He gave the driver her direction, and stood looking a little anxiously at her.
"I thank you; I am all right now," she said, and he bade the man drive on.
When she reached home she went to bed, spent with the tumult of her emotions and sick with shame and self-reproach.
She understood now, as clearly as if he had told her in as many words, that if he had befriended those worthless jades--the Millons characterised themselves so, even to Mrs. Lapham's remorse--secretly and in defiance of her, it was because he dreaded her blame, which was so sharp and bitter, for what he could not help doing.
It consoled her that he had defied her, deceived her;when he came back she should tell him that; and then it flashed upon her that she did not know where he was gone, or whether he would ever come again. If he never came, it would be no more than she deserved; but she sent for Penelope, and tried to give herself hopes of escape from this just penalty.
Lapham had not told his daughter where he was going;she had heard him packing his bag, and had offered to help him;but he had said he could do it best, and had gone off, as he usually did, without taking leave of any one.
"What were you talking about so loud, down in the parlour,"she asked her mother, "just before he came up ~Is there any new trouble?""No; it was nothing."
"I couldn't tell. Once I thought you were laughing."She went about, closing the curtains on account of her mother's headache, and doing awkwardly and imperfectly the things that Irene would have done so skilfully for her comfort.
The day wore away to nightfall, and then Mrs. Lapham said she MUST know. Penelope said there was no one to ask;the clerks would all be gone home, and her mother said yes, there was Mr. Corey; they could send and ask him;he would know.
The girl hesitated. "Very well," she said, then, scarcely above a whisper, and she presently laughed huskily.
"Mr. Corey seems fated to come in, somewhere. I guess it's a Providence, mother."She sent off a note, inquiring whether he could tell her just where her father had expected to be that night;and the answer came quickly back that Corey did not know, but would look up the book-keeper and inquire.
This office brought him in person, an hour later, to tell Penelope that the Colonel was to be at Lapham that night and next day.
"He came in from New York, in a great hurry, and rushed off as soon as he could pack his bag," Penelope explained, "and we hadn't a chance to ask him where he was to be to-night. And mother wasn't very well, and----""I thought she wasn't looking well when she was at the office to-day. And so I thought I would come rather than send,"Corey explained in his turn.
"Oh, thank you!"
"If there is anything I can do--telegraph Colonel Lapham, or anything?""Oh no, thank you; mother's better now. She merely wanted to be sure where he was."He did not offer to go, upon this conclusion of his business, but hoped he was not keeping her from her mother.
She thanked him once again, and said no, that her mother was much better since she had had a cup of tea; and then they looked at each other, and without any apparent exchange of intelligence he remained, and at eleven o'clock he was still there. He was honest in saying he did not know it was so late; but he made no pretence of being sorry, and she took the blame to herself.
"I oughtn't to have let you stay," she said. "But with father gone, and all that trouble hanging over us----"She was allowing him to hold her hand a moment at the door, to which she had followed him.
"I'm so glad you could let me!" he said, "and I want to ask you now when I may come again. But if you need me, you'll----"A sharp pull at the door-bell outside made them start asunder, and at a sign from Penelope, who knew that the maids were abed by this time, he opened it.
"Why, Irene!" shrieked the girl.
Irene entered with the hackman, who had driven her unheard to the door, following with her small bags, and kissed her sister with resolute composure. "That's all," she said to the hackman. "I gave my checks to the expressman,"she explained to Penelope.
Corey stood helpless. Irene turned upon him, and gave him her hand. "How do you do, Mr. Corey?" she said, with a courage that sent a thrill of admiring gratitude through him. "Where's mamma, Pen? Papa gone to bed?"Penelope faltered out some reply embodying the facts, and Irene ran up the stairs to her mother's room.
Mrs. Lapham started up in bed at her apparition.
"Irene Lapham"
