In time they were spent, and Ave lay on her bed half torpid, feebly moaning, but with an instinctive dread of being disturbed. Henry anxiously watched over her, and Dr. May thought it best to leave the brother and sister to one another. Absolute quiet was best for her, and he had skill and tenderness enough to deal with her, and was evidently somewhat relieved by the necessity of waiting on her. It was the best means, perhaps, of uniting them, that they should be thus left together; and Dr. May would have taken home little pale frightened Minna, who had been very helpful all the time.

"Oh, please not, Dr. May," she said, earnestly. "Indeed I will not be troublesome, and I can give Henry his tea, and carry Ave"s cup. Please, Henry, don"t send me:" and she took hold of his hand, and laid it against her cheek. He bent down over her, and fondled her; and there were tears that he could not hide as he tried both to thank Dr. May, and tell her that she need not leave him.

"No," said Dr. May; "it would be cruel to both of you.--Good-bye, little Minna; I never wanted to carry away a little comforter."

"I believe you are right, papa," said Ethel, as she went out with him to the carriage; "but I long to stay, it is like doing something for that boy."

"The best you did for him, poor dear boy! was the saying you trusted his word. The moment I told him that, he took comfort and energy."

Ethel"s lips moved into a strange half smile, and she took Mab on her lap, and fondled her. "Yes," she said, "I believe I stand for a good deal in his imagination. I was afraid he would have been wrecked upon that horrid place; but, after all, this may be the saving of him."

"Ah! if that story of his would only be more vraisemblable."

There was only time briefly to narrate it before coming home, where the first person they met was Aubrey, exceeding pale, and in great distress. "Papa, I must tell you," he said, drawing him into the study. "I have done terrible harm, I am afraid." And he explained, that in the morning, when Mrs. Pugh had come down full of inquiries and conjectures, and had spoken of the possibility of Leonard"s having been drowned while bathing, he had unguardedly answered that it could be no such thing; Leonard had always meant to run away, and by that very window, if the Axworthys grew too bad.

Prudent Tom had silenced him at the time, but had since found that it had got abroad that the evasion had long been meditated with Aubrey"s privity, and had been asked by one of the constabulary force if his brother would not be an important witness. Tom had replied that he knew nothing about it; but Aubrey was in great misery, furious with Mrs. Pugh, and only wanting his father to set off at once to a.s.sure them it was all nonsense.

"No, Aubrey, they neither would, nor ought to, take my word."

"Just hear, papa, and you would know the chaff it was."

"I cannot hear, Aubrey. If we were to discuss it, we might give it an unconscious colouring. You must calm your mind, and exactly recall what pa.s.sed; but do not talk about it to me or to any one else. You must do nothing to impair the power of perfect truth and accuracy, which is a thing to be prayed for. If any one--even the lawyer who may have to get up the case against him--asks you about it, you must refuse to answer till the trial; and then--why, the issue is in the hands of Him that judgeth righteously."

"I shall never remember nor speak with his eyes on me, seeing me betray him!"

"You will be no worse off than I, my boy, for I see I am in for identifying Hector"s rifle; the Mill people can"t swear to it, and my doing it will save his brother something."

"No, it is not like me. O! I wish I had stayed at Eton, even if I had died of it! Tom says it all comes of living with women that I can"t keep my mouth shut; and Leonard will be so hurt that I--"

"Nay, any tolerable counsel will make a capital defence out of the mere fact of his rodomontading. What, is that no comfort to you?"

"What! to be the means of making a fool of him before all the court--seeing him hear our talk by the river-side sifted by those horrid lawyers?"

The Doctor looked even graver, and his eye fixed as on a thought far away, as the boy"s grief brought to his mind the Great a.s.size, when all that is spoken in the ear shall indeed be proclaimed on the house-tops.

There was something almost childish in this despair of Aubrey, for he had not become alarmed for the result of the trial. His misery was chiefly shame at his supposed treason to friendship, and failure in manly reserve; and he could not hold up his head all the evening, but silently devoted himself to Mab, endeavouring to make her at home, and meeting with tolerable success.

