Page images
PDF
EPUB

on this, the most momentous occasion of my life, that elevation of soul and spirit which was most befitting one destined to be the wife of a man who, though himself a vile sinner, was resolved to cast aside all worldly things and devote himself to the great work of. But I will not finish his speech. You can all imagine it. Had he known how many of these momentous occasions I had experienced that week, he would not perhaps have uttered it.

I should think that the sentence in which he presented me to Miss Max and the parrot as his intended, must have been the longest ever composed by man or-beast, I was about to say; but, of course, you know that I mean woman. She received me with joy; but my heart echoed the "Oh fie, oh fie, oh fie!" to which the far more congenial parrot gave utterance at the moment. Miss Max excused herself for taking away her now my-James Kennet at such a moment; but he, and, I suppose, the parrot, were looked for at a missionary meeting in Scotland the very next day, and "she well knew that neither James Kennet nor his sweet little friend" (meaning me) "would for a moment dream of setting aside a duty." Et-cetera, et-cetera, will do for the rest of that sentence too, my dears.

[ocr errors]

bled still more as I gazed at the letter I held in my hand, and which I had not yet opened, but which I knew too well must be from Sir Robert, from the great armorial seal of the Sellings figured on the outside. Nor was I in any degree calmed as I thought of that other letter, which I still retained the one from Lady Selling to Lady Markham. I could conscientiously say that the latter had never been well enough to receive it, yet the possession of it was a terror to me, no less than the idea of what must be the result of delivering it; and that, I knew, must soon be done. Altogether, I was more thoroughly unhappy than I could well endure, and I longed even for the German verbs, and all the other troubles of my dear school days. At length I turned to Sir Robert's letter. It was, more correctly speaking, a packet; but it did contain two letters, although the chief portion of the huge envelope was taken up by a most beautifully emblazoned miniature pedigree of the Sellings. As a work of art it was a treasure; as a lover's first gift it was a curiosity. His letter was lengthy, consisting almost entirely of notes and observations on the enclosure. A few sentences at the end evidently furnished by his mother, informed me that he was anx iously expecting to hear of Lady Markham's perfect restoration to health, the more so as he could not but hope that the news would be followed by an invitation to return to the Hall. Business, however, would take him At that moment, being Monday, June into our neighbourhood during the ensuing 23d, at ten o'clock, I, having left school week, when he hoped that, even should rather more than three weeks, was engaged Lady Markham continue too ill to receive to no less than three men, not one of whom him, a few hours of the society of his dear had I ever seen or heard of before I left est Charlotte would not be denied him. On the happy security of your roof, dear Ma-Thursday at latest he hoped to see me. It dame. Miss Max had undertaken to re- might be even earlier in the week." turn my James Kennet to me by one A cast-iron note from Lady Selling como'clock on Thursday. On that very day pleted the packet. She began, "My dear Mons. Carl Toolou had promised that I Girl" in very large letters; she hoped I had should see him again; and I doubted not faithfully delivered her letter to her dear that he would be as good as his word, while friend ere this; promised to be a mother to I could not but be conscious that even now me; advised me to purchase A Great letters were speeding all over the country grandmother's Letters to Young Wives," announcing my engagement to Sir Robert and to include a very large assortment of Selling; nay, worse, such letters must boots in my trousseau, as boots were all the already have been read at many a break- better for keeping two or three years fast-table; and in a few hours these fatal fourteen pairs would not be too many; and documents might at any house encounter concluded by desiring me not to lose a post others as fatal, containing the news that I in replying to Sir Robert's letter, as they had pledged my faith to James Kennet. were about leave their present address; Sooner or later it must all be known; and signing herself in letters of gigantic size, oh, which of them all would find me first" ONE who is ready to welcome you into and marry me? I trembled to think that the bosom of her family," as if she feared I Mons. Carl was probably lingering in the might take her name to be legion. neighbourhood, and that he might at any You will hardly credit that I was foolish moment appear and carry me off. I trem-enough to believe that her commands must

I saw Miss Max and her two adopteds drive off with hardly the slightest feeling of relief, and I crept up to my room to survey with horror my position.

