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diff --git a/40418-0.txt b/40418-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a442932 --- /dev/null +++ b/40418-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6387 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40418 *** + + IT MAY BE TRUE. + + + A NOVEL. + + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + + BY + MRS. WOOD. + + + VOL. I. + + + London: + T. CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHER, + 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, + 1865. + + [THE RIGHT OF TRANSLATION IS RESERVED.] + + + + + IT MAY BE TRUE. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + + ASHLEIGH. + + Had'st thou lived in days of old, + O, what wonders had been told + Of thy lively countenance, + And thy humid eyes that dance + In the midst of their own brightness, + In the very fane of lightness; + Over which thine eyebrows, leaning, + Picture out each lovely meaning; + In a dainty bend they lie + Like the streaks across the sky, + Or the feathers from a crow, + Fallen on a bed of snow. + KEATS. + + +The village of Ashleigh is situated in one of the most lovely and +romantic of the English counties; where mountains, valleys, woods and +forest trees appear to vie with each other in stately magnificence. The +village is literally embosomed amongst the trees. Lofty elms, majestic +oaks, and wide-spreading beech trees grow in and around it. On one side, +as far as the eye can reach, are mountains covered with verdure, with +all their varied and lovely tints of green. On the other side the view +is partially obstructed by a mass of forest trees growing in clumps, or +forming an arch overhead, through which nevertheless may be gained a +peep of the distant sea, with its blue waves, and sometimes the white +sails of a ship; or, on a clear day, even the small fishermen's boats +can be distinguished dotted here and there like small pearls. + +Ashleigh has its country inn and ivy-mantled church, with the small +house dignified as the Parsonage, close by. Other houses are sprinkled +here and there down the green lanes, or along the road, shaded by its +lofty elms, at the end of which, on a small eminence, stands the Manor +or "Big House," as the villagers call it. + +It is a large, brick building, but with nothing grand or imposing about +it; in fact, but for the lovely grounds and plantations on a small scale +around, the clematis, jasmine and other beautiful creepers, too numerous +to mention, trained up its walls, and hanging in luxuriant festoons +about the porch, and the dark ivy which almost covers the roof, the +whole of one side, and part of the front itself, it would be an ugly, +unwieldy-looking edifice; as it was, everything appeared bright and +gladsome. + +Before you reach the village, a bridge crosses a small stream which +flows from the hill-side, and after winding gracefully and silently +through the midst, passes by the mill and being just seen like a long +thin thread of silver in the distance, is lost in the rich meadows +beyond. + +It was the beautiful spring time of the year:-- + + "The delicate-footed May, + With its slight fingers full of leaves and flowers." + +The sun was just setting in all its regal splendour beneath the deep +rich crimson sky, throwing long dim shadows from the stately trees which +over-arched the road along which a young girl was slowly wending her +way. Her figure was slight, yet her step--although she appeared very +young--had none of the buoyancy or elasticity of youth. It was slow; +almost mournful. But either the graceful figure or step itself had a +certain dignified pride, neither stately, haughty, nor commanding; +perhaps it combined all three. Her face was very lovely. Fair golden +masses of hair waved under the broad straw hat she wore, while her eyes +were shaded by long, dark silken lashes. She had a clear, high forehead, +and a delicately fair complexion. Such was Amy Neville. She paused as +she reached the bridge, and, leaning against the low masonry at the +side, looked back. Nothing could be lovelier than the scene she gazed +on. The sun, as we have said, was just setting, and the sea, distinctly +seen from the bridge, looked like one large, broad mirror, its waves +dashing here and there like glittering diamonds. Far off, touched by +the last rays of the sun, the white cliffs stood out grandly, while +birds chirped and warbled among the leafy branches; groups of merry, +noisy children played in the village, under the shade of the elms, +through which here and there long thin white wreaths of smoke curled +gracefully and slowly upwards. + +A cart, with its team of horses, roused Amy from her reverie, and she +went into the lane where the hedge-rows were one mass of wild flowers. +The delicate primrose, yellow cowslips, blue-bells, bryony, travellers' +joy, and a number of others, almost rivalling in their loveliness the +painted, petted ones in our own cultivated parterres, grew here in wild +luxuriance, and as Amy sauntered slowly on, she filled the basket she +carried on her arm with their beauty and fragrance. As she came in sight +of one of the houses before mentioned, a child of about ten years of age +came flying down the narrow garden-walk to meet her. Throwing her arms +round her neck she upset Amy's basket of treasures, covering her dark +hair with the lovely buds and blossoms. Leaving her to collect the +scattered flowers, Amy passed into the cottage, her home. + +"You are late, Amy," said a voice, as she entered the little sitting +room, "or otherwise I have wished to see you more than usual, and am +impatient. Sarah has been eagerly watching the road ever since her +return from her walk. Poor child! I fear she misses her young school +companions." + +"I think I am rather later than usual, mamma, but old Mrs. Collins was +more than usually talkative; so full of her ailments and griefs, I +really was quite vexed with her at last, as if no one in the world +suffers as she does. Then the evening was so lovely, I loitered at the +bridge to watch the sun set; you can have no idea how beautiful it was; +and the wild flowers in the lane, I could not resist gathering them," +and throwing her hat carelessly on the table, Amy seated herself on a +low stool at her mother's feet. + +"And why have you wished to see me so much, and what makes you look so +sad, dear mamma?" she asked, as Mrs. Neville laid her hand caressingly +on the masses of golden hair. + +Receiving no reply, she bent her eager, loving eyes on her mother's +face. There was a sad, almost painful expression overshadowing the eyes, +and compressing the lips, and it was some time ere Mrs. Neville met her +gaze, and then tears had gathered under the long eyelashes, though none +rested on her cheek. + +"I have been for a drive with Mrs. Elrington, Amy." + +Amy turned away her face; she dared not trust herself to meet those +mournful eyes, expressing as they did all the grief she feared to +encounter; so she turned away, lest she also should betray emotion which +must be overcome, or be wanting in firmness to adhere to the plan she +had formed, a plan she knew to be right, and therefore to be carried +out; if the courage and resolution of which she had so boasted to Mrs. +Elrington did not give way in the now wished for, yet half-dreaded +conversation. + +"And she mentioned the letter to you, mamma?" asked Amy. + +"She did. And much more beside. She tried to talk me over; tried to make +me give my consent to parting with you, my dear child." + +"And did you consent, dear mamma? Did Mrs. Elrington tell you how much I +had set my heart upon going?" + +"You wish to leave me, Amy?" asked Mrs. Neville reproachfully. "Think +how lonely I should be. How I should miss the thousand kind things you +do for me. And when I am sad, who will cheer me as you have done? I +cannot part with you, my child. It is too hard a trial. I cannot bring +myself to think of it!" + +"But, mamma," replied Amy, pausing to stifle her rising emotion. "You +have Sarah, and she is full of fun and spirits, and always laughing and +merry, or singing about the house. And then, dear old Hannah will, I +know, do her best to fill my place, so that after a while you will +scarcely miss my sober face, and I am sure it is what I ought to do, +dear mamma, instead of remaining here in idleness, and seeing you daily +deprived of all the many comforts you have been accustomed to; and think +of the pleasure it would give me to know and feel I am working for you, +my own dear mother;" and Amy drew her mother's arm fondly round her +neck. + +"Slaving for me, Amy! A governess's life is a life of slavery, though to +you it may appear all sunshine. A path of thorns; no bed of roses, such +as your excited fancy may have sketched out." + +"No, mamma; you are wrong. I have thought over all the discomforts, +mortifications, slavery, if you will, and it does not alter my opinion. +I am willing to bear them all; and Mrs. Elrington, whom you love so much +and think so highly of, told me she thought if you gave your consent it +was the very best thing I could do. Nearly a month ago the idea entered +my head; and she offered then to write to a friend who she thought +might want a governess for her children, and I have pondered upon it +ever since. Do consent, dear mamma, pray do. Indeed you must let me have +my way in this." + +"Well, Amy dear, I will say no more; I half promised Mrs. Elrington +before I came in; and now I give my consent; may I never have to regret +it," and Mrs. Neville turned away and bent her head over her work that +her daughter might not see the tears that were fast filling her eyes. + +"Oh, thank you, again and again, dear mamma," said Amy, rising and +kissing her pale cheek, "I will go at once and tell Mrs. Elrington; see +it is not yet dusk, and I shall be back before Hannah has prepared the +tea table; or if not, quite in time to make the tea." + +Mrs. Neville, Amy's mother, was dressed in deep mourning, her once dark +hair, now tinged with grey, smoothly braided beneath the close-fitting +widow's cap. The large, dark mournful eyes, the small delicate +features, the beautifully formed mouth, all told that Amy's mother must +once have been gifted with no common share of beauty. Sorrow more than +time had marked its ravages on her once fair face. + +She had married early in life, and much against the wishes of her +friends, who did not approve of the poor but handsome Captain Neville. +Some years after their marriage, by the sudden and unlooked-for death of +an uncle and cousin, he came into a large property; but whether this +unexpected accession of wealth, with the temptations with which he was +surrounded in his new sphere, changed his heart, or whether the seeds +were there before, only requiring opportunity and circumstances to call +them forth into action; who can tell? Suffice it to say, he ran a sad +career of dissipation; and at his death little indeed remained for his +widow and children. And now the once courted, flattered, and admired +Sarah Barton, bred up and nurtured in the lap of luxury, with scarcely a +wish ungratified; was living in a small cottage, and her beloved child +on the eve of departing from her home, to be that poor despised being--a +governess. Captain Neville had been dead about four months, and his +widow mourned for him as the father of her children, thought of him as +he had been to her in the first early days of their married life, the +fond and loving husband. + +Amy did not return till late. Mrs. Elrington had promised to write to +the lady that evening; and less than three days might bring the answer. + +As day after day passed, poor Amy's heart beat fast; and her slight form +trembled whenever she heard the little gate opened, leading into the +small garden before the house; yet day after day passed by, and still +Mrs. Elrington came not; and Amy almost feared her kind old friend had +forgotten her promise, or, what was still worse, her application to the +lady had failed. + +About ten days afterwards, one morning, as Amy sat with her mother in +the little sitting room, working and listening to the exclamations of +delight that fell from the lips of her little sister Sarah, who was +wondering how dear dolly would look in the smart new dress Amy was +making for her, the sound of approaching carriage wheels was dully heard +coming down the road. Presently a pony chaise drew up before the gate. +Amy could hardly draw her breath as she recognized from the window the +slow and measured step, the tall and stately figure of her kind old +friend; and gently pushing away her sister, who attempted to detain her, +probably disappointed at the unfinished state of dolly's frock, and not +daring to look at her mother, she went and met the old lady at the door. + +"Dear