MY. LORD. AND. MY. LADY. it is justas well to get it over, and, if he had seen me
...... sympathy and com-miseration of maid, housemaid, cook, and footman, who.
MY
MY L A D Y
L O RD A ND
BY
MRS A UTHO R O F
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F O RR E S T E R,
V I VA
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C O P YR I GH T E D I TI O
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T A U C H NIT !
BERNH A R D 1
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R ig/a t of T r a
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YO U really think he will ? ” “ I feel quite sure o f it ” And what shall you sa y? ” “ Mamma l 1 There is infinite e xpression in the intonation of “ that single word It implies Can you doubt me ? A m I in possession o f my senses ? Is there any a n ” swer possible but on e ? The mother gazes at her lovely daughter with a look of fondest affection ; of deepest admiration ” — “ O f course my darling But with faint hesi “ — — i ta t on there is j ust this to think of might you ” not do better ? The girl shakes her head It is a beautifully shaped little head which genius has forborne to mar by any bumps or excrescences : she has not even indicated the self esteem that Dorothea S t George has so large a share of “
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Th at is the way,
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answers with a pretty “ air of wisdom by which so many girls spoil their chances ; waiting for something better It is much wiser when you get a good offer to close with it at once Just think how many pretty girls we know of three or four and twenty who have waited and are not in the least likely to marry anyone worth having now Y ou se e Mamma dear I shall be ” twenty next month ! ,
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Ye s, says Mrs St George , with a little sigh “ But L ord Belhaven is plain and ga u c/z e, and not “
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so very rich after all A n d — looking at her daughter with the intense admiration that she h a s never thought “ — it wise or prudent to dis guise you m i ght marry ”
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He has twelve thousand a year returns Doro “ thea and he is not de formed nor unsightly in any ” way ” “ “ But dearest child ( a trifle anxiously) do you ” care for him at all ? ” “ N o says be autiful Dorothea making a little “ there is nothing in him to care about O ne m ou e ” cannot have everything ! Mrs St George sighs She thinks her lovely darling ought to marry a Duke with a thousand pounds a day and the handsomest person in Eng land Even then it would be His Grace who would benefit by the alliance ,
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MY LORD
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Tell me again she says , what makes you ” think that he intends to propose to you ? ” “ All the first part of the evening relates Doro “ thea he had been standing about in corners of the room staring at me until I thought his eyes would have started out of his head and looking quit e fierce a nd j ealous every time I waltzed with anyone I wondered why he did not Speak to me ; then j ust the last waltz before we left for L ady Dash s he came up and asked me for it I w a s engaged to poor Charlie and I knew L ord Belhaven couldn t ‘ dance an atom but I said Y es of course and made a sign to Charlie who good naturedly went off though he looked rather glum about it I went thro ugh an awful moment flying round the room with his lordship He ground my toes to a j elly ; he tore a yard off my skirt and that mercifully gave me a n excuse for stopping to get it pinned up After that I said I was hot and w e went into the conservatory No one else was there and suddenly he caught hold of my hand and began to stutter and tremble and talk incoherently when you my poor dear innocent mother came round the corn er to carry me off But as he took me downstairs he whispered “ ‘ Shall you be at home at four o clock to mor ‘ row ? and I said Y es It s a great bore o f course because I should much rather have been driving down to Hurlingham on Sir Henry s coach but still “
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it is just as well to get it over and if he had seen me driving with another man he might have changed ” “ his mind I am afraid (yawning) he is rather ” j ealous It will be very disagreeable if he is Mrs St George looks at the gilt clock on the chimney piece ” “ “ It is ten minutes to four now she says What do you think my love ? Had I better be in the ” room when he comes ? ” “ “ N o answers Dorothe a ; I think not You se e it is always s o awkward to find an excuse for leaving people together But if after a minute or two he has not plunged into his p roposal I shall ring the ” bell and tell James to let you know he is here “ You don t think it will look too pointed his ” finding you alone ? “ O h dear no If he has really come to pro pose he will be only too thankful and won t stop to think about anything else Perhap s too the very hint o f sending for you will help him to the ” point The clock marks five minutes to the hour when with startling suddenness the door is burst Open and a young girl her eyes streaming her hair di sh e ve lle d rushes in like an avalanche a tornado and fl ings herself on the ground at Mrs St George s feet A slight frown ruffles beautiful Dorothea s smooth brow ; her face expresses a great deal more o f dis ,
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MY L O RD A ND MY L A D Y
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gust than sympathy The same look accentuated and intensified is reflected in her mother s coun ,
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What is it now Cilla ? she asks imp atiently without the slightest attempt to soothe the child s quivering frame or stanch her streaming tears “ O h Mamma I cannot bear it I cannot I ” cannot ! Cilla gasps out At this instant the front — door bell rings sharply ” “ It is L ord Belhaven ! cries Dorothea starting up with an impetuosity quite unusual to her ” “ Mamma get her away ! She will spoil everything ! “ Cilla ! here is a visitor D O you hear ! Are you ” not ashamed of yourself? cries Mrs St George and half leading half draggin gher sobbing daughter she hurries o ut o f the room Dorothea s nerves are fluttering from this little scene when his lordship is announced ; but like a skilful general she sees in a moment how the situa tion may be turned to advantage ” “ We were j ust in the midst of a scene she s ays in her soft pretty w a y ” “ O f a scene ? echoes Lo rd Belhaven inquir “
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Y es Mamma and I were sitting here together we were expecting you you know because you ” said you should call to day ” “ Y es ! he utters eagerly devouring her with his e yes ; his love and passion growing every m o ment .
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that he looks at her Is there any chance o f making this exquisite creature his ? He is prep ared to give all he has for her He would sacrifice twenty years of his life could such a b argain be made I am afraid to think what proposals from Mephisto he might not entertain if the gentleman in scarlet stood at his elbow and whispered in his ear ” “ My poor little sister came flying in continues D orothea putting on a symp athetic a i r and tone that she had been far from adopting towards the su fferer “ She is very emotional poor dear child and she has dreadful fits of crying and she w a s in the midst o f on e o f them Did you hear her as you came up the ” stairs ? ” “ “ N o returns L ord Belhaven ; what was the ” matter with her ? “ I am n ot quite sure Probably it wa s some dispute with her governess They don t get on very ” well L ord Belhaven has a kind heart but at this moment it is beating with an emotion so much stronger than that o f pity that the woes of a child in the school room fail to stir it Indeed he o n ly thinks what an a ffectionate sympathetic angel Doro thea is to be moved by her sister s imaginary woes His heart is throbbing like a hammer upon an anvil ; his gray eyes are lighted by an eager fi re he advances a step towards her Dorothea s soul waxes faint within her ; she feels .
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— like the victim o f a wild beast about to spring she ’
would as lief be sitting in a dentist s chair with the pincers holding one of those dainty pearls her teeth If men only kne w the agony they inflict by em bracing a woman who does not love them ! B ut no doubt they always i mag i ne as L ord Belhaven doe s at this moment that they cannot be repulsive to the being who s o powerfully magnetises them But Dorothea is as full o f courage as the Spartan boy ” “ What an angel you are ! cries L ord Belhaven and then coming quite close till his eager lip s nearly touch hers O h if you knew how I love ” you ! Dorothea would rather not know by practical demonstration — indeed she would like to push him from her with all her might but she only averts her face as much as maiden modesty demands and trembles a little ” “ I am a plain rough fellow cries L ord Belhaven “ with honest passion but I love you with all my soul I am not worthy o f you — the loveliest creature God ever made But tell me that you don t hate ” — me give me a little atom o f hope to live on ” “ O h L ord Belhaven ! and Dorothea droops her lovely head But he holds her fast and presses that kiss to her sweet red lips which is fraught with such rapture to himself such intolerable disgust to her Then she withdraws herself from him not in anger .
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but with maidenly reserve She is not going to have any more teeth out at all events for the pre sent ” “ How happy you make me ! utters L ord Bel “ haven whilst his deep voice falters I hardly feel as though I were awake If you knew the agony of doubt and fear that I have gone through since I ” left you last night ! ” “ Why should you have feared ? says Dorothea in her pretty caressing tone j ust givin ghim a little look and then drop ping her eyes ” “ “ Why ! he e choes Because you are so sweet ” Upon my soul looking at s o beautiful so angelic “ her with ardent eyes I don t thi nk you know what ” are yourself o u y Lord Belhaven need entertain no fea rs U pon this account — few women are more thoroughly aware o f their charms than Miss St George ” “ O h she answers with bewitching modesty and “ with her own silvery little laugh I am a very ordinary young person only you are so kind as to ” think more o f me than I deserve ” “ K ind ! and he makes a gesture that Dorothea has to repel by putting up her two dainty hands to protect her face No more teeth out to d ay thank you at all events until the proposal has been made and accepted in due form But she is not by on e half so e ager to ratify the bond as he is .
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May I — dare I believe that you will be mine ” my very own ? he cries impetuously She hesitates “ I could never— never do anything without first ” b eing sure o f my dear mother s wishes she ”— “ “ — murmurs sweetly Mamma and I You know ” are all in all to each other Did the man ever breathe who being worthily in love with a woman did not think ten thousand times more of her for showing filial love and tender ness ! ” ” “ “ O f course he cries with emphasis But anxiously your mother I hope does not dislike ” me ; has not conceived any prej udice against me ? ” “ “ N o, no indeed ! answers Dorothea O n the “
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I can fancy says the lover taking on e slim “ white h and in his that she would h ate any man who wanted to rob her of you but I hope not me ” more than another May I se e her ? ” “ I will ask her to come to you and D orothea rises L ord Belhaven pu ts a detaining arm round her “ And if— if I succeed in persuading her to give you to me may I believe that you will consent ,
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Ye s, falls from the girl s lips , like a pe arl Th e n the Op eration which makes him think of ”
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the dentist s chair is repeated! ,
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Dorothea trips down into the dining r oo m with her fair face flushed and her lips red like roses It is not only her lover s kiss that has given them this bright carmine ; all the way downstairs she h a s been rubbing them violently with her little frille d handkerchief in her desire to get rid of the em brace ” “ Well ! my darling ! cries Mrs S t Ge o rge with intense eagerness Dorothe a performs a grace ful little war d ance on the faded Turkey carpet ; then she throws her arms round her mother s neck “ His lordship awaits you my dear Go to him fold him to your mate rnal breast but do not sell your child too cheaply Say that it will b e a trial to p art with me etc etc and — but I nee d not tell ” — you you are sure to s a y the right thing ” “ God bless you my own darling chil d ! says the mother with tears in her eyes Dorothea makes light o f this blessing but under the same roof there is a bleeding passionate heart that thinks itself broken to which those tender words It was Cilla s To would have been b alm indeed her however they had not been spoken ; she h ad been sharply chidden instead Poor Cilla ! Dorothea throws hersel f into a chair and sighs These emotions are very fatiguing But she is going to be a Viscountess — blissful thought ! If one could o nly be a Viscountes s without the Visc o unt -
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I hO pe to Heaven she says to herself that he will not always be wanting to demonstrate his a ffection in that dreadful way ; it is really too ” sickening Then she rises and gets the Peerage from the book stand : not to study Lord B e lha ve n s a nte c e dents ; that she has done long ago but to se e what a Viscountess s coronet is like ; to con over the ” “ Precedency o f Women and to know be fore whom she will be able to walk out o f a room ” “ I wish he w a s an Earl she thinks shutting up “ the book But it s a pretty name The Viscountess Belhaven Y es it will look extremely well I don t think I could have done better— bar the man He ” 1 8 a bore but on e can t have everything Presently Mrs S t George returns She is wiping her eyes and betra ying a good deal more emotion than the lovely Dorothea has done “ ” He is a kind good creature she says in a “ voice that is not very steady and he adores you ” But who could help it ? and the doating mother looks into her child s face with a gaze expressive o f the love almost amounting to idolatry which she feels for her “ ” Has he said an yt hing ab o ut settlements ? asks D orothea “ He gave me to understand that h e should think nothing too much to give you or to do for you And ” now darlin g, u o mu t go bac k to him s y “
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Not without you, Mamm a de ar,
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with a little fl ush you must come t oo N 0 love ; he would rather not have me I am ” sure ” “ — But I would rather very mu ch r a ther insists “ ‘ Dorothea B esides you must s a y Bless you my children ! in the proper orthodox way I suppose he won t stay very long What a mercy that we are ” d ining o ut to night ! Did you tell him ? ” “ My dearest chil d says her mother a nxiously ” “ I am afraid you do not care for him ” “ Don t you trouble your dear head about that “ replies Dorothea smiling O nly promise me pr omis e me that you won t leave me alone wi th him again ” to day ” “ But h e will thin k it so od d “ N ever mind — it will make him all the more in ” “ love T o morrow with a little groan I suppose he must s pend the day here — lunch and d inner too And Sunday— such a dreadful day O h I know— I will take him to church to Margaret Street They separate the sexes there so I shall get rid of him for a little and afterwards we wil l go and sit in the ” Park Pray Heaven it may be a fine day ! Then mother and daughter ascend the stairs to gether N othing could be prettier than the little tableau — they make in the drawing room Mrs St George with te a rs in her eyes very g e nuine te ars to o puts .
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D orothea s hand into the Viscount s and Dorothea blushes and trembles a little bit and looks the in carnatio n o f l oveliness and modesty If the notary and priest had been as conveniently handy as they are on the stage what would not Lord Belhaven have given his betrothed and what could he have re fused the priest who made her his ! But his lover s ardour is not to have full play— the mother remains on the scene in the most provoking manner Poor woman ! sh e is terribly embarrassed ; she feels for L ord Belhaven and wishes herself a thousand miles away but she has promised Dorothe a At last in desp air he takes his hat and depart s after a wistful look at the lovely face which is his o wn yet not his own and feeling it is to be pre sumed very much as Tantalus felt with the delicious fruit hanging j ust out of h is reach ” “ Thank Heaven ! e xclaims Dorothea with nu fe igned piety as the door closes upon him But as she goes to her dinner party that evening sh e has never felt happier ; never looke d more b e W itching O n her return home there is a little p acket awaiting her and a great sheaf o f beautiful white flowers She opens the p acket hurriedly presses the spring and then makes a little o f the ring case it contains dissatisfie d m oue In stead o f the three rings she e x e c t o n e to find there is only in which are se t a e d p 2 My L d nd My L ady 1 ’
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large ruby and a large diamond both he a rtsha pe d surmounted by a crown o f small brilliants — It is a true enough symbol the blood red heart and the cold hard o f the man who loves so much diamond emblematic of Dorothea s j oine d by a coronet L ord Belhaven however had no a r r z ér e pens é z and only chose the ring thinking it less common place than three hal f h oop s He bought a magni fi c e nt diamond cross at the same time which he means to present to his love in person to morrow Dorothea o f course does not know this and thinks the ring rather mean Mrs St George seeing her pout says consolingly “ They are exquisite stones Thea darli n g and ” large ” “ I hate trashy sentimental ideas returns Doro ” “ thea more crossly than sh e is wont to speak And “ giving a pettish push to the flowers I hate loose ” flowers They are such a trouble to arrange ” “ Cilla will like to do them says her mother ” “ soothingly And she has great taste Dorothe a retires to bed rather put out Still she is g oing to be a Viscountess ,
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by p assion by grie f— they were strangely beautiful and be autifully strange They seemed not to belong by rights to a material body but to have ken of something spiritual more than mortal L ord Bel haven s mind w a s not an ordinary one — it was a strange mixture o f romance poetic ideas and feeling happily leavened with a strong admixture of common sense and a tolerably sound j udgment He wa s an enthusiast about beauty ; it blinde d him or rather made him wilfully blind to imperfection in the cre a ture w ho possesse d it He looked from Dorothea to Cilla and from Cilla b ack again to Dorothe a and was puzzled O ne sister was the incarnation of sensuous beauty ; the other as it seemed to him o f romance poetry p a s sion But why w a s she unhappy ? With a mother who seemed the kindest soul upon earth ; a sister who was softness gentleness sweetness itself : how “ could she b e unhappy ? Can she be in love ? She looks such a child barely sixteen but she may b e ” precocious he says to himsel f He has spoken to her once or twice ; she has raised her large eye s to his ; a faint blush has passed over her p ale face ; she has answered him by a monosyllable L unch is over ; he is permitte d to enj oy the society of his exquisite love alone and he forgets Cilla as though he had never seen her He presents his offering and is allowed to take out its value in ,
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almost as many kisses as there are stones in the j ewel I fear in his present humour this reckless being would mortgage eve ry stick o f his property if he might go on buying rapture at the same price But Dorothea who is so sweet and gentle can b e very firm on occasion and her maidenly modesty will not permit o f too much ardour or freedom on the part o f even an a ffi a n c e d lover It is a warm afternoon Dorothea does not feel like church ; she is half reclined in a delicious chair The windows are Open the sunblinds down ; and her lover is conversing in the most interesting manner about his belongings and consulting her as to their future plans and movements The idea o f Margaret Street is abandoned Between four and five they will go into the Park and sit under the trees on that acre or two of land which fashion at this moment p atronises on Sunday afternoons The engagement h a s not yet been made public : there fore it would be unconventional for the lovers to appear without a chaperon and Mrs St George t hough perfectly willing to sacrifice herself to her daughter thinks that under the circumstances a party o f three will be eminently undesirable She therefore contemplates taking her younger daughter to bear her company The mere proposal sends Cilla into a seventh heaven : Cilla who has so p assionate a longing after amusement and pleasure a nd who is neve r allowed to participat e in the ,
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gaieties o f mother and sister The only question is whether this Cinderella can b e made presentable enough not to disgrace them ; for though poor Cilla loves fine raiment and has the true feminine instinct of desiring to m ake the best o f herself Mrs St George has never thought it necessary to e x p end money nor to exercise taste in her younger daughter s apparel Cilla has been compelled to we ar great ugly shady hats which have hidden her beautiful low brow and eyes What did it matter how she looked ! S O infatuated was Mrs St George on the subj ect of her elder daughter s beauty that she hardly considere d any other girl or woman good looking It was an old established deeply rooted ide a in her mind that Cilla w a s plain and must be made clever and accomplished if she was ever to attract anyone Mrs S t George positively shuddered at the thought that after having been accustomed to go into the world with her lovely Dorothe a sh e would have to present Cilla to its criticism “ What can you put o n ? Have you d ry/Ming ” decent Cilla ? inquires Mrs St George in rather an inj ure d tone as she and her younger daughter after luncheon in the dining room whilst the sit ‘ ‘ lovers are supposed to b e in amorous tete d téz e upstairs ” “ G O and fetch your hat that I may look at it continues the mother ,
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It is hideous; she pronounces discontentedly when the girl returns with it ignoring the fact that it herself in the Buckingham Palace she bought R oad for no other reason than because it was cheap ” “ R eally I cannot be seen with you in that thing ! Cilla s lip quivers She is none the more recon ciled to disappointment because it is so frequently her lot and the idea o f this walk in the Park amongst the fashionable throng has been like a glimpse o f the roses o f the seventh he aven to her longing thoughts ” “ O h Mamma may I not go ? “ Well my dear I suppose there is nothing to ” cry about if you do not rej oins Mrs St George with that coldness which her younger daughter s sensitiveness always i nsp i res in her Cilla turns hastily away ere those lovely trouble some fountains send forth the drops that are always so near the surface Mrs St George is reflecting Her thoughts have not much reference to Cilla s pleasure or disappoint ment “ It will be a great bore to have to sit and look the other way and I shall be dreadfully d e tr ap but to be seen with Cilla in that hat Then sh e has an inspiration “ Go and get the little black bonnet which Thea — wears to go shopping in put it on as nicely as you ” can and come to me she says “
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Cilla flies to obey When she re enters the room a few minutes later there is a new light in her eyes ; a little smile Her mother positively stares : she has on her lips never dre amed that her ugly duckling could have so much pretension to swa n d om as this She smiles “ When you come out you must always wear a ” bonnet sh e says pleasantly Then she goes towards Cilla and gives her a kiss At this sudden show of affection the fountains are set in motion again ; s o sensitive so swift to receive impressions is the girl s nature the tears are only restrained by Mrs St George saying tartly “ N ow Cilla if you are so absurd you shall ” not go And Cilla with a mighty effort controls her .
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A p air o f long pearl grey gloves a lace fi c hu a parasol all the property o f Dorothea are found for the younger sister and when the party issues from the door the mother happily does not feel any p ang o f shame at being seen with Cilla It is a lovely summer afternoon — sitting under that leafy canopy through which the sun filters watching the brilliant crowd that boasts so m any pretty well dressed women so many good looki n g men Cilla is in a s o rt of ecstacy O h happy people sh e t h in k s who live for e ve r in t h is delici o us v o rte x! -
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She would not have believed that any o f them could be bored or discontented Many o f the men who pass look at her ; some turn to look again and a glow o f rapture goes to her heart in which the desire for love admiration pleasure are the all absorbing p assions A few young men approach Mrs St George and Dorothea and stay to talk for some moments but L ord B e lha ve n s air o f proprietorship h is semi scowl at the intruders soon drives them away O ne or two glance inquiringly at Cilla but Mrs St George does not introduce her to them It is only when a fi ne looking pleasant mannered man who stops b e fore them asks point blank whether Cilla is another daughter that the mother thi nks fit to present her ” “ “ Y es sh e says smiling this is my younger ” girl ; sh e is still in the school room Colonel Lynn pounces upon a chair which a man is j ust vacating and brings it to the other side o f Cilla He begins to talk to her For a moment or two sh e blushes trembles falters a little as she answers his remarks and then a feeling creeps over her as though she has known him all her life ; her embar ra ss m e n t dies away — she is supremely please d and happy A n elderly admirer of Mrs St George j oins the group and monopolises her attention Colonel Lynn who is a gre a t favou rite in society ; who is h onoured .
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acqua intance of all the beauties finds con pleasure in talking to this young girl sid e ra b le The obj e ct o f his life at the present moment is t o win he r eyes to his ; those strange lovely eyes that are like a well which reflects the vault of Heaven and which innocently tell a thousand tales to a man who is well versed in heart lore N aturally he does most o f the talking He gives her terse amusing little biographies o f the people worth notice around them : no one has a cleverer knack o f it than this popular Guardsman ; he m ake s some o f his fair friends die of laughing with his stories But to Cilla he give s the most Bowdlerised version of everything He has a mighty regard like all brave men for innocence ,
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Who is that lady ? Cilla inquires as an elegant looking woman accomp anie d by a cavalier on either side p asses close to them “
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The lady who e xcites Cilla s curiosity gives a grace ful little nod to Colonel Lynn and the tall man ” “ How are you ? on her right throws him a ,
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The Colonel doffs his hat to the lady and ” “ responds How are you Duke ? to her companion “ That is one o f the most charming women in ” “ L ondon he says in answer to Cilla Mrs Beauclerc and the man this side is Duke Ve re ke r Marmaduke V e re ke r : a capital good fellow He is rolling in money and he gives the pleasantest p arties in the ,
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become longer and more frequent Suddenly he remembers Cilla ” “ What is y o u r sister s name ? he as k s ” “ Cilla “ But her real name ? That is only an abbrevia ” tion I suppose ? “ L ucilla ; but we never call her anything e xcept ” Cilla “ What marvellous eyes she h a s ! In a year or ” two she will be beautiful ” “ Cilla be autiful ! and Dorothe a turns and looks at her lover as though a sudden doubt o f his sanity ” “ crosse d her brain My dear L ord Belhaven ! ” “ Don t call me L ord Belhaven he utters with tender reproach ” “ What shall I call you then ? she asks in her pretty caressing voice ” Granville ” “ “ Well then shyly and daintily my dear ” Granville Cilla beautiful ! “ She will never o f course b e a tenth part as ” “ lovely a s you murmurs his lordship tenderly but sh e will have a beauty o f her o wn Y ou will se e that in a year or two men will be madly in love ” with her Dorothea is irritated She is not j ealous Can the orchid be j ealous o f the violet ? “ ” But you know she says with an almost im “ we c o nside r Cilla a p erceptibl e sharpness of t o ne .
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fright That is why we are making her clever —one must be something now a days ; either an heiress or pretty or cl ever Poor dear Mamma is trembling ” already at the thought o f bringing her ou t ” “ I can e asily understand murmurs L ord Bel “ haven that living with anyone so lovely as you ” would make a person very critical about beauty For the moment Dorothea feels happier about her lover s mental condition He however continues “ But a fright ! Why such eyes as hers would ” redeem any face from plainness ” “ Do you admire them ? says Dorothea coldly “ They are strange uncomfortable eyes I think ; they are not like anyone else s They are always re ” i n a c h devouring a n nihilating one r o or p g ” “ Why does she look so unhappy ? “ O h because she is perverse She hates lessons and sh e detests her g overness and there are scenes ” and quarrels and tears all day long ” “ But why in the name of Heaven cries L ord “ Belhaven does your mother keep a governess who m your sister hates ? N othing in this world could be s o hurtful for a sensitive girl o f that age as to have bad feelings continually called into play Why it ” may be the ruin of her ! ” “ It would be all the same whoever it was “ returns Dorothea nonchalantly ; has on e o f sh e those tiresome uncomfortable dispositions And .
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Fr a ulein Steinman is so clever we could never get ” anyone else like her “ What do you call a tiresome uncomfortabl e ” nature ? asks L ord Belhaven Dorothe a looks perplexe d for a moment ” “ It is so difficult to put it into words she says “ I mean a nature that is always in extremes N ow with Cilla you never know how she will take any thing Y ou may make a remark not meaning any thing unkind and she will b e in a flood of tears in a moment and then perhaps j ust when on e is dressed sh e will want to rush at o n e and smother on e with kisses and if you ask her ever so gently n ot to be violent or demonstrative sh e will look at you with those dread ful eyes of hers as though you ” were the most cruel hard hearted wretch alive L ord Belhaven leans b ack in his chair and sighs He knows what the hunger o f the heart is and he is wondering whether this beautiful creature beside him will ever satisfy it “ A sensitive n ature is a great scourge to its ” possessor he says aloud “ Dorothea is on the point o f replying It is a ” great bore for everybody else but she suddenly remembers who her auditor is and in what relation ” “ and replies sweetly Y es sh e stands towards him gives a little fluttering sigh followed by a a nd successfully stifled yawn Passion sentiment romance ! All these things ,
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are a bore in Dorothea s eyes To skim like a butterfly through the b almy air brushing with light wing the surface of the gay hued flowers symbols o f pleasure ease luxury that is the only r ole she cares t o play in life Butterflies are made to delight the eye ; not to give honey Dorothea bends a little forward to see more o f a toilette which has j ust p assed and in doing so catches sight of Colonel Lynn talking with an interested air to Cilla and looking at her with eyes in which approb ation is clearly written “ What a mercy for poo r Mamma if sh e should ” “ turn out decently after all ! she thinks Certainly — I never dreamed she could look so well it is that ” bonne t The crowd is thinning ; it is no longer necessary to make dashes and struggles for chairs — there are half dozens together vacant Generally Speaking D orothea enjoys these Sunday afternoons in the Park ; she is wont to be the centre o f an admiring circle but Lord B e lha v e n s air o f proprietorship has scared other men away to day and the only satis faction to Dorothea is to reflect that she is going to be a Viscountess and that the world will soon know it— it will already have made a shrewd guess on the subj ect no doubt The beauty finds her lover dull company indeed ; but there is consolation in the thought that when he is her husband she will not be obliged to take all this trouble to make c on ,
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versation for him and i f things turn out well pe r haps s he won t have very much o f his society at all L ord Belhaven is to dine with the family o f St George A t the Park gates he leaves them to go to his rooms to dress and Colonel Lynn j oins Dorothe a ” “ “ Well my lady he says gaily I suppose it ” will not be indiscreet to congratulate you Dorothe a gives him o ne of her sweet little smiles ” Thanks she murmurs “ Happy Belhaven ! By Jove ! he is the luckiest ” fellow in all England ! I wish I were he ” “ returns You are much nicer as you are Dorothea with a n a ivel a not altogether unstudied ” But I am not going to marry you says the “ Colonel plaintively Don t ask me to the wedding ” — I shall not come Then she smiles and he smiles and as their ways diverge here they shake hands and part He bids Cilla good bye last “ I shall look forward with impatience to your ” coming ou t he says and the great speaking eyes look into his with unfeigne d gladness and tell him that sh e takes his compliment a u gr a n d s é r z eux And indeed sh e does and repe ats it rapturously to herself thousands of times and it gives her new courage to face her daily martyrdom with Fra ulein Steinman ,
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My own darling ! whisper s Lord B e lha Ye n in a voice full o f passionate tenderness to his betrothe d “ that evening if you knew how divinely happy you ” have made me ! ” “ If you knew how intensely you are boring me ! thinks Dorothea but sh e smiles sweetly at him When the clock strikes the half hour after ten he says reluctantly ” “ I suppose I ought to be going But he looks almost pleadingly at her hoping sh e will give him a little more grace ” “ I am afraid poor dear Mamma is rather tired replies Dorothea We must think of her must we not ? ” Dear darling mother ! she is so go od and so unselfish L ord Belhaven is amongst the very few of his sex who can lay claim to the virtue j ust mentioned Even as sh e speaks he rises and prepares to go ” “ My sweet love he says bending over her “ tell me that you do care a little bit for me I am I know I am a plain awkward no t worthy o f it ” fellow but with a humility that is almost touching “ Titania liked Bottom or thought she did for the ” time D orothea is not untruthful by nature but there are cases when falsehood is a positive almost in deed a sacred duty ” “ O f course I care for you valiantly sh e says repressing the irritation and disgust she feels at the imprisonment in which he is holding her My L o d a n d My L ady 1 3 ”
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Parting may b e sweet sorrow to his lordsh ip but it is an intense relie f to Dorothea ” “ Thank Heaven ! she cries with a mighty S igh when the hall door closes upon her R omeo and she and her mother are alone in the dining room “ Mamma I must positively marry him soon and get it over This courtship will be the death o f me I — never S pent such a long day in my life not even a It has been forty eight w e t day at the seaside ” hours long ” “ My poor darling ! ej aculate s her mother look ing at this Virgin Martyr with the deepest com miseration “ “ ” Y es says Dorothea he is in a great hurry to be married and it will be a great com fort to get it o ver L et me s e e ! This is the second week in June If he presses it very much we mig h t be married the last week in July and we could go abroad for two or three weeks and be up at his S cotch pl ace the end o f August He must have a man or two there ; he can t S hoot all by himself ! T o morrow a fternoon he wishes to drive me o u t and we are to go to the play in the evening ; so the first thing after breakfast we ll go off a n d order my I S hall have the coronet on everything I linger ie ‘ suppose on e can trust to the o ne in L o d ge So stupid ; he never has it o n his writing paper Ah ! ” wait till I am L ady Belhaven “ Would you order y o u r trou sseau quite so soon “
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to do ; to marry a man I don t care two straws about ; who is i f anything rather repulsive to me ! I am afraid dear you have rather a rough time b e fore you How dre ad ful these sensation al untame able romantic n ature s are O ne might as well let R e d Indians ! ulus or wild beasts loose upon society How did you ever come to have such a daughter ” my poor dear mother ? ” “ She is the image of her father sighs Mrs St “ George O f course yo u don t remember very much ” about him Y ou were only s ix when he died ” “ Why did you marry him ? asks Dorothea “ He wasn t rich and I am sure if he was like Cilla ” he couldn t have been pleasant “ It doe s not matter so much about a man being ” “ strange answers her mother And you kno w whe n I marrie d him he was heir presumptive to his horrid old uncle who at seventy married his housekeeper and had the audacity to have two ” children ” “ The abandoned O ld wretch ! says Dorothe a “ with an air o f disgust Then was Pap a always ” blazing out like a volcano ? “ V ery often But that wa s better than when he took a silent and reproachful fit His eyes were like Cilla s and he used to loo k at me in a way that made me feel the greatest wretch on earth without in the least knowing why I shall never for get one day He wa s very clever you know and ,
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wrote poetry and that sort o f thing I hate poetry ” myself ” “ — interrupts Dorothe a S O do I loathe it “ Well it was o ne day after lunch — a very warm afternoon and we were S itting out in the garden under the trees Y our poor fa ther took a great roll o f paper from his pocket a n d began to read So j ust for the sake o f being civil I asked what it was and he told me it was his n e w poem and offered to read me some of it I al w ays feel drowsy after lunch in war m weather and the poetry had a very soothing effect S O I went off into the most beautiful S leep you can imagine When I woke he was gone and I don t thin k he Spoke to me for three days ” afterwards ” “ “ O h Heaven ! cries Dorothe a I hope and trust Belhaven doesn t write poetry N ow dearest mother do try to be a little earlier to morro w and directly a z r e efly after breakfast we will go to Jane ” Hemstitch s .
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MRS S T GE O R GE would have felt e xcessively in .
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j ured and indignant had anyone taxe d her with cruelty to or neglect o f her younger daughter She believed that S he w a s doing the best for her and even making considerable sacrifices o n her account It would have been far pleasanter for D orothe a and herself if Cilla ha d been away at school — a gover ness in the house w a s a n uisance but then girls seldom learn anything at school and most men have a rooted obj e ction to girls schools and infinitely prefer that the wife they select S hould have been educated at home and kept under the affectionate watch fulness o f a mother s eye Y ears ago Mrs St George had settled in her own mind that Cilla s personal charms would be o f but a poor order and that mental ones must be carefully cultivated in her When one has thoroughly m a de up one s mind on a subj ect it takes a great deal to change it Mrs St George s idea o f be auty w a s fulfille d in her lovely Dorothe a — regular features a perfect Skin a rich S hade o f golden hair Then Dorothea had a placid disposition and a temper not easily ruffled both which good things S he inherited from her mother whom she gre atly resembled Th e .
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display of any violent emotion was distasteful and repugnant to b oth— they had as great a horror of a ” “ scene as any man They respected Cilla s u n doubted talent — they thankfully admitted that she was clever ; but they thought her April like dis position odious and regarde d her as a nuisance They could se e no beauty in the eyes that were destined later to call forth so much admiration from the other sex nor were they the least conscious of the native grace elegance refinement which the smallest cultivation would have brought to perfection in her The very first time they had indulged in the most faintly favourable hopes of her wa s on this Sunday afternoon and even then it wa s the bonnet which had most of the credit Cilla s life was a martyrdom She had a devour ing thirst for pleasure love happiness ; and S he lived a life o f repression o f misery of dull hate ful wearisome routine Her governess wa s a person utterly unfit to be in authority over young people and to a nature like Cilla s high spirited p assionate sensitive she was like an iron fetter eating into the flesh She was over bearing— she had the brusque b ad manner which distinguishes some of her com p atriots ; S he ate like a pig ; many o f her habits were disgusting and Cilla had the most refined in stinc ts inherited from her father The Fr a ulein had a yellow p archment like skin and the lightest blue eyes To add to her other ‘
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horrors she had villanous breath and poor Cilla would S it beside her compelled to read out of the same book writhing in an agony o f S ickening dis gust til l sometimes S he would have to rush from the room and give vent to her loathing and disgust in the solitude of her o wn chamber Cilla who was the brightest most intelligent cre ature in the world and who would have adored learning for its own sake hated it because o f her instructress S he would not e xert her intellect ; S he even feigned stupidity from S heer ex asperation Her music lesson was a daily torture S he h ad the finest e ar the sweetest voice the greatest natural taste for music but she found readi n g from notes a severe effort and her tormentor always chose for her the hardest pieces to read and those most utterly desti tute o f tune lest her quick ear should catch it She w a s not permitte d to what the Fr a ulein called strum n or to reproduce on the piano from memory the to her delicious strains o f waltzes and popular airs which S he heard in the streets on b ands or organs She was a devoure r of novels ; she had an ab sorbing p assion for romance ; and her governess kindly entre ate d that a ll such reading might be kept out of her way lest it should distract her from her lessons But I am thankful to record that there w a s a good natured housemaid who be friended the u n happy tormented child and who smuggled the ,
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library books from the drawing room and hid them under the m attress o f Cilla s bed Morning noon and n ight w a s Cilla chained to her monster hate ful as Frankenstein s : S he break fasted learned walked dined in her detested com p any whilst her mother and sister charmingly dressed took their pleasure a broad or received visitors and amused themselves at home Some times rarely now Cilla in desperation flew to her mother but the result was invariable She was severely rebuked ; her naughtiness evil disposition and unamiable temper blamed and the Fraulein s discipline and authority uphe ld And this starving little heart w a s crying piteously for bread and the mother offered it a stone with the best and most upright intentions in the world ! Mothers a word to you If you allow your children j ust at the most sensitive period o f their lives to be condemned to the tyranny and com i n sh ip of a person whom they abhor and a n o w h o p i s repulsive to them yo u are committing a cruelty a downright sin which no efforts nor sacrifices that m a y make in after life can repair R ather let o u y your children grow up dunces than have their angry passions their resentment fostered Make them happy ; n ot by indulging their caprices but by encouraging all that is good kind amiable affectionate gener ou s in th em and by avoiding as much as possible anythin g that can prov oke Opposition or anger in -
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their breasts Show t h em how blessed a thing is love and kindness and how more to be desire d than everything in the world is the amiable disposi tion the u n se lfi shne ss that e arns us the good will of ou r fellow men ! Cilla w ho cared o f all things to love and to be loved wa s condemned to hate and to b e unamiable ; to su ffer one o f the worst o f human p angs disgust and anger against hersel f Sometimes Mrs St George and D orothea when they had been inconvenience d by one o f Cilla s ou t bursts o f p assion and despair discussed the pro i r e t of looking out for a fresh governess but they ; p y invariably came to the conclusion that it would be a great nuisance to change and that there w a s no chance o f ever getting so clever a person again at such a moderate salary N ow that D orothe a was to be m arried Mrs St George began to weave fresh plans She would take Cilla somewhere for a month whilst Fra ulein Steinmann had her holiday ; after that she would le ave them at home in L ondon together for two or three months a n d go about visiti n g her friends When she returned towards th e winter she would dismiss the governess because she did not wish to be trouble d with her constant presence as S he really was not a nice person to have about one and Cilla should have masters and be gradually made pre se nta b le under her mother s eye S h e was j ust S ix .
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ness were p artaking of the lukewarm remains of the rep ast prep ared in his lordship s honour “ L ord Belhaven wants to se e you Cilla Have ” you not finished your dinner ? ( i t w a s only con v e ye d to them by the housemaid about five minutes “ a go or eat There you can leave your puddi ng ! ) it a fterwards ; go and make yourself look decent ” for He aven s sake ! Cill a obeys and a few m inutes later enters the drawi ng room where L ord Belhaven is standing alone ; occupied in the absence o f his belove d in worshippi n g be fore Downey s last counterfeit pre se n tm e nt o f her ” “ How do you do L ord Belhaven ? She says shyly but not awkwardly nor ungrace fully and S he fixe s her deep eyes on him in an earnest manner a s is her wont when s he addresses anyone ” “ How do you do my dear ? says the you n g “ man taking her hand very kindly I am going to b e your brother and you must not call me L ord Belhaven but Granville And when I am your bro ” “ ther his eyes S hining with happiness you must come to us very often and there S hall be no gover ” ness no lessons — we will all be awfully happy He see s now how beautiful those eyes can look when they are lighted by happiness ; he is drawn towards her and she to him by some strong bond o f sympathy —the desire perhaps that e ach h a s for love and k i nd ne ss ’
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I have brought you somethin g he continues and takes a l ittle case from his pocket ” “ Oh ! says Cilla drawing a deep breath and blushing with pleasure and expectation She opens the case and finds a lovely ring of pearls and dia monds Then those large eyes are hidden by a sudden mist ; her lips quiver sh e trembles Her gratitude her pleasure are so intense as to be almost pain ” “ How kind o f you ! she utters in a voice full of ” “ emotion I don t know how to thank you ” “ Y ou thank me enough by being pleased L ord “ Belhaven says very kindly and you must always ” wear it for my sake and think of me And he kisses her S lim hand with a gallantry unusual to him because he is o f a shy disposition ” “ We shall be the greatest friends I know Here Dorothea comes in and Cilla S hows her the ring with ecstasy and the b eauty says sweetly “ How kind of you Granville ! B ut you are always ” and that so good and thoughtful for everybody little compliment and the smi le which accompanies it bears immediate fruit which comes to Dorothea the same night in a p air of S ingle stone brilliant ear rings S he had said a trifle pettishly to her mother, at dinner that she hoped Granville was not going to turn the child s head by making a ridiculous fuss over her but when the ear rings came she felt how “
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wise S he had been to smile at him and l o ok pleasant a nd symp athetic about her sister — what though the A S for Cilla she was radiant Fr a ulein s temper was unusually vile to day ! the girl was incap able o f resentment She exhibited the ri n g to the friendly housemaid then to the lady s maid ; she called the cook to the top o f the stairs to look at it and finally S he darte d up to the attic where a deaf old workwoman was engage d on some o f the humbler portion o f D oroth e a s trousseau This old seamstress was Cilla s safety valve It was to her the girl carried her woes her grie fs her p as sions her tales of horror and hatred o f her gover ness She was generally at work in the house help ing the maid who had almost enough to do in waiting upon her fashionable mistresses And though S he w a s only a poor little ignorant old woman about four fee t and a hal f high with toothless old gums a wart on one eyelid and a back bent nearly double from sewing S he had a tender sympathising heart and took a never faili n g interest in C illa S woes and tribulations It w a s somewhat of a dra w back that S he was as d eaf a s a post but a means Cilla w a s found o f diminishing this inconvenience took a slate and pencil with her on which she wrote with a h asty hand the cruelties o f her tormentor Indignation often made her writing a trifle illegible and the old lady was not much o f a scholar and with di ffi culty mumbled the words off the S late ,
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nodding her head symp athetically and crying shame o n the Fr a ulein Sometimes S he made a great muddle o f the pencilled n arrative ; then Cilla too impatient to wait would go on her knees and Shout into her friend s ear with one eye on the door in expecta tion of seeing the enemy appear Sympathy w a s all she wanted and she got it in full me asure up in this attic a mon gst shreds o f fi ne ry from the poor humble little soul whose life had been hard enough and who could yet be cheerful and thank God for all his mercies Cilla was comforted to know from her friend that she had the sympathy and com miseration o f maid housemaid cook and footman who all voted it a Shame that She S hould be tied to ” “ her lessons and that horrid old F ra wlin e whom they too hated In return for Mrs Pearce s complaisance Cilla would listen with the friendliest interest to her talk about her grand ch ildren ; her eulogies of them and her strictures upon Maria her daughter in law who S pent her earnings and treated her with harshness and disrespect Cilla had heard these stories many and ma ny a time but sh e continued to go throu gh a pantomime expressive o f surprise sympathy horror indi gnation at each repetition Cilla was quite aware that there was a good deal o f sameness about her o wn talk The wedding wa s fi xe d for the third week in ,
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July and Cilla w a s anticip ating with considerab le rapture the ceremony in which she was to assist as bridesmaid in company with the L adie s Mabel and Muriel Eton cousins of the bridegroom and three young l adies picke d from the most sele ct o f Miss St George s acquaintance Cilla loved fine apparel ; it was no fault of hers p oor child that she wa s dowdy and unbecomingly dressed and wore fright ful hats which conce ale d the best p art o f her face And o n the wedding day dressed in p alest blue with much soft lace artificial te a roses in her bonnet and a bouquet o f real ones in her hand Colonel Lynn who w a s present in spite of his words to Dorothea pronounced her charming and several others amongst the wedding guests echoed his ver dict “ I did not even know Mrs St George had a n ” other girl s aid a mother of two plain daughters d iscontentedly to a sister chaperon ” “ N or I replie d the other cheerfully because her daughter was j ust about to contract a desirable “ n match uite a nice looki g girl too though o f ! ” course nothing like the bride ” “ I never like those gre at eyes said the first ” “ spe aker I e xpect she has a very bad temper Cilla s temper however underwent a consider able i mprovement in the weeks following her sister s marriage Mrs St George was very lonely without her d arling D orothe a and took Cilla out frequentl y ,
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with her for company There was scarcely anyone left in town The girl was no lo nger S habby and unbecomingly dressed : S he too had her trousseau having come into the inheritance o f Dorothea s handsome wardrobe The beginni n g o f August S he went for a month to Ryde with her mother and S pent in that rather dull watering place so delightful a time that sh e ever after looked upon it as a Para dise Her mother w a s astonishe d at the change in her ; the gray feathers of the cygnet were rapidly moulting and the beautiful white plumage of the swan beginning to Show She could never neve r Mrs St George told herself take the place of her darling Dorothea whose thoughts and ideas were moulded ex actly o n the p attern of her own but still S he would be better a great deal better than no thing She tried to instil a few worldly wise maxims into Cilla ; then as the girl looked at her with those great pure eyes listening in silence respectful but evidently not symp athetic the mother had a sort o f sh amed uncomfortable feeling as though her maxims were sordid and shabby inste ad of prudent and golden as Dorothea had found them Cilla was what is called romantic ; there was only one god in the Mythology for her that w a s Eros Croe sus wa s an ogre a monster ; and money to her unpractical young thoughts o f no more account than the yellow le aves before Midas transmuted them to gold At Ryde Cilla for the first time made friends My L o d a nd My L ady 1 4 .
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with the se a that was in the future to give some o f the happiest hours to her life Two or three of her mother s acquaintances had yachts here and took Cilla out with them Mrs St George w a s a poor sailor and declined e xcursions for hersel f unless the B ut Cilla who fortunately s e a w a s like a mill pond was n ot a victim to the most horrid sensation im loved to cut through the dashing waves a gin a b le and to feel the salt spray and the gallant winds — striking her face and blowing back her hair it gave her a sense o f power of grandeur of satis fa ction She w a s m ade a u f a il too of the little gal la ntrie S and fl a tte rie s of men o f the world and their pleasant S peeches and attentions filled her hungry soul with keen delight To have been a s a d sor and to be turned i nto row ful ugly tormented child a charming considered young woman was to her a wonderful delightful metamorphosis indeed She had thought the world a miserable place ; S he had held very pessimist views in her s a d young heart and now it was a rose garden vaulted by an ever blue sky where everyone w a s young and beautiful and happy Sometimes the thought crept over her like a nightmare that she would have to leave this Paradise and return to her tormentor Her mother was going first to Scotland to Visit L ady Belhaven and Cilla was to be le ft alone with Fr a ulein Stein man L ord B elh a ve n h ad begged very hard that .
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did possibilities in front o f her ! Mrs St George si ghed and owne d that Providence w a s good and sometimes rewarded virtuous mothers Cilla who at the present moment asked no th ing more than a lay figure round which to wrap and fold the gre at m antle o f her love began to adore her mother and having the most forgiving the least m alice bearing disposition in the world forgot that S he had been treated with neglect and harshness and wa s content that all the p ast should be blotte d ou t in present love an d kindness Time spe d on with cruel swiftness It was a l re ady the eve o f their dep arture from Ryde Mrs St George had spent a dull month and was eager to join her lovely Viscountess in Scotland but poor Cilla was in despair and j ust b efore going to be d o n that melancholy last night gave w a y to one of her p assionate outbursts o f crying Her mother w a s annoyed ; Cilla s tears so far from softening her he art had an irritating effect up o n it ” “ My dear Cilla she said in a cold aggrieved “ I thought w e had done with all these voice ” scenes ” “ O h my darling mother ! cried the poor child “ convulsed with sobs I cannot bear the thought o f your leaving me I have been so happy and n ow I am going back to that dreadful woman wh o always makes me feel angry and ill tempered a nd unhappy ” .
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You should n ot give way to your evil tempers remarked Mrs St George severely ” “ O h Mamma Mamma ! wept Cilla I don t think I am really ill tempered : I have never felt ” cross once in the last month Mrs St George answered coldly “ I suppose even the most unamiable person in the world cannot give way to temper with absolutely no provocation Fra ulein Steinman is a very clever — person you would never have got on with a gover ness if she had been an angel from Heaven And remember it depends entirely on how your studies ” progress whether S h e leaves in N ovember And Cilla thirsting for a caress and a fe w kind word s went uncomforted to bed “
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was on a gloomy drizzling day the first week in September that Cilla returned to town with her mother The Fr a ulein had arrived before them and the girl s heart sank like lead into the se a as S he beheld the detested face and felt the hateful touch o f her tormentor s hand once more Two days later Mrs St George was to start by the night mail for Scotland and sh e had so much to arrange in the meantime that Cilla onl y s a w her for a few mo me rits in the day ,
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The poor child had m ade grand resolution s ; she meant to work ; sh e me ant to control her temper ; sh e meant to take life calmly and not to allow her self to be irritated but the wound which had been healing all this last month broke ou t afresh the mo ment the iron was replaced It is no use ; if two n atures are thoroughly unsympathetic the moment they are brought into contact irritation and ill feel ing are bound to ensue It w a s the se cond afternoon following Cilla s return home and she w a s seated at her lessons in the little third room o f which the door happene d to be aj ar The Fr a ule i n was in a fiendish humour Mrs St George had calle d her aside after luncheon and requested that she would not be too strict with Cilla in her absence and that sh e would allow her to play on the drawi n g room piano as often as S he pleased and after her own fashion Cilla was feeling weary and oppressed The e arly afternoon is an abominably bad time to study She had gone through a long hard morning s work an d after the freedom the indolence and the fresh breath O f the sea this small stu ffy room giving o n the wall o f another house and the continued strain on her mind were intolerably O ppressive Suddenly there wa s a knock at the door Cilla pricked up her ears The servant answered it and sh e heard a cheery voice sh e knew asking for Mrs St George ,
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It was Colonel Lynn , and , as the servant
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in the a ffirmative he came in Cilla flew to the door and peeped through the little opening ” “ Cilla what are you doing there ! cries the Fr a ulein in an irate voice but her pupil heeds her ” “ not Come away from the door directly ! shrieks “ the Fr a ulein Still Cilla lingers Sit down this ” instant ! screams her governess still louder whilst scintillations o f wrath gleam from her light blue eyes “ I am tired — I ca m eo! work this afternoon says ” “ Cilla returning to her seat I want air ” Such laziness ! mutters the German glaring at ” “ her That comes o f long holidays Cilla is on tenter hooks She thinks hopes agonisingly desires that her mother may send for her The long minutes crawl on broken only by the go a d ings o f her governess and then Colonel Lynn s step is heard descending the stairs and his cheery voice uttering parting words ” “ R emember me to Miss Cilla he is saying “ Tell her how awfully disappointed I am not to see her And my kindest regards to L ady Belhaven It is very hard lines to lose my shooting this year but we poor soldiers He finishes his sentence with a laugh and goes When the door has closed upon him C i lla presses her hands to her face and a couple of tears ooze through her fingers swe re d
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That is pretty cries the Fr a ulein sardonically ; ” “ so maidenly s o modest to cry after a gentleman And to distract her pupil s thoughts sh e im mediately gives her a difficult piece of Ge rman grammar to study ,
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The days went by Mrs St George had j oyfully departed for Scotland and Cilla was le ft alone in prison to the tender mercies o f her gaoler The thraldom w a s more cruel than ever for her old friend the work woman had departed her occup a tion being gone with D orothea ; the good nature d housemaid had married there were no library books to read and the girl s sole amusement and resource was the piano on which she infuriated the Fr a ulein ” “ by strummi n g as that lady called it The poor child tried to buoy hersel f up with the thought of her coming freedom but December was such a long long way o ff and Mrs St George afraid to give the governess her three months conge in person had de ferred making the announcement to her until she could do s o by letter When the Fr a ulein received the intimation her temper became more unbe arable than ever and Cilla began to cast about in her mind whether she would ope nly revolt run away or drown herself in the Serpentine L ittle did S he dre a m how near was her emancipation nor by what terrible means it was to be e ffected O ne e venin g s ome thre e wee ks a fter he r m oth e r s .
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departure she was sitti ng at the piano in the back drawing room singing melancholy little songs to her self; songs in harmony with her ow n mental d e pre s sion and dismal thoughts of life Her surrounding s were eminently suggestive o f gloom : the furniture w a s shrouded in holland the large pieces covered with old sheets looking p articularly ghostly O ne candle alone illumined the darkness and every now and then an uncomfortable nervous sensation would creep over Cilla who was somewhat given to vague terrors ,
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All at once the door O pened with startling sud Cilla j umped up with d e nn e ss and a man entered a little shriek more frightened than ever when she recognised Lord Belhaven His face w a s grave and anxious : in an instant she divined that something w a s wrong ” “ What is it ? Mamma ? and her terrified eyes looked wildly at him He stooped a n d kissed her cheek with a tender ness that confirmed her worst suspicions ” “ My poor little girl ! and he drew her to the “ sofa I have some bad news for you Your poor ” mother is very ill Cilla s a t staring at him with a white scared face full o f terrible anticipations He had taken on e o f her hands and was stroking it kindly feeling a s wret ched a s a goo d hearted ma n a lway s d oe s a t ,
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b eing the bearer of evil tidings But he summoned up courage and went on “ She had been suffering from neuralgia and two days ago w e had the doctor to her He sent her a medicine and a lotion and did not take the precaution to put the two things in different coloured ‘ bottles n or even to label o n e poison and — and in the night she took the wrong on e by m istake Everything was done that could be done but we fear Cilla had snatched her hand from him and flung hersel f upon her knees ” “ O h God ! she cr i ed with an agony of intensity ” “ Save poor Mamma ! Save poor Mamma ! And she clasped her hands together and gazed u pwards as thoug h her eyes could pierce the ceiling to the vault o f Heaven L ord B e lh a ve n s mouth worked ; a dimness came be fore his eyes Then he drew Cilla gently back to her place beside him and murmured ” “ My poor d ear little child ; it is too l ate Then Cilla understood him and trembling she gasped out ” O h ! what shall I do ? What shall I do ? A blinding rain o f tears fell from her eyes ; her slight frame was convulsed with sobs and L ord Belhaven laid her head against his shoulder and stroked her hair and soothe d her with kind tender words a s though he had in very dee d been her .
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You w ill come to morrow ?
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Y ou promise ? And he promised with unmista k able sincerity Cilla lay awake half the night wondering what was to become of her T he future was a terrible blank She dared not hO pe that Dorothe a would take her Would sh e be sent to school ? Then her “ thoughts reverted to her mother Poor dear Mamma ! ” Poor poor Mamma ! and her sobs burst out afresh The tenderest fondest mother could not have been lamented with more heart felt grie f Mrs St George s remains were to b e brought from Scotl and and buried beside her husb and in K ensal Green Every day L ord Belhaven came once or twice to s e e Cilla and each time he found her whiter more woe begone Her face haunted him She had not had courage yet to speak to him of the future “
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It was the eveni n g
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the funeral : on the morrow he was to return to Scotland and he came to s e e her for the last time He too had been exercise d in his mind about this poor p ale sorrowful child He had had pl a ns a n d ideas about her but they had been over ruled by Dorothe a As she advanced to meet him in ber deep mourning her face whiter more sorrowful ; her eyes larger more intense than ever it struck him that it w a s a positive brutality to leave her with no one but a cross grained u n sy mpa thetic German whom h e k n e w she disli k e d ,
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But the ch ild had made up her mind to speak and as he sa t beside her on the sofa S he broke ou t suddenly ” “ O h Granville what is to become of m e ! L ord B e lha v e n s answer was on his lips when he “ remembered Dorothe a s inj unctions S he m u st go on with her governess till Christmas I can t have that woman in my house ; they can go on living to gether for the present and after Christmas the ” furniture will be sold and the house let L ord Belhaven braced himself up to speak very much against his inclination ” “ “ My dear child he said you are so young only sixteen and a half you know you must go on studying a little longer Dorothea thinks that is we think if you would j ust go on as you are till Christmas Then with a sudden movement Cilla flung her self on her knees be fore him “ O h Granville I implore you don t leave me with her ! I cannot bear it I would rather die O h ! if you knew the torture my life is with her you would not condemn me to it ! O h have pity ” upon me ! have pity upon me ! There was such terrible p athos in her voice such eloquence in her streaming eyes that L ord B e lh a v e n s mind was made up in an instant He “ idolised Dorothea but great God ! one has a he a rt ” in one s body ! he said to himself later when a ,
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misgiving about his prudence in going against his wife s wishes crosse d his mind ” “ Say no m ore my child ! he said lifting her ” “ “ — up you and D awson (her mother s maid ) go to Scotland with me to morrow I will se e the Fra u ” lein and give her her congé Cilla was almost frightened ” “ “ Oh ! she stammere d what will Dorothea ’
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She is your S ister he replied and she will ” receive you with Open arms In his heart of he arts he was not quite so posi tive on that score ” “ he continued in his cheeriest G o my dear “ voice make all your a rrangements and a sk Miss Steinman to be so good as to come here and S peak ” to me or if she prefers it I will go to her L ord Belhaven p assed rather a m a u va z s qu a r t d lz e u r e with the governess who was furious and did all sh e could to Oppose him Mrs St Ge o rge — i t would not have wished L ady Belhaven did not wish it—she had received that morning a letter from her l adyship containing her views ab out Cilla s immediate future L ord Belhaven replie d that when he had e x plained matters to her ladyship he w a s certain that and that sh e would approve o f what he had done his decision w a s irrevocable T he Fr a ulein considered h e rself grossly ill “
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tre ated —to be turned away after long and valuable services like a dog L ord Belhaven assured her that on the contrary every consideration S hould be paid to her comfort and convenience — that she could remain in the house until she had provided herself with another abode and that pecuniarily she should not in any way be a loser He was polite but determined ; the governess w a s so irate that S he exhibite d frankly to him the charming disposition with which S he w a s gifted and when he left the house he said to himself over and over agai n “ Thank God I decided to take the child away from that fiend ! I should have been the most in ” fe rn a l brute alive t o leave her N ext day he and Cilla and D awson who had performed prodigies in the way o f packing were speeding to the N orth Lord Belhaven had tele “ graphed to his wife Cilla is coming with me ” When you hear all you will know I was right Her ladyship as it happened w a s anything but pleased by the receipt o f this intelligence and her lovely face puckered into a very decided frown “ What on earth am I going to do with that u n ” comfortable child ? she said to hersel f pettishly “ I hope sh e will not be making scenes here If sh e ” does I shall p ack her o ff to school B ut after he r first feeling o f irrit a ti on had sub .