Tom was no less devoted to Ella Ward. It was he who had brought her home, and he considered her therefore as his charge. It was curious to see the difference that a year had made between her and Minna. They had the last summer been like one child, and had taken the stroke that had orphaned them in the same childish manner; but whether the year from eight to nine had been of especial growth to Minna, or whether there had been a stimulus in her constant a.s.sociation with Averil, the present sorrow fell on her as on one able to enter into it, think and feel, and a.s.sume her sweet mission of comfort; whilst Ella, though neither hard nor insensible, was still child enough to close her mind to what she dreaded, and flee willingly from the pain and tedium of affliction. She had willingly accepted "Mr. Tom"s" invitation, and as willingly responded to his attentions. Gertrude did not like people in the "little girl" stage, and the elder sisters had their hands and hearts full, and could only care for her in essentials; but Tom undertook her amus.e.m.e.nt, treated her to an exhibition of his microscope, and played at French billiards with her the rest of the evening, till she was carried off to bed in Mary"s room, when he p.r.o.nounced her a very intelligent child.

"I think her a very unfeeling little thing," said Gertrude. "Very unbecoming behaviour under the circ.u.mstances."

"What would you think becoming behaviour?" asked Tom.

"I won"t encourage it," returned Daisy, with dignified decision, that gave her father his first approach to a laugh on that day; but n.o.body was in spirits to desire Miss Daisy to define from what her important sanction was withdrawn.

Mary gave up her Sunday-school cla.s.s to see how Averil was, and found Henry much perturbed. He had seen her fast asleep at night, and in the morning Minna had carried up her breakfast, and he was about to follow it, as soon as his own was finished, when he found that she had slipped out of the house, leaving a message that she was gone to practise on the harmonium.

He was of the mind that none of the family could or ought to be seen at church; and though Mary could not agree with him, she willingly consented to go to the chapel and try what she could do with his sister. She met Mrs. Ledwich on the way, coming to inquire and see whether she or dear Matilda could do anything for the "sweet sufferer."

Even Mary could not help thinking that this was not the epithet most befitting poor Ave; and perhaps Mrs. Ledwich"s companionship made her the less regret that Ave had locked herself in, so that there was no making her hear, though the solemn chants, played with great fervour, reached them as they waited in the porch. They had their own seats in the Minster, and therefore could not wait till the s.e.xton should come to open the church.

There was no time for another visit till after the second service, and then Dr. May and Mary, going to Bankside, found that instead of returning home, Ave had again locked herself up between the services, and that Minna, who had ventured on a mission of recall, had come home crying heartily both at the dreary disappointment of knocking in vain, and at the grand mournful sounds of funeral marches that had fallen on her ear. Every one who had been at the chapel that day was speaking of the wonderful music, the force and the melody of the voluntary at the dismissal of the congregation; no one had believed that such power resided in the harmonium. Mr. Scudamour had spoken to Miss Ward most kindly both before and after evening service, but his attempt to take her home had been unavailing; she had answered that she was going presently, and he was obliged to leave her.

Evening was coming on, and she had not come, so the other keys were fetched from the s.e.xton"s, and Dr. May and his daughter set off to storm her fortress. Like Minna, the Doctor was almost overpowered by the wonderful plaintive sweetness of the notes that were floating through the atmosphere, like a wailing voice of supplication. They had almost unnerved him, as he waited while Mary unlocked the door.

The sound of its opening hushed the music; Averil turned her head, and recognizing them, came to them, very pale, and with sunken eyes. "You are coming home, dear Ave," said Mary; and she made no resistance or objection, only saying, "Yes. It has been so nice here!"

"You must come now, though," said the Doctor. "Your brother is very much grieved at your leaving him."

"I did not mean to be unkind to him," said Averil, in a low subdued voice; "he was very good to me last night. Only--this is peace--this,"

pointing to her instrument, "is such a soothing friend. And surely this is the place to wait in!"

"The place to wait in indeed, my poor child, if you are not increasing the distress of others by staying here. Besides, you must not exhaust yourself, or how are you to go and cheer Leonard!"

"Oh! there is no fear but that I shall go to-morrow," said Averil; "I mean to do it!" the last words being spoken in a resolute tone, unlike the weariness of her former replies.

And with this purpose before her, she consented to be taken back by Mary to rest on the sofa, and even to try to eat and drink. Her brother and sister hung over her, and waited on her with a tender a.s.siduous attention that showed how they had missed her all day; and she received their kindness gratefully, as far as her broken wearied state permitted.

Several inquiries had come throughout the day from the neighbours; and while Mary was still with Ave, a message was brought in to ask whether Miss Ward would like to see Mrs. Pugh.

"Oh no, no, thank her, but indeed I cannot," said Averil, shivering uncontrollably as she lay.

Mary felt herself blushing, in the wonder what would be kindest to do, and her dread of seeing Henry"s face. She was sure that he too shrank, and she ventured to ask, "Shall I go and speak to her?"