Mrs. Elrington, I thought you would never come! Have you heard +from the lady, and what does she say?" + +"Yes, Amy, I have heard twice from the lady since I saw you; but I +thought it best not to come until I had received a definite answer." + +"It is very kind of you to come at all, dear Mrs. Elrington. But have +you been successful? Is the answer favourable?" + +"Yes, Amy. The lady has engaged you, but there are three little girls, +not two, as I at first thought; however they are very young, and I hope +your trouble will be slight." + +Poor Amy! What she had so long sighed and wished for, now seemed in its +stern reality the greatest calamity that could have befallen her. She +thought of her mother, whose comfort, solace, and companion she was, how +lonely she would be; what could or would she do without her? Must she, +indeed, leave her and her home where, for the last few months she had +been so happy, and live amongst strangers, who cared not for her? Must +she leave her birds, her flowers, all the thousand attractions and +associations of home? Yes, she must give up all, and only bear them +closer in her heart, not see and feel them every day; and as these +thoughts crossed her mind, tears she could not keep down welled up into +her eyes; they would not be controlled, and looking up and meeting Mrs. +Elrington's pitying gaze bent full on her, with a smothered sob she hid +her face on her kind friend's shoulder. + +Mrs. Elrington suffered her to weep on in silence, and some minutes +elapsed ere Amy raised her head, and, smiling through her tears, took +Mrs. Elrington's hand and led her to the door of the room she had just +quitted and calling her sister, left the friends together. + +An hour afterwards, when Amy entered the room, her mother was alone, +Mrs. Elrington was gone. + +The widow's head rested on her hand, and tears were falling fast upon a +small miniature of Amy that her husband had had taken, for he had been +proud of his daughter's beauty. + +She heard not Amy's light step, and the daughter bent softly over her +mother, and pressed her lips gently to her forehead. "My child." "My +mother." And they were folded in one long, mournful embrace. + +It was the first--the last time Amy ever gave way before her mother; she +felt she must have strength for both; and nobly she bore up against her +own sorrowful feelings, smothered every rising emotion of her heart, and +prayed that her widowed mother might be comforted and supported during +her absence, and her own steps guided aright in the new path which lay +so gloomily before her. + +Mrs. Elrington was now almost constantly with them; Amy had begged it as +a favour, for she felt she could not do without the kind old lady, who +was ever ready with her cheerful voice and pleasant, hopeful words to +cheer her mother's drooping spirits. + +How fast the days flew by! It was Amy's last evening at home; in a few +short hours she would be far away from all those she loved. + +A heavy cloud seemed to hang over the little party assembled round the +tea table, and scarce a word was spoken. + +As the tea things were being removed, Mrs. Elrington went softly out, +and the widow, drawing her chair near her daughter's, clasped her hand +in hers, and in a low voice spoke long and earnestly words of love and +advice, such as only a mother knows how to speak. + +Often in after years did Amy call to remembrance the sad, sweet smile, +the gentle, earnest voice with which her mother's last words of love +were uttered. + + + + + CHAPTER II. + + A PROUD LADYE. + + Spring by Spring the branches duly + Clothe themselves in tender flower; + And for her sweet sake as truly + All their fruit and fragrance shower: + But the stream with careless laughter, + Runs in merry beauty by, + And it leaves me, yearning after + Lorn to weep, and lone to die. + In my eyes the syren river + Sings and smiles up in my face; + But for ever and for ever, + Runs from my embrace. + + MASSEY. + + +As we shall have occasion to speak of Mrs. Elrington often in these +pages, some description of her is necessary, though a very slight one +will suffice. + +She lived in the large house called the Manor, before described, and +had lived there for years in lonely solitude. She was a widow, and +although the widow's cap had long ago been laid aside, yet in other +respects her dress had altered little since the day she had first worn +widow's weeds; it was always black; even the bonnet was of the same +sombre hue, the cap, collar, and cuffs alone offering any relief to it. +Her features were very handsome, and her figure tall, upright, and +stately. Her hair was perfectly snow white, drawn off the high broad +forehead, under a simple cap; she was greatly beloved, as also held in +some slight awe; her voice was peculiarly soft, and when she spoke a +pleasant smile seemed to hover about her face which never failed to +gladden the hearts of those whom she addressed; but in general the +expression of her features when in repose was sad. + +Mrs. Elrington and Mrs. Neville were old friends, which accounted +perhaps for the latter's choice of Ashleigh as a home on her husband's +death. They had both been severely tried with this world's sorrows; the +one years ago, the other very recently, so that Amy's earnest entreaty +that Mrs. Elrington would come and cheer her mother was comparatively an +easy task to one who so well knew all the doubts, fears, and desponding +feelings existing in the mind and harassing the thoughts of the widow, +so lately afflicted, now so sorely tried. + +Early in the morning of the day on which Amy was to leave her home, Mrs. +Elrington was at the cottage, encouraging the daughter, and speaking +hopefully to the mother; the <i>return</i>, not departure, being what she +dwelt on to both, but it was a painful task after all, and everyone +looked sad. As Mrs. Neville left the room to see if everything was +satisfactorily prepared for the coming departure, Amy drew near her old +friend, and said---- + +"Dear Mrs. Elrington, I do hope mamma will not fret much after I am +gone; she seems very downhearted now, and full of sadness. I am keeping +up as well as I can, but I dare not look in her tearful face." + +"I make no doubt she will feel your absence much, Amy; but she knows all +is for the best and as it should be, and that, in time will help to make +her happy again. After all it is but a temporary parting from one she +loves. How many have had to bear a more lengthened, and in this world an +eternal separation! Your mother has still one child left to love. I lost +my only one--all I had." + +"It was a hard trial to you, and still harder to bear," replied Amy, as +Mrs. Elrington's voice faltered---- + +"Very, very hard to bear: God alone knows how I did bear it. But He who +dealt the blow alone gave the strength. I fear my stricken heart +murmured sadly at first; it would not be comforted nor consoled. The +thought of my poor boy's broken heart was dreadful. Amy, child, do not +trust too soon in the man who seeks your love; and oh! be very wary of +an ambitious one. Ambition sunders, breaks many hearts, the coveting +either rank or riches, whichever leads on to the one darling object of +life only to be obtained by possessing either one or both of these, and +thereby sacrificing your love or perhaps breaking your heart in the act +of stepping over it to reach the goal he longs for; and which, when +attained, must, under these circumstances bear its sting, and make him +look back regretfully to the time gone by for ever; or, perhaps worse +still, to days too painful to recall. + +"I would far rather it would be so; than that a man should love me for +either my rank or riches, but having neither, perhaps no one will think +me worth having, or take the trouble to fall in love with me." + +Mrs. Elrington smiled as she looked at the lovely, almost scornful face +now lifted to hers, and thought what a stumbling block it would prove in +many a man's path in life. + +"You are laughing at me," exclaimed Amy, as she caught the smile on the +old lady's face. "Do let us talk of something else; of Mrs. Linchmore, +for instance; I do so want to know what she is like, only you never will +tell me." + +"Because I cannot Amy; it is years since we met," replied Mrs. +Elrington, in a hard tone; "so that what she is like now I cannot +describe; you will have to do that when next we meet." + +"But then," persisted Amy, "in that long ago time what was she like?" + +"Very beautiful. A slight, tall, graceful figure, pliant as a reed. Eyes +dark as jet, and hair like a raven's wing. Are you satisfied, Amy?" + +"Not quite. I still want to know what her character was. I am quite +satisfied that she must have been very beautiful." + +"She was as a girl more than beautiful. There was a charm, a softness in +her manner that never failed to allure to her side those she essayed to +please. But in the end she grew vain of her loveliness, and paraded it +as a snare, until it led her to commit a great sin." + +"She may be altered now," exclaimed Amy, "altered for the better." + +"She must be grievously altered. Grief and remorse must have done their +work slowly but surely, for I never will believe that her heart has been +untouched by them." + +"I am afraid I shall not like her," replied Amy, "and I had so made up +my mind that as your friend I should like her at once." + +"We are not friends, Amy! Never can be now! Did we meet to-morrow it +would be as strangers. Let us speak of her no more. I cannot bear it," +exclaimed Mrs. Elrington in an agitated voice, but after a moment her +face grew calm again, and she moved away looking more sorrowful than +angry; but Amy could not help wishing with all her heart that her +journey that day were miles away from Brampton Park; but there was +scarcely time for thought, for in another moment the coach was at the +door, and although bitter tears were shed when the last kiss was given, +Amy tried to smile through her tears and to be sanguine as to the +future, while Mrs. Neville was resigned, or apparently so, and little +Sarah--the only one who gave way to her grief unrestrained--sobbed as if +her heart would break, and when old Hannah took her by force almost, +from her sister's arms, she burst into a perfect passion of tears, which +lasted long after the coach was out of sight which conveyed Amy partly +on her road to her future home. + +The morning was hot and sultry, one of those warm spring days, when +scarcely a breath of air disturbs the hum of the bee, or interrupts the +song of the birds; not a leaf stirred, even the flowers in the garden +scarcely lent their sweet perfume to the light wind; and the rippling +noise the little stream made gently gliding over the pebbly ground could +be distinctly heard from the cottage. + +In the lane just outside the gate were collected a number of men, women, +and children; some out of curiosity, but by far the greater number to +bid farewell to, and to see the last of their beloved Miss Amy; for +although so recent an inhabitant, she was a general favourite in the +village, and numberless were the blessings she received as she stepped +past them into the coach, and with a fervent "God bless you," from Mrs. +Elrington, she was gone. + +It was evening before she reached Brampton Park, her future home, and +the avenue of trees under which she passed were dimly seen in the bright +moonlight. + +It was a long avenue, much longer than the elm tree road at Ashleigh, +yet it bore some resemblance to it; the trees as large and stately, and +the road as broad; but instead of the fragrant flowers in the little +lane at one end, Amy could discern a spacious lawn stretching far away +on one side, while the house, large, old fashioned, and gloomy rose +darkly to view on the other; but within a bright lamp hung in the large, +old handsome hall, illuminating a beautifully carved oak staircase. +Pictures of lords and ladies, in old fashioned dresses, were hanging on +the walls; Amy fancied they gazed sternly at her from out their time +worn frames, as she passed by them, and entered a large handsome +drawing-room, where easy couches, soft sofas, luxurious chairs of every +size and shape, inviting to repose and ease, seemed scattered about in +happy confusion. Crimson silk curtains hung in rich heavy folds before +the windows; a carpet as soft as velvet covered the floor; alabaster +vases and figures adorned the many tables; lamps hung from the ceiling; +in short everything that taste suggested and money could buy, was there. + +At the further end of this room, or rather an inner room beyond, +connected by large folding doors, sat a lady reclining in a large arm +chair; one hand rested on a book in her lap, the other languidly on the +curly head of a little girl, kneeling at her feet; her dark hair