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Updated: July 24, 2025
The girl had read the story with sickening. Then Augustina had held up to her the relic case, with that shrivelled horror inside it. A finger, was it? or a portion of one. Perhaps torn from some poor helpless one in the same way. And to such aids and helps must a human heart come in dying! She had not been quick enough to master herself. Oh! that was wrong very wrong.
Loram's by stating that her name was Augustina Gwendoline Dobbs, and that she was housemaid to Mr. George Hurst, of "The Poplars," Eltham. "Mr. Hurst lives alone, I believe?" said Mr. Loram. "I don't know what you mean by that," Miss Dobbs began; but the barrister explained: "I mean that I believe he is unmarried?" "Well, and what about it?" the witness demanded tartly.
That girl of twenty-three, Augustina was talking of, who is going into a convent, and her mother only died last year, and there are six younger brothers and sisters, and her father says it will break his heart she must have been reading about St. Francis Borgia. Perhaps she felt 'burning love' and had 'floods of tears. But Ivan with his axe that's the person I'd bring in, if I could!"
Then, in a whisper that only she could hear "My Laura you are mine now let me soon come back and comfort you!" When they returned they found Laura sitting on a stool beside her stepmother. One hand grasped that of Augustina, while the other dropped listlessly in front of her. Her brow under its weight of curly hair hung forward.
In the added touch of stiffness which she had observed in Helbeck's manner, she easily divined the result of that conversation he had no doubt held with Augustina after dinner, while she was by the river. Did he think even worse of her than he had before? Well! if he and Augustina could do without her, let them send her away by all manner of means!
Helbeck meanwhile caught sight for an instant of a girl's pale face at the window of the approaching carriage a face thrust forward eagerly, to gaze at the pele tower. The horses stopped, and out sprang the girl. "Wait a moment let me help you, Augustina. How do you do, Mr. Helbeck? Don't touch my dog, please he doesn't like men. Fricka, be quiet!"
She found Augustina no worse; and in her room there was always comfort, and even brightness. She had a good nurse; a Catholic "Sister" from London, of a kind and cheerful type, that Laura herself could not dislike; and whatever working power there was in the household was concentrated on her service. Miss Fountain took off her things, and settled in for the day.
A quiver ran through Laura's features. "Well, then, don't bear it," she said, kneeling down again beside her stepmother. "You look quite ill and excited, Augustina. I think we'll keep the Reverend Mother out in future. Won't you lie down and let me cover you up?" So it ended for the time with physical weakness on Augustina's part, and caresses on Laura's.
"Yes Alan is away a great deal people trust him so much he has so much business." Laura was of opinion that his first business might very well have been to see a little more of his widowed sister! She and Augustina spent days and days alone, while Mr. Helbeck pursued the affairs of the Church. One precious attempt indeed had been made to break the dulness of Bannisdale.
Till supper was announced they had not a word or look for anyone but each other. The young "scholastic" talked ceremoniously to Augustina. "Who talks of Jesuit tyranny now?" said Helbeck, laughing, as he and Laura led the way to the dining-room. "If it is not too much for him, Williams has leave to finish some of his work in the chapel while he is here. But he looks very ill don't you think so?"
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