[ocr errors]

be obeyed. The possibility of neglecting | amongst others," Camille," "Sir Charles them never for a moment occurred to me, Grandison," and "The Castle of Otranto." and I sat down to my writing-table with a No more modern novels were to be found heavy heart. How many hours I spent in that house. After some hesitation beover that, the first and only love-letter Itween no other signature than the initials, ever indited, I should be at a loss to tell following an abrupt conclusion, and the long you. It was pain and grief to me; and the winding up of " grateful humble servant," trouble it cost me has impressed every line which seemed the only choice afforded me, - nay, almost every word- -on my memory. I satisfied myself with the following: "With respectful humble duty to your mother, I am, Sir, yours, C. B."

It was as follows:

"DEAR SIR ROBERT, I hope you are quite well. Thank you for your letter, and your mother's letter, and the pedigree."

So far so good. That was the conventional beginning; though I own I had to fetch the dictionary to find out the number of e's due to "pedigree," also whether it required two d's or g's, or only one of each. Then came a full stop. In vain I sought inspiration in a review of all that had passed during his fatal visit, in vain I sent my memory further back over the whole course of my school-life. I was as guiltless of ideas as Sir Robert himself. I was even at the trouble of fetching Hume from the library, and of glancing over a few of the pages he had read to me, hoping that some association would suggest the matter of at least one sentence for the rapidly-drying ink in my pen. In vain I read and re-read both letters, until at length I discovered in the envelope a few words in Lady Selling's handwriting which had hitherto escaped my observation.

"My dear Charlotte will not fail to tell me all that is going on at the Hall, and who is staying in the house."

"All that is going on." I lifted my eyes to the open window, and I saw Harry and the keepers actively engaged in buck-catching. Happy thought! Beautiful coincidence! Without a moment's delay, I wrote: They are catching bucks in the park. Harry is riding Grey Bob, Keeper Toby, and young Jack Peggy. It seems a pretty sight." Then, remembering Sir Robert's predilection for old families, I added triumphantly, "Keeper has lived forty years in the family. He says he can remember four Lord Markhams, but Molly Mowbray says she is sure he cannot. Young Jack will be forty-three next birthday. He is his son."

This, written very large and "sprawley," to use a school word, covered three sides of the paper, and I had only to add, "Nobody is here, and Lady Markham keeps the same," to find myself at the end of my task. The consideration as to the proper mode of signing myself indeed remained. It occupied me some time, for I had to consult many works of fiction before I could decide;

I had hardly finished, and was still gazing at my work and my inky fingers, for you all remember the results of my letterwriting days at school, when Molly came into my room. Like a dear old Molly as she was, she began to scold me for my untidiness, adding :

"You won't be fit to be seen by the company to-night, my dear."

66

Company!" I exclaimed, in sudden alarm. "Who is coming?"

"Have they never told you, my dear? Why, Mrs. Fawkes, to be sure. Miss Mary as was."

I clapped my hands with delight. Mary Fawkes was Lady Markham's only child. She had married young, but I had seen much of her, and she had always been kind to me.

66

Cousin Mary has no sons at all, has she, Molly?" said I, in a tone which almost defied her to impute such cruelty to Mrs. Fawkes. "And I know she cannot have a nephew, for she has always been dear Lady Markham's only child. Cousin Mary would never, never, adopt anybody, would she, Molly ?" I asked anxiously, as the possibility of such an event occurred to me.

66

And

Adopt anybody! Why, bless the child, what is she thinking of? What need has she to go about adopting, my dear, when she's got her own Miss Rosey at her side?

"And is Rosey coming too?" said I, beginning my favourite dance of triumph about the room. "Rosey left school, and coming to be out' with me?"

"Of course she's coming, my love, and young Lord Kingsley, too, and Mr. Dow."

Here my dance became a perfect hurricane of delight, for these were the oldest of old friends. Arthur Kingsley, a cousin of the Markhams, and like myself an orphan, had been my playfellow in many happy days at Markham and at Uncle Jack's; while Mr. Dow was also an habitué of both houses, and having always been very old indeed, forty at the very least, had petted and made much of me from my very babyhood.

