Miss Billy - Eleanor Hodgman Porter (read dune .txt) đ
- Author: Eleanor Hodgman Porter
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âWhatâs the trouble?â
âThatâs what we donât know.â
âYouâve had the doctor?â
âOf course; two or three of themâthough much against Billyâs will. Butâthey didnât help us.â
âWhat did they say?â
âThey could find nothing except perhaps a little temporary stomach trouble, or something of that kind, which they all agreed was no just cause for her present condition.â
âBut what did they say it was?â
âWhy, they said it seemed like nervousness, or as if something was troubling her. They asked if she werenât under some sort of strain.â
âWell, is she? Does anything trouble her?â
âNot that I know of. Anyhow, if there is anything, none of us can find out what it is.â
Kate frowned. She threw a quick look into her brotherâs face.
âWilliam,â she began hesitatingly, âforgive me, butâBilly is quite happy inâher engagement, I suppose.â
The man flushed painfully, and sighed.
âIâve thought of that, of course. In fact, it was the first thing I did think of. I even began to watch her rather closely, and once Iâquestioned her a little.â
âWhat did she say?â
âShe seemed so frightened and distressed that I didnât say much myself. I couldnât. I had but just begun when her eyes filled with tears, and she asked me in a frightened little voice if she had done anything to displease me, anything to make me unhappy; and she seemed so anxious and grieved and dismayed that I should even question her, that I had to stop.â
âWhat has she done this summer? Where has she been?â
âShe hasnât been anywhere. Didnât I write you? Sheâs kept open house for a lot of her less fortunate friendsâa sort of vacation home, you know; andâand I must say sheâs given them a world of happiness, too.â
âBut wasnât that hard for her?â
âIt didnât seem to be. She appeared to enjoy it immensely, particularly at first. Of course she had plenty of help, and that wonderful little Miss Hawthorn has been a host in herself. Theyâre all gone now, anyway, except Miss Hawthorn.â
âBut Billy must have had the care and the excitement.â
âPerhapsâto a certain extent. Though not much, after all. You see Bertram, too, has given up his summer to them, and has been playing the devoted escort to the whole bunch. Indeed, for the last few weeks of it, since Billy began to seem so ill, he and Miss Hawthorn have schemed to take all the care from Billy, and they have done the whole thing together.â
âBut what HAS Billy done to make her like this?â
âI donât know. Sheâs done lots for me, in all sorts of waysâ cataloguing my curios, you know, and going with me to hunt up things. In fact, she seems the happiest when she IS doing something for me. Itâs come to be a sort of mania with her, Iâm afraidâto do something for me. Kate, Iâm really worried. What do you suppose is the matter?â
Kate shook her head. The puzzled frown had come back to her face.
âI canât imagine,â she began slowly. âOf course, when I told her you loved her andââ
âWhen you told her wha-at?â exploded the usually low-voiced William, with sudden sharpness.
âWhen I told her that you loved her, William. You see, Iââ
William sprang to his feet.
âTold her that I loved her!â he cried, aghast. âGood heavens, Kate, do you mean to say that YOU told her THAT.â
âWhy, y-yes.â
âAnd may I ask where you got your information?â
âWhy, William Henshaw, what a question! I got it from yourself, of course,â defended Kate.
âFrom ME!â Williamâs face expressed sheer amazement.
âCertainly; on that drive when I was East in June,â returned Kate, with dignity. âYOU evidently have forgotten it, but I have not. You told me very frankly how much you thought of her, and how you longed to have her back there with you, but that she didnât seem to be ready to come. I was sorry for you, and I wanted to do something to help, particularly as it might have been my fault, partly, that she went away, in the first place.â
William lifted his head.
âWhat do you mean?â
âWhy, nothing, only that IâI told her a little of howâhow upsetting her arrival had been to everything, and of how much you had done for her, and put yourself out. I said it so sheâd appreciate things, of course, but she took it quite differently from what I had intended she should take it, and seemed quite cut up about it. Then she went away in that wily, impulsive fashion.â
William bit his lip, but he did not speak. Kate was plunging on feverishly, and in the face of the greater revelation he let the lesser one drop.
âAnd so thatâs why I was particularly anxious to bring things around right again,â continued Kate. âAnd thatâs why I spoke. I thought Iâd seen how things were, and on the drive I said so. Then is when I advised you to speak to Billy; but you declared that Billy wasnât ready, and that you couldnât make a girl marry against her will. NOW donât you recollect it?â
A great light of understanding broke over Williamâs face. He started to speak, but something evidently stayed the words on his lips. With controlled deliberation he turned and sat down. Then he said:
âKate, will you kindly tell me just what you DID do?â
âWhy, I didnât do so very much. I just tried to help, thatâs all. After I talked with you, and advised you to ask Billy right away to marry you, I went to her. I thought she cared for you already, anyway; but I just wanted to tell her how very much it was to you, and so sort of pave the way. And now comes the part that I started to tell you a little while ago when you caught me up so sharply. I was going to say that when I told Billy this, she appeared to be surprised, and almost frightened. You see, she hadnât known you cared for her, after all, and so I had a chance to help and make it plain to her how you did love her, so that when you spoke everything would be all right. There, thatâs all. You see I didnât do so very much.â
ââSo very muchâ!â groaned William, starting to his feet. âGreat Scott!â
âWhy, William, what do you mean? Where are you going?â
âIâm goingâtoâBilly,â retorted William with slow distinctness. âAnd Iâm going to try to get thereâbeforeâyouâCAN!â And with this extraordinary shotâfor Williamâhe left the house.