"Oh, do, do," said Averil, shuddering with eagerness. "Thank you, Miss Mary," said Henry slowly. "She is most kind--but--under the circ.u.mstances--"

Mary went, finding that he only hesitated. She had little opportunity for saying anything; Mrs. Pugh was full of interest and eagerness, and poured out her sympathy and perfect understanding of dear Averil"s feelings; and in the midst Henry came out of the room, with a stronger version of their grat.i.tude, but in terrible confusion. Mary would fain have retreated, but could not, and was witness to the lady"s urgent entreaties to take Minna home, and Henry"s thankfulness; but he feared--and retreated to ask the opinion of his sisters, while Mrs.

Pugh told Mary that it was so very bad for the poor child to remain, and begged to have Ella if she were a moment"s inconvenience to the May family.

Henry came back with repeated thanks, but Minna could not bear to leave home; and in fact, he owned, with a half smile that gave sweetness to his face, she was too great a comfort to be parted with. So Mrs. Pugh departed, with doubled and trebled offers of service, and entreaties to be sent for at any hour of the day or night when she could be of use to Averil.

Mary could not but be pleased with her, officious as she was. It looked as if she had more genuine feeling for Henry than had been suspected, and the kindness was certain, though some of it might be the busy activity of a not very delicate nature, eager for the importance conferred by intimacy with the subjects of a great calamity. Probably she would have been gratified by the eclat of being the beloved of the brother of the youth whose name was in every mouth, and her real goodness and benevolent heart would have committed her affections and interest beyond recall to the Ward family, had Averil leant upon her, or had Henry exerted himself to take advantage of her advances.

But Henry"s attachment had probably not been love, for it seemed utterly crushed out of him by his shame and despair. Everything connected with his past life was hateful to him; he declared that he could never show his face at Stoneborough again, let the result be what it might--that he could never visit another patient, and that he should change his name and leave the country, beginning on that very Sunday afternoon to write a letter to his princ.i.p.al rival to negotiate the sale of his practice.

In fact, his first impression had returned on him, and though he never disclaimed belief in Leonard"s statement, the entire failure of all confirmation convinced him that the blow had been struck by his brother in sudden anger, and that, defend him as he might and would, the stain was on his house, and the guilt would be brought home.

Resolved, however, to do his utmost, he went with Mr. Bramshaw for a consultation with Leonard on the Monday. Averil could not go. She rose and dressed, and remained resolute till nearly the last minute, when her feverish faint giddiness overpowered her, and she was forced to submit to lie on the sofa, under Minna"s care; and there she lay, restless and wretched, till wise little Minna sent a message up to the High Street, which brought down Mary and Dr. Spencer. They found her in a state of nervous fever, that sentenced her to her bed, where Mary deposited her and watched over her, till her brother"s return, more desponding than ever.

Dr. May, with all Henry"s patients on his hands as well as his own, had been forced to devote this entire day to his profession; but on the next, leaving Henry to watch over Averil, who continued very feeble and feverish, he went to Whitford, almost infected by Henry"s forebodings and Mr. Bramshaw"s misgivings. "It is a bad case," the attorney had said to him, confidentially. "But that there is always a great reluctance to convict upon circ.u.mstantial evidence, I should have very little hope, that story of his is so utterly impracticable; and yet he looks so innocent and earnest all the time, and sticks to it so consistently, that I don"t know what to make of it. I can"t do anything with him, nor can his brother either; but perhaps you might make him understand that we could bring him clear off for manslaughter--youth, and character and all. I should not doubt of a verdict for a moment! It is awkward about the money, but the alarm would be considered in the sentence."

"You don"t attend to his account of the person he saw in the court-yard?"

"The less said about that the better," returned Mr. Bramshaw. "It would only go for an awkward attempt to shift off the suspicion, unless he would give any description; and that he can"t, or won"t do. Or even if he did, the case would be all the stronger against his story--setting off, and leaving a stranger to maraud about the place.

No, Dr. May; the only thing for it is to persuade the lad to own to having struck the old man in a pa.s.sion; every one knows old Axworthy could be intolerably abusive, and the boy always was pa.s.sionate. Don"t you remember his flying out at Mr. Rivers"s, the night of the party, and that affair which was the means of his going to the mill at all? I don"t mind saying so to you in confidence, because I know you won"t repeat it, and I see his brother thinks so too; but nothing is likely to turn out so well for him as that line of defence; as things stand now, the present one is good for nothing."

Dr. May was almost as much grieved at the notion of the youth"s persistence in denying such a crime, as at the danger in which it involved him, and felt that if he were to be brought to confession, it should be from repentance, not expediency.

In this mood he drove to Whitford Gaol, made application at the gates, and was conducted up the stairs to the cell.