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Johnny Ludlow Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Johnny Ludlow novel. A total of 580 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Johnny Ludlow.First Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.I.LOSING LENA.We lived chiefly at d.y.k.e
Johnny Ludlow.First Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.I.LOSING LENA.We lived chiefly at d.y.k.e Manor. A fine old place, so close upon the borders of Warwicks.h.i.+re and Worcesters.h.i.+re, that many people did not know which of the two counties it was really in
- 301 "And is the child theirs?" asked Bill."Ay, sir, it be. But she don't take after her mother; she's like him, her skin fair as alabaster. You'd not think, Rednal says, that she'd a drop o' gipsy blood in her veins. No
- 302 "But now, Miss Deveen, we _could_ marry if we would--all of us,"interrupted Helen. "If we did not have to regard suitability and propriety, and all that, there's not a girl but could go off to church and marry _somebody_.""If
- 303 "You are Walter North," I said. "And what's to do?"His imploring eyes in their pitiful pain looked up to mine, as if he would question how I needed to ask it. Then he pulled his fustian coat aside and pointed to his side. It made
- 304 The "somebody" turned out to be George Leonard. Harry Vale (who had strong suspicions) was right. When they dispersed after their target practising, one of them, George, went towards Briar Wood, his pistol loaded. The thick trees afforded a prom
- 305 "You will be like me then, Tom, for I'm sure I shall never make much of a hand at dressmaking," spoke up Dolly. "Miss Pedley sees it too.""Be quiet, Dolly; don't talk nonsense," said Mrs. Grape. "Let Tom finish
- 306 But when the morning hours pa.s.sed and did not bring the truant or any tidings of him, this hope died away. The first thing to be done was to find out who the other boy was, and to question him. Perhaps he had also disappeared!Getting from young Thorn th
- 307 Mr. Benson's sermon came to an end, the bishop gave the blessing from his throne, and the crowd poured out. Dolly, by way of a change, made her exit from the great north entrance. The brightness of the day had changed; a sharp shower was falling.&quo
- 308 "He neither spoke nor answered me: he turned off, and went quickly down the road. I think it was Tom; I do indeed.""What am I to do?" cried Dolly. "Oh, if I could but find him!""There's nothing to do, that we can se
- 309 "I--call myself one, sir," she replied, with hesitation."_Call_ yourself one!" retorted the Squire, for he liked people to be straightforward in their speech. "My good woman, you are a widow, or you are not one.""I pa.s.
- 310 "There," said Dolly, pointing with her finger; "there! He is arm-in-arm with two others; in the middle of them. How very strange! It was only yesterday I had a letter from him from Bradford, saying he should be detained there for some time
- 311 "Has she left, do you think, Johnny?""Well, sir, we can ask. Perhaps the carpenter is only lodging here?"A tidy young woman, with a baby in her arms, answered the knock. "Does Mrs. Mapping live here still?" asked the Squire.&
- 312 "Certainly."The Squire gave Mrs. Mapping's address, telling briefly of her present distress and weakly state, and intimated that the best mode of relief would be to allow her a few s.h.i.+llings weekly. "You will be sure to see to her?
