Читать книгу A Queen of the Stage - Fred M. White - Страница 6

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As far as Elsie could make out the bedroom was as superbly furnished as the rest of the house. A ragged, waning moon behind the bank of clouds served presently to pick out various objects. It was possible to discern objects here and there, which indicated that the room was occupied by a woman. The dressing-table was littered with silver-mounted trifles, and a great wardrobe with open doors revealed many toilettes. In a spirit of natural curiosity Elsie ranged round the room, trying to keep her courage in hand, and succeeding more or less indifferently. She would have been grateful for a light, but though she could see a score of electric fittings she did not dare to try the experiment. Some fascination drew her towards the bed, and to her surprise she saw that the counterpane was literally smothered with the most beautiful flowers.

They were all white, and when Elsie came to look at them she saw that they were not scattered about heedlessly, but arranged artistically and systematically. A wreath of lilies particularly aroused Elsie's admiration, and she stooped to smell them.

A moment later and she started back with a suppressed cry, for in the middle of the wreath was a white, cold face, still in death. It was not a repulsive sight, for the face was young and beautiful, and the marble forehead was half hidden under a veil of gleaming hair. Elsie stood fascinated, almost crazed with fear, and struggling to keep back the scream of hysterical laughter that was forcing itself to her lips. She did not realise that someone was shaking her by the shoulders vigorously. Indeed, it was not until the person behind her pinched her arm savagely that she came to herself. She turned to find herself face to face with Dora Carney. The latter's face was white as her own; her eyes were filled with tears, and she spoke with difficulty.

"Ah, I see I am only just in time," she said. "How thoughtless, how reckless of Vera to bring you here! I suppose the danger broke out suddenly, and she did not know what to do."

"I am glad you came," Elsie replied. "Another moment and I should have screamed aloud. But, tell me, how did you get here?"

Dora explained that she entered by means of a dressing-room, which opened out on the main corridor on the staircase.

"I could not meet you as I promised," she said. "I had a nasty fall, and was quite stupid all afternoon, but if you will come this way I will take you to my room, where you will be safe."

"Do you live here?" Elsie asked.

"Yes and no," was the strange response. "But I cannot go into that now, it will take too long. All in good time you shall learn the sad story of myself and the brilliant unhappy creature who is mistress of this house. I believe it lies in your hands to save us, Elsie. I hope you won't mind me calling you Elsie, but you are so good and kind——"

"I shall be very glad," Elsie replied. "I am only too thankful to think that I have fallen amongst friends, and am ready to do anything to repay their goodness. I am ashamed of my timidity. But when I looked down and saw that dead face——"

"We will not talk about that," Dora said, with a shudder. "It is part of the mystery and intrigue, which poison the happiness of this house. But come, where we can be more comfortable, and where I can tell you as much as you ought to know."

On the opposite side of the corridor Elsie found herself in a comfortable room where a fire was blazing. She noticed that Dora took the precaution to lock the door.

"I have not yet thanked you for your kindness this morning," the girl said. "But for your presence of mind, I tremble to think what would have become of my unhappy father. He spoke the truth when he said he had no money for you. If he had had means I should have compelled him to refund every penny."

"Perhaps it is as well as it is," Elsie smiled. "In that case I should have gone my way and we should have seen no more of each other. By this time I should have been in some lonely room, worrying myself as to the future. It must be awful for a girl to be alone in London. Now I am sure I have found two good friends, and I am quite looking forward to the adventure before me."

"I envy your courage," Dora said. "I envied it this morning. I must tell you something about my father, greatly as the subject pains me. Not so many years ago he was spoken of as one of the most promising officers in the Service. It was after my mother died that things began to go wrong. We found ourselves in need of money. I suppose it must be some strange defect in my father's character, for after he took the first downward step, he never stopped. It was only by the influence or a distinguished general officer that a terrible scandal was averted. For a long time after that we drifted from one obscure foreign town to another, living in a way that I blush to think of. My father had always been fond of theatricals, and so learnt a great deal about the inner life of the professional. That is how he became an agent. But, mind you, my father is a man of genuine if misdirected ability, and when he told you that he was on the verge of making his fortune he spoke the literal truth. I should have liked to explain everything to you then, but, unfortunately, there was no time. When I saw the resourceful manner in which you behaved I thought of Vera Barrington and her trouble, and it occurred to me that you were the very girl she requires. You have an ambition for the stage, and though you have made but an indifferent start, you will have an opportunity now of playing a part the like of which has never yet been presented to an audience."