lay in +rich glossy bands, on either temple, and was gathered in a knot at the +back of her small, beautifully shaped head, under a lace cap; a dark +silk dress fitted tight to her almost faultless figure, and fell in +graceful folds from her slender waist; a little lace collar, fastened by +a pearl brooch (the only ornament she wore), completed her attire, which +was elegant and simple. Her eyes were dark and piercing, the nose and +chin well-shaped, but perhaps a little too pointed; and the mouth small +and beautiful. Such was Mrs. Linchmore, the mother of two of Amy's +pupils. She was generally considered handsome, though few admired her +haughty manners, or the scornful expression of her face. + +Mrs. Elrington had sent Mrs. Linchmore a slight sketch of Amy's history, +and had also mentioned that she was very young; yet Mrs. Linchmore was +scarcely prepared to see so delicate and fragile a being as the young +girl before her. A feeling of compassion filled her heart as she gazed +on Amy's sweet face, and her manner was less haughty than usual, and her +voice almost kind as she spoke. + +"I fear, Miss Neville, you must have had a very unpleasant journey; the +weather to-day has been more than usually warm, and a coach--I believe +you came part of the way in one--not a very agreeable conveyance." + +"I was the only inside passenger," replied Amy, seating herself in a +chair opposite Mrs. Linchmore, "so that I did not feel the heat much; +but I am rather tired; the after journey in the train, and then the +drive from the station here, has fatigued me greatly." + +"You must indeed be very tired and depressed, one generally is after any +unusual excitement, and this must have been a very trying day for you, +Miss Neville, leaving your home and all those you love; but I trust ere +long you will consider this house your home, and I hope become +reconciled to the change, though I cannot expect it will ever compensate +for the one you have lost." + +"Oh, not lost!" exclaimed Amy, raising her tearful eyes, "not lost, only +exchanged for a time; self-exiled, I ought to say." + +"Self-exiled we will call it, if you like; a pleasant one I hope it +will be. Mr. Linchmore and I have promised Mrs. Elrington we will do all +we can to make it so. I hope we may not find it a difficult task to +perform. The _will_ will not be wanting on my part to insure success, if +I find you such as Mrs. Elrington describes." + +"She is a very kind person," murmured Amy. + +"She was always fond of young people, and very kind to them, so long as +they allowed her to have her own way; but she did not like being +thwarted. Her will was a law not to be disobeyed by those she loved, +unless they wished to incur her eternal displeasure. I suppose she is +quite the old lady now. It is," continued Mrs. Linchmore, with a +scarcely audible sigh, "nine long years since I saw her." + +"She does not appear to me very old," replied Amy, "but nine years is a +long time, and she may have altered greatly." + +"Most likely not," replied Mrs. Linchmore, in a cold tone. "Life to her +has been one bright sunshine. She has had few cares or troubles." + +"Indeed, Mrs. Linchmore!" exclaimed Amy, forgetting in her haste her new +dependent position. "I have heard Mamma say that the death of her +husband early in life was a sore trial to her, as also that of her son, +which occurred not so very long ago." + +"You mistake me, Miss Neville," replied Mrs. Linchmore, more coldly and +haughtily, "those may be trials, but were not the troubles I spoke of." + +Amy was silenced, though she longed to ask what heavier trials there +could be, but she dared not add more in her kind friend's defence; as it +was, she fancied she detected an angry light in Mrs. Linchmore's dark +eyes as they flashed on her while she was speaking, and a proud, almost +defiant curl of the under lip. + +Amy felt chilled as she recalled to mind Mrs. Elrington's words, that +she and Mrs. Linchmore never could be friends; and wondered not as she +gazed at the proud, haughty face before her, and then thought of the +gentle, loving look of her old friend. No; they could not be friends, +they could have nothing in common. How often had Mrs. Elrington +expressed a hope that Amy would learn to love her pupils, but never a +desire or wish that she might love their Mother also; and then the +description which Amy had so often eagerly asked, and which only that +morning had been granted her; how it had saddened her heart, and +predisposed her to think harshly of Mrs. Linchmore. + +There must be something hidden away from sight, something that had +separated these two years ago. What was it? Had it anything to do with +that dread sin Mrs. Elrington had lately touched upon, and of which Amy +had longed, but dared not ask an explanation? If they had loved each +other once, what had separated them now? Where was the charm and +softness of manner which almost made the loveliness Mrs. Elrington had +spoken of? Very beautiful Amy thought the lady before her, but there was +nothing about her to win a girl's love, or draw her heart to her at +first sight. + +How strange all this seemed now. She had never thought of it before. It +had never occurred to her. Her thoughts and feelings had been too +engrossed, too much wrapt up in regret at leaving her home, and +arranging for her Mother's comfort after her departure, to think of +anything else; but now, the more she pondered, the more extraordinary it +seemed, and the more difficult it was to arrive at any satisfactory +conclusion, and the impression her mind was gradually assuming was a +painful one. + +A light, mocking laugh from her companion startled Amy; it grated +harshly on her ears, and snapped the thread of her perplexing thoughts. + +"I doubt," said Mrs. Linchmore, as the laugh faded away to an almost +imperceptible curl of the lip; while her head was thrown haughtily back, +and she proudly met Amy's astonished gaze; "I doubt if Mrs. Elrington +would recognise me; nine years, as you wisely remark, may effect--though +not always--a great change. It has on me; many may possibly think for +the better; _she_ will say for the worse. But time, however hateful it +may be for many reasons, changing, as it does sadly, our outward +appearance; yet what wonderful changes it effects inwardly. It has one +very great advantage in my eyes, it brings forgetfulness; so that the +longer we live the less annoying to us are the faults and follies of +youth; they gradually fade from our vision. I could laugh now at Mrs. +Elrington's bitter remarks and sarcastic words; they would not cause me +one moment's uneasiness." + +Amy was spared any reply by little Alice suddenly rising, and claiming +her mother's attention. + +"This is the youngest of your pupils, Miss Neville. Alice dear, put down +my scissors, and go and speak to that lady." + +The little girl, who had been staring at Amy ever since she entered, now +looked sullenly on the floor, but paid no attention to her mother's +request. + +"Go, dear, go! Will you not make friends with your new governess?" + +"No I won't!" she exclaimed, with flashing eyes. "Nurse says she is a +naughty, cross woman, and I don't love her." + +"Oh, fie! Nurse is very wrong to say such things. You see how much your +services are required, Miss Neville. I fear you will find this little +one sadly spoilt; she is a great pet of her papa's and mine." + +"I trust," replied Amy, "we shall soon be good friends. Alice, dear, +will you not try and love me? I am not cross or naughty," and she +attempted to take the little hand Alice held obstinately beneath her +dress. + +"No, no! go away, go away. I won't love you!" + +At this moment the door opened, and Mr. Linchmore entered. He was a +fine, tall looking man, with a pleasing expression of countenance, and +his manner was so kind as he welcomed Amy that he won her heart at once. +"Hey-day!" he exclaimed, "was it Alice's voice I heard as I came +downstairs? I am afraid, Isabella, you keep her up too late. It is high +time she was in bed and asleep. We shall have little pale cheeks, +instead of these round rosy ones," added he, as the little girl climbed +his knee, and looked up fondly in his face. + +"She was not in the least sleepy," replied his wife, "and begged so hard +to be allowed to remain, that I indulged her for once." + +"Ah! well," said he, smiling, and glancing at Amy. "We shall have a +grand reformation soon. But where are Edith and Fanny?" + +"They were so naughty I was obliged to send them away up stairs. Fanny +broke the vase Charles gave me last winter." + +"By-the-by, I have just heard from Charles; he has leave from his +regiment for a month, and is going to Paris; but is coming down here for +a few days before he starts, just to say good-bye." + +"One of his 'flying visits,' as he calls them. How sorry I am!" + +"Sorry! why so?" + +"Because he promised to spend his leave with us. What shall we do +without him? and how dull it will be here." + +A cloud passed over her husband's face, but he made no reply; and a +silence somewhat embarrassing ensued, only broken some minutes after by +the nurse, who came to fetch Alice to bed, and Amy gladly availed +herself of Mrs. Linchmore's permission to retire at the same time. + +They went up a short flight of stairs, and down a long corridor, or +gallery, then through another longer still, when nurse, half opening a +door to the left, exclaimed,-- + +"This is to be the school-room, miss. I thought you might like to see it +before you went to bed. Madam has ordered your tea to be got ready for +you there, though I'm thinking it's little you'll eat and drink +to-night, coming all alone to a strange place. However you'll may be +like to see Miss Edith and Miss Fanny, and they're both in here, Miss +Fanny at mischief I warrant." + +Then catching up Alice in her arms, after a vain attempt on Amy's part +to obtain a kiss, she marched off with her in triumph, and Amy entered +the room. + +On a low stool, drawn close to the open window, sat a fair-haired girl, +her head bent low over the page she was reading, or trying to decipher, +as the candles threw little light on the spot where she sat. Her long, +fair curls, gently waved by the soft evening breeze, swept the pages, +and quite concealed her face from Amy's gaze on the one side; while on +the other they were held back by her hand, so as not to impede the +light. + +A scream of merry laughter arrested Amy's footsteps as she was advancing +towards her, and turning round she saw a little girl, evidently younger +than the one by the window, dancing about with wild delight, holding the +two fore paws of a little black and white spaniel, which was dressed up +in a doll's cap and frock, and evidently anything but pleased at the +ludicrous figure he cut, although obliged to gambol about on his hind +legs for the little girl's amusement. Presently a snap and a growl +showed he was also inclined to resent his young mistress's liberties, +when another peal of laughter rewarded him, while, bringing her face +close to his, she exclaimed,-- + +"Oh, you dear naughty little doggie! you know you would not dare to bite +me." Then, catching sight of Amy, she instantly released doggie, and +springing up, rushed to the window, saying in a loud whisper-- + +"Oh, Edith, Edith! here's the horrid governess." + +Edith instantly arose, and then stood somewhat abashed at seeing Amy so +close to her; but Amy held out her hand, and said-- + +"I am sorry your sister thinks me so disagreeable; but I hope Edith will +befriend me, and teach her in time to believe me kind and loving." + +"She is not my sister, but my cousin," replied Edith, drooping her long +eyelashes, and suffering her hand to remain in Amy's. + +"Is Alice your sister?" + +"No; she is my cousin, too. I have no sister." + +The tone was sorrowful, and Amy fancied the little hand tightened its +hold, while the eyes were timidly raised to hers. + +Sitting down, she drew the child towards her, while Fanny stood silently +by, gazing at her new friend. They chatted together some time, and when +nurse came to fetch them to bed, Edith still kept her place by Amy's +side, while Fanny, with Carlo in her lap, was seated at her feet, nor +did either of the little girls refuse her proffered kiss as she bade +them "good night." + +How lonely Amy felt in that large long room. + +Notwithstanding the evening was a warm one, the young girl drew her +shawl closer round her shoulders, as she sat down to her solitary tea; +and tears, the first she had shed that day, rolled slowly over her +cheeks as she thought of her mother's calm, loving face, and her +sister's merry prattle. How she missed them both! Although but a few +short hours since they parted, since she felt the warm, silent pressure +of her mother's hand, and Sarah's clinging embrace, yet the hours +seemed long; and oh, how long the months would be! But youth is hopeful, +and ere Amy went to bed, she had already begun to look forward to the +holidays as nearer than they were, to image to herself the warm welcome +home and the happy meeting hereafter with those she loved. + + + + + CHAPTER III. + + MORE ABOUT BRAMPTON. + + Alas!