Hetty Gray | Page 4

that on reflection you will not please
to go abroad with Lady Harriet Beaton."
"Why!"
"Surely you know she is not a desirable companion for you, Amy. I
hope you have not actually promised to accompany her."
"Well, I think I have, almost. She is very gay and charming, and I
cannot think why you should object to her. If I were a young girl of
sixteen, instead of a widow with long experience, you could not make
more fuss about the matter."
"As your brother I am bound to object to such a scheme," said Mr.
Enderby.
Mrs. Rushton pouted. "It is all very well for you and Isabel to talk," she
said, "you have each other and your children to interest you. If I had
children--had only one child, I should not care for running about the
world or making a companion of Lady Harriet."
Mrs. Enderby looked at her sister-in-law sympathetically; but Mr.

Enderby only smiled.
"My dear Amy," he said, "you know very well that if you had children
they would be the most neglected little mortals on the face of the earth.
Ever since I have known you, a good many years now, I have seen you
fluttering about after one whim or another, and never found you
contented with anything long. If Phyllis and Nell here were your
daughters instead of Isabel's, they would be away at school somewhere,
whilst their mother would be taking her turn upon all the
merry-go-rounds of the world."
"Thank you, you are very complimentary," said Mrs. Rushton; and then
she laughed carelessly:
"After all, the merry-go-rounds, as you put it, are much better fun than
sitting in a nursery or a school-room. But I assure you I am not so
frivolous as you think; I have been going out distributing tracts lately
with Mrs. Sourby."
"Indeed, and last winter I know you were attending lectures on cookery,
and wanted to become a lecturer yourself."
"Yes, and only for something that happened, I forget what, I might now
be a useful member of society. But chance does so rule one's affairs. At
present it is Fate's decree that I shall spend the next few months at
Pontresina."
Mr. Enderby made a gesture as if to say that he would remonstrate no
more, and went off to play lawn tennis with his little girls. Mrs.
Rushton rose from her seat, yawned, and declared to Mrs. Enderby that
it was six o'clock and quite time for her to return towards home, as she
had a drive of two hours before her.
Shortly afterwards she was rolling along the avenue in her carriage, and
through the village, and out by one of the roads towards the open
country.
Now little Hetty Gray ought to have been in her bed by this time, or
getting ready for it; but she was, as Mrs. Kane told Mrs. Ford, a very
wild little girl, though sharp; and while Mrs. Kane was busy giving her
husband his supper Hetty had escaped from the cottage once more, and
had skipped away from the village to have another little ramble by
herself before the pretty green woods should begin to darken, and the
moon to come up behind the trees.
Hetty had filled her lap with dog-roses out of the hedges, and wishing

to arrange them in a bunch which she could carry in her hand, she sat
down in the middle of the road and became absorbed in her work.
Near where she sat there was a sharp turning in the road, and Hetty was
so busy that she did not hear the sound of a carriage coming quite near
her. Suddenly the horses turned the corner. Hetty saw them and jumped
up in a fright, but too late to save herself from being hurt. She was
flung down upon the road, though the coachman pulled up in time to
prevent the wheels passing over her.
Poor Hetty gave one scream and then nothing more was heard from her.
The footman got down and looked at her, and then he went and told the
lady in the carriage that he feared the child was badly hurt.
"Oh dear!" said the lady, "what brought her under the horses' feet? Can
you not pick her up?"
The footman went back to Hetty and tried to lift her in his arms, but she
uttered such pitiful screams at being touched that he was obliged to lay
her down again.
Then the lady, who was Mrs. Rushton, got out and looked at her.
"You must put her in the carriage," she said, "and drive back to the
village. I suppose she belongs to some of the people there."
"I know her, ma'am," said the footman; "she is Mrs. Kane's little
girl,--little Hetty Gray."