- 313 "Well, you see, the object of this benevolent a.s.sociation is to discover who is deserving and who is not. When an applicant comes or sends for relief, representing that he is sick and starving, and all the rest of it, we begin by searching out his
- 314 For the last few miles I had had the carriage to myself, but at Toome Junction, the last station before Lefford, a gentleman got in: a rather elderly man with grey hair. Not a syllable did we say, one to another--Englishmen like--and at length Lefford was
- 315 Knox, as we were leaving."I think not," he answered. "Janet wrote to decline.""You wished her to decline, I dare say!" retorted Mrs. Knox. "You always did despise the soirees, Arnold."Dr. Knox laughed pleasantly. &q
- 316 "Who is he?" I whispered to her, following him with my eyes."Captain Collinson.""Yes, I heard the name. But--do you know anything of him?--who he is?"She shook her head. "Not much; nothing of my own knowledge. He is in a
- 317 "Then why should he not declare it?""Ah, I don't know. There may be various reasons. Her poverty perhaps--for she has nothing but the salary Lady Jenkins pays her. Or, he may not care to marry one who is only a companion: they say he i
- 318 We were about to step into it, when Madame St. Vincent came tripping out of the gate up above. Dr. Knox met her."I was sorry not to have been in the way when you left, doctor," she said to him in a tone of apology: "I had gone to get the je
- 319 Tamlyn's sitting-room. He was in the easy-chair before the fire, dozing, but opened his eyes at my entrance."Visitor come all right, Johnny?""Yes, sir; she is gone to take her cloaks off. Janet says tea is nearly ready.""I am
- 320 I think you must be, Arnold. What are your grounds for this new theory?""I don't tell you that it is quite new," replied Dr. Knox. "A faint idea of it has been floating in my mind for some little time. As to grounds, I have no mor
- 321 "Some of Miss Deveen's jewels disappeared--were stolen; and Lettice Lane was suspected. It turned out later that she was not guilty; but I could not get over my dislike to her. We cannot help our likes and dislikes, which often come to us withou
- 322 She came to the end of the pile of music, but could not find the song.Putting it all on a side-table, Mina said a general good-bye, escaped by the gla.s.s-doors, and ran home by the little gate that divided the two gardens.Captain Collinson left next. Per
- 323 "My dear, he did not suggest it against _you_. He and I both look upon you as her best safeguard. It is your being with her, that gives us some sort of security: and it is your watchfulness we shall have to look to for detection.""Poisoned!
- 324 III.The soiree to-night was at Rose Villa; and Mrs. Knox, attired in a striped gauze dress and the jangling ornaments she favoured, stood to receive her guests. Beads on her thin brown neck, beads on her sharp brown wrists, beads in her ears, and beads dr
- 325 "It's only I," breathed Sam Jenkins. "I'm on the watch as well as d.i.c.ky.It looks like a case of two loviers, does it not?"The "loviers" were parting. Captain Collinson held her hand between both his to give her h
- 326 "Yes, it was rather curious, the way it came to me: and perhaps on my part not altogether honourable. Early this morning, Johnny, before ten o'clock had struck, mamma made me go in and ask how Lady Jenkins was, and whether she would be able to c
- 327 "It was I who spoke," interposed the governess; and though she was fat enough for two people she had the meekest little voice in the world, and allowed herself to be made a perfect tool of at Rose Villa. "d.i.c.ky did behave very ill at sup
- 328 "Which you will not have," said the doctor: and he marched off d.i.c.ky."How cross you are with him, Arnold!" spoke his step-mother when the doctor came down again, leaving d.i.c.ky howling on his pillow for the top."It needs some
- 329 His tone was unmistakably decisive, and Mrs. Knox saw that it was so. For many years she had been in the habit of regarding Arnold as something like a bucket in a well, which brings up water every time it is let down. Just so had he brought up money for h
- 330 "Did she? When are you coming to spend an evening with us? She will sing them again for you.""I should like to come--if I may.""If you may! There's nothing to prevent it. You are quite well enough.""There's Pat
- 331 "The 30th Bengal Cavalry!" repeated Dr. Knox, as Major Leckie happened to mention that regiment--which was his, and the doctor remembered that it was Captain Collinson's. "One of the officers of that regiment is staying here now."
