The Master of the Ceremonies Read online

would let himhave some money at once. I know he is pressed."

  "How dare you! How dare you! Pert chit! Look here, girl," cried theold woman, shaking horribly with rage; "if another word is said to meabout money, I'll go and take apartments somewhere else."

  "Lady Teigne! You are ill," cried Claire, as the old woman sank back onher pillow, looking horribly purple. "Let me send for a doctor."

  "What!" cried the old woman, springing up--"a doctor? Don't you mentiona doctor again in my presence, miss. Do you think I'd trust myself toone of the villains? He'd kill me in a week. Go and get my beef-tea.I'm quite well."

  Claire went softly out of the room, and the old woman sat up coughingand muttering.

  "Worrying me for money, indeed--a dipperty-dapperty dancing-master! Iwon't pay him a penny."

  Here there was a fit of coughing that made the fringe dance till the oldwoman recovered, wiped her eyes, and shook her skinny hand at the fringefor quivering.

  "Doctor? Yes, they'd better. What do I want with a doctor? Let themget one for old Lyddy--wants one worse than I do, ever so much. Oh,there you are, miss. Is that beef-tea strong?"

  "Yes, Lady Teigne, very strong."

  Claire placed a tray, covered with a white napkin, before her, and tookthe cover from the white china soup-basin, beside which was a plate oftoast cut up into dice.

  The old woman sniffed at a spoonful.

  "How much cognac did you put in?"

  "A full wine-glass, Lady Teigne."

  "Then it's poor brandy."

  "No, Lady Teigne; it is the best French."

  "Chut! Don't talk to me, child. I know what brandy is."

  She threw some of the sippets in, and began tasting the broth in anunpleasant way, mumbling between the spoonfuls.

  "I knew what brandy was before you were born, and shall go on drinkingit after you are dead, I dare say. There, I shan't have any more. Giveit to that hungry boy of yours. He looks as if he wanted it."

  Claire could not forbear a smile, for the old woman had not left half adozen spoonfuls at the bottom of the basin.

  "Look here. Come up at two o'clock and dress me. I shall have a goodmany visitors to-day, and mind this: don't you ever hint at sending upEliza again, or I'll go and take apartments somewhere else. We'regetting proud, I suppose?"

  There was a jingle of the china on the tray as the old woman threwherself down, and then a mumbling, followed by a fit of coughing, whichsoon subsided, and lastly there was nothing visible but the greatcap-border, and a few straggling white hairs.

  At two o'clock to the moment Claire went upstairs again, and for thespace of an hour she performed the duties of lady's-maid without amurmur, building up the old relic of a bygone fashionable generationinto a presentable form. There was an auburn set of curls upon herhead, with a huge tortoise-shell comb behind. A change had been wroughtin her mouth, which was filled with white teeth. A thick coating ofpowder filled up some of her wrinkles, and a wonderful arrangement ofrich lace draped her form as she sat propped up in an easy-chair.

  "Now my diamonds," she said, at last; and Claire fetched a casket fromthe dressing-table, and held a mirror before the old lady, as shewearied herself--poor old flickering flame that she was!--fitting ringson her thin fingers, the glittering necklet about her baggy throat, thediadem in her hair, and the eardrops in the two yellow pendulousadjuncts to her head.

  "Shall I do, chit?" she said, at last.

  "Yes," said Claire gravely.

  "Humph! You don't look pleased; you never do. You're jealous, chit.There, half draw down the blinds and go, now. Leave the room tidy. Ihate to have you by me at times like this."

  Claire helped her to walk to the drawing-room, arranged a few things,and then left the room with the folding-doors closed, and it seemed asif life and youth had gone out of the place, leaving it to ghastly oldage and death, painted with red lips and white cheeks, and looking tentimes more awful than death in its natural solemn state.

  Then for two hours fashionable Saltinville rattled the knocker, and wasshown up by Isaac, in ones, and twos, and threes, and told Lady Teignethat she never looked better, and took snuff, and gossiped, and told ofthe latest scandals about Miss A, and Mr B, and Lord C, and thenstopped, for Lord C came and told tales back; and all the while LadyTeigne, supported by Lady Drelincourt, her sister, ogled and smiled, andsmirked under her paint and diamonds, and quarrelled with her sisterevery time they were left for a few minutes alone.