They came. I met them in the hall, ra- He bowed, and resumed his walk in sidiant with glee; but the first meeting was lence, though I think I once more heard slightly clouded with disappointment. him mutter, "Bringing the whole powers Cousin Mary, it is true, was unchanged, of the mind to concentrate on the given and Rosey had merely become taller, pret- point." I gazed at him in amused wonder. tier, and more distingué than in past days. He was a tall man, with a head of peculiar Arthur Kingsley, too, was the same. He form, and large dreamy blue eyes, which had never known a day's health, poor boy, constantly reminded me of Molly's plan of and at one-and-twenty was as slight and delicate in appearance as he had been at sixteen. But the alteration in Mr. Dow was so extraordinary that I could hardly keep my eyes from him, and I passed the first few hours after their arrival in that perplexed state which one experiences on waking from a vivid dream, to find things are not what they seemed.

looking beyond.” And yet, my dears, I have seen those eyes grow almost black with concentrated determination when there has been a wrong to redress, or a task of difficulty to perform. And I have seen them light up with more than womanly kindness when his heart has been touched with the sorrows of others. There was the same twofold character about the mouth, the wavering uncertain lines of which, to a casual observer, would denote an undecided though a peculiarly sweet temper. Yet there were times when the wavering line became one expressive of firmest decision and resolve.

He was decidedly younger than he had been; in fact he was almost a young man; and he treated me with a civility and attention which kept constantly before my mind the fact of my being a grown-up young lady, and no longer the merry child with whom he used to run races on the terraces at I do not pretend to have discovered all Markham, and to whom he had once given this at once, my dears; but you will pardon sixpence for holding her tongue for ten min-me for dwelling on peculiarities which I utes consecutively. He even called me have learnt in years of happiness. Miss Benson, whereas Arthur treated me Mr. Fawkes introduced him to me as with the same brotherly familiarity as of old, and yet I had seen neither of them for two years.

I suppose I dressed rather early that evening, for when I went downstairs the drawing-room was tenanted by but one individual. That one was a stranger. As I opened the door I was startled by the sound of a strange but peculiarly pleasing voice. I paused involuntarily in the doorway, and

heard as follows:

[ocr errors]

Colonel Solmes. During the next two days I had a great deal of most complicated feeling. I could have been almost happy, but the thought, the goading thought, of my three engagements, and of the too-rapid approach of the fatal Thursday which must bring about a dénouement of a most embarrassing description. I really believe that any other girl must have fallen ill with the worry, and that only my inveterate lightheartedness and power of living in the present and of throwing off trouble enabled me to bear up, and even to a certain degree to enjoy myself. Even I could not, however, entirely forget the possibility of Sir Robert's appearance at any moment, nor could I help casting glances of fear at every advancing figure during our walks, drives, and Here the speaker, who was walking up rides; especially in the direction of the and down the room with his hands behind Brown Beeches and the village, where I his back, approached so close that he could doubted not Mons. Carl awaited the departnot fail to perceive me. He stopped, ure of the cher cousin. Indeed, I was not gazing at me for a full minute with an air safe for a moment. Lady Selling might of extreme perplexity, and then glancing hear of the now rapid improvement in Lady round the room, and passing his hand across Markham's health, and might descend upon his forehead, said in a rapid tone of apolo-me; or she might write, either direct to getic inquiry:

Bringing the whole powers of the mind to bear on the given point, we cannot fail to perceive that above the stalagmite other remains of Celtic, British, Roman, and still later dates, occur. McEnery has it that the flint instruments had been really covered by the stalagmite. The extinct hyæna.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Will you oblige me with the day of the week, month, and year; also of the locality and any other circumstances of note?"

[blocks in formation]

Lady Markham or to Cousin Mary, and peremptorily demand why I had not yet been seen in London ordering my fourteen pairs of boots. Moreover, it had occurred to me that I might have committed myself to an unknown extent by answering Sir Robert's letter; and bitterly did I repent the precipitancy of that action. Had I but

lingered! Had I but deferred writing for a few days! How did I know that they might not now drag me into a real court of justice, and on the strength of that unlucky letter oblige me to marry Sir Robert? At the best it had given him an unfair advantage over the others.