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sided being naturally o f a placid and e asy going disposition S he made the best o f it “ S he and Bel can enj oy their highfl own ideas ” “ together S he reflected After all Cilla may be very useful in taking him off when he bores me Perhaps he will find her sympathetic All your tire some people who can t be like the rest o f the world ” want sympathy I hate the Very word So Dorothe a decided to m ake the best o f it and as sh e never S howe d temper nor unamiable feeling S he received Cilla in a pretty sisterly way although S he w a s horribly bore d by the girl flinging herself o n her neck and bursting into tears called forth by the divide d emotions of grie f and j oy L ord Belhaven was in such a state of rapture at seeing his darling again that he almost forgot Cilla and everything else Her ladyship found it convenient to check his extravagant demonstrations by saying gently “ It seems he artless with poor de ar Mamma only ” j ust dead to allow ourselves to be happy and her husband sadly and reluctantly respecte d the sorrow which animated her reproof ” “ “ I wonder thought Dorothea what would happen if two volcanoes like Bel and Cilla came to gether ? There would be only smoke and ashes left ” I suppose and she smiled to herself at her own humour S he had left off calling her husband Granville -
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It is such a mouthful she said and I can t call y ou Granny I shall s a y Bel as all your men ‘ friends do They won t be able to call us Bel and ” the Dragon will they ? When the exuberance of L ord B e lha ve n s joy at being reunited with his darling had been tempered by her gentle melancholy he remembered Cilla ” “ It would have been a positive crime he sa i d “ to leave the poor child with that detestable woman ” She is the most unsympathetic woman I ever s a w Dorothe a smothered a yawn The word sym p athy invariably produced that unpleasant affection o f the j aws with her ” “ Upon my soul ! he proceeded with warmth “ I cannot conceive how she ever stood the life so long I wonder your poor mother “ O h please don t s a y a word against poor dear ” “ Mamma ! interrupted Dorothe a I could not bear it Whatever S he did was always meant for the ” best ” “ “ My darling love ! cried L ord Belhaven I would not blame her for the world now she is gone poor soul O nly I don t think people sufficiently ” appreciate the importance of sympathy (Dorothea “ yawns again) in our relations wit h those about us C i lla with her intensely sensitive organisation “ Y ou will be better able to j udge o f Cilla when you have spent a few weeks under the same roof ” with her interrupted her ladyship with some dry My L o d a nd My L ady 1 5 “
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ness She is not so easy to manage as you seem to think And what is to become o f her education ? She is only S ixteen and a half I hO p e my de ar Bel you do not propose my saddling myself with a ” governess and setting up a school room ? ” “ My own sweet love ! said L ord Belhaven j ust “ a little bit f r oz ss e by her tone do you think I would do anything in this world that could ve x or inconvenience you ? And though Cilla is s o young it is amazing what sh e knows She S peaks French and German perfectly ; S he plays and S ings divinely — in fact ” “ In fact S he is quite a p aragon remarked Dorothe a sweetly “ She can have masters when S he has a chance and S he and I might study a little together I know ” S he could teach me heaps of thi n gs ” “ “ Ah ! said D orothe a looki n g bored that will b e delightful Y ou will be able to work o ff some I hope o f your exuberant vitali ty upon e ach other ” two wise people won t make me feel too foolish o u y ” “ D orothe a ! B ut as the reader will h ardly b e intereste d to hear the extravagant laudations o f an enamoure d husband he shall be spare d L ord B e lha ve n s fur ther remarks The days went on and Cill a s a ltered experiences and mode of life made a new creat u re o f her N o sister w a s ever more devoted to broth er than she .
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talent for reciting and le arne d her favourite poems by heart When Dorothea as was often the case was not inclined to accompany her husband in his drives and walks on non S hooting days Cilla took her place and though Belhaven was too much in love not to have desired the company o f Dorothea in pre ference the e x cursions made with Cilla were really pro d u c tive of more pleasure to him in the end D orothe a smiled sweetly at him but she had not much to s a y; sh e did not care a straw for nature and he felt th at sh e w a s bored : a cruel feeling to e xperience in the society of one s heart s beloved In the evening Cilla pl ayed and sang and Belhaven s a t at his beautiful wife s feet and looked into her eyes with the rapture born of his p assion and Cilla s p athetic music and felt more near to being divinely happy than he had ever done in his life If the same woman could have cre ated the sentiment and the passion it would have been He aven at once ; but even in his most adoring moments Belhaven could not help re alising that the charms of his exquisite wife were o f the person and not the mind Dorothea was agreeably surprised at the change in her S ister There were no scenes or storms n ow Cilla s great desire seeme d to be to please and to be kind to everyone N othin g however astonished L ady Belhaven so much as the alteration in her appearance D awson (the maid) took a gre at in ,
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in her young lady and in making the best o f her and Cilla having the ke e n love of approbation which is born in every sympathetic woman was only too glad to lend herself to D awson s laudable efforts ” “ R eally said Dorothea with great emphasis to “ her husband I could not have believed Cilla would turn out so well I think she will be almost ” pretty ” “ She will be more than pretty answered Lord “ Belhaven ; she will be charming More than o ne ” man s heart will ache for her s ake I hO pe to God “ with great earnestness that sh e will take a fancy to some good fellow who will understand and be ” able to sympathise with her ” “ “ I hope returned Dorothe a lightly that S he ” will make a good match He turned suddenly towards her “ Did you marry me because you loved me or ” because I was a good match ? he said a n d then before She could answer he stopped her lips with a ‘ “ p assionate kiss and crying N o no don t answer ” me ! dashed from the room ” “ O h these volcanoes ! murmure d Dorothea wearily And then S he proceeded to run over in he r mind the men o f her acquaintance who were eli gible as pa r k s for Cilla te re st
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0 7
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is a N ovember afternoon O utside all is chill and dark but in this roo m to which I bring the reader there is comfort warmth luxury The fi re light alone illumines it but the logs in the wide chimney are sending forth such bright fierce flames that you can se e into every corner The p anelling the chimney piece are of dark carve d oak ; there is one large latticed window across which the heavy velve t draperies have not yet been drawn O n the wall are many pictures whose frames look bright in the cheerful blaze though their subj ects for the most p art can only be guesse d at There are a few m assive pieces of furniture old inhabitants evidently and then to tell the stranger who glance s in that women live here there are dainty occasional tables satin o n which are set glasses filled with flowers and lace work baskets library books and near the fire a semi grand piano standing open The room — is tenantless so thinks a man who looks in at the hal f open door but another glance shows him a picture which he finds so attractive that he remains to take a longer vie w o f it A slight girlish form is buried in a vast arm chair in o ne chimney corner her dress and the velvet of the chair are so dark IT
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that only her p ale oval face and two very white taper little hands come into relie f ,
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Until he can make up his mind whether to a d vance or retreat the stranger continues to look at the unconscious occupant of the big chair She is gazing dreamily into the fire and he remarks that and that she s he has very large and beautiful eyes is not at all like most girls p articularly the young ladies of fashion who are his acquaintances ,
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Marmaduke V e re ke r the man who stands in the door w ay is not good at analysing sensations nor does he ever trouble himself to attempt so l aborious a mental effort — he only knows or cares to know that this slender figure interests him even at first sight : an extremely rare occurrence on e which has indeed as far as he kno ws only happened to him once be fore in his life and then with the most serious and lasting results ,
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The unexplained magnetic attraction which draws the eyes sooner or later o f the gazed upon to the gazer causes Cilla deep as she is in reverie to turn her eyes towards the door and behold a very big manly form looming there S he gives a little c ry of terror for S he is o f a highly nervous disposition being one o f those who fearless in actual danger are ready to die of agony at an unexplained noise or sudden apparition This cry and the momentary look of fear in the girl s ,
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startled eyes bring Mr Ve re ke r into the room in a hurry and he come s straight up to her and says ” “ I frightened you H ow awfully sorry I am ! B ut Cilla has graspe d the S ituation even be fore he reache s her and rising her face bedecke d with a b eautiful blush she says ” “ I did not hear your step You are Mr V e re ke r With this she o ffers her small hand to his ready clasp and looks up at him What she see s is eminently agree able It is a gentleman distinctly a gentleman o f six feet two in height whose breadth does j ustice to his stature ; a ve ry pleasant face with blue eyes a big nose and a mouth which if not curved like Cupid s b o w has two rows o f white teeth that are even m ore important to good looks He is not perhap s hand some ; he is a fine man and what women call a n ice looking man His age may b e about two or thre e and thirty These details Cilla masters at a glance whilst he with his duller senses h a s by no means taken a thorough inventory o f her but has only arrived at the conclusion that she pleases him ” “ This comes of taking liberties he remarks “ W ith a smile I forgot n ow Belhaven is married I must not run in and out as I use d to I drove ” round to the stables and came in the b ack way ” “ But they were e xpecting you Cilla hastens to “ a ssure him The y have gone to return a visit .
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MY LO RD rather a long way
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but they will be home very ” soon n ow Will you have some tea ? Cilla not yet having been introduced to polite “ society does not supplement her o ffer with or some ” sherry and bitters or a brandy and soda ? ” “ Are you going to have any ? inquires Mr V e re ke r and she responds in the a ffirmative and rings the bell “ And how do you like Bla nkshire and R e d ” Meade ? asks Duke by which name he is known to all his friends and acquaintances For the Bel havens and Cilla have le ft Scotland and are estab lishe d at L ord B e lha v e n s country seat “ I like it very much but it seems a little tame ” and flat after Scotland answers Cilla ” “ It s a gloriou s country for hunting says Duke ” “ with enthusiasm Do you hunt ? “ N o I am only j ust learning to ride Granville is teaching me ; he has bought me such a beautiful ” horse ” “ Granville ! repeats Mr V e re ke r inquiringly ” “ L ord Belhaven “ O h Bel ! I didn t know he had any other name than Bel And you are — and he is your ” “ “ Brother in law supplies Cilla L ady Bel ” haven is my sister ” “ Your siste r l echoes Duke in a tone o f sur ” “ Yo u are not a bit l ike h e r prise ” “ No say s Cilla off,
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And even D uke who is not very quick at r e ad ing faces sees the mortified look that creeps into the girl s face ” “ There are different styles o f beauty he says “ blunderingly No w I But the advent o f tea and the stimulants which the butler who knows Mr V e re ke r s habits brings without orders cuts short his sentence ” “ S hall I open the soda water s ir ? says the servant “ N o thank you Humphreys I a m going to ” have some tea Humphreys would have stare d had n ot the inner consciousness that he would lose caste by doing so prevented him Whilst Cilla pours out the tea D uke watches He accepts both her with a sort o f fascination crea m and sugar from her though the whole thi n g is nauseous to him and then he care fully after pr etending to s ip it carries the cup away to a little table as though he has finished it and it is empty Why Duke who is in the habit o f drinking brandies and sodas at all time s and in all places when he feels disposed S hould have an instinct that there is a sort of profanity in following his custom in this young girl s pr esence I am unable to sa y The fact remains A quarter of an hour has elap se d since they ,
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persuade her and bring you Are you fond of ” animals ? ” “ I love all animals Cilla answers with kindling eyes “ So do I I don t think anyon e can b e much ” good who doesn t answers D uke unconscious that he is paying a tribute to himself whilst merely desiring to o ffer o ne to her ” “ “ I use d to think so she says gravely But do you know that some o f the most wicke d and cruel people who ever lived have been devoted to ” animals ? ” “ N o ! N ot really ! e xclaims D uke rather shocke d ” “ at this upsetting statement D o you like cats ? somewhat abruptly ” “ answers Ye s cats dogs horses ; eve ry thin g the girl “ When you com e over I ll take you round my ” “ stables pursues Duke I ve got the most splendid lot of cats ; all English tabbies There s one for every horse and they s it on their b acks and never ” make a mistake about their ow n ” “ R eally ! cries Cilla dee ply interested ” “ And I ve got a lot o f dogs too continues Mr “ Ve re ke r warming to his subj ect A collie and two retrievers in the house and a terrie r Jack Y ou ” shall se e him catch rats ” “ “ N o no exclaims Cilla I would not se e it ” for the wo rl d I lz a le any thin g cruel .
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Duke looks a shade perplexed It has never occurred to him that there is any cruelty in killing rats ” “ But they ve got to be killed you know he says apologetically ” “ “ Perhaps she replies But I cannot under stand ho w there can be any pleasure in s ee ing any ” thing tortured Duke reflects a moment and is rewarde d by an inspiration ” “ “ I don t think after all he says that it is the ple asure o f seeing the rats killed It s the pluck o f one s dog that one likes Such a bit o f a fellow ; and he goes in and tackles a great rat as if it wa s ” a mouse Cilla accepts the e xplanation She likes her new acquaintance and would be sorry to think any thing to his de triment ” “ “ N ever mind remarks Duke heartily I ll take care you shall only se e what you like when you do ” come Here the door opens and Lord and L ady Bel haven enter ” “ So sorry not to be here to receive you says her ladyship in her pretty gracious w a y ” “ By Jove ! she is a lovely woman thinks Duke “ but and he ste als a look at Cilla ” “ Your S ister has done the honours he s ays “ ” smiling We ve been getting on tremendously .
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returns D orothea approvingly “ Cilla dear I hope you ve got a n ice hot cup o f te a for me We ve had such a cold wretched ” drive Cilla who never forgets the com fort o f anyone takes the cosy from the tea pot and supplies her S ister whilst L ord Belhaven and D uke are assiduous in waiting upon her ” “ I m so glad you ve come to the Court says “ D orothe a with a sweet smile Do tell me that you are going to stop ! it is so very dull and quiet here O f course j ust at present we cannot have people to ” stay and S he drops her eyes but D uke remarks to himsel f that sh e betrays m uch less feeling in a llu d ing to her loss than her S ister had done ” “ I shall be here on and off all the winter he “ rej oins N ow My sister is coming to morrow ” L ady Belhaven putting a tone of genuine entreaty “ into his hearty voice I want you to do me a great ” favour D orothe a smiles upon him in a manner that augurs w ell for the success o f his prayer “ I want you and your sister and Bel o f course to drive over the day after to morro w and dine and ” stay the night Her ladyship s smile fades into gravity ” “ “ she says gently w e do not go Yo u know ” anywhere a t present ” “ B ut y ou W i ll not mind my S ister he ple a d s .
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There shall n ot b e another soul but her and ” Chester ” “ utters Doro You must let me think about it thea Happening to glance at Cilla S he perceives that her S ister is looking very eagerly at her as though greatly interested in her decision ” “ What do you think Bel ? sh e says glancing up in a pretty appealing way at her husband ” “ I shall think what you wish me to my darling he answers D uring the whole evening L ady Belhaven is in a state o f perplexity Some o f her most fixed ideas are being S haken and upset In the first place she has been accustomed to a monopo ly of the other men have rarely had eyes or s e x; in her society ears for anyone else unless some particular syren of their own happened to be present The fact of her havi n g married L ord Belhaven can by no means be expected to interfere with her charm for other men In these halcyon d ays for married women (days of corresponding purgatory for husbands ) beau tie s command more homage and admiration a fter they are appropriated than before But at dinner whilst she talks in her most fascinating manner to Duke some what to the d e tri ment of Be lha ve n s peace of mind h IS eyes and a t tention wander frequently to the contemplation o f his vis a z is L ady Belhaven is a lovely woman ; “
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there can be no two opinions on that score B el is a lucky fello w but Duke knows so many b eauties ; has passed under the fire o f S O many fascinations that he is proof against mere good looks Cilla in her deep mourning relieved only by white roses in her hair and at her breast with her p ale face and the strange fire o f her lustrous eyes exercises a sort o f S pell upon him It is a pleasure o f which he is dist i nctly conscious to meet the gaze o f those eyes ; her voice innocent of the caressing modulations of the fashionable woman has so much more symp athy in it and from some strange caprice h seeing that he a s never valued the attribute of ( youth in a woman hitherto) he is fascinated by her childishness and by the innocence and pure candour that are written unmistakably o n her face This is the second stumbling block to D orothea She h a s met Duke frequently in society and though his m anner to women has invariably been courteous and kind , he has never shown the smallest S ign o f b eing p articularly attracted to any save the on e with whom his na me has been coupled these ten years That Cilla the ugly duckling of whom she and her mother had despaired S hould be able to rouse interest in the steeled breast of D uke V e re ke r when be auty after beauty has retired vanquished from the assault is so e xtraordinary that L ady Belhaven is quite at a loss to understand it D uke must be on e o f thos e phenomenal men .
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are not amenabl e to beauty like their fellows O f course now sh e comes to th i nk of it Mrs Beauclerc is not a bit pretty She is very clever A n d Cilla is clever : fancy a man liking women for being clever ! The idea is in itself so d isgusting ” “ that her ladyship s lovely nose involuntarily tiptilts as though sO m e thing unsavoury had been o ffered to it When the ladies leave them L ord Belhaven and Duke draw up to the fire light their cigarettes and indulge in friendly chat They have had a lengthy discussion on sporting topics when Duke says su d d e nly and apparently A p r opos of nothing “ H o w utterly unlike L ady Belhaven and her sister are ! I could not have believe d they were ” related B e lha ve n s usual keenness o f discernment hap pens a t this time to be blunte d by his passion for his wife He does not read his friend s thoughts but imagines that his words imply disp aragement of Cilla ” “ Ah he returns affectionately championing her ; “ you must not j udge o f Cilla yet She is a mere child and of course my wife would make any other woman not beautiful look plain B ut ” “ Y ou don t understand me old chap interrupts “ Duke warmly if you fancy I meant to disparage Miss St George I think her simply charming and you know I m not a man who goes for beauty 6 My L d d My L ady 1 .
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T here s such a lot of it about now, an d th ese pretty ’
women are all the same The y ve got the ir one little se t o f tricks and when you know them it s alway s th e same thi n g ; but n ow with yo ur S i ster in la w her face and eyes change every time you look at h e r Y ou can s e e S he is not thinking about her self nor how she s looking but about you and what ” you re saying Belhaven is a little surprise d He likes D uke imm ensely but has never h ad much opinion o f his mental calibre This last S peech of his e xhibits a power o f reflection and ob servation which he had not e xpe cted ” “ “ O h then you like Cilla he says quietly I am glad o f that I can hardly tell how S he would strike a stranger being so used to her myself She has a charming disposition She is the most sym p athetic creature I ever met ; and S he is j ust as clever as S he can b e Upon my soul considering her ” br i ng i n g up I wonder S he has turne d o ut as S he h a s ” “ What about her bringing up ? asks Duke : deeply interested ” “ Why as far as I can make out return s Bel “ haven sh e w a s le ft entirely to the mercy of a most in fernal old devil of a governess and her mother never looked after her at all Poor soul ! She s gone n ow but I fancy sh e has a great deal to answer for She s all right now because o n that child s account she s happy b ut, i f she comes to be Oppres sed or .
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I daresay remarks Belhaven drily Most girls are as ignorant as carp Cilla knows so much that it is a shame S he Should forget it She spe aks French and German perfectly ; S he S ings and plays — divinely ; she is e xtremely well re ad and ah ! I should l i ke you to hear her re cite ” “ Then in the name of Heaven interrupts Duke ” “ what more would you have her do ? “ I would have her keep up what she knows ” already And with a little satire which is lost on “ his hearer there is no danger o f anyone knowing ” too much in our class o f life ” “ L et s go into the drawing room Shall we ? says Duke .
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B EL H AVEN was sitting in a low chair near the fire ; her pretty little feet plante d on a stool in front o f her animated no doubt by the benevolent desire o f giving pleasure to others She was toying with a feather screen and when the men entered directed an inviting little smile to D uke Perhaps he did n ot observe or understand it ; for he walked straight to where Cilla was reading by the light of a shaded lamp The rose colour which it reflecte d on her face w a s eminently becoming and as Duke approached sh e lifte d her large eyes to his face ,
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with a look of pleasure and welcome She like d him already ; there was something so kindly so frank and pleasant about him and his bigness and strength ( attributes o f all her heroes) inspired her with respect Belhaven drew a stool to his wife s side and believing himself unobserved took her hand but she withdrew it smiling and made a little gesture significant o f the deco rum to be observed in public Belhaven being in that semi doting state which for a brie f period has been known t o s a p the senses of the most sensible and prudent men expresses in a low earnest voice his contempt for the propr i et i es and recovers his prisoner Dorothea yawns behind her fan and that in voluntary spasm of the face happeni n g to produce a much more potent effect upon her lord than any considerations of discretion he releases her at once and sits staring into the fire feeling in h is heart an agony o f disappointment quite unproportioned to the cause But love sick people are always irrational ; their j oys and sorrows are not to be measured nor even guessed at by ordinary folk : they are always plunging straight from Heaven to Hades or from Hades back to Heaven ” “ What is your book about ? says Duke bringi ng a low chair to Cilla s side ” “ It is a collection o f old stories She answers ” “ I h a ve j ust finished one .
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Was it funny ? inquires Mr Ve re ke r ” “ O h no ! and her tone is almost reproachful ” “ “ I hate dismal stories protests D uke j ust a s I hate a miserable pie ce at the play It give s me a horrid choking feeling in my throat and then I get ” s o angry that I want to knock some one down Cilla regards him p ensively ” “ I like a book or a play that makes me s a d “ be cause it is so pleasant to wake up and sh e says remember that it is not true after all and that on e ” is not unhappy on one s own account ” “ “ U nhappy ! cries Duke Why a child like you ought not to know the meaning of the word ” unhappy ! ” “ “ Ah s ays Cilla that is where people are so mistaken They s a y childhood is a happy time It ” — is not ! with strange vehemence whilst her eyes “ — it is a miserable wretched h ate ful time fl a sh I would not be a child again for anythi n g you could ” offer me Duke has never felt so strong so big so pro te c tin g as he does in talking to this fragile creature nor yet so we ak morally A S he sits there con te m pla ting the small face with its strangely e x pressive eyes and the hands pressed together he feels that he is a great blundering fellow and is half afraid to speak lest he should trample u n wittingly on the feelings o f this sensitive creature ”
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What a shame ! he says presentl y H ow could ” anyone be unkind to you ! Cilla with her imaginativeness her acute con has yet a strong sense of vic tion of her wrongs j ustice ” “ I know a great deal o f it was my own fault “ she says I wa s tiresome and dis a greeable and ” il l tempered and obstinate ” “ I do not believe it cries Duke loyally A smile lights up Cilla s face This flattery so genuinely spoken is sweet to o ne to whom the taste of it is quite fresh : sh e possesses a very keen love of approb ation ” “ “ But I was sh e insists I daresay Fr a ulein Steinman hated me j ust as much as I hated her but then she could have gone away from me and I could not get away from her There is nothing so dread ” “ ful very earnestly as being tied to some o n e you hate That is why children are often miserable A grown u p person can get away from anyone he does ” not like ” “ Except a husband and wife says Duke and is immediately angry with himself for having said it Cilla has been kept entirely in the school room She has not had the advantage of being put a n ‘ coa r a m with the ways o f society by hearing them discussed Her novels and romances have almost invariably ended with the marriage ceremony and a short paragraph implying that a s the love rs were ”
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united needs must they were happy ever after So sh e looks up at him and says “ Ah but then they married because they loved each other and I don t suppose they often want to ” get away do they ? ” “ “ N o replies D uke hastily of course not But ” about your story that you were reading ” “ I will lend you the book if you like she says obligingly ” “ N o I would rather have you tell me ” “ I don t know whether you woul d care for it ” “ Are you at all — romantic ? sh e observes re fl e c tiv e ly And then a little blush overspreads her face as and feels an un sh e looks at Duke s stalwart from ple asant consciousness o f having said something rather ridiculous Duke is n ot acute but Cilla s eyes are such traitors to her thoughts that he guesses what is p ass ing in her mind “ I suppose you think a great hulking fellow like ” me has no business to h ave any soft feeli ngs he ” “ s ays But you know it doesn t al ways follow ” “ “ N o no cries Cilla hastily I am quite sure you are kind But being romantic is di fferent — many ” people think it very silly D orothe a does (with a glance at her S ister who is dozing in her chair whilst B elhaven still stares moodily into the fire) ” “ And Bel ? ” “ Oh h e is ro mantic —quite r o mantic, C ill a .
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replies eagerly He and I think j ust alike about ” hundreds o f thi n gs A sudden instinct flashes across Duke as he too gives a S ide long glance at the other couple that he and Dorothea are something o f the same mental calibre whilst Bel and Cilla are symp athetic How strange that the opposites and not the similar natures generally come together ” “ It seems we shall never get to the story he ” “ says smiling and I am dying to hear it ” “ I will tell it you if you like the girl says ” “ simply and if you find it stupid stop me ” “ I promise And then Duke leans b ack in the chair and watches her as S he bends a little towards him completely engrossed in her recital with her beautiful eyes steadily fixed upon him unconscious o f embarrassment Cilla could not for the world keep her eyes away from the face o f the person to whom she w a s talking unle ss she were a ngry o r offended with him then S he would find it equally impossible t o look at the obj ect of her displeasure It happened a long time ago and in a foreign ” country sh e begins Speaking low but in a voice very sweet brimful of expression and p athetic in the extreme when her tale becomes S orrowful More than once during the recital it gives Duke that choking sensation in the throat which he had depre ca te d b ut upo n this occasi on , he feels no desire t o “
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kno ck a nyone d o wn O n the contrary he is strangely affected by a longing to gather the fragil e form t o his heart and to ki ss the quivering sensitive mouth o f the young story teller ” “ O nce in a distant land there lived a m aiden “ proceeds Cilla She w a s an orphan and very poor and she gained her living by making and mending lace O ne day towards dusk as s he was returning from the environs o f the city where she had carried some work a drunken man offered her rudeness She trie d to fly but he held her fast Suddenly she heard the sound o f hoofs and there came by two horsemen She cried out and the foremost o ne stopped threw the bridle to his companion and w a s be 5 1 de her in a moment He caught her assailant and flung him into the ditch ; then he turned to her as she stood trembling She saw by h is dress that he w a s a great lord and it seemed to her that he had the most noble face sh e had ever seen He stooped and spoke kindly to her ‘ ‘ My poor girl he said you are too fair t o be out so late alone “ And as he looke d at her his eyes pierced to her very soul S O that his image remained there for ever after Then he gave her a p iece o f gold and bidding his servant remain behind to se e that she got safely to the city rode away wishing her a courteous God speed From that day forth she wore the co in next her heart and all her soul was fille d .
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lady brought her some l ace to mend and found her lying wasted and dying miserably o n her straw b ed She told her lady who was charitable to the poor and the lady told her husb and and the same day b e be cause he too was tender he arted came to visit the dyi n g girl in her garret When he looked at her he knew there w a s no more anything to be done for her because D eath had laid his finger U pon her But because she w a s very young and had been fair he felt pity for her and spoke gently to her and ‘ aske d i f sh e had any wish be fore sh e died If I could se e him she said in a whisper for all her ‘ strength was gone If I could see him ! and she ‘ gazed piteously in the great physician s face then I could die gladly He made her tell him the name o f him S he desired and then he looked grave ; for it was the n ame o f on e o f the greatest lords in the city and how could he bring such an one here ? “ That night there wa s a ball given at the Court and the physician w a s bidden There also was the lord whom the dying girl had named and a beauti ful lady whom he loved Then the physician haunted by the memory o f that waste d form and those sad eyes bethought him to tell the story to the lady who was belove d of the gre at lord And when he told her the te ars came to her eyes a n d she said piti ‘ fully Poor child it is but a small thing she asks She shall have her desire Then S he summoned the lord to he r S ide , a n d told h im o f the d y ing girl a n d ,
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‘ sa id , Go to her to night for my sa ke ; to morrow she ‘ will be dead And he answered her I will go for -
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your sake and for mine “ Then he and the physician we nt away together from the l i ghts and music the gold the j ewels and all the pomp and grandeur whic h the Court held to the miserable garret where the dying girl lay lighted by the feeble glimmer of a candle that a pitiful neighbour had s e t there She lay without moving and for a moment the physician thought her dead ; ‘ then feebly her eyes unclosed He is here he whispered and a sudden light came to the dim eyes and she looked u p as though her soul had le ft its earthly frame and had awoke in Heaven “ But the noble standing i n the midst o f this poverty and misery w a s stricken to the heart to think that whils t he lived in so much splendour there should be human bodies perishing o f want He came towards her and there were tears in his eyes “ ‘ L ive my poor girl ! he said gently and h e ‘ bent and took her hands in his I charge myself with the care of you hence forth “ Then as his words fell on her ear her eyes lighted up for one moment so that youth and beauty came back to her face “ ‘ ‘ My lord my lord she murmured It is ’
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With a great impulse of pity he stoope d an d gathered her in his arms and kissed her brow and “
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when he would have gently put her b ack she fell from his arms She was de ad but she had known ” o n e moment o f j oy Cilla s eye s are full of tea rs and her voice o f assion D uke S its looking at her his mind a b p sorbe d with on e thought ” “ How that child could love ! After a moment s silen ce he make s a very cha ra c te ristic rem ark ” “ “ I t is rather a dismal story he says L et us hope it isn t true Cilla looks a little disappointed ” “ “ O h but I think it is she replies And I like I like to think how faithfully she love d s a d stories him though he had only spoke n tho se few words to her and that she died happy be caus e her dream ” was realised ” “ But now says D uke leaning a little towa rds “ her don t you think it would be pleasanter to think and of his o f a girl loving a man as much as that loving her back again and instead o f he r dying of ” their marrying and being awfully happy ” “ “ No replies Cilla na i vely that w o uld be ” common place Most stories end like th a t ” “ Do they ? says Duke dubiously But he does not think fit to impart a n y scepticism he may feel on the subj ect to his listener Dorothea s lovely head has fallen forward several times with a little jerk At this moment it e xpe ri ,
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a big j erk which rouses her th oroughly and m akes her feel a trfil e provoked and a ggressive She O pens her eyes wide and b eholds her lord moodily contemplating the fire and Duke and Cilla in anim ated conversation by the table ” “ Mr Ve re ke r sh e says in a half piqued h a lf “ j esting tone it is too bad of you to leave husb a nd and wife to entertain e ach othe r You se e the ” result — we were both asleep At th is D uke r ise s and comes towards her a nd Belhaven stalks over to Cilla with a n e xpression of face that sh e readily reads ” “ S ing something Cilla will you ? he s ays ” “ No no interposes D orothe a with pretty per e m p torin e ss S he never allows herself to loo k una m i ( “ able b ut smiles even when displeased ) we will not have any music t o night I am bored to death I shall be asleep in five minutes if some one does not amus e me L e t u s play whist Cilla dear get B el please ring for the table Y ou don t the card s ” mind Mr V e re ke r do you ? Duke d oes not care about cards He w a s much happier talking to C illa but h e is the best natured man in the world and acquiesces readily in his hostess wish ” “ We will not cut for the deal L ady Belhaven “ says a s they seat themselves Husband and wife ” of course cannot play together ! B elhave n looks di stinctly sulky Unfortunately e nc e s
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he is a ware o f it and ashamed o f himsel f but in cap able e i ther o f changing the feeling or the e x pression of his face C i l la tries in her symp athetic w a y to soothe him but D oro the a seems to take a malicious pleasure in ru ffl ing him though sh e assumes the sweetest most innocent little air in the world in doing it ” “ I a m sure you have revoked darling she says once o r twice and insists on looking over the tricks ; “ or B el dear w hy do you look so bored ? Don t ” u want to play ? o y D uke sees that Belhaven is put ou t and won ders inwardly as good tempered placid people are wont to do at others who S how signs of sulkiness for no appare nt cause If Dorothea had been his wife sh e would not have wasted her time in stick ing little pins into him because he would not have felt them but Belhaven is dreadfully thin skinned ; p assionately in love with her and the hint be fore others that his company is not sufficient to amuse her, ga lls him beyond e xpression He feels dis grace d a nd slighted before Duke who is perfe ctly unconscious o f the cause of his ve xation and to o much engrossed besides with Cilla to notice much what her sister is doing Cilla is p aying the greatest attention to the game ; throwing all the earnestness into it which sh e bestows on everything S he does Duke amuses him s e lf by guessing he r hand every de al by the e xpres ,
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sion o f her face as she takes up her cards which indeed it is by no me a ns difficult to do He enj oys her little glance o f triumph when she trumps his best card or produces her ace ; and has to be called to order once or twice by Dorothe a for not attending to the game When L ady Belhaven is alone with her husband sh e says suddenly continuing her thoughts aloud ” “ It re ally is very extraordinary about D uke ” “ What is extraordinary ? inquires Belhaven who has not quite recovere d from his sulkiness “ Don t you s e e how much taken he is with ” Cilla ? ” “ Why should he not be ? If Dorothea were to give vent to her thoughts She might s a y “ Because you ill tempered idiot I am beaut iful and Cilla is not I am a woman of the world and Cilla is a raw school girl therefore it behoves every man who is in comp any with us both to have no ” eyes or e a rs for her as long as I am present But S he replies “ I should not have thought there wa s anything about Cilla poor dear child to attract a man like ” Duke ” “ D uke does not care for pretty women return s “ Belhaven a trifle maliciously He was saying so ‘ ‘ to night They are a l l the same he says when you once know their little se t o f tricks My L d a nd My L a dy 1 7 ,
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That is a bore for the pretty women returns ” “ D orothea sweetly because he is so rich Belhaven is foolish enough to let her se e that her pin has pricke d him ” “ “ R ich ! he e choes bitterly That is all pr e lly women care for It doesn t matter whether a man has a heart o f gold ” “ “ N ot at all agrees Dorothea if his p urse is well filled with it But n ow about Duke O nly ” fancy if he were to fall in love with Cilla ! ” “ It would n ot do at all returns Belhaven a h “ If I thought there was any d anger o f it I ruptly would not let her go over to the Court with us to ” morrow D orothe a slowly lifts her beautiful white arms and cl asps her h ands behind her head in which attitude she contemplates her lord She says no thi n g because it occurs to her th at the Scripture s advise one a gainst answering a fool according to his folly ” “ I quite understand you he says nettled yet at the same time irritably conscious o f h er physical “ loveliness you h ave but on e go d A m an can have but on e V irtue in your eyes ” “ Indeed dearest love interposes Dorothea who always adopts additional endearments when she is “ the farthest from feel ing a ffectionate I should be very glad if he h ad two Good temper is a great ” virtue ”
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Court is a very fine place indeed and thoroughly well kept up although its owner is a bachelor D uke V e re ke r h as a princely fortune and delights in e xercising hospitality Every se ason he entertains hunting and shooting guests and for four months keeps almost O pen house at the Court Whe n Cilla arrived there a s a guest with L ord and L ady B elhaven S h e w a s at first struck almost speechless by the pomp and luxury that met her eyes ; for R ed Meade which she had been wont to consider a p alatial residence is a very poor humble place comp ared with the Court Up to the present time Cilla s knowle d ge of country houses has been only derived from books : the third room of a smal l L ondon house almost squalidly shabby varied by furnishe d apartments at the seaside having given her her only practical knowledge of dwelling places N ow she felt as though some enchantment were at work and some such accident had happened to her as followe d the rubbing o f a lamp or pressing a ” “ ring in the Arabian N ights tales So that when L ady Chester waiting in some expe ctation to s e e the fascinating creature of whom she had heard so much in the last few hours from her brother beheld her she was considerably surprise d and disappointed ,
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to find a shy silent young girl with a rather awe struck expression in her eyes and hardly a word to Her ladyship devoted herself at s a y for herself once to L ady Belhaven who as a beauty and a woman o f the world interested her and in c on she was at a loss to imagine te m pla tion o f whom how a man could bestow a second glance on Cilla L ord Belhaven had driven over early to shoot and the sportsmen had not yet come in Duke s and presently c ollie was lying in front o f the fire came and s a t beside Cilla as S he drank her tea and after watching her for a moment with an in te re ste d gaze put his p aw o n her arm and looked at the cake she held in a manner which did not admit of two interpretations So he and Cilla ate their cake together and when it was all gone sh e talked to him in a low voice and caressed his head and softly rubbed his ears in a manner which he seemed highly to appreciate The girl was casting furtive glances around her and tryi n g to re a lise that Duke whose simple hearty ways had made her feel so much at home with him and indeed whom sh e had treated rather patronisingly than other wise w a s master and lord of all this magnificence For Cilla had those vague ideas about great people and t i tled people that are indulged in ( and very properly) by simpler folk who do not live in their society and who imagine them to be not only ex alted in rank and riches but equally so in mind manners a p ,
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and everything besides If sh e had been called upon to picture a Duke or a Marquis he would have appeared to her a very handsome stately persona ge and t o find so great a being an ordinary looking perhaps ill dressed and awkward mortal True Bel woiild h ave shocked and p ained her haven had not the appearance with which she f ndowed a lord but h e was so fond o him per s e so n a lly that she forgot to think what he was like And he was essentially a gentleman in thought feeling and manner Suddenly the dog pricks U p his e ars and makes a bound towards the door A moment later it i s thrown open and D uke s stalwart form comes in followed by Belhaven and Sir John Chester He greets his guests with the most evident pleasure and when he has said a word or two to L ady Belhaven he establishes himself beside Cilla “ I thought I should have been here in time to ” welcome you he says looking at her with eyes in which sh e can plainly read that he is glad to se e her Cilla is n ot quite at her ease : she is trying to feel the awe and respect due to his position and his he arty friendliness makes it difficult ” “ “ We came very quickly S he answers It wa s ” cold and the horses seemed to fly The dog who has been p aying great attention to his master now comes to Cilla s side and rests h is head on her knee
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her other side Sir John is a thoughtful m a n and an e arnest politician When he w a s told that he would h ave to take Miss St George in to dinner h is pl acidity w a s somewhat ruffled What on earth could he talk about to a raw school girl ! He was not a little surprised to find himself mid w a y through dinner discoursing eloquently upon his favourite topics incited thereto by the most intelligent eyes he has ever seen and listened to with an interest which must have flattere d a ny man For Cilla had n ot only that keen sympathy which made her identify hersel f for the time with the ideas and feelings o f her interlocutor but s he had the instinct o f p atriotism strongly developed and w a s deeply interested to hear o f anything which concerne d her country There fore whilst Sir John le ctured and expounded sh e listened intently and had not a thought or look to spare for D uke who contemplate d her with a mixture o f chagrin su r prise and admiration ” “ “ By Jove ! he says to himself she is a wonder ” Fancy her rousing old Chester up like that ! ” “ Seeing that he is o u t of it as he would sa y with Cilla he consoles himself by talking o f her to her sister ” “ Y es S he is a dear child and imm ensely clever responds Dorothea who is in reality considerably bored by his encomiums “ I suppose you will present her next s ea son ” wo n t y ou ? D uke ask s eagerl y .
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returns L ady Belhaven Y ou s e e we S hall still be in mourning and could not o f course enter into much gaiety but I want i f possible to be presente d myself on my marriage and then I could present Cilla at the same time But Bel ” rather obj ects to the idea “ I don t see what difference it can make to ” him says Duke ” “ Poor dear Bel ! observes his wife with a pretty “ lau gh He is full of theories Theories are a ” bore aren t they ? ” ” “ “ Horrid responds Duke But you looking “ earnestly at the lovely face beside him ; you can ” talk him ou t of them can t you ? Dorothe a shakes her head dubiously “ I thought a pretty woman could do anything ” with a man he proceeds ” “ “ Some men says Dorothea maliciously d on t ” care for pretty women and she looks so pointedly at Du ke that he feels e xtremely uncomfortable re m e m b e ring what he had said to Belhaven ” “ O h he rej oins in rather a blundering manner ; “ every man o f course must admire a pretty woman if he isn t a fool ; but what I said — that is what I mean is that— p articularly if one is not clever one ” self o ne likes it in a woman And he glances at Cilla in a manner which un mistakably points his meaning ” “ O f course a grees Doroth ea sweetly “
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What has made Bel take up these ab surd ideas ” “ about your sister ? Duke asks I expect he is a dog in the manger and don t want to lose her ” himself T his S peech is not a very happy on e as L ady Belhaven feels but s he lets it p ass without app arent notice “ He has m ade up his mind that poor Cilla is ” not to be marrie d for the next three years at least sh e says ” “ “ What nonsense ! exclaims Duke There s one comfort however ; he is neither her p arent nor guardian so if she chooses to marry she won t have ” to a sk his le ave He speaks with such earnestness that anyone might imag i ne him to be personally intereste d in the question o f Cilla s marriage ” “ Just fancy n ow he pursues his eyes returning — to a satisfie d contemplation o f Cilla j ust fancy her getting old Jack Chester to talk like that ! He — d o esn t care for women for anyone at least but my sister and thinks it a bore to have to talk to them B ut do you see how he s laying down the law ? He looks as if he was on a platform lecturing ” away to an enthusiastic audience Dorothe a I S a little surprised certainly at th e way in which Cilla has come o ut It is a mercy that she has something to distinguish her from the comm o n pla c e n e ss of girls in general although L ady .
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D o I look like it ? says Duke regarding her with a very earnest e xpressi o n and she is satisfie d that he is not ” “ “ I want to hear you sing he continues Come ” to the piano will you ? ” “ O h ! please don t a sk me cries the girl and sh e b egins to tremble at the very thought ” “ Why you surely don t mind any of u s ? he rej oins with an accent on the us that implies a very mean Opinion o f both himself and the rest of the c omp any ” “ I never sing be fore anyone Cill a answers “ O h ! but you must ! D o ! N ow won t you j ust ” to please me ? She always wants to C illa is rent in twain please especially anyone w ho is kind to her but S he is agonizingly shy of playing and singing b e fore strangers O nce or twice when she has made the attempt S he remembers the most shameful failures ” “ Do ! intre ats D uke again and sh e rises de ly and goe s with him to the piano S p a iring She sits down trembling in every limb ; her hands can scarcely feel the notes ; she is very white ; her lips quiver and Duke as he watches her s u r prised and pitiful wishes a thousand times that he had not aske d her Cilla plays a lame symphony with several wro n g no te s which ja r horribl y on h er sensiti ve ear, a n d “
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her ten times more nervous Then she begins her song It is painful to listen to her and in the middle o f the first verse her memory goes and she breaks down lamentably The tears are positively starting to her eyes ; D uke feels an extravagant desire to stroke her small sleek head ; to soothe and console her as one would a child At this moment L ord B elhaven comes up ” “ Why Cilla he says putting a kind hand on the girl s shoulder a familiarity which D uke in “ w a rd ly resents ; what is the matter ? Where is your ” voice gone ? ” “ I am so sorry S he murmurs humbly feeling terribly ashamed o f herself ” “ Don t try any more to night rej oins her brother in law and S he rises from the piano feeling quite disgraced and miserable ” “ I m going to show you my photographs says D uke and he fetches two big volumes and brings them to the sofa and seats himself beside her She forgets her humiliation as she looks a t the pictures of foreign cou ntries he has Visited ; birds and beasts that he has shot ; his horses his dogs his cats his ach t y ” “ O h ! cries Cilla as she c o mes to a photograph ” “ o f a splendid schooner is that yours ? ” “ “ Y es he answers Then eagerly Do you like ” yachting ? .
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M o re th an anything in the world she says with kindling eyes ” “ I m awfully glad o f that e xclaims D uke and “ at that moment he sees his ship with youth at the ” helm and pleasure at the prow both o f which allegorical figures are represented in his mind by “ Cilla I can give you some of the best o f what ” you like best in the world Every moment that D uke sits beside her every fresh look that he takes into her clear eyes incre a ses her magnetic influence over him — it is such a strange feeling that she gives him a sensation o f such blende d strength and weakness — physical strength as he looks tenderly at her yo uth her fr a gile form ; and mental weakness as he hears her bright intel lige nt rem arks and notes the deep thoughtful e x pression o f her eyes He wants to touch her ; he would give a fabulous su m to put his arm round her as S he sits beside him and yet the instinct which prompts the desire is as different from the instinct which has impelled him to the same action W i th other women as light from darkness — it is as per it is the a t fe c tly pure as m o rtal feeling can b e — traction o f protective power to soft feminine we ak ness It please s and a m uses Duke to s e e the little fl ow e r like hand lying beside his big brown o ne on the O pen book ; once he encloses it smiling in his saying ,
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her you ll think quite differently G o od night aga in ” Georgie ” “ A h! he says to himsel f as he goes slowly to “ wards the smoking room Angie would have found ” it out be fore this A n gie will understand her ! and then a sudden thought smites him and makes him stand quite still for a moment and ask himself “ Will Angie understand her ? What will s he say to her at all ? Angie who has never had a rival yet in his he art A rival pshaw ! what he feels towards this little girl is something quite different ; it is but D uke fails e xactly to analyse what his sentiment for Cilla is After breakfast ne xt morning the promise d visit is p aid to the stables Cilla is shown the horses the dogs the cats and is enchanted If she liked D uke be fore she loses her he art to him when she sees how good he is to animals and how fond they are o f him The dogs fawn with frantic j oy upo n him the horses neigh as he approaches them the cats come and rub against his legs and he has a kind word for them all Cilla is a little timid na tu ra lly but Duke is so strong ; she feels such a complete sense o f protection in his company that heads and p ats their sh e walks up to the horses sleek necks without the faintest trepidation With dogs sh e is quite at home an d caresse s them and ‘ the cats by turn She is astonishe d and delighte d so m e tim e s a a t the harmon y in which the y all live ’
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MY LORD
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cat will pretend to put her back up as a d og rushes by but it is evidently mere pretence Jack is at his master s heels ” “ Isn t it rum ? says Duke turning to Cilla “ Jack knows all our own cats and is perfect friends with them ; he goes to sleep with his head on one or two of them sometimes ; but if a strange cat comes along he goes perfectly mad and it has to ” be pretty quick to get away from him Just as the animals welcome their maste r by blandishments and endearments so every man in the yard turns a smiling face and shows keen alac rity when D uke speaks to him Cilla returns to the house enchanted Duke is becoming a sort o f hero to her ; not o f the sentimental order but of the grand old Viking type The men are going to shoot again to day L ady Belhaven and her sister are to leave the Court at noon Guests are expected some o f whom will arrive by an early train and in her deep mourning Dorothe a does not wish to encounter strangers Adieux have been made the men are off for their day L ady Chester and Dorothe a are chatting in the m om ing room and Cilla has wandered into th e drawing room and seated herself at the m a gnifi cent grand piano which stands near one of the win dows She sings away to hersel f with the keenest pleasure revelling in the sound o f her own voice which in this fine room sounds better than it h a s 8 My L o d a n d My L ady 1 .
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ever done be fore It is rarely sweet and p athetic as she sings te a rs o f deep feeling come to her eyes ” “ Why cannot I sing like that be fore people ? says to hersel f with a sense o f m ortifi c a tion sh e “ Why should I have disgraced myself so last night ” when after all I can S ing ? The door which w a s j ust aj ar is pushe d sud His face is beam d e n ly O pen and D uke comes in ing with smiles ” “ I knew it ! I knew it ! he cr i es i n an e xultant ” “ tone By George ! what a wonder you are ! Cilla has risen startled and bewildered ” “ Y ou didn t kno w I was there he continues “ Just as I crosse d the bottom o f the first garden I and I made an e x cuse s a w you opening the piano to the rest and sent them on and slipped back m y self And I ve been outside the door twenty minutes ” and heard all your songs He stands over her with a delighte d look in his face as if some sudden piece o f good fortune had befallen him ” “ I say (possessed with a devouring desire to give her something or do something for her which “ attacks him when he likes a woman) I wish you would let me give you a dog Y ou are so fond o f them and you h ave no pet — it seems such a ” shame ” “ O h ! I s hou ld like on e ! answers Cilla eagerly “ That is if Dorothea would not mind ” .
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is nearly ten years S ince Marmaduke V e re ke r made the acquaintance o f Angie Beauclerc He wa s a fine looking wild young fellow then o f about two and twenty not long come into his property with Splendid health and S pirits and everything else that can make life pleasant But on that p articular day he w a s not in very good form as he would have expressed it— he wa s in a dilemma ; he had m ade rather a fool o f himself the night be fore Th e fact wa s that a little burlesque actress of considerable fascinations in her own p articular line who had worn his diamonds sat behind his horses and made liberal use of his ever ready purse had e xtracte d from him more than half a promise to make her Mrs V e re ke r Why not ? He quoted to himsel f a dozen good fellows who had taken their brides from even less select circles and the mar ria ge s had turne d out all right — quite as well at all events as some of those which soc ie ty had blessed and approved And it was sickening the w a y mothers and chaperons set upon fellows with money ; anyhow he would be rid of their persecutions He had used many specious arguments to persuade himself that he had re a l ly not been such a fool after all ; but he had not quite succeeded in con IT
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— he wa s i himsel To night would clinch t f vinc ing going to dine with his semi betrothed at Rich mond Is there such a thing as chance ? Duke wa s turning ou t of Piccadilly when h e ran up against a married brother officer Duke held a commission in the Household Cavalry “ Come and have some lunch Duke ! We ve ” got one or two pleasant people coming said his friend It was Sunday and Duke had nothing to do for the next four hours ” “ I shall be delighted he answered and the two men walked b ack to Park Street togethe r At A S far as lunch Duke s a t next to Mrs Beauclerc he knew he had never se t eyes on her until that day ; be fore he left the house he felt as if he had known her all his life She was n ot beautiful — n o not in the very least ; but there was some extra ordinary charm about her— quite a di fferent sort o f charm from that of Miss Lilian Vavasour He talked to her eagerly— his conversational powers were not as a rule e xtraordinary ; but he felt he could have gone on talking to her for ever When the ladies left the table and the men lit their cigars he went over and s a t by Mrs Beauclerc s husband who seemed a very cheery nice sort o f fellow ; they began to talk about horses and were friends directly And a s soon as they went up to the drawing room -
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D uke found his wa y again to Mrs Beauclerc s Side He s a t talking to her until she rose to go ; the other guests had all departed ” “ L et s make up a p arty to go tO the play ! said the pretty hostess seeing how much Mr Ve re ke r w a s attracted and always ready to be good natured “ as she understood good nature Angie you must ” come Mr V e re ke r will you make one ? Duke gave an eager assent Curiously enough they were all disengaged for the next night ” “ You must all come and dine here first said their hostess ” “ Won t you come to me inste ad ? cried Duke “ I can give you an awfully nice little dinner at my ” rooms D o come and try bachelor fare ! and he looked first at his friend s wife then at Mrs Beau clerc then at the two husb ands Everyone was agreeable ; the ladies vowed it would b e delightful The hour wa s settled ; the — theatre fixed upon it was not the one at which Miss Vavasour performed Mr and Mrs B eauclerc and Duke took leave together ; he was going their way he said might he walk with them ? and accordingly he did every step of the way to their tiny house close to B elgrave Square A r rived there he accepte d Captain B eau clerc s invitation to come in and look at the inside of their nutshell and he stayed on and had a ’
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all the afternoon and was e xceedingly anxious to have her engagement seale d and settled The mo ment she s a w him she knew that some th ing wa s — wrong instinct told her that her chances of b e com ing Mrs Ve re ke r had dwindled almost to nothing She tried to conceal her anger and to rally him but her cha ff set his teeth on edge ; her voice words demeanour appearance everything displeased him It even occurred to him that it was rather low form to b e seen driving a burlesque dancer in his phaeton and yet s ix hours b efore he had seriously con te m pla te d the ide a o f having her beside him for the remainder o f the term o f his natural life When he s a w her manner of eating at dinner and oh served her stu ff her roll into her mouth as if she had been sucking an orange he thought o f Mrs Beauclerc who ate with peculiar grace and re fi ne ment and shuddered Miss Vavasour tried to bring her lover to reason by flirting desperately with another man but so far from resenting her behaviour he was infinitely re lie ve d by it She drank much champ agne her voice became louder her repartees more pointed ; her cheeks flushe d redder through her p aint ; her bonnet got a little awry Whilst her right hand neighbour encouraged and egged her o n to the u t most of his ability Duke became colder more dis gusted every mo ment — the glare the noise the loud lau ghter the p ainted faces revolted him — he thought ,
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a cool tasteful little drawing room and sa w a graceful woman leaning back in her low chair smil ing up at him S ipping her te a daintily ; speaking in a soft well bred voice A little while ago he had thought it rather fine to protest that the society o f ladies bored him But to night ! Well twenty four hours would go somehow he supposed and then he should be sitting next that lady he was thinking o f; hearing her voice — he would be in his proper place — the stalls and the — actresses would be in theirs ou the stage Miss Vavasour conscious o f the failure o f her man oe uvre insisted after dinner on Duke s taking her into the garden And there she made him a very pretty scene ; reproached screamed abused swore threatened and put the final seal on his re solve to sacrifice half o f all he possessed rather than make her Mrs V e re ke r He escaped from her at last and sought the man to whom she had turned her attentions at dinner “ For heaven s sake George go home with that woman ! I cannot stand any more of her ! Take my phaeton I will go by train or a fly or get a ” lift from some one And nothing loth his friend accepted the o ffice and Duke p aid the bill and escaped before Miss Vavasour was aware of his intention It was fortunate for Mr Ve re ke r that the lady of
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had no writing to show nor any witnesses to brin g in confirmation o f her statement that he had made her a promise of marriage so after a great deal of trouble annoyance persecution , many threats etc Miss Vavasour consente d to relinquish her claims o n receipt o f so e xtravagant a sum of money that I should b e afraid to mention it But Duke s fortune ‘ wOuld have sto od a good many assaults and he sp ent money like water He gave a princely dinner to his guests next night — such an entertainment in fact that it w a s nearly nine o clock be fore they thought about the theatre The two ladies were charmed at the per fe c t taste i n which everything was done and the p ains that had been taken to please them But truth to tell Duke wa s not imaginative though he had the best will in the world ; he had told his French servant to arrange everything with a View to please ladies r e a l la d ies and Eug ene had excellent taste ; knew that f e mm es d a m on d e liked what was delicate refined r e e her e hé beautiful flowers a table arrange d with taste whereas the greatest attraction that could b e offered to women o f another world was lavishness profusion however coarse evidences that much money had been e xpended in the enter ,
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Duke recognised at once the fitness of the banquet ‘ for the guests whom he had invited a nd Eug ene Wa s nOt only c Om plim e nte d later but received ,
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acquaintance he le ft the service and became his own master The Beauclercs were not very well off; be fore they knew D uke they had b een compelled to forego many pleasant p arties and many gaietie s upon economic principles B ut now whether it was Ascot Goodwood Hurlingham the opera Mrs B eau clerc a l ways saw and did everything in the best possible manner and Captain Beauclerc had equal advantages ; he was invariably o f the p arty O ne thing aggravated the world prodigiously — it w a s that L ady Chester Duke s sister and an important mem ber o f society should be friendly with Mrs Beau clerc and resolutely re fuse to se e any harm in her brother s devotion to that lady L ady Chester w a s a large fair placid lady some five years older than Duke and quite a gr a n de d a m e It was so kind o f Mr s Beauclerc to look after him she said : that was j ust the sort o f friend who was invaluable to a young man — kept him out o f so much mischief really she never s a w anyone so improved as Duke since Mrs Beauclerc took him in hand O f course the world s a w through L ady Chester and sneered She was a model of matronly propriety and she — and her husband were devote d to e ach other it could s a y nothing on that score But L ady Chester had children and would not they inherit all the Ve re ke r property in case of D uke dying without legitimate issue ? His father and grandfather had Since then the value o f the p ro cut o ff the entail ,
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perty had increased amazingly —coal had been found upon it L ady Chester and her children would na tura lly be Duke s heirs if he had none of his own So of course said the world it wa s easy enough to se e why L ady Chester connived at her brother s e n — tanglement with a married woman she hoped to keep him from marrying When presently the world found that Angie Beauclerc held her head higher than ever ; that Mr V e re ke r gave the most charming r echer che enter ta inm e nts ; that his yacht and house were the very pleasantest in the world to stay in and that some how people were only invited who were civil and friendly to Mrs Beauclerc it turned round and swore S he was a very clever charming woman ; that there was not a Shadow o f harm in her intimacy with Mr V e re ke r; that it was only natural that not being very brilliant himself and so very easy going he was glad to have some one to arrange things for him Was it likely the world said now that if there were anything wrong a woman like L ady — Chester such a nice manly fellow as Algy Beau clerc— would countenance and connive at it ? O ne cannot always go by what the world says The world will sometimes s a y a man is a woman s lover if she drives two days running on the box seat of his coach or sits out three or four dances with him at a ball and the same world if it suits its convenience will se e a woman S it on a man s .