----how changed that mien! + How changed these timid looks have been, + Since years of guilt and of disguise, + Have steel'd her brow, and arm'd her eyes! + No more of virgin terror speaks + The blood that mantles in her cheeks; + Fierce and unfeminine are there + Frenzy for joy, for grief despair. + + SCOTT. + + +Mrs. Linchmore had married for money, yet money had not brought the +happiness she expected. At its shrine she had sacrificed all she held +dearest on earth, and with it her own self-esteem and self-respect. In +the first few months she had tried to reconcile the false step to +herself, had tried to hush the still, small voice within that was +constantly rising to upbraid her. Was not wealth hers? and with it could +she not purchase everything else? Alas! the "still, small voice" would +be heard. She could not stifle it; it pursued her everywhere: in her +pursuits abroad, in her occupations at home--Home! the name was a +mockery. It was a gilded prison, in which her heart was becoming cold +and hard, and all the best feelings of her woman's nature were being +turned to stone. + +Ten years had passed away since Mrs Linchmore stood at the altar as a +bride; ten, to her, slow, miserable years. How changed she was! Her +husband, he who ought to have been her first thought, she treated with +cold indifference; yet he still loved her so passionately that not all +her coldness had been able to root out his love. Her voice was music to +him, her very step made his heart beat more quickly, and sometimes +brought a quick flush to his face; all that she did was his delight, +even her faults he looked on with patient forbearance. But although he +loved her so devotedly, he rarely betrayed it; his face might brighten +and flush when he heard her step, yet by the time she had drawn near, +and stood, perhaps, close by his side as he wrote, it had paled again, +and he would even look up and answer her coldly and calmly, while only +the unsteadiness of his hand as he bent over the paper again, would show +the tumult within; while she, his wife, all unconscious, would stand +coldly by, and pass as coldly away out of his sight, never heeding, +never seeing, the mournful longing and love in his eyes. + +To her children Mrs. Linchmore appeared a cold, stern mother, but in +reality she was not so. She loved them devotedly. All her love was +centred in them. She was blind to their faults, and completely spoiled +them, especially Alice the youngest, a wilful affectionate little +creature, who insisted on having, if possible, her own way in +everything. She managed it somehow completely, and was in consequence a +kind of petty tyrant in the nursery. Nothing must go contrary to her +will and wishes, or a violent burst of passion was the consequence. +These paroxysms of temper were now of such common and frequent +occurrence, that Nurse Hopkins was not sorry the young governess had +arrived, and Alice been partially transferred to the school-room, where +Amy found it a hard task to manage her, and at the same time win her +love. Whenever she reproved, or even tried to reason, Alice thought it +was because she disliked her. "Mamma," she would say, "loves me, and she +never says I am naughty." + +Her sister Fanny was the veriest little romp imaginable, almost always +in mischief. Chasing the butterflies on the lawn, or sitting under the +shade of the trees, with her doll in her lap, and Carlo by her side, was +all she cared for, and Amy could scarcely gain her attention at all. She +was a bright, merry little creature, full of laughter and fun, ready to +help her young playmates out of any scrape, and yet, from utter +thoughtlessness, perpetually falling into disgrace herself. Tearing her +frock in climbing trees, and cutting her hair to make dolls' wigs of, +were among her many misdemeanours, and a scolding was a common +occurrence. But she was always so sorry for her faults, so ready to +acknowledge them, and anxious to atone further. Amy's kind yet grave +face could sober her in a moment, and, with her arms thrown round her +neck, she would exclaim, "Oh, dear Miss Neville, I am so sorry--so +sorry." She was a loveable little creature, and Amy found it one of her +hardest trials to punish her. She hated books. Nothing pleased her so +much, when the morning's task was done, as to put (so she said) the +tiresome books to sleep on their shelves. She showed no disinclination +to learn, and would sit down with the full determination of being +industrious; but the slightest accident would distract her attention, +and set her thoughts wandering, and Edith had generally nearly finished +her lessons before Fanny had learnt her daily tasks. + +Edith, a child of ten years old, was totally dissimilar, and of a +reserved, shrinking nature, rendered still more so from her peculiar +position. She was the orphan daughter of Mr. Linchmore's only sister, +bequeathed to him as a sacred trust; and he had taken her to his house +to be looked upon henceforth as his own child; but no kind voice greeted +her there, no hands clasped the little trembling one in theirs, and bade +her welcome; not a single word of encouragement or promise of future +love was hers, only the cold, calm look of her new aunt; and then total +indifference. Sad and silent, she would sit night after night in the +twilight by the nursery window, her little thoughts wandering away in a +world of her own, or more often still to her lost mother. None roused +her from them; even Fanny, giddy as she was, never disturbed her then. +Once nurse Hopkins said-- + +"Miss Edith, it isn't natural for you to be sitting here for all the +world like a grown woman; do get up, miss, and go and play with your +cousins." + +But as nurse never insisted upon it, so Edith sat on, and would have +remained for ever if she could in the bright world her fancy had +created. It was well for her Amy had come, or the girl's very nature +would have been changed by the cold atmosphere around her, so different +from the home she had lost, where all seemed one long sunshine. It was +long ere Amy understood her; so diligent, so attentive to her lessons, +so cautious of offending, so mindful of every word during school hours, +and yet never anxious to join Fanny in her play; but on a chair drawn +close to the window, and with a book in her lap, or her hands clasped +listlessly over the pages, and her eyes drooping under their long +lashes--so she sat. But a new era was opening in the child's history. + +Some few weeks after Amy's arrival, as she sat working very busily +(Edith, as usual, had taken her seat at the window), she felt that the +child, far from reading, was intently watching her. At length, without +looking up, she said-- + +"Edith, dear, if you have done reading will you come and tidy my +workbasket for me? My wools are in sad confusion. I suspect Alice's +fingers have been very busy amongst them." + +She came and busied herself with her task until it was completed. Then, +still and silent, she remained at her governess' side. + +"Who is this shawl for, Miss Neville, when it is finished?" asked she. + +"For my mother." + +Edith drew closer still. + +"Ah!" said she, "that is the reason why you look so happy; because, +though you are away from her, still you are trying to please her; and +you know she loves you, though no one else does." + +"Yes, Edith; but I should never think _no one_ loved me, and if I were +you I am sure I should be happy." + +"Ah, no! It is impossible." + +"Not so; I should be ever saying to myself would my dear mamma have +liked this, or wished me to do that. Then I should love to think she +might be watching over me, and that thought alone would, I am sure, keep +me from idleness and folly." + +"What is idleness?" + +"Waste of time. Sitting doing nothing." + +"And you think me idle, then?" + +"Often, dear Edith. Almost every day, when you sit at the window so +long." + +"But no one minds it. No one loves me." + +"I mind it, or I should not have noticed it; and I will love you if you +will let me." + +For an instant the child stood irresolute, then, with her head buried in +Amy's lap, she sobbed out, "Oh! I never thought of that. I never +thought you would love me--no one does. I will not be idle any more," +and she was not; someone loved her, both the living and the dead; and +the little craving heart was satisfied. + +And so the days flew by. The summer months passed on, only interrupted +by a visit from Charles Linchmore. He was very unlike his brother; full +of fun and spirits, as fair as he was dark, and not so tall. He seemed +to look upon Amy at once as one of the belongings of the house, was +quite at home with her, chatted, sang duets, or turned the pages of the +music while she sang. Sometimes he joined her in her morning's walk with +the children. Once he insisted on rowing her on the lake; but as it was +always "Come along, Edith, now for the walk we talked of," or, "Now +then, Fanny, I'm ready for the promised lesson in rowing;" what could +Amy say? she could only hesitate, and then follow the rest. She felt +Mrs. Linchmore look coldly on her, and one evening, on the plea of a +severe headache, she remained up stairs; but so much consideration was +expressed by Mrs. Linchmore, such anxiety lest she should be unable to +go down the next evening, that Amy fancied she must have been mistaken; +the thought, nevertheless, haunted her all night. The next morning she +had hardly commenced studies when Charles Linchmore's whistle sounded in +the passage. + +He opened the door, and insisted on the children having a holiday, and +while Amy stood half surprised, half irresolute, sent them for their +hats and a scamper on the lawn, then returned, and laughed at her +discomfiture. He had scarcely gone when Mrs. Linchmore came in; she +glanced round as Amy rose. + +"Pray sit down, Miss Neville, but--surely I heard my brother here." + +There was something in the tone Amy did not like, so she replied, +somewhat proudly, + +"He _was_ here. Madam." + +"_Was_ here? Why did he come?" + +"He came for the children, and I suppose he had your sanction for so +doing." + +"He never asked it. And I must beg, Miss Neville, that you will in +future make him distinctly understand that this is the school-room, +where he cannot possibly have any business whatever." + +With flushed cheeks, for a while Amy stood near the window, just where +Mrs. Linchmore had left her; and then, "Oh! I will not put up with it!" +she said, half aloud, "I will go and tell her so." But on turning round +there stood Nurse Hopkins. + +"It's a lovely place, miss, isn't it? such a many trees; you were +looking at it from the window, wern't you, miss? And then all those +fields do look so green and beautiful; and the lake, too; I declare it +looks every bit like silver shining among the trees." + +"It is indeed lovely; but, Nurse, I was not thinking of that when you +came." + +"No, miss? Still it does not do to sit mopy like, it makes one dull. Now +I've lived here many a year, and yet, when I think of my old home, I do +get stupid like." + +"Where is your home Nurse?" + +"I've no home but this Miss, now." + +"No home? But you said you had a home once." + +"Yes Miss, so I had, but it's passed away long ago--some one else has it +now; such a pleasant cottage as it was, with its sanded floor and neat +garden; my husband always spent every spare hour in planting and laying +it out, and all to please me. I was so fond of flowers. Ah! me," sighed +she, "many's the time they've sent from the Park here to beg a +nosegay--at least, John, the gardener has--when company was coming." + +"Your cottage was near here, then?" + +"Yes Miss, just down the lane; why you can see the top of it from here, +right between those two tall trees yonder." + +"Yes. I can just catch a far off glimpse of it." + +"You've passed it often too, Miss. It's the farm as belongs to Farmer +Rackland." + +"I know it well. But why did you give it up?" + +"My husband, or old man, as I used joke like to call him, died," and +Nurse's voice trembled, "he was young and hearty looking too when he was +took away; what a happy woman I was Miss, before that! and so proud of +him and my children." + +"How many children have you?" + +"I had three Miss; two girls and a boy. I seem to see them now playing +about on the cottage floor; but others play there now just every bit as +happy, and I've lost them all. I'm all alone," and Nurse wiped her eyes +with the corner of her white