- 332 "Why, that is Collinson himself," cried I."Not a bit of it," said the major. "This man is no more like Collinson--except that Collinson is dark and has a beard--than he is like me. He said he was a stranger in the place."A ra
- 333 "Can't you come yourself, madame?" asked Sam, politely. "If Aunt Jenkins is asleep, and means to keep asleep till bed-time, she can't want you.""I could not think of leaving her," objected madame. "She looks fo
- 334 The history of the Clement-Pells and their downfall was given in the First Series of these stories, and the reader can have no difficulty in recalling Fabian to his memory. There are times, even to this day, when it seems to me that I must have been a m.u
- 335 "Wait an instant," said Mr. Tamlyn, as he opened the note.It contained nothing of consequence. Madame St. Vincent had written to say that Lady Jenkins was pretty well, but had finished her medicine: perhaps Mr. Tamlyn would send her some more. O
- 336 It was, perhaps, curious that I should meet Madame St. Vincent before she left the town. Janet was in trouble over a basket of b.u.t.ter and fowls that had been sent her by one of the country patients, and of which the railway people denied the arrival. I
- 337 "Just like her!" cried he, with a fling at Mrs. Todhetley. "Always devising some rubbish or other to gratify the little reptiles!"The "little reptiles" applied to the school children at North Crabb.They generally had a treat
- 338 Would you believe it, Mr. Johnny, that I could hardly get her here?Afraid, she said, to come without mother!""Oh, Nettie! Why, you are going to have lots of fun! Is mother better this evening?""Yes," whispered Nettie, venturing to
- 339 Like a "gaby" did Jane Bright stand: mouth wide open, eyes round, countenance bewildered."Please, governess, I didn't do nothing with her.""You must have done something with her: you held her hand.""I didn't do
- 340 "I did not tell her of it," said Miss Timmens. "I went on by myself to her house; and the first thing I saw there, on opening the door, was a little pair of slippers warming on the fender. 'Oh, have you brought Nettie?' began the
- 341 We went in. Cole came rus.h.i.+ng like a whirlwind. By-and-by they got some warmth into the child, lying so still on the bed; and she was saved. "Were you cold, dear, in the snow?--were you frightened?" gently asked the mother, when Nettie could
- 342 Johnny Ludlow.Fourth Series.by Mrs. Henry Wood.A MYSTERY.I."Look here, Johnny Ludlow," said Darbys.h.i.+re to me--Darbys.h.i.+re being, as you may chance to remember, our doctor at Timberdale--"you seem good at telling of unaccountable disa
- 343 As the second year went on, Ellin Delorane began to droop a little. Aunt Hester did not like it. One of the kindest friends Ellin had was Alfred St. George. After the departure of young Brook, he had been so tender with Ellin, so considerate, so indulgent
- 344 "Well, John--not yet, perhaps. But should this state of despair, if I don't use too strong a word, continue, it will tell in tune upon her health, and might bring on--bring on----""Bring on what?" sharply asked the lawyer."I
- 345 "Just listen to him, Johnny!" she exclaimed, with a laugh."Yes, 'just listen to him'--and just listen to yourself, Miss Ellin, and see which talks the most sense," he retorted. "Have you got over those dreams yet?"E
- 346 "Mr. St. George went to Worcester this morning, sir," interposed Thomas, who had come in with some gla.s.ses, the Squire having asked for some hot brandy-and-water. "Giles saw his man j.a.phet this afternoon, and he said his master had gone
- 347 "I wish I may be shot if I can understand this!" said he."Could we have been mistaken in thinking it was Brook?" I was beginning; and Tod turned upon me savagely."I swear it was Brook. There! And you know it as well as I, Mr. John
- 348 "There's enough for't, sir," answered j.a.phet. "I never see such a wind as yesterday's," he ran on, dropping his besom to face Tod, for the man was a lazy fellow, always ready for a gossip. "I'm sure I thought
- 349 And perhaps it may be as well if I here say a word about the routes.Evesham lay fifteen miles from Worcester; Timberdale not much more than half that distance, in a somewhat different direction, and on a different road. In going to Timberdale, if when abo
- 350 Inquiries were made at Liverpool for the list of pa.s.sengers by the _Dart_. William Brook's name was not amongst them. Timberdale waited on.There was nothing else for it to do. Waited until a second letter came from Charles Brook. It was written to
- 351 Another autumn had come round. Ellin Delorane, feeble now, sat in the church-porch, the graveyard lying around her under the hot September sun, soon herself to be laid there. Chancing to take that way round from buying some figs at Salmon's for Hugh
- 352 "Not likely," dissented Tod, tossing his head. "A strong man like St.George does not die of love nowadays, or put himself out of good things, either. You have been reading romances, Coney."But Tom Coney was right. When the summer was o
- 353 George may have been a truthful, an innocent man. You must decide for yourselves, if you can, on which side the weight of evidence seems to lie. I have told you the story as it happened, and I cannot clear up for you what has never yet been cleared for Ti
- 354 "As to the land, it's only a few acres; nothing to speak of," went on the Squire. "I'd as soon boast of my gooseberry bushes. And he can leave all his money to Stephen if he likes. In my opinion, the chances are that he will."