I watched the post with the greatest anxiety. I gazed daily at the letters still in my possession, and daily I told myself that dear Lady Markham must not yet be troubled with it. I had at first really intended to confide all my troubles to Cousin Mary, but I found it impossible. She was much occupied with her mother and her duties as hostess, and I lacked alike opportunity and courage. Had she tried to draw me out, I believe that I should have told her all. I am glad that she did not. In that case I should never have married Colonel Solmes.

night that my father had lived, and had been exactly like Colonel Solmes. It would have been so nice to have waited on him. I would not let Arthur laugh at him.

Meantime I had speedily become used to the change in Mr. Dow's manners and was quite at my ease with him. We talked and laughed, and probably flirted all that evening with the intimacy of old friendship, and I even told him that I had fancied him much older than he was.

There was to be a party on Wednesday.. Lady Markham was really well again. Arthur was much better, but was not to leave his sofa. Rosey, Mr. Dow, and I were to take a long ride, and Colonel Solmes was to write as usual.

I went into the drawing-room with my habit on, to sit with Arthur for ten minutes before the horses came. I had been hurrying to do so, but the time was less pleasant than I expected. All the books and papers at the corner table were ready, but Colonel Solmes was not there. I sat down by Arthur in silence. He was in high spirits, unusually high. He asked me to do several things for him, and then said

66

Lottie, how uncommonly nice it would be to have you to nurse one always. I've been thinking that I don't a bit mind being ill when I've got you. I wish you were not going out this morning."

Arthur Kingsley had one of his attacks of illness on the Tuesday, and I was much employed in waiting on him. We played at Fox and Goose, and looked at pictures, and I made tea for him, brought him flowers, and surreptitiously introduced his dog into the drawing-room; and we amused ourselves like two children as we were. All the time Colonel Solmes was writing, examining musty books, and bringing his mind to bear on a given point at a table in a corner of the same room. He was as clever as eccentric, and ought never to have been a soldier. His great hobby was geology, and he was writing a book on "The Antiquity of Man." Rosey told me this, adding that though he was horridly stupid and absent, she believed that he was better and cleverer than anybody else in the world, besides knowing all the books that ever were writ- "Of course I do, Arthur," said I, almost ten, and being perfectly idolized by his reg-impatiently, for the time was passing rapidiment. ly, and Colonel Solmes had not made his appearance.

I was strangly attracted by him, and I think a little piqued by his utter disregard of me. I had been so accustomed to be the object of attention that I felt injured. But he treated everybody just the same; living to all appearance in a world of his own.

During the whole of that Tuesday I believe I attended far more to him than to Arthur. I know I never failed to hear the request to be informed the day of the week, month, and year, together with the locality and any other circumstances of note, a habit into which he had fallen; and more than once I assisted him to search for a particular book, for his ink, pen, gloves, stick, and other things which he was always losing or misplacing. He rewarded me at length by a kind smile which brought the tears to my eyes, and I remember well wishing that

"So do I." said I with a sigh, looking towards the distant table.

"No; but do you really though, Lottie ?" said the boy, raising himself on his elbow with a look of delight which I scarcely appreciated at the time. Do you really mean that you had rather be here than out riding?"

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

How kind you are," said he, leaning his thin white cheek on his hand. "I do like you better than anybody in the world, Lottie. There's nobody so awfully jolly as you are. Why shouldn't you really be my little wife, as we used to settle in fun years ago? You should have everything in the world you like. Lots of dogs, and riding, and all that. Will you, Lottie? Kingsley Manor is so lonely with only Mr. Dudley," added the poor boy, pitifully.

"Poor Arthur!" said I, touched for the moment. "I should like to see Kingsley. It must be dull; but what fun we could have there," I added, with an effort at consoling him, and without attaching any real meaning to his question.

[ocr errors]

"Then you will say Yes?' You really

mean it, Lottie? You will be my wife, Lottie, won't you?" said he, eagerly.