apron. + +"Not all alone Nurse," said Amy, compassionately. + +"True Miss; not all alone; I was wrong. Well, I sometimes wish those +days would come again, but there, we never knows what's best for us. I'm +getting an old woman now and no one left to care for me. But I wasn't +going to tell you all about myself and my troubles when I began; but +somehow or other it came out, and I shall like you--if I may be so bold +to say so--all the better for knowing all about me; but I want, begging +your pardon, Miss, to give you a piece of advice, if so be as you won't +be too proud to take it from me; you see I know as well as you can tell +me, that you and the Madam have fallen out; and if it's about Miss +Alice, which I suppose it is, why don't be too strong handed over her at +first; she will never abide by it, but'll scream till her Mamma hears +her, and then Madam can't stand it no how; but'll be sure to pet her +more than ever to quiet her." + +"But Nurse, I do not mean to be strong-handed with Miss Alice, that is, +if you mean severe; but she is at times naughty and must be punished." + +"Well Miss, we should most of us be sorry to lose you: you are so quiet +like, and never interferes with nobody, and they do all downstairs agree +with me, that it ain't possible to cure Miss Alice altogether at first; +you must begin by little and little, and that when Madam isn't by." + +"But that would be wrong, and I cannot consent to punish Miss Alice +without Mrs. Linchmore's free and full permission; neither can nor will +I take charge of any of the children unless I am allowed to exercise my +own judgment as to the course I am to pursue. I am not I hope, harsh or +severe towards your late charge; but I must be firm." + +"I see Miss, it's no use talking, and I hope Madam will consent to let +you do as you wish; but I fear--I very much fear--" and nurse shook her +head wisely as she walked away. + +"Well, I've done all I could, Mary," said she to the under housemaid, as +she went below, "and all to no purpose; there's no persuading Miss +Neville, more's the pity; she thinks she's right about Miss Alice, and +she'll stick to it. I wish I'd asked her not to go near Madam to-day. +I'm positive sure she was going when I surprised her after passing Mrs. +Linchmore in the passage. _She_ came from the school-room too, I know, +and vexed enough she was, or she'd never have had that hard look on her +face. Well, I only hope the Master will be by when they do meet again, +or there'll be mischief, mark me if there isn't." + +"Law! Mrs. Hopkins, how you talk. I wouldn't wait for the master +neither, if I were Miss Neville. I'd speak at once and have done with +it, that's my plan; see if I would let Miss Alice come over me with her +tantrums, if I was a lady!" + +"She speaks every bit like that lady you were reading about in the book +last night; she'd make you believe anything and love her too. Well, I +hope no harm will come of it, but I don't like that look on Madam's +face, nor on Miss Neville's, neither, for the matter of that." + +But nurse was wrong. Perhaps Amy changed her mind, and never spoke to +Mrs. Linchmore. At all events, things went on as they did before Charles +Linchmore came--whose visit, by the way, was not quite such a flying +one--and continued the same long after he had gone away. + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + + THE BOOK SHELVES + + "O my swete mother, before all other + For you I have most drede: + But now adue! I must ensue, + Where fortune doth me lede. + All this make ye: now let us flee: + The day cometh fast upon; + For in my minde, of all mankynde + I love but you alone." + + THE NUT BROWN MAID. + + +Amy spent the summer holidays with her mother. Mrs. Neville had grown +pale and thin, while a careworn expression had stolen over her face, +supplanting the former sad one; and she had a certain nervous, restless +manner unusual to her, which Amy could not fail to remark. Mrs. +Elrington attributed it to anxiety on her daughter's account during her +absence. It was a trying time for Mrs. Neville; she felt and thought +often of what her child might suffer, all that one so sensitive might +have to undergo from the neglect or taunts of the world; that world she +knew so little of, and into the gay circles of which only two short +years ago she had been introduced. How she had been admired and courted! +Perhaps some of those very acquaintances she might now meet, and how +would it be with her? How would they greet her? Not with the grasp of +friendship, but as one they had never seen, or having seen, forgotten. +She was no longer the rich heiress, but a governess working for her own +and others' support. She was no longer in the same society as +themselves, no longer worthy of a thought, and would be passed by and +forgotten; or, if remembered, looked on as a stranger. + +Mrs. Neville thought her daughter altered. She had grown quieter, more +reserved, more womanly than before, and more forbearing with little, +exacting Sarah. + +Would Amy do this, or look at that? show her how to cut out this, or +paint that--always something new; but Amy seldom expostulated or refused +assistance, but was, as her mother told Mrs. Elrington, a perfect martyr +to her sister's whims and fancies. She had changed. But why? Her mother +watched her narrowly, and doubted her being happy, and this thought made +her doubly anxious, and imprinted the careworn look more indelibly on +her face. A few mornings before Amy returned to Brampton, at the close +of the holidays, she went over to Mrs. Elrington's, and found her busy +in the garden tying up the stray shrubs, and rooting up the weeds. + +"I am afraid, Amy dear, you have come to say 'good-bye,' so I must +finish my gardening to-morrow, and devote my time for the present to +you." + +"I shall be very glad, Mrs. Elrington, for indeed I have a great deal +to say. I am so anxious about mamma." + +"Anxious, Amy! Well, come in and sit down, and tell me all about it. Sit +here close by me, and tell me what is the matter, or rather, what you +fancy is; as I think the anxiety is all on your account." + +"It's mamma, Mrs. Elrington. I am so dissatisfied about her; she is so +changed." + +"Changed! In what way?" + +"In every way. She is not so strong, the least exertion tires her, and I +so often notice the traces of tears on her face. Then she is so dull; +and will sit for hours sometimes without saying a word, always busy with +that everlasting knitting, which I hate; it is quite an event if she +drops a stitch, as then her fingers are quiet for a little. If I look up +suddenly, I find her eyes fixed on me so mournfully: at other times, +when I speak she does not hear me, being evidently deep in her own +thoughts. She is so different from what she used to be, so very +different." + +"I cannot say I have noticed any change, and I am constantly with her." + +"Ah! that is just why you don't see it. Hannah does not." + +"But, my dear, she never complains: I think she would if she felt ill." + +"Mamma never complains, dear Mrs. Elrington; I wish she would, as then I +might question her, now I feel it impossible. Does she seem happy when I +am away?" + +"Quite so; and always especially cheerful when she has your letters." + +"I will write much oftener this time; and you will also, will you not? +and tell me always exactly how she is, and do watch her, too, Mrs. +Elrington, for I am sure she is not so strong as she was." + +"I will, indeed," and Mrs. Elrington pressed Amy's hand, "but you must +not fidget yourself unnecessarily, when there is not the least occasion +for it. I assure you I see little change in your mother--I mean in +bodily health, and I hope, please God, you will find her quite well +when you come again, so do not be low-spirited, Amy." + +And so they parted. Mrs. Elrington's words comforted without convincing +Amy; and her face wore a more cheerful expression for some days after +her return to Brampton. + +Mr. Linchmore greeted her very kindly; even Mrs. Linchmore seemed +pleased to see her; while the children, especially Fanny, were +boisterous in their welcome, and buzzed about her like bees, recounting +all the little events and accidents that had happened since she left, +until they were fetched away; when Mrs. Linchmore and Amy were alone. + +"I trust you enjoyed your visit home, Miss Neville?" + +"Thank you, yes; it was a great treat being with my mother and sister +again." + +"We missed you sadly, and are not sorry to welcome you back again. Edith +and Fanny have both grown weary of themselves and idleness; as for +Alice, only yesterday, while I was dressing for dinner, having taken the +child with me into my room, she amused herself by scrubbing the floor +with my toothbrush, having managed to turn up a piece of the carpet in +one of the corners; indeed, I should weary you, did I recount half she +has been guilty of in the way of mischief." + +Amy smiled, and Mrs. Linchmore continued, + +"Did you ever leave home before for so long a time?" + +"Never. My mother and I had never been parted until I came here." + +"You must have felt it very much. I trust Mrs. Neville is well?" + +"No. I regret to say I am not quite satisfied with my mother. I do not +see any very material change, neither can I say she is ill, but I notice +a difference somewhere. I fear she frets a great deal, she is so much +alone." + +"But your sister?" + +"She is too young to be much of a companion to mamma, and I think tries +her a great deal. She has been rather a spoilt child, being so much +younger than I." + +"Younger children always are spoilt. Have you no friends besides Mrs. +Elrington?" + +"Yes; several very kind ones: there are many nice people living near, +but none like clear, good Mrs. Elrington; she is so true, so unselfish, +so kind, and devotes a great deal of her time to mamma." + +"Does she notice any change in your Mother?" + +"She assured me not. But then they meet so constantly, she would not be +likely to notice it so much as I, who only see her seldom. She has +promised to let me know if she does see any alteration for the worse, so +with that I must rest satisfied, and hope all is well, unless I hear to +the contrary." + +"How is Mrs. Elrington?" + +"Quite well, thank you, and looks much the same." + +"She asked about me, of course?" and Mrs. Linchmore half averted her +face from Amy's gaze. + +"Yes, often; and as she has not seen you for so many years, I had much +to tell her. She seemed pleased to hear of the children, and asked a +great many questions about them." + +"You _thought_ she seemed pleased to hear about them. I suspect +curiosity had a great deal to do with it, if not all. You will grow +wiser some day, Miss Neville, and learn to distinguish the true from the +false--friends from foes," and Mrs. Linchmore's eyes flashed. "Did you +give her my message, the kind remembrances I sent her, with the hope +that--that she had not forgotten me? Did she send no message in return?" + +The question was sternly asked; Amy hesitated what to say. What was the +mysterious connection between the two? and why was it Mrs. Linchmore +never spoke of Mrs. Elrington without a touch of anger or bitterness? +even the latter, who seemed ever careful of wounding the feelings of +others, never spoke of Mrs. Linchmore in a friendly manner, though she +appeared to know or have known her well at some earlier period of life. + +The question embarrassed Amy, "I was so hurried," said she, "in coming +away that I forgot--I mean she forgot--." + +Mrs. Linchmore rose haughtily, "I dislike equivocation, Miss Neville, +and here there is not the slightest occasion for it. I did not expect a +message in return; I think I told you so, if I remember aright, when I +entrusted you with mine," and very proudly she walked across the room, +seated herself at the piano and sang as if there was no such thing as +woe in the world, while Amy sat, listened, and wondered, then softly +rose and went upstairs to the school room. + +"Here we are! so busy, Miss Neville," cried Fanny, "putting all the +things to rights. It's so nice to have something to do, and I'm sorting +all the books, although I do hate lessons so," with which assertion +Fanny threw her arms round her governess' neck, while Alice begged for +a kiss, and Edith pressed closer to her side and passed her small hand +in hers. + +Certainly the children were very fond of her; Fanny had been so from the +first; it was natural for her to love everybody, she was so impulsive, +but the other two she had won over by her own strong will and gentle but +firm training. Carlo, Fanny's dog, seemed as overjoyed as any of them, +leaping, barking, and jumping about until desired rather severely by his +young mistress to be quiet. "You are making a shameful noise, sir," she +said, giving him a pat, "will