Anne Hereford. Mrs. Henry Wood
"She stood there, in the faint rays of the shaded lamp," pursued Selina, not so much as listening to me. "I have not really slept all night; I have been in that semi-conscious, dozing state when the mind is awake both to dreams and to reality, knowing not which is which. Just before the clock struck two, I awoke partially from one of these semi-dreams, and I saw your mamma at the foot of the bed--a shadowy sort of figure and face, but I knew it for Ursula's. She just looked at me, and said, 'Selina!' Then I woke up thoroughly--the name, the sound of her well-remembered voice ringing in my ears."
"And seeing her?" I eagerly asked.
"No. Seeing nothing but the opening between the curtains at the foot of the bed, and the door beyond it; nothing more than is to be seen now."
"Then, Selina, it was a dream after all?"
"In one sense, yes. The world would call it so. To me it was something more. A minute afterwards the clock struck two, and I was as wide awake as I am now."
The reaction came, and I burst into tears. "Selina! it was a dream; it could only have been a dream!"
"I should no doubt think so, Anne, but for what you told me of your mamma's warning. But for hearing that, I might never have remembered that such a thing is said to follow the Keppe-Carews."
What with remorse for having told her, though charged by my mother to do it, and what with my own fears, I could not speak for hysterical sobbing.
"You stupid little sensitive thing!" exclaimed Selina, with a touch of her old lightness; "perhaps in a week's time I shall be well, and running about out of doors with you. Go you down to Charlotte Delves's parlour, and get your breakfast, and then come to me again. I want you to go on an errand for me but don't say so. Mind that, Anne."
"No, no; I'll not say it, Selina."
"Tell them to give you some honey."
They brought the honey and set out other good things for me in Miss Delves's parlour, but I could not eat. Charlotte Delves was very kind. Both the doctors came up the avenue. I watched them into the house; I heard them come downstairs again. The physician from Nettleby went straight out: Mr. Lowe came to the parlour.
"My dear," he said to me, "you are to go up to Mrs. Edwin Barley."
"Is she much worse, sir?" I lingered to ask.
"I can hardly say how she is," was his answer. "We must hope for the best."
He stayed in the room himself, and shut the door while he talked to Miss Delves. The hall-clock struck ten as I passed under it, making me start. The hall was clear to-day, and the window and door stood a little open. Jemima told me that Philip King was in a sitting-room at the back, one that was rarely used. I ran quickly up to Selina's chamber. Mr. Edwin Barley was in it, to my dismay. He turned to leave it when I went in, and put his hand kindly enough upon my hair.
"You look pale, little one; you should run out of doors for a while."
His wife watched him from the room with her strangely altered eyes, and then beckoned to me.
"Shut the door, and bolt it, Anne." And very glad I felt to do it. It was impossible to overcome my fear of Mr. Edwin Barley.
"Do you think you could find your way to Hallam?"
"I daresay I could, aunt."
"Selina, call me Selina," she impatiently interposed. "Call it me to the last."
To the last!
"You remember the way you came from Nettleby, Anne? In going out at the gates by the lodge, Nettleby lies on your left hand, Hallam on your right. You understand?"
"Oh, quite."
"You have only to turn to the right, and keep straight along the high road; in a short time you come to Hallam village. The way is not at all lonely; cottages and houses are scattered all along it."
"I am sure I could go quite easily, Selina."
"Then put your things on, and take this note," she said, giving me a little piece of paper twisted up, that she took from under the pillow. "In going down Hallam Street, you will see on the left hand a house standing by itself, with 'Mr. Gregg, Attorney at Law,' on a plate on the door. Go in, ask to see Mr. Gregg alone, and give him that note. But mind, Anne, you are not to speak of this to any one. Should Mr. Edwin Barley or any one else meet you, and inquire where you are going, say only that you are walking out. Do you fully understand?"
"Yes."
"Hide the note, so that no one sees it, and give it into Mr. Gregg's hands. Tell him I hope he will comprehend it, but that I was too ill to write it more elaborately."
No one noticed me as I left the house, and I pursued the road to Hallam, my head and thoughts full. Suppose Mr. Edwin Barley should meet and question me! I knew that I should make a poor hand at deception: besides being naturally open, mamma had brought me up to be so very candid and truthful. I had crushed the note inside my glove, having no better place of concealment,--suppose he should seize my hand and find it! And if the gentleman I was going to see should not be at home, what was I to do then? Bring the note back to Selina, or leave it? I ought to have asked her.
"Well, my little maid, and where are you off to?"
The salutation proceeded from Mr. Martin, who had come right upon me at a turning of the road. My face grew hot as I answered him.
"I am out for a walk, sir."
"But this is rather far to come alone. You are close upon Hallam."
"My Aunt Selina knows it, sir," I said, trembling lest he should stop me, or order me to walk back with him.
"Oh, very well," he answered, good-naturedly. "How is she to-day?"
"She is not any better, sir," I replied. And he left me, telling me I was not to lose myself.
I came to the houses, straggling at first, but soon contiguous to each other, as they are in most streets. Mr. Gregg's stood alone, its plate on the door. A young man came running out of it as I stood hesitating whether to knock or ring.
"If you please, is Mr. Gregg at home?"
"Yes," answered he. "He is in the office. You can go in if you want him."
Opening an inner door, he showed me into a room where there seemed to be a confused mass of faces. In reality there might have been three or four, but they multiplied themselves to my timid eyes.
"A little girl wants to see Mr. Gregg," said the young man.
A tall gentleman came forward, with a pale face and grey whiskers. He said he was Mr. Gregg, and asked what my business was.
"I want to see you by yourself, if you please, sir."
He led the way to another room, and I took the note out of my glove and gave it him. He read it over--to me it appeared a long one--looked at me, and then read it again.
"Are you Anne Hereford?"
"Yes," I said, wondering how he knew my name. "My aunt, Mrs. Edwin Barley, bade me say she was too ill to write it better, but she hoped you would understand it."
"Is she so ill as to be in danger?"
"I am afraid so."
He still looked at me, and twirled the note in his fingers. I could see that it was written with a pencil.
"Do you know the purport of this?" he inquired, pointing to the note.
"No sir."
"Did you not read it coming along? It was not sealed."
"Oh, no. I did not take it out of my glove."
"Well--tell Mrs. Edwin Barley that I perfectly understand, and shall immediately obey her: tell her all will be ready by the time she sends to me. And--stay a bit. Have you any Christian name besides Anne?"
"My