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CHAPTER VIII

"I HAVE to tread on thorns," thought the new Kate Bouverie. She was lying wide-awake on her bed in her large luxurious bedroom at the Grange. The first evening was over. Whether it was safely over or not remained to be proved, but Kate felt that she had taken a long step into that future which so puzzled, perplexed, excited, and alarmed her. Her heart had beat too fast for comfort more than once during the evening. She had made two unpleasant discoveries--the real Kate had been possessed of a glorious voice; the false Kate had no singing voice whatsoever. Then there was the Maharaja's mysterious diamond; the present Kate had never heard of this diamond.

Beyond these two disagreeable matters everything had gone smoothly. Every one in the house had taken her for granted. She was what she represented herself to be--Kate Bouverie, the child who had been loved in that house long ago. She was the heiress--and the betrothed of Ralph Henley. Already Ralph loved her, Kate was quite certain, for herself. Whether he could stand the test of knowing what she had really done remained to be proved; but that he loved her she had little doubt. Her heart beat agreeably and her hopes were high. All the same, try as she would, she could not sleep.

The house was as quiet as such houses are in the | | 62 depth of the country. Every one had gone to bed. Kate lay still for the greater part of an hour, then she got up; she had something to do. She knew well that many, many days, months--perhaps years--must pass before she could feel absolutely safe. During all that time it behoved her to he careful never to relax her vigilance, never for a single instant to let herself go. Dangers might present themselves at any moment; always and always there must be rocks ahead--that awful past, which, notwithstanding Kate Bouverie's diary, she knew so little about, must ever and ever stand up to confront her. At any moment, with all her care, she might give herself away. Not until she had been the happy wife of Ralph Henley for years would her fears slumber. Well, be the dangers what they might, Kate was determined that she would not fail; she would stick to her role, she would be Kate Bouverie until she became Kate Henley. She would be the heiress of all the wealth, the enjoyer of all the pleasure. The nameless Kate in her grave at Mentone should bear her old personality. And she would be true to the difficult post she had elected to occupy.

She rose and put on her dressing-gown. She lit some candles, and, opening her largest trunk, took from it a jewel-case. She had managed to evade the earnest requests of the Hume family that she should exhibit the Maharaja's diamond that evening; but she knew that, sooner or later, they must see it. In all probability Uncle Robert would the very next day demand a sight of her jewels, and the diamond, which was supposed to be worth three thousand pounds, would certainly be expected to be forthcoming.

Now Kate in her humble past had nothing what | | 63 ever to do with jewels. There was not a girl in the world who knew less about their true value. She had not an idea where the real Kate had hidden the diamond. It might, or might not, be in the jewel-case. Up to the present Kate had never examined the case; she had been too busy and too excited about other things. The mere fact that she was the possessor of valuable jewels had scarcely up to the present weighed with her.

When did the Maharaja present a great diamond to Mr. Bouverie? Kate had never heard about it. Mr. Hume, on the other hand, knew the entire story, knew well when that great occasion was, knew well when that great honour had been paid to his brother-in-law. The Maharaja had given him the diamond in payment for great services rendered. It had been a mark of immense honour, and the public occasion on which it had been presented had been largely commented upon by the newspapers. Kate had gathered as much from the remarks of the Hume family, but she knew nothing whatever of the circumstance herself. The real Kate Bouverie had, after all, a very faulty diary, for this great event had never been mentioned in it. How strange! how perplexing! how alarming!

Having lit her candles, Kate opened the pretty old-fashioned case. Where was the Maharaja's diamond? She searched here and there, but could not see any stone which in the least resembled what she imagined the Maharaja's great diamond to be like. There were a few necklaces of pearls and a pretty diamond necklet and some bracelets and rings of great value, but nowhere was there anything in the least resembling the diamond.

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Kate felt her heart beating fast. She knew that her cheeks were turning pale. A wild terror seized her. Suppose it had been stolen! What in the world had become of it?

Suddenly it flashed through her mind that in jewel-cases of the old-fashioned make there were generally secret drawers. She uttered a pleased exclamation. Of course, the great diamond was concealed in the secret drawer. Now to search for it. It would look very bad if she did not know the way of getting at her own secret drawer in her own jewel-case; but search and fidget, and press and shake the little case as she would, nowhere could she find the drawer. Finally she had to get into bed without having the least idea where the diamond was.

