The Karma of Love (Bantam Series No. 14) Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    “We have to get my sister out of the place without her being seen, Dawkins,” Charles told him.
    “That’ll be easy, Sir,” Dawkins replied. “Her Ladyship can go out the back way.”
    Dawkins paused and looking at Orissa’s evening gown, observed:
    “It’s real cold this morning, M’Lady.”
    “What can I find you to wear?” Charles asked, now that his sister’s inadequate clothing had been brought to his attention.
    Orissa looked round helpless. It was Dawkins who solved the problem.
    He took down one of the velvet curtains in the Sitting-Room, cut off the brass rings, and Orissa found it made her quite an adequate cloak.
    “I’ll fetch it back, M’Lady, when the Captain can spare me. We mustn’t dispose of Government property.”
    “Certainly not!” Orissa smiled. “And thank you.”
    She felt quite warm and not so conspicuous with a cloak over her gown.
    It was agreed that Dawkins should find a Hackney carriage and bring it to the back of the building.
    “You’ll be able to see when I’ve got one, M’Lady, if you look out of the window of the bed-room,” Dawkins said to Orissa. “All you’ve got to do then is to come downstairs, turn sharp left when you reach the bottom and you’ll find a door straight ahead of you.”
    Orissa had therefore watched as instructed and although it had taken Dawkins some time so early in the morning to find a Hackney cab, she had finally seen one draw up outside.
    Saying good-bye to her brother she hurried downstairs.
    The gas-lights had been extinguished and as there was still very little light outside, the stairs were dark. So she held tightly on to the bannisters in case she should trip.
    The place seemed very quiet. It was only when she reached the first floor that one of the doors opened and a man emerged.
    With a frightened leap of her heart, Orissa knew it was Major Meredith.
    It was too late for her to go back up the stairs again, and the only thing was to hurry past hoping he would not see her face.
    At the same time she could not help glancing at him, and she thought that even in the half-light she could distinguish a look of contempt in his eyes.
    She ran on and hurried down the next flight of stairs with a speed that made it appear that all the hounds of hell were at her heels.
    She found the back door which Dawkins had described to her and the safety of the Hackney cab.
    She did not tell Charles what had happened because she could not bear to upset him the last few moments of their time together.
    He had said that he might come and see her that evening, but instead he had sent her a note to say he was unable to do so, but that everything had worked out splendidly.
    “Lady Critchley,” he wrote, “is delighted that a Mrs. Lane will look after her grandchild on their journey to India!”
    Charles had however arrived the following morning, by which time Orissa had packed her trunks and broken the news both to her father and Step-mother that she was leaving.
    She had thought when she returned the previous day that the Countess was slightly shame-faced, feeling perhaps that in turning Orissa out of the house, she had for once gone too far.
    They neither of them referred to the fact that Orissa had been away all night, but it was obvious that the Countess was on the defensive when Charles arrived.
    “I should have thought that it would have been polite,” she said accusingly, “to have asked your father’s and my permission before arranging for Orissa to live with her Uncle.”
    Charles had looked with disgust at the fat, blowzy woman who bore his father’s name.
    “Obviously she cannot stay here and suffer from the manner in which you behaved to her the night before last,” he answered.
    “I’ve done my best fo r your sister,” the Countess re torted angrily. “If she’s been telling you tales about me, I can assure you they’re untrue!”
    Charles had not deigned to reply and the Countess had continued belligerently :
    “I’ve a