Anonymous - Frank and I

After I had smoked a cigar, we went into the drawing-room, and I sat in an easy-chair near the open window, while Frances sat on a stool beside me, resting her arm on my knee; end it suddenly struck me that she ought now to tell me all about the mysterious ladies who had kept her for sis months, and then turned her out.

So I said: “Frances, I wish you to give me all particulars about your life with the ladies who took you from the school; and yon must tell me the true reason why they ill-treated you, and why they told you to go away from their house. I also want to know what put it into your head to pass yourself off as a boy.”

She took my hand and pressed it, saying: I will tell you everything. There shall be no secrets between us now.”

She began-“I have never told you a lie, though, as you know, I acted one for years. My full name is Frances Howard, and, as I long ago informed you, my father and mother both died in India, when I was a little over nine years of age. A month after their death, I was sent to England, and put to school in an establishment at Highgate, where there were about twenty other girls of various ages. We were well treated, and well taught, and though the mistress-whose name was Blake-was strict, she was just and kind. She sometimes used the rod, but the punishment was inflicted in private; no girl ever being allowed to see another girl birched. I myself, never received a blow of any son during the whole time I was at the school; Mrs. Blake was kind to me, and I was fairly happy. Five years passed over quietly. I was fourteen years of age, and had never been away from the establishment for a day; when one morning, Mrs. Blake called me into her private sitting-room, and told me that she was sorry to say she could not keep me any longer in her school, as she had not received any money to pay for my board and education, for six months past: and she also informed me, that the banker, with whom my money had been lodged, had written to say that my account was overdrawn, and that there was no more cash coming to me.

“Then she went on to Say that she had mentioned my case to a lady whom she knew; and the lady had most kindly said that she would take me into her house as a companion to her little daughter: and she finished up by telling me to get all my things ready, as the lady was coming for me next day.

“I was not much troubled at hearing that my money was all gone. As I had never had much to spend, I had very little idea as to its value, and therefore I could not grasp the full significance of what had happened; and as I was very tired of the monotony of my life at the school, I was glad to hear that I was going to have a change. So I left the room, and spent the rest of the day arranging and packing my clothes, for I had a good wardrobe for a girl of my age.

“Next day, after I had had my dinner as usual with the other girls, Mrs. Blake told me to put on my things, then to go to the drawing-room, and wait there for the lady, who might come at any moment.

“I obeyed; and at about three o’clock, Mrs. Blake came into the room accompanied by two handsomely dressed ladies, whom she addressed as Mrs. Leslie, and Miss Dundas, and who, as I afterwards found out, were sisters. Mrs. Leslie was a tall, dark, good-looking woman about thirty-five years of age. Miss Dundas, who was twenty-five years old and very pretty, was always called ‘Kitty’ by her sister.

“Mrs. Blake introduced me to the ladies, who shook me by the hand, both of them speaking kindly to me; and I thought to myself that it would be very pleasant to live with such nice people.

“In a short time, Mrs. Leslie asked me if I was quite ready to go. I replied that I was. My old schoolmistress bade me good bye, kissed me, and gave me a sovereign; then she shook hands with the two ladies, who immediately left the room, taking me with them. At the door of the house, a brougham was waiting; the ladies and I got in; the coachman touched the horses with his whip, and in another moment I was rapidly being driven away from the house in which I had passed five dull, but not unhappy years. I felt a little sorrowful, and the tears rose to my eyes; but I soon recovered my spirits; the novelty of the whole thing was very pleasing; I had never before been in such a fine carriage, and I leant back against the soft cushions, feeling very comfortable, and thinking that my new friends must be very rich people. The two ladies conversed in low tones, glancing occasionally at me; and after a long drive, the brougham stopped at a house in a broad street; the name of which I have forgotten; but it is, I know, somewhere in Kensington.

“The house, which was a large one, stood back a little from the street, in a garden surrounded by a high wall. We got out of the carriage; Mrs. Leslie touched the button of an electric bell, and in a moment the garden gate swung open, then we walked up a short path and entered the house. Mrs. Leslie at once took me upstairs to a prettily furnished bedroom, and told me to make myself at home; then she gave me a kiss, and went away. A minute or two afterwards, my box was brought in by two smartly dressed servant girls, one of whom remained in the room and assisted me to unpack my things; and when we had put everything away in the chest of drawers, and wardrobe, she brushed my hair, which then was very long, hanging loose over my shoulders nearly down to my waist”

Here Frances paused for a moment in the telling of her story, and said, “I have always regretted the loss of my beautiful hair.”

“It will grow again, whenever you choose to let it,” I said, playing with the short curls on her forehead.

She continued her narrative. “The servant girl showed me downstairs, and into a most charming little drawing-room, where I found Mrs. Leslie, Miss Dundas, and five other young ladies, sitting on low easy-chairs, or reclining on couches, having afternoon tea. These young ladies were all pretty, and young; the eldest not being more than twenty-five years old, and they were all elegantly dressed. On seeing me, they all got up from their seats, and crowded round me, looking at me with great interest, admiring my hair, and saying I was a pretty girl; and when I blushed at their outspoken compliments, they all laughed at me. But they were kindly in their manner, and I soon found myself comfortably seated in an easy-chair, eating a piece of cake, and sipping a cup of tea, such as I had never before tasted in all my life. The time slipped away rapidly; I felt very jolly, and quickly got on intimate terms with the young ladies, who did not treat me as a schoolgirl, but quite as if I had been a grown-up woman. They chatted freely with me, and much to my surprise, I heard that they all lived in the house.

“At half-past seven o’clock a bell rang, then we all went into a handsomely furnished dining-room and sat down to a flower-decorated table; Mrs. Leslie presiding at the head, while Miss Dundas sat the foot.

To me, a young girl who had been accustomed to dine at one o’clock off a roast, or boiled joint, and a plain pudding; the repast seemed sumptuous, and very long; but I heartily enjoyed the delicate, well-cooked dishes, and I drank a glass of claret which was given to me, but I did not like it; though I did like the glass of sweet port I was given at dessert.

“After dinner, the six young ladies went away, leaving me alone with Mrs. Leslie, who talked to me kindly, saying she hoped I would like living with her: then she asked me if it was a fact that I had no relations? I told her that I did not know of any. I then asked her when I should see her little daughter, to whom I was to be a companion. She laughed heartily, saying that there had been some mistake; as she had no daughter, but only a son, Henry, who was about my age, and who was at school in the country. I wondered how the mistake had arisen, but I did not bother my head about the matter. After a little more talk, she took me back to the small drawing-room, and gave me a book of stories to read; then, telling me that I could go to bed whenever I felt inclined, she went away. I read for a time, then I began to feel sleepy, so I went up to my room, finding the gas lit, the curtains drawn, and everything neatly arranged. I sat down in an easy-chair, feeling quite proud at having such a pretty room all to myself; then, after a short time, I undressed, put out the gas, got into the big, soft bed, and soon fell asleep.