Charles Dickens.] AN ALIBI AND ITS PRICE. [July 21 1888] 143
childhood, so common in after life, "What does it mean, and what will other people think it means?" had been forced upon her mind; and being too naïve and inexperienced to conceal what was passing in it, she betrayed one of them by the question with which she answered Captain Pentreath's speech.
"But why did you come after me? Did you tell Hickson you would? I hope not — at least, I mean I "
Captain Pentreath laughed again.
"I did not," he said. "I asked him in what direction the mater had gone. He said he thought it was to see Lady Carisfort. 'Ah, then,' said I, 'if I ride in the same direction, I shall most likely fall in with her,' and I departed. Do not look so glumly at me, Miss Mavors, for I told no fibs. If I had ridden along that road it is very probably that I should have met my lady mother. The only obstacle was that I didn't. I came after you instead."
"Then I wish you hadn't," said Hetty with more promptness than grammar, and with a look which said she meant it.
Captain Pentreath opened his eyes.
"that is rude," he said, "so I don't believe you. I think, on the contrary, that you are very properly grateful to your guardian's son, ergo, her representative, ergo, your guardian also, for taking the trouble to threw the much needed shield of his protection over a very imprudent young woman. you know you ought not to be wandering so far from home, Hetty."
"Indeed, Captain Pentreath, I do not. I a m not a fine young lady with footmen to walk after me, and I have been used to going out alone ever since I was ten years old. I like it," said Hetty curtly, but with a lip which quivered nevertheless.
Was not his plea of guardianship the very one on which she had acted in the past, and thought so natural? Yet to-day she could not help fancying that he put it forward rather in jest than in earnest, and with a mocking look in his blue eyes, which made her wonder if there had not been some ground for Mrs. Pentreath's anger after all; and whether the matter-of-course simplicity with which she had accepted the young officer's flatteries and attentions, and had entered into the spirit of easy familiarity which he had established between them from the beginning, had not something in it to-day perilously like flirtation.
Captain Pentreath shook his head at her with affected solemnity.
"then I am sorry to hear it," he said, "for it is an improper thing and ought to be checked. You are not ten years old now, observe, and you are at least ten years prettier than you must have been at that tender age, therefore but, Hetty, you are looking quite grave! What's the matter? Have I offended you?"
"Only by talking nonsense, Captain Pentreath, and by calling me by my christian-name. I heard your mother tell you once that it was not usual, and — and you know you have no right to do so."
"I have as good a right as my parson-cousing, at any rate; and I noticed the day after my arrival that he called you by your christian-name, for I thought what a dear little one it was, and how well it suited the owner."
Hetty's face became very pink, but whether at the first part of sentence or the second, Pentreath could not determine. She only answered the former.
"Mr. Hamilton has known me since I was quite a little girl, and taught me nearly everything I know. That is quite a different case."
"By Jove! so it seems, and I envy him accordingly. I wish I could teach you anything. or that you would teach me if that would do as well. Will you? I'll be a very docile pupil."
"I doubt it, Captain Pentreath — at any rate I'd rather not try."
"And I wish you would. Do try me, Hetty. You couldn't give me any greater pleasure than telling me to do something for you. Don't you know it?" and Captain Pentreath drew a little nearer to the girl's side, bending his handsome head till the fair moustache almost brushed the dark curls about her temples.
Someone coming along at the other side of the leafless quick-set hedge which bordered the towing-path saw the couple at the moment, and stopped short, as if startled; but Hetty had turned her pretty glowing face with sudden animation to her companion, and unconscious of a witness, said quite eagerly:
"Do you really mean that? If you did it would make me very happy."
"I mean everything I say to you. Try me, that is all," said Captain Pentreath fervently.
Hetty looked up, a saucy smile in her eyes meeting the admiring one bent on her.
"Then will you please get on your horse again and ride on in the direction in which you were going. I told you I came
