Fenton's Quest eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 637 pages of information about Fenton's Quest.

Fenton's Quest eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 637 pages of information about Fenton's Quest.

Ellen gave a faint shudder.  What if her father’s wicked scheming were to come to such an end as this! what if she had been sold into bondage, and the master to whom she had been given had not even the wealth which had been held before her as a bait in her misery!  For herself she cared little whether she were rich or poor.  It could make but a difference of detail in the fact of her unhappiness, whether she were mistress of Wyncomb or a homeless tramp upon the country roads.  The workhouse without Stephen Whitelaw must needs be infinitely preferable to Wyncomb Farm with him.  And for her father, it seemed only a natural and justifiable thing that his guilt and his greed should be so punished.  He had sold his daughter into life-long slavery for nothing but that one advance of two hundred pounds.  He had saved himself from the penalty of his dishonesty, however, by that sacrifice; and would, no doubt, hold his daughter’s misery lightly enough, even if poverty were added to the wretchedness of her position.

The two women sat down on opposite sides of the hearth; Mrs. Tadman, too anxious to go on with her accustomed knitting, only able to wring her hands in a feeble way, and groan every now and then, or from time to time burst into some fragmentary speech.

“And Stephen’s just the man to have such a thing on his mind and keep it from everybody till the last moment,” she cried piteously.  “And so many speculations as there are now-a-days to tempt a man to his ruin—­railways and mines, and loans to Turks and Red Indians and such-like foreigners; and Steph might so easy be tempted by the hope of larger profits than he can make by farming.”

“But it’s no use torturing yourself like that with fears that may be quite groundless,” Ellen said at last, rousing herself a little in order to put a stop to the wailing and lamentations of her companion.  “There’s no use in anticipating trouble.  There may be nothing in this business after all.  Mr. Whitelaw may have a fancy for showing people his house.  He wanted me to see it, if you remember, that new-year’s afternoon.”

“Yes; but that was different.  He meant to marry you.  Why should he want to show the place to a stranger?  I can’t believe but what that strange man is here for something, and something bad.  I saw it in his face when he first came in.”

It was useless arguing the matter; Mrs. Tadman was evidently not to be shaken; so Ellen said no more; and they sat on in silence, each occupied with her own thoughts.

Ellen’s were not about Stephen Whitelaw’s financial condition, but they were very sad ones.  She had received a letter from Frank Randall since her marriage; a most bitter letter, upbraiding her for her falsehood and desertion, and accusing her of being actuated by mercenary motives in her marriage with Stephen Whitelaw.

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Fenton's Quest from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.