The Story of Antony Grace

“Well, Grace,” he said, nodding to me pleasantly, “I wanted to see you.”

I looked at him wonderingly.

“Only to say how glad I was to hear such a good account of you from Mr Rowle.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“But Mr Grimstone doesn’t give you much praise,” he continued, with rather a droll look in his eyes; “so I’m afraid you are a very ordinary sort of boy after all. Well, what do you want?”

“I had a note from Miss Carr, sir, saying she would like to see me to-day. Can I be spared?”

“Oh yes, certainly – certainly,” said the old gentleman. “And look here, my man, you’ve made a good friend in that lady. Try and deserve it – deserve it.”

“I will try, sir,” I said.

“That’s right,” he said; “and try hard. – Well, Grimstone, what is it?”

The overseer looked from me to his principal and back again, before rustling some papers in his hand in an ill-used way.

“It’s very hard on me, sir, that more attention isn’t paid to the business. Here are you and me toiling and moiling all day long to keep the customers right, and Mr John at races and steeplechases, and Lord knows what – anything but the business!”

“You’re always grumbling, Grimstone,” said Mr Ruddle testily. “Here, let me see. – You needn’t wait, Grace, you can go.”

I thanked him and hurried off, leaving the two immersed in some business matters, and thinking of nothing else now but my visit.

There was a warm welcome for me at Westmouth Street, and Miss Carr’s eyes looked bright and satisfied, I thought; but I could not help seeing that she was paler and thinner than when I saw her last.

“Well, Antony,” she said, after seating me beside her; “it seems an age since we met. What have you been doing?”

I told her – busy at the office, and also about Mr Revitts.

“Yes,” she said thoughtfully. “I was in the neighbourhood of Rowford last month, and I – ”

“You were down there?” I said eagerly.

“Yes, Antony, and I had a long chat with the old clergyman there, when he visited my friends. He knew your father and mother.”

“Oh yes,” I said, as a flood of recollections came back.

“And he asked me very kindly about you, saying he thought Mr Blakeford had behaved very badly to Mr Grace.”

“I mean to pay Mr Blakeford every penny my dear father owed him,” I said, flushing, and getting up from the couch. “He shall not dare to speak ill of the dead.”

Miss Carr looked at me curiously, and I thought her manner was more tender to me as she took my hand and once more drew me to her side.

“About this Mr Revitts, Antony,” she said; “I think the time has come now when you should have different lodgings.”

“Oh, Miss Carr!” I exclaimed, “he has been so kind to me, such a good friend; and now poor Mary has come up, and they are going to be married, and Mary would be terribly disappointed if I went to lodge anywhere else. He’s Sergeant Revitts now: he has been promoted.”

“If Mr and Mrs Revitts set up a home of their own, that would be different,” she said thoughtfully. “But in your new position, Antony, you ought to be better provided for than while you were at the office.”

“In my new position?” I said, hesitating.

“Yes,” she said, smiling; and as I gazed in her face I thought what a happy man Mr Lister must be. “You said you would like to be an engineer, when I saw you last.”

“Oh yes,” I said, “and then I could help Mr Hallett with his model.”

There was a little spot of colour in each of her cheeks as I spoke, and a slight knitting of her brows; but she went on:

“I have consulted Mr Ruddle, who has spoken to the proprietors of a large engineering firm, and they have engaged to take you as a pupil.”

“Oh, Miss Carr!” I cried.

“But understand, Antony, that it is not merely sitting in an office and handling pen and drawing instruments: as I understand, the pupils have to learn to use lathe and tool, so as to thoroughly understand their profession. Shall you mind that?”

“Mind it?” I said. “Do you think I mind dirtying my hands? Why, my father had a regular workshop, where we used to make and mend. Besides, if I learn all that, I can help Mr Hallett.”

“Antony,” she said, in a weary, half-annoyed way, “don’t talk to me of Mr Hallett. My dear boy, you must not be a hero-worshipper.”

“I don’t know what a hero-worshipper is,” I said, feeling hurt; “but Mr Hallett has been so good to me that it would be ungrateful if I did not love and respect him.”

The two little spots of colour came in her cheeks again, and there was a strange twitching of her brows.

“Kinder to you than Mr Revitts?” she said softly.

“Oh, he’s not like William Revitts,” I said eagerly. “I can’t quite explain it; he’s so different. I like Revitts, but I always seem to have to teach him. Mr Hallett teaches me, Miss Carr. I think he will be a great man.”

“You foolish boy!” she cried, in a nervous, excited way. “There, then: it is settled. You will go and see Mr Girtley, at his office in Great George Street, Westminster, and you may hid adieu to the printing-office, and make your first start towards being a professional man as soon as ever you like.”

“I – I can never be grateful enough to you, Miss Carr,” I said, in a trembling voice.

“Oh yes, my dear boy, you can. Work on and succeed, and you will more than repay me.”

“Then I shall soon be out of debt,” I said joyfully.

“I hope so, Antony,” she said sadly; “but don’t be too sanguine. – Yes?”

“Mr Lister, ma’am,” said the servant who had entered. “He would be glad if you would see him for a few minutes.”

“Did – did you tell him I was not alone?” said Miss Carr, whose face seemed to have turned cold and stern.

“No, ma’am, I only took his message.”

“Show Mr Lister up,” she said, in a quiet dignified way; and, as the footman left the room – “Go in there, Antony, and wait until Mr Lister has gone. He will not stay long.”

She pointed to the folding-doors that opened into a larger drawing-room, followed me, and pointing to a table covered with books, returned, leaving the door ajar.

The various illustrated books were no little attraction, but the thought of becoming an engineer, and perhaps being of service to Mr Hallett, kept me from looking at them, and the next moment I heard the little drawing-room door open, and Mr Lister’s voice, every word being perfectly audible.