- 355 "I did not object to your marrying, Ste: I objected to the girl.Gibbon's daughter is not one to match with you. You are a Radcliffe."Stephen scoffed. n.o.body had ever been able to beat into him any sense of self-importance. Pride of birth,
- 356 That same night she wrote for Francis. She could not rest day or night until she could see him face to face, and say--Is this true, or untrue?He might have reached the Torr the previous day; but he did not. She was lying listening for him now in the twili
- 357 "Can nothing be done to--to--keep her with us a little longer, father?""I suppose not. Ask Duffham.""What the devil!--is it you! What brings _you_ here?"The coa.r.s.e salutation came from Stephen. Francis turned to see him en
- 358 "A week, or so, of this improvement, mother, and you will be as you used to be," said he cheerfully, seating her on the sofa and stirring up the fire. "We shall have our home together yet."She turned her face full on his, as he sat dow
- 359 "I shall take to the stock at present on it, as far as my means will allow, and give a bond for the rest. Pitchley's executors will make it easy for me.""What are your means?" curtly questioned old Brandon."In all, they will
- 360 The red June sunset fell full on Pitchley's Farm, staining the windows a glowing crimson. Pitchley's Farm lay in a dell, about a mile from d.y.k.e Manor, on the opposite side to Sandstone Torr. It was a pretty little homestead, with jessamine on
- 361 "Yes, I knew them in the old days.""Oh. Well--_I_ should not like to go shouting and thundering up to a decent house with more aboard me than I could carry. Those men have both been drinking."Frank was looking frightfully mortified. &q
- 362 "For goodness' sake don't bring up such an ill thought as that," cried the pater explosively. "Wait till you know.""Yes, I must wait till I know," said Stephen, sullenly. "And a precious inconvenience it is to
- 363 Tod saw a young hare scutter across the gra.s.s, and rushed after it, full chase. The moon, low in the heavens, as autumn moons mostly are, lighted up the perplexity on Annet's face. It _was_ perplexed. Suddenly she turned it on the Squire."Mr.
- 364 "Let us go to the Torr, Johnny, and ask Radcliffe if he hears it!"We bounded forward under the cry, which rose again and again incessantly; but in nearing the house it seemed to get further off and to be higher than ever in the air. Leaping the
- 365 "Why, Master Johnny, it's nothing but that that's killing her. Ay, and that's not too strong a word, sir, for I do believe she'll die of it, unless something can be done to satisfy her mind, and give her rest," he added earne
- 366 "What was the meaning of that letter you brought to me, purporting to come from Dr. Dale? Answer that, Stephen Radcliffe.""I didn't bring you a letter from Dr. Dale. 'Twas from Pitt; Dr. Dale's head man. You read it yourself.