you please let somebody else's voice be +heard; and do sit down, dear Miss Neville, and let us tell you all we +have done since you have been away; we have lots of news, we have not +told you half yet, have we, Edith?" + +So they began all over again, totally forgetting what they had said or +left unsaid, Amy patiently listening, pleased to think how glad they +were to see her. Each tendered a small present, to show that their +little fingers had not been quite unprofitably employed; half pleased, +half frightened lest it should not be liked. They told her amongst other +things that uncle Charles had been to Brampton again, but only for three +days; he would not remain longer, although Mrs. Linchmore had wished him +to; he had brought his dog "Bob" with him, such an ugly thing, who +growled and showed his teeth; they were all afraid of it, and were glad +when it went away. + +"Bob used to come up here, Miss Neville, and sit in the window while +uncle was at work." + +"At work! what work, Edith?" + +"The book shelves. Oh! have you not seen them? do come and look, they +are so nice. See, he put them all up by himself, and worked so hard, and +when they were done he made us bring all your books; then he set them +up, and desired us not to meddle with them as they were only for you. +Was it not kind of him? We told him it was just what you wanted." + +"How could you? I did not want them at all." + +"Yes, Miss Neville, indeed you did; you said long before you went away +how much you should like some." + +But Amy thought she neither wanted nor liked them, and felt vexed they +had been put up. + +"Ah!" said Fanny, catching the vexed expression, "you can thank him for +them when he comes again; we were to tell you so, and that he would be +here in November, and this is August Miss Neville, so it's only three +months to wait." + +"You can tell him Fanny when he comes, that I am much obliged to him, +lest I should forget to do so." + +And Amy turned away, feeling more vexed than she liked to acknowledge to +herself; she had had nothing to do with putting up the shelves, but +would Mrs. Linchmore think so if she knew it? And did she know it, and +what had she thought? "Mamma was right," said she to her self. "It is +very hard to be a governess; and _he_ has misinterpreted and misjudged +me." + +A thorn had sprung up in Amy's path, which already wounded her slightly. + + + + + CHAPTER V. + + VISITORS ARRIVE. + + O! if in this great world of strife, + This mighty round of human life, + We had no friends to cheer, + O! then how cold the world would seem! + How desolate the ebbing stream + Of life from year to year! + + J. B. KERRIDGE. + + +Autumn passed away, and winter spread its icy mantle over the earth. +Abroad all looked bleak, cold, and desolate. Trees had lost their +leaves, flowers their blossoms, and the beautiful green fields were +covered with snow; while here and there a snowdrop reared her drooping +head from under its white veil, or a crocus feebly struggled to escape +its cold embraces. Within doors, things wore a brighter aspect than +they had done for some time past. Visitors had arrived at Brampton, who, +it was hoped, would enliven the old Hall, and dissipate the dulness of +its haughty mistress. Rooms long unoccupied had bright, cheerful fires +blazing in the grates; footsteps hurried to and fro, echoing through the +long, lofty passages, where all before had been so still and silent. The +old, gloomy, melancholy look had totally disappeared, and the house +teemed with life and mirth. + +Mrs. Hopkins was no longer nurse, but had been installed as housekeeper +in the room of one who had grown too old for the office; and was all +smiles and importance, much to the disgust of Mason, the lady's maid, +who, having always considered herself a grade above the _Nurse_, now +found herself a mere cipher next to the all-important _Housekeeper_, who +seemed to sweep everything before her as she walked grandly down the +long corridor; Mason's pert toss of the head, and still perter replies, +were met with cool disdain, much to her disappointment, as she tried to +discomfort her; but all to no purpose, as Mrs. Hopkins' sway continued +paramount; and she wielded her sceptre with undiminished power, +notwithstanding all the arts used to dislodge her. + +It was a half-holiday; Amy had fetched her hat, and was on her way out; +in the corridor she met Mrs. Hopkins, who was always fond of a chat when +she could find the opportunity; besides, she had long wished for some +one to whom to unburden all Mason's impertinences. She immediately +courtesied, and began-- + +"Good morning, Miss. Isn't the old house looking different? it does my +heart good to see it, we havn't been so gay for many a year. I am so +glad Madam has given up going to foreign parts; it ain't good for the +young ladies, and I'm certain sure it ain't no good for servants, +Mason's never been the same since she went; I havn't patience with her +airs and graces!" Here she broke off abruptly, as Mason crossed the +passage, her flowing skirts sweeping the floor, and a little coquettish +cap just visible at the back of her head. "Only look at her, Miss, +thinking herself somebody in her own opinion, when in most everybody's +elses' she's a nobody. Why, Miss, a Duchess couldn't make more of +herself," said Mrs. Hopkins, testily. + +"Indeed, I do not believe she could," replied Amy, smiling, "and I am +sure would not _think_ more of herself." + +"Think, Miss! Why, it's my belief she dreams at night she's found the +hen with the golden egg, and so builds castles on the strength of it all +day long; and airy ones she'll find them, I know," and Mrs. Hopkins +laughed at the idea of Mason's supposed downfall. + +"I suppose, Nurse, you have been very busy?" + +"Yes, Miss, just what I like. I don't care to sit with my hands before +me. I'm always happy when I'm busy. It isn't natural for me to be idle." + +"How many strangers are here, Nurse? You must forgive me for calling you +Nurse, but I am so accustomed to it." + +"Forgive you, Miss! I'm Nurse to you and the children if you please, +always, I'm proud of the title; but to Mason and the rest I'm Mrs. +Hopkins," said she with firmness. "As to how many are here, why I can't +exactly say; they're not all come yet, there are several empty rooms, +but I suppose they'll be filled to-day or to-morrow at the latest; then +the young Master's to come; but his room's always ready; he comes and +goes when he likes. We call him the young Master, because he's to have +the Hall by-and-by. He's a thorough good gentleman, is Mr. Charles, and +will make a good master to them as lives to see it. But it is a pity, +Madam has no son." + +"Excuse me for interrupting you, Miss Neville," said Mrs. Linchmore's +voice close behind, "but I wish, Mrs. Hopkins, another room prepared +immediately; one of the smaller ones will do," and Mrs. Linchmore passed +on. Amy followed; while nurse shrugged her shoulders, shook her head, +and muttered, "Another man! Humph! I don't like so many of 'em roaming +about the place; it ain't respectable." + +Mrs. Linchmore, on reaching the hall, was turning off to the library, +when Edith and Fanny ran past, closely pursued by a young girl, who +stopped suddenly on perceiving them, and, addressing Mrs. Linchmore, +exclaimed, + +"Pray do not look at me, Isabella, I know my toilette is in dreadful +disorder. I have had such a run that I really feel quite warm." + +"Your face is certainly rather flushed," replied Mrs. Linchmore, as she +looked at the young girl's red face, occasioned as much by the cold wind +outside, as by her run with the children. + +"I know I'm looking a perfect fright," she added, vainly endeavouring to +smooth the dishevelled hair under her hat. + +"Your run has certainly not improved your personal appearance. Allow me, +Miss Bennet, to introduce you to Miss Neville, whom I fear you will find +a sorry companion in such wild games." + +"I don't know that!" and she gazed earnestly at Amy. "A romp is +excusable in this weather, it is so cold outside." + +"A greater reason why you should remain in the house, and employ your +time more profitably;" so saying, Mrs. Linchmore walked away, leaving +the two girls together. + +"That is so like her," observed Miss Bennet, "she takes no pleasure in a +little fun herself; consequently thinks it's wrong any one else should. +Now, children, be off," she continued, looking round, but they were +nowhere to be seen, having fled in dismay at the first sight of Mrs. +Linchmore. + +"Are you going out?" asked she, placing her hand on Amy's arm. + +"Only for a short time." + +"Then for that short time I will be your companion,--that is if you +like." + +Amy expressed her pleasure, and they were soon walking at a brisk pace +round the shrubbery. + +Julia Bennet had no pretensions to beauty, though not by any manner of +means a plain girl. She had a very fair, almost transparent complexion, +and small, fairy hands and feet. She was a good-natured, merry girl, one +who seldom took any pains to disguise her faults or thoughts, and +consequently was frequently in scrapes, from which she as often cleverly +extricated herself. If she liked persons they soon found it out, or if +she disliked them they did not long remain in ignorance of it; not that +she made them acquainted with the fact point blank, but no trouble was +taken to please; they were totally overlooked. Not being pretty, no +envious belles were jealous of her, and young men were not obliged to +pay her compliments. Nor, indeed, had she been pretty, would they have +ventured to do what she most assuredly would have made them regret; yet +she was a great favourite with most people, never wanted a partner at a +ball, but would be sought out for a dance when many other girls with +greater pretensions to beauty were neglected. She was a cousin of Mr. +Linchmore's, the youngest of five sisters, only one of whom was +married. Julia gazed over her shoulder at her companion's hat, dress, +and shawl; nothing escaped her penetrating glance. She was rarely +silent, but had always something to say, although not so inveterate a +talker as her sister Anne. The latter, however, insisted that she was +more so, and had resolutely transferred the name of "Magpie" or "Maggy," +with which her elder sisters had nicknamed her, to Julia. + +"I have quite spoilt Isabella's temper for to-day," began Julia. "She +will remember that romp, as she calls it, for ages to come. I cannot +help laughing either, when I think of the figure I must have been when I +met her. Now confess, Miss Neville, did I not look a perfect fright?" + +"You looked warm and tired, certainly," + +"Warm and tired! Now do not speak in that measured way, so exactly like +Isabella, when I was as red as this," and she pointed to the scarlet +feather in her hat, "and as for tired, I was panting for breath like +that dreadful old pet dog of hers. Well, I am glad I have made you +laugh; but do not, please, Miss Neville, if we are to be friends, speak +so like Isabella again. I hate it, and that's the truth." + +"I will not, if I know it, but will say yes or no, if you like it best, +and wish it." + +"And I do wish it, and that was not said a bit like Isabella, so I will +forgive you, and we will make up and be friends, as the children say," +and she gave her hand to Amy. "And now tell me, Miss Neville, by way of +changing the subject, where, when, and how you became acquainted with my +cousin." + +"I am governess to her children," replied Amy, quietly. + +Julia stopped suddenly, and looked at her in surprise. + +"And are you really the governess of whom Edith and Fanny have talked to +me so much? Why, you cannot be much older than I." + +"Do you not consider yourself old enough to be a governess?" + +"Well, yes, of course I do; but you are so different to what I always +pictured to myself a governess ought to be. They should be ugly, cross +old maids, odious creatures, in fact I know mine was." + +"Why so?" asked Amy. + +"Oh, she did a hundred disagreeable things. All people have manias for +something, so there is, perhaps, nothing surprising in her being fond of +_bags_. She had bags for everything; for her boots and shoes, thimble +and scissors, brushes and combs, thread, buttons,--even to her +india-rubber. A small piece of coloured calico made me literally sick, +for it was sure to be converted into a bag, and a broken needle into a +pin, with a piece of sealing-wax as the head." + +"She was not wasteful," said Amy, who could not forbear laughing at the +picture drawn. + +"Wasteful! Truly not. It was 'waste not, want not,' with her; she had it +printed and pasted on a board, and hung up in the school-room, and well +she acted up to the motto." + +"But I dare say she did you some good, notwithstanding her +peculiarities." + +"Well! 