although eric now had his great chum within only half-a-mile of the moat house, he did not, on that account, neglect his favourite sister, and managed so that she should be included in many of his pleasures. he persuaded mrs. wallis and joy to visit the cricket field and watch the boys at play of an evening, and on more than one occasion miss pring and her niece accompanied them.
sir jasper took a great deal of interest in the crumleigh cricket club, and when the vicar called at the moat house one afternoon, about a week after celia had gone to t—, he considerably surprised him by suggesting that the members of the club should be presented with caps.
"they would be very proud of them, i have no doubt," mr. cole replied, "but i don't know—"
he paused, for he had been about to say he did not know who was going to provide the caps. the conversation was taking place in the drawing-room, where several visitors were assembled, including miss pring, her niece, and lawrence puttenham.
"but you don't know who is going to give the caps, i suppose you were going to remark?" proceeded sir jasper. "well, i will. you must decide upon the colours. what do you think of dark blue caps embroidered with c.c.c., for crumleigh cricket club, in gold letters, in front?"
"the very thing!" eric cried, excitedly, breaking in upon the conversation. he and lawrence puttenham had been listening with great interest. "uncle jasper, i never knew anyone like you! you're a regular brick! a downright good sort! isn't he, putty?"
"sir jasper is very kind," putty answered in his usual sober fashion.
"kind! i should think so!" the vicar exclaimed. he was deeply gratified by this sign that the old man took an interest in his work in the parish, and the success of the crumleigh cricket club was what he greatly desired.
"yes, dark blue caps with gold letters would be most suitable," he agreed.
"i will order the caps by to-night's post," sir jasper said decisively, "that is quite settled. and i'll tell you what i think you had better do, mr. cole—bring the boys here to tea one evening, and my niece shall present the caps to them. what do you say to that plan, margaret?" he questioned, turning to mrs. wallis.
"i think it's a capital idea of yours, having them here to tea," she answered, "and i am sure they would all enjoy it; but i consider you ought to give them the caps yourself, uncle jasper."
"yes, yes!" everyone insisted.
"well, well, i'll think about it," sir jasper said, good-humouredly. "i'll let you know as soon as the caps arrive," he told the vicar, "and then you can settle when will be the most suitable day for the tea. i expect it will have to be a saturday, eh?"
"yes, saturday for preference," mr. cole replied, "for most of the boys leave work early on that day."
"very well. they shall have a substantial meat tea, and—"
"and you'll preside, won't you, uncle jasper?" eric broke in eagerly.
"no, my boy. the vicar shall take the top of the table, for the boys will feel at home with him and they would not with me. i want them to have a thoroughly enjoyable time. the meal shall be prepared for them in the dining-room, and after they have partaken of it, they shall have their caps. yes, perhaps i may present them myself."
"isn't it jolly of him?" eric exclaimed, as he and lawrence puttenham wandered out into the garden a short while later. "he's really very good-hearted. did i tell you he gave me a sovereign the other day? he was equally generous to the girls. what a lark it will be having the boys here to tea! uncle jasper's sure to provide a splendid feed for them. he's a kind old chap really, isn't he? i wish he wasn't so down on poor joy, though."
"why is he?" inquired putty. he liked the sister who was so devoted to her brother; and had remarked with surprise that she always seemed shy and embarrassed in sir jasper's presence. "what has she done? has she offended him in some way?"
eric explained the situation, and waxed hot and indignant as he told how sir jasper believed joy to have deliberately deceived him.
"she wouldn't have told him an untruth, i'm certain of that," he said, decidedly. "if she had done wrong she'd have said so. she wouldn't have dreamt of telling a story."
"i expect there's been a misunderstanding," putty said soothingly, for eric's face was flushed with anger as he reflected on sir jasper's suspicion of his dearly loved sister. "it'll all work out straight, you'll find—things always do. right is right, you know. you don't think, do you, that the novel the puppy destroyed belonged to your other sister?"
"to celia?" eric cried, in astonishment.