  "It's shameful, Lyddy," said her ladyship, pinching her over-dressedsister; "an old thing like you, rolling in riches, and you won't pay mydebts."

  "Pay them yourself," was the ungracious reply. "Oh!"

  This was consequent upon the receipt of a severe pinch from Lady Teigne,but the elderly sisters smiled again directly, for Isaac announced MajorRockley, and the handsome, dark officer came in, banging an imaginarysabre at his heels and clinking his spurs. He kissed Lady Teigne'shand, bent courteously over Lady Drelincourt, and then set bothtittering over the latest story about the Prince.

  The sisters might have been young from their ways and looks, and generalbehaviour towards the Major, whose attentions towards the venerableanimated mummy upon the couch seemed marked by a manner that was almostfilial.

  He patted the cushions that supported the weak back; held her ladyshipwhen a fit of coughing came on, and then had to find the necklet thathad become unfastened and had slipped down beneath an Indian shawl,spread coverlet fashion, over the lady's trembling limbs.

  "Thank you so much, Major. How clever you are!" cackled the old womanplayfully, as he found the necklet, and clasped it about her throat. "Ialmost feel disposed to give you some encouragement, only it would makeLyddy furious."

  Lady Drelincourt said "For shame!" and tapped her sister with her fan,and then Major Rockley had to give place to Captain Bray and LieutenantSir Harry Payne, officers in his regiment, the former a handsome, portlydandy who puzzled his dearest friends, he was so poor but looked sowell.

  Then followed other members of the fashionable world of Saltinville,till nearly six, when the knocker ceased making the passage echo, thelast visitor had called, and Claire helped--half carried--her ladyshipback to bed, and watched her relock her jewels in the casket, which wastaken then to the dressing-table. Her ladyship was made comfortable,partook of her dinner and tea, and then waited for the coming of Clairefor the last time that night.

  Volume One, Chapter IV.

  CLOUDS.

  Lady Teigne's drawing-room was in full progress, and Claire was workinghard at her tambour frame, earning money respectably, and listening tothe coming and going of the visitors, when there was a tap at herbedroom door, and the maid Eliza entered.

  "If you please, miss," said Eliza, and stopped.

  "Yes, Eliza," and the soft white hand remained suspended over thecanvas, with the needle glittering between the taper fingers.

  "If you please, miss, there's that young man at the kitchen door."

  "That young man?"

  "The soldier, miss; and he do look nice: Mr James Bell."

  There was a flush in Eliza's face. It might have been that which fledfrom Claire's, leaving it like ivory.

  "Where is your master?"

  "He went out on the parade, miss."

  "And Mr Morton?"

  "Hush, miss! he said I wasn't to tell. He bought two herrings ofFisherman Dick at the back door, and I believe he've gone to the end ofthe pier, fishing."

  "I'll come down, Eliza."

  Eliza tripped off to hurry down to the handsome young dragoon waiting inthe kitchen, and wonder whether he was Miss Claire's sweetheart, andwish he were hers, for he did look so lovely in his uniform and spurs.

  As soon as Claire was alone she threw herself upon her knees beside herbed, to rise up at the end of a minute, the tears in her eyes, and atroubled look covering her handsome face with gloom.

  Then she hurried down, barely escaping Major Rockley, who did contriveto raise his hat
and direct a smile at her before she was gone--dartingin at the empty breakfast-room door, and waiting there trembling tillthe Major had passed the window and looked up in vain to see if she werethere.

  "What a coincidence," she thought, as her heart beat painfully, and asmarting blush came in her cheeks.

  But the Major was gone; there was no fear of encountering him now; andshe hurried into the kitchen, where a handsome, bluff-looking, fairyoung man of goodly proportions, who sat stiffly upright in his dragoonundress uniform, was talking to Eliza, who moved from the table againstwhich she had been leaning, and left the kitchen.

  "Oh, Fred dear," cried Claire, as the blond young soldier rose from hischair, took her in his