- 367 "Bless my heart! We shall have to knock at every one of them."And so he did. Every individual door he knocked at, one after the other, asking if Mrs. Mapping lived there. At the very last house of all we found her. A girl, whose clothes were dil
- 368 Four weeks had gone by, and the moon was nearly at the full again. Its light streamed on the hedges, and flickered amidst the waving trees, and lay on the fields like pale silver. It was Sunday evening, and we had run out for a stroll before supper, Tod a
- 369 Leaning on the counter, we watched the progress of the making-up in silence, Duffham exchanging a few words with Eunice Gibbon at intervals.Suddenly he opened upon a subject that caused Tod to give me a private dig with his elbow."And how were the cr
- 370 "Jones can take help, Joe."It was the breakfast hour at the Torr, eight o'clock. The meal was being taken in the kitchen. Less semblance of gentility than even in the former days was kept up; all usages of comfort and refinement had departe
- 371 Not at once could we take in the features of the scene; for, all the light came in through the one long narrow opening, a framed loophole without gla.s.s, that was set in the deep round wall of the tower. A mattress was spread on the floor, with a pillow
- 372 She let her head fall back in the chair. "You, I feel sure, would not tell me this unless you had good grounds for it, Mr. Duffham. Oh, if it may but be so! But--then--what of those cries that we heard?" she added, recollecting them. "I am
- 373 Chandler knelt by the mattress, holding the dying hand: Jacob stood leaning against the book-case with folded arms and looking the very picture of misery: the Squire sat on the other side, nursing his knees."There's no time to alter my will, Bet
- 374 "What about him?" asked Jacob. "Has he been up to any mischief?""Mischief! Tom! Why, Jacob, I hardly think there can be such another young man as he, for steadiness and good conduct; and, I may say, for kindness. I have never hear
- 375 "Well, perhaps he'll be none the worse for a little longer spell of clerks.h.i.+p," repeated the Squire, coming wholly round. "And now good-morning. I'm rather in a hurry to-day, but I thought it right to put in a word for Tom
- 376 Mrs. Cramp, turning over matters in her mind, determined to put the case plainly before him, and did so; telling him that it would be better to leave his business for a temporary period now, than to find shortly that he must leave it for ever. Jacob sat g
- 377 "Yes. _I_ think so. But, it seems to me there's little else but injustice in the world," added Tom, with a light smile. "You would say so if you were in a lawyer's office and had to dive into the cases brought there. Good-bye, mot
- 378 "Let me make one remark. You say the codicil stipulates that you shall pay a third of the profits to your mother--and it is a very just and right thing to do. Valentine, rely upon it, that your father's last intentions were that, of the other tw
- 379 "I don't care for the concert," avowed Tom. "I--I should like to have gone to it, though.""At least you--you will stay and take some tea," suggested Emma."If I may.""Would you please loose my hand?" w
- 380 It chanced that on the very same Sunday evening, when they were talking at North Villa of Valentine's doings, Tom broached the subject to his mother. They were sitting out of doors in the warm summer twilight, sniffing the hayc.o.c.ks in the neighbou
- 381 "Who is the young lady? Your cousin Julietta?"Tom burst into laughter. "No, that it is not, sir.""Perhaps it is Miss Maceveril? Well, the Maceverils are exclusive people. But faint heart, you know, never won fair lady."Tom shook his head. "I should
- 382 "_I_ can't supply it; you know I can't. I am not able to pay my own way now. Let her write to Mrs. Cramp.""It would be of no use, mamma. Aunt Mary Ann will never help us to clothes. She says we have had too many of them.""Well, I don't want to be
- 383 Timberdale Rectory basked to-day in the morning sun. It shone upon Grace, the Rector's wife, as she sat in the bow-window of their usual sitting-room, making a child's frock. Having no little ones of her own to work for--and sometimes Timberdale thought