"yes," putty answered, quietly.
"i never thought of that. but no, i don't think it's likely. celia's not fond of reading. besides, she'd never stand by—"
he paused abruptly, an expression of doubt crossing his face. putty proceeded:
"many people read light literature who never read anything else. i'll tell you what made me suggest your sister celia might have been the culprit in this case. i was it a stationer's shop at t— the other day with mr. cole, and i saw her there with another girl, and they were looking over a heap of cheap, sensational novels. they didn't see either mr. cole or me, because there were a good many people in the shop, and we were behind them."
"did mr. cole notice celia?" eric inquired.
"oh, yes! but he didn't speak to her. he told me afterwards who her companion was."
"lulu tillotson, of course?"
"yes. i say, wallis, what a dressed up doll she is!"
"is she? yes, so joy told me. i've never seen celia's great friend myself, but i heard uncle jasper say her father is one of the richest men in t—, and he thinks nothing is too good for his daughter. i expect celia finds herself in clover there. by the way, did they purchase any of the novels?"
"i don't know, for they were still looking over them when we left the shop. they were whispering and giggling a good deal, and—"
putty broke off, looking confused, as it occurred to him that he ought not to be telling this to celia's brother. eric's expression was grave; he was thinking deeply, and wondering if it was possible that, owing to some mistake, joy was suffering for her sister's fault. if so, celia must be aware of the fact.
perhaps no one at the moat house missed celia quite so much as sir jasper. he had grown accustomed to her companionship of an evening, and declared the house was not like the same place without her.
"she is so winning and bright," he said to his niece on one occasion, "and so invariably sweet-tempered. ah, i shall be glad when she returns! celia is my favourite of your children, margaret; which is yours?"
"i love them all alike," mrs. wallis replied. she was not surprised to hear her uncle's open acknowledgment of his preference for celia. "i don't think a mother should feel any difference in her affection for her children—i am sure i do not. they are all very dear to me, and all very fond of each other, i do believe."
"eric is an outspoken lad," sir jasper remarked, with approval in his tone; "but did you not tell me the other day that he is inclined to be idle at school?"
"i fear so, judging from the reports i receive of him. this last term he has done better, however. a steady, studious lad like lawrence puttenham is the very friend for eric."
"your boy is all right, margaret," sir jasper said, smiling; "he's good at heart."
the mother's face brightened at this praise of her son. at that moment the sound of music fell upon their ears, and sir jasper sat quietly listening.
"how well joy plays!" he exclaimed at length. "she improves rapidly. she practices a long time every day, does she not?"
"yes, she shows real talent for music, so every one says; and miss mary pring is delighted with the progress she is making."
"she ought to have a first-rate music-master, by-and-by," sir jasper asserted; "but i suppose miss mary pring is competent to teach her for the present?"
"oh, yes," mrs. wallis agreed. "i should so like to be able to give joy a really good musical education; i believe if she had that she would make her mark as a pianist, for i am sure she would work hard and conscientiously."
"she is very desirous of earning money by her music, she tells me."
"yes, poor child. you must not think her mercenary, uncle jasper. remember, she has known what poverty is. i don't mean want, but the poverty which denies everything but the merest necessaries. my little girls went to school at a—, but i could not afford to have them taught accomplishments, so that i had to teach them music myself. is it any wonder that joy should wish to turn her one talent to some account?"
"certainly not. what about celia? she is not musical, i know; but i suppose she shows a talent for something?"
"no, i do not think she does."
"she is not ambitious, like joy?"
"not in the same way," mrs. wallis answered, hesitatingly. "celia is very fond of the good things of this life. i fear she is a little selfish."
"oh, i should hardly think that! i have proved that she is a kind-hearted little soul. i hope she is enjoying her visit to the tillotsons. let me see, you heard from her this morning, i think you told me?"
happening to have celia's letter in her pocket, mrs. wallis produced it, and handed it to her uncle, desiring him to read it. it ran as follows:
"my dear mother,—can you fancy that i have been here ten days? i cannot, for the time has simply flown. i am enjoying my visit very much, and mr. tillotson, who is most kind to me, hopes you will not hurry me home. next tuesday is the flower-show; it is to be a very grand affair, and lulu is having a new frock made for the occasion; she has decided to have it white, like mine, so that we may look like sisters.