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knee with her arms round his neck and swear it is a case o f purely platon i c affection Many wo men envied Angie bitterly— they watche d — her like lynxes they were always on the alert to catch her tripping They intercepted many a look of poor Duke s at her but she never chan ged — her behaviour was always precisely the same to him kind friendly perhap s a shade protecting and matern al She never exhibite d the sl ightest authority over him ; never gave him commands n or treated him as though he were her property as women will sometimes do to a man over whom they have ever s o little influence It was he who wa s always trying to find out what S he wished ; what would please her ; and do ing it What on earth was her attraction for him ? women asked each other frantically S h e w a s not a bit pretty — pretty ! why she had n ot a decent feature in her face except perhaps her eyes Then they came to the conclusion at which the se x in v a riably arrives when a woman is beloved and yet — o n t handsome s he m u s t he ve ry ba d That always consoles them It is a myster ious phrase — it implies an enormous deal and yet they do not qu ite know what they imply or even what they wish But unfortunately there was no evidence to imply o f Angie being very b ad She w a s perfectly lady like her manners were p articularly we ll bred She did not a ffect a loose style o f conversation nor p ermit men to talk before her in a manner that ,
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meetings with him ; to occupy boxes at the opera or the theatre o f his providing ; to receive his hampers o f game o f fruit o f flowers The Victoria the brougham the horse were his it is true ; but he had any number of horses and carriages and he had offere d the use of o ne to Captain Be auclerc for his wife That was simple enough ; they were such friends and since Fortune had favoure d him more than them they would surely not b e too proud to accept a trifling service at his hands And was he not overwhelmed with obligations to them ? did he not lunch and dine for ever in their house ? He sent Algy choice wines and boxe s o f the finest — cigars by the dozen a stranger entering the house would have been puzzled to know whether he w a s a greater friend o f the husb and or the wife He — — adored their boy a bright pretty little fellow n o child ever had so many or such costly toys ; it was a mercy that he was a year old when Duke first made acquaintance with the Beauclercs or Heaven knows what the world would have had to sa y on the subj ect Angie was wrapt up in that boy o f hers indeed Duke owed a great measure o f the regard to the boy When he w a s four sh e had for him years old he caught small pox and lay at the point o f death and his mother was in an agony o f despair The moment that Captain B eauclerc heard the nature o f the disease he fled the house and Lo ndon saying that it was not worth while for both him and Angie ,
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to catch it—besides if she fell ill there would be no one to nurse her So he betook himself to the se a side in a dreadful fright lest he should already have caught the infection smoked all day long and two thirds of the night and corresponded with his wife only by telegram thinking that the safest method Duke s behaviour wa s very different It was with the utmost difficulty that Angie kept him out o f the house — twice in S pite of the servants he had rushed upstairs into the little S ick child s room and it was only by Mrs Beauclerc showing real anger that sh e at last got him out o f the room and house After that she would n ot let the door be Opened to his summons but only S poke to him through the window in spite o f his abj ect entreaties He came three or four times a day to inquire and bribed her maid to come to the area railings where he would detain her with a thousand inquiries and messages And o n that day — that awful day — when the poor heart broken mother never quitted her darling s couch expecting that every hour would be his last Duke was so overcome by the report the girl brought him “ that she thought as she said afterwards he d have ” dropped where he stood and could not do other wise than ask him down into the kitchen And there he s a t on one of the deal chairs for an hour with his arms on the kitchen table and his head bowed over them ; his big frame heaving with great sighs and groans My L o d a n d My L ady 1 9 ,
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Poor D uke !
he was as a ffecti on a te as a chil d or a dog — his heart wa s as b ig as his body The cook went quietly about preparing the servants dinne r folks must e at even when there s death in the ( house): and casting sympathising glances from time to time at the poor young gentleman ; the footman brought a brandy and soda and put by his elbow — e but h was beyond b ra ndies and sodas to day the maid had gone b aek to the door of the sick room which however she wa s not allowed to enter Angie recked nothing o f losing what portion o f beauty sh e might have herself in this awful hour but she would not consent to let her servants run any risk She and the hospital nurse attende d entirely to the S ick child T he cook was preparing an Irish stew and very savoury it smelt ; but after that day D uke coul d never b ear the sight or smell of it : it brought back to him that terrible morning when he sat with his arms on the k itchen table and his heart full o f an guish thinking that with all his wealth and good will he w a s impotent to help those whom he loved best or to offer the m the smallest mee d of comfort Contrary to e xpectation little Algy recovered Then D uke not even asking leave took a sm a l l house by the sea side and thither without much demur Angie wa s p ersuaded to take the b oy as soon as he was well enough O ut of that house Duke wa s not t o be kept by any com mands , how '
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years rolled on and Mrs Beauclerc if not a leader o f society wa s a highly esteemed member o f it The world s tongue had made the funeral pyre o f her reputation but she had risen proudly from the ashes like a phoenix and soared boldly into the empyrean o f fashion Her heart had been disappointed : she turne d for consolation to the world gaugi n g exactly the value to be e xtracted from it and quite content People who once looke d more with what it gave than askance at her and who had done their best to ostracise her would have been very glad to rank amongst her friends even her acquaintances now N o one gave such charming little p arties — the best men the prettiest women were to be met at her house and Mr V e re ke r s entertainments were celebrated At the luncheons and dinners which h e gave in Park L ane if L ady Chester w a s not there to preside Captain Beauclerc always took the head o f the table ; no p articular place being assigne d to Angie though she frequently s a t next her host D uke was never quite happy unless she was beside — him he could not find much to s a y to any other THE
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Mrs Beauclerc had become very fastidious about the people she knew and quietly declined the a c quaintance o f many who were anxious to know her — She was never rude S he never out an old friend ; but sh e had a little cold civil manner to people that made her as she did not choose to cultivate inaccessible as an iceberg These people raged furiously against her and declared that she gave herself the most abominable and unjustifiable airs but that was hardly true “ Why should I know people whom I do not care ” “ about and who bore me ? she argued How can it be unkind on my part to decline their acquaint ance ? It is not as if I were a great person— I am ” “ no one said Angie modestly They only want to know me to suit their convenience and not from any love for me — they want to be amused What is their money or their rank to me i f they are dull and stupid ? I do not wish to go to their heavy p a r ties and I a m certainly not going to S poil mine ” by inviting them So she smiled at them with cold courtesy ; re turned their calls by leaving cards after a some what long interval ; declined their invitations and fore b ore to invite them in exchange She never risked a rebuff by seeking an acquaintance but waited until the advance was made to her— then sh e received it with raceful cordiality She de g tested pushing people .
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If the only way to gain admittance to good houses we r e by being intrusive and forward I should ” remain for ever outside them sh e said It was not only however for the sake o f Mr V e re ke r s p arties that everyone wished to know — Angie she was clever witty amusing to her fingers ” “ ends : the best comp any in the world many a m an beside Duke swore S h e would take equal p ains to please members o f her own se x if she liked them She did not surp rising to relate hate every other woman and wa s a warm and sym p athetic admirer of be auty youth and grace There never was such a charming chap eron every girl agreed for whom she had consented to act in that cap acity Mrs Beauclerc rather a ffecte d the society o f women especially pretty women and so far from keeping them out o f Duke s way and see ming anxious to monopolise him she gave them every opportunity o f meeting him and o f makin g the conquest o f him if they could A keen observer might have remarke d that all her women friends were of the same stamp ; pretty women without very much in them She never chose a clever on e for a companion n or cared to pursue an acquaintance with one N ow D uke oddly enough adored wit and talent and found but little attraction in a wo man who was only pretty Angie sometimes urged him to m arry : she would point him out such and ,
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to bottom and made it the elegant luxurious taste ful place that it w a s It gave her the most agreeable O ccupation ; she loved exercising her taste and ordering all these rich costly things What ever she suggested chose ordered was right in Duke s eyes but she always insisted upon consult ing him and having his opinion and th e n She made him give the order She took nothing upon herself And with great tact and wisdom S he never inter fe re d with his servants or dependents at his various places Perhaps her quick eye s detected that he was robbed and pillaged but she considere d that the inevitable fate o f the rich Besides it could and She knew him n ot inj ure a fortune like his well enough to b e quite sure that he would rather be robbed a thousand times tha n be compelled to detect and punish anyone for doing it Mrs Beau clerc there fore w a s always a popular and welcome guest in Mr V e re ke r s houses or on board his yacht ” “ — she was a lady who knew her place When the house in Park L ane was furnished it had to b e ornamented Angie had the true wo man s love of china and nick n a c ks Some curious clocks and bits o f china were brought from his country place and after that she used to take him to Christie s from time to time to add to the stock Duke obediently bought what she advised though he did not know Sta ffordshire from Chelsea or S evres from O riental He thought it rather a waste ,
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money : if it had only been diamonds for Angie he would have been too delighted but h e never hinted that her purchases were in h i s Opinion poor value for the outlay Sometimes when Mrs Beau clerc had bought a piece that she particularly fancied he would declare after it came home that he did not like it and would insist upon her fi n d ing room for it in her own house This how ever was only a pretext for making her a present of it
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Very well she would sa y smiling I will take care o f it until you marry I daresay Mrs ” Ve re ke r will like it .
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Duke we know had a most generous disposition ; it was one o f his greatest trials that he being rich could not give money to the woman whom he loved and who wa s poor Angie would neither accept money n or j ewels from him — h e dared not even o ffer them The only means he had o f contributing to her slender income was by winning money for her on the turf and she was not to b e taken in by plausible trickery If she won it had to be fairly proved to her ; if she lost she insiste d on p aying and Duke who liked racing for itself but was no gambler was at the greatest pains to get good tips on her acco unt and now and then astonished people ,
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by the intense delight he evinced at wi nni ng fifty or a hundred pounds ” “ Th at is always the way said those who could “ not re ad between the lines Y our rich people are ten times keener about winning their money than ” poor ones With Captain B eauclerc Duke had less d iffi culty When D uke insisted on sitting down to aco r ie with him Algy w a s too good natured to balk him Duke w a s a shocking b ad player and did not care for cards Captain B eauclerc on the contrary was a great hand at era r ié and i nvariably w o n When they had playe d for a certain time with advantageous results to Algy he would throw down the cards and .
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Y ou are not in luck to night Duke We won t ” play any more Then he would light a fresh cigar and stroll off to the club le aving Duke and Angie to entertain e ach other Duke was passionately fond of music and Mrs Beauclerc played and s a ng with consider able taste O ne evening Captain and Mrs Beauclerc were dining alone Angie took the opportunity at de ssert It o f broaching the disagree able subj ect o f bills was always a very hard task to get money out o f Algy for anything but his own amusements He was like m any another man princely in lavishing it and a o ut of doors and in the eyes o f the world -
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ne xt door neighbour ? It would b e about a s ” suitable Algy gave vent to rather a brutal laugh “ Y ou are a de vilish clever actress I have no ” “ doubt he said Suppose all the same that you ” try your hand on Duke ? He looke d at her with a disagreeable smile but she kept her eyes u nfl in c hin l fixed on his gy ” “ D o you mean to s a y she asked in a very “ cold quiet voice that you think I am on such terms with Duke that I can ask him for money and that under such circumstances you n ot only permit but connive at it ? In that case the sooner we dis continue his acquaintance the better From to ” morrow I shall forbid him the house Algy rose dashed b ack his chair and flu ng from the room with an imp atient oath He betook himself to his own little room and lighted a cigar feeling very much perturbed in his mind Angie w a s quite cap able o f doing it— how infern ally strange she was ! What a dreadful thing a clever wife was ! You never could be up to her or know what S he was at What ! lose D uke who had made his life so pleasant to him o f late : Duke in whose company and at whose expense he went everywhere and saw and did everything in the best and most comfortable way ! A n hour later Algy went into the drawing3 room to look for his wife He wore the charming genial our
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e xpression with wh i ch the outside world was familiar and going up to her he laid his hand on her shoulder “ You needn t have cut 11p so rough j ust now ” little woman he said in the tone which he had “ used to her in bygone years when he loved her I was only j oking Do you think I don t know you and wouldn t trust you anywhere much more with who s the best fellow in the world ? I ll old D uke see about the money to morrow and let you have as much as I can I m o ff to the Club now Can ” I do anything for you ? ” “ N o thank you she answered coldly He stooped and kissed the top o f her head and then made for the door She looked after him There w a s a strange mixture o f contempt and yearning in her eyes — her lips quivered When the front door close d with a bang she threw down her book and burst into a passion o f tears How sh e had loved that man ! How faithful how devoted how loving she would have been to him if in those bygone days he had not worn out her love and patience by his selfishness his vanity his indifference ! ,
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This is the woman who for nearly ten years has exercised so mysterious and powerful an influence over Marmaduke Ve re ke r ; has governed his life
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regulated his habits and given a general tone to his ideas He owe s her nothing but good ; she has been the m aking o f him as L ady Chester frankly says She has fostere d good and generous impulses in him ; has toned down his boisterous S pirits polished his rough and ready manner and improved his taste in many ways especially as regards her own se x and the choice of comp anions in his own ,
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To day Duke is extremely ill at ease ; he is like a man who has been walking tranquilly and con fi d e ntly along a smooth and pleasant road at whose right hand a new p ath has suddenly Opened show ing glimpse s o f a magic l and strewn with rare flowers people d by alluring beckoning forms But the end of the vista lies in shadow -
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Up to this period no girl has ever made any p articular impression upon him ; not one h a s ever given him dreams of domestic j oys of which he should b e the head and centre B ut this slender fragile young girl with her large eyes in which there is so much soul fire depth ; the eyes of the devote d young priestess of some great temple has disturbed all Duke s heart ; put new troublesome yearning thoughts into him made havoc o f his calm content as did the taste o f the apple with our first p arents peace If it were not for Angie ! .
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dethroned rival currying favour with the reigning sovereign If it w ere not for the loss to Angie ! the terrible difference in her life that his absence from it would cause If she would only let him make it up to her ! and then he is angry with himself for having conceived so indelicate a thought as the b are idea implies What ! treat her like a cast off mistress ! compensate her with money and gifts for the loss of his a ffection ! A S if she o f all women the most sensitive would not bitterly resent such an affront ! I f he marries he knows that Angie will break with him and so save him all the trouble and remorse ; not O penly not with e sclandre but S he will with draw herself from his society and drop into a mere acquaintance And it is the loss o f pleasure and amusement to her which this involves ; the loss o f his houses his yacht the thousand pleasant p arties o f which she has been the real head and obj ect that distresse s D uke and make s him feel it a kind o f treason to indulge in the thought o f marrying And then comes the reflection whether it is not rather absurd to b e thinking at all about marriage with such a child as Cilla but he b anishes sense — f and reason with a vehement ef ort it i s her ex treme youth her innocence her fragility that e xercise so potent a charm over him A fig for Belhaven ! What business i s it o f his ! If he can only get the child to love him ! Ah ! and he d raws a long bre ath .
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She is not o f the sort to sell herself for houses and lan ds and j ewels So much the more precious her love if he can but win it ! Then he indulges in the mistaken idea of his se x that h e will compel her love by his intense d e I do not think women ever hold these false votion — ideas they know that the gre atest obstacle to win ning a man s love is letting him know the intensity of their feeling for him Duke returns home in time to send a letter com manding the immediate despatch o f the pug When it comes he means to take it over himself to Red Meade in spite o f his large house party He is horribly bored all the evening though he has two or three very pretty charming women as guests all on the alert to captivate and please him in the absence o f Mrs Beauclerc He tries to rouse himself because it is his nature to be kind and a hospitable host but they cannot help remarking that ‘ he is d isir a iz and put it down with some imp atience to Angie s not being here ” “ He cannot live without her says one to a n ” “ other It is really too ridiculous But Duke is thinking o f a childish face and figure ; of the great absorbe d eyes What is sh e doing ? h e wonders Sitting in the low chair by the rose shaded lamp lost in her book ? or perhaps sing ing in her sweet delicious voice whilst Belhaven S its Io My L o d a nd My L ady 1 Th at if is a mighty factor in the questi o n
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pretty wife s feet ? or a nd he doe s not like the ide a so well deep in some learned discussion with Bel ? O r would it be possible ? and his he art leap s at the b are idea : might she b e giving one little thought to him j ust one faint wish to have him there to se e him again ? “ God bless her ! little darling whatever sh e is ” doing ! and Duke heaves a big sigh and his eye s are dim for a moment with his great tenderness for h er at
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MR S B E AU C L ER C i s S itting by a bright fire i n her .
pretty drawing room She is leaning back in a list les s attitude her eyes bent on the glowing coals — which yet they scarcely seem to se e on her lap lies an O pen letter We may stare hard at her ; she is too deep in reverie to b e disturbed and we may b e p ardone d a little curiosity about a woman concern ing whom the world has had so much to s a y She is not beautiful — indeed n o— not even pretty Elegant disl ingu é e if you like ; well bred well dressed that is all but you may wonder with the rest of society wh at there is in her to have chained D uke V e re ke r so faithfully to her side these ten years Her hair is of the darke st sh a de of brown ; -
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day— the wo man whom the world has maligned traduced fawned upon and fl a tte re d — it will tell us how far society s j udgments are to b e relie d on and how the links o f the chain were made upon which the world could naturally only pronounce as a whole — Fourteen years it is a long time for a woman still — o n young to look back fourteen years ago Angie was a girl o f eighteen ; a charmin g sprightly creature e xtremely attractive without being a beauty and holding sway in more than one manly breast She however had one great misfortune bestowed pro bably by some insulte d fairy god mother she had a heart When she loved it was recklessly p as sion a te ly heedlessly — from her youth up her dreams — had been of love love always love when her hero should ride by she would be waiting for him and And she would follow whithersoever he b ade her the malicious heartless j ade Fate ord ained that to the girl s glamoured eyes Algernon B eauclerc S hould appear as the chivalrous heroic being for whom her heart had lain in wait He was a dashing young cavalry soldier in those days with curly chestnut hair and blue eyes which promised more fidelity than the owner was cap able of Mr Beauclerc was much charmed with Angie who was at that moment the centre o f attraction in the country house where both were guests — other men admired her a sure way to the hea r t o f a m a n o f his stamp : and she possessed five hundred pounds a year The y o ung of
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people fell in love — only one thing w a s needed to knit their passion with bands o f iron — Opposition and this was plentifully given by Angie s people N o doubt it was provoking that when a baronet with any number o f thousands a year w a s dying to endow her with th em she S hould take it into her head to love ( Pshaw ! who invented that sickening word ! ) an extravagant impecunious wild young soldier who was sure to make a most indifferent husband But Angie was faithful heroic resolute :Mr Beauclerc got his troop sold out and he and his S ix hundred a year were mated to Angie and her fi ve — a nice comfortable little income o n e might think for a couple o f devoted young people There is not however so much spending in eleven hundred a year as some people might think ; especially when the man is e xtravagant and self indulgent to sa y nothing of his having a little sheaf of unpaid bills to start with and when the girl h a s been brought up in the lap of luxury without the faintest idea of how to keep house But Angi e was no weak foolish irresponsible creature — S he had an excellent head and a devoted heart —if she made mistakes to begin with she speedily learned to set them right — her management soon le ft little to c om plain o f Ah ! if inexperience had been all she had to contend with ! It is a grievous thing to lose by death the man — whom you fondly love when thus bereaved you ’
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think there i s no keener agony in all life s plent e ous quiver o f torments that can assail you ; but d ays go — b y the first maddening pangs subside ; you grow to d o without the de ar presence whic h once was all in — all to you in time you smile ; you grow cheerful laugh until o n e day you wake up S hocked to o u y find that it is almost an e ffort of memory to recall the beloved face ; the sayings and doings even o f your lost love T here is a crueller p ain It is to love with all the p assion and tenderness of which your heart is cap able and day by day to find the veil dropping from your eyes until you know that you have given your love and life unworthily ; that he whom you thought true brave and kind is mean selfish heartless To su ffer indifference in return for your devotion ; to hear from the lips which once breathed fondest flattery cold and coarse and unkind words ; t o feel that instead of a blessing you are a burden ; to be treated as only a woman can b e tre ate d by an ungenerous man and as he would only dare to treat a wife That w a s Angie s fate H ow did she bear it ? Was she a p atient Grizel ? Could she endure neglect and indignity and wait until it please d her lord to change his mood ? Alas no poor soul ! She could have borne misfortune privation most of the ills that flesh is heir to by the side o f a man who loved and was good to her ,
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Why don t you have som e woman to c o me a nd ” stay with you ? he said irritably when she com pl ained of loneliness But a proud woman a woman who still loves is n ot solicitous of eye witnesses to her wretchedness and desolation A S for her own people Angie was perfectly aware that their sym ” “ p athy would only take the I told you so form so eminently hate ful to victims writhing under the bitter consciousness of a cruel mistake O ne of Angie s greatest trials ; the source of c on sta ntly recurring scenes between her husb an d and hersel f w a s money Captain B eauclerc attended races ; Captain Be auclerc smoke d expensive cigars ; Captain B eauclerc drank champ agne when h e dined at his club ; Captain B eauclerc wore gardenias in his button hole ; but when he was c a l led upon to produce money for the butcher and the baker he was fain to p ay them with anathemas ; to curse them for e xtortionate rogues and to swear that he had not the wherewithal to meet their infernal swindling demands Though he w a s in the habit o f bringing in men to lunch and dine and would have been furious had there been only a cold mutton bone to he invariably raile d against Angie s e t be fore them when the bills came in as though he were called upon to p ay for her greediness and gluttony Indeed men ar e apt to behave towards their wive s over weekly bills as though these unfortunate ladies had in pr opr z a p er s on a consume d the whole of the :vi and s ,
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Angie had the most honourable sentiments and was j ust and liberal by disposition ; debt w a s a b horrent to her— to be asked two or three times for the payment of a bill was a deadly dis grace in her eyes Captain Beauclerc on the contrary would have chucked his bills behind the fire and gone on S pending his ready money on himself until on e day when ruin overtook him he would have been ex tre m e ly surprised not to s a y indignant We may imagin e then that when Mrs Beauclerc asked for money and Captain Beauclerc angrily declared his inability to give it the occasion was not conducive to domestic harmony Angie would probably begin in a coaxing manner ; Algy would plead utter impecuniosity Angie with rising tem per would assert the necessity o f p aying for what wa s consumed in the house ; he would tax her with extravagance ; she would return to the charge de a nd c la rin g that sh e felt like a thie f and a robber that it would b e well for him to be honest be fore he indulged in expensive habits and amusements This invariably gave him the Opportunity o f putting himself into a p assion and declaring that his life was — the reverse o f heaven ; that he wished he h ad never seen her ; that people who were p aupers were fools to marry etc etc etc Tableau Tears from the lady ; exit by the gentleman after perhaps fl ing ing down a couple o f sovereigns on the table with much such an air as the gentleman in the play ,
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throws the purse to the poor D ame au x Cam é lias He would then betake himself to the club (the s c ene havi n g as usual taken place after dinner) would drop into a theatre with a friend and not im probably help entertain a small and select p arty at supper afterwards wh en somehow money would be forthcoming from that pocket ( so empty at home ) to p ay for champ agne and other delicacies Algy was such a generous good tempered kind hearte d fellow 5 0 said his friends o f whom h e had a c onsiderable n umber Angie however after a sc e n e with her husband had no such distraction s as the play or a p elit s ouper She acte d her own tragedy at home alone ; she had bitter thoughts for food and salt tears for drink Then sleepless hours waiting for the return o f the Prodigal whom most unhappily for her S he still loved She knew what he was ; She despise d him and yet she loved him — crueller p ain than d e ath What anguish what blind rages what desp airing thoughts assaile d her ! She would leave him ; she would kill herself; she would fly to the uttermost p arts o f the earth Women o f An gie s temperament always go through these phases o f violent resolve and come b ack crouching from very he a rt hunge r to sue for crumb s of love from the hand o f their tyrant That is to say for a certain time The hour came when Angie having strangled and crushed an d kille d her love came to feel for the man she had
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But Angie s he art had grown blank as far a s men were concerned and she possessed that strong instinct o f sel f respect which prevents some women lap sing from virtue even under temptation But in this case there was no temptation She grew fond in a motherly protecting way ; his devo o f Duke tion consoled and please d her but love ! She the romantic p assionate young creature of yore had grown to make a wry face over the word now She held the world and men in a sort o f bitter scorn ; it amused her to se e how meretricious how corru ptible w er e the laws o f society ; how it can be daunted and cowe d by a brazen front ; how it can tolerate glaring vice and b oun d down faltering virtue She had given up her hopes o f love but now her eyes were O pen to se e that there were other pleasant things in life — over th es e her friendship w ith D uke gave her full range And her husb and approved ; it was he who wa s for ever throwing O pen his hospitable doors to his eager young guest Bitter was the scorn that curle d Angie s lip ; she be came a cynic in her heart but she was too clever to S how it— the world resents nothing so much as being found out and despised Angie kn ew that sh e would live down the world s calumny ; a woman backed by her husband is quite sure o f doing that And she had the knowledge of he r own integrity ; the day would never come when ,
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— could look askance at her the only thing
sh e
would have dreaded Meantime she took her pleasure ; w a s envied caressed ; had b ecome a person of considerable social import ance and having forgotten her he art hunger her disappointment even her bitterness since life went smoothly with her was no more than nor yet half so much to be commiserated as most o f her se x There w a s not a shadow of remorse connected in her mind with Duke ; he had been distinctly the better for her— her influence over him had been used solely for his good And after his first p assionate ch a fi ngs he had sunk down into the place she had given him She had become a necessity to him ; sh e amused him advised him took care o f him ; his mind leaned upon hers : he wanted a home and where sh e was grew to be home to him Habit chaine d him to her a s it fre quently chains a man to wife and home long after passion has died out Captain Beauclerc was his greatest man friend Duke had quite forgotten that he had ever entertained a treacherous thought to wards him To day for the first time Angi e fully realises that the chain which she fancie d iron was made of cobweb s and that friendship is but a poor factor when love comes along wi th his bow and arrow A nd that we may b e fully able to comprehend why Angie i s gazing beyond th e red embers at the .
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ruine d fragments o f her h opes w e will look over her shoulder and read the letter whic h at this very moment she has begun to study for the fifth time ,
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Th e C o u r t, N o v
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Why are you not here ? We miss you very much indeed L ady Chester is o f course a charm ing hostess but the Court never seems quite itself without you And to plunge at once into the sub c f e t o my letter its master wants you for j ust now j he seems to b e dispose d to make rather a goose o f himsel f Imagine that on on e o f his big days last week he transferre d his duties as host to S ir John and starte d o ff in his dog cart And what do you think for ? Why to take a pug— dog to a young lady o f S ixteen for whom he has conceived a strange in fa tu a tion Twic e S ince then he has ridden or driven over t o R ed Meade (L ady B e lh a v e n s sister is the young enchantress) and last night he confided to me in a sort o f vague rambling hesitating way that ‘ he was (he did not use the term in love but there w a s no mistaking his meaning) fascinated by the most charming creature who ever breathed the bre ath o f life He does not sa y that she is beauti ful ; but she possesses something that in his eyes evidently makes beau ty a very second hand article and she is so astonishingly clever th at I almost wonder he r friends do not exhibit he r in a caravan .
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over and over again and knowing that as Mrs “ Clayton i s really her friend there is nothing se t ” down in malice she at once bids fare well to the brightest side o f her life and plunge s into gloomy anticipations o f the future as though Duke s wedding bells were ringing i n her e ars and his marriage was a f a il a ccompli Angie is no intriguing schemer She is fa r too h igh spirite d to dre am o f plotting to wrest D uke s fancy from him and sh e kn ows that once he marries the reins will drop from her fingers and that she will not even make the smallest effort to keep them She is the last woman in the world to caj ole or fl atter D uke s wife ; to cringe for crumbs when the whole loaf has been hers and she knows as a matter assured beyond all assurance that Mrs V e re ke r let her be whom she may will be taught to look askance at her as a rival an enemy a per son to be ouste d altogether from Duke s hearth and home She is fond o f D uke She loves him with an honest affection He has been the bright genius of her life without him and his love and kindness the future offers a very blank prospect Then with a bitter S igh she thinks o f her husband They have ” “ got on qu it e nicely for years ; his regard for her has increased tenfold S ince D uke became their friend How will he endure going back to genteel poverty ; to living on eleven hundred a year whe n he h a s enj oye d p art p o sses sion o f all D u k e s th o us a nds ? .
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Then Angie thinks bitterly how all her fair weather friends will drop off; how with secret gra tifi c a tion they will le ave her to pay court t o the bona fi d e C h a telaine of Duke s lands and castles ; how S ince there will be no more little dinners no pleasant parties no shooting or y achting invitations to be got from her she will sink down into obscurity and insignifi c a n c e N o stepping horses no races no Opera boxes : her husb and soured and bitter wrangles over weekly bills as in the old days ! But there is a thought which brings a deeper sting than any of these ; it is her boy s future She had looked forward to his going to Eton She had always felt sure that Duke would somehow manage this in a w a y that need not hurt her pride and after all where that idol o f her heart was concerned her pride was not likely to be very stubborn Duke adored the boy : over and over again he had spoken o f the great things the lad was to do in the future for which he seemed to hold himself responsible But D uke married Duke with boys of his ,
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At this th ou ght Angie s fortitude gives way A stifled sob chokes her She covers her face with her hands ’
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B E AU C L ER C possesse d a strong fund o f common sense and a very courageous temper ; there fore having given vent to her first burst o f desp air and gloomy forebodings she proceeded to review matters with a calmer and more dispassionate j udg ment Duke was in love ; that w a s a fact not to be forgotten or got over and D uke was a man so de sirable from every point o f V iew as a husband that the prob ability of his meeting with a re fusal was very small indeed But would he did he seriously think o f marrying a child o f sixteen ? Few men were more e asily bore d than D uke ; few men stood more in n e ed of a mind to lean on ; a comp anion to amuse them than he — would he not after the first fascination the first strangeness o f his singular fancy had worn off find out that he had made a mistake and be vexed with himself for having made it ? And if he had compromised himself at all would he not be sure to fly to her to help him out of his di fficul ty ? She wished ardently now to be at the Court It was her own d o ing that sh e was not ; she had her sel f proposed to de fer her visit until the middle o f D e cember and now unless Duke pressed her .
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advice and yet he could not conce al from himself that there would b e someth ing indelicate not to sa y ridiculous in c onfi d ing his love to the woman who he had sworn ten thousand times was the only one he had loved did love or ever could love He tried to make himsel f believe that she would be glad to he ar of his new affection ; that as she had S he would be pleased so often urged him to marry that he at last thought o f taking her advice but he was not able to delude himself; he knew that she would n ot be glad ; that his marriage would make a terrible difference in her life and that there was not on e single point from w h ich sh e would be able to regard it as a desirable event But he wa s so harassed by his love that he felt at times however he must tell her must talk to s he might receive it her about it L ady Chester treate d the matter quite unsympathetically as a mere infatuation ; S he would not even speak seriously of it and turned the subj ect when he would fain have enlarged upon it A nd D uke was not quite in a position to s a y even to himsel f that he wanted to commit the rest of his life to this young girl s keeping without knowing more o f her ; without being sure of his ability to in spire her with a love answering his own What he did wildly desire and long for was t o see her con alone with her ; to persuade sta n tly to be with her himself that S he was not indi fferent to him — and this was j ust wh at h e wa s unable to do ,
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He had left his Shooting p arty to take her the — — i t pug S he had been in raptures with her beauti ful eyes had lighted up with pleasure and gratitude ; she had said ten thousand things more with them than she meant or even knew D uke was dying to — be alone with her what can one s a y with two other people present or even one person unless he or she kindly and pointedly turns his or her back with a significance not to be misunderstood ! But it was perfectly clear to him that Belhaven did not intend him to b e alone with Cilla and poor Duke left R e d Meade vexed put out feeling anything but friendly to his host If he could even have had a few minutes alone with L ady Belhaven he might have spoken to her— women are always sympathetic in love matters and besides without flattering himself Duke could feel tolerably certain that her ladyship would think him a desirable suitor for her S ister But B elhaven never gave him the chance : he remained resolutely with his gu est during his entire stay About a week later Mr V e re ke r unable any longer to restrain his desire to see Cilla drove over to R ed Meade again This time he w a s even more unfortunate L ady Belhaven was not well and confined to her room and Cilla was in attendance upon her and only came down for about twenty minutes at lunch time Duke was delighted to se e that the pug was already quite devoted to its mistress After lunch he w a s hal f minde d to broach th e subj ect o f his admiration for -
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Cilla to B elhaven but something i n the latter s manner told h im his confidence would not be well — received he remembere d too wh at Dorothea had said o f her husb and s obj ection to Cilla marrying for some years to come So chafing and irritat e d Duke drove away from R e d Meade longing more and more after the girl and feeling farther than ever remove d from her If B elhaven were her father brother or legitimate guardian it would have been different ; but Duke only regarde d him as an offi c iou s meddler There was no getting away from the fact however th at Cill a was only to be approache d through him and that i f he chose to prevent or forbid any man seeing her it was perfectly in his power to do so His only chance was t o make the girl so much in love with hi m that s h e would consent to his car rying her o ff and h o w And w a s he to do that if he never s a w her alone ! Duke being o f a modest and d iffi d e nt n ature felt by no means sure that he would be able to win Cilla s he art even though the most ample oppor tun itie s for s olitu d es a d e ux w er e offered him So at last worried restless miserable he re solved to seek Angie and to a sk her sympathy and advice In his own trouble o f mind he began to forget his scruples o f delicacy towards Mrs B eauclerc — he was not more selfish than most o f his se x in dee d no t half so much so as a great many o f them ; but when a man is suffering whether physically or ,
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was charm ed with it But what a nervous sensitive woman resolves and what she does are sometimes two ve ry different things and this be falls Angie to day S he feels cold unsymp athetic rather bitter against D uke She has no inclination to help him with his story ; t o meet him half way as she meant to do She is indeed perversely dispose d to hinder him ; to make it uncomfortable and difficult for him She is perfectly conscious o f the unwisdom of this course ; a very smart contest is going on in her heart b e tween prudence and temper ; but temper gains the day and makes her angry not only with him but with hersel f and he in consequence has to su ffer for both Though S he compels her features to a smile her manner is constrained D uke does not feel himself thoroughly p erfectly at home with her as is his wont ; it is more like coming to call than coming home A nd she asks after his sister o f his sport and a hundre d little company questions which re move him further than ever from his happy sense o f familiarity with her He had me ant gently to lead up to his confession but every time he makes the attempt she adroitly turns the conversation He had hoped she might have some inkling o f the truth K nowing what friends she and N ina Clayton are he had felt sure the latter would have told Angie some thing of his c onfi d e nc e s He grows more awkward .
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more uncomfortable every moment but he has come all the way from B la nkshire to tell Angie and he does not mean to be b alked There is nothing left but a plunge He makes it ” “ Angie ! he says desperately (he only calls her “ thu s in private) Angie ! I h ave got something to ” tell you ” “ Y es ? she replies disconcerting him by a look o f polite interest a s far removed from her usual sym pathetic expression as anything can possibly be A s Duke however has flung himself into the water he must perforce swim He does it very un scientifically “ You have often advise d me to marry haven t ” i h e says eagerly w th a gaze that seems to ? o u y en treat her assent ” “ Ye s sh e repeats in a tone that might mean yes no or anything else so totally devoid o f sym pathy or interest is it There is something in her throat which threatens to choke her : if she does not preserve the most rigid calm sh e has a horrid suspicion that she will lose her self control and give vent to the feeling of hysteria which oppresses her It is not that she is in love with D uke ; it is not that sh e is suffering the pangs of a heart which sees all it values reft from it and given to another— it is only a S ort of dull dumb pain which smites her as though everything pleasant in life h a s gone from her and She stands solit a ry and alone in the world : only ,
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a t e mp orary d epression which every feather weight goes to aggravate on a d ay like this Duke is hurt wounded disappointed He would like her to S how some emotion either o f sym pathy disappointment or anger ; he is not prep ared for her re ceiving this overwhelmingly important intelligence as a mere stranger whose acquaintance he made ten minutes ago might do ” “ I thought he continues in a deeply reproachful “ — tone after a m om e nt s p a u se I thought you took ” some interest in my affairs ” “ Certainly I do she re plies with a little pale cold smile which does not give one at all the idea of a very Vi vid interest D uke rises and takes a hurrie d turn up and down the room as is his wont when e xcited It is rather a difficult not to s a y dangerous fe at amongst the numerous small tables and nick n a c ks that make Mrs B eau clerc s room so pretty ” “ Pray mind the china ! says Angie quietly D uke p auses midway in his wild career and looks fiercely at her His eye s sa y with singular ” “ — plainness n the china ! but his lip s are too D accustome d to respect his hostess to utter it An gie ignores the look ” “ “ Y ou were saying she remarks that I have ” often advise d you to marry ” “ So you have scores of times he answers “ hotly Therefore I should have tho ught that when .
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She does not attempt to help him by even so much as a word but sits looking a little scornfully at the fire and playing with the diamonds on her fingers Duke s wrath is gradually melting away he has had leisure to remind himself that it w a s hardly to b e e xpecte d that A ngie should feel or show an y great pleasure at the news he has brought her Presently he leave s the w i nd o w and draws a chair close to her side ” “ “ I suppose he says rather d iffi d e ntly that when on e is s addled with a lot of property it is a ” sort of d u ty to m a rry Y ou know taking her hand “ and pressing it whom I would have married if I ” could Angie s lip curls a little and S he gently draws away her hand without returning Duke s pressure ” “ N aturally she answers ignoring the latter part o f h is S peech “ O f course I don t know— nothing is settled indeed I h ave had no Opportunity o f spe aking to her about it Belhaven won t let me b e alone with ” “ her for a moment Duke goes o n awkwardly but I have seen the only girl I ever wante d to marry ” for a good many years at least ” “ “ But L ad y Belhaven ? returns Angie Surely she would be able to find O pportunities for you to ” se e her sister ! ” “ “ O h she s all right enough ! says Duke But B e lha ve n s a crotchety fellow you know and he has ,
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got some ridiculous idea that she is too young even to think o f getting married Why that is the very ” delight and charm to me he cries fervently her ” — youth her innocence ! Does the wind hurrying by guess what sounds it will draw from an Eolian harp ? Can one e xpect a man with not very fine perceptions to know what chords he is striking at random in a sensitive woman s heart ? At his last words the sob which An gie has been doing stern battle with ever since Duke entered the room rises to her throat and with a sudden pas gesture she bursts into a flood o f tears s io n a te D uke is distracted He is on his knees beside her in a moment uttering every soothing endearing word that he can think of He sees it all now O h why did he n ot know or guess before how much S he loved him ! H ow perverse is Fate only to let him discover it too late ! And Angie in the midst of her irrepressible out burst o f emotion reads his thoughts so plainly from h is words that S he is seized with a hysterical desire to laugh at the ludicrous point of the situation She is furious with herself besides for having behaved in such an utterly tactless foolish manner ; more like a silly school girl than a woman o f the world Presently S he makes a mighty effort checks her sobs releases herself from D uke and standing at a little distance from him says hurriedly ,
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Don t take an y notice of this ! I have been a good de a l worried to day Go down into Algy s room for ten minutes and smoke a cigarette I will run and bathe my eyes You will find me all right when you co m e b ac And with a nod and a smile S he leaves him Duke feels no inclination to smoke j ust n ow He stays where he is and dropping into the chair vacated by Angie proceeds to ruminate ” “ Poor little woman ! Ah ! what a change in a man s heart it tell s o f when his divinity his sove r e i n his queen comes down to b e apostrophised as g ” “ Poor little woman ! He will never give her up N o not for fifty wive s She shall always be his best his dearest friend It shall be p art of his mar ria e contract that Angie S hall have her place in h is g heart and home The j udicious reflections which D uke has previously made as to the impracticability of such a scheme vanish into thin air for the mo ment They will return later but j ust now his heart S peaks louder than his common sense B arely ten minutes have elapsed be fore An gie trip s in the old smiling friendly Angie whom he has known so long It has grown dusk N o one n ee d know that she has been crying ” “ I must tell you my dear she says in her own bright voice laying a friendly hand on Duke s arm “ that I h ave had a heap of little worries to day ’
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what protestations he will she knows well enough that Duke married will never again be friend to Angie Beauclerc ,
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Cilla ! What were her ideas on the subj ect of Mr V e re ke r and his attentions ? With a heart like hers p assionately eager to give and receive love wa s it likely that she would be unable to read the symptoms o f p assion so Openly revealed by Duke s words and glances ? Grown up people even in S pite o f their own ex e rie n c e f will persist in looking upon girls o fifteen p and sixteen as mere children with utterly unde v e lope d ideas about love and an utter incap acity to feel it ; a girl s love is spoken slightingly smil ” “ ingly o f as a childish fancy ; the idea that it is keener stronger more intense more ex acting more p assionately j ealous than that of a woman o f five and twenty would be contemptuously p oo h poohed by them Y et so it is There is in a girl s love the strength of freshness of ardent belie f a hope fulness as yet untarnished by disappointment and there is the natura l and scarcely blameable selfishness or perhap s S elf consciousness o f youth which is apt to make it self the pivot on which eve ryt hing turns .
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77
It was only natural that Cilla , after her j oyless ,
unloved child hood should be prone to regard the first man who S howed her admiration and attention who flattere d her vanity and her sense o f importance as something like a hero A girl o f Cilla s disposi tion lives so much in dreams and romantic imagin ings that the less sh e sees o f the man whom She has se t up to worship ( if he be like Duke rather a prosaic sort of person) the more influence he is likely to get over her mind The man upon whom Cilla actually bestowed her first love was no more the real Duke than was his home spu n shooting coat the gilded armour which Cilla s fairy princes in variably we nt about in She could read with delight of tender or passionate love makings but her se n s itiv e and delicate nature would have S hrunk terri fi e d into itself if Mr V e re ke r had proceeded practically to illustrate them She was quite content with the occasional sight o f him in company with other persons and felt no ill will at all to her brother in law for putting obstacles between them The young girl who has not been fed on worldly maxims thinks of the lover not the husband marriage is the final end o f love making and wor ship in her eyes — not the prelude to it L ord Belhaven and his wife had had more than one discussion on the subj ect of Duke s feelings and intentions —their ideas however were diametrically opposed My lord maintained that it would b e 12 My L o d n d My L ady 1 ,
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78
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doing a positive wrong to Cilla to allow him to approach her with words o f love My l ady c on sid e re d that to let s u ch a golden opportunity slip would be an act qualifying the perpetrator for in stant admission to Hanwell ” “ What can the child know about love ! said “ B elhaven warmly Mewed up in a school room all her life filling her poor little head when she got the chance with a lot of romantic rubbish why of course she is ready to make a hero o f the first ma n Duke is a good who says a civil word to her honest well m eaning fellow but he i s the last man ” to satisfy a nature like Cilla s “ He could satisfy somethi n g better than her ” “ — nature observed Dorothe a drily she would be ” th e most fortunate girl in the world ” “ — you he was going to O h Cilla is n ot l i ke “ checked himsel f and substituted some s a y but ” “ w omen D iamonds and fine houses are not her ” s u m m u m hon u m of the world s d elights “ That is bec a use she has had no e xperience of ” “ them returned Dorothea Cill a is just as fond of smart frocks and making herself look well a s any ” one else “ That comes from the love o f a pprobation in ” heren t in every nice minded woman said Belhaven “ What I s a y is that she would not s e t the greatest value o n worldly prosperity b ut would thin k a gre at ” d e al more o f her affe ct io ns .
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80
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marri a ge v ow of obedience as an absurd obsolete and meaningless form took the opportunity o f sounding Cilla the day after D uke s last visit Her husband had gone S hooting She and Cilla were si tting over the big wood fi re in the morning room ” “ I a m sorry I did not se e Duke yesterday re m arks her ladyship Cilla hearing her sister s voice raises her eyes from her book Dorothea repeats her remark ” “ He is such a nice fellow she adds ” “ Ye s responds C i lla with great cordiality ” “ I suppose proceeds my lady with a pleasant “ little smile that you are the obj ect o f attraction ” He comes to se e you A faint colour rises to the girl s cheeks a smile to her profound eyes : proofs that she admits the soft impe achment “ It is very Dorothe a was about to s a y ” “ “ wonderful but changed it into nice that he Should have taken such a fancy to you Su ch lots O f course one does not o f girls h ave tried for him know that he has any serious intentions but one ” might soon find out if Bel were not so tiresome Cilla is a little embarrassed to know what to say She stoops and lifts the pug (Duke s gift) from the rug where he lies crouched at her feet and kisses his satin e ars and puts his soft black muzzle against her chee k ,
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MY LORD
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Would you n ot like to be Mrs Ve re ke r ? says “ Dorothea pleasantly Duke is ten times as rich as Bel You would be a much greater person than ” me though you would not have a title A smile dimples Cilla s chee ks She cannot help being a little flattered by her sister s words ” “ If Bel would only let him speak now pro c e e d s Dorothea half frightened at her own temerity but b uoyed up by the consciousness that She is “ doing her duty to her sister When Mrs Beauclerc ” comes your chance will be gone ” “ and Cilla Opens her large Mrs Beauclerc ! eyes to their full e xtent and fixes them on Doro thea s face L ady Belhaven feels slightly provoked Cilla ca u ses her perpetual annoyance by her stupid in nocence ; her want of intuition in worldly matters It is so horrid to have to enter into explanations and in society a word a glance convey things which it is di ffi cult to say out right But Cilla is tra n sfi xing her with those great embarrassing eyes and she must perforce make an e ffort to explain “ Mrs Beauclerc is —is a great friend of Duke s ” at least she has immense influence over him “ ” I remember seeing her with him in the Park “ interrupts Cilla the Sunday that you were first engaged to Granville Colonel Lynn pointed her ” out to me I admired her very much “ ” I do not know wh at there is t o admire in her “
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18 2
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“
returns D orothe a with some shortness except that she dresses well I never could see anything in her She isn t a bit good looking N o one can imagine why Duke should be so infatuated about her S he is a horrid designing creature and once she comes ” here you will se e no more o f him ” “ “ But says Cilla looking mystified I thought ” she w a s married Dorothe a p auses for a moment to wonder whether her sister s innocence is real o r assume d Then S he s ays with a S hade of impatience “ O h yes sh e has a husband or of course Duke would have married her long ag o But she has — Duke entirely under her thumb she is poor and s he makes use of his money and his belongings as though they were her o wn so of course you see sh e would not let h i m marry because it would be ” her ruin ” “ “ But s ays Cilla I suppose he might still be ” friends with he r even if he did marry L ady Belhaven is on the verge of losing her temper ” “ L ook here my dear she remarks sitting up in her chair and speaking with unwonted quickness “ I am n o t going to enter into explanations — if you do n t understand me it is not worth while to enlig hten you but reme m ber this : Mrs Beauclerc is your dead ly enemy and thoug h she migh t smile and fawn upon you and seem devoted to you she ,
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are not the qualities with which it is suitable to approach a sensitive and innocent young maiden they are on the contrary quite certain to repel and alarm her But Duke is like a boy snatching at a flower whilst the gardener s eye is momentarily averted Even as the door closes on the servant he takes her hands an d says in a voice of whose intensity he is not conscious “ I am so awfully glad to se e you again I have ” thought of nothing else since I was here last Cilla who a moment ago w a s calmly readi n g in her big chair feels somethi ng as a traveller S itti n g a placid mountain stream o n a summer day by might do on raising his eyes and beholding an avalanche impending Her breath is taken away ; her heart stands still — she experiences a feeling of terror a desire for flight That Duke S hould love her and want to marry her has been a perfectly acceptable idea to her imagination but the pas s ion a te haste o f this declaration is as disagreeable to her as it is unexpected He however being animated by the feeling that he must seize the op whilst it is his does not take wa r ning by u n i t o r t p y the expression of surprise and alarm in her eyes but hurries on “ Tell me darling that you have thought a little ” about me and he stoop s and essay s to p ut on e arm round her ,
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85
But in an instant sh e avoids him and runs to the other S ide of the table where S he stands trem bling and regarding him with eyes that express anything rather than love or pleasure Upon which Duke wakes to a horrible consciousness that he is a fool and a brute It would never have entered his brain to behave in this w a y if he had not been goaded by the fear of losing his only chance He calms down in a moment “ Did I frighten you ? I m so awfully sorry What a brute I am ! I forgot myself for a moment ” I w a s so glad to s e e you These disj ointed sentences he pours out in the most humble and penitent tone Poor Cilla is intensely embarrassed ; a little bit ashamed of hersel f and conscious o f a poignant regret that Duke S hould have caused this feeling o f repulsion in her “ Won t you come back to your chair and let ” “ me talk to you ? he says entreatingly I promise ” not to forget myself again Thus urged Cilla with down cast eyes comes from behind her bulwark and resumes her seat by the fire ” “ Good Heavens ! exclaims Duke seeing that “ her hands are trembling is it possible that I have frightened you ? I shall never forgive myself I only ” wanted to tell you trying to make his voice a s “ m atter of fact and u nlove rl ik e a s possible , that I ,
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86
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love you with all my soul and that I want y ou to ” try and care a little bit for me Do you think ” “ wistfully you ever might ? Poor Cilla is desperately disconcerte d at being unable to answer him i n the affirmative At this moment she feels that his presence is the reverse of agree able to her and that it would be impossible ever to feel any emotion of love for him ” “ I do not know embar she utters i n a low ra sse d voice ” “ But you will try won t you ? he entreats Fortunately for Cilla she is saved the necessity Dorothea o f answering by the entrance of her sister ‘ would not have broken in upon a teie a té te from which she hoped great things only that from her window she had seen her lord coming up the drive and knew what disgrace would be fall her if he came in and found D uke and Cilla alone together Under the circumstances L ady B e lh a ve n s a p especially to Cilla e a ra n c e was a relie f to both p who protected by the presence of a third person began to recover her equanimity and to feel more friendly towards her would b e lover and rather vexed with herself Belhaven not kn owing that the mischie f had been done greeted Duke pleasantly enough although he w a s not particularly rej oiced to s e e him L unch went o ff cheerily Duke w a s fast for getting his rebuff and Cilla her shyness The man s ,
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88
MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
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”
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More shame for their parents returns Belhaven curtly ” “ “ Pardon me Bel proceeds Duke I don t see e xactly that it is a question of your Opinion Miss St George W 111 shortly be if she is not now of an age that is considered marriageable by the laws of th e land and if a man wishes to m arry her against who m you can bring no valid obj ection and she consents I don t s e e that you have the smallest ” shadow o f a right to interfere ” “ I have a valid obj ection remarks Belhaven quietly “ If you mean cries Duke hotly jumping to the conclusion that his friend is thinking of Mrs Beauclerc But Belhaven interrupts him ” “ “ L et me tell you what I do mean he says It ” is the simpler way His dogmatic tone irritates Duke intensely— he had never known be fore that the fellow was such a confounded prig ” “ “ My obj ection proceeds Belhaven is that Cilla has never had the opportunity of seeing much of a ny other man but yourself and that she is there fore absolutely incapable of knowing whether she ” cares for you or not ” “ “ That is just her charm crie s Duke The very fact that she has not been hawked about like ” — other girls or had m e n makin g love to her ,
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That may be her charm for you ,
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returns Bel I was thinki n g about
haven drily but you se e ” her ” “ “ I should worship her says Duke I would do everythi ng a man could do to make his wife happy I would devote myself entirely to her and I suppose my position and fortune give me the right to feel that when I ask a girl to marry me I am ” not committing a very presumptuous action ” “ Oh answers Belhaven I am quite aware that almost any girl you could ask would be ready to j ump down your throat only you se e Cilla hap pens to be different Don t mistake me my dear ” Duke as it occurs to him that he is not treating “ his guest very considerately I know you are a thorough good fellow and would do your best to make a woman happy and I know too that you are doing my little sister in law an honour by wishing to marry her But sh e and I have been thrown a good deal together : I have studie d her character : sh e is exceptionally sensitive and affectionate : to be married to a man whom sh e could not give her whole heart to would be a sort of death in life to her And don t you think yourself it would be very unfair to her to take advantage of her youth and ignorance and to try to bind her to you by a promise before she has had any real experience of life or any opportunity of knowing what love is ? Poor little girl ! her head is brimful of the most “
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romantic ideas n ow : before she settles down she ought to h ave the edge taken off them by some con ‘ tact with a work a day world Duke does not se e the force o f the other s re asoning A man with even as little conceit as he has does not like to have it hinted that he is incapable of satisfying the heart of the woman he is in love with He says rather sulkily “ If you persist in re fusing to give me the chance o f seeing and being alone with Miss St George I h ardly s e e how I a m likely to make any way in her ” a ffections “ Y ou shall see as much as you like of her on ” “ on e condition answers Belhaven If you will give me your word of honour not to make any de c la ra tio n to n or to extract any promise from her be fore she has been into society and seen something o f the world I ” “ i I will not promise anything o f the sort cr es Duke hotly And I think your interference is a l together unjustifiable and that you are standi n g in your sister in law s l ight for which one day she may ” not be disposed to thank you ” “ I will take the responsibility o f that returns L ord Belhaven sti ffly Where u pon Duke in high du d geon desires that h is buggy may be brought round and quits R ed Meade W i thout even pro posi n g to take farewell of ,
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youn g yet to think about marriage I have told Duke so He is very angry I hO pe you are not so
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O h no
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replies Cilla quite eagerly “ You would rather se e a little more o f the w orld and of other men before you bind yourself to ” an irrevocable compact would you not ? ” “ “ Y es says Cilla Mr V e re ke r is very kind — I I like him very much but ” “ But what ? ” “ I don t want to marry anyone So that was all Duke accomplished by his undue haste ,
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LAD Y
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93
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TH REE days have passed since Duke angry and shook the dust o f R ed Meade from d isc om fi te d his shoes Mrs Beauclerc is at the Court : she arrived there with her husband j ust in time to dress for dinner To morrow a fresh relay of visitors is expected : to night the party numbers four and is composed of the host Angie and Captain Beau clerc and the Honourable Cecil commonly calle d Cis Deerbrook Duke has purposely arranged this : he wants to have Angie to himself for one evening that he may pour his complaint into her ear For now the ice is broken n ow she knows his hopes and fears he may s a y unreservedly all that is in his heart : he tries even to persuade himself that she thoroughly sympathises with his new passion N ever has he been more glad to se e her arrive at the Court ; never h a s his welcome been warmer nor heartier but it has not deceived Angie Dinner is over ; she has le ft the three men ; Duke has whispered to her that he will j oin her immediately for the party has been too small to admit of his indulging in any c onfi de nc e s dur i ng ,
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MY L O RD A ND MY L AD Y
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With a sad heart and a lingering eye A n g i e crosses the splendid trophy hung hall and saunters down the corridor to the cosy little boudoir Where when the p arty is small guests at the Court sit in the evening Will she ever come here again or is this her last visit ? N ever since sh e first entered it ten years ago has the C ourt possessed such a charm for her ; but then which o f us values a thing thoroughly except when we first acquire or are about to lose it ! T o night Angie s heart being full o f pensive forebodings and regrets she looks sadly and yearningly about her every obj e ct being invested with a new discovered charm How long will it be before her doom is sealed ; before she and Duke will have p arted only to meet again as mere acquaintances ? Some day perhaps he will be taught to look upon her with cold and j aundiced eyes ; Duke who once thought everything she said and did perfection Now his heart is se t on a n other ; his eager praise his admiration are for the sayings and doings o f a stranger — small wonder “ that it is bitter to Angie What man wa s ever ” faithful ! she says cynically to herself forgetting “ — that she has no actual claim to Duke s fi d e lity it is only a dog who loves you with unchanged a ffe c tion whether you are rich or poor sick or well ” young or old ugly or beautiful ! She occupies her own seat by the chimney h c orner ; her feet a re laced on own p articula r e r p -
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m i nutes the man w ould yawn in ten he would try to change the conversat i on in fifteen if he had not suc ceeded h e would be gone Angie has by this time got herself into perfect trai ning : there is no fear of her breaking down or giving vent to symptoms of pique j e alousy or dis appointment however much Duke may rave of the charms and graces the youth and innocence of his love She is braced to listen nay to listen sym p athetically as long as it may please him to hold forth on that subj ect of inexhaustible delight and interest (to him) She smiles Whether her expression be counter feit or genuine he pauses n ot to ask but plunges at once into his c on fi d e n c e s ” “ “ I ve been dying to talk to you he says I away as soon as could after giving Algy a nd 1 o t g Cis two o f the biggest cigars I could find They ll ” take an hour to smoke at least ” “ “ But you smiles Angie what will you do ” without yours ? “ O h I don t care I can do without It s much more to me to be able to come and talk to you ” than to smoke the best cigar in the world Angie takes the compliment for what it is worth ” “ “ And how goes on your suit ? she asks Does ” L ord Belhaven show signs of coming round ? Duke is very good natured : it is rare to hear him sa y a word a gainst anyone but on this occasion ,
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s remark O pens the fl oo d gates o f his a n ger and he pours forth no measured abuse of the owner o f R ed Meade ” “ He is a pompous a ss and a prig ! he cries “ What on earth business is it of his ! J ust simply a fussy love o f interference and o f showing power What is it to him ? This time last year he had never s e t eyes on my little darling and now he b e haves as though she were his o wn daughter or sister whom he had nursed and watched over from her ” cradle ” “ But my dear Duke interposes Angie gently “ you must surely a dmit yoursel f that there is some reason in what Lord Belhaven says Sixteen and a half is too young for a girl to think of marri a ge ” or to be able to make up her mind about a man ” “ “ I don t se e that at all says Duke hotly In other countries girls often m arry before si x teen And I should think she has a much better chance o f happiness in liking one man and sticking to him than by frittering her heart away in a dozen flirta ” tions like girls in society do here And I suppose “ with rather an inj ured air there s nothing about ” me to make it impossible for a girl to fancy me ? ” “ “ O n the contrary returns Angie softly But if your heart is so set on Miss St George why do you not accept Lord Be lha ve n s conditions for the ” — present say for the next six months ? ” “ “ Si x months ! cries Duke What ! to be c on A ngie
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198
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sta ntly
in the presence of the cre ature you ador e and not to be able to tell her what you feel ; to b e always holding yourself b ack ! It s impossible I ” couldn t do it I would not attempt it ,
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If he had intended to practise any reticence b e fore Angie he has thrown it to the winds now It is such a comfort to have some one to talk to with And Angie if any feeling of bitterness ou t reserve or m ortifi c a tion creeps into her heart stifi e s all show of it in her face and looks at him with the ex pression of interest and symp athy which he expects a n d demands o f her ” “ “ But she urges if you do not make some concession to her b rothe r in law s wishes you will not be able to se e her at all Y ou le ft R ed Meade — in anger you s a y if you went there again without being ready to give some such promise as L ord Belhaven requires how can you meet him ? What ” have you to s a y? Duke being unable to reply to these questions launche s again into bitter invectives against Bel h aven ” “ You forget says Angie presently with a faint “ smile that you want me to see Miss St George and that I am anxious to meet her How is it to be accomplished if you do not come to terms with ” her guardian ? ” “ Ah ! utters D uke and then he sits for some .