"You rouse my curiosity," Elsie said.

"I have perhaps gone a little too far, seeing that I cannot gratify your natural desire to know everything. The explanation must come from Vera herself."

At that moment there came a gentle tapping at the door, and Dora turned the key in the lock. Vera Barrington came into the room. It seemed to Elsie that her face lighted up with a look of relief when she saw that her visitor was safe.

"I owe you a thousand pardons," she said. "I ought never to have put you into that bedroom, but the danger was so close that I had no alternative. Possibly you did not discover——"

"Indeed she did," Dora cried. "Imagine what a shock it was, especially after the trying ordeal poor Elsie has gone through to-day. I found her bending over the bed with her face as white and ghastly as—as——"

"Oh, I know," Vera whispered. "Few women could have endured a trial like that without screaming for assistance."

"I should have screamed in another second," Elsie confessed, "only Dora came in and shook my scattered wits together."

"I can hardly forgive myself," the actress said, "but no great harm has been done, and the danger is past, for the present, at any rate. Now, Elsie, will you kindly come this way? I hope you are feeling strong and well, for there is much to do before morning."

Elsie followed, asking no further questions in the meantime. She came at last to a large room on the ground floor, which appeared to be the library. Standing before the fire was one of the handsomest men Elsie had ever seen. His tall, well-set-up figure was all the more emphasised by reason of the mess uniform he was wearing. He seemed to be one mass of scarlet and white and gold lace. As he moved his spurs jingled. As far as Elsie could judge, he was a man who held a high command in one of the crack cavalry regiments. In age he appeared to be some sixty years, though there was not a grey hair on his head or in his long black moustache. Directly he spoke Elsie recognised the voice of the man whose tones she had caught almost as soon as she had come into the house.

"So this is the young lady," he said. "Let me have a good look at her. Yes, on the whole, I should say she will do very well indeed."

"This is General George Rashleigh," Vera explained. "You must not be afraid of him. He is a very terrible-looking person, and supposed to be the strictest martinet in the army. He has to take all these precautions to hide his kindness of heart or he would be terribly imposed upon."

The General smiled, then he turned and addressed a few kind words to Elsie. She felt that he was a man who would be a real friend, and yet who, at the same time, could be an equally determined enemy. He flashed a significant glance at Vera Barrington, and nodded as if he were quite satisfied.

"You had better get along," he said. "There is no time to waste. I suppose you have not explained to Miss Vane what she has to do. I am certain she will carry out her task with courage and tact and resolution."

The speech was a dismissal, or so Elsie deemed it. Vera Barrington put her hand through her arm and led her up the stairs to one of the bedrooms. It was brilliantly lighted, and contained every appointment necessary for a fashionable woman's toilet. The actress smiled, but looked restless and uneasy.

"We will dispense with a maid," she said. "Indeed, her presence would be a source of danger. Now, if you will undress and put on some of those things, I will explain in a few words what I want you to do."

"How delightful!" Elsie exclaimed. "I have never seen such beautiful things before. I only hope they will fit me."

"I have not much doubt about that. We had to get everything in a hurry, and guessed your measurements from Dora's description of you. Imagine you are going to a dance."

It was impossible to resist the beauty of the things, and Elsie fell in with the humor of the situation. At the end of half an hour she stood smiling softly at herself in the long cheval glass, completely attired except as to her dress, which lay a glittering, shining heap on the bed. Vera Barrington's deft fingers had been busily employed with needle and thread, so that by the time Elsie was ready to don it there was nothing wrong or out of place to mar the harmony.

"Now for the crowning touch," Vera said, in a voice that shook a little. "There, I declare the whole thing fits as if it had been made for you. Really, you look most charming."

Elsie drew a long breath of delight as she turned to the glass once more. The girl thought she might have been a bride being arrayed for her wedding morning. As she stood there, Vera came behind her and dexterously cast a long, sweeping veil over her head. Before Elsie could expostulate, the veil was fastened with a couple of diamond pins and the whole edifice crowned with a tangle of orange blossoms. Elsie's sudden cry was almost one of dismay.

"A bride?" she faltered. "Actually, I am a bride. Tell me, do tell me what this masquerade means."

Vera held her hand to her side as if in pain.