- 384 Tod! The two girls were about the most self-possessed girls I ever saw; their manners quite American. Not their accent: that was good. Major Letsom and Sir Dace fraternized wonderfully: they discovered that they had once met in the West Indies.After dinne
- 385 "And Edward was the son of Captain Pym's first wife, papa's sister.Then, in point of fact, he is not related to Mrs. Letsom at all. Well, it all happened ages ago," added Coralie, with supreme indifference, "long before our time."Just so. Edward Pym
- 386 "You spoke as if you did not like him, Jack.""Don't like him at all," said Jack. "My own chief mate left me in Calcutta, to better himself, as the saying runs; he got command of one of our s.h.i.+ps whose master had died out there; Pym presented him
- 387 Which might be all very well; but I thought it would be more to the purpose could she have read it in Pym's. Pym's was a handsome face, but not one to be trusted.She glided into the room behind Thomas and his big tea-tray, seized upon a cup at once, and
- 388 Betty produced a card from her innermost pocket, and showed it to Mr.Pym: who carefully copied down the address.That he was on his way to Timberdale Rectory, was _not_ a ruse. He went on there through the Ravine at the top of his speed, and asked for Capt
- 389 "Can I see Mrs. Ball?" asked Pym, after mentally anathematizing servants in general, black and white. "Is she at home?""Yes, sir, and she'll see you, I'm sure. She is vexed at their having left."He dropped the half-crown into the girl's hand, ret
- 390 In making this promise, Miss Verena Fontaine probably did not understand the demands on a chief mate's time when a s.h.i.+p is getting ready for sea.To rush up from the docks at the mid-day hour, and rush back again in time for work, was not practicable.
- 391 "Papa, I will go and see. I am sure Verena cannot be out; I am sure she is _not_. She went into her room to dress when I went into mine. She came to me while she was dressing asking me to lend her my pearl comb; she had just broken one of the teeth of he
- 392 "It is the same," said Jack. "I have heard his history. One of his especial favourites is Mr. Johnny Ludlow.""How strange!--strange that he should be in your s.h.i.+p! Does he do well?Is he a good sailor?""First-rate. Ferrar is really a superior yo
- 393 And, as the days went on, bringing no tidings of Verena, Sir Dace Fontaine grew angry as a raging tiger.When a s.h.i.+p is going out of dock, she is more coquettish than a beauty in her teens. Not in herself, but in her movements. Advertised to sail to-da
- 394 "Yes, sir," replied the steward. But he did not obey with the readiness exacted on board s.h.i.+p. He hesitated, as if wanting to say something before turning away.No Pym came. Jack grew impatient, and called out an order or two. Young Saxby came up, to
- 395 Mr. Pym had come in that afternoon, said his landlady, Mrs. Richenough, and startled her out of her seven senses; for, knowing the s.h.i.+p had left with the day's tide, she had supposed Mr. Pym to be then off Gravesend, or thereabouts. He told her the s
- 396 "Then--did no quarrel take place, sir?" cried Ferrar, thinking of the landlady's story."Not an angry word."At this moment, as they were turning into s.h.i.+p Street, Saxby, who seemed completely off his head, ran full tilt against Ferrar. It was all
- 397 "Why! that clock must have stopped!"Chancing to look at it by-and-by, I saw that it stood at the same time--twenty minutes to ten. I took out my watch. It said just ten minutes past ten."What does it signify?" said Coralie. "You can stay here till tw
- 398 "What time was this?" interrupted Mr. Freeman."About half-past four, I fancy, sir. Mr. Pym spoke rather thick--I saw he had been taking a gla.s.s. He bade me make him a big potful of strong tea--which I did at once, having the kettle on the fire. He dr
- 399 "They have been singularly verified. The man has been murdered.""Not on board the _Rose of Delhi_.""No. Off it.""I should rather call it death by misadventure," said Jack, looking calmly at the broker. "At the worst, done in a scuffle; possibly i
- 400 "Yesterday was the day Jack was to sail," interrupted Tod."Of course it was," acquiesced the Rector: "he must be half-way down the channel by this time. If---- Here comes Alice!" he broke off. "I shall go. I don't want to hear more of such stuff.