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LORD
MY
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A ND
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LAD Y
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Does that hair brushi n g business go on all ” night because I have something to s a y to you ? ” “ Yo u can go A ngie said to the maid taking the brush hersel f but she l aid it down in her lap and leaning b ack against the chair waited to hear her lord s pleasure ” “ What s this I hear about Duke ? he uttered sh arply almost be fore the door had closed on the dep arting abigail And he looked at her with a stern inquisitorial glance as though she were a criminal and he her j udge A n gie resented his tone intensely — she was feeli n g deeply mortified and hurt already and the on e obj ect of her life w a s to conceal her emotion fro m everyone for what right h ad she to be bitter or wou n ded or angry ? What right had she to the affection of any man save one and Why should it grieve her to s e e Duke s love ” diverted from her and given to another ? So she ans w ered very coldly and without look ing at her husband ” “ I do not know what you have heard ” “ Y ou know well enough I expect cried Cap “ tain Beaucler c with increased irritation He has fallen head over e ars in love wit h this chit of a girl ” and wants to marry her ” Well ! sa i d Angie coolly raising her eyes to his face ” “ “ Well ! repeated Algy with ex asperati on Well ! I suppose y ou k now that if he m a rrie s , n it D -
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you ve seen the last of him and are not likely to ” se t your foot here again ” “ “ N o said A ngie quietly I do not suppose ” w e shall ever come here again She was so hurt and bitter more even at her husband s behaviour than at Duke s that sh e was rather glad to have some one to vent her bitterness upon ” “ I don t know about w e blustered Algy “ there s nothing to interfere with my friendship and Duke s but you m a y take your oath y a u r day will ” be over once he gets a wife ” “ Then returned Angie still in the same tone a n d eyeing him with the unflinchi n g gl ance that he “ abhorred as long as you are all right why trouble yourself about me ? It is very kind of you but you se e I am not used to so much attention on your ” part Her husband stood and glared at her for a m o ment — then as he made for the door he said “ If you let him ma rry you re a greater fool ” than I take you for and he marched ou t and ban ged it behind him Angie s a t on g a zi ng v a guely at the spot where he had lately stood Her heart w a s gnawed by a bitter pain — she felt so absolutely lonely and u m cared for O f how many women wi th loving hearts m earning and craving for affection is it n t the doo o y to pass the best y ear s of th e i r live s lon ely uncom ’
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forted ! They have loved once ; they have bee n — deceive d if they prize virtue and self respect they must evermore suffer widowhood Was it with this intention that a Supreme Power made love the strongest nee d of a woman s nature that she might b e made to suffer eternally through it ? or will it some day be recognized that men made the laws which bind women and made them to suit their own conven ience ! N ow Angie felt like on e cast high and dry on a barren shore Hitherto she had not suffere d so much from Algy s in d ifference b e cause o f D uke s devotion ; now that she had lost him there was no o n e to whom she could turn A great sense o f desolation swept over her ; an im mense craving for love and tenderness : she felt almost cap able of going to Algy and saying to him “ O nly show me a little kindness and affection I will forget all the past — let us try to be something ” to e ac h other ! If such a prayer w ould have called forth any re sponse she would have made it on her knees forgetting condoning his selfishness and n e l c e t but she knew that it would only be met with ; g a sort o f wondering contempt a nd that she would come away more lonely more bitter and disappointed at heart than be fore — Duke was bent on this marriage o f that there was not the smallest shadow o f doubt and in due course all obstacles would be removed It w a s a b surd to suppose that Belhaven would continue to -
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hand at pre sent and as I would rather put up with any conditions than not s e e her I have made up my mind to agree to your term s I will not for the ne xt s ix months at all events make any de claration o r try to e xtract any promise fro m her So I hope you will not make any obj ect ion to my going over to R ed Meade pretty often Please let me hear by return o f post and as soon as I get your answer I w i ll drive over “ Y ours ever ” “ M VEREKER ,
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Belhaven was not p articularly well pleased at the receipt of this letter When he took a n ide a into his head he was rather tenacious about it and he had made up his mind that he did not want Cilla to s e e much of Duke at p resent But he could n ot go back from his word and wrote rather a cool response to the master of the C ou rt giving however the required permission for a visit Per haps it was rather unkind of h im to show Duke s letter to Cilla being sufficiently experienced to know that his lapses in spelling would rather grate upon her sensitive imagination and tone down any romantic feeling that she might be nursing for him in his a b sence His ide a was perfectly correct Cilla re c e iv e d a slight shock upon perusing the letter of the individual whom she had been t rying rather hard to m ake a hero o f But she was rel i eved to -
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MY LORD AND MY LADY :
20 5
think that he was bound over to ab stain from these practical demonstrations of his affection which had caused her such uncomfortable sensations on the occ a sion of his last visit Duke appeared next day at R ed Meade in the highest spirits and as he faithfully kept his promise and only showed the state o f his feelings by an e x pressive glance now and then Cilla was perfectly at her c a se and put him back o n his pedestal ; the misspelt words notwithstanding She remembere d to have heard that spelling w a s a gift and that many very highly educated people were unable to acquire it Duke s particular obj ect on this day was to get a promise from L ady Belhaven to drive over with her sister to lunch in order that Angie might have an O pportunity o f seeing the perfect creature on whom he had bestowe d his affections L ike a man he was certain that Angie had only to se e Cilla to appreciate and admire her thoroughly But the thing w a s to get L ady Belhaven to come Would it be better to tell her that Mrs Beauclerc was at the Court or to conce al the fact ? Poor Duke was sorely puzzled on this head If he could only get Speech of his be autiful hostess alone ! She looked such a pretty soft yielding creature he was sure anyone could persuade her to do anything But Belhaven stuck to them There w a s no getting rid of him How infernally su S pic ious he must be ! A s .
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2 06
MY L O
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he (Duke) was not to be truste d after he had given his word ! ” “ I wish you would come and shoot on Saturday said Mr V e re ke r to his host shortly before his de arture and Belhaven consented Then Duke turned p “ to her ladyship Won t you and Miss St George ” drive over to lunch he asked in a tone of entreaty and Dorothea w ho had been dreadfully bore d and dull lately responded sweetly “ I daresay we might m anage it Is there anyone ” staying at the Court whom I know ? ” “ Algy Beauclerc and his wife blurted out D uke “ colouring in spite of himself I think you know ” them ” “ V ery slightly answered Dorothe a coldly mak ing up her mind that they would n ot go D uke remarked her altered tone with a ppre he n sion and plunge d hastily into a catalogue o f his other guests finishing with Cis D eerbrook Then Dorothe a smile d and brightened again She liked C is ; they use d to have great fun together be fore she married She forgot Mrs Beauclerc and Cill a s prospects Y es decidedly they would go Belhaven looked a little glum I am afraid there w a s something o f the Turk about him and that he would have liked to shut up his beautiful wife and never to let another man se e her He w a s quite aware that j ealousy was a foolish as well as a p ainful disorder He made laudable e fforts to con if
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208
MY LORD AND MY L A DY
CH
APTER
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IV
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D U KE has m ade all his arrangements for the visit He cannot receive o f the ladies o f R ed Meade them in person b ecause he must be with the shooting p arty especially a s Belhaven is coming over early to j oin it And as he wants the old and the n e w love to meet and to know each other he thinks his a h sence will give them a better Opportunity of striking up the friendship he anticip ates than his presence would do He means however to slip away about half p ast thre e in order to enj oy a few minutes at least in the presence o f his young love .
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He has drawn Angie aside be fore starting in the morning and squeezing her hand said entreatingly “ I know y ou will like her and appreciate her Try to draw her ou t I wish you could get her to ” sing to you but she is so shy before people Angie has smiled at him in return with a well simulated expression of cordiality N one the less she hates the task that he has imposed upon her and wonders with some bitterness of heart why men and lovers should be so wanting in fine feeling and ,
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perception for everyone save the obj ect of the hour s p assion It is not that she has conceived a prej udice against or dislike to Cilla ; not that she regards the girl as a hated rival come to oust her from power : since she first heard o f Duke s infatuation she has looked upon her own loss a s inevitable and has braced herself to think o f it as an accomplished fact And being a good hearted woman she is not disposed to hate Cilla n or to plot against her but if she could have met her alone and face to face would have been inclined to be kind and friendly towards her and even to look with interest for traits in her character that might seem to augur well for Duke s happiness The real trial wa s that sh e should be compelled to meet Cilla before the eyes o f the other women who were staying at the Court They were all Angie s friends ; not on e of them owed her ill will or anything but kindness but she knew her world She knew that in society one s friends though they would not assist or even connive at our downfall will watch with by no means a disagreeable sensation to se e the catastrophe happen and that their condoling and sympathetic glances are but a little civil mask to hide an unackn owledged gra tifi c a tion at witnessing the humiliation of one whom For tune has once seemed to favour And indeed the other four ladies at the Court who liked A n gie and were her very good friends ; who moreover but for .
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that circumstance would probably n ot have had the Opportunity o f enj oying Mr V e re ke r s hospitality were looking forward with the most eager interest and curiosity to s e e the young Esther to whom Duke had held out the sceptre ; the future reigning deity o f the C ourt whose advent would dethrone An gie and put her in a lower position than that occupied by any of themselves They might come here under the new sovereign but Angie they were tolerably sure clever as she was would be exiled for ever They asked themselves and each other Did Miss St George know about Angie ? and they felt pretty certain individually and collectively that she did L ady Belhaven was a thorough woman o f the world and had been a great deal in society But on the other hand would she think it w ise to enlighten her sister ? The position was one full of interest ; none of Angie s fellow guests would have missed w itness ing the meeting for worlds Angie would have given a great deal to be able to delegate the duties o f hostess to any other mem ber o f the p arty on this occasion but in the a h sence of L ady Chester the r 6 16 always fell upon her If she were absent from the room when L ady Bel have n and her sister were announced it would look like an intentional slight : on the other hand Angie s sensitiveness told her that Miss St George with the j ealous prej udices o f a young girl might resent her a ssumption of so i mport a nt a position and prom ise ’
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a sensitive nature like Cilla s nothing is so terrible as ridicule ; if L ady Belhaven had wi shed to make her sister appear at her very worst she could n ot have gone to work more cleverly to accomplish her desire As Cilla entered the Court she felt utterly wretched and full of dislike and fear towards Angie Therefore when that lady greeted her kindly and pleasantly she merely responded in the coldest stiffest manner and Angie felt at once that the girl s mind had been poisoned against her ,
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D orothea knew two o f the other ladies and was presented to the rest and they were all so charmed with her that they almost forgot Cilla after a mo ment s contemptuous wonder what on earth Duke could se e in her ,
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L ady Belhaven devoted hersel f princip ally
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Mrs Be auclerc whom she tre ate d in the most gra c iou s and friendly almost caressing mari ner Miss Harcourt the only unmarried lady took possession o f Cilla That she was unmarried w a s her mis fortune not her fault : she had all the ideas and instincts o f a young married woman o f the day : all sh e lacked was the appendage o f a husband a want sh e felt and regretted sincerely and was always on the look out to repair .
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It is so ridiculous ! she was wont to sa y with ” “ heart felt earnestness for a woman at my age ( sh e “ wa s twenty three ) to be playing the z ngé nu e ; to -
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have to be so dreadfully careful what I say a n d do because I am a gir l What chance have I without a woman s greatest attraction a husband ? This is a frightful age for girls to live in If you amuse yourself you get such a reputation that men won t think o f marrying you and if you try to seem quiet ‘ and innocent they s a y you are tedious and don t amuse them I shall never forgive Mamma for not m a king me marry old Sir John I should have been a widow now with lots of thousands a year What if I did cry and declare I would drown myself She ought to have treated me like a child who wouldn t take its physic She might have known I should ” thank and bless her on my knees afterwards “ Why don t you make haste and take out a ” ‘ flirting licence then ? inquire d one o f her friends ” “ “ Because the only man who sh e retorted wants to marry me has no money and every year I want more as my opportunities U nfortunately ” diminish my wants increase As Miss Harcourt had only on e idea in the world society and gaiety ; as the only theme upon which she cared to converse was the sayings and doings of a certain se t it may be conj ectured that she found talking to Cilla rather up hill work ; Cilla who knew nothing of society and the people who constituted it ; Cilla who was weighted besides with the fear of exciting ridicule She blushed stam mered answered little more than Yes and N o and .
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MY LORD A ND MY LADY
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was acutely conscious that with every moment she w a s sinking d eeper and deeper into the mire o f her interlocutor s contempt ,
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Miss Harcourt was indeed making the most flattering remarks upon her ih her own mind
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This stupid ga u che creature to ” “ Duke when I s h e said to herself more good looking amusing girls have I always thought he wa s rather a fool seem to care for beauty Angie is looking but then she s awfully clever But this oa f ! How I hate those great “
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have caught and dozens failed utterly He doesn t b arely good and amusing ” saucer eyes ! .
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The announcement of luncheon is a relief to both and Miss Harcourt is careful to place a con s id e ra b le distance between herself and Cilla at the table N o on e seems very anxious for the society o f Miss St George and she is left with a vacant chair on her right hand She glances half enviously wholly admiringly at her beautiful sister whom everyone is loading with attentions ; whom eve ryone seems anxious to be near She has pretty gracious smiles and words for each person who addresses her : Angie by whom she sits is full of cordial a d m ira tion for her — beauty al ways attracts Angie L ady Belhaven is bent on making herself agreeable to Mrs Beauclerc whom in her heart she looks upon as a wily and skilful enemy to be circum vented The lady on Cilla s right says a few civil ,
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6
MY L O RD A ND MY L A D Y
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I like to sit where I can look at you Cis always does ex actly what suits himself but he has a way o f doing it that disarms resentment The moment he is seated he turns to Cilla and say s in a tone so soft and pleasing that it is a l most a caress “ I have known your sister a long time — we are quite old friends but do you know that until a week ago I was not aware that there wa s such a ” personage as Miss St George With this Cilla looks up at him and encounters the most beautiful expressive dark blue eyes that she has ever seen F or his part Cis Deerbrook is equally struck with the orbs that meet his “ I was in the school room I did not go out ” with Dorothe a — with my sister she answers feeling much less shy at his address than she did with Miss Harcou rt ” “ But next year he says with a flatteri ng little “ air o f interest you will be coming out and we shall meet often I hope Tell me how do you ” amuse yoursel f at R ed Meade ? And Cilla whose shyness has vanished before his pleasant manner tells him about her pug her books her songs in the simplest most natural way in the world He knows her favourite works and he is devoted to singin g ; sings a little himself p erhaps some day they may have a duet together He has heard o f he r voice from Duke ; and here his “
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MY
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LADY
2 1
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7
eyes meet hers full and she is horribly ve x ed and ashamed because of the involuntary pink that flies to her transparent skin A benevolent little smile plays about Cis Deerbrook s lips which vexes Cilla “ still more : it seems to say It is quite natural that ” you should blush at the sound o f your lover s name Without knowing it herself she is resenting that he should think o f Duke as her lover or rather as being beloved by her ,
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Miss Harcourt has shot several glances across the table at the pair She is far more disgusted with Cilla now than half an hour ago when she “ simply thought her a fool She is one o f those ” “ odious creatures sh e says to herself who have not a word to sa y to women but are ready to j ump down a man s throat the instant he comes into the ” room .
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I was at R ed Meade once some years ago Cis remarks to his young neighbour unobservant o f “ I re o r indifferent to Miss Harcourt s glances member there was some charming old o a k furniture ” there I suppose it still exists “
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Yes returns Cilla I delight in it but Thea — does not like it she wants to persuade Granville to ” have modern furniture instead ” “ “ H ow barb arous of her ! laughs C is Fancy ‘ wanting to put modern furniture into ancestral ,
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2 18
MY “
LORD AND
The cha irs are
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MY
LAD Y
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very comfortable
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apologetically ” “ I wonder remarks Mr Deerbrook in a low voice dismissing the subj ect o f furniture for the “ moment whether I shall ever b e asked to R ed Meade again ? It is a delightful old place and now that it has two such charming ladies to heighten its attractions I feel tremendously anxious to renew my ” acquaintance with it Tw o such charming ladies ! Poor little Cilla ! She has not been used to these flattering speeches ; to hear herself ranked with the beautiful Dorothea e xcept perhaps by Duke whose honest admiration is e xpressed as awkwardly and bluntly as the blandishments o f a N ewfoundlan d dog But Cis possesses p a r excellen ce the art o f saying pleasant things and sayin g them in the manner that most pleases women For the last two or three minutes Angie has been carefully though furtively watching Cilla She had not thought much o f her at first ; had indeed been considerably puzzled to know how or why she had attracted D uke so powerfully but now she can realize it better The face with the cold sti ff e x pression upon it which she had at first seen certainly presented nothing remarkable except the eyes which were fine in shape and colour but now lighted up even to radiance brimful o f expression quivering .
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gratify my desire You know I have not seen you ” since you married and broke my heart It is pleasant to Dorothe a to be t alked to in this light strain after B e lha ve n s serious and rather tedious love making She smi les at C is and enters gaily on a little flirta tion with him ” “ “ Have you got it mended yet ? she laughs I expect it has been broken so often that it is past mending and so you have put it up on a shelf out o f th e way o f harm as one does a valuable old bit ” o f cracked china “ How unkind of you to make fun o f my suffer ” “ ings ! he says with laughing eyes But tell me ! Is your marriage a success ? Is the honeymoon still ” going on ? ” “ “ The honeymoon ! scoffs Dorothea I am quite ” an old married woman n ow ” “ And is life at R ed Meade cheery ? i nqu i res Cis pursuing his catechism D orothea purse s up her pretty mouth ” “ “ Cheery ! she ob serves N o I don t think you have e xactly hit upon the right word Cheery hardly expresses it I j ust e xist by l ooking forward to next season when I shall go to L ondon and s e e a few o f ” my fel low creatures “ I suppose you are rather badly off for neigh ” bours ? suggests Mr Deerbrook “ R ather And then you know now we are in such ” deep mourning we cannot go out or entertain at all .
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She speaks in a matter of fact voice F or the last month she has been able to refer without any — particular p athos to her mother s death it seems already such a long time ago Cis who dislikes disagreeable and melancholy subj ects hastens to p ass over this one “ ” Should I be allowe d to call at R ed Meade ? “ he says Is Belhaven at all Blue B e a rd ish ? Does he want to keep you locked up ? I am not at all ” sure that I should not if I were he Dorothea laughs gaily “ I do not know what his wishes on the subj ect ” “ may be she answers But I know that I should be delighted to see you for we never se t eyes upon ” any man except Mr V e re ke r ” “ Your future brother in law smiles Cis ” “ “ Hush ! says Doroth ea w a m ingly It is high ” treason to sa y so Bel won t hear of it at present “ And your sister ? By the way what lovely eyes ” she has ! What does she say on the subj ect ? “ ” I don t think sh e cares one wa y or the other “ returns Dorothea indifferently O f course if I had a voice in the matter I should insist upon the marriage taking place at once I am afraid he may ” change his mind ” “ “ He is very keen about it now says Cis But do you mean to say solemnly that you cannot make ” your husb and do j ust what you like ? ” “ I ! certainly not -
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Then what is the use o f being beauti ful ? asks Cis as though he were propounding a serious ques “ I am afraid many o f you lovely creatures tion throw away your chances when you first marry Y ou ou g ht to begin by making slaves of your husb ands ; they would get used to their chains and habit is ” very strong ” “ A h usb and is very di fferent from a lover oh serves Dorothea tritely “ That is because you don t go the right way to ” “ work replies Cis I expect you won t take the ” trouble ” “ Perhaps s ays Dorothea lightly ” “ But when may I come over to R ed Meade ? asks C is returning to the obj ect which he has in view L ady Belhaven bethinks her what a delightful change it would be from their present dulness to have C is for a guest ” “ Why not come over and stay a day or two ? she says brightly The moment the words have left her lips she knows she has done a rash thing What will Bel ,
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s a y? ”
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May I ? cries Cis eagerly I shall be too ” delighted ” “ When do you leave here ? asks Dorothe a “ O n Tuesday I am due at Blank Castle on that ” day but I can put off my visit till Thursday “
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2 2
MY LORD AND MY LADY
4
C HAPTER
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V
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seeing that L ady Belhaven and Mr Deer brook are engrossed with e ach other goes and sits b eside Cilla and tries to draw her into conversation B ut Dorothea s words have had their full effect and the girl only sees in Mrs Beauclerc an enemy bent “ on turning her into ridicule With a fair field and ” no favour Angie would have won the heart o f D uke s young love in ten minutes : she was the woman o f all others to charm an impressionable girl but it is uphill work fighting against prej udice Cilla has never mixed with the world ; is ignorant of social tact ; does not know the use of a mask and wears her heart open and unguarded on her sleeve It is p atent to all the curious eyes that are watching the pair either openly or furtively that ” “ Miss St George knows all about Angie and that sh e does not mean to b e deluded into any semblance o f friendliness with her Angie sensitive as Cilla herself though she has all the advantage o f the domino and mask which women of the world employ is provoked at the girl s manner ; at her chilling air her tri te emb ar AN G IE,
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MY ra sse d
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LADY
5
22
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responses It is a relie f to her when the door is thrown eagerly open and Duke s radiant smiling face appears She yields her place to him and returns to embroidering her crimson roses .
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Duke having greeted L ady Belhaven throws himself j oyfully into the chair which Angie has vacated and begins to talk in a low rapid voice to Cilla devouring her meantime with his eyes He has forgotten that he said to himself only this m om ing that he must b e careful not to make too much o f her before Mrs Beauclerc for fear o f hurting that lady s feelings ,
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But ere three minutes have elapsed he is con scious that something is wrong : somehow he cannot meet the lovely eyes in whose liquid depths he is wont to find his Heaven : her manner is a z s tr a z te and rather cold ; she seems to have very little to s a y to him And all day he has been thinking about her and how he shall manage to steal away to her and counting the hours nay the very minutes A sense o f disappointment creeps over him He feels as if everyone present must remark how cold and indi fferent her manner towards him is And indeed they do all ex cept Angie who keeps her eyes resolutely fixed upon her roses and Dorothea and Cis who are quite engrossed with each other ,
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There is a resentful feeling in Cilla s breast She feels that a r ole is being thrust upon her before ’
My L or d
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6
2 2
MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
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all these p eople a r ole that she has j ust discovered is unpleasant and repulsive to her She is n ot Duke s property thanks to L ord Belhaven and she feels sincerely grate ful to him at this moment : she is as free as air and not in any wa y not in the very smallest degree bound to the master o f the Court And yet two hours ago she had known quite well the position she would occupy in the eyes of his guests and had not resented it Her eyes wander to the Greek profile the close cut chestnut locks of Cis Deerbrook as he sits in animated converse with her sister and it occurs to her that Duke is heavy and not very entertaining She has forgotten how much she liked him ; how intereste d she had been in his talk that evening at R ed Meade and the sub sequent on e a t the Court Then he had seemed the nicest kindest most delightful person in the world : she had promoted him to honour as a hero in her thoughts — to day he w a s only a big dull homely sort o f man Why did he look at her in that master ful sort of way as i f she were his property ? Why did he sink his voice to those half tones ? She raises her own rather more than usual in answering him so that everyone may be aware that she at least is only saying what all the world may hear For the youngest and tenderest hearted maid can always be cruel to the man who voluntarily places his neck beneath her little foot It is an i mmense relie f to Cilla when the carriage ,
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She has be autiful eyes and 1 can quite fancy ” that she is clever she responds ” “ “ I knew you would se e it cries D uke Y ou are such a good j udge — you always understand ” people I m awfully glad you and she got on Angie hesitates a moment ” “ “ As to getting on she says presently 1 cannot There is no doubt she s a y very much about that has been prej udiced against me and I could scarcely ” induce her to speak to me ” “ What an infernal shame ! e xclaims Duke hotly “ his thoughts at once flying to B elhaven But when I tell her all about you — how you ve been my best friend and stuck to me all through and prevented my making a fool o f mysel f and done everything for me she ll get to love you I know Why you re so like e ach other in many things you re bound to ” get on ” “ It does not always follow replies Angie a little “ wearily She would like to add And really it is a matter o f perfect indifference to me what Miss St ” George thinks o f me but instead she says “ At all events I feel kindly disposed towards her and shall be always glad to b e friendly if she ” does not make it impossible ” “ O h that will be all right answers Duke with a little air of authority for with the departure o f his lady love his doubts and fears have vanished ,
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and he feels once more as though she belonged ” “ to him But returning eagerly to the charge “ you can se e can t you that sh e is beautiful and clever and charming n ot only a pretty doll like ” L ady Belhaven and the rest of them ( c onte m ptu ” “ ou sly but a creature with a heart and soul ) ” “ O h ye s returns Angie trying to put a little enthusiasm into her voice and wishing with all her might that Duke would only go away and leave her He drums for a moment on the table then looking up suddenly says with a heightened colour and an unwonted d iffi d e n c e in his strong hearty voice “ D o you — do you think she cares at all abou t ” me ? ” “ To tell you the truth Angie answers frankly “ as soon as you came in I devoted myself to my — work I always think it more discreet not to look at ” — people who who are supposed to be in love ” “ I wish you had observes Duke regretfully “ Not perhaps that you could have j udged to day : she w a s n ot quite like herself I daresay all those women being there made her shy Y ou s e e she s so very young and sh e has never been into society ” at all He casts a wistful glance at Angie She always says the right thing a n d he wants her to s a y that o f course it is natural Cilla should have been shy and anxious to hide her real feelings too,
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MY
30
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MY LAD Y
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But Angie who has had a severe strain upon he r to day has no inclination to prolong the discussion and instead o f answering him goes to the window and looks out at the p ale streak of re d across the grey sky in the waning light -
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Then it occurs to Duke as it did once before that this woman cares for him though she has con c e a le d it all these years and that she su ffers at the knowledge o f his new love R emorse smites him He b anishes all thought of Cilla for the moment and going up to Angie says with his kindest manner “ Are you comfortable here ? Have you got everything you want ? Would you like anything ” altered ? and she turns and answers smiling stifling the bitter sigh that r i ses from her heart “ Everything i s perfect I could not make a suggestion ” “ That s all right says D uke heartily and takes “ her hand R emember whatever happens that 1 shall always think o f you as my best and dearest ” friend She knows if he does not that these are but vain words but sh e thanks him for them by a little pressure of the hand After this he releases her from his presence and betaking himself to the drawing room shyly trie s his fair friends on the subj ect of M i ss St George Al though each in turn ,
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MY L O RD AND MY LAD Y
2 3 “
R eally ?
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sh e
says with an answering smile “ I have got myself asked to R e d Meade and though it would be much more congenial to my feelings to devote m yself to L ady Belhaven I am going to make love to the sister and try to put ” D uke s nose out o f j oint ” “ “ Are you ? says Angie lightly You must be a bold man if you think you can put the nose of ” eighty thousand a year out o f j oint ” “ “ We shall se e smiles C is It is the most ridiculous mania on his p art and would quite spoil him for his friends if he were allowed to carry it .
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An gie smiles His words make not the smallest impression upon her It is only Cis s light j esting way o f talking and the conversation drifts off into another channel .
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As the carriage rolle d swiftly towards R ed Meade with the sisters e ach sa t silently in her corner occupie d with her own thoughts Dorothea w a s thinking how on e arth sh e was to tell Bel of her invitation to Cis and Cilla was engaged in clothing all her heroes and fairy princes by turn with the presentment of Mr D eerbrook He was the first really handsome man to whom she had ever spoken and he had besides a charm o f man ner which Belhaven and Duke kind and nice as ,
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they both were , lacked entirely Cis had taken entire possession o f the girl s thoughts : she had not on e to S pare for anyone else : the one grievous re fle c tion w a s that it would be so long before s he would se e him again N ext season they would meet in London — he had said so ; had hope d so O n this scanty aliment Cilla proposed to feed her dreams for the next six months : she had forgotten for the time that there had been any question o f her marrying Duke Marriage ! what a bugbear ! what an odious thought ! what a vulgar prosaic ending of all sweet and pleasant things ! love was the only fit theme for young hearts to dwell upon But suppose on e loved some handsome perfect being and were beloved by him in return ? Then if marriage meant being always in his presence always looking into his eye s and hearing the caress ing tones o f his harmonious voice ; the common place word wa s a synonym for being in p aradise In some such strain ran the girl s vague u n practical impossible ideas Meantime Dorothea has come to the conclusion that the best way o f informing her lord o f what she has done will be to tell him publicly at dinner b e fore Cilla and the servants as though it were the most natural thing in the world and a matter of course She knows that however a n gry he may be he will at all events n ot vent his displeasure in words in the presence o f his servants and by the .
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MY L O RD AND MY LADY
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end of dinn er he will have time to cool down So when the fish is served she says with her sweetest smile
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Cis D eerbrook is coming here on Tuesday to stay till Thursday He w a s going on to Blank ” Castle but I persuade d him to put o ff his visit Dorothea s words produce a startling effect on her hearers : B e lh a ve n s brow grows black a s n ight a j oyous light leaps to Cilla s eyes and a bright flush of colour to her face which she bends over her plate to conceal B elhaven answers not on e word D orothea con tinnes to chat gaily on as though ignorant o f his displeasure and as he preserves absolute silence presently directs her remarks to her sister who is quite aware o f Bel s feelings and for once does not sympathise with them When they rise from dinner C illa betakes her sel f to her room opens her window wide and looks ou t into the starlit night It is a habit o f hers ; to night she stands longer than usual contemplating the heavens with eyes that are themselves like two bright stars My lord and my lady are together downstairs Dorothea has settled herself snugly near the fire Bel haven stands with his b ack to it trying to command himself su ffi ciently to speak with calmness His lips are tw itching ne rv ously ; his hands are work ing ; when .
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obj ect to And once for all understand that I w ill n ot have men o f his class hanging about my house I don t intend to be on e o f the husbands to be ” laughed and j ibed at whilst men (lashing himself ” “ into a rage) make love to my wife under my nose .
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Dorothea has an e x cellent temper : she rarely loses it : i f she does she h a s su ffi cient sel f control to conceal the loss She is o f a placid disposition with no inclination to violence or anger— she knows besides that the one who can keep his temper is always the victor in the long run And you can plant your daggers in your adversary s heart with a much surer aim when your eye is steady and your hand fi rm She has been perfectly aware ever since that it will be the occasion sh e gave the invitation It is o f a struggle between her and her husband very important that she should get the best o f it and sh e has quite arrange d in her own mind what she will say and do -
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App arently unobservant o f or indi fferent to B el haven s wrath Dorothe a gives a slight yawn ’
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I only asked him she says in a matter o f fact “ voice because it is so deadly dull here I thought ” he would be a god send to all of us She has wielded her dart well— it has plunged into the very centre o f the heart at which sh e aimed it Belhaven is reduced for the moment to utter silence by the horrible p ain of the blo w To “
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be insufficient to make the happiness o f the crea ture whom he so ardently loves is a cruel thought it is a thought he has not dared to put into words — now Dorothe a has done it for him ” “ I am sorry he says after a long p ause with “ intense bitterness in his voice that you are so dull ; ” that I bore you so much ” “ It is unfortunate agrees Dorothea with perfect coolness ” “ I wish to God cries p oor Belhaven p assion “ ately that I had known be fore you marrie d m e that you did not care for me and that you were ” only taking me for What I could give you ” “ And I wish returns D orothea cruelly but “ without any infle xion o f anger in her voice that I had known you meant to keep me shut up in the country W ithout ever seeing another man Then if you had been a duke with six times as much as ” you have I would not have married you The pain is greater than Belhaven can bear He flies away to his own room and locks himself in in the dark leaving Dorothea triumphant ple ased W ith herself and not in the very least regretful or peni tent for having wounded him Five minutes after wards sh e is sleeping as peacefully and happily a s — a tired child the air has made her sleepy Meantime Belhaven is raging like a wounde d lion He is very sensitive : his nature is in some respects like a woman s He begins by thinking o f .
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all sorts o f impossible things — he wi ll go away to the furthest parts of the earth and leave this heart less woman to be happy without him — perhaps when he is irrevocably lost to her sh e will be sorry will want him back again The n his wrath turned on Cis He should not enter his doo rs ; he would write him a cold note saying that they could not receive him He would go off abroad at once tak — ing his wife and Cilla with him he would run up to L ondon alone and not return until Cis s visit was over But after an hour of angu i sh wrath and misery during which Dorothea was sweetly sleeping he calmed down and his old slavish adoration for his beautiful wife came creeping b ack — h e felt there w a s only on e thing he could not bear to b e away from her or to b e on b ad terms with her He re turned to the room where he had le ft her ready to make any concession ; desiring but one thing recon c i liation Cilla was in the room but quite en grossed a p l at least with a book Dorothe a was asleep a r e n t p y Asleep whilst he had been suffering all that agony ! A s he approached her she opened her eyes ” “ I was in the midst of such a delightful dream said and turned her face to the cushion and sh e closed her eyes again as if to court it back B elhaven knelt beside her and took her hand with a hot p assionate clasp It recalled to D orothe a ,
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MY
40
LORD AND MY LADY
C HAPTER
VI
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D EERB RO O K S visit to R ed Me ade w a s the cause of almost as much heart burn ing as the advent o f the goddess C 15
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that u ni nvite d c am e I nto the fai r P e le l an b an qu e t hall And c a st the gold e n fru it u po n the “
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He arrived in time for dinner on the appointed day and Belhaven who like most hasty tempered people soon calmed down again after a burst o f anger received him not only hospitably but plea s a ntly And Cis had such a charming taking manner that it was next to impossible even for those who were most j ealous and mistrustful o f him to treat him coldly Still when Belhaven came down dressed for dinner and found his wife and Cilla adorned for conquest ; each having beyond a doubt m ade her self as fair as possible and b ared several inches more o f white skin than was customary when he was to b e the only beholder ( for they were in the “ habit o f dining in high dresses because it was so -
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old in the he felt a decided twinge o f j ealousy and his brow clouded a little But he h ad been talking to himself very seriously the last day or two and had given himself the most excellent advice He had told himself that i f he wished his beautiful wife to get bored with him and from being bored to grow gradually to hate him he could not do it more successfully than by insisting on keeping her entirely to himself and away from other men and by playing the part of Turk to her Harem life may satisfy Eastern women who know and ask nothing better than to gossip with e ach other to play with their j ewels to eat sweets and smoke a o lz bz tzem and even they we know if they ever get the chance will risk their lives for a little excitement of a stronger nature ; but to shut up a beautiful European accustomed to adulation to “ leave her high and dry with no men ( save one ) to ” govern in this wood is indeed to bring down woe and misfortune on one s head O f this Belhaven was perfectly aware N ever the le ss when he s a w n ot only his wife but Cilla Cilla who had a mind and was not he had im a ine d f o t the sort girl o be taken captive by the g meretricious and superficial attractions of a man like Cis lay i ng hers elf out for his admiration he did indeed feel a severe twinge Deerbrook ha s U nfortunately for himself c
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MY L O RD A ND
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MY LAD Y
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yet appe ared) Belhaven cannot r es i st a little s arcasm ‘ “ What ! cut square on the coldest night we have had and you L ondon bred ladies who are a l ” w ays shivering a t the cold in the country ? H e addresse s C illa and she colours a little and feels a shade less fond o f him than is her wont Dorothe a answers for her with a gay little laugh “ My dear Bel ! we must make a difference for com p any particularly appreciative company It would be quite los t upon you you kno w if we cut ” ourselve s ever so square “ I think you at all events ha ve cut yourself ever ” he returns in a displeased voice ; the s o squ a re Turk rising in him again as he h a s leisure to remark the display o f Dorothea s beauty that it is gall and wormwood to him to share in comp any with others H ere C is smili n g d eoonna z r with the slight air of languor that is so eminently becomi n g to him enters and Belhaven m aking a great e ffort over himself smooths his ru ffled brow and trie s to be pleasant But at dinner he cannot help remarki ng that the four beautiful eyes of the ladies of his family are bent constantly on the guest ; that they ha v e a thousand tim e s more li ght a nd e x press i o n in not
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a good bottle of claret and a cigar b alanced very evenly with the society of a pretty woman was in no hurry to move B esides he w a s keenly alive to the impo rtance of being on good terms with the h usb and of a woman whom you admire and he did admire Dorothea amazingly Cilla he merely re garded as a bright sort o f child different from the if nothing else ordina ry genus of girl with whom were by it might be amusing to play at love mak ing but he had no p alate for such green fruit B e t ween the charms o f the sisters he would no more hesitate than between a ripe peach and a gree n plum and then Dorothe a had what to men o f Cis “ D eerbrook s stamp is the married woman s greatest ” — charm a husb and L et not the reader however prepare to be shocked or to suspect villanous de signs in the e asy go ing breast o f Cis ; he like d to sa y pretty things to pretty women ; if matters ever w ent beyond these harmless whisperin gs Cis always And no doubt it swore it was the woman s doing w as Since Adam first threw the blame o n Eve his sons have always followed suit in their tre atment o f her daughters ,
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Pretty placid Dorothea hearing the deep toned clock chime ten roused herself and sa i d with more p etulance than it was her habit to use -
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It s too bad of Bel to keep him all this time ” course he is doin g it on p u rpose ’
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Cilla had been vainly trying to fix her wander ing thoughts on her book but sh e was in a state o f nervous excitement listening keenly for every sound and looki n g E very moment at the laggard hand o f the clock Dorothea h ad scarcely spoken however when manly voices a n d steps were heard approach ing and the two gentlemen came in ,
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Cis took up his position close to his hostess and seeing this Belhaven rang the bell and ordered the whist table to be se t
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It s too late for whist to night said Dorothea S he infinitely preferred glancing at the clock talking to C is to puzzling her pretty head over stupid cards which she merely regarded as a p is ’
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There s plenty of time for a game a n d w e ” are not tied to time responded his lordship reso “
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I don t suppose it will amuse Mr Deerbrook ” to play for ou r r i diculous little stakes remarked Dorothea making another effort “
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Cis would far rather have s a t and whispered into her ladyship s pretty little ear but he hate d a nything dis a gree able and never irritated a hu s band i f he could help it So he de clared 1n ’
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MY LO RD AND MY LADY
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his pleasant voice that he would be delighte d to play for s ix pences or sugar plums or love or anything they liked and laughe d at the idea that he could not play without the e x c i tement of gambling ,
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Whilst the table was being se t Dorothea too k the opportunity of whisp ering to him ,
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Don t b e inveigled into shooting to morrow There s nothing to shoot a n d I will drive you out ” and show you the place -
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So Cis was content to hid e his time , and m ade himsel f equally a greeable all round and re fraine d from exhibiting any p articular attention to L ady Bel haven .
The husband was extremely relieved in his mind ; things had p asse d off better than he had anticip ated ; no ser ious cause for j ealousy had been given him and he had made arrangements for the morro w by which Cis would have but little opportunity of enjoying the society o f the ladies .
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in front of the glass whilst her maid piled up de lic iou s little gold curls on the top o f her head and when he furthermore sa w the most exquisite white silk and lace tea gown spread over a chair evidently laid ou t for immediate use his u nfor tun a te temper came into play : the Turk croppe d up again For Dorothea never a ppeared at break fast though he had frequently remonstrate d with her on the subj ect and had even entre ated her to grace the board with her lovely presence It made the day so long she obj ected if one appeared before eleven ” “ Are you coming down ? he said eminently displeased that she should have chosen this morn ing of all others to conform to his wishes And when he was displeased h is face and voice were always in harmony with his feelings ” “ “ Y es replied his wife sweetly Is it not good ” o f me ? ” “ I wish he remarked coldly not wanting to “ betray himself before the maid that w hen you alter my arrangements you would be good enough ” to let me know ” “ But my dearest love said Dorothea sweetly o f using endearments she had an ex asperating way ( when she did not mean them and he was not in “ y o u c an t ex pe ct othe r the humour for them) ,
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people to breakfast at your inhuman hour I daresay poor Mr Deerbrook thinks it a great hardship hav ” ing to be d own at ten To a void ge tting any angrier than he already is Belhaven makes a hasty exit He slowly descends the stairs with a swelling heart S he would not go down to breakfast to please him but the moment another man comes along she not only m akes her appearance but gets up hal f an hour earlier to bedizen herself o ut for his conquest ” “ What fools men are to marry ! groans Belhaven to himsel f as most husbands have groaned at some “ time or another You deprive yourself o f liberty and everything you value to make a woman yours and when you have done it sh e is more anybody else s than yours in heart and inclination at all ” events At five minutes p ast ten when Belhaven h a s sulkily insisted on Cilla s pouring ou t his tea and beginning breakfast L ady Belhaven and Cis come in together having met on the stairs Dorothe a looks simply lovely and Cis like most Englishmen is always at his best when he comes down in the morning His attire does not betray the smallest indication of any thought o f sport and this gives further cause for dissatisfaction and uneasiness to his host ” “ We start at half past ten he says after the e of good m ornings cu rt interchan g .
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Cis gives a glance at Dorothe a who stra i ghtwa y answers for him ,
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O h , Mr D eerbrook is not go ing to shoot
I have promise d to drive him roun d the place this m orning B esides he is spoiled for your shooting ” after Mr Ve re ke r s .
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Belhaven is literally dumb foundered at this daring stroke He had cut and dried his plans so nicely for carry ing L ovelace o ff and some one else had been cutting and drying plans be fore him -
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The morsel he is in the act of swallo wing all but chokes him Then trying to stifle his rage he says looking at Cis “ I can give you a pretty good day s sport ” I hO p e you ll come ” “ A thousand thanks C is answers in h i s cheeriest “ voice with his ple asantest smile but I think I ll ask you to let me off if you don t mind My foot isn t quite right yet and I shall have two rather hard ” days walking Friday and Saturday Belhaven is unable to utter a word Cilla who can read him like a book is positively frightened ; she feels very an gry with her sister b ut perhaps that is not quite all on Bel s account Her thoughts however are soon distracted by C is who devotes himself entirely to her as long a s Belhaven rema i ns i n the room and she forgets to be angry with .
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senses and without any really harm ful i ntention m aking a havo c in her heart that he will never be able to rep air ,
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She sings divinely With such a voice and such eyes C is is bound to confess it is not surprising that Duke or any man shoul d be captivated For his ow n part he finds the sleek smooth beauty o f her sister more attractive : according to his e x i e r e n c when women have eyes like C illa s there e p is generally a devil lurking behind them and no doubt that he aven sweet voice could quiver with rage as well as pathos C is abhors emotional women —they always give a man trouble in the long run and he hates trouble and indeed everything that is disagreeable But as long as the voice is tender and symp athetic it is charming and for the present the eyes are neither those o f a devil nor an angel but something better still o f a woman in whom love is d awning .
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C is not being given to strong feelings a n d never having su ffered much for love s sake does not pause to reflect that there is any cruelty in tak ing this young girl s heart by the e asy assault of a few long looks and a few low voice d words of praise and admiration ,
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The cobs are ordered for twelve o clock and D orothea has gone to equip herself .
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I s ho u ld l ike
to S top
a
nd
l i s te n to y ou r lovel y
MY L ORD
A
ND MY
LA DY
2
.
53
”
voice for ever murmurs Cis and poor ingenuous ignorant little Cilla fancies that he means it a n d that he is deploring having to leave her to drive ” “ with Dorothea Sing me this be fore I go he says stretching out his hand to take a song from the music stand and whether by chance or a c it touches hers and an electric thrill strike s c id e nt to her heart O h ! how di fferent a feeling from that of fear and repulsion Duke s touch had given her ! She blushes crimson and taking the song hastily places it o n the desk but her voice trembles s o that sh e can scarcely sing the first notes ” “ A dangerous young lady soliloquises Cis “ Much too inflammable But by J ove ! what a ” fetching voice ! Poor Duke ! When L ady Belhaven and C is start for their drive Cilla watches them from the window She stands there long after they have gone vaguely sad and half indignant What business has Dorothe a a married woman to flirt— yes it is flirtin g! —with another man ? Poor Bel ! how can he bear it ? the girl wonders How utterly wretched he must be ! And Mr Deer It is very wicked o f her sister ! brook does he not kno w that it is wrong too ? But ho w could he refuse to go with his hostess even though he would rather have stayed and listened to her songs Then Cilla feeling a p aw on her arm and seeing two wistful brown eyes looking up in her face is ,
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MY L ORD AND MY LAD Y
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reminded that the pug would like his usual morn ing walk S o she gets her hat in obedience to his suggestion and absorbe d in thought strolls down the drive to the high road .
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MY LO RD
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A ND MY
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C i s had both something o f the gourmet about the m N ice people always have Dorothe a asserted
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They had enj oyed their drive immensely ; i t was
delightful to my lady after her long seclusion once more to hear and to tal k that delightful so which is a special language to the c ie ty j argon initiated She and Cis were in admirable r a pp or t which the well chosen lunch contribute d to heighten Her ladyship had ordered ch amp agne because Cis always drank it and she was rather by wa y of liking it herself They were so engrossed with each other that they forgot all about C illa and she s a t there p ale wretched unable to eat be cause o f a terrible choking sensation in her throat ; her poor little heart swelling with j ealousy anger and mise ry so
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She thought the other two would never leave off eating ; when lunch ought to have been over there was still f oz e gr a s and ca vz a r e to be dallie d with then liqueurs and after this w a s it possible ! cake and grapes And then crowning infamy ! Dorothe a begged Cis to light his cigarette a nd he at once j oyfully obeyed ,
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Cilla did not know that it was the custom o f ‘ fashionable men to smoke after luncheon in the pre sence o f fashionable ladies ; Belhaven never smoked in the dining room when they were there — it seemed an unpardonable familiarity in the girl s eyes She did not p ause to analy se her feelings nor to re flect -
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MY L ORD
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MY LAD Y
25 7
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that her anger w as on D orothea s a c count C is exercised such a S pell over her sensitive pass i onate young heart that it is prob a ble if he had a ppealed to her and presse d her to smoke a cigare tte herself to please h i m she would have consent e d But neithe r o f the m t oo k the smallest notice O f h e r; they were entirely engrossed with each othe r and when Cis lighted his cigarette she rose to le a ve the table He w ent and opened the door for her with j oyful alacrity a nd poor Cilla read but too accurately the expres sion of his face .
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h e said return i ng to his is n o doubt chair a nd drawing i t a couple of feet n e arer to that “ o f h is hostess that two is a better numb er than ” three “
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Y es responded Dorothe a he artily And girls ” are such a bore O ne can never talk before them .
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And then they laugh and chat on and Cis tells her a thousand amusing little stories and clz r om gu es s ca n da lezcs e: which no one can tell so well nor so delicately a s himself A word a pause a gesture and he can convey everything he desires without shocking the most delicately balanced susceptibilitie s L ady Belhaven has not been so h a ppy nor so much amused since she married ; time flies w ithout — e r eith remarking it ; four o clock strikes still they sit on in the dining roo m and Cis has reach e d his third cigarette ,
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MY L AD Y
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The butler comes in and puts on fresh log s, and a great blaze roars up the chimney This as it happens is unfortunate It has grown nearly dark outside and at this moment Belhaven p asse s the window on his return from his day s shooting The long walk has done him good ; has braced his He has told n e rves and tone d down his anger himself that he must not b e unreasonable ; that he must be content to pay the penalty attached to having a beautiful wife O f course other men will admire her and o f course being a woman she will love admiration and court it That weakness is the peculiarity o f the se x and order to which she belongs H e will m ake a supreme e ffort to conquer his sullenness an d meet the m all with a cheerful counten ance and as ple asant a voice as he can com mand He is smoothing his brow at the moment dining room window when 10 ! a o f p assing the vision meets his ga z e that sends his resolutions to the winds and fills him with a fury to which the morning s a n ger h ad been mere child s play It w a s an interior that a painter would have — ooke d at with delight the fi re light throwing a l ru ddy glow over the draperies the pictures on the w all the silver and glass the fruit and flowers Belhaven s a w none o f these What he did see was Cis with on e elbo w on the ta ble sitting familiarly near to his wi fe ; looking into her face a nd s moking! a champagne bottle a t his elbow ’
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MY L ORD “
Go and pour sweetly
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I don t suppose I am wanted in a tone o f intense bitterne ss
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D orothe a looked at her with a petri fi ed stare Then she s aid in a displease d voice ,
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Are you ou t of your senses ! Please d o as I ” you at once !
C illa felt the strongest inclination to rebel but sh e could n ot resist the fascination o f being in Mr D eerbrook s presence So she obeye d ,
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Cis greeted her with his most charming smile He s a w that she w a s angry and hurt and a s he hate d anything unpleasant he e x erted himself to soothe her ruffled feelings
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Why did you run away and where have you ” been all this long time ? he s aid and poor C illa who was like clay in his hands seeing the soft e x pression o f his d e e p c oloure d eyes and hearing the tender in fl e xion of his voice w a s beguiled in a moment from her anger and felt instead a glo w of rapture thrill through her heart ,
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When Dorothea came b ack after her fru i tless search and they had finished tea she proposed an adj ournment to the billiard room from which she S ent a message to her husband requesting him to oin them there j ,
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But th ough she sent a second time Belhaven came not and Dorothea felt an uneasy conviction that he was still angry with her for taking Cis d riv ing She little guesse d how his wrath had been augmented by later events Cis to whom j ealous husbands were n ot an unknown genus had a pretty shrewd idea that something was wrong and began to devote himself to Cilla s o that when Belhaven should appe ar it might not seem to the girl or to him a s a r ole suddenly assumed and Dorothea quite understanding his mot ive neither showed nor felt any displeasure at the transfer o f his attentions She was rather absorbed too with meditations how to appease Bel s wrath ,
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When she went upstairs to dress for dinner she again p aid a visit to his dressing room and this time she found her lord Instead o f advancing eagerly to embrace her as wa s his custom ; he stared coldly at her as though he would a sk the reason o f her intrusion -
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Where have you bee n? though her heart quaked a little ” twice ”
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cried gaily “ I sent for you
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He did not so much as answer her Indeed he could n ot for a terrible fear seized him lest if he once O pened his lips it would b e like unbarring the floo d gates .
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What
is the m att er? A re y ou cross with m e ?
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MY LORD AND
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MY
LADY
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said coaxingly and going up to him she l aid a hand on his arm He shook her o ff as if she had been a serpent ” “ Please go he uttere d in a smothered voice and pointed towards the door ” “ O h very well returne d D orothea nettled at such treatment and with that she le ft him What did she care she said to herself with a toss o f her head If he chose to put himself in a temper for nothing he must do it She certainly would n ot crouch to him like a whippe d spaniel nor let him think she was a fraid o f him This was their first struggle ; this then was the time to show her in dependence S o during dinner she made herself more charming than ever to Cis who for his o wn p art wished devoutly that women had a little more discretion and would not run such silly risks when there w a s nothing on e arth to b e gained by them It was like burning your house over your head for the fun o f making a blaze but most women were like that he reflected He devoted himself chiefly to Cilla at dinner but Belhaven sitting morose and glum sa w through this m anoeuvre or thought he did He saw moreover that C is in his indolent v anity was turning the poor child s head And now for the first time he repented him sorely o f having put a spoke in D uke s wheel and realise d that the Scylla from which he had thought to save her w a s as nothing compared with the Charybdis ,
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MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
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For some minutes he stood as his hab it was when ve x ed staring into the fire ; then he turned and glan ce d at Cilla She had taken up a book — a and w s pretending to read her face w a s hidden behind it but he could se e that the hands which held it trembled Then he glance d at the two handsome smiling people sitting oppos i te to e ach other and cursed them for their heartless vanity and selfishness which made them callous to the p ain they were inflicting He did not add any anathem a u pon his o wn folly and C illa s for nursing this j ealous anguish a s he might have done with very good re ason ,
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Presently he approached his sister in law and — o f propose d a game chess it was a favourite amusement with both She acquiesced and he fetche d the board and se t the men But before five minutes had elap sed both would have been devoutly thankful to throw up the game -
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Everyone knows that chess requ i res the e x ercise a o f a l l th e intelligence th at the player possesses cool head and an attentive mind A s however the he arts o f these two poor people were rent with j ealousy ; as they could not keep their eyes from occasion a l glances at the other pai r nor their e ars from straining to catch what the é c art é players were saying the result wa s that e ach made the most nu s kilfu l a nd i ll cons i de red m ov es , whils t the other, ,
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MY L ORD
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even i f he remarked it did not care to ve rs a ry right ,
65
his ad
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Cilla with trembling hands m arble feet and a li ttle re d pa tch on either white cheek was wonder ing dumbly how Belhaven could allow her sister to behave in this manner She half dreade d half longed for him to make a scene and punish the wicked o ffender on the spot And Belhaven over and above his own wrath and pain w a s stricken with regret a n d perple xity as he looked at the child s white face ; the hunted expression of her eyes her parche d and burn i ng lips ,
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What was to become of her if ” of such in flammable stu ff as this ?
sh e
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He wished that he had not take n compassion on her and rescued her from her governess ; that he had let D uke make his declaration (how he would open his arms to Duke a s a suitor that — but here Dorothea s r z r e p er lé fell upon his ear and involuntarily he glanced at her Her beautiful bare white arms were on the table her j ewelled fi ngers supported her dimpled chin ; she w a s looking over at C is who bent slightly towards her with an e x pression of provoking coquetry in her blue eyes Belhaven rose abru ptly a nd le ft the room Cilla a fter one frightened movement resumed her book and hid her fa c e behind it She did not even re ma rk that she wa s holdin g it u ps i de d own Her ’
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heart was full o f hatred and bitterness F or sever a l months no angry emotion had ru ffle d he r breast but now the demon of rage and anger that had p ossessed her in the Fr a ulein s d ays seemed to have r eturned bringing with him seven spirits worse than himself To night she felt that sh e hate d her sister far more than she had ever hated her governess a nd because she had right principles and a good he art she w a s shocked and horrified at herself and the terrible feelings which had gained the m astery over her Dorothea was enj oying a delightful evening — she had almost forgotten the e xistence of the other p air —she was glad when Belhaven took himsel f off and that he forbore to return But retribution was in store for her I will not presume to enter the marital chamber nor to describe the terrible s cene which took place there on that D ecember midnight Belhaven did not smother his Desdemona though the snowy lace fringe d pillows were conveniently and invitingly handy but he exhibited such p assion and said such dreadful things that his bride w a s terribly frightened and remaine d sobbing and hysterical for quite half As for Belhaven his heart a n hour after he left her He was w a s a literal hell of conflicting p assions enraged against Dorothea : he cursed his O wn bru tality : at on e moment he hated her almost to mad ness ; at the next he would fain have grovelled at .
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MY L O RD AND MY LAD Y
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pleasure in the society of another man ; acted with such indiscretion be fore her servants ! Poor little C illa in her dainty pink hung chamber was spending as miserable a night as her brother l n law -
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People m ay laugh at the s uffering and the p assio n o f a love sick girl not yet seventeen but i ndeed it is no laughing matter Pshaw ! to fall in love at first sight W i th a m an who ha s given her n o encourage ment to speak o f If sh e is distraught with grie f and p assion she must b e a shameless immodest cre ature with an ill regulated not to s a y depraved mind But the p assion o f a young girl o f C illa s temperament is as pure and innocent as it is violent : its food is a look a h a n d pre s su re ; a tender word a flower for a keep sake If anyone disputes or j eers at this absolute truth it is because o f the coarsenes s And it is a fact unrecognised o f his own mind though it may be that the love o f women in general is far more sentimental and symp athy cravi ng than sensual -
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through her short life Cilla had been yearning for love — l n default of it sh e had fed her he a rt and imagination with romances and had lived amongst ideal heroes and ide a l p ass i ons She was budding into womanhood ; she had never until the last few months he ard a word of love uttered nor seen p a s — he r hea rt w as Open to re ce ive si o n in a m a n s e y e s ,
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MY LORD
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MY L ADY :
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69
the first master who should touch and please it And what kind o f man was likely to attra ct a g irl whose ideas had been moulded from the heroe s o f novels a nd ro m ance s ? Was it a man blunt straight forward matter o f fact such as Duke or a man o f remarkably handsome e xterior like Cis versed in all the arts o f pleasing women ; whose look was a caress A nd Cis had taken Whose voice w a s a harmony captive many quite e x perienced feminine hearts whilst poor little Cilla w a s not even yet at her A B C of knowledge of the world and o f the way s of men And do not people invariably in books fall in love at first sight ?— and sometimes out of them .
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The cause o f all these terribly heartb u rni n gs at Red Meade slept peace fully and dreamlessly from the moment he put his he ad on the pillow until his servant called him next morning ; and descended as cheery a e oonn a z r and smiling to breakfast as was his wont He could not fail to remark the p aleness both of Belhaven and Cilla and when he found that his hostess w a s not coming down to break “ fast surmised that there had been the devil to ” pay H e was going at half past eleven a cir c u m sta n c e for which he was cheerfully tha nkful he hated ro ws Belhaven feeling a little ashamed of himself as people who have hasty tempers and give w ay to them inv ariably do even though they do not confess ’
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O RD AND
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i t , exerted himsel f to b e civil and to tal k
to the
”
“
parting guest whom he was about so j oyfully to ” “ S pee d and Cis seconded him with perfect good humour He begge d C illa to let him hear her lovely voice again before he went ,
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I shall look forward ever so to meeting you in ” town C is says with a melting glance from his dark blue eyes and holds her hand twice as long as he “ need I shall send you those songs I spoke o f the Think of me when y ou m oment I get to L ondon ” sing them will you ? ,
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Time to be O ff cries Belhaven putting his he ad in at the door and with one last look and pressure and an answeri n g look from C illa s beauti ful e yes that shamelessly betray her heart s sweet secret C is is gone And the girl with radiant eyes and a faint flush l ik e the colo u r in the he art o f a sh e ll on her Cre a m ,
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MY L O RD
2 7
A
C HAPTER “
LA DY
ND MY
!
