Amethyst: The Story of a BeautyColeridge, Christabel R. (Christabel Rose)
General
Amethyst: The Story of a Beauty
Coleridge, Christabel R. (Christabel Rose)
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"The young lady must not stay here," he said, "there is no more to be
done. Nor you either, Signora; Milord will perhaps have need of you."
Miss Haredale gave a little gasp of horror; but she was hardly able to
realise anything fresh. She took Amethyst down-stairs to the
coffee-room, which had been cleared of all its occupants; while Lord
Haredale, who had fallen down in the street, not far from the inn, had
been laid on a bed, roughly made up on one of the tables. Two
Englishmen, who had some slight acquaintance with him, were there, and
had sent for the doctor, and done what they could to help the helpless
ladies, and now, one of them, hearing what had happened up-stairs, went
to see the doctor and make the first needful arrangements.
Lord Haredale was quite unconscious; there was no chance, the doctor
said, of a rally, but it might not be over for some hours. Lady Clyste
sat crouched up by a stove at the end of the room, crying in a violent
unrestrained fashion. Miss Haredale sat down by her brother's side,
shedding a few tears, but faithfully watching him; while Amethyst,
stupefied and silent, stood at the sick man's feet. Presently the other
Englishman came back and spoke to her.
"Miss Haredale?" he said, bowing. "My name is Williams. I had the
honour of his lordship's acquaintance. You are perhaps hardly aware how
quickly arrangements have to be made in this country. And the expense
is great. Your brother's funeral, would it be here? Have you friends
to consult?"
"Oh, no," exclaimed Miss Haredale, interposing. "Impossible! anything
but that. We all lie at Haredale."
Amethyst looked at Mr Williams, who was not a very prepossessing
person; but he was much better than no one, and she decided to trust
him.
"I have some money," she said, "but I don't know. We must telegraph to
my mother at Bordighera, and, yes--to another friend. But--is there no
one here--an English chaplain or clergyman?"
Mr Williams never appeared to have heard of such an official, but he
promised to inquire, and to despatch the telegrams to Lady Haredale, and
to Sylvester Riddell, who could surely come for an hour or two and help
them in such extremity, then all would be well. Then he departed,
promising to do all he could to delay matters till something definite
occurred, with a glance at Lord Haredale's heavily-breathing figure.
"Amethyst, Amethyst, do come here," sobbed Blanche, calling to her. "Is
Charles dead? Oh, how awful, how dreadful!--oh, I wish I hadn't come!"
"I think you were quite right to come," said Amethyst, as Blanche came
towards her, catching hold of her, and clinging to her with a touch that
strangely reminded her of Una's agitated clasp. "Oh, come and sit here,
let us talk of something else. Really, there's no reason you shouldn't
be with me. Won't they get us something to eat? These Italians are all
so frightened when any one's ill."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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