Norman Vallery Part 12

f.a.n.n.y felt both hurt and indignant and angry at this accusation. She let go her brother's arm, and looked at him in a way which she had never before done.

"You have taken my doll, I know you have, and I do not believe you, even though you say that you have not," she exclaimed.

"I won't say anything about it," said Norman, looking very determined.

"Then I must ask granny and mamma, to make you, you naughty boy," she cried.

"They cannot make me if I do not know where she is; and I will pay you off for threatening me," cried Norman.

f.a.n.n.y was going back to the house, feeling unable to bear any longer with her little brother, when she caught sight of Trusty, at the further end of the walk, scratching away with might and main in the ground near her garden. Norman saw him too, and felt very uncomfortable. If he did not drive the dog away, what he had done would certainly be discovered; but he dare not go near him without his whip, for Trusty was apt to snarl if he attempted to catch him.

"What can Trusty be about?" she exclaimed, going towards her garden.

Norman followed, though he would rather have run away. As he went on he picked up some stones, which the gardener had dug up out of a newly-made bed. He was just going to throw one at the dog, when f.a.n.n.y turning round saw him and held his hand; while Trusty, scratching away more vehemently than ever, caught hold of a piece of white muslin, which he had exposed to view, and dragged forth poor Miss Lucy sadly dirtied and disfigured. Norman let the stones drop from his hands in dismay.

"You did it! I know you did! You buried her when she was not dead-- though you had cut her head off--you naughty, wicked, bad boy," cried f.a.n.n.y bestowing several slaps on her brother's face ere she rushed forward to pick up her doll.

f.a.n.n.y's tears fell fast while she endeavoured to brush off the black earth from poor Miss Lucy's face, and shook her muslin frock; but still a great deal of earth remained about her hair, and in her eyes and mouth. Poor f.a.n.n.y lost all control of herself as she gazed at the sad spectacle. Norman stood by unmoved though he did not like the boxes on the ears he had received. Again f.a.n.n.y flew at him and repeated her blows, when Trusty began to bark, eager to a.s.sist his young mistress, and very sure that she was doing right.

Norman on this, taking fright, ran along the path towards the house as fast as he could go, Trusty barking at his heels, and f.a.n.n.y following him. The boy shrieked as he ran, crying louder and louder.

His voice reached his mamma's ears, and she hurried out, fearing that some accident had happened. Mrs Leslie also came out; and at the same moment Captain Vallery arrived. Norman rushed up to them, shrieking out that Trusty was going to bite him, and that f.a.n.n.y had been beating him black and blue.

f.a.n.n.y came up directly afterwards, the tears dropping from her eyes, her face flushed, and still bearing the traces of her unusual anger, while her sobs prevented her from explaining what had happened, or defending herself. All she could do, was to hold up her doll, and point to Norman.

"He did it, he did it!" then her tears gushed forth afresh.

"She beat me, she beat me!" retorted Norman.

"I am afraid you both have been very naughty," said Mrs Vallery.

"You know I never allow Norman to be beaten except by me," observed Captain Vallery.

Mrs Leslie, who had more confidence in f.a.n.n.y than her own parents had, said--

"Let us hear what provocation Norman gave, before we condemn her. What has occurred, my dear child?"

"He buried Miss Lucy to hide her from me," sobbed f.a.n.n.y. "If Trusty had not pulled her out, I should never have found her, and she would have been entirely spoilt; as it is, the poor creature's eyes are full of dirt, and her pretty gown is all covered with earth."

f.a.n.n.y continued sobbing as if her young heart would break.

Her granny now led her into the house, followed by Mrs Vallery holding Norman by the hand.

Though he would not confess what he had done, the fact was evident, but as he had not told a story, his papa did not offer to whip him, as he deserved. Mrs Vallery spoke to him very seriously, and he listened to her lecture quietly enough, as he did not mind being scolded.

Her granny had done her best in the meantime to comfort f.a.n.n.y, and with the a.s.sistance of Susan put Miss Lucy to rights, though several ugly marks remained on her face, and her frock required to be carefully washed.

Before going to bed she found Norman, and telling him how sorry she was that she had beaten him, forgave him with all her heart for the injury he had done her doll.