VIII
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I C AN T k eep away any longer sa i d Duke on the afternoon o f the day on which Mr Deerbrook “ le ft R e d Meade I must go and see my little ” girl He had sought Ang i e i n her boudoir and was p acing up and down the room in a restless fever i sh mood ” “ “ Why not ? sh e answered tranquilly There ” i s nothing to keep you here to morrow ” “ “ I think I will go he said O nly Bel always makes it so infern a lly unpleasant for me and looks as i f I had no business there It s awfully disagree able going anywhere that you feel you are not wel ” come “ But if Miss St George is pleased to se e you is ” not that enough ? ” “ Ah ! said D uke And then he took two or three turns in silence wondering whether C illa would ” “ b e pleased to se e him If I knew he went on “ If I kn ew wistfully looking to Angie for comfort that she c a red for me I shouldn t mind two straws Whether Bel w as pleased or not What do y ou th ink ,
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Would she d iffi d e ntly have given you at j ust the least a l l the idea that she cared for me ” little bit ? He put the question in as pleading a tone as though he were asking for a portion o f Angie s favour ” “ I told you my dear sh e an swered I did not look at you I always think it indiscreet to watch ” lover s (with a little bitter intonation on the last ”
now ?
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caught it He w as more sensitiv e now that he w a s so much in love ” “ he said stopping before her and You know “ speaking almost apologetically Y ou know how devoted I was to you — you know if I could have married you years ago how gladly I would have done it I should never have thought of another Woman nor looked at one if you had been my wife but a fellow can t go on for ever without caring for some one who can be something to him in re ” turn ” “ My dear boy sa i d A ngie with some coldness “ why do you t a l k in that way ? Have I given you ” a ny reason to think I am j ealous ? She Opened her large dark eyes and fixed them on his face ” “ N o no o f course not he cried disconcerted “ and confused I was only saying what wa s a fact I did care awfully for y ou I would hav e give n my ” soul for you once D uke
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18
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MY
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Well she answered with a hard little l augh ; “ let us b e thankful that your soul is no longer in ” peril ; at all events on my account Good Heavens ! “ with latent irritation : to hear the generous way in which men talk of gi ving their souls — that means — eternity when they cannot devote their bodies for ” more th an a fe w months at a time ! ” “ “ C an they not ? cried D uke I swear ” “ D o not swear ! and Angie changed her mood “ and laughed It is n ot worth while We were talking about your going to R ed Meade I will — amuse your p arty if it is fine and bright li k e to day we might drive ove r to the White House take ” our lunch with us and get b ack be fore dark ” “ What an angel you are ! crie d Duke with the fervour that a man feels for a woman when she does what he wants and makes things smooth for him So the next day sa w Mr V e re ke r en r oute for — R ed Me ade h e always drove the fastest horse in his stables when he went in that direction It was with an emotion quite apart f rom pl eas ure that as he turned into the gates he sa w Be lhaven coming down the drive with his gun over his shoulder ” “ If I had been five minutes later ! he thou as he imagine a n d then pulled up to greet his reluctant host But on th i s occasion B elhaven instead 0 givi ng him a cold greeting w as al most Jc ordia l “
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abhorrent to a young girl is the thought of any other man as a lover than the one whom her fancy has lighte d on than it could possibly be to him — a t all events there was a chance he said to himsel f If Duke made love to her sh e might loo k upon him in a new light Belhaven was o f course ignorant o f D uke s attempt and its disastrous failure After a moment of doubt he ru shed at his subj ect .
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My dear old chap he said turning with c on “ sid e ra b le cordiality to Duke I ve been thinking a good deal about you and Cilla and do you kn ow I am not sure that I wa s ri ght after all in placing ” restrictions upon you ,
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D uke s every pulse throbbed with a great a nd ” “ sudden joy O f course B elhaven continued see “ ing the light that leaped to Duke s eyes I still stick to what I said about m arriage be i ng out o f the question for a long time to come but I do not think there could be any great harm in your S peak ” ing to her ’
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— u ke grasped his hand he could hardly speak D for the strengt h of his emotions A sudden j oyful thought smote him that Belhaven had discovered that Cilla cared for him — he could not rest until he made it a certainty ” “ What has made you ch a n ge your mind ? he cri ed eagerly turning to look into his fri e nd s fac e .
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Then it occurred to Belhaven that it would be j ust as well to put Duke on his guard ” “ Well you se e he answered not without hesita “ — tion is such a child she knows nothing o f sh e — — f o f any the world she is almost in the power o ” man who chose to make a fool o f her Then as he sees Duke s astonishe d face he hastens to add “ You know C is Deerbrook has been over here making love to her and Duke turned very white “ That was a blackguard trick o f his when he ” “ knew I loved her he said Why I thought He recollected himself and p aused ” “ It was your wife he was after he had been going to sa y but Belhaven knew j ust as well as though the words had been spoken ” “ “ I don t mean to s a y he answered that he told her he loved her in so m any words but you — kno w that d nable way o f his that he can t be five minutes with a woman without making her think ” he s in love with her N ot that I know proceeded “ Belhaven hastily that she thinks anything about him I don t understand girls ; I never had anything to do with one before But I know she has high principles and I think that if you could only get her to give you a promise Belhaven hesitated Even as he spoke it fl a shed across him that the advice he wa s gi ving .
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8 7
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D uke was unsound and that this hasty and ill con s id e re d measure stood a very poor chance of success But at this moment Cilla appeared in the distance w ith her pug trotting beside her -
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Here sh e is said Belhaven We will turn and walk with her When we get into the wood I will le ave you two together and in an hour s time I shall be b ack in my room in case you have any ” thing to tell me Cill a smiled frankly at Duke and gave him her hand The sight o f him e xcited no feeling o f any sort in her breas t; her thoughts being quite full o f Cis she did not trouble her head about any other man And as Belhaven had arranged that Mr V e re ke r w a s not to pay her any lover like attentions Had sh e sh e felt quite secure and unembarrassed been less pre occupied she might have remarked how nervous and ill at ease D uke seemed and that most of the conversation fell to herself and her brother in law They arrived at the wood and presently when they re ached a place where a narrow path led off Belhaven said “ I ll leave you here I think I shall get a couple See you at lun c and he was off o f hares Duke and C illa pursued their way ; Cilla talking with tolerable unconcern Duke with a knot in his throat and an unusual trembling of his strong han ds .
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MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
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C ill a tend e r hearte d a s she was was not a b it sorry for him Women as far as I know never have a ny comp assion as long as the unwel come suitor is in their presence ” “ I do not want to know she returne d almost ” “ imp atiently I cannot help it I am very sorry “ D o you hate me said in a melancholy voice incap able of understanding anything but ex treme s at this moment ” “ “ Hate you ! ech oed Cilla N o certainly not ” I like you very much But her tone did not convey the idea o f any great p artiality ” “ I don t want you to l ike me he said miser “ L ike is a poor wretched word ably You may What I want is your like anybody and everybody ~
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It is no use s aid C illa desperately I told you not to speak to me I cannot love you I know ” I never should ” “ Why! asked Duke And then a bitter rankling thought of Cis and his treachery came into his heart and he said “ Is it because you care for some on e else ? is it b ecause D eerbrook my own friend who knew that I love d you has been trying to get you away from ” me ? A flood of crimson rushed to C illa s brow and throat She had imagined her secret was all her .
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— own she was ready to die of S hame at the thought
that S he w a s discovered Then her Shame turned to bitterest resentment ” “ I do not understand you she cried wi th a look in her ey es that would have given a n impartial observer the notion that she had a pretty temper of “ her own D o you mean to insult me ? IS that ” what you came for ? D uke ought to have taken warning but he was so wretched he grew reckless ” “ “ Y ou don t know Cis he said rashly he is — like that with every woman he has no more idea — f marrying you tha i n o n o f fly g h e could not even ” if he wanted to— he is head over ears in debt Tears came into Cilla s eyes but they were n ot tears o f grief but rage — she could not even find words to vent her wrath ” “ Whilst I proceeded Duke rushing on his “ destruction love you with all my soul All that I have is yours I can give you everyt hing your heart ” could w ant Then the tender hearted and sym pathetic Cilla found her tongue ” “ Do you think glaring upon him she cried “ like a young pythoness that I care for your money ? ” I suppose you fancy you can buy anybody But “ with superb scorn if you had fifty times as much it would be all the same to me I would not marry ” you .
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After this on e m i ght have thought there wa s not much more for D uke to s a y But he had the true Bri tish courage that never know s when it is be aten ,
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Don t s a y that for God s sake ! he entreate d “ L et me h O p e If you don t love me now perhaps so me day when you se e h ow faithful and devoted I ” am (here Cilla was momentarily softened but un “ luckily he continued): when you have found out that C is is only playing with you you may come to ” care for me ’
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N ever ! crie d the girl with vindictive energy ” “ “ never Then sh e stopped dead short Which ” “ she said because I will go w a y are you going ? the other I hope I shall never s e e you agai n If you are a gentleman you will not attempt to come ” near me ever again .
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Then D uke realised that he had got his congi He stared at her in a sort of dazed broken hearted w a y and then stood still whilst she walked away with her head in the air and the pug his gift trot ting gaily at her heels H e went and leaned with his b ack against a tree The winter sun wa s shining through the branches on the dead leaves dead as his hopes ; but everything looked ashen grey to him ; a deathly cold seemed to have nipped his heart It crossed his mind with a bitter irony that he was the rich Mr Ve re ke r the Sultan be fore whom S !
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84
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No Duke answered But she wa s furious ” with me for say i ng that he me a nt nothing ” “ It was a pity you brought his name in said Belhaven knitting his brows ” “ “ Y es agree d Duke dole fully it was She left me in a rage I am never to se e nor S peak to her ” ag a i n ” “ “ Oh ! said Belha ven authoritatively that is humbug She ll have to s e e a n d speak to any friend ” o f mine whom I choose to ask ” “ I don t want any p ersecution on my account “ uttered Duke m oum fully N o ! I shan t trouble her any more I wish I hadn t come to day Perhaps if she had had a week or two to get over thi nk ing ” o f him I might have had a better chance ” “ Perhap s agreed Belhaven feelin g anything but “ ple ase d with his own share o f the transaction O ne ” can only do what one thinks is for the best ” “ “ O f course o f course answered Duke Y ou ha ve behaved awfully well and kindly to me I ” shan t forget it and he grasped B e lha ve n s hand “ Well ! n ow there i s only one thing for me to do ” I ll go and order my trap to get away ” “ Stop and lunch first said his host D uke made a gesture as though to s a y he never wishe d to taste food again Then the two men walked together towards the house with doleful .
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It was rather hard on D uke s groom that because his master s suit was unsucces sful he should be suddenly torn from the delicious sirloin of bee f o f which he had only eaten two mouthfuls But when he received the imperative message th at he wa s wanted immediately there was nothing for it but to obey He couldn t s e e why if folks w as in love they shouldn t want their victuals all the same and as he s a t sadly with folded arms beside his master in the buggy he calle d to mind how the very d ay he discovered his Sarah embracing the footman b e hind the p antry door he made a s good a dinner as ever he did in his life off a roast leg o f pork For of course he knew that his master had been crossed in love as masters however unintentionally have no secrets from their servants Duke wanted Angie His first question on re ach ing home was whether she had returned and he wa s bitterly disappointed at being answered in the negative though he kne w o f the proposed picnic Why were people always out of the way when you wanted them ! But if Cilla had smiled upon him he would hardly have been aware at this moment that such a person as Angie e xisted He went and shut himself in his room having given orders that he was to be instantly apprised o f her return How he longed for her ! How his heart smote him now that he was su ffering for his thoughtless condu ct to her He longed for he r soft sy mp a theti c voice , for ’
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the touch of her cool hand as a man suffering physical agony longs for an anodyne He knew that tender heart : s he would n ot triumph over him nor rej oice s ecretly because of his sufferings even he had behave d se lfi shly to her .
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END
O F VO L
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CO LL ECTI O N
H A U TH O R S
B RI TI
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TA U CHNI T!
VO L
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MY LA DY BY MRS
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V O L U ME S
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F O RRES TER
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MY L O RD A ND MY L A D Y
C H APTER I
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A N GIE had accepted her fate and resigned her
self to it She had a courageous spirit and the mo ment she believed a thing to be inevitable made no attempt to struggle against it Disappointment w a s the motto o f life she told herself She was even frightened when things seemed to go too smoothly as Polycrates was frightened when he s a w his ring come b ack to him from the s e a There She knew wa s always a reverse to the medallion that she w a s to be deposed from her sovereignty over Duke s heart and possessions and she prep ared to abdicate with dignity “ How well sh e takes it ! What a wonderful ” actress she is ! the other women at the Court said to each other with something of the admiration that Red Indians may feel when they se e their victim endure his tortures without making a S ign But .
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MY LORD AND
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truth to tell Angie was not su ffering a tenth part what they imagined ,
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She was as bright and full of tact as ever on this day when Duke had gone over so blithely to se e his young love : ( everyone knew where and why he was gone ): and the picnic at the White Hou se was quite a success Fresh air was life to Angie as it is to all nervous highly strung wom en and she felt quite invigorated by her drive home through the keen crisp air As she crosse d the threshold the butler said to her in a low respectful whisper that Mr V e re ke r had wished to be told the moment she returned Angie s heart beat a little faster ; she was p ar tic ula rly subj ect to those vague fears that assail poor mortals when something unusual or unexp ected happens ” “ Where is Mr Ve re ke r? sh e asked and on being told that he was in his ow n room she has tene d there at once Had Miss St George e x pressed j e alousy o f her ? had she begun to exercise her power already by demanding Angie s dismissal from the Court ? was Duke going to break the u n pleasant news to her ? There was a dangerous flash in Angie s eyes ; an involuntary stiffening o f her backbone as she turned the handle of the door braced for dignifie d action but one glance at Duke s face told her what .
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always was before — well to day he was quite different ; he told me to Speak and left m e alone ” with her on purpose ” “ “ What ! says Angie when he believed she wa s ” i n love with Cis ? ” “ “ I suppose it was unwise groans D uke But ” he thought there might be a chance Angie wonders mutely to herself at the astound ing want of tact of the wiser and nobler se x ” “ So sh e s ays possessed by a spirit of divina “ tion you told her you loved her and she was reluctant to hear you and then you taxed her with ” b eing in love with Cis ! Duke stares at her as though she were a witch ” “ D id you guess all that ? he asks amazed and “ then his voice breaks and he groans O h ! Angie I shall never get over this ! I wish I had a bullet ” through my brain ! She has taken the arm chair near the fire and Duke fl ings himself on the rug at her feet and lays his head in her lap his big frame convulsed by mighty sighs ; She puts a caressing hand on his head and looks down at him with humid eyes feeling for him as a O nce he su ffered m other might for a beloved son like this for her sake D o you think she feels bitter because he has forsworn his allegiance ? Do you think she is conscious of any sense o f triumph in witnessing his punishment ? If you do you do not
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know Angie She is capable o f going straight to Cilla and of pleading to her for Duke If there had been that between them which the world believed and smilingly c onsented to connive at it might have been different The j ealousy of a mistress is even — more cruel than that of a wife the infidelity o f a lover more unp ardonable th a n th a t o f a husband What the lover owes his mistress is by comp arison as the difference between a debt of honour and a ’ tailor s bill But Angie had always felt that she — had no claim on Duke that the moment he was inspired by the wish to marry and found a woman to please him sh e would be committing a positive wrong by standing in his light And now she feels genuinely sorry for him — as she is witness of his misery ; if it lay with her sh e would have matters be as he desires them ” “ Poor boy ! she utters soothingly and strokes his thick chestnut hair as if he were a b oy instead of a man verging upon middle age And then she “ bethinks her of comforting words She is such a ” “ she does not know her own child she whispers mind Cis is just the sort o f man to dazzle a young girl but when she finds that he means nothing she will soon be d é s illns ionn é e I daresay it will cost her a heartache but afterwards she will be able to ” appreciate you ” “ N o no groans Duke refusing to be comfo rted “ it is all over with me She will never care for me .
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Why should she ? I m a dull fellow I ve got no thing but my money and that won t buy her Why all these years that women have been o f course angl i ng for me I knew it wasn t me they cared for but I got into a sort o f way of thinking that I had only to Open my arms to a woman for her to thr ow ” “ herself straight into them But almost fiercely I love I respect her all the more Go d bless her ! because she won t sell hersel f She told me i f I ” had fifty times as much sh e wouldn t have me ” “ She will be wiser some day thought Angie with a b itter twinge Then D uke yearning for sympathy with for the moment an almost womanly craving cries “ O h Angie ! why didn t I meet you before you married Algy ! If I had had you I should always have been faithful to you and then this wouldn t ” have happened to me ! ” “ Faithful ! echoes Angie with a little bitter “ ring in her voice Was there ever a man faithful i n this world yet ? N ever to a good woman at least nor a woman w ho loved him if she belonged to him ” I am quite sure ” “ O h Angie ! utters Duke in a penitent voice “ fancying he reads reproach in her tone I know I must seem ungrate ful to you but — but ” “ “ My dear she ans wers softly you owe me nothing I was not thinking of you We have been ’
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C aptain Beauclerc tries to throw a look of regret into his face as he turns to Duke ” “ “ This is a bad j ob he says But don t desp air old chap ! When a girl says N o she alwa y s ” means it to be Y es next time But Duke is not to be comforted by any com mon places that Algy can o ffer ” ” “ “ N ot this one he says N ot this one he repeats with a groan ” “ Why I thought it w a s all cut and dri ed re “ marks Captain Beauclerc What has made her ” turn round ? ” “ It is D eerbrook s doing returns Duke so desperately wretche d that he does not care who “ knows the truth He has been over there making ” love to her curse him ! Again Algy looks over at his wife and again she reads his look and is hurt and wounded by it ” “ “ — Oh ! it says that is how you managed it ” C apital ! Excellent ! ” “ Cis ! he utters aloud putting on a puzzled air “ But it s no use his thinking of her What little ” sh e has would be no good to him ” “ He doesn t mean to marry her retorts Duke “ bitterly It is only his cursed vanity And S he poor little girl ! knows nothing about the world and can t see through him I daresay he ll break her ” he art “ Serv e her right the little fool i f S he didn t .
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know when she was well off! says Algy but Duke winces Angie rises and moves towards the door ” “ If you want me send word to me she says softly to Duke as he opens it for her ,
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Before the guests at the Court separate for the night everyone knows that Duke has been rej ected and everyone attributes it to Angie s cleverness Duke takes no pains to conc e al his wretchedness and Algy has whispered the story about con “ poor old fi d e ntia lly affecting to be very sorry for ” Duke The women all sa y without affectation that — they are very glad that it was a ridiculous h a llu c i nation oh his part and that an insignificant chit like Miss St George wa s quite unsuited to become the mistress o f the Court As for him and they smiled he would soon get over it He was a good creature but they seemed to think he had not very much heart to break Almost unconsciously they treated An gie with more than their wonted consideration and civility and Angie chafed and felt bitter and humiliated by their courtesies , being quite able to read between the lines They looked upon her as a selfish schemer ; after the manner o f the Mammon of unrighteousness they lauded her for her clever ness they admired her for having used Cis as a catspaw to pull her chestnuts out of the fi re — she who wa s incapable of stooping to a mea n acti on ,
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Everyone wondered that she should be so grave and quiet when she ought to be full of triumph but that of course w a s part o f her cleverness to seem as though sh e were sorry for Duke What an actress s he was to be sure ! But in truth it went to her heart to se e him look so wretched and she would fain have found some means to console him And for the few days that they remained together at the Court his only comfort was in talking to her about his broken he art and she listened on apparently with u nfl a ggin g in te re st to the constant iteration of his woes He “ could hardly bear her ou t of his sight 0 n r evie nt ” toujou r s d res p r e m ier es a mou r s s aid on e guest another and smiled A few days later Angie received a letter from L ady Chester ” “ “ 1 am sorry she said in it that poor Duke but I daresay he will get over it and so cut up am thankful his foolish fancy is not likely to c to anything I knew it would be all right when ” came This was the severest stab Angie had yet the more so because it wa s intended as a ment and a congratulation So they same o f her By a clever little stroke sh e had made the man she liked and who good to her all these years wretched And they belie v ed that she was glorying in her ,
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she had kept all her own feelings in the background ! N ow he wanted to make her some return for her goodness and racked his brains to know how to do it Then he thought of her boy And after long and serious consideration he hit upon a plan which without saying a word to Angie he proceeded to carry into execution It was a few nights previous to his dep a rture Duke w a s in town and dined as a matter o f course with the B eauclercs Angie had le ft him and Algy and they were thoughtfully smoking their cigars ” “ “ Algy ! said D uke suddenly I ve got something to tell you But j ust for the present it s to be a ” secret ” “ A secret eh ? observed Algy in a friendly and interested tone “ Ye s I don t want Mr s Be auclerc to know it ” that is not j ust yet ” “ All right said Algy ” “ I am going away Duke went on in rather a “ melancholy tone and heaven knows whether I may ” ever come b ack ” “ D on t talk like that m y dear old chap cried ” “ Algy heartily Why ! what s gom g to America ? ” “ O ne never can tell returned Duke as though he rather cherished the idea of some dreadful fate “ be falling him Look at poor J ack ! when he dined with us the n i ght before he started for Canada and wa s so cheery and full o f S pirits did he ever think .
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that s ix weeks after they d be bringing his dead ” body home ? ” “ Tut ! tut ! said Algy who hated disagreeable “ subjects : don t be getting such dismal ideas into — your head ! Y ou re all right enough there s nothing ” likely to happen to you ” “ “ It may or it may not answered Duke H ow ever that s not the question ! You know Algy ; you and your wife are the best friends I have I ow e everything to you I don t know what my life would ” have been without you both An agreeable sense of warmth stole to Captain Beauclerc s heart He felt that as their services were being so gratefully alluded to there must be some idea in Duke s mind of rewarding them ” “ My dear Duke he crie d with the gre atest cor “ d ia lity don t say a word What should we have ” done without you ? ” “ I daren t give a hint to Mrs Beauclerc pro “ c e e d e d Duke she s so proud — she never will a c cept anything from one and it does seem so a w fully hard when one has got such a lot more than one wants not to be able to benefit the people you love most in the world But I ve got an ide a Y ou know Algy how fond I am of that boy of yours Well I ve always longed to do something for him and now I want to make a certainty o f it in case I — die or marry or ih fact whatever happens to me — I m going to settle something on him never mind ’
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MY LORD AND MY LADY
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what ! you ll know after I m gone — so that he can go to Eton and college and into the Army afterw ards ” if he likes ” “ “ My dear old boy ! cried Algy I don t know ” what to s a y ” “ “ Say nothing answered Duke quickly Im the person benefited and obliged It s the only thing that has cheered me up or done me the least bit o f good since — since my trouble I t s all settled I ve made over a dee d of gift to the boy and placed it ” in the hands o f trustees D uke had a gre at liking for Captain Beauclerc but he was not imbued with any very strong faith in him and thought it would be wiser not to let him have anything to do with the handling o f the money Algy felt a trifle disappointed but he grasped Duke s hand and repeated his thanks with great fervour ” “ Don t tell your wife until after I ve gone said Duke and Algy promised though he did not for a moment believe in her ignorance He thought it was her usual way o f throwing dust in his eyes and applaude d her cleverness and her good taste ” “ “ And pursued Duke I ve sent for the brown horse Y ou ll look after the stables here for me and keep the horses exercised J ackson will come every morning for orders and Mrs Beauclerc will be able to drive all day if she likes and the che stnut will ’
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sister mother and son ; but there is no feeling that the most rigid moralist could find h arm in or b e shocked at ” “ Good bye de ar darling Angie ! utters Duke in a s mothere d voice and he l ays a hand on either S houlder and stoop s to kiss her cheek And sh e for the first time in her life kisses him ” “ Good bye my de ar she says and a little sob choke s her ” “ God bless you ! murmurs D uke with an un ” “ wonted dimness in his eyes You won t forget me ? ” “ N ever sh e says fervently And then he is gone Angie he ars his voice and her husb and s in the hall — hears the doors of the Hansom b ang to and then she throws herself into a chair and a dreadful feeling of loneliness sweeps over her Do w e ever value a thing until we lose it ? For ten years Duke had been her friend and constant comp anion and never never once had she felt towards him what she feels at this moment of p arting from him She had grown used to him ; had accepted his devotion as a matter of course Sometimes it had bored her a little Her heart had never throbbed at his voice nor her hand thrilled at his touch He had been the best kindest de arest creature in the world but after all only Duke N ow she knew what it was to lose him Presently Algy came in He wa s in a ple asant ,
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a affable humour He too had had his princely o n e of wine and cigars “ Poor old D uke ! he seems rather low Im sorry he s gone However it s better than if he had stopped and made a fool o f himself a b out th a t girl ” Here ! and he threw a p arcel into his wife s lap I was to give you this after he was gone He knew ” you wouldn t take it from h im he said And then Captain Beauclerc departed and Angie opened the p arcel with listless fingers There w a s a note and she read that first ” “ You never would take an ornament from me “ it said but now I a m going away and you may never see me again you won t re fuse to make me happy by accepting this from your most devoted ” friend Angie s eyes were so dim that when sh e O pened the case sh e could not s e e how brilliant the stones were After dinner Algy told her what D uke had done for the boy and then like a woman sh e fell into a passion of tears and sobs Captain Beauclerc did not attempt to fathom the cause of this outburst but smoked o n e o f Duke s cigars and waited p atiently until Angie should come to hersel f again H
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C I LLA as S he walked away from Duke with her he ad in the air and a high be ating heart felt rather pleased with herself for What she had done She h ad vindicated her dignity and though we may smile at the presumption of a young Miss for think ing she has any dignity to vindicate girls and boys not unfrequently cherish a larger sense of their im portance than they do later when experience has taught them to find their level It was a dreadful offence Duke having presumed to hint that she cared for Cis It was a far more aggravated one that he S hould have hinted that Mr D eerbrook was only trifling with her Indeed sh e had not attempted to re alise what she expected from Cis but had been so far content to envelop him in a halo of glory and romance and to fall down and worship be fore him in her heart It was intolerable that a coarse hand should tear this veil aside and try to make her se e her idol in the naked garish light o f day She thought Duke a very rude gross person and wondered how she had ever come to like him at all However sh e had now looked her last upon him F or the future when he came to R ed Meade sh e would shut hersel f in ,
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gether in the most amicable w a y in the world — to se e them no on e would have dre amed o f the dre adful scene th at h ad taken place between them eight and thirty hours be fore O n B e lha ve n s part this wa s the renewal o f love : D orothe a had no love to renew but she had been frightene d and felt a certain amount of awe o f her husband and so w a s She had not forgotten o n her very best behaviour — t e m er e d nor forgiven : good people seldom do they p bide their time and can enj oy their revenge a year hence as well as at the moment of offence Good lz e a r /e a people have not unfrequently b ad tempers but as a rule they are utterly incap able o f har b ourin g malice and when their burst o f temper is over are only too anxious to forget their wrongs When Bel had wished Duke good bye feeling more friendship for him than he had ever done b e fore he ran to his D orothea to tell her what had be fallen And Dorothea was furious The ide a of a chit like Cilla daring to assume such airs o f importance and to treat a man with eighty thousand a year in that sort of way ! She ” “ I told you 5 0 w a s p articularly attached to the form of reproach and she turned upon her husband with considerable irritation and said “ It was absurd taking her away from her lessons She ought to have been le ft with her governess until Christmas as I told you and as poor dear mamma wished and intended Her head is quite tu rned ,
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is as conceited as a peacock and no doubt can have any man sh e holds up her 5 she ” ( I to Dorothea seldom allowe d herself to be so much put ou t but to a very worldly woman to lose a brother in law with an enormous income is a very severe trial ” “ I really think S he proceeded that the best ” thing to do would be to pack her o ff to school Here the gong sounded and they went in to n o w : sh e
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N othing was so dreadful to Cilla as to be looke d All her d ly upon and treated like a culprit de and self gratulation melted away and she felt y miserable Belhaven went out the instant w a s over and the sisters were left alone Dorothea scarcely waited for the door to close upon him when she flew at Cilla This in itself was a most unusual action for the placid smil ing selfish u nru ffl e d Dorothea ” “ And so she said with a glance of contempt “ I hear that you have been sending Duke about his business ! I have no doubt you think you ve done a very fine thing and are extremely proud o f your ” self ! Cilla s eyes grew dim at once as they invariably did when sh e wa s addressed with harshness ” “ “ It is preposterous continued Doroth ea that at your a ge you should have had an o ffe r at a ll I .
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e xpect it was only some strange perverse ness in Duke to take a fancy to some on e that no one e l would be likely to want and I daresay in a mont ” time he will think himself well out o f it ” “ I hope so returned Cilla recovering a little 0 her pride and her temper together ” “ “ Ah ! said D orothea with scorn you never had any sense The only person who knew how to manage you w a s Miss Steinman If it had not been for Bel s silly ! uixotic nonsense you would have ” been at your lessons with her now D orothe a could not possibly have said a nyth more calculated to wou nd her sister s feelings these words all the dreadful memories of her miseries came sweeping over C illa and her tears like rain D orothea wishe d to hurt her and seeing th she had been succe ssful so far continued “ However as I have no intention o f being rie d with your silliness and as I certainly shall have a governess l n the house I think the best will be for you to go to a finishing school for a ye ” and a half Then inde e d poor Cilla came down from h p edestal and felt herself ab ased crushed under he r sister s feet She who erewhile the beloved o f so important a personage V e re ke r; who much more had dare d to dr self the la dye love of a hero like Cis to be torn ,
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ing to stanch the floods o f her tears the crimson mounts to the very ro o ts o f her hair at this awful and gross accusation “ Be fore you can be taken out with safety you will have to learn to control your face a little u n you wish to be the laughing stock of eve D orothe a resumed letting her own little pique go to swell her general displeasure Cis was here every creature every servant in place must have known you were in love with and throwing yoursel f at his he ad At lunch d ay when he and I were laughing and talking looked the picture of j ealous misery If you going to take it into your head that every man says a civil word to yo u is in love with you y make yourself wretche d and ridiculous too An you have behaved in this w a y to D uke because think Cis cares two straws about you your mind of that idea Cis is like that to woman he meets but when he is in love as I seen him once or twice I promise you it is a ve ” different thing Dorothea has succeede d at last in goading Cilla to madness The poor girl rushes from the room and flying upstairs locking hersel f fast in sh e gives vent to a m adness o f grie f and agony For the time is even insensible to the appeals o f the pug sh e who scratche s and whines piteously for admittance O h ! for the win gs o f a dove ! for a wilder ne ss ! for ,
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a convent ! for a lake wherein to drown he rself ! for anything — e xcept a school How wild and p assionate is the misery and despair o f youth ! how badly it takes its punishments ! how foolishly elated it is over its joys ! If Cill a could but have buoyed her he art up with the thought that Cis cared for her she could have borne martyrdom even but those cruel words of Dorothea s rankled like poisoned arrows in “ her breast When he is in love I promise you it ” is a very different thing After the first dre adful outburst was over Cilla rose from her knees let in the pug bathed her eyes and then retired to her sofa with her faithful friend cuddled U p comfortably in her arms She began to t a ke rather a less depressing view of matters What Dorothe a might do she did not believe that aven who had so staunchly championed her b e fore would allow the terrible indignity which her sister threatened to be inflicted upon her She a young lady at large with a maid of her own and an independent fortune ( for S he and Dorothea were to share equally the twelve hundred a year le ft by Mrs St George); She moreover who had been singled out from all the maidens of England by Mr Ve re ke r she to be sent into bondage and slavery ! For Cilla had never been at school and thought o f such a place with more horror even than o f the Hades where wicked souls are tormented There was only on e type of governess to her otherwise .
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imagin at i ve m i nd and this w as moulded on the horre d Fra ulein When L ady Belhaven took a n idea into her h S he was exceedingly tenacious of it L ike m pretty soft mannered woman whom to look at “ would imagine to b e tender over drowning fl i her heart was o f adamant She did not care Cilla — in fact Cilla bored her She had an i that the girl s presence rather militate d against influence over Bel At on e time she had her sister would b e a companion and useful to about with her but instead she found her a great i s e n e on conversation and the reproachful and d g approving glances she had read in Cilla s eyes dur l ing Mr D eerbrook s visit had provoked her e x tre m e ly D ecidedly she w a s a young savage ought to b e at her lessons N o doubt even term at school would bring her to reason and would be only too thankful and grate ful to Duk he resumed his attentions to her If she D could only keep up Mr V e re ke r s feeling sister everything might yet turn out well Y es 5 w a s the place for Cilla and thither S he should — D orothe a s only fear w a s about B el if cried and besought and went on her knees to as S he would be sure to do he w a s so weak th might b e induced to side with her ; but the l Dorothe a bethought herself that she had w even more potent than tears and entreaties .
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Then i t wa s no vain thre at ! As soon as recovered herself sh e flew to B e lh a v e n s room w he w a s sitti n g alone When she found that i of his kind manner he meant to be firm support Dorothea sh e fell into on e o f those outbre aks of desp air which had formerly s o her mother Her slight frame seemed as if it scarce contain her passion B elhaven was posi frightened — h e could believe now in the s which his wife had described to him place when Cilla wa s in what Dorothea called ” of her tempers It wa s shocking to se e a yo girl with s o little self control he thought : if p assions were so fierce when roused they mi equally dangerous in love as in a n ger or This w a s the disagreeable side o f the charming i n l r e ss o a b e sensitive nature with which he p been so taken She wanted discipline no doubt and this of D orothe a s wa s a very wise and sensible But me antime he was so frightened by the ch violent agitation ; by the wildness o f her words the tornado o f p assion that seemed to convulse frail body that he had recourse to soothin at which Cilla caught and turned into a that after all he meant to stand between he misery Several days passed and then the thu fell Dorothea not wanting to have ’
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thinking that it would be wiser if one did happen to have a third person present made the following curt announcement to her sister after dinner in Bel haven s presence “ It is all settled about your going to school Cilla — we have found a most desirable on e at Brighton Y ou will be made very happy and com forta b le So now all you have to do is to make up your mind to submit to what cannot be helped with ” a good grace a darted on e swift glance at B elhaven It ” “ dreadful E t tu Brute S ort of look and m a horrid remorseful traitor like sensation ht Dorothea had spoken in rather a harsh manner and he tried to pour oil on the waters ” dear little girl ! he cried hastily in his “ voice don t take it too much to he art ! Every other young girl o f your age is still at her studies I feel that it is entirely I who am to blame for having yielded to your entreaties in L ondon and separated you from your governess But this will be a very different state o f things — you will be e n d ou sly happy and comfortable ; you are to ride : every consideration will be lady seems a charming person ; it ” be quite like home to you Cilla does not ans wer by so much as a word makes no scene this time Her lip quivers ; ,
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once more she darts that look the look o f a wounde d fawn at Belhaven and then very quietly she pushes b ack her chair from the table and le aves the room U pstairs sh e goes slowly and mechanically and entering her own room and shutting the door he hind her throws Open the window and looks ou t into the frosty moonlit windless night She wants air— there is a desperate choking feeling in her throat This time she does not give vent to any burst o f desp air — her senses seem p aralysed ; a b e numbed feeling creeps about her heart After a few minutes she shivers as well sh e may in her thin dress at the biting cold and shutting the window sh e goes and sits down on the hearth ru g staring at the fi re The p U g crawls into her lap and establishes himself comfortably with his black muzzle thrust into one o f her S lender hands but she is far far away in the clouds in dreamland in some u npra c tical region wherein nor common sense nor worldly wisdom have ever se t foot O nce upon a time when maidens were persecuted they fled away their homes out into the world D elightful daz thought to a young girl s mind who has knowledge o f what going out into the world alone means ! Some o f these to the knight Whom they 10 b attle for their wrongs or sak e of h i m like El a i ne ,
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But Belhaven was tender hearted He wa s surprise d to se e Cilla app arently so cool and collected ” “ Won t you come down my dear ? he said kindly Cilla drew herself up and answered him with freezing politeness ” “ N o thank you ” “ Shall I bring you up some co ffee ? ” “ No thank you ” “ “ My dear little girl cried Belhaven don t take ” it to heart so Indeed it is for your good ” “ “ Thank you said Cilla I quite appreciate ” your kindness He stood aghast at her tone and manner and then she calmly shut the door upon him an locked it Going to her writing table she began a note to Duke -
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D E AR MR VEREKER “ I am very sorry for having behaved so ungra te fully to you Please forgive me I want very very much to s e e you Will you please come to me soon as you can “ Yours sincerely ” “ LU C IL LA S T GE OR GE “
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And the ne x t day sh e posted the letter in v illage with her own hands .
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NO T Sister Anne , watching from Blue b eard s ’
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tower looked more eagerly for the approaching de live re rs than did Cilla for the coming of her cham pion Every morning about the time that Duke had been wont to make his visits to R ed Meade she walked down the drive and along the high road to meet him and every day she turned homewards her heart gnawed by disappointment with Mariana s dismal refrain on her lips ‘ ” H e c o m e th n ot sh e s ai d ,
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could se e now how natural it was that he should be so What else could a man o f his importance and con sideration do but resent such treatment ! After the fourth day a dull despair took possession o f her her face grew deathly pale ; her eyes looked a h normally large There was a dreadful woe begone look about her that irritated Dorothea and went to B e lh a ve n s heart : sh e scarcely ate ; neither read played nor worked and only replied by monosyllables to anyone who addressed her She felt herself for saken deserted by all We may be quite sure that had Duke received
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her letter he would have flown to her on the wings o f love or if that were impossible have replied with spee d and ardour to her communication but it so happened that it never reached him for months after it w a s penned and for a perfectly simple re ason Be fore leaving home Mr V e re ke r said to his butler “ Don t forward any bills or circulars nor any ” thing but private letters In consequence o f this order , Mr Hooper guided by his own discretion sent on every communication he imagined to come under one category and kept back the others amongst them Cilla s N ow Cill a had no c orre spon dents of any sort or kind there fore when she wanted to write to D uke and looked about her for materials sh e found nothing but some cheap common paper and envelope s in an old desk So no wonder that Mr Hooper seeing a thin long shaped envelope of the commonest description addressed in rather unforme d hand thr ew it aside with the bills circulars and that he carefully forwarde d its c p anion by the same post which was thick and and bore a splendid monogram and wa s as a ma o f fact a wine merchant s circular B elhaven began to be very much worried in mind about his sister in law He knew that yo girls had dre adful morbid ideas sometimes horror seized him from the strangeness of Cilla s manner that she was contemplating some rash act — H e could not bear to se e her look o f misery it ,
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Cilla always went to her room with her faithful ( comp anion after dinner n ow z ) B el was in his favourite posit i on at his wife s feet holding one of her small many ringed hands ” “ My darling he says looking up in her face with a fixed devouring glance as though he could “ never satiate himself with its fairness do you know I can t make up my m i nd that we are acting rightly ” by Cilla ” “ O h ! utters my lady with a shade of petul ance “ please don t b egin about that again It s all done ” and settle d n ow and there s an end o f it ” “ “ But pleads my lord she takes it so terribly ” to he art Suppose lowering his voice and speak “ ing in rather an awed tone she should take it into — her head to do something rash to run away He p auses not even daring to put his or thought into words ” “ Stu ff ! retorts Dorothea who is phlegmatic “ practical rather than imaginative Where is ” to run to ? To Cis ? She merely makes this gestion to ridicule B elhaven as the most posterons absurd notion she could conceive strangely enough she strikes the very thought that had crossed his mind and which he had tried to repudiate ” “ Y oung girls do very strange things sometimes “ he remarks uneasily ; do you remember the case ” o? o f th at girl in the papers a few months a g ’
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What a goose you are Bel ! says Dorothea “ lightly For heaven s sake don t let Cilla get it ” into her head that you are afraid o f her “ Should you like to go to L ondon for a couple ” of months ? asks Belhaven abruptly Dorothea s eye s glisten ; her lips part ” “ “ Should I like it ? she almost gasps Oh ” Bel ! He is not at all charmed by the j oyous e xpres sion o f her face ; he can se e how little good it augurs for him ; even at this moment he realises that his sense of duty is making him stick a very oke in his own Wheel or as the French pro “ ays so much more correctly put a stick b e ” the spokes “ he answers rather gloomily that is the I can think o f I don t want to send the girl to school as she feels so bad about it ; sh e can t go on mooning and moping here doing no thing but cry ; if w e go to town she can have masters and I daresay the thorough change will put fresh ideas into her head and take some of the non ” sense out of it Dorothe a under other circumstances would have furiously combated the idea of giving up her pet proj ect for getting rid of her sister but this was altogether a new and delightful plan which would suit her immensely She was so deadly sick of the country and the monoton y o f he r life A nd to “
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be in L ondon a mongst her friends within ra nge of shops although S he was still in deep mourning ; to go where her V iscountess ship would b e o f some pleasure and satis faction to her was indee d a blissful prospect ” “ How good you are Bel ! she utters sweetly and stoops her pretty mouth to kiss him And even if Samson has a dim suspicion in his mi the true value and meaning o f these kisses are so intoxicating to him that he cares not so as he gets them But now if Dorothea had been a loving prodigal o f caresses would he not perchance taken them coolly and perhap s been a shade b by them ? ” “ By the way s ays Belhaven when he has fully and thankfully received as much o f his “ lov e d s favour as she is inclined to bestow ; G came in j ust before dinner and he tells me ” D uke has gone off to America ” “ R eally ! ex claims D orothea Opening her “ wide Do you suppose it can possibly be on C ” account ? ” “ It looks uncommonly like it returns B e lha v Then D orothea gives vent to a movement suppressed fury “ To think of a miserable chit of a girl da r ing to refuse a man like Duke ! 1 should like to whip ” “ her I should like vindictively to have her ,
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I have gone to v ery great e xpense and trouble o n your account although 1 must say your b e haviour of late has h ardly been calculate d to e m courage one to do very much for you You seem to act as though everyone here w ere your deadly enemy and you have probably forgotten that your sister in taking you to live with her was only doing a kind action and not a compulsory one Cilla as sh e listened with downcast eyes felt a dreadful sense o f remorse : she had indeed behaved b adly and ungrate fully and wa s only too ready to “ cry m ea Seeing her penitence Belhaven relented and proceeded in a kinder tone to tell her o f the plans which he had made for the completion o f her educa tion He knew full well that occup ation is the one p anacea for the ills of life ; the sole tonic for a morbid state of mind and he was thoroughly a l to the inj urious e ffects the last month o f c om pl idleness had worked upon Cilla It was not such a trial to him to leave country in the winter and to go to L ondon as s people might think He was not tormented by burning desire of most English gentlemen at la to b e perpetually killing something he did hunt and only took a moderate pleasure in He w a s interested in various scientific in stitu he liked to attend lectures — he occasionally trib u ted political a nd sc i e nt ifi c arti cles to the ,
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serious magazines although he strictly preserve d his incognito ; he also devoted no inconsiderable amount o f time and money to benevolent and philanthropic institutions and wa s a staunch sup porter o f the admirable Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals He wa s wise enough to know that the sincerest pleasure in life is in a lle via t ing suffering and doing good to others and liberal enough not to begrudge himself this satisfaction ” “ Bel has all sorts o f absurd ridiculous ideas “ Dorothea once told a friend When we first mar ried he wanted to bore me with them but he is really very quick in some things and when he s a w that it did not amuse me he gave it up He is always wanting to prosecute people for something or other—if he sees anyone beating a horse he flies into a rage — so ridiculous ! as if animals felt like we do ! And it is so provoking ; he won t let the horse s wear bearing reins which quite Spoils the look of them when they are standing Now I like to see horses with their heads right up in the air ” so that they hardly look to have any neck at a ll ” “ “ Certainly answered her friend So do I ” And what s more I have mine as I like Lord Belhaven had given one very stern and decided order to his wife U nder no pretext what ever wa s Cis Deerbrook to enter the doors of their Misuse And Dorothea who was radiant at the thought of going to London and liked a dozen ,
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46
MY
LORD AND MY LAD Y
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other men quite as well as Cis replied that she would make a point o f attending to his wishes in the matter ” “ “ Don t you think she added that I am much more anxious than you can be for Cilla to marry ” Duke ? But he turning away petulantly said he hoped to heaven there would be no more talk o f marrying in marriage for the ne xt two years at o r giving least ” “ “ How he added can a ch ild Who h as so little control over her emotions be fit to take the ” head o f a man s house ? ” “ I pity the man who gets her rej oined Doro ” “ thea Such a S pit fi re ! L ady Belhaven however since the L ondon ct had been mooted had quite changed e j manner to her sister and instead o f treating with the contemptuous indifference that had ra c te rise d her manner o f late w a s rather kind conciliatory Cilla her fears being removed was very hu and well behaved and took especial p ains to her gratitude to Belhaven and as he and sh e very much o f the same hasty though temper they soon became fast friends again Dorothea had made up her mind that she b e very little troubled with Cilla when they town Her bosom friend Mrs Ve rschoyle wo ,
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48
MY
LORD
MY LAD Y
A ND
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and w ould be able to amuse herself excellently w out Bel being any the wiser And C illa was animated by all sorts o f e x cell resolves Whatever her brother ln law arranged her she meant to fall in with now th at she was to b e banished nor p arted from her faithful pug So the masters who came to give her lessons thought her the most intelligent and delightful o f pupils and she finding hersel f treated with so de ference and consideration took the greatest to please and do them credit Belhaven had b r up a couple o f riding horse s and every day at twelve the y rode out together In the afternoon S he either went walking with him or with her maid or practised her singing or p ainted on china which she had to with great ardour Sometimes Belhaven took to hear lectures or to se e pictures or to the Bri Museum and being very simple mind e d and knowing that it wa s the correct thing for a able young girl to turn up her nose at science useful knowledge she wa s extremely interested pleased with all she s a w and heard and Be lh found her a delightful comp anion But time whilst Ci lla was all eyes and e ars w a s going on around her Belhaven was b lips and wondering uncomfortably what — was doing he hated and mistrusted her frie n with Mrs Ve rschoyle whom he thought the companion in the world .
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MY
L O RD AND
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LAD Y
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49
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Spite o f all her occup ations Cilla had plenty of time to think about Cis and sh e hugged her love to her romantic heart and nourished it on the thought that now she was in London sh e w a s bound to se e him She was very uneasy about her letter to Duke o f whose departure she had heard The letter would be forwarded to him Would it bring him back or if not would he write to ask the meaning o f it ? She w a s terribly afraid o f Bel haven or Dorothea knowing what sh e had done Cilla never forgot an old friend As soon as it was settled that they were to go to L ondon sh e had besought her sister to let her have Mrs Pearce the crooked old seamstress to work for her ” “ Y ou can have her if you like to pay for her returned Dorothea ” “ Certainly I will said Cilla She had several times written and sent presents And it was with genuine m oney to her old friend sure that she greeted her after their long p arting saw her established comfortably in the small sing room adj oining her bed room For her p art old work woman s eyes twinkled with pleasure at sight o f her favourite She was presented to “ the pug and nodded at him and called him poor ” feller and he snuffed rather contemptuously at her but subsequently went and s a t on the corner of her rusty old black skirt which was a mark of favou r and condescension ,
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My L o r d
and
My L
a dy
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11
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4
MY
0 5
L O RD AND MY L ADY
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H ow much there was to tell ! Cilla k nelt by the old lady and shouted in her best c a r and now and then when her communications were of a more private n ature pencil and paper came into requisi tion and it seemed quite like old times except that the written matter was not a J eremiad as formerly ” “ L or my dear ! says good old Mrs Pe arce on “ the third day of her installation wh at a change it must be for you ! We shall have you marrying some ” fine gentleman on e of these days and her keen old eyes twinkle d sagaciously ” “ Have you he a rd anything ? Cilla asks not at all reluctant to confide in her symp athetic friend ” “ Well returns the old lady with a wise no “ a little bird j ust whispered to me that if you w a very grea t lady one of these days it u d be ” own fault “ What s the use if you don t care for anyone ? write s Cilla not wishing her remark to b e hear throughout the length and breadth of the house “ What s the use if you don t carve for anyone ! mumbles her co nfidante p ainfully deciphering Cilla impulsive j ottings ” ” “ “ — N o shouts Cilla Care ! care ! ” “ “ — Ah ! care that s it repeats Mrs Pearce B ” “ my dear shaking her head young folks ( I know what s good for em Then when it s too they re sorry But they tell me he s such a ” gentleman ; over six fe et high ,
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MY
2 5
A ND
MY LADY
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Tell me about it sh e says with a look o f great interest For any story that has love for its theme is fascinating to a young girl whose own heart has been touched “
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C HAPTER IV
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MR S PE AR C E l ays her work down in her lap .
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Well my dear sh e says fixing her spectacles ” “ I don t know that it s much of a story ” “ “ O h yes it is protests Cilla And I want to ” hear it The old lady is flattere d and waits for no further adj urations ” “ “ When I w a s a gell says I kep co S he ” p any with a young feller name 0 Weston ” “ Were you pretty ? shouts Cilla to whom seems rather an important fact to know i f she i “ b e thoroughly interested in the recital I dar ” sh e you were adds anxious not to imply doubt in the matter ” “ Well my dear rej oins Mrs Pearce in an “ p artial tone some said I was I don t think I anything p e rtickle r except that I had a fresh and a bright eye However J im Weston for ” he thought I wa s “
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MY LORD “
Who was he ?
voice
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A ND
LADY
MY
53
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inquires Cilla at the top of her
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Well he w a s a pprintic e d to the grocer and years after his master took him into partnership and then when old J ones died he got the business all to hisself and married the C hemist s daughter And lor my dear he kept her like a lady and she ” had her own shay and never went near the shO p “ And if you had married him it would have ” been the same with you ” “ That it would answers Mrs Pearce with em ” “ phasis for she never brought him a halfpenny ” “ But why did you not marry him ? inquires Cilla “ Because I was foolish like most young ge lls and didn t know what was good for me Well the other chap him as I married afterwards came along He was a soger he was an he had a way with him like they have of p alavering on e He was reckone d very handsome he w a s and all the lasses were pulling caps about him so when he come after me why I didn t seem to make any account of J im He took on terrible did J im and so did mother when she s a w what w a s up So then being headstrong I ” goes off with him and marries him on the sly ” “ And were you happy ? inquires Cilla in tone s of deepest interest ” “ Happy ! echoes Mrs Pearce with a little snort “ Why he des e rted m e withi n three months a nd “
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MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
54
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never come back till I was e arning my own mone y and there wa s something to rob me of Why over and over again he s sold the bed from under me He never came nigh ex cept there was something to ” get and when he d got it he was off again ” “ “ What a shame ! cries Cilla indignantly But ” why did you let him ? “ I couldn t help myself— there wasn t no law then to prevent him and though they sa y there s laws now to prote ct what a woman earns herself they can t hinder a drunken good for nought from livin on her earnings He goes to the parish and s ays he can afford to keep her and then he gets her home and makes her keep him and no one ” d aren t detain her away from him ” “ Why don t they make proper laws ! cries Cilla thinking that she will talk very seriously to Be lha v on the subj ect and that he wil l have something ( 1 at once ” “ Ah my dear returns Mrs Pearce with “ — wonted b itte m e s s they only makes laws to the poor ; not to help em But there that s from what w e w a s talking o f— you re a lady please God you ll never have no one to knock about nor take your money away but still ge folks do manage to quarrel and be unhappy an ” I was you suddenly taking up Duke s picture “ regarding it that u d be the gentleman I d se t ” m ind on ,
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6 5
MY LORD
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MY
LADY
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the male visitors who are quite sure to drop in presently There are low couches covere d with rich eastern stu ffs ; there is a whole curiosity shop Chelsea and Dresden china ; there are tables with photographs and silver ornaments and snuff boxes and smelling bottle s and quaint glass vases holding hot house flowers The rich draperies — are drawn across the windows two delicately shade d lamp s throw a soft light over e ve rythin no wonder that anyone should forget what it is 1 outside Mrs V e rschoyle is a pretty woman though behind Dorothe a in beauty — then L ady Belhaven exceptionally lovely b ut Flora is p iquante dress well and her friends and admirers are nu Her husb and does not care two straws for her but they leave each other alone ; sh e for him their own ways and do not quarrel He gives plenty of money and perfect freedom and sh e 11 asks any questions about his doings or concerns Flora and Dorothea are re ally fond o f each as two women often are who have the same and pursuits until they happen to clash Th no chance o f this at present and indeed women of the world know the advantage o f mutual services and good will too well to play tricks with each other e x cept under e xtraordinary provocation Flora has given D orothea her tea and mu ffi n and sit s down in froa o f h e r to cons u m e he r own .
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MY LORD AND MY LADY
57
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It is too delightful to have you in town my ” ” “ love she says I never expected such bliss “ N or answers Dorothea nibbling her mu ffi n “ After all there is only one place in the world is ” there ? ” “ O nly one says Flora as devoutly a s the Turk “ subscribes to his religious belief By the way Thea I ve been wanting to ask you ever so many times — was there really anything between your sister ” and Duke V e re ke r? ” “ He wanted to marry her replies Dorothea simply ” “ Fancy Duke whom no o n e ever could catch ! exclaims Flora p ausing with her cup hal f way to her lips ” “ “ Then of course she continues it s only a ” question o f time ? ” “ O h I don t know returns Dorothea with a “ H e s off to America now shade o f impatience Probably before he returns he will have found his ” senses and won t give her a chance again “ But my dear why did you not m a ke her accept ” him ? inquires Flora Opening her eyes ” “ “ Make ! retorts Dorothea You don t know her She s a sort of Red Indian a Wild woman o f the woods She hasn t the slightest sense of de c e nc or propriety Besides it was all done and y he was sent about his business before I knew any thing oi it It wa s Bel s faul t He took so me rid i “
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58
MY
LORD AND MY LAD Y
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c ulou s
ide a into his head about her being too y oung ” to marry ” “ Good Heavens ! cries Flora aghast at this “ V andalism ; as if a girl could b e too young or too a nything else to marry a m an with eighty thousand ” “ a year ! But tell me she pursues people are such awful story tellers o ne never knows what to believe I heard it was Angie Beauclerc s doing They sa y sh e got Cis Deerbrook to make love to her and put ” her off Duke ” “ N onsense returns Dorothea a trifle sharply “ and blushing a little N othing o f the sort I asked ” him myself to R ed Meade ” “ That w a s rather weak of you rej oins Flora ” “ knowing what Cis is ” “ How could I tell cries Dorothea with ex “ asperation that the girl was such an idiot ? I asked him for my own amusement because I was bored to ” death ” “ And she fell in love with him ? ” “ I don t know what she did s ays L ady B el haven cutting herself a little wedge of plum cake “ I never asked her It s a dread ful nuisance having a girl tacked on to on e whose ideas are not human However I don t mean to be worried with her Bel has taken her in hand and I shall leave her entirely to him She s a ! uixote in petticoats and that just ” suits him ” “ “ remarks Flora , his little ways A pr opos o f C is .
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60
MY LORD AND
MY
LAD Y
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be i ng away another couple o f months O r it is p ossible that he may stay on and fi sh in Canada ” he wants Captain Beauclerc to j oin him ” “ But that won t suit your husband I m sure cries Flora ” “ “ — No laughs Angie it is too far from Pall ” Mall Then turning to Dorothe a she says “ Have you heard that C is Deerbrook is goi ” to marry Miss L ane ? ” “ N ot re ally ! cry both ladies at once ” “ He told me so himself only yesterday re tu A ngie ” “ Poor C is ! ej aculates Mrs Ve rsc hoyle means indeed that he has come to the end o f tether O f all the odious vulgar women ! I p tive ly detest the sight of her She does not c what she says : I cannot conceive how she ever ” into society at all ” “ O h remarks Dorothea took her up said she was rather good fun That is enough ” la n cer anyone ” “ D o you kno w how much she has ? inqu i Flora ” “ Twelve thousand a year replies Angie tu n a te ly sh e treats it quite as a commercial a ffa and is prep ared to p ay his debts and to make very handsome settlement upon him But she h a capital head and has made her arrangements that g oo d behavi ou r on his p art will be .
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MY LORD AND MY LADY “
Oh
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says Flora if his fortune depends on I expect he will soon be as poor as ever ,
that ” again “ But ,
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says Angie laughing — she is very —sensible he calls it She gave him
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to understand that as long as he tre ated proper respect she had not the smallest to his continuing to exercise his little ‘ for flirtation She is a good fellow Cis doesn t look upon her as a woman at all ” s sh e will suit him admirably ” “ He is quite right in one thing exclaims Flora : “ she is not like a woman but a m a n in petticoats She is hardly ever out o f the saddle — she has her own gun and carries it herself : I believe sh e wears ‘ a kilt in Scotland And she says By J ove ! and ‘ By George ! and I believe has been heard to swear ” at her groom like a trooper “ Poor Cis says L ady Belhaven quite pathetically “ I suppose nothing but sheer necessity has driven ” him to this dreadful step ” “ His brother won t pay another shilling for him “ answers Angie And I believe his creditors were getting rather troublesome He does not seem at all ,
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And here sh e smiles a little hal f scornful half amused smile for if she likes Cis personally she de spises his character none the less “ ” But there are nice women with money says ,
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62
MY LO RD AND MY LAD Y
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“
Dorothea in a regretful tone Poor C is ! how dread ” ful for him ! An gie does not stay very long and when she tak es her leave L ady B elhaven in the prettiest most ‘ s e mp r e s e manner begs that she will lose no tim coming to see her She has made up her mind it is very desirable to have Angie for a friend ” “ Isn t she clever ! e x claims Flora the moment “ the door has closed upon her Did you notice she ” would not say that ske had heard from Duke ? “ Y es ; and what a sweet frock ! Paris I am sure How well she puts on her clothes After all there is nothing like black — any black at least that is not ” mourning ” “ “ D o you know ob serves Flora when I m wi her I always rather believe in her I wonder ” there really is anything between her and Duke ” “ Why o f course How absurd yo u are ! a n swe “ D orothea O r i f there isn t now there has bee ” “ Well looking at the clock it s a great bore but ” suppose I must be going ” “ “ O h ! no no cries Flora ind e e d you must I have ten thousand thin gs to s a y to you Y ou 111 ” stop another hour at least L ady Belhaven re — settles herself in her chair A minute later Sir Henry Cheshunt is announced and shortly afterwards Dorothe a reiterates that she must go ” “ “ Must you really ? says Flora Well my love ” i f it i s inevitable ! .
