Читать книгу Robins in the Abbey - Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley - Страница 4

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The great liner crept towards Southampton Docks.

“Miss Brent? A letter for Miss Brent. Come aboard by the pilot, miss.”

Robin had been standing with Lindy, watching the green shores of Hampshire slip past. She turned with startled eyes, and took the letter with a word of thanks.

“From Mother. Perhaps she isn’t well and can’t meet me. Don’t go away, please, Lindy! I’m afraid—there may be something wrong.”

She tore open the envelope, glanced at the letter, and dropped with a gasping sob on the nearest seat.

“It’s Father. He’s crashed—in a ’plane—at Lisbon. She’s gone to him.”

“Then he wasn’t killed?” Lindy’s arms were round her. “Hold on to that, Robin, and be thankful. So often every one is killed.”

“Not that. But she didn’t know how bad it was,” Robin whispered. “She rushed off, and left this note for me. She’ll cable when she knows. She—she’s flying too. Oh, Lindy!”

“Oh, how brave!” Lindy exclaimed. “How marvellous of her, Robin! She might very well have funked it. It’s so much quicker, and she wanted to get to him at once; but just after his accident—oh, she must be splendid!”

“She wouldn’t think of herself; only of him—and me. She was bothered about me. There’s no need; I can look after myself,” Robin said brokenly.

“What will you do? Go straight to your house in Wales?”

“We were going to an hotel in London for the night and taking the early train. It’s an all-day journey to Quellyn. I wonder if I could get a night train? I feel dazed,” Robin’s voice broke. “I can only think of Father; and of Mother—flying to him.”

Lindy looked down at her with troubled eyes. “You can’t go to an hotel alone, and we don’t know anything about night trains. Besides, your Quellyn place is so far away, out in the wilds. Suppose your mother wanted you to come to her? I think you should stay where you could start quickly if you were needed. Haven’t you any friends in this part of the country? What about your old school?”

“Closed for the holidays; sure to be. I don’t know anywhere to go,” Robin said unsteadily.

“Wait for me here. I’ll ask somebody.” And Lindy raced away.

“Lady Joy! Oh, please listen!” And she told her story in breathless haste. “Robin can’t go and bury herself in a lonely castle, when she may be sent for at any minute! You know so many people. Isn’t there anybody who could put her up for a few days? She can’t go to an hotel alone,” she urged.

Joy looked into the troubled deep-blue eyes. “You want to take her home with us, but you don’t like to suggest it because I haven’t been nice to her. Isn’t that so?”

“I feel,” Lindy said vehemently, “that if I hadn’t bagged her almost before we left New York, she might have made other friends, who would look after her now. We’ve kept her with us, and—and we can’t let her down, Lady Joy! We must see her through! I know you don’t want her with us, but isn’t there anybody who would be good to her?”

“No, we couldn’t let her down,” Joy agreed. “I’ll go and speak to her. I like the thought of that plucky mother, forgetting everything and rushing off by ’plane.”

“It’s what you’d do yourself,” Lindy called after her, watching eagerly as Joy went towards Robin.

Joy bent over the broken girl. “My dear—they call you Robin, don’t they?”

Robin looked up and then sprang to her feet. “Lady Quellyn! Oh, how kind! Did Lindy tell you?”

Joy could keep a grudge while she thought only of herself, but it could not last in the face of trouble like this. Her generous side was strong, and it surged up and conquered.

“My dear, don’t fret too much. You’ll come home with Lindy and me; you like Lindy, and you can put up with me, perhaps. There’ll be more news in a day or two, and then you can make your plans.”

“Oh, no!” Robin said shakily. “That’s far too good of you, but I must go home. Mother will wire to Quellyn to say she’s arrived safely and—and to tell me how she found Father.”

“Who is there at home?” Joy asked. “Only servants? Or have you friends living with you?”