"You will not try to hurt her again, will you, Norman?" she said, "promise me that, or I shall be afraid of leaving her for a moment, lest you should find her, and do her some harm."

Norman promised, and f.a.n.n.y kissed him, and felt at length more happy, though, as she laid her young head on the pillow, it seemed, as if something very terrible had happened during the day. Norman did not trouble himself much about the matter; he had got off very cheaply, and it is possible that he really was happier than if he had succeeded in hiding Miss Lucy, and utterly destroying her--he certainly would have been very uncomfortable while people were looking for her, and he was dreading that she would be discovered, and his wicked act brought to light.

The day arrived when the family were to go to Scotland. Captain Vallery accompanied them to London, and saw them off by the train. f.a.n.n.y had never made so long a journey before, as she had only been up and down occasionally with her granny to town. It seemed very strange to her to find the train going on and on, pa.s.sing by towns, and villages, and country houses, without stopping: sometimes for a whole hour together it flew on and she found that fifty miles had been pa.s.sed over. Norman laughed at her exclamations of surprise and delight.

"Oh, this is nothing," he observed, "we have come all the way from India by a steamer, through the Suez Ca.n.a.l and then along the Mediterranean and right through France."

"You are a young traveller; f.a.n.n.y knows that. Perhaps some day she may make the same journey," observed Mrs Leslie. "Still you should not despise your sister, because she has not seen as much as you have."

The party remained a few days in Edinburgh to see various friends, and then proceeded on to Glen Tulloch--a romantic place in the Highlands-- the residence of Mr and Mrs Maclean, with whom they had been invited to stay.

Every one was pleased with f.a.n.n.y, and thought Norman a very fine boy, and he was perfectly satisfied with the praises he heard bestowed on him.

The house stood on the side of a hill, with a stream running into a loch on one side, and a wide extent of level wild ground above it.

Mr Maclean showed the children a rough little carriage he had had built, and told f.a.n.n.y that she might take it out whenever she liked, and give her brother a drive over the moor.

"I daresay as he has only just come from India, he is unaccustomed to walk over our rough ground, and you need not be afraid of breaking the carriage, you can go where you like."

f.a.n.n.y was delighted, and offered at once to take Norman out.

"Yes, and I will sit in the carriage, and drive you with my whip, that will be good fun," said Norman.

His whip, however, had not been brought to Scotland, but Mr Maclean, who thought he was in fun, cut him a long stick, and helped the children up the hill with the carriage. When they got on level ground, he wished them good-bye, and f.a.n.n.y dragging the carriage into which Norman got, they proceeded on their journey.

The carriage was roughly made, being merely a wooden box cut out, on either side with thick wooden wheels, and a pole by which it was dragged. Norman, however, thought it very good fun to sit in it, and be drawn along. At first, he contented himself with merely flouris.h.i.+ng the stick, but when f.a.n.n.y did not go fast enough to please him, he began to hit at her with it.

"Go on, my little horse, go on. I wish you were a coolie, and I would soon make you move faster," he shouted out, hitting at her several times.

As long as he only struck her dress, f.a.n.n.y did not mind, but when the young tyrant, leaning forward, began to beat her on the shoulders, she turned round and declared that she would go no farther if he did so again.

"But I will make you," he answered; "go on, I say."

f.a.n.n.y stopped, and again told him not to use his stick as he was doing.

"Well, go on and you will see," he said, letting his stick hang out behind the carriage, for he was afraid that she would take it from him.

f.a.n.n.y once more began to drag the carriage forward, but she had not got far when she felt the stick on her shoulders.

"You are not going fast enough to please me," cried Norman.

"I told you that I would not draw you at all if you hit me, and you have done so notwithstanding," said f.a.n.n.y, feeling very angry.

"You cannot leave me out here by myself, so you must drag me home," said Norman, "and I am determined that you shall go as fast as I like."

"Home we will go, then," answered f.a.n.n.y, and, turning the carriage round, she began to return by the way they had come.

Norman seemed determined to make her angry, for after they had gone a little way he again hit her with the end of his stick. Suddenly turning round, she s.n.a.t.c.hed it from him, and, breaking it in two, threw it to a distance.