The Ashiel Mystery | Page 6

the letter through, and straightway read it through again,
with a beating heart. What did it mean? Was it possible she was going
to find her own family at last?
She was recalled to the present by the voice of Dora, whom she now
perceived to be reading the letter over her shoulder with unblushing
interest.
"Say," said Dora, "isn't it exciting? 'Something to your advantage!' Just
what they put in the agony column when they leave you a fortune. I bet
your long-lost uncle in the West has kicked the bucket, and left you all
his ill-gotten gains. Mark my words. You'll come back from England a
lovely heiress. I do wish the others would come in. There's no one in
the house, except Sir Arthur."
"Where is he?" said Juliet, putting the sheet of paper back into the
envelope and slipping it under her waistband. "You know, Dora, it's not
at all a nice thing to read other people's letters. I wonder you aren't
ashamed of yourself. I'm surprised at you."
"I shouldn't have read it if you'd been quicker about telling me what
was in it," retorted Dora. "It's not at all a nice thing to put temptation in
the way of a little girl like me. Do you suppose I'm made of cast iron?"
She departed with an injured air, and Juliet went to look for the consul.
"What is it?" he asked, as she put the envelope into his hand. "A letter
you want me to read? Not a proposal, eh?" He smiled at her as he
unfolded the large sheet of office paper.
"Hullo, what's this?"
He read it through carefully.

"Why, Juliet," he said, when he had finished, "this is very interesting,
isn't it? It looks as if you were going to find out something about
yourself, doesn't it? After all these years! Well, well."
"You think I must go, then," she said a little doubtfully.
"Go? Of course I should go, if I were you. Why not?"
"You don't think it is a hoax?"
"No, no; I see no reason to suppose such a thing. I know the firm of
Findlay & Ince quite well by name and reputation."
"Oh, I hope they will tell me who I am!" cried Juliet. "Have you no
idea at all, father?"
"No, my dear, you know I have not. Besides, I promised Lena I would
never ask. You are the child of a friend of hers. That is all I know. I
think she scarcely realized how hard it would be for you not to know
more when you grew up. I often think that if she had lived she would
have told you before now."
"If you promised her not to ask, I won't ask either," said Juliet loyally.
"But I hope they'll tell me. It will be different, won't it, if they tell me
without my asking?"
"I think you might ask," said Sir Arthur. "It is absurd that you should be
bound by a promise that I made. And you may be sure of one thing.
Your asking, or your not asking, won't make any odds to Findlay &
Ince. If they mean to tell you, they will; and, if they don't, you're not
likely to get it out of them."
"And when shall I go?" cried Juliet. "They say they want me to answer
immediately, you know."
"Oh well, I don't know. In a few days. You will hardly be ready to start
to-morrow, will you?"
"I could be ready, easily," said Juliet.

"You're in a great hurry to get away from us," said Sir Arthur, with a
rather uneasy laugh.
"Not from you." Juliet put her arm through his. "I could never find
another father half as nice as the one I've got. But you could do very
well without so many daughters, you know." She smiled at him
mockingly. "You're like the old woman who lived in a shoe. You ought
to set up a school for young ladies."
"I don't believe I shall be able to get on without my eldest daughter," he
replied, half-serious. "Still I think it would be better for you if your real
parents have decided to own up to you. At all events, if they do not turn
out desirable, I shall still be here, I hope; so I don't see how you can
lose anything by taking this chance of finding out what you can about
them."
At this point Lady Byrne came into the room, and the news had to be
retold for her benefit; the letter was produced again, and she joined
heartily in the excitement it had caused.
"You had better start on Monday," she said to Juliet. "That will give
you two days to pack, and to write to an