Johnny Ludlow Third Series Part 34

With a face of concern, he listened to what Miss Deveen had to say of the illness. When she spoke of Janet's fright at seeing the policeman at the Colosseum, his brow went red and he bit his lips. Next came the sleep-walking: she told it all.

"Her brain and nerves must have been overstrained to an alarming degree," he observed, after a short silence. "Mr. Shuttleworth, who attended her at the time, spoke to me of the shock to the system. But I hoped she had recovered."

"She would never have recovered, Dr. Knox, as long as the dread lay upon her that she was to be criminally prosecuted: at least, that is my opinion," said Miss Deveen. "I believe the chief thing that ails her is _fright_. Not a knock at the door, not the marching past the house of a policeman, not the sudden entrance of a servant into the room, but has brought to her a shock of agonizing fear. It is a mercy that she has escaped brain-fever. After all, she must possess a good const.i.tution.

The sight of that Lefford man at the Colosseum did great mischief."

"It was unfortunate that he should happen to be there," said Dr. Knox: "and that the man should have dared to accost her with his insolence!

But I shall inquire into it."

"What you have in that box will be the best medicine for her," said Miss Deveen. "It will speedily effect a cure--or call me an untrue prophet.

Dear me! how strangely things come out!"

"May I be allowed to see Miss Carey?" asked Dr. Knox. "And to--to tell her the story of her clearance in my own way?"

Miss Deveen made no reply. She looked at Dr. Knox, and seemed to hesitate.

"I think it may be better for Miss Carey that I should, madam. For more reasons than one."

"And really I don't see why you should not," said Miss Deveen, heartily. "I hesitated because Mr. Black forbade the admission of strangers. But--perhaps you are not a stranger to her?"

"Oh dear, no: I and Miss Carey are old friends," he answered, a curious smile lighting up his face. "And I should also wish to see her in my medical capacity."

But the one to put in her word against this, was Cattledon. She came down looking green, and protesting in Miss Deveen's ear that no male subject in her Majesty's dominions, save and except Mr. Black, ought to be admitted to the blue-room. Janet had no full dress on; nothing but skirts and a shawl.

"Oh, nonsense!" cried Miss Deveen. "Why, Dr. Knox might have seen her had she been in bed: he is a physician." And she took him up herself to the blue-room.

"Of all old maids that Cattledon's the worst!" nodded Helen Whitney.

Miss Deveen went in alone, leaving him outside the door. Janet sat in an armchair by the fire, m.u.f.fled in an old brown shawl of Cattledon's.

"And how do you feel now, my dear?" said Miss Deveen, quietly. "Better, I see. And oh, I have such pleasant news for you: an old friend of yours has called to see you; and I think--I think--he will be able to cure you sooner than Mr. Black. It is Dr. Knox, my dear: not of Lefford now, you know: of London."

She called the doctor in, and Janet's pale cheeks took a tint of crimson. Janet's face had never been big: but as he stood looking at her, her hand in his, he was shocked to see how small it had become.

Miss Deveen shut the door upon them. She hoped with all her heart he was not going to spare that woman at Lefford.

"Janet, my dear," he said in a fatherly kind of way as he drew a chair near her and kept her hand, "when that trouble happened at home, how was it you did not write to me?"

"Write to _you_! Oh, sir, I could not do such a thing," answered Janet, beginning to tremble.

"But you might have known I should be your friend. You might also have known that I should have been able to clear you."

"I did once think of writing to you, Dr. Knox: just to tell you that I had not indeed touched the bank-note," faltered Janet. "As the money came from you, I should have liked to write so much. But I did not dare."

"And you preferred to suffer all these weeks of pain, and the fright brought upon you by Mrs. Knox--for which," said he deliberately, "I shall never forgive her--rather than drop me a few lines! You must never be so foolish again, Janet. I should have gone to Lefford at once and searched out the mystery of the note--and found it."

Janet moved her lips and shook her head, as much as to say that he could never have done that.

"But I have done it," said he. "I have been down to Lefford and found it all out, and have brought the bank-note up with me--what remains of it.

Sally was the culprit."

"Sally!" gasped Janet, going from red to white.

"Sally--but not intentionally. She lighted the fire that afternoon with the note and some more sc.r.a.ps. The note fell out, only partly burnt; and I am going to take it to the bank that they may exchange it for a whole one."

"And--will--they?" panted Janet.

"Of course they will; it is in the regular course of business that they should," affirmed Dr. Knox, deeming it best to be positive for her sake.

"Now, Janet, if you are to tremble like this, I shall go away and send up Miss Cattledon--and she does not look as if she had a very amiable temper. Why, my dear child, you ought to be glad."

"Oh, so I am, so I am!" she said, breaking into sobs. "And--and does every one in Lefford know that I was innocent?"

"No one in Lefford believed you guilty. Of course, it is all known, and in the newspapers too--how Sally lighted the fire with a fifty-pound bank-note, and the remains were fished out of the ashes."

"Mrs. Knox--Mrs. Knox----" She could not go on for agitation.

"As to Mrs. Knox, I am not sure but we might prosecute her. Rely upon one thing, Janet: that she will not be very well welcomed at her beloved soirees for some long time to come."

Janet looked at the fire and thought. Dr. Knox kept silence, that she might recover herself after the news.

"I shall get well now," she said in a half-whisper. "I shall soon"--turning to him--"be able to take another situation. Do you think Mrs. Knox will give me a recommendation?"

"Yes, that she will--when it's wanted," said he, with a queer smile.

She sat in silence again, a tinge of colour in her face, and seeing fortunes in the fire. "Oh, the relief, the relief!" she murmured, slightly lifting her hands. "To feel that I may be at peace and fear nothing! I am very thankful to you, Dr. Knox, for all things."

"Do you know what I think would do you good?" said Dr. Knox suddenly.

"A drive. The day is so fine, the air so balmy: I am sure it would strengthen you. Will you go?"

"If you please, sir. I do feel stronger, since you told me this."

He went down and spoke to Miss Deveen. She heartily agreed: anything that would benefit the poor girl, she said; and the carriage was coming round to the door, for she had been thinking of going out herself.

Cattledon could not oppose them, for she had stepped over to the curate's.

"Would you very much mind--would you pardon me if I asked to be allowed to accompany her alone?" said Dr. Knox, hurriedly to Miss Deveen, as Janet was coming downstairs on Lettice's arm, dressed for the drive.

Miss Deveen was taken by surprise. He spoke as though he were flurried, and she saw the red look on his face.

"I can take care of her as perhaps no one else could," he added with a smile. "And I--I want to ask her a question, Miss Deveen."

"I--think--I--understand you," she said, smiling back at him. "Well, you shall go. Miss Cattledon will talk of propriety, though, when she comes home, and be ready to snap us all up."

And Cattledon was so. When she found Janet had been let go for a slow and easy drive, with no escort but Dr. Knox inside and the fat coachman on the box, she conjectured that Miss Deveen must have taken leave of her senses. Cattledon took up her station at the window to wait for their return, firing out words of temper every other second.

The air must have done Janet good. She came in from the carriage on Dr.

Knox's arm, her cheeks bright, her pretty eyes cast down, and looking quite another girl.

"Have you put your question, Dr. Knox?" asked Miss Deveen, meeting him in the hall, while Janet came on.

"Yes, and had it answered," he said brightly. "Thank you, dear Miss Deveen; I see we have your sympathies."