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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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,
- 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."
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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."
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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!
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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?
- 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.&
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 300 "Do you know her husband?""Don't know him from Adam. Johnny, I hope that's not a stolen child!Fair as she is, she can't be the woman's: there's nothing of the gipsy in her composition.""How well the gipsy
- 299 Pa.s.sing Grizzel with a nod, she went straight upstairs, opened Nash's door, and then--drew back with a scream. For there she saw two strangers. Mr. Duffham was leaning over the bed, trying to feed Nash with spoonfuls of beef-tea; Parson Holland (wh
- 298 "I speak of his wife," said the old gentleman, loftily. "I have never called any other woman Mrs. Nash Caromel. Her uncle, Tinkle, of Inkberrow, called about the transfer of some of his funded property, and she was with him. I respect that
- 297 "And what news have you brought from the Rill, ma'am?" questioned Grizzel, who was making a custard pudding at the kitchen table. "I hope you found things better than you feared.""They could not well be worse," sighed Mi
- 296 "And how could I tell again him when I was asked not to?" contended Grizzel, the tears dropping on to a tin saucepan she was rubbing out."Master Nash was as dear to me as the others were. Could it be me to speak up and say he was not in the
- 295 "Oh dear, I have left my parasol!" cried Charlotte, just as they reached the gate. "I must have it: my blue parasol!" And Nave, giving an angry growl to parasols in general, pulled the horse up."You need not get out, hindering tim
- 294 When, upon looking into his pale, stony face, she saw the late master.He vanished into air or into the wall, and down fell Mary Standish in a fainting-fit. The parish grew uneasy at all this--and wondered what had been done to Nash, or what he had done, t
- 293 It was executed, the will, all in due form, having been drawn up by a lawyer from a distance; not by Nave, who may have thought it as well to keep his fingers out of the pie. A few days after the return of Charlotte the First, when Nash first became ill,
- 292 This put the finis.h.i.+ng stroke to the Squire's temper. He flung out of the room with a few unorthodox words, and came home in a tantrum.We had had times of commotion at Church d.y.k.ely before, but this affair capped all. The one Mrs. Nash Caromel
- 291 Still I did not believe it could be my Nash, but I could see that Mr.Munn did believe it was. At least he thought there was something strange about it all, especially our not hearing from Nash: and at length I determined to come home and see about it.&quo
- 290 The Squire had caught sight of some one turning to the door from the covered path. I saw the f.a.g-end of a petticoat."I think it must be Mrs. Scott, sir. The mother said she had promised to come over one of these first evenings.""Ay,"
- 289 Pettipher was coming straight down to the window, letters in hand.Something in his free, onward step seemed to say that he must be in the habit of delivering the letters to Nash at that same window."Two, sir, this morning," said Pettipher, handi
- 288 "But how _can_ I, I say?" cried Nash ruefully. "You know how impracticable it is--the impediment that exists.""Stuff and nonsense, Caromel! Where there's a will there's a way.Impediments only exist to be got over."&
- 287 "Nash is worse than a child," grumbled Miles to the Squire, his tones harder than usual, and his manner colder. "He has gone and married this young woman--who is not his equal--and now he has no home to give her.Did he suppose that we shoul
- 286 "Look here, Reed; I've promised to set it right for her. Don't worry over it.""I'll not accept help from anybody; not even from you, Master Johnny.What she has done she must abide by.""The bargain's made, Reed;
- 285 "Why, I gave Jellico double that for it! Where's the use of you running things down?"As Jellico was in one sense a friend of Mr. Figg's--for he was certainly the cause of three parts of his pledges being brought to him--the p.a.w.nbrok
- 284 She don't need to act it, neither; I give her a whole ten s.h.i.+llings t'other day, and she went and laid it out at Alcester."No doubt. Any amount of s.h.i.+llings would soon be sacrificed to Ann's vanity."How much longer is that
- 283 "It's a'most as s.h.i.+ny as silk. I say, Mrs. Reed, d'ye think this 'ud wear?""It would wear for ever," put in Jellico. "Ten yards of it would make as good a gown as ever went on a lady's back; and the co
- 282 "You should not have come", he managed to say. "My love, my love!""Is there no hope?" she sobbed. "Oh, Charles, is there _no_ hope?""May G.o.d soothe it to you! May He have you always in His good keeping!"
- 281 "Do you know who he is?" I said to Helen, who was standing with me a little apart."No--how should I know? Except that he must be one of the minor canons.""He is Mr. Leafchild's rector.""Is he?" she eagerly crie