Silence in Court Read Free

shall. But your mother married Arbuthnot Silence, and we didn’t get on at all. A most opinionated man, though of course he was your father, so we won’t say any more about him, and it’s a long time ago. How old are you?”
    â€œI am twenty-two, Cousin Honoria.”
    The hazel eyes took on a tragic look.
    â€œJulia died when she was twenty. And nobody told me that you were like her. It’s like seeing her again after all these years. Why didn’t they call you Julia?”
    Carey felt very glad that they had not. Cousin Honoria was trying to make her feel like a ghost. She resisted with all her might. Julia was dead. She wasn’t Julia’s ghost, she was Carey Silence with her own life to live. She held tight oil to that and said,
    â€œI don’t know.”
    Honoria Maquisten let go of her hand and pulled herself up a little higher against her pillows. The wide mouth broke into a smile.
    â€œIt doesn’t mean anything to you, does it? But it’s a great pleasure to me, so you mustn’t mind. I won’t bother you about it. And you mustn’t mind being like Julia, because she was very pretty and everyone loved her. And that’s all we’ll say about her now, because I want to talk about you. Are you quite strong again?”
    â€œOh, yes.”
    â€œBut they won’t pass you for any of the services?”
    â€œNo. They said to come back in three months.”
    â€œYes, I remember you said so in one of your letters. You certainly ought not to rough it until you are quite strong. You won’t want to talk about the experience.”
    â€œI don’t really know much about it. Mr. Andrews was going down to his constituency, and I was with him—I was his secretary, you know. And then the sirens sounded and the train stopped, and there was some firing. Mr. Andrews called out, and I think he pulled me down off the seat, so I suppose he saved my life. And the next thing I knew I was in a hospital all bandaged up, and they told me he was dead. He Was such a dear old thing. I loved working for him.”
    â€œBut you don’t want to go on being a secretary?”
    Carey flushed.
    â€œI thought I might try for a temporary post—”
    Mrs. Maquisten said, “Stuff and rubbish!” Then she burst out laughing. “Come—I’m not in the least what you expected, am I?”
    Carey laughed too.
    â€œI don’t know what I expected.”
    The hazel eyes danced, lighting up the long, thin face.
    â€œNot me anyhow! A nice old lady, sitting by the fire In a shawl, with silver hair—portrait of a grandmother. No, a great-aunt—I never had any brats. Lord—how I hate white hair! Mine’s been red all my life, and red it’s going to stay. No, it isn’t a wig, though I expect you think it is. I’ve always had a good head of hair, and it’s nobody’s business where the colour comes from.”
    There was something infectious about the rollicking vigour with which she spoke. Carey let herself go and said in a laughing voice,
    â€œI don’t suppose it is. But you wouldn’t mind anyhow, would you?”
    Mrs. Maquisten was delighted.
    â€œNo, I shouldn’t—I never have and I never shall. You know, you said that just the way Julia used to say things. I’m glad you’ve got her spirit. I don’t like meek little mice. Wait till you meet my niece Honor—the spi’t and image of a white mouse with pink eyes! Honor King—James’s niece, not mine, I’m thankful to say, but they named her for me, which annoyed me very much when I saw how she was going to turn out. My half-sister called a girl after me too—Nora Hull. She lives here—you’ll meet her presently. She’s a pretty little piece, so my side of the family comes the best out of it.” She quirked up the thin plucked eyebrows. “Honor—Nora—bit of a joke, isn’t