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64
MY “
LORD
A
ND
MY LAD Y
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She i s the m ost atrocious vulgarian ! Did you ever meet her ? She did not know a soul five years ago but M rs V aughan ” took her up and now she goes everywhere ” “ “ I don t remember her answers Belhaven I ” suppose she has money “ Twelve thousand a year Angie Beauclerc says I met her to day She had heard from Duke — he ” may b e away two months more or all the season Cilla dares ri ot stir nor speak — she sits downcast eyes and a terrible load at her heart w ing until dinner S hall be over and the order release given by her sister But Dorothe a is in haste to night — she S ips her port with evident e nj ment and eats sponge cakes and peels a pear wh she amiably divides with her lord Belhaven kindly longing to se t the poor captive free but to let her think he is aware of he r p ain by sug ing that she shall leave the table At last Dorothe a comes to an end o f her d e s dips her fingers into the ruby bowl beside daintily dries them and pushes back her chair ” “ I think s ays B elhaven as she enters the draw‘ ing room hanging affectionately upon his arm “ — I think my d having fled away to her room you should not have said that about Cis quite ” suddenly be fore the poor child ” “ I did it on purpose replies D orothea ex “ ta u tly It will do her g ood N ow she will k That horr i d H annah L ane !
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MY
LORD AND MY L A DY
65
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i t is no use having any more ridiculous ideas about
him
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“
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Poor little girl ! utters Belhaven tenderly By ” the w a y where did you se e Mrs Beauclerc ? ” “ “ O h ! answers Dorothea I j ust dropped in for an instant at Flora s to ask her for an addre ss and ” Angie came in B e lha v e n s brow clouds “ I do n ot like the ide a o f your being a l ways with ” “ Mrs V e rsch oyle he says I have heard ve ry queer ” things about her ” “ O h I s e e very little of her answers Dorothe a mendaciously ” “ The less the better rejoins her lord It is three days after this when Mrs Beauclerc in accordance with L ady B e lha v e n s earnest request comes to call in Grosvenor Street It is rather late in the afternoon and Dorothea is trying on a dress She sends her maid to Cilla with an imperative re quest that she will at once go down to the drawing room and entertain the visitor until S he is d ise n gaged Cilla whose heart has of late been ravaged by so much stronger emotions than any mere small jealousy goes to meet Mrs B eauclerc with no p ar tic ula r feeling She says politely but neither warmly nor coldly that her S ister is engaged for a few minutes with the dressmaker but will not be very long and then rings the bell and orders tea “
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My L or d
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5
66
MY LORD AND MY LADY
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Angie has thought not unfrequently about C illa o f late — in her gratitude to Duke for his goodness she feels a sincere desire to do anything that might — be pleasing to him she knows it would b e welcome to him to he ar o f any r a ppr ochem ent between her and his young love Finding herself suddenly a l one with Cilla and noting the melancholy look in the girl s eyes a sudden kindness warm s her heart and she acts for the second time in the last few weeks on an impulse ” “ I wish she says in the softest accents of pleasant voice and with the kindest glance from “ brown eyes that you and I might be friends haps people h ave spoken un k indly o f me to you have warned you against me — if so do them I am Mr Ve re ke r s oldest and be he is so good and kind and I like him so much I would do anything in the world to further happiness A nd for his sake I should like to k ” you better and I think for your own sake too And not only is Angie s voice winning but looks so kind and honest and sincere that Cil heart goes out to her then and there and im with the te ars standing in her eyes she gets goes towards her and stretches o ut her hand Then Angie whose own eyes are n ot quite kisses the girl s cheek and pressing her hand in a voice of whose sincerity it would be quite ossible to doubt p ,
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68
MY L ORD
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sometimes bestow on older women Angie found her sincerity and impulsiveness re freshing It was never gushing She loved the girl s voice too and it gave her the greatest enj oyment to sit in the twi light buried in her chair listening to Cilla s tender p athetic tones as she sang And she had the pleasure of reflecting that sh e w a s doing what would be pleasing to D uke and she wrote often and much to him about his young love whom she was able to think o f now as the future Mrs V e re ke r without any o f the old heart burnings For she felt quite sure that in due course when Duke came b ack he and Cilla would be reconciled and whenever she had an Opportunity she :spoke of his kindness his gener o sity his m any virtues and Cilla listened with toler able complacency and without showing any disposi tion to dissent C illa did not take to Captain B eauclerc at all which at first sight seems strange as most women liked him and he always took p ains to please them And although he considered his wife a great fool for taking up the girl so w a rmly and havi ng her perpetually at the house he had such an Opinion of her cleverness that he thought there might p b e some motive which he could not se e and There is one S h e did not choose to confess ful thing about the world s children : they are seeking for selfish motives b ehind every app kind or good natured action Their motto to .
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MY
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MY
LAD Y
69
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they admit of no exception is that no one does ” anything for nothing Algy had a somewhat boisterously hearty and genial m a nn e r H e seemed to be always overflowing with smiles and kindness and the desire to serve his friends He called most of the men he knew by their Christian names and a good many of the — women too and adopte d a familiar half lover like half brotherly manner towards the latter which they nearly all found pleasing The general impression “ of everyone about him w a s that he was a thorough ” good fellow a man whom it would be quite safe to ask to do anything for you even to lend you money only they did not make their request o f him “ because poor old chap ! he was always hard up ” himself But Cilla was amazingly keen sighte d about some things and if she cared for a person very jealous for him or her Therefore when she saw Captain Beauclerc s slighting behaviour to his wife and remarked the rough impatient tones in which he occasionally addressed her she very soon s a w through the thin coating of his false kon kom z e and appraised him at his true value She disliked the extravagant compliments that he paid her and the mingled air of gallantry and familiarity by which he sought to fascinate her for young as S he was sh e had a strong feeling that insincere homage and fulsome praise are an insult to the understanding o f a wo ma n who has any dignity ,
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Algy
was not very long in discovering that his charms were lost upon Cilla — that she did not care for nor like him so although he continued to be civil outwardly to her he being intensely vain took an e xtreme dislike to her in his hea rt and seldom lost an opportunity of damaging her in the eyes of other people when he could do so without seeming to be ill natured L ady B elhav en was never weary o f speculating what sinister motive An gie h ad in the b ackground for taking C illa up with this sudden warmth and w a s quite angry with her husb and for saying day that he believed she had no motive at all that S he like d the girl genuinely as indeed any might do Cilla under the influence o f her new and deli ful friendship grew brighter and happier than had been for a long time Cis was fast he only a memory with a gentle little halo of m c h oly about it But one evening she and An gie went to the together Captain Beauclerc and another man to j oin them later — there were very few plays other attractions that could get Algy away from his wine and cigar after dinner The first act of the piece was about hal f over when a rustle in the stalls made Cilla look round with a shade o f impatience at the disturbers o f this i nteresting performance Then her heart stood quite ,
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turn him out Cis has been there about five minutes when Algy and his friend come in ” “ Don t move old chap exclaims Algy delighted at seeing him there and a s usual giving his wife “ credit for this ex cellent piece o f diplomacy Im I can t stand this rot I ve seen it o ff to the club be fore K eep my place a n d I m very much obliged ” to you into the bargain And accordingly there Cis remains the whole evening and Cilla is in a rapturous sort o f trance in which the music and his voice a sweeter music still blend and she drinks poison at every moment in long draughts from his eyes S he is reckless sh e cares not that these two hours o f bliss may be p aid for by months o f anguish She forgets that he belongs of right to another woman — she gives herself up to the intoxication o f the hour For his p art Mr Deerbrook finds it e xtremely s oothing to his self love to b e the obj ect o f this young creature s adoration — the woman whom he is going to m a rry is the coarsest most practical least imaginative of her se x A l though he regards the arrangement entirely from a commercial point of view he cannot for he has refined instincts but be a s he h a s been compelled to and r ois s t by her f the change to this s e e a good deal o f her lately sp ir itu elle aesthetic young girl is eminently agreeable “ He has heard Miss L ane aver frequently that love ” i s gammon and when a se nse of fi ne fe elin g ha s .
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prompted him to make some little S how o f devotion to her she h a s chaffed him unmercifully and told him in so many words that sh e is quite ready to ” “ let him off that part of the business And Cis has always had an irresistible p en cha nt for flirtation and love making and S ince his engagement and that disagreeable little affair with L ady J ane and L ady Jane s husband at Cannes he has been rather by way of putting restrictions upon his favourite di version S o to night although he does not say a word o f love to Cilla being restrained therefrom by his s ens e h r he yet manages to convey all sorts of o o n u o f tender imaginings to her foolish heart and to send her pillow with the belie f that she is the whom he loves and that this dreadful mar ria e is only a sacrifice to stern necessity g Angie is seriously vexed — S he sees quite wel l what is going on but what can sh e do ? She is obliged to seem unobservant and to talk to the man who sits behind her chair Shall she later on warn Cilla and remonstrate with Cis ! But the mischief is already done and however yielding Cilla might be on other subj ects sh e i s pretty sure to be tena cions about this on e in which all h e r heart is a b sorbed Angie has other reasons for feeling vexed Miss Harcourt is in the stalls — she has decidedly a ma u va z s e la ngu e : sh e will be sure to spread the report far and wide of Cis being in the bo x w ith Miss ,
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St George and herself and will o f course g ive credit for having not only connived at but prob arranged the meeting When she and Cilla are in the brougham An is greatly minded to s a y a word o f caution o f minder to the girl that Mr D eerbrook is no longer a free man but no on e knows better than she does the golden properties o f silence and s o she re frains But she gives her an unwontedly tender pressure of the hand as sh e bids her good night in Grosvenor Street fore casting well enough what sorro w is store for that elated beating young heart which so full o f j oy and triumph to night ” “ Good night dearest Mrs B eauclerc cries Cil ” “ I have had such a delightful evening and trips upstairs to bed an d whilst her maid ing ou t her hair has contrary to her cust word to s a y to her so lost is she in the retrospect She knows Cis is going to marry heiress yet somehow the knowledge does not gri her to night Three afternoons later she is walkin g in pany with her m aid and the pug down the deserted R ow She goes there oftenest bec pug can have his freedom and roam about whereas he abhors the shops and the thoroughfares where he gets kicked and b u s frightened And as Cilla walks a faint flush from health .
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words but he lets her think by glance and innuendo th at were he free to choose it would be o n that his wandering love would light and settle tal k s of symp athy and fate and a hard desti spe aks with the false sentiment that is so to young innocent minds and makes the gi him a hero and a demi go d inste ad o f the unprincipled man he is It amuses him ; it — an idle hour pleasantly he has suffered so li love s sake himself that perhaps he is not conscious o f the heinous cruelty he is co The poor child is like on e in a dream — she think o f nothing o f no on e else When sh e s in the evening at B e lha ve n s request there is a accent o f p assion in her voice that whilst it cha half frightens h im What can it mean ! He not the faintest idea that Deerbrook is in town that Cilla has seen him : he has forbidden him house and b anished him from his thoughts he but know that the girl has been walking Cis all the afternoon and that Dorothea met yesterday at Mrs V e rs choyle s What would he have s aid and thought about the d e c e itfulne s women ! Her ladyship had told Cis playfully he must not call in Grosvenor Street for her and master had forbidden her to receive him this had enhanced his pleasure in walking with — h e had felt with a sense of triumph that he “ that jealous fool Bel st e alin g a m a rch o n ,
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When Cilla went up to her room that night
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found a b ox o n her dressing table ” “ It came about half an hour ago Miss said Dawson who had the natural aptitude o f her order “ I thought I for intrigue with a significant smile ” might as well bring it straight up here What could it be ! Cilla s eyes glistened with impatience and her fingers trembled as she u n fastened it though what possible reason could She have for fancying that it came from Cis ? With a little cry of rapture she took out of the cotton wool which enclosed them some dozen o f the rarest purest white flowers and then something that to the irl s eyes was more fair and lovely still a little sprig g of blue forget me not When her maid was gone she pressed this sweet emblem to her lips and heart a thousand times and her eyes were dim with a strange j oy A woman o f fashion may have fifty trophies o f flowers from her adorers and toss them aside with scarce a thought or a look but the young girl who gets for the first time such a token from the man she loves prizes his offering beyond all words If every petal o f this little emblematic S prig had been a diamond it would have had not on e whit more value in Cilla s eyes She place d it alone in a glass of water— later it w a s to be dried preserved fl a t tened cherished ; perhaps buried with her ; but for a little yet it was to gladden her eyes by living -
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And there she s a t by her fire dreaming all manner o f swe et innocent childish impossible dreams until the clock struck on e and a sudden shiver reminded her that she had let her fire out The next afternoon she had promise d to go Mrs B eauclerc When she entere d that lad drawing room a stranger w a s sitting there ; a l voiced and mannere d woman with a fine fi displayed by a very tight and well fi tting gown so mewhat voya nt colour Angie at on c e prese her guests to each other ” “ Miss L ane Miss St George Cill a made a small stiff bow Miss L bestowed a good humoured half contemptuous upon her in return She had heard a little Cilla but merely thought of her as a child a 5 girl For her part Cill a felt the most viole i s to the betrothed of O h u n a n c C e p g this vulgar coarse creature the betrothed o f being ! and going to the fi re place she t Duke s terrier J ack which had found an w ith Angie in his master s absence and seated self at an unconversational distance from the pair Miss L ane s voice however would have itself he ard in an adjoining room with the shut At the moment of Cilla s entrance had been as k ing when the wedding was t lac e p ,
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always running after me like a little dog but seems to think it is the correct thing and it ple him and don t hur t me The frost brought me I hO pe to goodness it isn t going to last but it given me the Opportunity of ordering my clothes Miss L ane rises to go ” “ N ow mind Mrs B eauclerc she says in with a hearty mannish grip o f the hand and I are tied up you are to come and us I shan t take any denial and Cis doats on And bring your husband because he s a capital ” low and exchange is no robbery you know Then with a half nod to C illa Mr D e e rb betrothe d goes out ” “ My dear child cries Angie returni ng t “ as the door closes you must positively not much with those eyes of yours D o you you were looking at Miss L ane as if she were ” noisome reptile ! Cilla is covered with confusion but her di is even greater than her shame “ She is the most dreadful vulgar horri d p ” I ever saw ! she cries almost p assionately ” — h ow can he l how can he ! ” “ He is poor and e xtravagant a n d in debt re “ plies Angie quietly When a man does not know how to earn his living and would not if he could, and when he values pleasure and comfort more ,
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MY LORD AND MY LAD Y
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highly than anything else what is he to do but a c ” cept the only chance that is offered him ? Cilla is silent Is Angie blaming Cis ? For a few minutes the girl s love for her hostess su ffers a slight diminution ,
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CHAPTER VI
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F O U R days passed and Cilla neither sa w nor ard anything o f Mr Deerbrook She thought o f reamed of nothing else Since she is marriage seemed like some impending catastrophe the thought o f which almost too grievous to be borne She endowed in her heart with her own fine sensitive imagina and fancied that he must shrink with horror from the idea of this union as she would do were she promised to some coarse vulgar man All man ner of vague ideas swept through her brain She wa s utterly ignorant o f the value o f money She had not in her agitation heard Dorothea announce the amount o f Miss L ane s income and her own S ix dred a year seemed riches to her O h ! if she ut give it to her lover and live for ever after on the meanest fare and without thought or care for fine apparel or the elegancies of life Let him .
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spend the money and S he be his humble dru and slave ! O n the afternoon o f the fifth day she we five o clock to drink tea with Mrs Beauclerc as her cab drew up to the kerb who should standing on the door step but Mr Deerbrook looked genuinely pleased to se e her and her p little heart p alpitated with a sudden and Viol delight “ Mrs Beaucler c is not in and I was j ust go ” away he says ” “ If you please Miss utters the butler a “ ing 1 was to s a y will you come in a n d Mrs ” clerc will be back very soon “ Then I Shall come in too and keep you ” p any says Cis helping her out ; not ill pleas feel the tremulousness o f her little hand So they go upstairs together into Angie s drawing room where beauty and comfort harmoniously married “D id you get my flowers ? ” he asks and sh e answers with her li ps “ O h ! indeed I did ; thank you a thousand and her great eloquent eyes s a y much more “ Y ou don t know what trouble I had to get ” “ forget me not says Cis And you won t forget ” will you ? in a low voice and looking te nderly at Her lip s quiver— she cannot speak words are unnecessary when a p e rson ,
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Then he droops his handsome head and stare s
with a melancholy air into the fire A wild tumult is going on in the child s heart some unknown power seems to force her to speak whilst another holds her back Then she says low quivering voice and clasping her slender han tight together ” “ Is it s o much money that you owe ? He turns stru ck by the emotion in her voi and in an instant reads her thought in her face He acts on an irresistible impulse o f p assion tenderness She has risen to her feet and he o ne arm round her and takes her hands in his the other Poo r child ! she takes it for a sign he accepts her as yet unspoken o ffer ” “ I have money S he says in a low hurried whilst her beautiful eyes look into his with th ture o f on e who sacrifices all to his heart s “ O h will you not take mine ? everything I have ” could do quite well without ” “ God bless you my darling ! he murmurs moved than he has been this many a year and a purer better feeling and he kisses her hair c he c k but by some strange instinct holds her “ — s acred it would be too much happiness to have ” you and what I must have to save me as well ” “ Why ? asks Cilla eagerly thinking he will not “ sacrifice her for her own sake I have six hundred ” a year sh e adds .
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Cis could almost smile o nly that he is really moved ” “ “ — My poor little darling ! he says that would only be a drop in the ocean Why my debts are ” more than all your fortune Cilla draws back A sudden chill creep s over her— a sudden S hame — a n instinct that there has been something ridiculous as well as immodest in her thus o ffering herself ” “ Don t turn away from me child cries Deer “ brook tenderly I shall never never forget how and kind and sweet you have been ! My own ” darling ! He softly strokes her hair and presses her hand and a mingled feeling o f happiness and misery sweeps over the girl s heart and she bursts into an agony o f tears “ Hush ! for God s s a ke hush ! Don t cry my ” sweet little love ! cries the young man sincerely shocked and grieved at her distress At this moment a thundering knock comes at the door and terrified Cilla starts away from the arms that shelter her Where Shall sh e hide her grief her shame ! ” “ What can you do ? cries Cis no less concerned ” “ Stop ! in there ! There is a tiny third room off the drawing room which An gie makes a china closet o f— it has no door but is unlighted and the darkness will hide her .
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A moment later Mrs Beauclerc enters ” “ Where is Miss St George ? S he says as ” “ gree ts C is They told me she was here He puts his finger with a warning gesture his lips and glances in the direction o f the room It is with a sense o f utter dismay that grasps the situation She looks at him with an pression o f the deepest reproach ” “ How can you b e so cruel so unfair ! she move d to indignation ” “ Hush ! he answers in a low agitated “ It wa s not my fault I swear I am m or e sorry I don t know how it happened It w a cursed ill luck I will explain to you another —now the best t hing is for me to go Don t anything to her poor little girl ! She s as goo ” gold and one in a thousand He makes for the door and Angie does tempt to stop him She is thoroughly vex miserable This to have happened in her all others ! As the servant returns from Opening the she calls to him not to bring tea until sh e then she goes slowly upstairs to her room to She wants to give Cilla time o ff her bonnet cover h erself She does not hasten over tion ; it is full ten minutes be fore she d the drawing room and then as .
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racked her brain for reasons and felt thoroughly wretched and uncomfortable But yet how was she to blame for this luckless contr etemps and how came Belhaven to know that C is had been there ! w a s evident enough that he did know it N ow this was the little freak that Fortune amused hersel f by playing Belhaven having turned home rather e arlier than usu a l inquired Cilla and was told that she had gone to drink with Mrs Be auclerc whereupon he bethought h self o f going to fetch her going and having a with Angie whom he liked He was within doors of her house when a man came as they were at that moment close o f it and lamp post he recognized Deerbrook who how did not se e him His face wore a perturbed agitated look As a sudden dre ad ful thought Belhaven he stood stock still Great God ! w possible ? C ould such infamy exist ? Was B eauclerc conniving at meetings between these to serve her own b ase ends ? Was there on the of the earth such a fiend ? B elhaven walked on p ast the door up th e across Belgrave Square and into Sloane Street He did w a s a prey to the most violent rage dare to meet either Mrs Beauclerc or Cilla at sent He would have been obliged to pour on his contempt and loathing on the on e ; his and imp atience on the other He was ,
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sciou s of the infirmity of his temper : and he was always trying to restrain the Violence of feelings for rage with him wa s for the first few moments indeed a madness It was sometimes only by an almost superhuman effort that he could keep his hands off a person who angered him He knew himself to be capable o f almost anything in his first wrath ; but only let a few minutes p ass and he cooled down and after a time it was really difficult for him to continue to cherish anger even when he knew it to be j ust and lawful So he walked on and on making all sorts of wrathful plans Pre se ntly he calmed down and took a settled resolve This time there should b e no wavering nor hesita tion on his p art In spite o f the comparative darkn ess o f the room his quick eyes sa w the redness o f Cilla s eye lids as he entered but he did not feel the remotest pity for her ; only a bitter anger Mrs Beauclerc s door had scarcely closed upon them when he said turning and Speaking in a voice that he in vain endeavoured to control ” “ And so you have met Deerbrook again ? She wa s silent ” “ You have been alone with him cri ed Bel haven giving words to his suspicions Cilla s heart beat violently She could not a nswer But her S ilence wa s eloquent enough to her hearer ,
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And pray he asks with bitter Contempt in his “ voice have you see n him before to day since you ” came to London ? Have you ? he repeats fiercely and Cilla feels compelled to answer ” “ I met Mr Deerbrook in the Park last week “ And he spoke to you ? walked with you I ” s a y? fiercely Again Cilla relapses into silence and again haven interprets it correctly ” “ And before then ? he asks calmly this Cilla grows reckless Wh a t does it L ife is over and done with It holds no thinks for her and then with a little fe e li triumph she says to herself He loves me does anythin g else in the world matter ? So she answers almost defiantly throwing head up ” “ I met him at the theatre Belhaven relapses into silence His rage growing — he cannot trust himself to speak had been right he thought bitterly Why were people al ways right who distrusted and su S pe c others ! Dorothea had said that school w a s only pl ace for her sister Dorothea had said Mrs Beauclerc had sinister motives in being frie with Cilla Dorothea had been right and he been a blind weak fool who ha d let pity get better o f his j udgment Ah ! but now he had ”
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and then with a wildly beating he art the girl proceeded to Open her treasure out ,
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O f course it was from him ! T here was a letter , and what , to a young girl
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loves is so priceless as the words traced by her lover s hand ? It is something to love to keep to cheri sh to hug to her breast — a better reminder than anything else in the world Thus with eyes luminous with j oy ; with a heart throbbing with u n sp eakable delight she read ,
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MY O WN DARL IN G “ I am more grieved than words can sa y to think o f your being distressed on my account But I shall never forget you never Think o f me some times sweet love and wear this little remembrance I send you for my sake Would God thi ngs might have been di fferent “ Yours my child ,
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The remembrance was a locket having a diamond heart in the centre se t round with a wreath o f beautifully execute d forget me nots in p ale blue enamel — it wa s a very pretty trinket indeed — it had a history besides — one that Cilla w a s never likely to know or perhaps she would not have covered it with kisses nor have worn it day and ,
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night against her heart nor taken it stealthily out to look at and to worship Two years ago Cis had designed and caused this locket to be executed for on e o f his loves When six months later he transferred his affections to the fair one s bosom friend she had furiously flung back this gift and others and he h a d tbrown it in a drawer and forgotten it until to night when feeling very tender and remorse ful towards his girl love he had thought to give her pleasure by pre senting the token to her And not being endowed with very fine or delicate feelings nothing had shocked nor revolted him in the idea o f p assing on this souvenir o f a not very creditable intrigue to a pure and spotless young girl like Cilla She poor child ! pressing it to her lips and heart by turns felt as if with this dear token and those priceless lines she could face anything the future might have in store for her Meantime her doom had been settled by Bel haven downstairs ” “ What is the matter ? Dorothea had said the instant she se t e ye s on her lord And he as he loved her and could not keep anything from her poured out in a torrent of words all that had hap pened ” “ Did I not tell you so ? cried her ladyship “ triumphantly I knew Cilla was not to be trusted And as for Mrs Beauclerc ; of course she had de ,
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signs from the first But what an infamous u m ” scrupulous wretch she must be ! ” “ “ Infamous indeed ! groaned Belhaven Good God ! to think any woman could be so devilishly wicked as calmly to plot the ruin o f a girl s life for ” her own ends And a s for that i nfernal blackguard “ with fury he d better not let me catch him in ( ) the m ood I m in or ” “ “ N onsense mak interrupted my lady coolly : ing an es cla n dr e would be the very way to damage the gir l for ever Y ou had better take care not to ” c atch him “ I shall go down to Brighton the first thing to ” “ morrow said my lord and the day after she ” shall be safely settled there out o f harm s way And accordingly the following morning Bel haven as good as his word w a s in the train on his w a y to Brighton He was quite angry with himself because a good deal of his rage had evaporated and he could not feel so bitter or revengeful against Cilla as he wished — indeed he was beginning to b e a little bit sorry for her She did not deserve any consideration of course but he should impress upon the lady who kept the school that she w a s to be treated with the greatest kin dness and he meant to ask as a great favour that she might be allowed to have he r pug which he thought would go a ce rtain way towards reconciling her to her fate Mrs Blank was a littl e su rprised to receive ‘
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morrow he said in a kind voice you going with me to Brighton Y ou have made step absolutely necessary But I have everything for your comfort and you will be all ” to take the pug At this Cilla who had been immoveable as a rock be fore felt the tears spring to her eyes — then she ran away swiftly and left Belhaven stan there feeling like j udge and e xecutioner too -
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A week went by after the events that happe in Angie s house and sh e wa s full o f perplexity uneasiness She had written c e iv e d no answer— she had called t L ady Belhaven at hours when she had made o f finding her and been met e ach time with ” “ answer N ot at home Then she wrote to but L ad y Belhaven did not even acknowledge letter O ne evening her husband came in j ust fore dinner and rushing upstairs to the d roo m burst out almost before he had time to ’
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Well ! you ve made a pretty hash of it time at all events By Jove ! it s possible to be ” a little bit too clever ! There was a look of mingled triumph and anger in his face ; the look that he always wore when some piece o f bad luck happene d to Angie which he chose to aver she had brought upon hersel f ’
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pleased him more than to put he r in the It is a fatal mistake for a woman ever to husband se e that she feels herself superior m — he never forgets nor forgives it And in of Angie s tact and knowledge o f the world had been moments of anger when she had unable to refrain from S howing Algy that she onte m pt for him He never lost an Opportunity b ack ” you mean ? she aske d nervously for worrying herself not a little about the disagreeable contr etemps that had happened to her ” “ Y ou know well enough what I mean he a n “ Y our having that St George girl swe re d roughly ” and Cis here to meet ” “ “ I d id n ot! cried Angie indignantly it was purely accidental I was exceedingly annoye d ” about it ” “ Y ou may tell that to the marines rej oined “ Captain Beauclerc coarsely I have just come from Flora V e rsc hoyle who told me the whole story The Be lh a ve n s are furious with you —there s no name ha d enough for you and pon my soul I don t angry They ve p acked the girl off best place for the little hussy and a 11 have for Duke when he returns in d s me I heard from him this morning be b a ck in a fortnight A n d with all y ou r ng
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cleverness sneering you ll be puzzled to ” all right with him this time A n d with that C aptain Beauclerc went out b anged the door ; leaving Angie to wonder in dum misery why Fate should delight to heap ve n ge a n on the innocent for the selfishness and cruelty of th gu ilty whom she allows to go scot free ,
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ful freedom She had walked and ridden w ith B haven accompanied him to lectures and galle listened to and sympathised with his queer ideas sung to him s a t with rapt attention 0 evening whilst he read Byron or Shakespeare in fact by her comp anionship and attentions s Dorothea the trouble o f amusing him and the ness of listening to and talking upon subj ects did not interest her She cared neither for science music nor poetry ; the only things she care for were amusements dress pleasure the p any of a fast though highly placed se t of p e who spent their time in a spurious kind of making ; in talking about each other and i how fine a line they could draw in their tion between decency and the other extreme D the a had not dared to set out her own tea tables n or to hold her own little afte rnoon assemblies Flora save d her the trouble and she met Mrs Ve rsc hoyle s house to whom her hus h a never willingly have Opene d his own d but that they were people o f the highest but then those were the people of all othe rS o f Belhaven disapproved He was not much of a at making friendships or acquaintances ; there however three or four people whom he 1 sincerely and as it happened these were all musical and not of any great social importance My lady there fore because she had not .
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e very particular herself tiptilte d her nose at friends of her husband s and would have none ” “ People who did not know her set could her j argon and failed to pronounce her th were as aliens and pariahs to her She waste a smile or a word upon them 11 two of these friends had dined d and L ady Belhaven and his lordship spent an agreeable and as he would have a rational evening but the moment they taken their departure Dorothea with a most portentous yawn exclaimed “ My dearest Bel ! if you love me never ask those terrible people here again ! They have nearly been ” my death Belhaven looked as he felt rather inj ured “ It is a little hard that I cannot have any ” friends he said ” “ My dearest darling love ! returned Dorothe a who wants to prevent your having friends ? N ot I I am too delighted Go and live in their houses if you like but for pity s sake don t a sk them here unless you wish your Dorothea to give up the ” host g Her ladyship was fond o f rather extravag ant expressions which however sh e uttered with a per fe c tly placid and imperturbable manner that made them very amusing to a third erson when one w s a p resent p ,
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N ow that Cilla was gone Belhaven who m i ssed her ama z ingly turned to his wife for comp ani With the two sisters present together all his a — i r t fi tions had been g a e d he had feasted his on his lovely wife and talked to Cilla on the subj ects which interested him and received her the fullest and most appreciative symp athy was always ready to enter heart an scheme o f benevolence any plan for bene kind morally physically or scientifically Doro applied the sweeping and comprehensive term ” bish to all these things Belhaven finding a good deal of his occup gone with Cilla tried to supply the want by thea — he took to driving out with her and p ers her to go and loo k at pictures with him She did not even look sulky ; but she n ot re fuse ; him see in her pretty placid wa y that she frightfully bored and he w a s sensitive e notice and to be p ained by her want Sometimes when they were driving t would take her hand and hold it without showing any emotion either o f pleasure distaste she would re possess herself o f it and w ould feel hurt and mortified Dorothea wa s intensely provoked at having much of his company —it prevented her going Flora and at this season when she could very much into society on account o f her ,
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chosen but then u nfortunatel y his p assionate He o f physical beauty came in and interfered always entertained a horror o f the fashionable rie d women o f the day looke d upon them a plague spot o f society corrupting festering c The marri ta m in a ting everything around them woman who had lovers ; whose photographs stood shop windows ; whose doings were chronicled ” “ society p apers wa s a creature for whom he h nothing but contempt and loathing— he had harsher thoughts o f and words for such husbands When the possibility stared hi face o f his beautiful wife going to swell and abhorre d phalanx it drove him frenzy but they should find he said to himself tha in him there w a s a very different sort o f husban to deal with To him the word marriage had appeared signify union comp anionship a small happy circle o f the same loves ideas To b e father of children o f whom a beloved wife was mother wa s in his eyes the ing bliss of life and that father and mother all selfish interests S hould devote themse making their children happy healthy use ful seeme d the highest holiest purest aim o f This had been his theory — his pra nipped all these exalted ideas in the bud a s he k new wa s no m ore lik el y to ful fi l hi ,
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MY LORD AND MY LADY
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motherhood than she wa s to perform any menial or domestic office in her household He thought all this remorsefully at times but when her beautiful face was before him and she smiled upon him he was fain to be content with her as sh e was and to say to himself that no one has everything in this world For his own part Belhaven would have been delighted to spend D arby and J oan evenings with his wife after Cilla s departure but being like all sym pathetic persons anxious to please acutely se n s itive to any symptom of weariness in his com panion he could not help feeling and knowing that his beloved one was bored He cast about in his mind how to amuse her He asked her whether he should read her some of Byron and she answered ” “ Yes do with as much show o f interest as if he had demanded whether he should ring for coals So seating himself o n a low chair near her he ” “ began to read The Giaour R eading aloud was rather an accomplishment o f his — how often when re ading had he suddenly looked up and found Cilla s eyes fixed upon him with an eloquent expression of pleasure sadness eagerness whatever feeling w a s most suitable to the — occasion it had almost consoled him for the closed lids and nodding head of Dorothea To night he thought he would try whether he could not stir some e motion in th i s rett y Dresden statue That w a s p .
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what S he most resembled — she was not grand nor h e rave nor cold like marble but was like the s g ever smiling frivolous furbelowed porcelain figures which make such pretty drawing room ornaments Belhaven read with a l l the p assion and pathos that he could command He was quite ca rried away himself and then as he finished and his own heart was throbbing with emotion he raise d his eyes to se e what effect he had produce d She was regarding the fire with there was not the faintest evidence sh e had even heard him as indeed she had not for sh e was thinking what new frocks she would have when she discarded deep mourning and how soon it would b e consistent with decency to le ave off this funeral attire which was so horribly monotonous S 0 absorbed was sh e in reflection that she was not aware for a minute or two that her husband s voice had ceased Belhaven cruelly mortified bent head down over his book ” “ “ O h ! she said presently have you finished ” Thanks That w a s very nice “ D o you happen to know what I have b ” reading ? he asked and Dorothe a feeling that w a s something wrong by the tone o f his voice sm and said in a bland and apologetic voice “ I m afraid I didn t quite catch the last ” lines Sometimes they went to the play but my 1 ,
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taste and she gave him five or six kisses a t le ast and wore it on black velvet round her beauti ful white throat at dinner And Belhaven a little ashamed of his artifice talked in a lively strain all through their rep ast and gave no hint o f the serious subj ects upon which he proposed to discourse to her at a later period c e lle nt
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But when they were comfortably settled in the drawing room he in his favourite position on a stool at her feet he began to turn over in his mind how to approach this delicate matter -
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Dorothea was in h i gh good humour ; she a llowe her sultan and slave to hold her hand to kiss and to p ay as much homage to her a s he and smiled at him in the prettiest most manner in return Husbands should always be c ou ra e d to present diamonds to their wives s g thought ,
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My darli n g said Belhaven presently with slight tremor in his voice for it wa s far from plea ant to him at this moment to sa y a word to beloved that might seem to imply the faintest proach 0 r disapprobation of her only that he re “ garded it as a stern duty 1 want to say a word to ” you on rather a serious subj ect may I ? A chill feeling stole over D orothea but she still preserved her smiling face and a n swe ie d try ing to speak gaily ,
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O h no no, don t let 11 5 have any serious ’
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o h a We are s we are a s j ppy But Belhaven was not to be baulked thus ” “ It is j ust because w e are happy darling he “ said at least I am that I dread anything happen ing to come between us and make us less happy ” You are everything in the whole world to me “ fervently I must tell you sweet love that I don t like you being with Mrs Ve rsc hoyle I don t want you to become on e of her se t— 1 don t want you to get into their ways It would drive me mad to se e you one o f the fashionable married women o f the day with half a dozen men about you and your ” n ame in everybody s mouth ” “ Don t b e S illy Bel e xclaimed Dorothea ” There is not the least chance of such a thing ” “ Worse luck nd she added mentally ” “ Y ou may not think so he answered gravely “ but women drift so soon into that sort o f thing ” “ And if you knew eagerly what contempt all right thinking men have for such women you would not ” care or wish to be one of them Dorothea s heart was growing very cold ; the smile had quite faded from her face ; even the butterfly could not stimulate her to any pretence of pleasure or inte rest in her lord s conversation He felt that she was vexed and was eager to soothe her ru ffl ed feelings ” “ I have only one obj ect i n life my own darling e c ts
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I want to make your happ i ness he s a i d I w ant you to feel that home is the c e ntre o f a woman s j oys when she is married I should like you to show these other women how charmin g it is to see a beautiful woman content with legitimate pleasures and winn i ng every man s respect by her dignity and ” “ modesty And if his voice faltering we were so happy as to have children I can think o f nothing in he aven or earth so blessed a s to devote ourselves to them ; to make them the fi rst obj ect of our ” lives Dorothe a had drawn her hand away from hi m and was staring into the fi re with a stony gaze — She hated children the ide a of being a mother was fraught only with terror and distaste to her she looked upon it as the black side of the marriage which conferre d freedom rank and wealth up woman Suddenly she made a gesture as tho to shut out an abhorrent thought ” “ “ Don t talk like that ! she said Y ou give m ” the blues You make me feel quite ill Then B elhaven seeing the expression of her reluctantly dropped his discourse ” “ L et us have a game o f tca r tt she said when they began to play she resumed her smiles and her cheerfulness and he was fain to be content with what the hour yielded and to forget the defeat he had sustained The ne xt afternoon Dorothe a a s she s a t tcte a ttte “
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I dare not oppose him said Dorothea As rule he will do a nything in the world for me when he flies into one o f his passions you have ” the le ast conception of what he is “ Then you must circumvent him somehow ” “ other answered Flora But whatever you don t let him see that you are afraid of hi ” is nothing so fatal as that Mrs V e rschoyle s warning was not without That very evening whe n B elhaven asked e ffect wife at dinner where she had been she s enumerated the shop s she had visited and up with ” “ I went to te a with Flora B e lh a ve n s brow grew gloomy ” “ It seems strange he said with manifest “ pleasure that you S hould go there so often know how I dislike and di s approve of her o u y Then Dorothea still smiling but with a quickening of her pulse made answer “ My dear B el you must really not trea quite like a child Flora and I have always great friends I cannot give her up because ” choose to take a prej udice against her ” “ It is not prej udice retorted Belhaven h “ And you You know my reasons quite well care very little for me if you cannot give i my wishes on a subj ect on which I feel so ” strongly .
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MY LORD AND MY LADY
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It seems to me answered Dorothea quite “ calmly that I shall care very little for you in time if you try to deprive me as you seem anxious to do of the v e ry fe w pleasures and amusements that I have I may be your wife but I am not your ” ave Belhaven wa s utterly confounde d and put to by the firm tone o f his amiable and yielding He was positively unable to make any and from that time to s ave himself pain to ask his wife where she spent her after ,
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said to herself that Flora s advice had excellent and that she would certainly let her see that she meant in the matter o f her endships at all events to have her own wa y ’
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MY L O RD A ND MY L AD Y
1 14
C HA PTER
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D UKE returned fro m his travels towards the o f Ma rch and the instant he arri ved in L on went straight to Angie There w a s so much to — so much to hear—he was so overj oye d at sight of this beloved fri end that he embraced heartily and unrestrainedly in the presence o f who was full of cordial joy and greetings too ” “ There is no place like home ! crie d D with the ine ffable delight and complacency o f thorough Englishman returned to h i s own c and the Beauclercs house seemed more home to than his mansion in Park L ane or the Court fatted calf had be e n k illed for him His favo dishes had been ordered ; Angie had app arelled sel f beautifully and put his ear rings in her and Duke felt as happy as a king and forgot the time that he was the victim of an un fortun passion Algy too gave himself over undisturbed enj oyment o f his dinner a n d the general convivi of the hour and it was only Angie who though looke d so smiling and tal k ed so gaily was un a nd perturbed in he r m i nd ,
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the piano to work but found it impossible to se t to anything And every now and then the l o f the men below fell o n her e ar and increas ed imp atient irritability Would they never come up ? and she gla nc for the fiftieth time at the clock which pointed twenty minutes p ast ten She was j ust about to and send a message to them when their voices d e ntly approaching greeted her ear The instant they came in sh e said to her hu band “ Algy I h ave something particular to sa y to Duke Would you mind leaving us for a few ” minutes ? ” “ returned Algy pleasantly and he A l l right w ent off to his den without more ado thinking it ” “ very desirable that Angie should square D uke b fore the B e lha v e n s got hold of him D uke stands with his b ack to the fire and lo down upon Angie with eyes that beam with and contentment ” “ I a m glad to see you again my dear “ says The best p art o f going away is com ” b ack And he holds out his hand to her and she it a kind little squeeze Then the bright we lcom smile in her eyes fades and is replaced by anxious look ” “ “ D uke ! she begins ea r nestly I have s ,
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to tell you It is something I am afraid you won t like to he ar I wish I could have put off saying it but it is bette r you should hear it from me than ” from anyone else In an instant his face becomes grave and his thoughts fly to Cilla He has not forgotten her : he still thinks and hopes that some day things may come right especially as Deerbrook is going to marry Angie had conveyed that piece o f news to him at once ” “ — Is it about her ? he asks ” “ Partly ” “ Is she going to be married ? ” “ N o no no ! cries Angie ’
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N o nothing serious in any way L et me tell ” you the whole story But first her heart beating faster than usual whilst she looks at him with her “ clear and honest eyes do you believe in me im — l t do you feel that you can trust me even i c i l P p y though by my own showing things look a little bit ” against me ? ” “ N eed you ask ? he says with simple loyalty ” “ I will tell you from the beginning and Angie Speaks fast and with evident nervousness “ Yo u will hear me accused of all sorts of things ” but what I shall tell you now is the exa ct truth Duke is m ystifi e d — he looks uneasily at her wond e ring what c a n have happened to e xci te he r “
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p ainfully — to mak e her stand on the d e fe nsi to him
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About two months ago Angie begins ” B e lh a ve n s came to town ” “ Are they up now ? he interrupts e agerly “ Ye e s — in Grosvenor Street Soon after they arrived I met L ady Belhaven at Mrs V e rsc hoyle s and she was very civil and cordial and asked me to go and se e her which I did two o r three days a fter Her sister receive d me and as w e were alone I took the Opportunity o f say i ng to her I hope d in S pite o f anything she might hea contrary she would believe in my sincere w is ” be her friend for your sake and her own too ” “ I am glad you said that interrupts Duke h face lighting up “ Well — s he received my little speech very nic ” and we became friends at once ” “ I am awfully glad crie s Duke his eyes kin “ ling still more I knew you two would take e ach other if you were le ft to yourselves ” couldn t help it ” “ “ After that proceeds Angie as I saw that L ady Belhaven did not take much notice of her I used to ask her here and drive her out and take ” her to the play ” “ And did you not find her all I said ? cries “ Is she not clever and D uke with enthusiasm ,
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Till the end of the play returns An gi e bent on spea k ing the truth cost what it may ” ” “ “ Curse him ! says D uke bitterly B ut re “ f ll h o r a c h u w you are clever can o s o h w o p y — manage anything s u r ely you might have done ” something ” “ “ What could I have done ? imp atiently I was as vex ed and worried a s you could have been but when two people are talking quietly together ” how ca n you interrupt them ? But hurrying on ” “ that is not the worst Duke throws himself back in his chair He indee d a different looking man from the radi Duke of ten minutes a go ” “ About a week after An gie goes on think she has never in her life felt so miserable and “ science stricken Cilla came to te a with me arrived be fore I returned fro m my drive and ill luck would have it Cis was j ust going away the door when she drove up So it seems ” turned b ack and went in with her ” “ Ah ! ej aculates Du k e writhing and in the m bitter tone Angie has ever he ard him use ” “ “ Could I help it ! she cries p assionately Am I Fate ? Could I conceive such a thing happening and be be forehand with it ? Could I have left word with the servants not to let those tw o into the ” together ? ,
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MY L O RD A ND MY L AD Y
12 I
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what happened ? asks Duke as much excited as Angie Angie shakes her head “ I don t know I could not get anything out of him and I did not like to ask her at the time Afterwards I had no opportunity He went off as soon as I arrived and she was crying in that little ” end room ” “ By God ! cries Duke and he gets up violently and strides about the room ” “ Then Angie hurries on determined to get it “ over I went ou t o f the room to let her recover herself and when I returned and we had drunk tea L ord Belhaven came in evidently knowing though I have not the smallest idea how that Cis had been here and carried her off in a towering rage A week after I heard that the poor girl had been sent to school and that the B e lh a ve n s were accusing me o f ” plotting the whole miserable a ffair And overwrought by vex ation and regret Angie subsides into a flood of tears For the first time in his life Duke blames Angie for the first time in his life he sees her weep without endeavouring to console her ” “ It is a bad business he says continuing to “ — stride up and down with knitted brows a bad ” business To think of his young queen o f whom he has — such e xalte d i de a s bein t s nt a boa din scho l e o r o g g “
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He has a loathing and horror o f those establ i sh ments Angie is not long drying her tears She feels angry and bitter too Duke h a s taken it even worse — than she feared he blames her —it is cruel and unj ust o f him She stands up and sti ffens her b ack and throws up her he ad as her way is when her pride is hurt ” “ Perhaps she s ays in accents o f unmistak able “ indignation perhaps you will tell me in what way ” I am to blame ? Thus attacked Duke is somewhat at a loss “ You always use d to b e able to manage thin he answers rather vaguely “ Can I m a nage chance ! can I foresee stances any more than you can sa y m a y happen to you between now and this time ” “ morrow ? Will you with growing imp atience tell me how I could have helped this strange accident ? I make much o f this girl and court her society for y ou r sake : I speak o f you to her ; I am doing all in my power to bring yo u together Cis D eerbrook is go ing to be married out o f your Wa y I ask the girl to tea at five o clock — I am detained till minute s p ast by my dressmaker In the meant Fate arranges to bring these two p e O pl would have given the world to keep ap art to door step at the same moment — pray be j ust — is ” my fault ? am I responsible ? .
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N eedless to sa y what letter it is that stirs th i s 6 tion in h i m “ Will you plea se come to me as soon as ” can ! H e loo k s at the beginning and the end but the letters o f many young people it is not Then D uke bethinks h i mself of the envelope had made a good shot with that one however only a grey ash at this moment fluttering up chimney But he feels quite sure that this tou c hin little epistle must have been penned from B righto i n her distress at being sent to school in disgrace Du k e s heart leap s in his breast Ah ! thought o f him when she was in trouble ! she to him for deliverance when she was O ppre s that showed sh e w a s not a fter all so a 1 different to him And by Heaven ! she should — that her trust was not misplace d he would in — rescue her from her Oppressors he would whether the girl he loved should b e punished made wretched whilst he stood by Duke felt morally and physically a giant as made these reflections After he had read the li traced by an agitated uncertain hand some dozen times and allowe d his soul to b e possesse d by j oy o n e or two practical thoughts began to creep into his brain In the first place Brighton is a large town —its schools are legion and he has no clue to the — t A nd in he s e co nd still wherea bo uts of his lo ve .
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— when he has found her what raver consideration g is he going to do with her ? He cannot carry her and unl ess he has some off by the strong hand right to a voice in her affairs s a y as her a flia n ce d defend and ( 1 how I S he going to protect her ? ,
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glances imp atiently at the clock It is ten es past on e His thoughts fly to Angie — he s to a sk her advice her Opinion ; in fact he s to know from her what he is to do Anyhow he must wait till the morning and to morrow he says triumphantly to himsel f he a y rather — respond to that call he will se e his young for whom all his sometime slumbering passion awake and alive again His heart glows as he nks o f her with mingled worship tenderness pity as is possible for his rather prosaic a s much nature he idealises that beautiful eyed large souled child If out of gratitude she should really co me to love him ! the b are thought makes his heart feel almost too big for his body .
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Angie is scarcely dressed next morning when she is informed that Mr V e re ke r is in the dining room downstairs and has come to breakfast .
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She hastens down A l gy always a late r i ser is not hal f through his toilette A little to An gie s surprise D uk e s face h a s resumed its old radiant expression ; he greets he r .
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with more than his accustome d heartiness ; he se e full of a strange and j oy ful e xc itement She who has been a prey to the mo st me c holy and unple asant reflections since he le ft is not a little re assured at seeing him come b a to his old form Du k e does not give her time even to a sk question He takes Cilla s letter from his breas pock et and puts it into her hand ” “ There my dear he says w ith a trium pha ” “ ring in his voice read that Angie obeys him and as she reads is st with amazement and having even perused word twice whilst D uke eagerly watches her find aught to remark on the subj ect She have thought Cilla the last girl in the world such a step all the more s o because o f her in — tion for Cis a girl who loves one man it se e Angie must look with horror and repugnance every other would b e lover ” “ Poor child ! she thinks however pity “ she is very young : she has no mother ; i mother doe s not appear to have played much ” mother s p art to her when she was alive ” “ Well ? cries Du k e a lm ost im p a tie ntly ” “ I wonder when it was written says An “ anxious to gain time there is no date Where ” the envelope ? .
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Be lha ve ns
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in the matter
L ADY
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u nle
And even then
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she ”
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Y es says D uke grasping her meaning do you think she would have sent for me if — t had no meant had n ot thought The door opens and give s admission to Algy ” “ Hullo D uke ! he says wi th his heartiest m ” “ what has got you up at this hour ? ne r And as Duke is in no mood for se crets he Algy fran k ly the reason of his vi sit Algy is a wise man in his generation H e i good listener and chary of giving advice and always seems intere sted in his friends a ffairs Secretly in his heart he is rather disgusted ” “ pronounces Cilla to be a bad lot “ At all events I can tell you the Square the school is in though I don t know the ” the old woman who keeps it he says ” “ Can you ? cries Duke delighted ne ar enough I ll find the house no fear B radshaw or the ” “ I ll get it says Algy entering quite pl into the spirit of the thing whilst An gi e perp uncomfortable strongly disapproving and yet a to s a y so sits almost silent at the table ” “ “ I wish remarks Duke suddenly that would come too Then it would be all ri ght the governes s couldn t make an y obj ect i on to ” seein g her ,
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MY L ADY
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12
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B ut Angie thinks she has suffered quite enough in being mixed up with Duke s and Cilla s affairs and is not disposed to bring down any more male dictions and opprobrium on her own head “ I have two or three things to do to day that ” “ possibly b e put off she answers and in But I might d o more harm than good “ reluctantly have you thoroughly considered ? you bent on going ? Would it not be well to ” L ord or L ady Belhaven first ? ” “ “ N o says Duke resolutely Wh a tever happens ” mean to go And accordingly an hour later he sets joyously his new of knight errant and deliverer ’
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MY LORD
1 30
MY
A ND
L ADY
C H APTER IX
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all this time how has it fared with Cilla Has sh e as you n g people often do after their p assionate burst of resentment settled down bec reconcile d to her life and with the in volu Optimism o f youth made the best of it ? N ot at all ! She has taken it much worse eve than anyone would have supposed She is liter breaking her heart in silence and i n secret lady o f the establishment is very much puz about her She had tried at first to draw her to cheer her up ; to get her to mix with t pupils but in vain Cilla would not stop a mome longer downstairs than she was obliged on a c c ou but fled back a gain o f her lessons or her meals the solitude o f her own chamber She would even admit anyone inside her door e xcept D a w Mrs Blank shrewdly guessed that there w a s an fortunate love story in the case ; the girls imagi that Cill a was stuck u p and rather mad and her ex clusiveness If it had not been that was still in Brighton Mrs Blank seeing h wretched , a nd hollow ,
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possib i lity o f se eing the man of whom her h was full ; o f hearing even so much as the me of his name Wh en she and D awson walke d out together re fused to follow that young woman s suggestio looking at the shops or seeing the carriage s and ” “ promenaders to cheer her up a bit but she invariably go down to the se a or to the end pier and stand gazing gazing and listening plash and tumult o f the waves that somehow s e e to soothe her poor distraught brain and heart D awson was very curious to know what the c o f her young mistress s grie f and banishment was sh e shrewdly suspecte d that it had something to with the handsome gentleman whom they met the Pa rk and who sent the p arcel and the But Cilla though sh e had once and again hersel f on D awson s sympathising bre ast and her heart out there would not confide to her nature of her woe and the maid had therefore opportunity o f proposing to aid her young lady her love affair as being rather of a senti turn herself she would have been re a dy and willing to do What then were Cilla s feelings when a h the school looking upon it as a place of exi grace and misery Mr V e re ke r s card w a s brought to her as she s a t practising in the bare school room .
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Everyone was out ; the mistress and the young ladies who were taking their morning walk The servant having received no instructions against a d mitting visitors of either s e x to se e Miss St George ; knowing that she was treated with the highest con sideration did not even hesitate when a fine gentle man o f commanding aspect asked in a very decide d voice whether the young lady was in but ushere d him at once to the drawing room — A great wave o f j oy rushed to Cilla s heart in an instant she remembered her letter and her appeal to Duke and knew why he had come She thought of him as a dear and welcome friend as a deliverer ; did not trouble her head about his having she wanted to be her lover True to the instinct of her se x instead o f rush ing straight to meet him she ran upstairs to smooth her hair ; to make sure by a look at her glass that she was fit to appear be fore him And then her heart beating violently sh e descende d to the drawing room and turned the handle o f the door There stood Duke his kind face beaming with smiles his eyes full of tenderness He came towards her and took her hand with a glad and friendly clasp that in spired no repugnance in her nothing indeed but pleasure and confidence ” “ “ I got your letter he says and I came off at once I only returned yesterday and did not Open ” it till one o clock this morning ,
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Have you — have you seen my sister or ” Belhaven ? asks Cilla in a hesitating voice ” “ “ N o he answers I thought I would see ” first N ow what am I to d o for you ? Then Cilla with great tears pouring down face like rain tells him of her su fferings and misery and D uke worked up to the highest 5 o f e xcitement by her imaginary wrongs listens S does not we may be sure bring any mention D eerbrook into her recital L ooking imploringly at Duke she says “ Yo u will go to them will you not you w ” persuade them to take me away a t once ? D uke feels like a man who sees the one gre desire of his life within his grasp And he is aware that if he is to seize it he will have to the greatest circumsp ection and caution He not forgotten the disastrous results of his too h wooings on the previous occasions — he has a t uard over himself to d ay he does not ; g scare the b ird he wants to lure So he from taking her hands or going near her as he like to do but stands leaning against the chimu piece ” “ Y ou may trust me he says looking down at his boots because he is rather afraid to meet those “ great wistful eyes j ust at this moment to s a y and do everything I can Belhaven may resent my in te rfe re n c e — you kno w what he is But now if I “
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anything more against my will ? You wi ll not turn ” round and j oin them in persecuting me ? ” “ You need have no fear o f that ! he answe rs “ tenderly Poor little child ! how could anyone persecute y ou ! B ut you se e don t you that unless I can tell them that I have some right and authority to speak in the m atter it would not be much use ” my going either to your sister or Belhaven ” “ Y es says Cilla ” “ Then continues Du k e trying to restrain the “ eagerness o f his voice you consent to my tellin g them that you are engaged to me ; and you trust ” yoursel f implicitly in my hands The hunted look comes back for a moment into Cilla s eyes Then she walks straight up to him where he stands and puts her little hand voluntarily into his ” “ O h ! sh e s ays imploringly looking at him with “ entreating eyes you won t expect anyt hing o f me will you —you k now that I could not love you or ” anyone like Ilz a i now ! D uke thinks o f Deerbrook and grinds his teeth B ut he has made up his mind to bide his time ” “ Trust me ! he says very kindly and impressively “ — trust me ! N ow I will make the best o f my way b ack to town and get everything settled ; and — this time to morrow you shall be free again as ” free a s air ” “ How good y ou are ! crie s the girl so brimful .
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gratitude that she h a s lost all sense o f repu gnance to him ” “ Good bye my dear he says restraining him “ — self from all lover like words or acts good bye till ” to morrow ! When he is gone Cilla flies o ff to her room and the most extravagant burst of joy She a torrent o f kisses on the pug who hardly ciates them whereas the donor o f him would been intensely thankful for only on e a w son is petrified when sh e comes in the after noon to se e the change in her young mistress Cill a laughs and chatters and herself proposes to go and look at the shops but she will not tell the cause of her j ubilance for fear after all lest her j oy should be turned into mourning She is not at all sure o f her brother in law Duke meantime equally j oyful and full of con fi d e n c e in the beneficial e ffects o f time and devo tion is speeding back though not very fast to London He drives straight to Grosvenor Street and is so for tun a te as to find L ady Belhaven a t home and alone He much prefers seeing her to her husband She greets him with a pretty little c ry of pleasure It is indeed an agreeable surprise to her for she had feared that after Cilla s rej ection of him he wo uld have cut the family for good and all So whe n m ore cheery than ever apparently he comes in and greets her warmly she is charmed a nd de of
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He has scarcely uttered the conventional ” “ H o w d ye do when he plunges into the obj ect of his visit ” “ I have come to se e you about your sister he says ” “ “ She is away answers Dorothea It is most ” unfortunate but it is entirely Mrs B eauclerc s fault She had m ade up her mind that when she sa w Duke no matter how he took it she would let him know what a traitress Angie w a s ” “ O h no I don t think that D uke answers ” “ “ But it is persists Dorothea And when I have told you the story however much you may be devote d to Mrs Beauclerc you will see that I am ” right If a man makes a rem ark that you do not li about your p articular friend it is tolerably easy stop him but when the o ffender is a very pretty wo man whom you a dmire it is not so e asy But Duke is a very staunch friend ” “ I am quite sure he says with considerable “ emphasis that Mrs Beauclerc would never willingly ” do anything to inj ure my interests ” “ “ But she has cries Dorothea that is if your interests are connecte d with Cilla and I will prove ” it to you ” “ I have j ust come from seeing your sister in te rrupts D uke and this as he intends it to do e f fe c tu a lly stops L ady B elh aven .