"i hope dear uncle jasper is very well; please give him my best love, and tell him i am finding the money he gave me very useful. i suppose eric is spending most of his time with lawrence puttenham, and i expect joy is wishing
she had come with me. i have been with lulu several times to tea at different people's houses, and have played tennis or croquet nearly every day, for lulu belongs to a club, and she is allowed to take a friend with her.
"i will write again after the flower-show and tell you all about it.
"with much love, dear mother,
"i am," "your affectionate daughter," "celia."
"a very nicely-written, well-expressed letter," said sir jasper, as he returned the epistle to mrs. wallis. "she is evidently having a good time. tillotson told me how pleased he was to see the friendship between his little girl and yours. i was confident he would do all he could to make celia enjoy her visit. it is a pity joy did not go with her sister."
"joy did not wish to leave whilst her brother was at home; besides, lulu and celia are so wrapped up in each other, that i think joy is best where she is. hark! she is playing your favourite piece, now, uncle jasper."
he listened with pleasure as the strains of "the last rose of summer" came through the open drawing-room window. joy's rendering of the old tune was exquisitely tender and sympathetic, and sir jasper's face softened into a gentle, retrospective smile. afterwards mrs. wallis told the little girl how pleased her uncle had been with her playing.
the cricket caps arrived in due course; and one saturday afternoon the members of the crumleigh cricket club all visited the moat house, by sir jasper amery's invitation, and were entertained to a substantial tea, at which, as had been arranged, the vicar presided. the boys, who were somewhat shy at first, were soon put at their ease; and eric and lawrence puttenham, seated one on either side of the long dining-table, kept up the conversation, and would not allow it to flag.
sam dart was the least talkative of the visitors, but he appeared to approve of the proceedings; and eric rightly guessed that his unusual quietude was caused by a laudable desire that his unruly tongue should give no offence, and respected him for his silence.
the boys did full justice to the good things provided for them, and after the meal was over, they all repaired to the terrace outside the house, where sir jasper and mrs. wallis and joy were awaiting them. then the caps were duly presented by sir jasper, who made a gracious little speech to each recipient, and subsequently the vicar thanked the master of the moat house, in the name of the crumleigh cricket club, for his kindly interest and generosity.
"it has given me much pleasure to entertain the members of the club," sir jasper replied, in return, as he looked around on the eager faces of the group surrounding him, "and i shall hope to see you all again another year."
"three cheers for sir jasper amery!" cried a voice at this instant; whereupon, the cheers were promptly given with great heartiness, and sir jasper's wrinkled countenance expressed his gratification.
"did you notice which of the boys it was who called for three cheers for uncle jasper?" eric asked joy later on, when the visitors had left.
"no, i did not," was the reply; "did you?"
"yes. it was sam dart. i believe that was the only occasion on which he opened his lips during all the time he was here. he spoke to some purpose then, didn't he?"
"did the boys enjoy their tea?" joy inquired.
"rather! uncle jasper has treated the club very handsomely, hasn't he?"
"yes, indeed! he is very good and kind. and, do you know," she proceeded happily, "he has been quite nice to me to-day, and once he called me 'my dear,' just as he used to do before—"
"oh, by the way," eric broke in, "i want to ask you something. did that novel there's been so much fuss about belong to celia, by any chance? you needn't look so startled, joy. say yes or no."
but this joy stoutly declined to do, and though her brother pressed her for an answer to his question, she persistently refused to give it. he grew quite cross with her at length, and declared he would ascertain the truth of the matter. "i believe you're shielding celia," he said, suspiciously; "and since you're so obstinate, i won't tell you why i think so. i know more than you imagine, and i'll find out the rest."
