What was
to hinder her from setting off by the train, and going at once home
to England by the steamer? There was no doubt that Mrs. Brownlow
would forgive and welcome her, or even if that hope failed her, Mr.
Wakefield was bound to take care of her. She had a house of her own
standing empty for her, and the owner of ?40,000 a year need never be
at a loss.
Had she enough money accessible to pay for a first-class passage?
Yes, amply even for two. She had always been so passive and
incapable of all matters of arrangement, that Mrs. Gould had never
thought it worth while to keep watch over her possession of "the
nerves and sinews of war," being indeed unwilling to rouse her
attention to the fact that she was paying the by no means moderate
expenses of both her tyrants.
Janet found out all about the hours, secured—-as Elvira thought-—two
first-class berths, met her when she crept like a guilty thing out of
the hotel at New York, took her to the station, went with her to an
outfitter to be supplied with necessaries for the voyage, for she had
been obliged to abandon everything but a few valuables in her
handbag, and saw her safely on board, introduced her to some kind
friendly English people, then on some excuse of seeing the steward,
left her, as Elvira found, to make the voyage alone!
It turned out that Janet had spoken to the gentleman of this party,
and explained that her young cousin was going home alone, asking him
to protect her on landing; and that she had come to London with them
and been there put into a cab, giving the old address to Collingwood
Street, where with much difficulty she had prevailed on the maid to
let her in to await the return of the family.
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