The next morning, while sitting before her glass as her maid brushed her hair, it suddenly flashed through her mind that perhaps Marryat could tell her the secret of the drawer. She turned suddenly to the girl.

"I am anxious to have some jewels reset before my marriage," she said. "Do you see that jewel-case on the dressing-table--it is very old-fashioned, and not at all to my mind. I mean to have my jewels put into a proper safe in my room when I am married, but the provoking thing is that the spring to the secret drawer is broken. I have a very valuable diamond in the drawer, and I cannot unfasten it."

"Suppose you let me try, miss," said the girl. "I have often had the care of jewel-cases for my mistresses, and I know many of the tricks of the secret drawers."

"I wish you would," said Kate. "But the spring is certainly broken. I do not think you will be able to get the drawer open."

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Kate put the jewel-case into the girl's hand. Marryat opened the case, looked with envy at some of the gems which were, she saw at a glance, of very fine quality, but, try as she would, she could not find the trick of the drawer.

"You are quite sure there is a secret drawer, miss?"

"Of course I am. I have a beautiful diamond in it. Dear, dear, how very tiresome!"

"You must take the case to a jeweller, miss. He will soon open the drawer for you."

"Perhaps it is the best thing to do," replied Kate. "I have to go to town this morning on various matters, and I will take you with me, Marryat. I will order a carriage and go immediately after breakfast."

"Do the young ladies of the house accompany you, miss?"

"Not to-day, for I shall be particularly busy. By the way, Marryat, do not say anything about my jewel-case when you go downstairs. I cannot have a maid about me who tattles. You are very discreet in that respect, are you not?"

"Certainly, miss. I have always had the character of being discreet."

At breakfast Kate announced her intention of going to town.

"I mean to drive," she said. "I can order a carriage at the nearest livery stables, can I not, Uncle Robert?"

"Certainly, my dear. We will send a messenger to Bates; he can supply you with a very decent landau."

"I should love to accompany you," said Ethel, her pale face dimpling with pleasure.

"So you shall, Ethel, another day. But I have | | 66 a great deal to do to-day, and may just as well be alone. I shall take Marryat, of course. By the way, I must go to the throat specialist."

"Oh yes; don't forget that, Kitty," said her uncle, looking up from his paper at the moment. "Be sure you see Sir John Orme. He is the best throat man far and away in London. But you had better make an appointment with him. I will make it for you, if you like."

"Oh no; I will call on the chance," said Kate, reddening a little. "What did you say Sir John Orme's address was?"

"40 Queen Anne Street, near Harley Street."

"Well, I shall be very busy, and would be glad if you would send round for the carriage at once," continued Kate. "You won't be disappointed, Ethel? You shall come with me another day."

"I must try to bear up--but I am disappointed," replied Ethel.

Kate gave her a smile, stretching out her hand under the table to squeeze Ethel's.

Ethel was considerably fascinated by Kate. But Kate now observed that Mary looked at her with a watchful and perplexed glance.

In about an hour the carriage arrived, and Kate and Marryat set off. Kate held the jewel-case on her lap.

As soon as they got to town she dismissed the maid.

"Here is a long list of commissions I want you to do for me," she said. "Here is money to pay for them. I shall be at Charing Cross at four this afternoon. Meet me then. Be sure you are punctual. Meet me at the main entrance."

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"You will be in the carriage, miss?"

"Certainly. Now, see you attend to these commissions; and in especial go to Madame Coblentz and arrange for an appointment. I want to choose my Court dress. I am to be presented at the first drawing-room after my marriage."

"Certainly, miss."

The maid got out and went her way, and Kate gave directions to the coachman.

"Drive to Rider and Mansell in Bond Street," she said. The man turned the horses' heads in that direction, and in a very few minutes they drew up outside the great jeweller's shop. A man came out to assist Kate to alight and to carry the jewel-case into the shop. Before going, Kate told her coach-man that he was to meet her at Charing Cross at four o'clock that afternoon. She then dismissed him. As she entered the shop she gave a little skip of joy.

"Free and unobserved for three or four hours," she muttered under her breath. "How nice! I begin to feel my silken chains somewhat heavy."