“Only the maids. My brothers are both away at sea. The younger is in the Navy, and we don’t often see him. The elder one is studying medicine in Edinburgh, but this is the long Vac., and he loves the sea, so he’s gone as assistant to the doctor on a liner sailing to Australia. He can’t be home for some time. There’s no one else. But our old nurse-housekeeper is kind.”

“It sounds lonely. You’ll eat your heart out, waiting for news, and it may be a day or two before you hear. I can’t let you go home to be alone with servants. No, my dear girl, you must come with us. We’ll fill your mind with new interests and new people, so that you won’t have time to feel lonely.” At an impatient movement from Robin, at thought of being amused at such a time of suspense, Lady Quellyn added quickly, “I know you want to do nothing but sit and think about your parents, but you mustn’t do it; you’ll wear yourself out. As for news, I promise that the moment we reach the Hall you shall telephone to Quellyn. You’re on the ’phone, I suppose?”

“We had it put in last year. Oh, could I? They’d tell me if there were any news.”

“Of course. And they must ’phone you the minute any message comes, day or night. It will be better than going to an hotel. We won’t tease you or try to cheer you up,” Joy promised. “You shall do just as you like. But if your mother should send for you, you’ll be able to go much more quickly from here, and we’ll help you to arrange it. It will save you the long journey from Quellyn to London; we can run you to Southampton in a couple of hours.”

Robin looked at her, her great brown eyes full of fear, mixed with unbelief. “You really will do all that for me? You’ll put up with me, and help me to go, if I’m sent for? I shouldn’t know what to do. Oh, you are good! But I thought you hated me!”

Joy coloured. “You must forgive me. I’ve been horrid and silly about the Quellyn property; a bit childish, I’m afraid! But if you’re willing we’ll forget all that. You must come with Lindy; you like her. If you could feel you would like to come with me, too, I’d be glad and I’d feel you had forgiven me.”

“I’d love to come with you!” Robin cried fervently. “I didn’t know anybody could be so kind!”

“Good! Then we’ll have your things put with ours, and we’ll get ashore as quickly as we can,” Joy said briskly. “Now don’t fret too much. We’ll ring up and ask for news the moment we reach home.”

Joy was an experienced traveller. The business of landing, luggage and customs was over in a fraction of the time which would have been needed for a lonely Robin, and almost before the bewildered girl realised it they were standing beside two big cars, and one chauffeur was touching his hat and explaining, while the other coped with porters, trunks and suitcases.

“Glad to see you, Frost! And Henderson, too. Oh, that’s splendid! I thought we were going to be crowded,” Joy exclaimed.

“Miss Mary said you’d need both cars, my lady, and Lady Marchwood said Henderson must come. She’d have come herself to meet you, but she’s gone in the Rover to see Mrs. Raymond. She said she’d be back by the time you arrived.”

“Thanks very much. Are they all well?”

“All very well, my lady.” Frost’s eyes held the glimmer of a smile.

“What are Aunty Maid’s babies like?” Elizabeth seized his hand and gazed up into his face.

“Are they nice little things?” Margaret danced with eagerness. “Are they very, very little?”

Frost’s face relaxed. “I’m told they are small children, but very, very nice,” he said solemnly.

Joy laughed. “I’m sure they’re nice! Now, twinnies, we’re wasting time. The sooner we start the sooner you’ll see Aunty Maid and her babies. Jump in with Nurse and the boys, in Henderson’s car. Lindy and Robin are coming with me. Remember you have to take care of David and show him everything. He doesn’t remember England; he was all wrapped up in a shawl, only two months old, when we took him to New York. You have to show him fields and cows and English trees and flowers. See who can find the most exciting things! Now, girls, jump in!”

“Oughtn’t I to go with the twins? But I’d much rather come with you and Robin,” Lindy said wistfully.

Joy smiled at her. “You know very well that the way to make the twins behave like little angels is to put David in their charge. They won’t give Nurse any trouble. Robin wants you, I’m sure, so come along.”