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His tone is half imperious An almost similar thought stri k es husb and and wife at the s a me moment ” “ What a cunning creature that girl is ! thin k s my lady “ I never imagined Cilla capable of such d u ” l p ic ity says my lord to himself He turns towards the fire ” “ “ D o you know he asks why we sent her to ” school ? ” “ Y es answers D uke fi rmly though he colours ” “ All the same I want you to take her away to morrow B elhaven makes an imp atient gesture ” “ My dear fellow he exclaims with latent irrita “ tion there must be sense and reason in everything ” I cannot take her away at a moment s notice But Duke answers with strange decision “ I c ou ld n ot oea r the thought o f my promised I s lz ou la ha te anyone to be wife being at school able ever to say that she had been at on e for even ” thr ee weeks D orothe a goes to his rescue ” “ “ I think Bel dear she says softly that if Mr Ve re ke r is going to ma rry Cilla he has every right ” to have his wishe s attende d to ” “ The woman will think me mad ! cries Belhaven alluding to Mrs Blank ” “ It does not matter what s iz e thinks utters Doro thea contemptuously .
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4
1
”
“
I make a great point o f this s ays Duke with “ increased earnestness I want you to take her away ” — at once to morrow And after a little more pressure from the two Belhaven yields rather ungraciously Duke prepares to go ” “ Won t you stay and dine ? asks Dorothe a ” “ coaxingly Do ! ” “ “ N ot to night thanks he answers I am going to Mrs B eauclerc She will be only too delighted to hear my good news I assure you you have quite ” misj udged her ” “ Well then come to morrow urges Dorothea ” “ Cilla will be here then and all his face lights up as he answers ” “ Thanks I shall like to awfully The moment the door closes upon him Dorothea says to her husband “ It is evident he does not mean to g ive up that horrid woman I suppose we shall have to pretend ” to be civil to her and to accept her explanations ” “ “ I shall not answers Belhaven sternly u nless ” she is able to clear herself to my satisfaction “ Did you ever know anything lik e Cilla s artful ” “ ness ? cries her ladyship Ah ! you would never believe me when I told you what she was I shoul d not wonder if this is a r u s e o f hers j ust to get away ” from school and she will try to slip out of it later ” “ “ If I thought so says Belhaven I ,
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L eave it to me
L ADY
MY
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!”
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remarks Dorothea I will m ak e it pretty di fficult for her I will publish her ” engagement to everyone It is with feelings the reverse o f pleasurable that B elhaven takes his way to Brighton the followi n g morning He feels a ngry with Cilla ; disappointed deceived in her Though he knew her to be w a y ward p assionate unreasonable he had never b e lie v e d her capable o f duplicity Be fore he sees Mrs Blank he thinks it advisable to have an inter view with her to learn as much as possible o f the real state of the case His face is very stern and uncompromising as the girl trips j oyously into the room with dancing eyes feeling sure that he has brought her order o f release “ I do not understand any p art of this business ” “ Cilla he says coldly It i s all very strange and ” very unsatis factory In a moment the tears spring to her eyes — a harsh tone invariably produces this e ffect upon her Then without waiting for her to speak he con tinnes “ I must know one thing first D o you intend to marry V e re ke r ? or have you only given this promise ” j ust to suit your own ends ? The girl colours deeply and looks down She is the soul o f truth — she cannot tell a lie Then it suddenly occurs to Belhaven that after all it will b e wiser not to put too many obstacles in .
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demonstrat i on of affectio n ; forbore to a sk any ques tions and was very sweet and sisterly It seemed like Paradise regaine d to Cilla and S he felt very grate ful indeed to D uke .
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After dinner Dorothe a as k ed her S ister to s the piano was in the back dra ing room ch w ( ); her husb and who w a s about to draw b ack tains with manly want o f tact and by a ge S her head indicated to D uke that he wa s to his b e throte d Cilla sang to him and presently they drew up the fire and he began to tell her about his trav whilst S he listened with interest Be fore he left he put a diamond ring on her finger and when would have demurred he said half l a ugh i ng serious “ But without that you know no one would be ” lieve in our engagement So S he m ade no further obj ect i on At night fore goin g to bed she put it carelessly down on toilet ta ble b ut she went through the little cerem o f adoration and worship before her heart and get me nots as usual From this date Cilla was treated wi th the greatest consi d eration and became quite an important per Dorothea took her constantly shopping and son a ge v isiting made much of her and consulted her Mrs Ve re ke r would be a very great lady indeed : D orothe a ,
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wished to be on the best possible terms with her She often alluded in a playful manner to Cilla s e n both when they were alone and in com a e m e nt gg p any and Cilla did not dare to breathe a word that should seem to throw any doubt upon the matter L ady Belhaven took good care that she and Duke S hould be seen together in public and very soon all society knew that the rich Mr V e re ke r had been caught by a mere chit o f a girl and was desperately in love with her into the b argain O ne day L ady Belhaven and her sister were drinking te a with Mrs V e rsc hoyle Presently a good looking cheery young Guardsman was announced ” “ How very festive you look Jack said the lady of the house ” “ “ O f course I do he laughed I ve j ust come ” from the wedding ” “ Wedding ! What wedding ? ” “ Why don t you know ? Cis s ! A sudde n chill crept to Cilla s heart She felt as though she were going to faint or die But no one remarked her ” “ I thought it was to morrow remark ed Mrs ” “ Well and how did he bear it ? Ve rs choyle “ O h ! I never s a w a fello w so cheery He was beaming We had a night o f it last night — we thought Cis would want cheering up but deuce a bit He was the gayest and the rowdiest o f the lot You d have thought he was going to marry the ob 10 d My L ady My L o rd .
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1 46
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ff of his tendere st a ections or the most be autiful j ” creature in the world It is a mercy that no on e looks at Cilla The most terrible agony is convulsing her— she feels o ver come with S hame and misery All this time she had th ought he loved her ; th at his marriage w ould b e a sort of death blow to his hope s as it would to he rs That eveni n g Duke as he frequently does dines in Grosvenor Street He asks Cill a to sing and she goes to the piano All dinner time she has been making the most violent e ffort to be co m posed ; to hide her wretchedness and all dinner time she has been framing a resolve She sits down to the piano but a great re vulsion N o ! sh e cannot sing o f feeling comes over her S he goe s and stands b y the fire ” “ What is it my darling ? whispe rs Du k e b e tra ye d for once i nto forgetfulness by his anxiety She looks s o white and ill ” “ D uke she says in a low v oice and a thrill of rapture goe s to his he art for it is the first time she has ever called him by his name He goes over to her b u t s omething in her face warns hi m not to a p proach too near “ When I said at Brighton that I would marry ” “ h says I did not mean it but no w I have u s e : o y ” changed my mind I will There is such a dreadful w oe bego ne look in her eyes a s she speaks the words th a t it is imp ossible e ct
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1 48
MY
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MY
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C HAPTER X
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D O RO THE A
h ad decided that she would appear ” “ at the last Drawing room in May She wa s to be presented by a Duchess and was in turn to present Cilla Her own wilfulness however was the cause o f a catastrophe which prevented her carrying out this cherished idea Duke had given her sister a very handsome chestnut horse and from the first moment that sh e s a w Cilla on his b ack her ladyship w a s fired by a desire to ride him and S how herself to the world en A m a z on e A l l the beauties ; all the celebrities rode : until she w a s seen in the Row the full measure o f her charms and graces woul d not be thoroughly known to society She possessed a very perfect fi tting habit which with some little pressure could be made to meet ; for before her marriage she had been occasionally lent a horse in the season If Cilla who as her sister contemptuously said had no figure at all looked to such advantage on the chest nut what would her appe a r ance be ? Duke however had the b ad taste to prefer his betrothed s figure to L ady B e lh a ve n s more developed charms Cilla had small bones ; wa s very fragile and extremely graceful and the celebrated man who made her habit had -
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lent her the roundness that he considered necessary Duke who thought women ought to b e slender frail and small (not short) considered Cilla perfection and never felt more sublimely happy than when sh e was mounted on the chestnut and he rode at her bridle rein When L ady Belhaven intimated to her lord her desire to ride he flatly re fused his permission First he stormed ; then he entre ated and implored Doro thea was not at all vixenish nor Shrewish but S he had wonderful powers of persistence and generally got her own way with Belhaven because he had no staying power and expended himself in violent feel ing and emotions at the outset And backed by Flora Ve rsc hoyle s counsels Dorothea w a s beginning to display an amount o f quiet resolution that w a s the despair of her husband who had thought her soft and pliable as wax So in spite of all he could s a y S he o n e day made her d ebu t amongst the other fair Amazons and was as much remarked and a d mire d as She had expected Cilla who was ex tre m e ly unselfish w a s e asily coaxed into lending the chestnut and rode beside her sister on the horse she had been used to ride with Belhaven Duke w a s not very well pleased but he was so good natured that it did not occur to him to remonstrate with either sister A l l went well for about a fort night : Dorothea was surrounded by admiring cava liers and sa w herself pointed out by the people who
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— leaned over the rails her vanity
wa s wa lked delightfully stirred ; she had never been more radiant n or indeed looked more beautiful Then one morning the chestnut was frightened by a steam roller and bolted from one end of the R ow to the other Dorothea wa s not thrown and the horse was stoppe d without accident of any kind but she suffere d a terrible S hock to her nerves and the consequences were disastrous Belhaven was reduced to despair : his fondest hopes were scattered to the winds and Dorothea was punished by being kept three weeks to her “ roo m and having to give up all idea o f the Draw ” ing room D uke begged that Cilla might still be presented by his sis ter but the girl who had an immense organ o f veneration and looked upon her Sovereign as next to God had such an abj ect terror o f intruding her in 5 1 gn ifi c a n t person upon royalty that sh e was only too thankful to make her sister s “ illness an e xcuse to protest that she would much ” rather wait for Thea Belhaven in spite o f the severity of his dis appointment forbore to reproach his wife He devote d himself to her sick room and was inde fatigable in nu rsing and amusing her b e i n g quite di fferent from most husbands who are generally in Spire d with a burning desire for flight as soon as their wives fall ill or out o f sorts By the beginning o f June Dorothe a wa s quite or
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himself used to watch her with the greatest delight — he was not curs ed with B e lh a ve n s complaint — j ealousy rather when he sa w another m an s arm round her he said to himself with incre ased satis faction that she was his own Certainly she never gave him any cause for O thello like feelings ; never betrayed more pleasure in the society o f any other man than she did in his — the value of her p artner to her was his perfection in the poetry o f motion She hersel f was the most grace ful dancer imaginable and when she danced there w a s almost an inspired look in her large mournful eyes Women can never forgive a member o f their own se x who is not dis tin c tly a beauty for carrying off a great matrimonial prize They said she was strange looking and no thing but a chil d and were quite angry with men sometimes for hinti n g that her e xtreme delicacy her fragileness her want of m ateriality were the very attributes most calculated to fascinate a great big fellow like Duke who w a s not likely to perform the “ sup ernatural feat known as setting the Thames on ” fire Since that dreadful night when Cilla had given up hO p e ; torn the false symbol from her bleed ing heart and resigned herself to the idea o f b e c om in g D uke s wife she has got over the worst p art of her su fferings and become reconciled to her fate And indeed it is a fate that to most people would seem the most delightful and desirable one imagin able ,
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Deerbrook is now merely a memory : the misery passion and rapture o f her love for him have faded into haze It is only now and then when some tender or touching melody strikes her soul through her ear that she is overcome by a sudden wild agony of yearning but it passes away again as it came Fortun a tely she is not likely to meet him He and bride have gone with a party to Canada and States — but she fancies that even if she met face to face now she knowing his heartlessness d not suffer any p ainful emotion For Duke feels a perfect friendliness He no longer in any repugnance in her even when he pre to put his lips to her cheek or the small ear The fact is tha t sh e turns to his caresses e is terribly afraid of this S light young creature does not dare betray any evidence of p assion er presence whatever he may feel A little more would have been very beneficial to his Cilla deplored to herself his apparent in inspire feeling in her but Duke was ve ry like a child with a soap bubble almost afraid a the lest it should burst Cilla is greater friends than ever with Mrs Beau to Duke s intense satisfaction and the world p aeans of praise to Angie s wonderful clever ,
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Dorothea who had plenty o f tact saw that it would be much better to be friendly with Angie ,
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and B elhaven allowed himself to b e convi nce d that sh e had not been to blame for the meeting of Deer brook and Cilla Angie being thoroughly k ind hearted and not selfish took great pleasure in playing chaperon D uke and his young love And with th in the world and in spite of all Cilla co insisted on always giving up the place 0 the girl She knew how natural it was even tho ugh he protested Should like belove d beside him and they treated h immense a ffection and consideration no fear o f her being made to feel sm When L ady Belhaven was of the p arty o f course always be the chie f personage and the consideration so for all reasons Duke pre fe Angie s third to her ladyship s There was one person however who was thing but pleased at the state of a ffairs and was Captain Be auclerc Cilla did n ot like him no matter how much he might lay himself 0 flatter and be delightful to her he a d va nc further in her good graces The more she Angie the more S he resented his selfishness incon s id e ra te n e s s and covertly slighting tre atment of her, an d with the out spoke nn e ss of a young girl she told Duke e xactly what she thought about him and who had grown so used to him e ven brought Duke that he observed n othing to her way of thinking .
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vi siting Sp ain and Egypt but her ladyship came the conclusion that there w a s nothing in the sh e should hate s o much and cried o ff after So then a fresh arrangement was made whi w ith the approb ation o f all parties ex cept p o f Dorothea who had a rooted distrust o f Beauclerc and of Captain Beauclerc who d iS li Cilla more than ever Duke w a s to go to his moor in August with B eauclercs and a couple of men friends and L Belhaven was to go to his Towards the m idd September when Angie had seen her boy 5 and comfortably settled at Eton S he with her h b and Duke Cilla and one or two men to sele cted later were to start on their three mont cruise To this Cilla looked eagerly forward D uke more e agerly still How ardently he W i poor fellow ! that she would marry him wi further delay and go off with him unchaperoned to southern clime s and perp etual sunshine ; but when one day he ventured to hint at his desire she met ” “ him with such a vehement N o ! such an i reminder of his promise that he retired into his shell and presumed not to say another wor o n the subj ect The old friendly a ffe ctionate relations had been resumed between Belhaven and his sister in law both o f whom were very much o f the same impetu ous and forgiving disposition They had been angry ,
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with and bitter against each other but all ill feeling was buried now— indeed both would probably have denied that it ever existed Cilla felt intensely for Belhaven She sa w that he was unhapp y and that Dorothea so far from studying him seemed rather to take a pleasure in thwarting him If she ventured upon a remonstrance her S ister smiled (not laughed) her to scorn and said that Bel would have to get accustome d to her and to his own position O ne day when Belhaven and Cilla were alone he said suddenly “ What a good fellow Duke is ! I hope to God Cilla you won t behave badly to him and make him wretched with the cursed coquetry that you women ” seem to delight in ! She coloured a little but did not answer and went on p assionately “ Y ou women never seem to have any love to e to the men whose devotion is worth having ; would lay down their lives for you ; but if some c ursed selfish blackguard comes along who would not care whether he broke your hearts or not you put on all your smiles for him and would let him ” trample on you if it amused him Cilla does not reply even though She reads the allegory ; but her love has faded into immateriality a n d S he scarcely clothes it with Deerbrook s bodily presentment now -
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a bitter bad world says Belhav en is in on e of his most pessimist moods (he r lad is visible in the distance flirting wi th Colone “ who is their guest up in Scotland ): I don t ” there is any worse hell than this ” “ O h Granville don t talk like that ! cries shocked but laying he r hand kindly upon his She had never been taught more than mechanical p art of religion ; the outward form and Ob servances for neither mother nor sister a p article o f real religion and only observed Sabbath from motives of decency and decorum Cilla is devout and religious and has a p ro fo veneration for everything good and pious a nature like hers is tolerably sure to have she is perplexed sometimes grievously perplex reconcile omnipotence and universal but to her faithful young mind doubt is s a c rile the most awful of crimes Belhaven who is dre fully tormented and harassed by doubts unable accept old dogmas yet finding no comfort f ones h a s always been extremely care ful to views to himsel f or only to discuss them w who are equally pe rplexed and dissatisfied self He thinks it worse than wrong to infus into believing hearts ; to try to rob anyone e spe c i a young person o f a faith which satisfies him h a s always gone to church with Cilla and beha with devoutness there and it h a s never entere d It
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You won t catch cold , my darling ? ’
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It is so horribly prosaic in the midst of her w vague aspirations that the revulsion of feeling causes ma k es her burst into a sudden p assion — te ars tears of bitterest disappointment Duke — distressed beyond measure a dreadful su spic i crosse s his mind that sh e is thinking of D it chills his efforts to soothe her ; makes him to touch her ; to utter anything but the most mon place words This is unfortunate Perchance if he had cau her to his heart and given vent to some of p assion that w a s devouring him it might h raised him in her estimation : as it wa s he only 1 her colder more disappointed still But how in the name o f Fortune was he suspect this when his least demonstrations had be so sharply curbed be fore ! It is re ally that men get o n with women as well as they considering what changeable shifting un c e rt moods the se x is subj ect to After the outbreak o f this first evening how things went very smoothly Cilla being qui novice was delighted with everything she s a w her imagination was so feaste d that her heart its wants remained in abeyance for a little while Spain with its p alaces cathedrals its wonderful architecture its richness o f colouring delighted her ; sh e would have thought it a sort o f Paradise if it .
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not been that she and Angie were often heart broken at seeing the cruel treatment o f animals there But when she wandered beside Duke in the lovely gardens full o f roses and j asmine oleanders palm trees and maiden hair ferns where the purple grapes hung in great festoons and the water glanced and sparkled in marble fountains and the statues gleamed through flowering shrubs a sense of happi ness and contentment stole over her and he was so kind she forgot to deplore that she did not love him more And she w a s delighted with the c on stant companionship of Angie whose society afforde d her more pleasure than that of her a ffi a n c e d husband They were away three months altogether for n o thing would have induced Angie to be absent from home when her boy s holidays began Cilla returned to Red Meade full of delight and enthusiasm at her travels and the j oys of yachting ; quite reconciled to the idea of marrying D uke ; (though not at present); vastly improved in beauty and womanliness a s Dorothe a confessed and altogether S he might have been pronounced a very happy and fortunate young w oman It wa s there fore time for Fate to inter .
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relations between Lord and L adyBelhaven had not improved dur ing Cilla s absence It i s true that D orothe a had a placid temper and detested quarrelling but there was one thing she detested even more and that was dulness She had married B elhaven that sh e might more thoroughly enj oy the world and social pleasures and she had no intention o f being deprive d of privilege s which sh e had bought with her beauty and her liberty There were constant bickerings between the pair because my lord wanted to live a quiet domestic life whilst my lady was bored to death unless she h ad other pleasures and amusements beside s those which her own fi re side afforde d her When Bel h aven said either p assionately or tenderly according to his mood that she wa s enough for him that he did not want to b e perpetually calling in other people to entertain him She answered heartlessly enough that it was very unfortunate their tastes were not the same and that she really could not be amused by h i s society alone When he taxed her with having married h i m for interest and n ot for love , S he did not co ntrad ict him and he ha d to T HE
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worth her ladyship s Whole body ; that if he had a bit o f a temper his heart was in the right place and he d do a kind action for anybody whereas my lady was nothing but a lump o f selfishness vanity and affectation who wouldn t go a step out of her Wa y to save anyone from starving Belhaven had one disappointment that w a s more bitter more rankling harder to b ear than the rest He knew that he had made a wrong choice in Dorothe a ; that he had allowed himsel f to be led captive by his senses and that sh e wa s j ust the type o f woman of whom theoretically and practically he most disapproved He had committed an irre trie v able error and he must abide by it ; indee d he even that had he been offered n ow s o idolised his wife freedom from her it is more than d oubtful whether he woul d have accepted it The one thing which he looked forward to to compensate him for his dis appointment was children They should be his : he would devote his life to them ; to making good honest true men and women o f them — Dorothea shoul d go her ow n w a y and lead her o wn butterfly life so long as she did nothing to compromise his honour and theirs and he would be father and mother both to these darlings o f his he art But since Dorothea by her wilful imprudence had wrecked this cherished hope there had been no prospect of the desire of his heart being realised a n d whilst he was in desp air her l adyship did not ,
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attempt to conceal her own thankfulness and satis faction Every month that passed showed Dorothe a more bent on having her own way ; on living the life she pleased ; and eve ry month s a w Belhaven more dis appointed more bitter yet more unable to e xercise authority and control over his beautiful wife There were words too between them about her ladyship s extravagance Belhaven was far from mean but he hated wanton waste of money and indeed thought it a sin when so many of his poorer brethren were in absolute want and wretchedness His own people were well cared for but were there not millions of others ? Dorothea had an allowance of pin money that was more than liberal even for a woman o f fashion but she dressed so extravagantly that sh e consider ably e xceeded it At the beginning of the winter season she had ordered herself a fur coat price two hundre d and fifty guineas She w a s already in debt and quite aware that S h e could not p ay for it so sh e took the bill to Belhaven and with a kiss and an affectionate caress which she thought an ample equivalent asked him to p ay it To her m ortifi c a tion he stoutly declined in a manner that left no doubt o f his seriousness N ot only did he decline but he thought proper to read her a very serious lecture on the wrongful ance a nd warned he r that he nes s of s uch e xtrava g .
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would not be responsible for debts that tracted
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D orothe a c oloure d with anger and drew her arm away from him .
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well she said if you won t pay my bills ” I daresay I can find some on e who will They were only idle words spoken on the spur o f mo rtified v a nity and by which she meant no thing But B elhaven turned white to the very lips ” “ By God ! he said in a tone of such passion “ that she w a s cowed if I thought you would take the value o f a S ixpence from any man And then he rushe d away from the room fright ened at the violence o f his feelings D uring Cilla s yachting ex cursion there had been visitors at R ed Meade and L ord and L ady B elhaven had p aid two or three visits to friends D orothe a very much pre ferred visiting to receiving — the latter involve d so much trouble and was not very successful for her husband though hospitable was not ex actly a cheery host and the people whom sh e like d to have about her were quite uncongenial to him The second week in January the B e lh a v e ns and Cill a were invite d to stay at a house some thirty mile s distant renowned for its hospitality and the cheeriness of its p arties Duke wa s to be there and the Beauclercs with their son as there w a s a boy of ,
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at home to nurse him She did n ot however g ive the least hint o f such an intention being far too much afra i d o f being taken at her word as her he art was set upon this visit Cilla begged to be allowed to remain w ith him — sh e w a s a devoted nurse and never more in her element than when trying to allevi ate sorrow and — sickness but B elhaven would not hear of it and D orothe a said tartly that it was absurd and that sh e could n ot go to the Castle alone Belhaven was not selfish and would not have allowed his wife to make the sacrifice of staying at home with him but he felt bitterly p ained that S he should not even have hinted at it and p assed a sorry time with his To be neglected ow n reflections during her absence by those whom you love when you are ill and su f fe rin g is a very severe sting to a sensitive mind — it generally happens to those people who are them selve s most devoted and a ffectionate in tending others and is apt to awaken very s a d and bitter reflections in their breasts It is however quite an unusual case for the man to b e the su fferer and the woman the neglectful nurse The day arrived and Dorothea and Cilla se t out My lady lovely and smiling bade o n the i r j ourney a cheerful adieu to her depressed and melancholy lord and Cilla sympathetic and reluctant to leave him gave Belhaven a thousand inj unctions to send for he r at once i f he felt dull or gre w w orse , a nd .
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promised to write him reams o f letters telling him all that happened Arrived at the Castle they found a cheery p arty assembled L ord Gra n d ston devoted himsel f at once to L ady B elhaven and her satisfaction at his attentions was so great that it enhanc e d her beauty and lent more than usual charm and grace to he r m anner When Cilla j oined her S i ster before dinner she thought S he had never in her life seen so beautiful a creature As they entered the drawing room together (Dorothea always made a point of being late and liked to make a sensation by her entrance) every eye w a s turned admiringly or e nvi o u sly upon the p air For Cilla though far less beautiful than her sister was even more striking and calculated to excite interest D uke i n his faith ” “ ful heart thought her out and away beyond L ady Belhaven in every respect Cilla was dressed entirely in white white o f but in de ference to a whim o f c ostly simplicity Duke s which she was not altogether reluctant to gratify though it was rather against fashion and custom she wore j ewels o f great value on her neck arm s and fingers They were all pearls or diamonds —she never wore a coloure d stone o f any kind Round her neck were three rows o f pearls with a magnificent clasp of diamonds which Dorothea sorely envied her She wore bracelets to match and oud rin s o n he r sl e nd e r fin g ers e e w as h i m r T d a g p .
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no ornament in her dark hair which was ga the re close to her beautifully S haped little head and pose d in a knot j ust in the u u gu e— no ea her delicate e ars But indee d other j ewel those which nature had placed in her head have seemed out of place Her skin w a s whiteness of marble ; not fl e sh tinted like Do — b y the side o f her sister S he gave the spirituality contraste d with fl e shly charms men out o f ten might have pre ferred the l but th e two would probably be more intensely tracted than the other eight Some o f the women sneered at the b ad taste of a young girl we aring j ewels only fit for a married w oman and hinte d that she w a s no doubt as strange as she was strange looking but those who were p artial like Angie or impartial like one or pretty women present could not fail to yield considerable meed of admiration though matter o f fact not one of her own se x tho comparable in point o f actual beauty to her S ister A calm contentment wi th her lot had c o Cilla — sh e was able to contemplate marrying Duke she e qu a nim ity though not j ust yet with perfect ) ( could even acknowledge to herself that the friendly feeling of affe ction she had for him was more satis factory than those terrible heart wearing emotions which Cis had inspire d i n her : feelings so intense ,
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It w a s a long time ere she fell asleep that ni deb ating miserably in her own mind whether ought to Speak to D orothe a and S peculating would happen during the rest o f their visit i sister continued to be so indiscreet Indis nay wicked ! in Cilla s eyes it w a s a crime m arried woman to behave with such license had seen D orothea encourage the attentions 0 be fore and her thoughts flew b ack to Cis brook s visit to R e d Me ade and to later 0 b ut never never in such a manner a s to n Cilla s righteous indignation embraced L ord Gr ston as well When j ust as they were retiring had aske d to b e presented to her and had the most decided inclination to make himself able she had treated him with a frigid lz a ul eu a l most surprise d hersel f when sh e came to thi it a fterwards The next day p assed ; all the p arty were in highest spirits ; the weather was lovely ; everyth for their entertainment was happily thought L ady Belha ven and L ord Gra n d ston were in se p a ra and Cilla did not know whether to be more or rel i eved that no one seemed to about Dorothea s behaviour O ne or two other pretty young m arrie d women had p aired off with other than their lawful proprietors and some of the lawful propr i etors al so permitte d themselves d istra c tions Cill a who ha d a v e ry in noc ent a n d vi rtuous ,
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m ind and very strong ideas on the subj ect of right and duty felt quite indignant at this freedom o f behaviour and apparent ignoring of ties ; she would have repudiate d with horror the idea that she could ever listen to a word of love fro m a married man or if she were married from any other man than her husb and But which o f us poor blind mortals stumbling on in the dark sees the pitfall that lies nearest his feet ! ,
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It was the second morning after the arrival of p arty at the Castle N early all the guests were at breakfast except L ady Belhaven who point of being late and her sister who w a s e ll e to wait for her Duke had seated him d p beside Angie and the chair on his other hand considerately left vacant for Cilla .
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We shall be rather a large p arty to night a n “ nou nc e d the hostess to the comp any generally so All the we shall be able to have a regular dance Blank Hall p arty are coming over to dine — there are twelve o f them I have j ust had a letter from Gerty and sh e tells me that Cis Deerbrook and his bride are with them I am curious to se e how that ” match turns out -
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Duke wa s suddenly conscious o f an odd sensa tion in his throat which seemed to prevent his con tinning his breakfast He bent his he ad over his late and appeared more assiduously engaged wit h p .
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it than be fore Angie loo k ed perfectly unc on sc iou but her husb and glance d across the table an scanned Duke s face somewhat inquisitively look however w a s lost upon Duke Some min — had elapsed the conversation had fallen into channels and was loud and general when turned to An gie and said in a low voice “ What is to be done ? I would rather have g ” a thousand pounds than this should happen “ L ady F a re hom e o f course knows nothing ” what h a s happened answered Angie in the “ key And I do not suppose anyone else h ” does “ N o power on e arth would induce me to m ” “ him uttered Duke with suppressed anger and cannot he a r the thought o f her seeing him He such a blackguard ” “ Hush ! whispers Angie as the door O pens and “ L ady Belhaven and her sister come in A S soon as anyone le aves the table I will make my escape into the gallery ; y ou come to me there and we will ” talk it over Then Duke proceeds to greet Cilla and to a t tend with lover like assiduity to her wants whilst L ord Gra n d ston performs the same k ind offices for her ladyship Presently two o f the more adventurous ladies of the party who are to accomp any some o f the sports .
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D U KE hurry ing to the gallery finds Ang i e aw i ng him there All the inward p erturbation that feels is expressed in his face as he approaches He breaks at once into the subj e ct o f his fears “ I dre ad the thought of her seeing him C it b e prevented ? D o think of something — what advise is always right Don t you think I might her might beg of her for my sake as a proof t cares for me not to meet him — not to sh e — down to night to pretend to be ill or so ” thing ? Angie does not answer him for a moment but he sees by her face that his suggestion finds no favour wit h her M “ It is always dangerous she says presently “ for a man to S how a woman that he lacks con ” fi d e n c e in himself and that he fears another man ” “ “ But cries D uke with unusual e xcitement if the sight o f him were to upset her and undo all the p ast few months ! If I were to lose her now by ” Heaven ! Angie I thin k I should go mad ” “ My dear boy says Angie falling as she a l w ay s does i nto the old mode of address when She ,
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ees him perturbe d or vexed why should you lose her ! I candidly think she has forgotten her former feelings for Cis And I think more than that I think sh e is so high minded and right principled that she would not allow herself to harbour a thought ” of him now that he is married ” “ “ O h ! groans Duke it is not a question o f allowing oneself If on e is in love with anyone oh ” s ta c le s only make one worse ” “ N ot with women I think answers An gie softly ” “ N ot always at least ” “ Well what do you recommend ? asks Duke “ e agerly Shall I speak to her ? shall I beg her not ” to talk to or dance with him ? ” “ “ N o says Angie decisively If I were you I would not breathe a word to her L et things take their chance But if you are resolved not to meet ” him what are you going to do ? “ I shall go over and dine with Jack Tristram He begged me to go ; and I can put it to L ady F a re hom e that now he has a broken leg it will be an act of charity and as I am not a dancing man I shan t be missed p articularly as the party is to be ” a large one t o night “ I think it is j ust as well you should be out o f ” ” “ the way observes Angie but Duke (with gre at “ earnestness) if you should happen to come across Cis pray don t let there be anything disagreeable s
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between you R emember it would ex cite people s ” curi osity and se t them tal k ing ” “ I will do my b est n ot to come across him ! “ says D uke resolutely N ow I must run and get ” my shooting things on Perhaps coming back a ” “ step perhaps you will give Cilla a hint will you ? and Angie answers him by a little acquiescent move ment of her head “ God bless you ! What should I do without ” you ? cries Duke and moved by a sudden impulse he takes her hand kisses it and hurries off When Angie enters the drawing room she catches sight o f Cilla standing alone at the furthest window and goes at once to j oin her Cilla greets her with an a ffectionate smile She is fonder than ever of Angie ; indeed S he loves her better than any other woman i n the world “ D id Duke tell you that he is dining ou t to ” night ? Mrs B eauclerc asks presently and Cilla turns with a look o f surprise and answers ” “ N o Where is he going ? “ He is to dine with Mr Tristram who has broken ” his leg and wants cheering up a little ” “ I wonder he did not tell me remarks Cilla but without any S ign o f vex ation or displeasure “ There is a large party coming over from Blank ” Hall to dine and dance proceeds Angie And then looking away over the terrace and the green ’
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usua l that evening L ady Belhaven is almo st the last to enter the drawing room be fore dinner A very large party is assembled The Blank Hall guests have arrived The first sou nd which greets Cilla s e ar as she enters 1 5 Mrs D eerbrook s strident laugh Her heart beats tumultuously She keeps her eyes down cast a n d sinks into the nearest chair She does not want to see Cis and yet she feels his presence in every nerve and vein A young fellow w ho is staying in the house and who h a s been depute d to take her in to dinner comes and bends over her ” “ We shall have a grand time to night he says “ gleefully I have been counting and there are at least twelve couple o f dancing people And you w ill dance with me won t you three or four times because D uke is away and nobody dances like ” you ? Cilla smiles vaguely at him but her teeth are chattering in her head She has caught Cis s voice close by her But she will not look in his direction and makes a violent e ffort to control herself ” “ By Jove ! says her partner a moment later as “ sh e p uts her hand on his arm how you are trem ” bling ! Are you ill or are you only cold ? ” “ O nly cold answers Cilla hurri edly ” “ And we are away from the fire What a bore ! “ he says as they enter the dining room It s an a w ful shame that they always put us young ones on A
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the cold S ide They never seem to think we have ” any feelings or want any consideration They are seated Cilla is trying to talk and not to think Suddenly she raises her eyes and meets those of Cis Deerbrook fixed on her with an in definable expression o f surprise and interest Fate has ordained that he shall be place d ex actly op to her and that they shall be j ust in front of i os t e p an O pening between the floral decorations of the table He makes her a little grave melancholy inclina tion and she returns it by a faint gesture whilst a deep blush turns the marble of her skin to roses The look of surprise on Mr Deerbrook s face Was this beautiful young woman with w a s genuine the costly j ewels round her white throat and arms the little schoolgirl whom he last s a w in p assionate grie f in Angie s drawing room ? He could not keep his eyes o ff her In vain his neighbour tried to distract his attention — even his dinner engrossed but little o f his thoughts to night She w a s so unlike anyone else — there was some extraordina ry fascina tion about her— he had never seen eyes like hers his one present obj ect was to win them to his And — she w a s to be the sh e belonged to another man wife of the rich Duk e Ve re ke r— she would be a very great lady indeed Had she forgotten him ? How interminable the dinner seemed and he w a s longing for i t to be over that he mi ght S peak to her .
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It w a s not that he was harbouring any d es ign s against D uke s p eace of mind or hers — it was only that he w as in the h abit of doing what the fancy of the moment prompted without the smallest reference to or thought of the feelings of anyone else Simply an intensified sort o f selfishness which women had always done their best to foster — nothing more Cilla who w a s like an electric sp ark felt the magnetism of his eyes stealing over her more power fully at every moment She made superhuman e fforts not to look at him ; not to think o f him She talked with force d eagerness to her comp anion ; seeme d to listen with the deepes t interest to all he told her and yet sh e hardly even he a r d a word th at he said — She could hear her own heart beat every ne rve w a s throbbing p ainfully She could not eat a morsel her feet were like marble an unwonte d carmine crept into her cheeks enhancing her beauty tenfold She wa s sufferin g a martyrdom because she was fighting violently against herself— he r nerves were in a state o f tension amounting to agony And then suddenly it seeme d as though her power o f resist — ance gave way S he looked up and met those irresistible eyes After that she ceased to struggle : it might b e dangerous mad wicked even She let her eye s dwell on his ignorant careless o f what they said He could read them and a thrill of p assionate satisfaction shot through his heart When would dinner be over that he might get to her ! A s ’
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She turned hurriedly to go for fe ar consci ence should yet stop her As she p asse d the long glass she cast a look at herself; then p aused and took a longer survey A little smile came to her lips ; a — smile of triumph S he had been wont to have a Yery poor Opinion o f her charms ; but for once she k new that sh e looked beautiful When She entere d the drawing room there was a vacant chair by Angie She always sat ne ar Angie i f possible but to night she was only anxious to avoid her and seated herself on a low couch beside her sister Dorothea w a s far too much engaged with her own affairs to think of Cilla A former flame of G ra n d ston s had come over with the Blank House p arty and had been placed ne xt him at dinner They had whispere d together to L ady B e lha ve n s unutterable disgust and chagrin She was de te rm ine d c oul e gu e m ute that her rival S hould not triumph over her ; they would se e to night which could boast Gra n d ston s allegiance Under these circumstances it is not to be supposed that she had o ne thought to give Cilla When the men j oined them Deerbrook made straight for the sisters but Dorothea gave him neither word nor look She w a s bent on catching G ra n d ston s eye and when she succeeded beckoned him towards her with a pretty gesture which he obeyed with alacrity Cis wa s co nt ent ; there wa s no he sit a ti on in his .
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mind to night as to which of the sisters most attracted him : for once Dorothe a s charms pale d be fore Cilla s For the present he only spoke o f common place topics but his voice and eyes had an eloquence out of all proportion to his themes Angie glancing in his direction was smitten by a strange misgiving After all she thought Duke s idea of keeping her out of S ight of him w a s wiser ” “ But they must have met some time She argued to herself with a sigh The sound of music came from the distance some of the party had already rep aired to the ball room ” “ You will dance the first waltz with me Deer brook whispered and Cilla bent her head in answer Was it not for him she had reserved it when her companion at dinner had so entreated her ! She had always heard that dancing was on e of Cis s chief accomplishments As they entered the room the musicians began to play one of the loveliest dreamiest o f waltzes and in a moment his arm was round her and they were floating away to fairyland N ever in imagina tion nor dream had such rapture filled Cilla s heart —dancing had always been a passion with her ; but sh e had never be fore felt any approach to the sen sation of ecstacy that it gave her t o night Past and future were alike forgotten — she neither knew nor reck e d what strang e e y e s m ight r e a d i n he r fa ce -
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what strange tongues might sa y o f her ; she was perfectly divinely happy — she cared for nothing else And when they p aused he bent down and said in his low caressing tones “ I never knew what dancing w a s until to n ” You must not dance with anyone else he moment later utterly careless in his selfish h compromising her When had he ever been o f a woman s reputation unless danger thre himself equally ? And there w a s no danger to him D uke w a s absent ; his wife never int with him — it wa s p art of their b argain She to laugh and s a y it wa s in the marriage S ment “ I have promise d Captain Blount the Cilla answered but she looked up at Cis as t sh e were ready to break her promise if he b ade He was about to bid her but bethought himself sometimes these little altercations when a lady c u se d herself from a promise were disagreeable i b all room so he said “ D ance that on e wi th him but do not pro him or anyone else another I shall not ( 1 ” e xcept with you and he laid an almost reproachful stress on the I Cilla wa s strangely d is ir a iie as S he fulfilled her engagement with Captain Blount— to his great dis appointment she p aused frequently and was with ,
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that of any other human being save their and each other s Cilla s tell tale face fright her She could only be devoutly thankful th Duke was not there but S he had a p ainful sense impending catastrophe Cis knew the house well and when the seco waltz was over made his w a y with Cill a on arm along a corridor to a room occasionally u as a m orning room They found it tenantless a fire burne d in the grate and one pink s lamp partly lighted it It w a s a h andsome with a good many p aintings on the walls ; low forta b le lounges and chairs disposed about and couple of high old fashioned gold stamped leath screens Cilla who had never been in this room f Deerbrook was taking her to the billiard room was in the same p art o f the house ” “ I have never been here be fore she said ing a little shy and uneasy as S he discovered they were alone For some reason she did not him to think that sh e had connived at a s oliiu ’
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he replied with a low contented la “ I know my way about this house very well I w ” here a month once But he did not think fit to give her any furthe details about his former visit ” “ he said drawi ng CO m e a n d s it her e ,
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wards a couch near the fire with its back to one o f the screens And when she had obeyed him he seated him self beside her Until this moment he had not reverted to the past nor said anything which repeated to Duke in words merely and without the tone in which they were uttered could have given him any serious um brage or uneasiness But now suddenly he took her hand and said with concentrated p assion “ I wish I had not come t o night I never ” dreamed before how much I had lost ! .
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C HAPTER XI II
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A GRE AT tremor creeps over Cilla s heart is bewildered frightened spell bound and withal she feels a sense of entrancing j oy to k he loves he r In a moment of time a hundred thoughts flash across her brain She feels that the great crisis of her life has come ; that after everything will be havoc and S hipwreck but for time it is such j oy and rapture as to be purchased by almost any after p angs The the terror the shame o f hearing these 11 vows gives for the time almost an intenser zest to her sens ations and yet S he feels as though she were not a free agent but had been brought sud d e nly to the edge o f an abyss without any volition of her own Her eyes are downcast She is trembling like a leaf; and he noting it presses her hand and speaks in the tenderest most caressing accents ” “ “ My little darling he whispers do not tremble ” so ! do n ot be frightened ! And as the poor child hears these sweet words “ her heart seems to s a y to her conscience : L et me be happy onl y th i s once ! O nly this once : after to ’
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Who told you that ! cries Deerbrook e a ge “ It wa s a lie or if I seeme d so it was only to h what I really felt Some on e told you that for ” own purpose Duke I suppose with bitter str o n the name ” “ N o it was not Cilla answers If she is u faithful to D uke S he will not be unfair to him was some one who did not even k now that I kne ” u and it was not told to me o y ” “ Did you never hear he utters re pro a “ o f people laughing and feigning to be in S pirits because they were so intolerably ” that otherwise they would break down ? Cilla has he ard of such cases and D e e rb ro voice and eyes persuade her in a moment that was such an on e and that sh e had j udged h unj ustly ” “ “ — But you he proceeds you who I fa nc i cared a little about me ; you got over it soon e It is months since I heard you were going to 111 ” Duke “ Y ou were married What was there for ” but to try and forget you ? answers Cilla in mourn ful voice yet as if wishing to de fend herself from a merited accusation ” “ I was compelled to m arry says Deerbrook “ I could not stave off my creditors any longer I must have done either that or leave the country ” B ut now looking at her p ale young beauty which ,
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seems so fascinating to him to night if I could undo it I would sacrifice eve rything ; take any con sequence for your sake It drive s me mad to think ” that you will belong to another man The fervour with which he speaks is not feigned at this moment it is intolerable to him to think of anyone else stepping between him and what he covets His words bring b ack to Cilla the thought o f that other man whom sh e is so grievously wronging — a chill strikes her heart — she shudders ” “ I shall never marry she says taking a sudden r esolve And she looks steadfastly into D eerbrook s eyes — For a moment he returns the look then he draws her towards him and presses a long kiss to her lips She does not resist — it is the last moment of her life she feels : shal l S he not have one in stant o f Heaven to pay for all the coming wretched ness ! A stri dent laugh makes them start ap art Cilla like an arrow from a bow puts a dozen feet b e tween Deerbrook and herself and stands looking like some terrified young wild thing For an instant both had thought the laugh was inside the room but another second sets their fears at rest It came from the corridor outside The voice is that of Mrs Deerbrook C is has time to rise to his feet and stand looking I3 My L o rd d My L y 11 -
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perfectly calm and innocent be fore the door 18 pushed Open and his wi fe puts her head in ” “ Y ou he re ! sh e says and then S he and the “ man wh o is her companion enter together I did ” not come to look after you sh e goes on laughing “ I had no ide a you were here We were only e x ” l r i n Well good bye e won t spoil sport o w ! p g And with that sh e goes ou t again and her loud voice is heard retreating down the passage D eerbrook would like to take u p the thre ad o f the romance where he le ft it and moves towards Cilla but she wave s him o ff with a frightened gesture She has been rudely awakened from her dream nay now it seems like an awful nightmare Something in her face makes him p ause and she turns towards the door in a lis tening attitude Mrs Deerbr ook s voi ce has died away Then su d d e nly be fore he can guess her intention Cilla has fled and he is le ft standing there alone L ike on e pursued by furies S he flies to her room and locks the door behind her She tln ows herself d own o n the hearthrug and looks with wild staring eyes into the fire as if sh e s a w there some horrid S ight And indeed S h e d oe s ; for she is looking inwards at her own heart with the glamour o f the last three hours torn from her eyes She is seeing he r own c onduct by the light o f h er regained con science and in her own eyes She is a miserable guilty creature an outcast a shameful po lluted ,
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that Cis was the cause H e and the world and B elhaven and her sister would know her guilt and that she had done this for love s sake o f a man who was married And then eternal shame and disgrace would overwhelm and cling to her ! She must for the present play a p art ; must let every thing go on as it has done recently and then later when sh e is b ack at Re d Meade she must find some ex cuse to break with Duke Having once been so false to h im S he can never be his wife without confessing her treason and that confession no power on earth shall ever wring from her But — she will b e wife to no living man n ow her heart can never b e touched by any other than C is and She unclasps o f him it is s in and S hame to think the p earls and diamonds from her throat and looks with loathing at them : she plucks the brillian ts from her fingers and says with contempt and misery to hersel f that she has sold herself; that her friends have sold her for these She would like to flee away to a convent ; to any haven of rest out of the world s w a y and the way o f he art burnings miser able vanities and petty ambitions To flee where s h e could atone for her sin which every moment makes more hate ful and terrible in her eyes Her maid comes to the door but she sends her away and lays herself dresse d on the bed Towards morning S he sleep s for an hour but when she wa k es the events o f the past night come back to .
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her like some horrid nightmare and fresh terrors possess her soul Had she been missed from the b all room ? was it known that she went away to that distant room with Deerbrook and never returned ? would Duke hear anything o f it ? Cilla s heart beats with wild fear She can do anything h e a r anything rather than — anyone should know what has happened sh e will smile at Duke ; will try to seem bright and gay for fear suspicion S hould be awakened in his breast She is a poor hand at counterfeiting but for once sh e will try her powers She little guesses poor child what an awful N emesis is dogging her steps nor who has for the time being constituted himself her j udge and e xe c u She little dreams that there was a witness tion e r and that o f the scene between her and Deerbrook the witness w a s the only enemy S he has in the world Captain B eauclerc having been rather put ou t by the coldness of a lady whom he admired and who evidently preferred the society o f a Guardsman present to his had retired from the b all room and to himself to S pend half an hour in a com r O ose d p p fort a b le nap — h e w a s not very keen about dancing at a ny time He had made his way to the room where Deerbrook conducted Cilla being also under the impression that it was the safest place from intrusion And thro wing himself on a sofa in a .
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dark corner behind the colossal screen he had fallen into a comfortable doze when he w a s awakene d b y the sound o f voices He was about to make his presence known by a cough or a movement when Cill a s agitated tones fell on his ear and then D eer brook s p assion ate response ” “ “ O ho my lady ! said Algy to himself so now ” I have caught you ! Under ordina ry circumstances no on e would have professed himself more indignant at the mean ness of eaves d ropping than Algy ; he would have s aid that it w a s an action no gentleman would commit But n o w he told himself that it was his positive duty in the interests o f Duke who wa s such a good fellow to listen and detect the guilt of these conspirators s o with bated bre ath and keen e ar he se t himself to play the sp y N ot a word wa s lost upon him ; though he did not s e e the kiss silence at such a moment w a s eloquent enough for him to conj ecture it— then came the laugh which startle d him as well as the guilty p air for it would have been very unpleasant to be caught in his po si tion ; then Mrs D eerbrook s words and after that a rustling sound ; a man s hasty footstep s and a sup presse d cry Then silence dead silence A few minutes elapsed and A l gy peeped cau tiou sly round the screen to b e sure no on e was there The room wa s empty ” “ The little viper ! he said to h i mself vin .
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It was quite true that he had not seen her
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hours passe d away and still Cill a did not re appear and Angie felt rather relieve d at her absence It looke d as if S he had come to a sense o f her danger and fled from it L ady Belhaven seemed quite bent on throwing her cap over the mill : her rival was thoroughly d isc om fi te d and over thrown Dorothea did not even miss her sister from the b all room O nce or twi ce Angie thought of go i ng to Cilla but decide d that it wa s wiser to le ave her alone If sh e w a s suffering she would rather be without a wi t ness however friendly and symp athising to her p angs They were unlawful and dared not there fore be confessed Captain B eauclerc knew that Duke was to sta y the night with his friend and return the following morning in time for breakfast ; he there fore resolved to unfold his tale before D uke had a chance o f se e ing anyone else He bade his servant let him know the moment Mr Ve re ke r returned and when he heard that Duke was in went straight to his room ” “ Hullo you re up betimes ! crie d D uke in his cheery ringing tones at sight o f his unexpected; ” “ visitor Well ! how did the dance go off? ” “ O h all right replied Algy Then he went over and sa t on the edge o f the bed and loo ked very grave -
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What s up ? said Duke as k ing the question that he was intended to ask ” “ The deuce is up returned Algy laconically ” “ G ra n d ston and L ady Belhaven ? inquired Duke thinking it must be something that in some way concerned him and his belongings He had success fully b anished his fears about Cilla saying loyally in his heart that S he w a s too good and pure to think anything o f Cis now he had a wife ” “ My dear old chap ! said Algy with a profound “ — sigh it s something that cuts you a good deal ” nearer than that Duke turned ashen p ale He had no doubt o f what was coming — and his strong frame trembled ” “ “ For God s sake speak man ! he said What ” 0 you mean ? ” “ Upon my soul I don t know how to tell you ered Algy ” “ Say it ! sa y it ! cried D uke with unusual p a s “ F or God s sake have it out and let me know ” at you re driving at ! ” “ Cis has been up to his old tricks again ” “ “ Well ! cried Duke hoarsely What then ? 5 sh e gone o ff with him ? What have you got to ” me ? ” “ N o no returned Algy soothingly sh e hasn t e off with him — not likely He knows a trick two o f that But for your own sake you to kn ow what has been going on be w een ”
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ferve ntly , I d rather cut ” my tongue ou t than be the one to tell you ” “ Go on said D uke And he grasped the back o f a chair and held o n to it like a man who is taken with sudden dizziness So Captain Beauclerc told his tale It was neither plain nor unvarnished — he made the very worst he could o f it and that worst was bad hear ing enough heaven knows for a lover who up to this time h a d put almost an idola trous faith in his mistre ss s honour and purity of he a rt Duke w a s like one stunned He had not dreamed o f a blow like this : it had never entered his mind that the pure cold young girl who would scarc ely allow him to touch her lips could be a pa s s io n a te woman under the influence o f another man For Captain Beauclerc e xpatiate d upon the em brace he imagined as though he had positively b een an eye witness o f it and Duke was too crushed and stricken to think o f cross questioning him a s to how much he had seen It was worse than he had ever fe ared or dreamed She was under the spell of this hound thi s traitor whose bloo d he would have if he lived O nce in his presence no tie no a ffection no sense of duty or right or principle could restrain her Du k e groaned ” “ My God ! he said cover in g his fac e w ith his ” “ This is m ore than I c a n be ar ! h a nd th e
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IT w a s
with a feeling o f considerable trepidation that Cill a knocked at L ady B e lha ve n s door in the morning to ask if she were re ady to go down to breakfast But S he soo n saw that she had nothing — to fe ar in this quarter her ladyship had been far too much occupie d with her own affairs the previous evening even to not i ce her sister s a b sence from the ball room and this morning S he was bent on ma king herself lovely to the ex c lu sion o f eve ry other thought R elieve d of one anxiety there was another desperate on e in front o f Cilla — the meeting with Duke Would he have heard anything ? not of what had taken place in that — distant room that was o f course impossible but some one might have told him that she had danced twice w ith Deerbroo k and had disappeared after wards It was an immense relie f to her that Duke was not on e of the p arty at breakfast She supposed he had not returned Two or three men inquired what had become o f her the night be fore and she a n sw e re d that S he had not felt well and had gone to bed She looked so white and hollow eyed this ’
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morning that her ex cuse seemed plausible enough and only drew forth expressions o f regret and con cern Cilla could n ot e at a morsel She was filled with p ainful sensations of terror and nervousness S he longed for the meeting with Duke to be over It was the first time she had ever felt afraid of him : sh e meant to do violence to her feelings and to meet him with more than her usual display o f kindness As she went ou t from breakfast Captain Beau clerc came up behind her and whispered in a low voice “ Do you mind coming with me ? D uke wants to ” se e you Then a deadly sickness seized her ; a terror such as sh e had never known in her life before — never was g uilt more plainly stamped on a human coun te n a n c e than on that which was turned suddenly upon Captain Beauclerc Even he felt j ust a little bit sorry for her Her lips unclosed to ask what D uke wanted but no sound came from them and trembling in every limb her teeth chattering in her head she followed the gaoler who w a s taking her be fore what she had no doubt w a s to be the in It added doubly to the terrors of her q u isition imagination when sh e found that sh e was being conducted down the self same corridor to the self same room where her treachery to Duke had been committed
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After all it wa s not such a very strange co i n c id e nc e In the largest houses there a re not an u n limited number o f rooms in use where guests can expe ct to enjoy perfect privacy But in spite of her fears Cilla trie d to s a y to hersel f that Duke could not possibly kno w what had happened ; could not know more than that S he had d ance d with and tal ke d to Deerbrook When however Captain Beau clerc O pened the door fo r her and retired closing it behind him and sh e caught sight of D uke strid ing up and down S he recognised in his face evidence of a deeper knowledge than that of which she su s And e c te d him S h e became aware of somethi n g p else too — namely that the room w a s twice a s large as it had s e eme d the night be fore and that it had been cut in hal f by the great lea ther screens which this morning were pushed aside D uke stopping short in his walk and looking full at Cilla as she entered read in the terrified e x pression o f her face the full confession o f her guilt H e even thought that Algy h a d made the best rather than the worst of the story A burning in dignation filled his heart He had always been wont to feel so tender so protective to this p ale fragile maiden and now every gentle thought o f her gave place to a sort of furious desire to punish her — for the first time in his life he felt cruel Heaven k nows it w a s only because he loved her so .
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but had said to himself that it sprung from maiden modesty and purity an d so had respected it But now he k new di fferently— it was neither purity nor modesty but only distaste for him More than all other things he had believe d her honest and true and all the time she was false : false as Cilla stands be fore him trembling like a leaf ‘ ” Wfi a z has happened ? she falters “ ” What has happened ? he repe ats with growing “ anger Y ou do not know perhaps ? Well then I will tell you Here in this room last night you allowe d the husband o f another woman to m a ke the most ardent love to you ; yo u promised him never — to marry and and Du k e literally stammers ( “ with passion) yo u were in his arms you who have been so cold with me ; who would never if help it let me touch your lip s and I was fool eno to thin k it was because you were so innocent an ” pure Cilla stands like some wild thin g caught in trap It seems to p artake almost of the horror the supernatural that he should kn ow all this W he in the house in the room ? Had a snare be laid for her at which Deerbrook had con nived ? She sees be fore her nothing but an abyss o shame and ruin Her disgrace will be made public her o wn people will cast her off; sh e will be o f scorn in the world s eyes She has thought : to propitiate her j udge .
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utters i n a p aroxy sm o f sobs have mercy upon me ! Do not disgrace me ! do not tell — Belhave n ! I will do anything anything in the world you wish Command anything of me — only ” — do not disgrace me do not let people know ! A wild thought of taking her at her word ru shes through Duke s brain a s she speaks — o f exacting a promise from her to marry him at once in a mo nth s time ; for after all there is but one wish one desire in his heart and that is that she shall be his H is tenderness h a s turned to cruelty but his passion has not perishe d with her treachery But the thought is no sooner formed than b an He turns away from the sight o f her d is ishe d tress and her tears and forces himself to speak coldly But he cannot control his bitterness ” “ Why should I have any pity for you ? he says “ What do I owe you but wretchedness ? Y ou have only made a cat s paw of me all along and I dare sa y laughed behind my back a t me for the dupe ” and fool I was Then suddenly turning towards her he says with deepest emotion “ God in Heaven ! What is there left for a man when he finds the woman he has believed in from ” the bottom of his soul to be a creature like you ! Cilla only ans wers by sighs and sobs Most women would have defended themselves ; would have protested that so small a sin could hardly merit such terrible condemnation and punishment ; I4 My L o rd d My L ady 1 1 “
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but Cilla believed hersel f guilty of a crime and her heart and conscience endorsed every word of Duke s bitter verdict And because S he forbore to defend herself his conviction of her guilt deepened with every moment and he hardly knew where to put a limit on his su sprc ron s All this time perhaps she had been corresponding with Deerbrook ; seeing him — even p erhaps he (D uke ) had never known how grave were the reasons that had impelled Belhaven to banish her from home A feeli n g o f helpless agony creep s over Cilla Had sh e ever thought that she could plead to this adoring lover and find him like adamant ? She a p h e s a few steps nearer to him and clasp s her r a c o p hands in abj ect entre aty “ Have pity on me ! Have pity on me ! Do not disgrace me ! N ot here at all events I beseech ” you Her voice has risen to a wail At this moment the door opens softly and A n gie comes in She had seen her husband whisper to Cilla ; had caught a glimpse of the girl s terrified face and after hesitati n g for a moment she turned and wa slowly after them As Captain Beauclerc I along the corridor sh e met him He would much have preferred to avoid her but that wa s im possible ” “ What is the matter ? sh e asked anxiously ” “ “ Du Ma tte r e nough he answered gru fliy ,
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the sake o f everyone concerned the affair must be hushed up as long as they remained in the Castle ” “ “ D uke sh e whispered stay here till I come ” b ack And then she drew Cilla s trembling hand “ — hrough her arm saying Come with me now we t must not give the people in the house anything to ” talk about She took her up a b ack staircase to her room saying “ L ock yoursel f in Do not let anyone come in ” until I return I will do my best for you Then She went back to Duke She w a s quite aware that i f anyone came in and found her closeted with him it would look very odd but she must run the risk of that for once N early an hour elapsed before S he returned to Cilla But she had fought her battle bravely and well and had conquered Her influence over Duke as we know w a s immense She had made him give up his intention o f seeking out Cis and having his revenge She had induced him to make an ex cuse and leave the Castle that very morning She had after long entre aty prevailed upon him to S pare Cilla and to re frain from betraying her miserable secret She had urged eloquently upon him the cruelty o f blast ing the whole life o f a mere child who was suffering bitterly enough for the imprudence o f a moment And so after a passionate resistance Duke yielded and two hours later w ent out o f the Castle .