"Oh yes, of course, Arthur. You know that has all been settled long ago," said I, vaguely, for at this moment Colonel Solmes entered the room. But alas! Rosey and Mr. Dow followed, and the horses were announced. Arthur Kingsley squeezed my hand till it ached; and Rosey remarked, as we left the room, how much better he was looking.

Just before dressing-time Rosey danced into my room, and rapturously embraced me. "What is it, dear Rosey?" said I. "What, Lottie? Why, you dear, darling, delicious little deceiver! Why did you never tell me that you are actually engaged to be married? Oh how wonderful it sounds, and how I wish it were me! Only I should not like him at all," replied Rosey still in a paroxysm of delight.

I positively sat down in deadly terror. Which of my three engagements had she discovered? Who was coming to claim me before the fatal Thursday?

"Speak quickly, Rosey," said I breathlessly; "what do you mean?"

[ocr errors]

Oh, Lottie!" said she, half vexed. "How can you pretend so? You know you are engaged to Arthur Kingsley."

"Am I?" said I, in utter bewilderment, for the morning conversation, having been regarded by me simply as a continuation of our childish intercourse, had completely passed out of my mind.

are.

66

sat near me, and though we hardly spoke I was as happy as the thought of poor Arthur at his invalid tea in the next room would allow.

There was a very large party, and many came in the evening. Mrs. Fawkes liked gaiety, and promoted it. Lady Markham came down for a short time. There was dancing and music. I contrived to keep as far as possible from Arthur's sofa, and for some time was thoroughly engaged. At length I found myself alone in a corner of the room; and as I looked round on the gay scene my heart died within me as I thought of the morrow, and even asked myself if it could be possible that in all that crowd no one had already heard of any of my engagements. My alarm grew to such an height that I meditated stealing away to bed, when a servant approached. I felt at that moment that it was all over with me. I doubted not that I was to be called upon to answer for four engagements; and that Monsieur Carl, Sir Robert, and James Kennet were all sitting in awful judgment by the side of Arthur's sofa, ready to denounce me publicly.

[ocr errors]

His lordship would be much obliged to you to step this way, ma'am," was the civil translation of the boyish command for my presence which I doubted not Arthur had sent. I obeyed. Arthur was surrounded. Old and young vied in attempts to please and amuse him, and it was with difficulty that he had found a moment to send the message. Young ladies were showing him engravings; old ones were anxiously enquiring after his health. Through all his

"Are you?" said she, hardly less astonished. Why, of course you know you He has just told me all about it. And I am to be sure not to tell Mamma or any-eye sought mine, and his pale face lit up body till to-morrow, because he wants to tell her himself. He has been watching for an opportunity all day, but that horrid Colonel Solmes has never left the room. Why, Lottie, you must be dreaming! You know you are engaged to him."

"So I am!" I exclaimed, as the recollection of what had passed in the morning flashed upon me, together with the horrible conviction that his twenty-one years and my seventeen made it impossible to regard it wholly, or at all in the light of child's play. "So I am!" I repeated slowly, and I really think I must be dreaming, as you say.

[ocr errors]

"You funny girl!" laughed Rosey, as she left me to dress for dinner. "I suppose one's first proposal does rather turn one's head. Don't be late to dinner, dear, or that horrid Colonel Solmes will take you in. He is sure to be late."

But I was late, and meeting Colonel Solmes at the door he did take me in, and

with a brilliant smile as I approached. He said very little, however, and Mr. Dow coming up almost directly to ask me to dance, I went off, cut to the heart with the most bitter self-reproach I had ever experienced, and feeling that to my dying day I should never forget that look of poor Arthur Kingsley's.

I did forget it in ten minutes, however. Dancing and Mr. Dow's amusing conversation occupied all the attention I could spare from the wonder as to what had become of Colonel Solmes, who had disappeared.

After that dance we wandered into the library, which was deserted by all save our two selves. Various books of engravings were lying about on the different tables, and we lighted upon one which had been an old favourite of mine in days gone by. I reminded him how often he had told me stories about the pictures, adding with a laugh, "I almost think I should like to hear them now."

« PreviousContinue »