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating,' another of her wise +sayings; and it is early days to ask you what you think of me, so I +shall wait until we are better acquainted, which I hope will be soon. +How glad I was to get rid of her! I actually pulled down one of the +bells in ringing her out of the house, and would have had a large +bonfire of all the backboards and stocks, if I had dared. I could not +bear her, but I am sure I shall like you, and we will be friends, shall +we not? do not say no." + +"Why should I? I will gladly have you as my friend." + +"That is right; you will want one if Frances Strickland is coming: how +she will hate you. She likes me, so she says, so there is something to +console me for not being born a beauty; so proud and conceited as she is +too, everything she says and does is for effect. Her brother is as silly +as she is proud, and as fond of me as he is of his whiskers and +moustaches." + +"I need not ask you if you like him." + +"I shall certainly not break my heart if you are disposed to fall in +love with him." + +"Nay, your description has not prepossessed me in his favour. And who +are the other guests?" + +"I cannot tell you, for their name is legion, but you will be able to +see them soon, and review them much better than I can," and Julia turned +out of the shrubbery into one of the garden walks leading up to the +house. + +"Here is Anne," added she, in a tone of surprise, "all alone too, for a +wonder. See!" and she pointed to a young girl seemingly intent on +watching John the gardener, who was raking the gravel, and digging up a +stray weed here and there. + +"Look here, John," cried she, as they approached unperceived, "here is a +weed you have overlooked. Give me the hoe, and let me dig it up. What +fun it is!" added she, placing a tiny foot on the piece of iron, "I +declare I would far rather do this than walk about all by myself. There! +see! I have done it capitally; now I'll look for another, and just +imagine they are men I am decapitating, and won't I go with a vengeance +at some of them," and then turning she caught sight of Julia and Amy. + +"Well, Maggie," said she, "here I am talking to John, in default of a +better specimen of mankind, and really he is not so bad. I declare he is +far more amusing than Frank Smythe, and has more brains than half the +men I have danced with lately, and that's not saying much for John," and +she pouted her lips with an air of disdain. + +"This is my sister Anne, Miss Neville," said Julia, introducing them, +"and so this," and she pointed to the hoe still in her sister's hand, +"is your morning's amusement, Anne?" + +"Yes," said she, carelessly, "I was thoroughly miserable at first, +stalking about after John, and pretending to be amused with him, but +all the time looking towards the house out of the corners of my eyes; I +am sure they ache now," and she rubbed them, "but all to no purpose, not +a vestige of a man have I seen, not even the coat tail of one of them. I +was, as I say, miserable until I spied John's hoe, and then a bright +thought struck me, and I have been acting upon it ever since, and should +have cleared the walk by this time, if you had not interrupted me." + +"Pray go on," said Julia, "it is very cold standing talking here, and I +have no doubt John is delighted to have such efficient aid." + +"Now Mag, that is a little piece of jealousy on your part, because +perhaps you have not been spending the morning so pleasantly. But there +is the gong sounding for luncheon, come away," and she threw down the +hoe; "let us go and tidy ourselves; I am sure you want it," and she +pointed to her sister's hair; then went with a bounding, elastic step +towards the house. + +"Good-bye, Miss Neville; I must not increase my cousin's bad temper by +being late. My sister Anne is a strange girl, but I think you will like +her by-and-by, she is so thoroughly good natured." + +Amy watched Julia's light graceful figure as she went up the walk, then +turned and retraced her steps round the Shrubbery. + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + + "GOODY GREY." + + "A poore widow, some deal stoop'n in age, + Was whilom dwelling in a narwe cottage + Beside a grove standing in a dale. + This widow which I tell you of my Tale + Since thilke day that she was last a wife + In patience led a full simple life; + For little was her cattle and her rent." + + CHAUCER. + + +The country round Brampton was singularly beautiful and picturesque. A +thick wood skirted the park on one side, and reached to the edge of the +river that wound clearly, brightly, and silently through the valley +beyond, and at length lost itself after many turnings behind a +neighbouring hill, while hills and dales, meadows, rich pastures and +fields were seen as far as the eye could reach, with here and there +cottages scattered about, and lanes which in summer were scented with +the fragrance of wild flowers growing beneath and in the hedges, their +blossoms painting the sides with many colours, and were filled with +groups of village children culling the tiny treasures, but now were cold +and deserted. + +To the right, in a shady nook, stood the village church, quiet and +solemn, its spire just overtopping some tall trees near, and its +church-yard dotted with cypress, yew, and willow trees, waving over +graves old and new. + +Further on was the village of Brampton, containing some two or three +hundred houses, many of them very quaint and old-fashioned, but nearly +all neat and tidy, the gardens rivalling one another in the fragrance +and luxuriance of their flowers. + +In the wood to the left, and almost hidden among the trees, stood a +small thatched cottage with a look of peculiar desolate chilliness; not +a vestige of cultivation was to be seen near it, although the ground +round about was carefully swept clear of dead leaves and stray sticks, +so that an appearance of neatness though not of comfort reigned around. +It seemed as if no friendly hand ever opened the windows, no step ever +crossed the threshold of the door, or cheerful voice sounded from +within. Its walls were perfectly bare, no jasmine, no sweet scented +clematis, no wild rose ever invaded them; even the ivy had passed them +by, and crept up a friendly oak tree. + +Within might generally be seen an old woman sitting and swaying herself +backwards and forwards in a high-backed oak chair, and even appearing to +keep time with the ticking of a large clock that stood on one side of +the room, as ever and anon she sang the snatches of some old song, or +turned to speak to a large parrot perched on a stand near: a strange +inhabitant for such a cottage. Her face was very wrinkled and somewhat +forbidding, from a frown or rather scowl that seemed habitual to it. Her +hair was entirely grey, brushed up from the forehead and turned under +an old fashioned mob cap, the band round the head being bound by a piece +of broad black ribbon. A cheap cotton dress of a dark colour, and a +little handkerchief pinned across the bosom completed her attire. + +The floor of the room was partly covered with carpet; the boards round +being beautifully clean and white. A small table stood in front of the +fire-place, and a clothes' press on the opposite side of the clock, +while on a peg behind the door hung a bonnet and grey cloak. The only +ornaments in the room, if ornaments they could be called, were a feather +fan on a shelf in one corner, and by its side a small, curiously-carved +ivory box. + +The owner of the cottage was the old woman just described. Little was +known about her. The villagers called her "Goody Grey," probably on +account of the faded grey cloak she invariably wore in winter, or the +shawl of the same colour which formed part of her dress in summer. The +cottage had been built by Mr. Linchmore's father, just before his +death, and when completed, she came and took up her abode there; none +knowing who she was or where she came from; although numberless were the +villagers' conjectures as to who she could be; but their curiosity had +never been satisfied; she kept entirely to herself, and baffled the +wisest of them, until in time the curiosity as well as the interest she +excited, gradually wore away, and they grew to regard her with +superstitious awe; as one they would not vex or thwart for the world, +believing she had the power of bringing down unmitigated evil on them +and theirs; although they rarely said she exercised any such +dark power. The children of the village were forbidden to wander in the +wood, although "Goody Grey" had never been heard to say a harsh word to +them, nor indeed any word at all, as she never noticed or spoke to them. +The little creatures were not afraid of her, and seldom stopped their +play on her approach as she went through the village, which was seldom. +Unless spoken to, she rarely addressed a word to any one. Strangers +passing through Brampton looked upon her--as indeed did the inmates at +the Park--as a crazy, half-witted creature, and pitied and spoke to her +as such, but she invariably gave sharp, angry replies, or else never +answered at all, save by deepening if possible the frown on her brow. + +As she finished the last verse of her song, the parrot as if aware it +had come to an end flapped his wings, and gave a shrill cry. "Hush!" +said she, "Be still!" + +Almost at the same instant, the distant rumble of wheels was heard +passing along the high road which wound though a part of the wood near. +She rose up, went to the window, and opened it, and leaning her head +half out listened intently. Her height was about the middle stature, and +her figure gaunt and upright. + +She could see nothing: the road was not distinguishable, but the sound +of the carriage wheels was plainly heard above the breeze sighing among +the leafless trees. She listened with an angry almost savage expression +on her face. + +"Aye, there they come!" she exclaimed, drawing herself up to her full +height, "there they come! the beautiful, the rich, and the happy. +Happy!" she laughed wildly, "how many will find happiness in that house? +Woe to them! Woe! Woe! Woe!" and she waved her bony arms above her head, +looking like some evil spirit, while, as if to add more horror to her +words, the bird echoed her wild laugh. + +"Ah, laugh!" she cried, "and so may you too, ye deluded ones, but only +for awhile: by-and-by there will be weeping and mourning and woe, which, +could ye but see as I see it, how loath would ye be to come here; but +now ye are blindly running your necks into the noose," and again her +half-crazed laugh rang through the cottage. "Woe to you!" she repeated, +closing the window as she had opened it. "Woe to you! Woe! Woe!" + +Ere long the excitement passed away, or her anger exhausted itself; and +she gradually dropped her arms to her side and sank on a bench by the +window; her head dropped on her bosom, and she might be said to have +lost all consciousness but for the few unintelligible words she every +now and again muttered to herself in low indistinct tones. + +Presently she rose again, opened the clothes-press, and took out some +boiled rice and sopped bread, which she gave to the parrot. + +"Eat!" said she in a low, subdued tone, very different to her former +wild excited one, "Eat, take your fill, and keep quiet, for I'm going +out; and if I leave you idle you're sure to get into mischief before I +come back." + +The bird, as she placed the rice in a small tin attached to his perch, +took hold of her finger with his beak, and tried to perch himself upon +her hand. She pushed him gently back and smoothed his feathers, "No, +no," said she. "It's too cold for you outside, you would wish yourself +at home again, although you do love me, and are the only living thing +that does." And another dark expression flitted across her face. + +She put on the bonnet and grey cloak, and taking a thick staff in her +hand, went out. + +The air was cold and frosty. The snow of the day before had melted away, +and the ground in consequence of the thaw and subsequent frost was very +slippery; but she walked bravely and steadily on, with the help of her +staff, scarcely ever making a false step. At the outskirts of the wood +was a small gate leading on to a footpath which ran across the park, +making a short cut from the valley to the village. Here she paused, and +looked hastily about her. + +Now Goody Grey had never been known or seen to enter the Park, yet she +paused evidently undecided as to which path she should pursue, the long +or the short one. At length she resolved upon taking the long one; and +shaking her head she muttered, "No, no; may be I'll be in time the other +way;" and on she went as steadily as before, on through the village and +up by the church-yard; nor