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wretched heart broken hopeless And he had come into it a few days before as happy as a man could be and would not have changed places with any other on the face of the earth But if Angie had stood so staunchly by Cilla S h e felt deeply angered against her in her heart for she loved Duke and his su ffering hurt her as though it were her own She felt that there could be no tiding over of this disastrous business — their sep ara tion w a s irrevocable now If Deerbrook had such a terrible influence over the unhappy child there could be no safety in even marrying her to another man She was disappointed in Cilla because she had b e She had relied o n he r lie ve d her proud and pure natural high principle to keep her from pitfalls that might cause weaker natures to stumble Her face was very grave as Cilla Opened the door to her with anxious eyes She sat down in the chair opposite to Cill a s and said “ I have persuaded Duke to keep eve rything secret for the present N othing will be known here — You will not see him again he will be gone in a ” couple o f hours Then after a moment s p ause whilst her eyes filled with tears she said in a voice burning with righteous indignation “ You have thrown away the truest kindest heart that ever beat I am indeed disappointe d in you -
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I thought you far too right minded to have listened to another man s love making when you were bound in honour to Duke — more than all to a man who ” w a s married himself Then Cilla fell o n her knees and hid her face in Angie s lap and sobbed out her confession and her bitter repentance and Angie listened and because her he a r t w a s tender pitied the girl deeply She s a w that the very worst had been made of the case and she formed a shrewd guess as to how and by whom Cilla had been betrayed But she preferred to leave the girl s conviction undisturbed that Duke had returned the night be fore and himself been wit ness of the scene between her and Deerbrook After a time Angie insisted on the necessity of Cilla going into the dra wing room and behaving as though nothing had happened So at noon when Duke was gone she took her work and joined the party o f ladies downstairs They were all assembled — it was a drizzling morning and there was no temptation to go out L aughter and merriment were rife ; most of the pretty fingers were toying with work and every tongue w a s sharpened and whetted for scandal and rep artee Cilla s quiet entrance ex cited no notice : she seate d herself at a table near the general group and affected to be busily engaged with her work Angie had j oined the p arty some time before Hal f an hour p assed ; the ball o f conversation w a s kept up merrily ; -
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while be fore they were married some g irl
I don t know who tried to get him away from her and went on her knees to Cis and o ffered him eve ry farthing she had in the world if he would marry her instead But poor little thing (Mrs Deerbrook said it quite good naturedly) it w a s only a p altry five hundred a ye a r or somethi n g of that sort so Cis didn t avail ” himself of her generosity Angie happening to look over at Cilla is posi tiv e ly frightened at the e xpression of the girl s face It has turne d ashen grey and her hands have fallen in a sort o f p aralysis into her lap Then Angie nu Fearful lest anyone else should remark d e rsta n d s her emotion she goes softly over to her and asks her in a meaning voice to S how her the new stitch With a start Cilla re covers herself Poor child ! V engeance has indeed taken hold If she had only heard that little sto ry this o f her time yesterday would sh e have sacrificed all her future for the sake o f a man so false and he artless that he could make a j est o f her love and betray her we akness ! N o doubt the events of last night would form the subj ect o f another laughable story for Mrs Deerbrook to amuse her friends with If the e arth would only Open and swallow her and her sh a me ! i f she could drown herself or run away and hide her face from every human being who knew he r ! But now it wa s more than e ver i ncumbent on ’
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her to smile and deceive the world lest it should guess not only that all was over between her and Duke but that Deerbrook was the cause And s o whilst her poor heart was torn with agony She smiled at everyone who spoke to her danced with every man who bade her and kept her p aroxysms of despair for the dead of night when alone she was safe from curious eyes Dorothea had expressed surprise at Duke s sud den departure but had easily been satisfied with the assurance that he had been called away on sudden and urgent business The week but on e following he was to give a large shooting party at the Court and they were to be his guests Angie stood Cilla s friend bravely and settle d and arranged everything for her She was going straight to town from the Castle and proposed to take the girl with her for a few days and in the meantime Duke was to go over to Red Meade and tell the B e lh a ve n s that all was at an end between him and Cilla He was not to betray her The name even of Deerbrook w a s not to be mentioned T o ma ke Duke s task easier Angie had written him in o ne o f her letters “ Something has happened that has quite Opened poor Cilla s eyes as to the worth o f the man who until n ow exercised such an unhappy influence over her I do not believe that anything would induce , ,
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her to S peak to or look at him again if ” possibly avoid it
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Angie herself asked L ady B e lh a ve n s consent to Cilla s accomp anying her to L ondon and as it did not in any way interfere with her ladyship s con but rather suited it she was quite agree v e n ie n c e able to the arrangement But o n Sunday the day after her return she w a s thrown into a state o f extreme e xcitement and annoyance by a visit from D uke She received him alone for Belhaven w a s still confined to his bed ” “ Why D uke ! sh e s aid as he entere d the room ; “ what is the matter with you ? How dreadfully ill ” you look ! ” “ “ he answered I am all right There Do I? ” is nothing the matter with me ” “ N ow please don t be ill ! said her ladyship “ playfully I am already bored to death here and have nothing to look forward to but your party next ” week D uke was silent for a moment Then he said suddenly “ I do not suppose you wil l come under the ” altere d circumstances ” “ What altered circumstances ? and the pink died away from Dorothea s pretty face “ That is what I have come about All is over ” between your sister and me ’
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I never want to
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B ut you must have them sh e ” are so valuable ” “ “ Then do you keep them ! he rej oins If you ” send them back I shall put them behind the fire ” “ Well says D orothe a with an attempt to smile “ I will take care o f them until you make it up ” again It is sure to come right some d ay And when Duke is gone b e fore she goes to tell B elhaven the news her ladyship takes the necklace s he has so often coveted and the other ornaments Duke s gifts f rom her sis ter s dressing case and ( ) having first tried them on transfers them to her ,
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months passed — two months during which each of the three principal occupants o f Red Meade had his own heart burnings his own discontent and unhappiness to bear And it would not be untrue perhaps to add that each had some portion o f the others sufferings to endure for when people are dis contented and unhappy they rarely have the po wer even if they possess the will to prevent it affecting their temper and manner to others L ady Belhaven was terribly annoyed at the rupture between her sister and Duke because it in te rfe re d with her amusement deprived her o f pleasant society and e xcuses for entertaining les sene d her importance and caused her friends to rej oice And after her delightful week at the Castle which she had enj oyed so amazingly the stagnation of Red Meade wa s tenfold more odious to her than ever and S he found her husband s society intole r able by comparison with Gra n d ston s Belhaven more often reproached and found fault with than made love to her now but that did not distress her S ince one was as irksome as the other only that it was unbearable to be girded at by one man in stead Tw o
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having a dozen to worship her and to laud her various perfections She was terribly afraid too that ou t of sight with this handsome spoiled boy w a s out of mind and that she would lose by absence the influence which she had gaine d over him My lady s e asy temper began to wax snappish s he had fits o f crying quite a novel disorder for her brought on by the hardship and cruelty of her fate — she took to lying in be d until lunch time which was a p articularly heinous offence in the eyes o f her husband and became the cause o f much re crimination between them As for B elhaven he w a s utterly wretched — every thing seemed to go wrong with him Fate con spired against him to thwart every wish desire and pl an he formed and to make him as he thought the most unhappy and unfortunate man in Christen dom We kno w that he was kind of heart but in firm o f temper and the consciousness o f this de fect added acutely to his other sufferings If he was morose or said bitter unkind things he hated him self for it at the time and afterwards and would “ ex claim miserably to himself What a brute I am ! ” How could any woman be happy with me ! E asy going good tempered people with whom good temper is no more a vi rtue than the good digestion which it generally accomp anies little dream of the sufferings o f those o f their fellow creatures who are cursed with a disposition to irr itability .
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O ne day D orothea tentatively broached
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her husband s theory to her sister ” “ “ Bel says she commenced abruptly that it ” was Cis who made you give up Duke Cilla s heart beat violently but S he answered coldly : “ Mr D eerbrook is nothing to me If he had not a wife already he is the last man I would ” marry D orothe a repeated this triumphantly to Belhaven in confirmation of her previously stated conviction Without question Cilla of the three was the most actively unhappy The sense of her shame was intolerable to her— sometimes when she re membered that scene in the Castle she would cover her burning face with her hands even in the night time There was ever present with her the terrible thought that Deerbrook would betray her ; that his wife would laughingly repeat the story and that s he would be both the j est and scorn of those who heard it A sense o f utter desolation filled her heart She missed Duke s love and kindness bitterly— she missed being made much of and treated as a person of consideration Her sister behave d to her with con and Belhaven was utterly te m p tu ou s impatience cha n ged ; cold distant unsymp athetic And in the old days e xcept at the time o f her temporary dis grace they had derived so much comfort and con .
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solation from each other s society— She had been able to make up to him for much of Dorothea s neglect and sh e had felt that there was at least N ow o n e person who loved and understood her B e lh a v e n s man ner was that o f a man alienated and offended beyond remedy and Cilla felt it impossible to make overtures to him for fear o f imperilling her guilty secret She neither cared to sing nor play nor read but took long lonely walks or sat listless staring at the fire and thinking miserably o f her lost chances and despairingly of the future Some times she had a wild thought o f writing to D uke and asking h im to be friends with her and to come and see her but no ! she could never look him in the face again he knowing what he knew Her only comfort was in writing to Mrs Beau clerc and in hearing from her She wishe d ardently that Angie would invite her to stay but Duke was in town and therefore it w a s impossible as the Beauclercs house sa w more of him than his own Two months p asse d and L ady Belhaven came to the conclusion that life any longer at Red Meade was intolerable and resolved by fair means or foul to get away from it She tried fair means first and set herself to caj ole her lord to let her go to a hotel in L ondon for two or three weeks before E aster To her surprise he yielded without much pressure and to her infinite delight he did not pro pose to a c c om p a ny her She and C illa with their 15 d My L ady 1 1 My L o rd ’
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m aids could de p art ne xt wee k and he would per haps run up and fetch them at the end o f a fort night or three weeks H e had plenty to occupy him at home The re ason o f B e lh a ve n s acquiescence was that he too found life under existing circumsta nces in tolerable — h e realised p ainfully that Dorothe a looked upon him as a gaoler and hers e l f a S a n unhappy captive ; that if she had cared little for him before s he w a s rowing to hate him now and he re solved g to give up the struggle He felt that love is not to b e kept by chains : that he could not make his wife loving o r faithful by compulsion ; the more he fet te re d her actions the further her heart fled froni him L et her go l— let her b e happy away from him — let her do what she chose ! As long as he did not se e how would it hurt him ! He had no influence over her — he had no confidence in her e xcept that he thought her too selfish to endanger her own position He even said to himself with a sort of bitter scorn that he would have after all to ’ sink in to that miserable r ole of beauty s husband that he had once so fiercely derided From the mome n t that Dorothe a received her husb and s permission sh e was transformed into the radiant ch arming creature o f yore She was im perturbably delightful ; embraced Belhaven ; sa t on his knee and he poor fellow ! was torn in two mise rable yearn i ngs and contempt for his own we ,
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as gay and full of S pirits as if it were the m ost natural and proper state o f thi ngs Gra n d ston made O pen love to her sister without apparently regarding or being aware o f her presence and Dorothea whilst affe cting to treat him rather as a spoiled child gave him evident encouragement Several o f the men who came tried to make love to Cilla but S he had taken a sort of disgust for men — as long as they were simply friendly she liked them but the moment they grew warmer S he experienced a feel ing of coldness and repulsion She w a s offended too by the familiar manner o f these gilded youths and many a time her cheeks tingled at hints and allusions which i f she did not perfectly understand sh e knew to be gross and unfit for modest ears Y et they did not appear to mean any disrespect they were much less care ful be fore other women it was only a way which seeme d the fashion and which appeared to be appreciated rather than re sented in the s e t in which they moved Cilla wa s behind the age — she w a s not a girl of the period She wa s modest and pure o f heart notwithstanding her error Had S he not been so she would not have su ffere d such terrible remorse .
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She was heartily glad when Belhaven came to fetch them Everything was cha nged then — very — few men called Gra n d ston vanishe d from the scene altogether and Doroth ea only met him at Flora .
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She behaved with great discretion ; treated her husband with more consideration than sh e had done for months previously and as a re ward he hired a house in May Fair for the season and was actually persuaded to take them to Paris in stead o f R ed Meade for Easter Dorothea had been so amiable ; the i r relations had been so friendly for the last fortnight that poor Belhaven again began to cherish some of the il lu sion s to which he thought he had bidden farewell for ever He fell in love with his beautiful wife once more forgave and forgot all the past and hoped and believed that a new era had commence d and that it might yet be well with them A rude awakening awaited him N o sooner were they settled in town for the season than her ladyship threw o ff all restraint and showed him that she intended to follow her own sweet will without the least re ference to his feelings or Opinions She made p arties to the play without including him — she went every where with Flora Ve rschoyle in defiance o f his wishes ; she had men lounging in her drawing room of an afternoon ; she had Shoals of admirers in attendance upon her whenever she appeared in public O ne or two violent scenes took place between my lord and my lady but now she defied him Openly and declared that S he w ou ld have the freedom that other women enj oyed and that she w ould n ot s
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l e a d the w ret c hed miserable l i fe that she h a d hithe rto done Belhaven had furious thoughts of giving up the house and insisting on her accomp anying him abroad or home to R ed Me ade but S he told him pl a inly that S h e would not leave L ondon and that i f he gave up the house she would go to Flora Ve rschoyle and all the world should know what a brutal tyrant he w as And when he reflected calmly what sort o f life he was likely to lead with her i f he tore her b y force from all S he cared for he was fain to con fess that his ide a w a s utterly hop elessly impossible He recognised at last that this p retty gentle look ing creature had a more resolute and indomitable will than his o wn and that whereas he could be e asily mov ed and affecte d by the sight o f her p ain and unhappiness S he was utterly indi fferent to his mo st cruel su fferings and had only one obj ect in life which was to have her own w a y So he had recourse to his old expedient of trying not to s e e — He only accomp anied her to formal p arties he — never entered his own house in the afternoon he s a w a s little o f his b eaut i ful wife as possible Dorothe a w a s delighted an d boaste d to Flora that she had at last got Bel into perfect training There a re however limits to human enduran c e and B e lh a ve n s training was n ot yet so complete that he could submit to have every i d ea that he most cherished trample d upon He was w alking one day ,
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We ve got her in another position pursued the engaging youth shows her figure off better— in a ” low neck and he proceede d to search amongst a pile of photographs whilst Belhaven scarcely able to control his passion hid his face behind a screen ” “ Here it is said the man presently Of pictures producing it with an air o f triumph and pausing first to take a lin gering and admiring look at it be fore handing it over the counter B elhaven wa s obliged to turn away as he looked at it ; so fierce was his indignation Had not his wife heard him inveigh a thousand time s against the women who permitte d their half clothed charms to b e publicly exhibited ; nay sold for a couple of shillings to adorn the room o f any man who chose to buy from the highest to the lowest He had n ot seen this p articular photograph and it seemed to him the most shameless and immodest o n e he had ever s e t eyes on But that w a s only b e cause it w a s the picture of his wife To crown his fury the shopman remark ed with a S imper seeing how intently he was gazing at it ” “ Th at s the on e all the gents buy “ — f H ave you any more pictures o L ady Bel ” haven ? asked the wretched husband when he could control his voice su fficiently to put the question ” “ “ N o w a s the answer There s been such a run on them But we shall get a fresh lot in to ” morrow I expect There s on e other pos ition ,
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I will take these two said Belhaven and the man put them into an envelope and the purchaser p aid for them and departed He jumped into a Hansom and drove to the pho tographer s tryi n g his very hardest tO restrain the fury that filled his heart He felt that it w a s absolutely necessary to be calm and quiet He half expected that the man would re fuse to give up the negatives or re frain from selling copies He wa s however mistaken The head o f the establishment on hearing the name o f his visitor and his obj ect in calling acceded at once with perfect politeness and readiness to his wish and even ex pressed regret that the photographs should have been sold without his lordship s sanction He had orders for a couple o f hundred more of her ladyship s portraits and these were now being printed but they s hould be destroyed unless his lordship would like to have them But his lordship pre ferred that they should be destroyed Then he took his way home but no amount o f resolution could make him meet Dorothe a with calm ness He gave vent to his burning indignation in terms that frightened his wife although Sh e declared with tears and sobs that she knew nothing about her picture being in the shops and had never authorised the sale o f it But She could not deny in face of the copy which Belhaven produced that sh e had sat in a very ,
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d ress to the artist The i ndignant hus band put it in much coarser terms Dorothe a w a s not at all ashamed in her heart All the other be autie s did it she s a id to herself he r froc k wasn t any lower than theirs not so low as ’
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She wa s dining with Flora that night G ra n d ston was there and they went to the play afterwards D uring the performance she confided to him her husb and s cruelty and he swore with all a boy s 1 m e t u i t os that Belhaven was a brute h was not fit o w p y to live and that he would give all he had to be a ble to protect her from such infamous treatment B elhaven scarcely knew G ra n d ston even by sight and did not distingu ish him from half a dozen others ” “ of the gardenia brigade who surrounded his wife when S he appeared in public Dorothe a s name was freely coupled with that of the Marquis by the world but the world did not take Belhaven into its con O ne o f its units did howeve r and w a s fi de nce kind enough to write him an anonymous letter on the subj ect of her ladyship s flirtation .
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by common consent the chair next her was le ft vacant for him ; that everyone gave place to him the moment b e a p a c h r o e her d p The Marquis being only a boy and a spoilt boy never for one instant entertained the manly idea of preserving his m i stress s name from scandal but in deed gloried and delighted in demonstr ating his a d m ira tion and a ffection for her be fore the world And if a man does not think for a woman she very rarely thinks for herself but rather likes than not to be placarded about with her admirer particularly if he is as highly placed as G ra n d ston His lordship dis played a hieroglyph of brilliants in the centre o f his shirt in evening dress and o f course no one could — re ad that it sp elt Thea her ladyship wore studs with the pet name of the Marquis also in brilli a nts in her sleeves — this they no doubt also believed to be a secret known only to themselves Each pos sessed half a dozen of the other s photographs : Gra n d ston was having o n e o f Dorothe a s enlarged and beautifully p ainted for his own delight and also a miniature o f himself for a locket to be worn by her Dorothea was becoming a good deal bolder than formerly It was some time since her husband had e xhibited any j ealousy or asked questions about her movements Two of Gra n d ston s likenesses embel l ish e d her drawing room ; one in an ordinary frame ,
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the chimney piece another in purple velvet sur mounted by a coronet This w a s placed in a more retired S ituation on a small table with flowers and silver knick knacks and enamel scent bottles and snuff boxes Belhaven s a w it for the first time on the day that he received the anonymous letter This w a s not a coincidence for he had gone into the room on a tour of investigation to look for Gra n d ston s photograph and to study his rival s features O ne of his sudden fits of fury came upon him at sight o f the confident smiling good looking face and it was with considerable difficulty that he restrained him self from dashing it on the floor and grinding case coronet and picture under his heel The conceit of the young fool to have his coronet forsooth stuck above his pretty face but that Marquis s coronet he thought bitterly to himself wa s no doubt the great attraction in Dorothea s eyes Contrary to his habit he made his appearance in his wife s drawing room at six o clock that after noon Gra n d ston w a s there leaning familiarly with his back to the fire : Dorothe a in a lovely tea gown was half reclined in a low chair looking up at him : there was no one else present Gra n d ston who had a charming manner treated Belhaven to his very best S pecimen o f it on this o c casion and his unhappy and unwilling host could not altogether resist the influence of it and behaved to him with a great deal more courtesy and ci vility on
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than he had intended A l l his rage w a s against Dorothe a and yet he could not drive away the reflection that it was hardly strange sh e should like this handsome lad s society and contrast him with himself It was evident that L ord Belhaven had come with the intention o f remaining so G ra n d ston pre and his host followed him out s e ntly took his leave of the room and down the stairs Instead o f return ing to the drawing room where her ladyship w a s e xpecting him w ith considerable trepidation he went and shut himself in his own room where he re maine d an hour a prey to the bitterest feelings he had ever known If he had been only a j ealous ill tempere d man like a good many others he might have found some satisfaction in thoughts o f ven e a n c e ; in plans for coercing his wife to discretion g a nd preventing her meetings with young Antinous But along with his failings he had a great sense of j ustice and fair play and that kindness of heart which was his b ane because it was always at wa r with his impulse to anger so that he was constantly torn in two by his conflicting p assions and endured terrible mental suffering in consequence If he could only have been one thing or the other— a n ill tempered violent brute without remorse or pity or a good natured easy going man to whom it wa s no ” “ effort to let unpleasant things slide ! A s he strode up and down his room he was .
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divide d feelings — the fear of a rupture between him and her sister and the hO p e that he might put a stop to D orothea s flirtation which filled her with uneasiness and often with indignation She had remonstrated once and her ladyship had retorted scornfully “ Y ou had better mind your own business I ” don t think you need say anything ! It wa s entirely a random shaft but it went home none the less It made her think that Dorothe a knew all and silenced her for ever Dorothe a was dressing for a dance when a knock which she recognised as her husband s came at the door She had j ust time to throw her white cloa k over a bouquet on the table before he entered ” “ I want to speak to you he said coldly and and turned a sh e made a sign to her maid to go smiling though a very pale face towards her lord She w a s trembling and her heart beat much faster than usual ” “ Y es dear ? she said in a voice whose e x pression was strangely altered from its customary in ” “ di fference What is it ? ” “ It is about L ord Gra nd ston he replied trying to speak coldly A n d he looked searchingly at her ” “ Y es ? What about him ? “ I had an anonymous letter about him this ” ” morning pursued Belhaven about him and you ’
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About him and me ! echoed Dorothea laugh “ i ng but not very naturally or e asily H ow utterly ” ridiculous ! ” “ Why ridiculous ? said Belhaven sternly Her a cting w a s not good enough to deceive him ” “ A boy like that ! and my lady tried to put an infl e xion o f scornful amusement into her voice ” “ How old is he ? inquired Belhaven ” “ O h about eighteen or nineteen I suppose a n It wa s j ust two months since she swe re d Dorothea had sent him a present on his twentieth birthday “ He is a nice amusing boy— but an anonymous letter ! How too ridiculous ! What wretches people ” are ! Well what did it sa y? ” “ “ I hardly know replied Belhaven I put it behind the fire after one look But the drift o f it was clear enough However what I have to s a y to is his I will n o t have my wife s name coupled o u t y ” “ with that of either man or boy with meaning I will not have fellows lounging about my house o f an ” “ afternoon and I request with growing anger that you will remove the portrait o f L ord Gra nd ston which is embellished by his coronet to a less con ” spic uou s place than it occupies at present He feels his dreadful temper getting the better o f him and prepares to retreat In passing the table he brushes the cloak — it falls and reveals the exquisite white bouquet over which it had been ha s tily flung I6 My L o rd d My L ady 1 1 ,
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Where did this come from ? he a sloe d angrily ” “ I ordered it answered Dorothea p ale as “ death I suppose I can do as I please with my ” o wn money ” “ Infernal extravag a n ce ! muttere d B elhaven ta k ing it up in his hand Underneath l ay an un open ed n ote on which wa s blazoned the same coronet a s that surm ounting Gra n d ston s portrait — For an in stant Belhaven hesitated a n almost i rresistible impul se urged him to tear open the no te — then he dashed the bouquet on the table and rushed from the room Another moment and my l ady had flung the un opened letter into the fi re Belhaven might change his mind and return She did not suppose there was anything in the note but it w a s a s well to be on the safe S ide And in half an hour she would “
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Fro m this evening La dy B elha ven e nj oyed far less fre e dom than sh e had done for some time previously It was perfe ctly obvious t ha t he r hus b and was keeping wat ch over her movem en ts and endeavouring to ascertain for himself how m uc h truth la y in t h at anonymous lette r He generally came in to lunch now ; invaded the drawing room and gave so cool a re ce pti on to any of a t all hours his sex w hom he found in his wi fe s com p any that it wa s some time ere they ventured to r epea t the .
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symp athy and kindness She went out a gre at deal ; being always invited with Dorothe a ; she danced ; she rode — not D uke s chestnut which B elhaven had returned — she talked to men and they made love to her Their speeches fell utterly flat upon he r — ear if sh e felt anything it w a s a sensation between mirth and contempt She had become very much — the fashion her pale strange k ind of beauty a t tracted men and her coldness and insensibility piqued them Her nature wa s to o symp athetic to permit o f her ever being rude or unkind — she was S imply indi fferent She looked at them with those be autiful eyes behind which the fires of volcanoes seemed to lie and said sh e was incap able o f feeling They were e a p e ra te d at such a w anton falsehood ; but she said it and thought it sincerely enough There was only one thing she desire d ardently that w a s to be once more friends with Duke — only friends She acknowledge d him in her heart as the kindest and truest of men and would have liked to think that he felt kindly to her instead of despising her She did not dare to hint this even to Angie — lest she might be misunderstood she did not want — him for a lover or a husban d she had had enough o f love L ove ! w a s there such a thing ? or was it only a beautiful mirage that women followed until it ruined their lives and broke their hearts ? She met Duke sometimes in society They a l ways exchanged bo ws but he neve r S pok e to her .
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aid a few words to Dorothea Her ladyship frequently wore his pearl necklace with the diamond clasps at which Cilla w a s deeply indignant She wanted it returned to Duke along with his other costly presents Belhaven would have been furious had he known how her ladyship had behaved in the matter but she took care that he should not know When she met Duke sh e would call his attention to them if they happened to adorn her on the occasion and would s a y “ I know it will come all right one day I am ” keeping them till then And Duke would make a grave inclination o f the head and keep silence He knew it could never come right He told himself that knowing what he knew he would not marry Cilla now if sh e went on her knees to him ; but when he s a w her a passionate p ang smote his heart and he felt that he had lost the thing which once made life sweet to him He was more devoted than ever to Angie ; lived more in her society The world could not belaud her cleverness enough It was quite convinced that S he had separated him from Miss St George The season was at its height ; Ascot impending Dorothea had months before given her promise that she and Cilla would join a party to b e formed for Ascot week ? and Lord Gra n d ston had as a atter course been invited at the same time f o m There was on e guest how ever upon whom no one s
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had c ounted L ord B elhaven would be as k ed of cours e, and j ust as much of course ( as he deteste d raci ng and race courses) he would de cline But to the consternation of everyone except Cilla he de sired his wife in a cheerful tone to accept the in vita tio n for him Poor Belhaven w a s playing a part ; trying too to play it w ith a smiling face whilst he was su ffering the most infernal tortures He was madly j ealous He had seen long enough ago how things were b e tween Dorot he a and G ra n d ston but he did not dare to take any strong measure for fear o f driving her to desperati on : he tho u ght to keep the w orld from t a lking by going everywhere with her He watched them togethe r Every look that Gra nd ston bent on her tortured him Every time he whispered in her willing e ar Belhaven with difficulty controlled his rage and m ise ry Sometimes he hated his w ife ; sometimes his old idolat ry o f her beauty returned with ten fold force : there were moments when he felt himself capable o f strangling he r so that no — h h ot er man might look upon or love e r a non he could h ave grovelled at her feet in an a gony of self ab asement These conflicting feelings were telling te rribly u pon him He could not sleep his appetit e w as cap ricious ; the re was a wild hunted expression about his eyes which made his friends look askance at him Dorothea w as too angry and e mbittered to .
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woman who was the fashion of the hour— he whose dream had been domestic happiness love s ympathy Her ladyship took n ot the smallest notice o f him : sh e flirted and laughed and amused herself as though he had been a hundred miles away and he stood there wretched and heart broken fighting a fierce battle with his own heart and striving to con trol himsel f lest he should bre ak out and make a S cene which would for ever render him ridiculous He was quite resolved on one point : this should be the last of her triumph and his martyrdom : after this S he should either yield to his Opinion and give up G ra n d ston o r there should be a sep aration b e — tween them she should no longer mock and deride him and set his authority and feelings at naught He had meant to wait until they were back in town be fore coming to an explanation with her but she flirted so out o n the last evening o f their stay rageously with Gra n d ston that he could no longer control himsel f and when the p arty sep arated for the night went to her room to speak his mind Gra n d ston with boyish vanity seeing the a d m ira tion which L ady Belhaven ex cited had returned gladly to his allegiance and p aid her the most m arked attention Dorothea w a s triumphant ; her success made her utterly reckless ; S he neither thought nor care d about consequences When Belhaven reproached her violently and threatened her with the future she leaned back i n L
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her chair with a p rovo kingly indi fferent smile and did not answer by so much as a word He became exasperated almost beyond endurance —her silence made him sa y more than he had even intended And wrought up to frenzy b e dried .
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Her words produced on Belhaven the effect o f a paralytic strok e Instead of augmenting his fury they struck him dumb ; he was seized with a sudden icy coldness as though his heart had turned to stone ; as though he had got his death blow He — stared dumbly at her that beautiful soft looking woman who gazed unblenchingly in his face and this speech of unparalleled cruelty and u tter ed sham elessness For a minute he stood with his eye s fixed upon her as though she were some horrid spectre ; then he turned and staggered out o f the .
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When the door closed upon h i m D orothea uttered a littl e m ock ing laugh ,
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Heaven for that ! she sa 1 d and betook hersel f to bed where she slept soundly whilst in the adjoining room Belhaven sa t stunne d a nd stupe fi e d u nti l the morning His wi fe s words rang in his ears like a d e ath knell O h Heaven ! if he could but d ie himself and ha v e done with this intole rab le su fferin g and misery ! At bre akfast next morning when he sa w Doro the a, fresh beautiful , smilin g ; without a trace of fe e ling on her fair face and Gra n d ston hanging over her the frenzy crept back to his heart — he under stood now h ow men murdered women for j ealousy — A little more self command the week s martyrdom was nearly over ; but meantime he w a s frightened at his own sensations — he felt as though his self command would n ot last much longer They were at the station A great many people guests from n eighbouring houses were waiting for the train — amon gst them w a s Duke V e re ke r stand ing not far from the Belhaven p arty G ra nd ston came up to Dorothe a and whispered “ I have orde red my coach to meet me at K in g ston W ill you drive up to town from there with ” me ? ” “ I shall be del i ghted she answered Belhaven heard the wh i sper and her reply ,
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The n he s a w a desperate look leap into B e lh a v e n s eyes ; saw him make a step forward and j ump from the platform a s the train dashed up Eve ryone else— almost everyone else — thought it was an acci dent Perhaps L ady Belhaven knew d ifferently If she did she never by word or S ign gave any hi nt of her knowledge defiance
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months have p assed since the Terrible and ” fatal accident to Viscount Belhaven wa s chronicled in the daily papers and furnished paragraphs for ” “ the Society Journals Great deep universal w a s the symp athy expressed for the young and beautiful V iscountess under her awful bereavement — touching pictures were drawn o f the broken hearted lady who s o lately was the admired o f all observers the most brilliant and beautiful in a circle where these a t tributes were the rule not the exception Thousands — of cards were left at the house in May Fair hundreds o f letters o f condolence — the most exalted personage s in England sent their kindly tribute o f sympathy It was some small consolation to think one had so many friends murmured the bereaved on e pathe tically It would be quite untrue to say that Dorothea was not terribly Shocked and grieved and shaken by the awful tragedy which she had brought about but it was an intense relief to her that her husband s death was universally treated as an accident and that no paper wishing to seem better informed than .
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fellows ga v e the least hint or inn uendo of suicide A s a m atter o f fact there were only three people who knew the truth — hersel f Gra n d ston and Duke It w a s a significant fact that Gra n d ston neither called nor sent to inquire after her for several days but too k occasion to run over to Paris From that Doro thea correctly argued that he knew the truth and had a guilty uncomfortable feeling at being however i ndire ctly concerned in B e lha ve n s death O ne cannot drive away one s secret thoughts and Dorothea was tormented day and night by S pe culations a s to whether Gra n d ston would marry her That he should was the o ne aim and obj ect and now there was no sin whatever in o f her life delic a cy there m ight be in confessing to hersel f that More a y far more than S he had sh e loved him ever loved anyo ne but hersel f And then to have n ot only the man sh e cared for but a M arquis who wo uld be enorm ously rich when he attained his ,
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When they met e ach care fu lly avoided all allusion to the terrible scene at the station — the dead man s name was never once mentioned b e tween the m L ady B elhaven turned over a dozen plans in her hea d b e fore S he decided upon on e She must not stay in L on don — it would n ot do for her to be seen i n the Pa rk n or in a shop nor at a friend s house ,
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be tween t hem Cilla disapproved most : strongly of he r sister s conduct and L ady Bel haven resented to the last degree C illa S unspoken though evident dis approbation And for some reason or other Cilla positively disliked Gra nd ston and treated him with a coldness which piqued and angered him extremely My lady s temper w a s very much altered from its former sweet placidity but then in her girlish days there had been nothing to ru ffle it She w a s idolized by her mother who made everyt hing smoo th and pleasant for her and their ideas on all subj ects were so perfectly in unison that there w a s never any question o f disagreemen t between them But of late S he had been living in a state o f perpetual strife and warfare : her views and her husb and s were diametrically opposed — her love o f pleasure and he r vanity were constantly being thwarted by him — she had to endure contradictions and a despotism that was new to her It w a s despotism why should she not have her own way and do ex actly what she pleased ! Cilla sh e had never cared for— now S he positively dislike d her knowing that the girl had always been even though she kept silence on B e lha v e n s side Dorothe a would have been delighted to get rid of her and to hire a travelling comp anion but she could not a fford to dispense with Cilla s income which w ould go towards p aying expenses Cilla s eyes were worse than a conscience : there wa s always .
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that s a d reproachful look in them when she saw wrong done or what she thought wrong Poor Cilla ! Now Belhaven wa s gone she felt herself indeed to be alone in the world She forgot there had ever been any estrangement between them and only thought of him as the kindest best friend sh e had ever had When only five weeks after his terrible death she sa w Dorothea in the highest S p irits n ot only allowing Gra n d ston to make love to her but encouraging him to the utmost and showing her feelings for him without the least reserve Cilla was disgusted and pained beyond expression It re volte d not only her heart but her sense o f decency and she avoided their company as much as possible Dorothea was only too delighted to be rid o f her and was never weary o f abusing her to Gra n d ston but he seeme d rather to take her behaviour to heart and to be piqued and annoyed by it He even tried to conciliate her much to Dorothea s annoy ance but Cilla retained her invariable air of distant politeness and was not to be propitiated She was indignant with him for making open love to her sister when poor Belhaven w a s only j ust dead — she re sented too the familiarity o f his behaviour and the laxness of his conversation When he said things that made Cilla s ears tingle and her cheeks burn with anger Dorothea laughe d and seemed delighted —whatever affection Gra nd ston might enter I7 My L o rd d My L ady 1 1 ,
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tain for her it was evident that he had but littl e respect for or awe o f her He did not attempt to conceal the fact that his sister the D uchess o f K ingscourt was violently pre i c e against her and never left a stone unturne d u d d j to get him away from her This was a dreadful m ortifi c a tion to Dorothea who in revenge used her utmost e fforts to estrange him from the D uchess and p artially succeede d in her design There was no doubt that Gra n d ston was very much in love with her ladyship ; but still he had not s aid anything about marriage — he had been pursue d so often and so ardently during the last that he had grown wary and w as three years always on his guard about proposals and promises It is even possible that he rather regretted Bel haven s death than otherwi se though he vastly enjo yed the present state o f affairs To make u n restraine d love to a beautiful woman in charming summer weather amongst e xqu i site scene s cannot fail to be delightful to a young fellow full o f life and S pirits Perhap s Dorothe a s pleasure was not so unalloyed : Gra n d ston had not the b est temper in the world nor was he by any means care ful of re straining it in her presence and she w a s afraid of him He was subj ect to fits o f petulance ; he could not brook the least opposition — if everything did not run on castors ; if everyone he met did n ot know rew imper i ous and d is a n d kou tou to h i s rank he g ,
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first favourite than here where he had her undis u e to himself Dorothe a was painfully conscious t d p of this and bitterly lamented her forced e xile from the gay world N e xt year ! B ut by this time next year she ha d ardently hope d to be Marchioness of Gra n d ston When he le ft her she wa s utterly wretched Her lovely eyes grew dim with constant tears : Cilla felt quite sorry for her Dorothea had a miserable intuition of how gay and happy Gra n d ston wa s being caj ole d and flattered by a host of pretty women who were taking delighted advantage of her absence whilst she w a s so dull and unhappy away from him She wrote him daily the most affectionate letters to which he sent short and infrequent answers ; not because his love for her had decreased but because when one i s i n a whirl and vortex of plea sure and gaiety one has little time or inclination for writing Worst o f all he gave no hint of returning There w a s the Cowes wee k and a short yachting trip after that then Scotland When with her he had promised to return immediately after Cowes b ut now each letter spoke o f fresh engagements D orothe a was unhappy and being unhappy gre w ill temp ered and Cilla suffered in consequence O nce n ow and then her fiery spirit would break out and she would let her sister know that there wa s a l i m i t to endurance but as a rule she bore .
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wearily with her ladyship s snappishness think ing it was a wretched world and that her doom was always to su ffer in one way or another Her mind constantly reverted to the happy time spent last year with Duke and Angie when there w a s no quarrelling nor bickering but everyone was kind happy and good tempered ,
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December found the sisters back in L ondon to the satisfaction o f both L ady Belhaven had been tormented by fear and doubt as long as she w a s o ut of the country Gra n d ston had only paid her two flying visits since July and she heard dreadful rumours o f his attentions to a certain Mrs V ernon Her only ch a nce seemed to lie in being on the S pot but she had terrible doubts about the seriousness o f his intentions towards her She did not dare to try to bring him to the point lest he might take flight altogether .
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Cilla was rej oiced to be in England again She was devoted to her own country and life w ith Dorothe a as her sole comp anion had been almost unbearable My lady never thought it necessary to consult her sister about their movements nor to c on sider her in any way Sometimes she would scarcely spe ak to her for days together and then prob ably only opened her lips to s a y something disagreeable She was certainly a very di fferent person from the placid smiling Dorothe a of yore Her anxiety and uncertainty had made her temper S hrewish and as S he was utterly devoid o f any sense o f j ustice or fairness she did not attempt to check or govern her irritability It was with the gre atest j oy that Cilla went the day after her return to se e Angie having first pre p are d her friend for her visit by letter When she felt that kind lady s arm round her and her kiss on her cheek it seemed as if she had regained a long lost mother She was constantly with Angie now ; her only regret w a s that her presence in Mr s Be au clerc s house seemed to have the e ffect of driving D uke away from it He w a s sometimes actually in the house when sh e arrived but always made a point of escaping without meeting her O ne day sh e said to Angie with tears in her eyes “ I wish Duke would not always run a w ay when I come I should be so glad to be friends with ” him Why should he avoid me ? .
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tal k ing to C i lla and L ady B elhaven sa w with ill conce aled rage that his manner to her sister was much more deferential and respectful than to her — self Cilla remained unchanged S he was still — coldly polite she had never liked Gra nd ston — his s poiled selfish ways disgusted her and she would always rather have avoided his comp any if possible G ra n d ston pique d and irritated by such unusual treatment had already begun to feel a wish to conquer her indifference when a c i rc umstance oc curre d which gave a decided stimulus to his desire He and another man had been dining with the sisters and about eleven o clock took their departure together Gra n d ston s comp anion wa s a man highly placed in society ; a great favourite with women and an authority on that delicate subj ect ” “ Grandy he s a id suddenly as they were wal k “ ing down St James s Street I thin k you ve made ” a mistake ” “ How ? asked Gra n d ston “ Why in devoting yourself to the widow instead of the girl O f course if you ve no serious inte n tions it don t matter but it is pretty clear L ady ” Belhaven has made up her min d to have you Gra n d ston laugh e d rather a famous laugh “ I don t know when I ve been s o taken with ” “ anyone as that girl proceeded his friend By George ! if I hadn t got a wife I should think very seriously about her She ll make a perfect gr a u de ,
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of these days and talk about he art and — l she s got fifty thousand times more than that o n l s vain doll her S ister 1 never saw a more refined intelligent creature — a delightful change from most ” o f the women One meets ” “ She don t li k e me answered Gra nd ston half reluctantly ” “ I expect that s your fault laughed the other “ good hum oure d ly Y ou don t often fail when you ve ” made up your mind to please eh ? This se t Gra n d ston thinking seriously It was r ather a piqua m e situation — to throw on e sister over for the other — it would have to be done under the rose but the di fficulty o f the enterprise would lend a charm to it As his lordship possessed very little heart he had few scruples on the score o f what his desertion might cost Dorothea Indeed he was not at all sure that he ever had meant to marry her fortunately he had not compromised himself by a declaration Y es he decided that there was some thing very fetching about Cilla and that to make her care for him when S he had all along been so disdainful and indifferent would indeed be a triumph He actually could not go to sleep for thinking of — her that night next day if he got a chance he re solved to break the ice d a me
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was standing at the drawing room window waiting for Mrs B eauclerc who h a d promised to drive her out Dorothe a wa s lunchin g with Flora -
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The door was thrown O pen and Lord Gra n d ston announced Cilla turned to greet him say i ng as she held out her h a nd “ My sister is not at home She will n ot be ” b ac k be fore five o clock ” “ “ I k now replied G ra n d ston They told me ” downstairs that S he was out I ca me to se e you H e did not think it necessary to inform her that he had le ft Mrs Ve rsc hoyle s luncheon table in the hop e and expectation o f finding her here alone “ I am going out with Mrs Beaucler c I expect ” her every moment said Cilla returning to her post of observation at the window ” “ O h ! remark e d Gra n d ston in a piqued tone ” “ Y ou cannot sp are a moment for me I suppose ? Something in his tone m ade Cilla look round ” “ “ O h ! yes H ave sh e replied quite n aturally ” you a message to give me for Thea ? ” “ N o he uttered petulantly w al king to th e .
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in the carriage for Miss St Geor ge Without a syllable o f farewell or ex cuse to Grand ston so great wa s her perturbation Cilla le ft the room and descended the stairs Her heart w a s beating violently — there was a strange look in her eyes ” “ Why my dear child what ha s happened ! cried Angie as soon as the footman had shut the door and was mounting the box ” “ N othing answere d the girl in a smothered v o i ce She could not even tell Angie who was the recipient of most o f her c on fi d e n ce s this For some days afterwards sh e avoided Gra n d ston persistently — when he calle d at the hotel if she was in the drawing room she left it immediately and she took good care never to b e there alone D orothea ably seconde d her e fl orts — she had a horrible inkling o f the truth and it almost maddened her She could have borne any rival in the world she thought rather than her sister Gra n d ston s — temper w a s worse than ever h e constantly inquired for Cilla and if she faile d to make her appearance w as S ilent and sul ky and did not stay long F or the first time in her life L ady Belhaven w a s really unhappy All her love all her ambition was centred on Gra n d ston and she could not but s e e that he was slipping from her grasp Another anxiety beset her She wa s livi ng beyond her income — she had spent a great deal more mone y as
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than she ought to have done abroad and retrench ment seemed impossible Why even n ow she had to deny herself a hundred things that she wanted and this hotel life wa s as detestable as it w as ex pensive Dorothea began to have remorseful thoughts about poor Belhaven They would never have crossed her brain had she been happy and prosperous ; but when things go badly with u s and sorrows and d is appointments crowd round us we begin to repent of our sins and o f having made others su ffer The climax was not long in coming L ord Gra nd ston had no idea o f h id ing his time or waiting for the things he desired to come to him He always snatched at them and truth to tell generally grasped them though sometimes when they came they failed to afford him the pleasure he had expected He wa s following in the steps o f Solomon and of all those to whom their pleasures and desires come without an effort— the only thing that could pique him now w a s Opposition — d iffi c ulty O ne evening he invited himself to dine with L ady Belhaven Cilla could not take re fuge with Angie a s was her wont because that lady w a s going to the play with a party During dinner Gra n d ston seemed rather inclined to be petulant and to con tra d ic t his hostess There was an unusual brilliancy in his eyes and a casual observer might have been p ardoned for fancying that he had been drinking ,
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more than was good for him If her ladyship re l marked it she did not think anything o f it but Cilla had an unspeakable h orror o f a m a n under the i nfluen c e how ever slightly of wine and was more silent and cold than ever in her behaviour to him H e did not fail to remark this and Showed that he wa s i rritate d a n d provoked by it D orothea used her utmost endeavours to conciliate him and to smooth his ru ffled feathers but she only succeeded in making him worse Cilla was divided between a nger and disgust for his lordship and sympathy for — her sister she knew well enough what Dorothea s hopes and fears were although they had never been confided to her .
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D inner was over — the servants had retired Gra n d ston suddenly m ade such an unprovoked a t tack on L ady Be lhaven that overcome by her feel i ngs S he rose hastily left the table and retired to her room which Opened ou t o f the sitting room
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Thank Heaven for that ! the door closed upon her
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In an instant Cilla s fiery spiri t blazed up ” “ sh e I do not know L ord Gra n d ston said spea k ing all the more coldly because o f the fi e rc e “ ness of her indignation what your ide a may be of — the conduct becoming a gentleman perhaps you think your rank entitles you to insult a lady at her own table My s i ster may submit to your b e ha viour ’
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blaz i ng e y es w hilst she tried to wrench away her hands ” “ Don t mak e me h urt you ! he said entreat ” “ in l Just listen to me quietly for a moment y g ” “ I will not I do not w ish to she answered “ ” hear anything you have to s a y ” “ Then you shall ! he answered fiercely ent irely unused to h ave h i s love making tre ated so c on te m ptu ou sly Above all when positively for the firs t time in his life he wa s prep ared to make an o ffer of marriage A ll of a sudden it struc k him that Cilla m i s understood his intentions and was repulsing him on that account In an instant he change d his tone and spoke quite tenderly and gently though he still kept hold of her hands ” “ Y ou don t understand me darling he s aid ” “ I love you awfully and I want to marry you And he gaze d eagerly into her eyes expecting to se e some sudden and wonderful transformation there But i nstead she loo k ed more angry than ever ” “ “ I detest you she cried I would not marry ” you for anyt hing in the w orld For a moment he was literally stupe fi e d and Cilla took the opportunity to release herself from his gr asp and fly towards the door She felt literally furious at his cruelty and treachery to her sister Then m i ngle d rage and p assion took possession ,
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and he caught her in his arms held her head back by main force and kissed her a dozen times And at this j uncture Dorothea flung open her door and stood before them looking a very good study for one o f the Furies Gra n d ston released Cilla who fled from the rooni burning with shame and indignation L ocking herself into her own apart ment she burst into a p assion o f tears The in dignity S he had been subj ected to ; her fear o f her S ister s wrathful spite which she knew full well would be wreaked on her ; her sense o f loneliness and friendlessness ; all combined to fill her with despair She was utterly blameless yet how after this ter rible scene wa s she to face Dorothea ? That question wa s answered soon enough Ten minutes had scarcely elapsed before L ady Belhaven rapped sharply at her door She had been worsted in her encounter with G ra n d ston who listened with utter indifference to her passionate reproaches and was brutal enough to tell her that he had never in tended to marry her and that he wa s determined to marry her sister who w a s the first woman to whom he had ever proposed Then he left her and Doro thea maddened with disappointment rushed to Cilla s room to wreak her fury Stammering with rage her face distorted by hatred she terrified Cilla who had never believed her cap able of such violence She ordered her at once to leave the house and go anywhere out into 18 My L o rd d My L ady 1 1 ,
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the street she cared not where but the same ro of S hould never cover them again until the day o f their death Cilla attempted an explanation Dorothe a w ould not hear a word but heaped all manner o f false and horrible accusations upon her s i ster vowing that it w a s she who liad led Gra n d ston on and fr om sheer malice had by artifice and subterfuge tried to lure him away from her Cilla became so frightene d at L ady B e lh a ve n s violence that hastily throwing on her cloak and bonnet and not even waitin g to change her thin little French shoes she ran down stairs and bade the porter call her a cab It wante d ten minutes to ten by the hall clock Mrs B eauclerc w a s at the play but she would drive to her house and wait for her return She was quite sure o f shelter there for the night at all events She was some what embarrasse d to think what she should say to Angie s butler but he was su fficiently well man n e re d not to exhibit any surprise at her appearance at so late an hour Indee d he had a shrewd ide a that some little plot was going on for ten minute s before Mr Ve re ke r ha d arrived from the country and had also intimated his intention of waiting until Mrs Be auclerc s return He was quite aware of the former engagement of the gentleman and the young lady and of its rupture and he now imagined that this was a manoe uvre o f his mistress to bring the young people together a gain Though it certainly struck him a s an odd time to choo se for their meet ,
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constrained manner inspired a sense o f increased desolation in her lonely heart And to night above all nights she w a s so sorely in want o f sympathy sh e would have been have so glad if he would evinced a little o f the old kindness the old interest in her She contrasted him with G ra n d ston wh o by comp a rison seeme d everything that was hateful and despicable After standing S ilent for two or three m inutes D uke began to walk about the room under the pre tence o f looking at various photographs and bits o f china Then as if struck by a sudden thought he said briskly “ After all I don t think it s any use my waiting for Mrs Be auclerc I daresay she ll be tired and ” won t care to be kept up So retreating to the ” “ door I ll s a y good night ” “ Good night responded Cilla coldly whilst her he art sank within her and S he felt more forlorn than ever She would have been so glad to tell him her troubles if he had g i ven her the smallest encourage ment She heard him descend the stairs heard the front door open and shut and then she burst into a passion of tears N ever had she experienced a keener. sense o f m ortifi c a tion o f humiliation She had no power over this man who once loved her so devotedly and whom she now looked on w ith such different eyes -
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sound o f the drawing room door sudde nl y O pening made her spring to her feet and stand gaz ing into the fire to conceal her face from the person entering It was Duke returned As he Opened the front door he remembered that he wanted to leave a message for Angie He had looked into the dining room intending to write a note but as all w a s dark ness he concluded to return to the drawing room and leave a verbal message with Cilla He came up to the chimney piece and s a w in a moment that sh e was crying — he could never bear to s e e a wo man in tears far less this girl whom he had loved so tenderly ” “ “ — What is it ? he said very softly what has ” vexed you ? and he took one of her fragile looking hands in his And at this simple expression o f sympathy on his part Cilla s tears raine d forth afresh — S he seemed to have lost all control over herself and sobbed like a child ” “ Hush my darling entreated Duke moved to involuntary tenderness by the sight of her grie f Then he dre w her head against his shoulder and she left it there with a sense of utter relief and contentment such as sh e had never in her life felt — before He was so strong so kind so good she felt so utterly helpless And Duke as he stood there clasping that dear hand stroking the silk o f that little head and once and again stooping to lay his lips to it felt all the -
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love surging b ack He tried with all his might to check and subdue it What w a s the use of O pen ing the old wound ? Something had vexed her her nerves were upset — because she leaned her head a gainst his breast it was no S ign that sh e cared for him ; only that like a child she wanted to be soothed and com forted .
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Presently he drew her to a sofa and sat beside her still holding her hand ” “ “ Tell me he said gently what has happened ” what makes you unh appy ? A n d Cilla told him how her sister had turned her out of the hotel because o f Gra n d ston who she said had insulted her She did not sa y how n or did she mention his o ffer of marriage which indeed she hardly realised or believed in Duke pronounced L ady B e lha ve n s behaviour in famous but was She quite sure he asked that she had not given Gra n d ston some encouragement ? Cilla repudiated the ide a with the greatest indignation Then Duke said soothingly that it would be sure to come all right and that in the m orning L ady Belhaven would se e reason but anyhow Mrs Beau clerc would stand her friend and do everything in the world for her And as they talked wi th happy confidence to gether Duke had wild dreams about the future and Cilla wondered how she could have been so ,
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Angie told the contents o f his letter to Cilla i n a softened manner and Cilla s speaking face b e tra ye d in an instant how keenly sh e was d isa p pointed ” “ “ I was so in hopes said Angie kindly that u two young people would come together again o y ” after last night ” “ O f course he would never think o f me again “ answered Cilla bitterly How can he ? Why should ” he ? ” “ “ If he did observed Angie tentat i vely I sup ” pose it would be no u se ? Cilla did not answer but two great tears rolled down her cheeks At half p ast twelve as she w a s putting on her bonnet to walk with Angie L ord Gra n d ston s card was brought to her His lordship was in the draw ing—room Cilla flew to Angie in great excitement N othing in the world sh e declared would induce her to se e him Would Angie go to him ? and Angie went Gra n d ston was in a state o f e xtreme p enitence and e xpressed himself overcome with remorse for his behaviour the previous evening He implored Mrs B e auclerc to use her influence with Miss St George to induce her to se e him if only for five minutes — he had something o f the greatest im portance to s a y to her Angie wa s very ki nd — she had known him a ’
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long time and he was always on his best beha vi our with her ” “ It is no use S he said quite frankly to him “ Your conduct last night is really not to be easily ” looked over and Cilla is resolved not to s e e you Then Gra n d ston grew excited — almost tearful ” “ “ L ook here Mrs Beauclerc he cried I was a brute — I know it I think I must have been drunk ; but I love that girl awfully I want to marry her I ll go down on my knees to ask her i f that will ” satisfy her Angie s breath was fairly taken a way The Marquis of Gra n d ston almost the best match in England proposing to marry Cilla ! As a woman ; as a woman of the world ; it was her bounden duty to insist on Cilla s considering such an offer For her own part S he should certainly not go against his suit So in the kindest manner in the world sh e promised to make his peace with Cilla ; at all events to induce her to se e him at five o clock that afternoon ” “ But I can t bear the suspense cried Grand ” “ ston in an agitated voice ; I can t indeed However Angie finally induced him to accede to her suggestion and he left the house with a very woe begone air Angie rushed upstairs to Cilla ” “ My dear child ! she cried throwing herself ” “ into an arm chair He wants to marry you .
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Doe s he ? uttered Cilla clenching her small teeth in a manner that expressed volumes ” “ This requires the most serious reflection pursue d Angie ” “ Not on my p art returned Cilla “ B ut my love ! to be Marchioness o f Gra n d ston ! Just think what a position ! And he is a very nice good looking boy and will be enormously rich And ” he has charming manners ” “ Charming manners ! reiterated Cilla raising “ her voice He is the rudest coarsest most selfish creature I ever met I assure you dear Mrs Beau ” “ clerc more gently I have had ample Opportunity If you had seen as o f studying his real nature much of him as I have you would think him utterly detestable I never could imagine what The a s a w ” in him to be so fond o f Why I would rather “ w ith great energy marry But here she had to pause in order to think o f some one sufficiently detestable to point her remark with ” “ D uke ? suggested Angie m a l iciously ” “ D uke ! cried Cilla and the tears started to her “ eyes I would rather m arry D uke without a penny ” than L ord Gra nd ston with millions ” “ “ Then my dear why observed Angie drily ” did you not take Duke when you had the chance ? “ — Because I w as mad because I w as w ick ed “
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N ever mind my love she said to Cilla you ” shall live with me until you marry “ You had better not sa y that for your own ” s ak e answered Cilla with a melancholy smile ” “ We S hall see cried Angie gaily A few nights l ater at a small dance to which the two ladies went they met Mr and Mrs Deer brook ” ” “ “ N ow thought Angie to hersel f we shall se e Cis lost no time in approaching them After saying a few words to Angie he turned with his most speaking loo k to Cilla Angie watched the pair narrowly ; Cilla betrayed no emotion but there was an expression o f cold ponte m p t in her eyes that one would hardly have e xpected to se e in so young a woman He asked her to dance ; S he de c lin e d simply and without any S how of feeling and as another man approached she rose took his arm and walked away Twice later D eerbrook tried to get speech o f her but in vain N ext day he wrote to her— she found the letter when she came in from her drive ” “ Do you know that writing ? sh e as k ed of Angie ” “ It is Cis Deerbrook s is it not ? said that lady ” “ Y es answered Cilla throwi ng it unopened into the fire The same evening Angie wrote a long letter to Duke ,
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He answered it by return o f post But he still insisted in spite o f all she told him that he was better away She wrote a second a n d a third time ; then he came — Captain Beauclerc w a s absent the three dined together very cheerily and gaily It was the first time Cilla s heart had ever beat a t the thought o f seeing Duke — the first time her hand had ever thrilled or trembled at his touch A fter dinner Angie like the kind hearted match m er and good woman that She was found a pre te for leaving them together Cilla went to the pi o and sang Duke s favourite song — was exquisite pathos in her voice there n besides finished Duke came over to the sh e looked steadily into her eyes Then he turned sharply away and went b ack to the fire — rose softly and followed him she could see Sh thcre w a s a great struggle going on in his breast ting against her influence but she meant conquer ” “ Duke She said and raised her beautiful eyes to his and put out on e little hand towards him There was no cold repellent look in her eyes now ; no look of strangled dislike and fear such as he had often seen there in the old days He looked at her for a moment and then said almost passionately .
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Why do you want to torment me ? ” “ Torment you ! she murmured in the most e n ” “ trancing whisper How ? ” “ You do not care for me he crie d fiercely ” “ you know you do not You never did ” “ Do I not ? she said again and then kept s ilence until perforce he turned and looked at her Certainly unless the very devil o f falseness lurk ed behind those lovely orb s it would have be en hard to deny that the feeling they expressed was love ” “ “ O h ch ild ! he cried almost beside himself is ” it possible ? Then restra i ning himself by a violent e ffort he said “ N o ! unless you tell me you love me o f your own free will ; u nless you first put your lips to nine ” 1 w ill not believe it Then Cilla blushing and trembling like a l a f it is true gave the evidence o f love that wa s e quired o f her D uke was resolved to test he ings to the uttermost ; he kissed her a dozen watching with strange intensity for the sign o f she were pla yi that w as to betray her if u n a n ce p g a p art But at last he was fain to be satisfied ” “ “ Am I dre aming ? he said O h my love if — u or else why thi s is true what has changed yo ” could you not care for me before ? ” “ “ I cannot tell she whispered But all I know —all I c a re to kno w is that I lo ve you now Do .
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