William went to Billy as fast as steam could carry him. He found her in her little drawing-room listlessly watching with Aunt Hannah the game of chess that Bertram and Marie were playing.
âBilly, you poor, dear child, come here,â he said abruptly, as soon as the excitement of his unexpected arrival had passed. âI want to talk to you.â And he led the way to the veranda which he knew would be silent and deserted.
âTo talk toâme?â murmured Billy, as she wonderingly came to his side, a startled questioning in her wide dark eyes.
William did not re-enter the house after his talk with Billy on the veranda.
âI will go down the steps and around by the rose garden to the street, dear,â he said. âIâd rather not go in now. Just make my adieus, please, and say that I couldnât stay any longer. And nowâ good-by.â His eyes as they looked down at her, were moist and very tender. His lips trembled a little, but they smiled, and there was a look of new-born peace and joy on his face.
Billy, too, was smiling, though wistfully. The frightened questioning had gone from her eyes, leaving only infinite tenderness.
âYou are sure itâit is all rightânow?â she stammered.
âVery sure, little girl; and itâs the first time it has been right for weeks. Billy, that was very dear of you, and I love you for it; but think how nearâhow perilously near you came to lifelong misery!â
âBut I thoughtâyou wanted meâso much,â she smiled shyly.
âAnd I did, and I doâfor a daughter. You donât doubt that NOW?â
âNo, oh, no,â laughed Billy, softly; and to her face came a happy look of relief as she finished: âAnd Iâll be so glad to beâthe daughter!â
For some minutes after the man had gone, Billy stood by the steps where he had left her. She was still there when Bertram came to the veranda door and spoke to her.
âBilly, I saw William go by the window, so I knew you were alone. May I speak to you?â
The girl turned with a start.
âWhy, of course! What is it?âbut I thought you were playing. Where is Marie?â
âThe game is finished; besidesâBilly, why are you always asking me lately where Marie is, as if I were her keeper, or she mine?â he demanded, with a touch of nervous irritation.
âWhy, nothing, Bertram,â smiled Billy, a little wearily; âonly that you were playing together a few minutes ago, and I wondered where she had gone.â
ââA few minutes agoâ!â echoed Bertram with sudden bitterness. âEvidently the time passed swiftly with you, Billy. William was out here MORE than an hour.â
âWhyâBertram!â
âYes, I know. Iâve no business to say that, of course,â sighed the man; âbut, Billy, thatâs why I came outâbecause I must speak to you this once. Wonât you come and sit down, please?â he implored despairingly.
âWhy, Bertram,â murmured Billy again, faintly, as she turned toward the vine-shaded corner and sat down. Her eyes were startled. A swift color had come to her cheeks.
âBilly,â began the man, in a sternly controlled voice, âplease let me speak this once, and donât try to stop me. You may think, for a moment, that itâs disloyal to William if you listen; but it isnât. Thereâs this much due to meâthat you let me speak now. Billy, I canât stand it. Iâve tried, but itâs no use. Iâve got to go away, and itâs right that I should. Iâm not the only one that thinks so, either. Marie does, too.â
âMARIE!â
âYes. I talked it all over with her. Sheâs known for a long time how itâs been with me; how I caredâfor you.â
âMarie! Youâve told Marie that?â gasped Billy.
âYes. Surely you donât mind Marieâs knowing,â went on Bertram, dejectedly. âAnd sheâs been so good to me, and tried toâhelp me.â
Bertram was not looking at Billy now. If he had been he would have seen the incredulous joy come into her face. His eyes were moodily fixed on the floor.
âAnd so, Billy, Iâve come to tell you. Iâm going away,â he continued, after a moment. âIâve got to go. I thought once, when I first talked with you of William, that you didnât know your own heart; that you didnât really care for him. I was even fool enough to think thatâthat it would be I to whom youâd turnâsome day. And so I stayed. But I stayed honorably, Billy! YOU know that! You know that I havenât once forgottenânot once, that I was only Williamâs brother. I promised you Iâd be thatâand I have been; havenât I?â
Billy nodded silently. Her face was turned away.
âBut, Billy, I canât do it any longer. Iâve got to ask for my promise back, and then, of course, I canât stay.â
âBut youâyou donât have to goâaway,â murmured the girl, faintly.
Bertram sprang to his feet. His face was white.
âBilly,â he cried, standing tall and straight before her, âBilly, I love every touch of your hand, every glance of your eye, every word that falls from your lips. Do you think I can stayânow?
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