A smiling and subservient shopman bent across the counter to await her pleasure. Kate opened the jewel-case and told him that she had lost the knack of the secret drawer.

"Either the spring is broken, or I have forgotten the knack," she said. "I have not been wearing my jewels for some time. I have some valuable jewels in the drawer. I wish you would open it for me."

The man lifted the case and examined it carefully.

"The secret drawer is here," he said. "I believe I can open it in a moment or two. Do you object to my taking the case into my workshop?"

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"Certainly not. Find the drawer, get it open, and bring the case back to me," was Kate's careless answer.

The man retired with the case into an inner room. He brought it back in a few moments with the drawer open.

"See," he said, "this was the trick. The spring was not broken at all; it was hidden behind--"

"To be sure. How stupid I am!" said Kate, laughing. "I often used to press that knot in my mother's time. Now, will you see me do it? I press just here, is it not so? How stupid I was to have forgotten!"

The man did not say that he thought it very strange of Kate to have forgotten. On the contrary, he began to examine some of the jewels.

"You have a very valuable diamond in this drawer, if you will allow me to say so, miss." As he spoke he took out an unset stone.

"When this diamond is cut it will be of magnificent brilliance," he said. "It is, I can see at a glance, of the first water."

Kate's eyes sparkled. Of course, here was the Maharaja's diamond. Her spirits rose higher each moment.

"That stone ought to be valuable," she said. "It was given to my late father in India. It was a present from the Maharaja of Ruapore."

The man looked at it with immense respect.

"It is a magnificent stone," he said. "We should be very pleased to cut and set it for you."

"I must speak to my uncle before I give it up to you," replied Kate. "I will let you know in a day or two. In the meantime, please have these pearls reset and also this diamond necklet."

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The man showed her different patterns. Kate made a hasty selection with regard to the style, and was about to shut up the jewel-case when the shop-man spoke again.

"You have three or four other unset diamonds here of great value," he said. "This, for instance--and this. This yellow diamond is of the first water."

Kate began to ask eager questions. It suddenly occurred to her that it would be extremely useful to keep a few of these precious stones in reserve, and on no account to mention their existence to Mr. Hume. Thus, if necessary, she could sell them. Her mother had already received a thousand pounds of that money which Kate had promised her, but she would greatly like to send her another hundred or two to assist in the furnishing of the new boarding-house; to have a private fund which could be turned at any moment into money would be extremely useful. Asking the man to give her a list of the jewels and to have the case carefully packed, she left the shop.

"I will call for the jewel-case this afternoon," she said, as she was going out. In the street she reflected on her next course. She had not the slightest idea of going to see the great specialist, although she meant to tell the Humes that she had done so. What was the use of his examining a perfectly healthy throat. Then, for all she could tell, the throats of great singers might have peculiar formations; if so, he would discover at a glance that she had no vocal powers of any sort.

She entered Cappell's shop, however, in Bond Street, and asked for the address of a good music-master. Obtaining this, she took a hansom and drove straight to the man's address. He was in, and | | 70 she made arrangements with him to have lessons on the pianoforte two or three times a week, and also to have the use of a private piano in order to practise whenever she wished to.

"So far, so good," she said to herself. "My voice is gone, and gone for ever; but the old Kate was a wonderful pianist. I know a little about music, but I have much to learn. I have made up my mind that I also will be a wonderful pianist in a short time. Now the next step is to find time to practise--to practise continually four or five hours a day, and if necessary, far on into the night. This cannot be managed at the Grange. I shall take a small flat in town, and live there with Marryat. If Uncle Robert disapproves I cannot help it. Yes, I shall take a flat and come up to-morrow. I wonder where I had best go."

After a little thought Kate decided to drive to Chelsea, see a house-agent, and get orders to view several flats. She was nothing if she was not quick and determined. Before two o'clock that afternoon she had settled on a flat which exactly suited her. It was a furnished one and looked upon the river. She decided to take it off-hand, and told the people that she would arrive the following day. She then spent the rest of the afternoon in the British Museum, searching through old files of newspapers in order to get particulars with regard to the great occasion when Mr. Bouverie obtained that wonderful uncut diamond from the Maharaja of Ruapore.