Chapter 27 The Girls of St. Wode's by L. T. Meade
TELL ME THE TRUTH, LESLIE
“This is a wonderful thing for me,” said Annie as she stood up. Leslie turned and looked at her without replying. “I mean that my fourteen shillings can now last me nearly another week. By that time, if I get this situation, I shall have saved money and be quite independent. Leslie, you cannot imagine what a load will be lifted from my mind, and you will have done it. I shall thank you to the longest day I live.”
“But I don’t want to do it,” said Leslie; “you don’t know how dreadful I feel. Pray, don’t say any more to me. I am not good now, not at all. I want to be away by myself, to fight this thing out to the bitter end. But here we are. I’ll do my best for you, Annie, only for Heaven’s sake don’t thank me.”
The girls found themselves now in Queen Victoria Street. They reached the house where Mr. Parker’s offices were, went upstairs to the second floor, and presently entered a room where several clerks were busy.
“You must take the initiative now,” said Annie, touching Leslie on the arm. “They know me, for I have been here often; but they do not know you. Go up to one of the clerks and say that you wish to see Mr. Parker.”
Again Leslie found herself hesitating, but then she quickly made up her mind. She must go on with what she meant to do at any cost.
She crossed the room, therefore, quickly, and stood before a desk where an elderly man with gray hair was writing.
“I have come to see Mr. Parker,” said Leslie; “is he in?”
“Mr. Parker is in, miss,” was the reply; “but he is specially engaged.”
“Is he likely to be disengaged soon?” asked Leslie.
“Within half an hour perhaps. He is interviewing some young ladies for a – ”
“Oh, I know,” said Annie, who had followed Leslie across the room. “Be quick, Leslie, quick.”
“I want to see Mr. Parker on that very subject,” replied Leslie.
“What, miss,” said the clerk, “are you one of the candidates?”
“No, not exactly; but, all the same, I have come on that very business. If you will give me a sheet of paper I will write a note.”
The man handed her one, and she scribbled a few words:
“Leslie Gilroy wants to see you at once. Please don’t engage a secretary finally until you have heard what I want to say.”
She folded up the paper and handed it to the clerk.
“Will you take that to Mr. Parker now?” she said. “He will look at it even while he is talking with another person.”
“Oh, how good you are!” whispered Annie in her ear.
Another clerk motioned to the girls to seat themselves on a bench not far from the door. The elderly clerk with the gray hair went into a room at the opposite side. He was absent for a couple of minutes. When he returned he went straight up to Leslie.
“Mr. Parker will see you in five minutes,” he said. “Will you come this way?”
“May I come too?” asked Annie.
Leslie looked at the clerk.
“Certainly, miss, bring your friend.” He spoke in a respectful tone, and ushered the girls into a small and comfortably furnished apartment. Having supplied them with a newspaper each, he left them.
“This suspense is almost intolerable,” said Annie. “You promise, Leslie, that you will plead very, very hard.”
“I will do my best,” answered Leslie.
“But I know you are hating it,” said poor Annie. “I see it in your face.”
“Don’t talk to me about that, Annie. I have made up my mind; but I cannot, cannot talk it over with you.”
Just then the door was opened, and Mr. Parker himself came in. He glanced at Annie in some annoyance and surprise, and gave Leslie that cold, level glance which had almost broken her heart on the day of the picnic.
“I understand that you want to speak to me?” he said.
Leslie rose.
“I do,” she said. “Can I see you by yourself?”
“You can, if you have come on a very urgent matter; but, as a rule, I never see anyone here except on business.”
“This is truly a matter of business.”
“Has Miss Colchester anything to do with it?”
“Yes.”
“Then I had better see you alone. Come this way.”
He took no further notice of Annie, but ushered Leslie into the next room. Closing the door, he asked her to seat herself.
“Now, what is it?” he said.
“I can scarcely tell you how painful it is to me to come to you to-day,” began Leslie.
“Then why do you do it?” said Mr. Parker.
“Because I want to ask you for a favor.”
“Ah, to lend you another sixty pounds?”
Leslie’s face turned very white.
“Do you know that you, my father’s old friend, are cruel,” she said.
“I don’t think so. On the contrary, I consider that I am most forbearing. A girl who can go into debt once, and conceal it from her friends, and send another girl – ”
“Mr. Parker, you break my heart.”
