Lydia Trent Read Online Free PDF

goodnight.”

    Evelyn
passed into her bedroom, and Lydia went to wake the nurse, it being
close upon three o clock, and time for Mr Trent's medicine.

Chapter the 6 th

    In
the distress of Mr Trent's illness, Adeline's alarm had been all but
forgotten. The subject was renewed, however, by a report from one of
the stable boys that his brother, who was ostler at the Crown, the
village's principal – indeed, only – inn, had reported seeing “a
foreign-talking gent – not so rough-looking as 'im who was so rough
to our dear young leddy”, but, excepting his apparel, answering
fairly to Lydia's description, using the coffee-room at the inn,
though by all accounts he was not and had not been staying there. It
was thought best not to apprise Adeline of this worrying rumour –
other concerns had wiped all trace of that one moment of horror from
her daily thoughts, but Lydia did bethink herself to warn one of the
housemaids, Bessie, who had been absent from the house at the time
due to illness in her family.

    “ Stop
a moment, Bessie, I want to talk to you.” said Lydia, the next time
she saw the girl about her work.

    “ Yes,
Miss?”

    “ I
merely wished to ask you to keep your eyes open for any stranger
hanging about the gates, as Miss Adeline was troubled by a strange
man while you were absent. Pray take care when you are out and about,
as we have reason to believe he is still in the neighbourhood.”

    “ A
stranger you say, Miss? Well, to be sure, I do believe as I've seen
more than one of that sort about here lately, and whats more I seed
the Mistress a-talking to 'em.”

    “ Why
Bessie, whatever can you mean? How could you have seen Mrs Trent
talking to strangers?”

    “ Well
Miss, it's like this. The fust time was mebbe a month or so back –
you recall I have my evening out once a month, and last month I went
into the village to 'ave tea with my sister what is lately married.
Anyway tea led to dancing, and dancing led to supper, and supper led
to talking and telling stories, til before I knew it twas arter one
in the morning and there was me expected back afore eleven. Well as
soon as I seed what time it was, I bid my friends goodnight and set
off walking as fast as my legs could carry me. When I got to the
quietish bit of road just beyond the oak at the turning of the lane,
I swear I seed the Mistress standing talking to some ill-looking
fellow just before the gate, only off to one side a bit. I didn't
have time to hang about, so I cut in through the side gate where I
was fortunate as Maisy the scullery maid was still awake to let me in
– you know she's been waiting up o nights since the Master was took
bad, in case he should want anything, though she's half-asleep on her
feet most of the time in consequence.”

    “ I
did not know that Maisy waited up – I must make sure the poor girl
gets some rest, for her work is hard enough without her keeping awake
half the night. But tell me, are you sure you recognised Mrs Trent?
And what of the man?”

    “ Well
I didn't see her face, like, as she was cloaked and hooded, but I'd
swear to it being the mistress's dark blue cloak, and her very way of
standing and walking. As to the man, it were moonlight so I got a
fair enough look at him. He were dark-skinned, with a beard, and sort
of deperate-looking, if you call to mind what I mean. What the
mistress could possibly have to say to the likes of him I don't
pretend to understand. They was talking too low for me to hear, but
they both seemed agitated, like.”

    “ If
you say you did not see her face, then it is possible you may have
been mistaken – however bright the moonlight, it was still night,
and things do look very different by night. But stop, you say you
have seen my stepmother out more than once?”

    “ Yes
– the other time was a week or two since. I'd been on an errand or
two in the village, to fetch a trifle of ribbon or some such for
Estelle (Mrs Trent's French ladies-maid) and a few bits and