn-you are naughty enough and daring enough to meet her every night by the stile that leads into the seven-acre meadow. Read observed your absence one night, and followed you herself to-night, and she discovered everything."

"Did you hear what I was saying to Jasper?" asked Evelyn, turning her white face now and looking full at Read.

"No, Miss Evelyn," replied the maid; "I would not demean myself to listen."

"You would demean yourself to follow," said Evelyn.

"Confess your sin, Evelyn, and do not scold Read," interrupted Lady Frances.

"I have nothing to confess, Aunt Frances."

"But you did it?"

"Certainly I did it."

"You dared to go to meet a woman privately, clandestinely, whom I, your aunt, prohibited the house?"

"I dared to go to meet the woman my mother loved," replied Evelyn, "and I am not a bit ashamed of it; and if I had the chance I would do it again."

"You are a very, very naughty girl. I am more than angry with you. I am pained beyond words. What is to become of you I know not. You are a bad girl; I cannot bear to think that you should be in the same house with Audrey."

"Loving the woman whom my mother loved does not make me a bad girl,"

replied Evelyn. "But as you do not like to have me in the room, Aunt Frances, I will go away-I will go up-stairs. I think you are very, very unkind to me; I think you have been so from the first."

"Do not dare to say another word to me, miss; go away immediately."

Evelyn left the room. She was half-way up-stairs when she paused.

"What is the use of being good?" she said to herself. "What is the use of ever trying to please anybody? I really did not mean to be naughty when first I came, and if Aunt Frances had been different I might have been different too. What right had she to deprive me of Jasper when mothery said that Jasper was to stay with me? It is Aunt Frances's fault that I am such a bad girl now. Well, thank goodness! I shall not be here much longer; I shall be away this time to-morrow night. The only person I shall be sorry to leave is Uncle Edward. Audrey and I will be going to school early in the morning, and then there will be the fuss and bustle and the getting away before Read sees me. Oh, that dreadful old Read!

what can I do to blind her eyes to-morrow night? Throw dust into them in some fas.h.i.+on I must. I will just go and have one word of good-by with Uncle Edward now."

Evelyn ran down the corridor which led to her uncle's room. She tapped at the door. There was no answer. She opened the door softly and peeped in. The room was empty. She was just about to go away again, considerably crestfallen and disappointed, when her eyes fell upon the gun-case. Instantly a sparkle came into her eyes; she went up to the case, and removing the gun, proceeded to examine it. It was made on the newest pattern, and was light and easily carried. It held six chambers, all of which could be most simply and conveniently loaded.

Evelyn knew well how to load a gun, and finding the proper cartridges, now proceeded to enjoy herself by making the gun ready for use. Having loaded it, she returned it to its case.

"I know what I'll do," she thought. "Uncle Edward thinks that I cannot shoot; he thinks that I am not good at any one single thing. But I will show him. I'll go out and shoot two birds on the wing before breakfast to-morrow; whether they are crows or whether they are doves or whether they are game, it does not matter in the least; I'll bring them in and lay them at his feet, and say:

"Here is what your wild niece Evelyn can do; and now you will believe that she has one accomplishment which is not vouchsafed to other girls."