“Again I repeat I am sorry, but I must have my say. I cannot grant your request, whatever it is, except in my own fashion. Now, speak up, and be quick. Being Leslie Gilroy, of course I cannot refuse you anything in reason.”
“You are doing much for me. I know it is for my mother’s sake and my father’s sake.”
“That’s about it.”
“And never, never more for my sake?”
“My feelings have changed toward you. The more I think over that black business the less I like it. I cannot pretend to be other than I am.”
“Well, I have not come here to plead for myself to-day,” replied Leslie. “I want to help Annie Colchester. She is very poor, nearly starving; she has heard that you want a secretary.”
Mr. Parker raised his brows, and an ominous exclamation dropped from his lips.
“You must hear me out,” continued Leslie. “She knows also that you do not like her brother.”
“Scoundrel!” muttered the merchant between his teeth.
“But she is not to be held accountable for her brother’s sins.”
“Did I ever say she was?”
“No; but you act somehow as if you did. Oh, I am not going to be afraid of you, Mr. Parker. I will speak out. A brother may be wicked and a sister good and virtuous – ”
“You think her good and virtuous?” interrupted the merchant.
Leslie hastily proceeded, as if she had not heard this remark.
“I want you to make Annie your secretary,” she said. “She feels sure that you would refuse her own request, and she has asked me to plead with you. I do plead most earnestly. I plead because I am my father’s daughter, and because once you were fond of me and good to me. Annie is a very clever girl; she knows many foreign languages, she has a great deal of shrewdness in her character, and would do your work admirably. I want you to let her do it.”
“And you intend to be responsible for her character?”
“Her character? Oh!” said Leslie. She trembled and colored.
Mr. Parker fixed her with his keen twinkling eyes. He seemed to be dragging the truth out of her soul. If he knew even for one moment how Annie had got that money, if he knew about the forged letter, would he give her the post?
“And you are, personally, very desirous about this?” said Mr. Parker.
“I am indeed. Under the circumstances, it is bitterly hard for me to have to plead with you; for my whole heart aches, yes – whether you will believe it or not – at the cruel change in our positions. You, to whom I owe so much, think badly of me. But I have risen to this great effort on Annie’s behalf. Don’t let me have to humble myself in vain.”
“Would there have been anything so humiliating in your asking a favor of your father’s greatest friend?” said Mr. Parker, a kinder note coming into his voice.
“It would not have been humiliating at all; but, under the changed circumstances, it is.”
“Aye; they have changed, truly. But because of your father and our old friendship, I will do what you wish, Leslie Gilroy; but on a condition.”
“Oh, I will promise anything, I am so grateful to you.”
“Stop a moment, young lady; wait until you have heard what my condition is. I will do what you wish – I will give your friend that post – if you will tell me the truth with regard to that sixty pounds.”
Leslie turned from white to red.
“I thought – ” she began.
“No, young lady; no,” said Mr. Parker. “I can read character well enough, and you have never told me the truth with regard to that money. There is something concealed at the back of it. The more I think the more assured I am, and your face tells me so plainly at the present moment. When I know the simple truth, Leslie Gilroy, I will restore you into my full favor again, and your friend shall be my private secretary.”
“Then there is nothing more to be said,” replied poor Leslie, trembling from head to foot. “I cannot tell you more than you know already.”
“What I know already is not the truth. Go, child; tell your friend that you have failed, and that the fault is yours.”
Leslie walked across the room. Mr. Parker preceded her and flung open the door. He followed Leslie into Annie’s presence. He stood and faced Annie Colchester.
“I understand,” he said, bringing out his words coldly, “that you have asked Leslie Gilroy to come here and plead for you. You want to be my secretary?”
“I could do the work well,” said Annie, standing up and speaking with glistening eyes.
“Your brother also assured me that he could do my work well. He had brains enough, but nothing else, the scoundrel!”
Annie bit her lips until the blood nearly came. She made a valiant effort not to speak; but to hear Rupert abused was like dragging her through fire.
“Now, listen to me.” said Parker. “I have spoken to Leslie Gilroy; I have told her that I will grant her request when she tells me the whole truth about that sixty pounds which you took from me to her. It is true I have her letter; but it was not only her letter, it was your pleading which induced me to give it. Since that hour I have felt certain that something is hidden. When Leslie tells me the exact truth, you, Annie Colchester shall have the place. You had better go away, both of you girls, and consult – there is something at the back of this. I will keep the post open for forty-eight hours, but no longer. Now go; you have my decision.”