stayed, nor slackened her walk until she +gained the large gates and lodge of Brampton Park; then she halted and +gazed up the road. + +Notwithstanding the time it had taken to come round, probably half an +hour, yet the carriage she had heard approaching in the distance had +only just reached the bottom of the hill, the road taking a long round +after leaving the wood. It came on slowly, the coachman being evidently +afraid to trust his horses over the slippery road. Slowly it approached, +and eagerly was it scanned by the old woman at the gates. Presently it +was quite close, and then came to a stand still, while the great lodge +bell rang out; and Goody Grey advanced to the window, and looked in. + +On one side sat two rather elderly ladies; on the other an effeminate +looking young man and a girl. These were evidently not the people she +expected to see, for a shade of vexation and disappointment crossed her +face. After scanning the countenances of each, she fixed her eyes on the +young girl with an angry, menacing look, difficult to define, which the +latter bore for some moments without flinching; then turning her head +away, she addressed one of the ladies sitting opposite her. + +"Have you no pence, Mamma? Pray do give this wretched being some, and +let us get rid of her." + +"I do not think I have, Frances, nor indeed if I had would I give her +any. I make a point of never encouraging vagrants; she ought to be in +the Union, the proper place for people of her stamp. I have no doubt she +is an impostor, she looks like it, there are so many about now; we are +overrun with them." + +"Well, Mamma, if you won't give her any, pray desire Porter to drive on. +What is he waiting for?" + +"My dear, they have not opened the gates. There goes the bell again." + +"Really, Alfred," said the girl, turning towards the young man at her +side, "one would think you were dumb, to see you sitting there so +indifferent. I wonder you have not more politeness towards Miss Tremlow +if you have none for your mother and sister. Do not you see?" continued +she, taking the paper he was reading from his hand and holding it so as +to partly screen her face. "Do not you see what an annoyance this +dreadful old woman is to us?" + +He yawned and stretched himself, giving at the same time a side glance +at Goody Grey, as if it was too much trouble to turn his head. "Ha! yes. +Can't say I admire her. What does she want?" + +"Want! We want her sent away, but one might as well appeal to a post as +you." + +"I shall not exert my lungs in her behalf; but you are wrong as regards +your polite comparison of 'post,'" and, putting down the window, he gave +a few pence into the old woman's hand, intimating at the same time that +he should be under the painful necessity of calling the porter;--and he +pointed to the man at the gates--unless she moved away. + +"Take my blessing," said she, in reply. "The blessing of an old woman--" + +"There, that will do. I do not want thanks." + +"And I do not thank you," replied she, putting both hands on the window +so as to prevent its being closed. "I don't thank you. I give you my +blessing, which is better than thanks. But I have a word for you;" she +pointed her finger at Frances Strickland, "and mark well my words, for +they are sure to come to pass. Pride must have a fall. Evil wishes are +seldom fulfilled. Beware! you are forewarned. And now, drive on!" she +screamed to the coachman, striking at the same moment one of the horses +with the end of her staff; it plunged and reared violently, the other +horse became restive, and they set off at full speed up the avenue. +Fortunately, the road was a gradual ascent to the house, for had there +been nothing to check their mad career, some serious accident might have +happened; as it was, one of the windows was broken against the branch of +a tree, the carriage narrowly escaping an upset on a small mound of +earth thrown up at the side of the road. + +The travellers were more or less alarmed. Miss Tremlow, who was seated +opposite Alfred, seized hold of him, and frantically entreated him to +save her, until he was thrown forward almost into her lap--"All of a +heap," as that lady afterwards expressed herself--as the carriage +swerved over against a tree, when she gradually released her hold, and +sank back into a state of insensibility. + +"I hope she is dead!" said Alfred, settling himself once more in his +place by his sister, and rubbing his arm. + +"Dead!" echoed his mother. "Who is dead?" + +"Only that mad woman next you in the corner; there! let her alone, +mother; don't, for Heaven's sake, bring her round again, whatever you +do. I have had enough of her embraces to last me a precious long time." + + +The horses now slackened their speed, and were stopped by some of the +Hall servants not far from the door. + +Mr. Linchmore was at the steps of the Terrace, and helped to lift out +Miss Tremlow, who was carried into the house still insensible; while +Mrs. Strickland, who had been screaming incessantly for the last five +minutes, now talked as excitedly about an old witch in a grey cloak; +while Frances walked into the house scarcely deigning a word, good, bad, +or indifferent to any one--her pale face strangely belying her apparent +coolness--leaving her brother to relate the history of their +misadventure. + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + + AMY GOES FOR A WALK. + + "Such is life then--changing ever, + Shadows flit we day by day; + Heedless of the fleeting seasons, + Pass we to our destinies." + + THOMAS COX. + + +All the visitors had now arrived at Brampton Park, and were amusing +themselves as well as the inclement weather would allow of, the snow +still covering the ground, and the cold so intense as to keep all the +ladies within doors, with the exception of Julia Bennet, who went out +every day, accompanied by the three children, as Amy's spare time was +quite taken up with Miss Tremlow, who had continued since her fright +too unwell to leave her room. + +Julia Bennet often paid a visit to the school-room in the morning, and +sadly interrupted the studies by her incessant talking. Often did Amy +declare she would not allow her to come in until two o'clock, when the +lessons were generally ended for the afternoon's walk; but still, the +next morning, there she was, her merry face peeping from behind the +half-opened door, with a laughing, "I know I may come in; may I not?" +and Amy never refused. How could she? + +One morning, after getting her pupils ready for an earlier walk than +usual, and giving them into Julia's charge--who vainly tried to persuade +her to go with them--she bent her steps, as usual, to Miss Tremlow's +room. On entering, she was surprised to see that lady sitting up in a +large arm chair propped with cushions and looking very comfortable by +the side of the warm fire. On enquiry, she learnt that Julia had been +busy with the invalid all the morning, and had insisted on her getting +out of bed. + +"I am so very glad to see you looking so much better, and really hope +you will soon be able to go down stairs; it must be so dull for you +being so much alone," began Amy, as she quietly took a seat near. + +"Miss Bennet wished to persuade me to do so to-day; but I really did not +feel equal to it, though I do not think she believed me; she has her own +peculiar notions about most things, and especially about invalids; I +dare say she means it all kindly, but I cannot help thinking her very +odd and eccentric." + +"She is a very kind-hearted girl, it is impossible not to help liking +her." + +"She is very different from you, my dear, in a sick room, very +different." + +And well might she say so. Amy was all gentleness, so quiet in her +movements; there was something soft and amiable about her; you loved +her you scarcely knew or asked yourself why. Julia was all roughness, +bustling about, setting the room to rights--Miss Tremlow's,--whenever +she entered it; talking and laughing the while, and endeavouring to +persuade the unfortunate individual that it was not possible she could +feel otherwise than ill, when she never exerted herself or tried to get +better. Her too you loved, and loving her overlooked her faults; but she +obliged you to love her, she did not gain a place in your heart at once +as Amy did. Very different they were in temper and disposition; Julia +hasty and passionate; Amy forbearing and rarely roused; but at times her +father's proud, fiery spirit flashed forth, and then how beautiful she +looked in her indignation. + +"I think I read to the end of the sixth chapter," said Amy, taking up a +book and opening it; "for I foolishly forgot to put in a mark." + +Amy read every day to Miss Tremlow, and thus whiled away many a weary +hour that would have passed wearily for the invalid. + +"You need not read to-day, my dear, you will tire yourself; so never +mind where we were. I hope myself to be able to read soon." + +"I shall not be in the least tired; I like reading. Shall I begin?" + +Miss Tremlow fidgeted and moved restlessly among the cushions, and then +said wearily-- + +"Do you know, my dear, I think it will be too much for me; I feel so +tired with the exertion of getting up." + +The book was instantly closed, Miss Tremlow feeling quite relieved when +it was laid down. + +"You are not vexed, Miss Neville, I hope. Your reading has been such a +treat to me, when otherwise I should have been so dull and stupid." + +"Indeed, no, it has been quite a pleasure to me; but you do look weary +and tired. Shall I pour you out a glass of wine?" + +"No, my dear, no; there is not the slightest occasion for it. And now +let us talk of something else; you shall tell me all about the +visitors, so that they may not be quite strangers to me when we meet." + +"I have not seen any of them, except Mrs. Bennet and her daughters, and +Mrs. Strickland and hers." + +"But you go down of an evening, and surely there are other visitors." + +"I always used to spend my evenings with Mrs. Linchmore; but within the +last week I have remained upstairs, thinking I should be sent for if +wanted, and as no enquiries have been made, I conclude my absence is not +noticed; or if noticed I am only doing what is usual in such cases." + +"Mrs. Linchmore is very foolish, and ought to have you down; you are too +pretty and young to be allowed to mope upstairs by yourself. You may +smile, but youth does not last for ever; it too soon fades away, and +then you will become a useless, fidgetty old maid, like myself; no one +to love or care for you, and all those who ought to love and take care +of you wishing you dead, that they may quarrel for the little money you +leave behind." + +"But I have very few distant relations, and those I have do not love or +care for me." + +"More reason why you should have a husband who would do both; but that +will come soon enough, I have no doubt. In the meantime you seem very +young to have the care of these three girls, the youngest a perfect +torment, if I remember aright; so spoilt and humoured." + +"I am nearly nineteen," replied Amy. + +"Too young to be sent out into this cold world all alone; but your +mother has, of course, advised you for the best." + +"Yes, she gave me her advice; and love, and blessing, as well; the +latter was highly prized, but the first I did not follow. She did not +wish me to be a governess, but advised me strongly against it; still I +cannot think I have done wrong," added Amy, answering the enquiring look +Miss Tremlow bent on her. "Because--because--Oh! it would take too +long a time to tell you all I think, and you are weary already." + +"Not so," and she took Amy's hand in hers. "I am interested in my kind +young friend, so shall prove a good listener, though perhaps I am too +tired to talk; so tell me your history, and all about yourself and those +you love." + +Yet Amy sat silent, so that Miss Tremlow, who watched her, was troubled, +and added hastily, "never mind, my dear, I am sorry I asked you. It was +foolish and thoughtless of me." + +"No, indeed, Miss Tremlow; it is I who am foolish; mine is but the +history of an every day life. There is little to tell, but what happens, +or might happen, to anyone; still less to conceal." + +And Amy drew her chair closer still, and with faltering voice began the +history of her earlier years. A sad tale it was though she glanced but +slightly at her father's extravagance; but to speak of her mother's +patience, long suffering, and forbearance through it all, she wearied +not, forgetting that as she did so her father's conduct stood out in +all its worst light, so that when she had finished Miss Tremlow +exclaimed hastily-- + +"He must, nay, was a bold, bad man, not worthy of such a wife! It's a +mercy he is dead, or worse might have happened." + +"Do not say that, Miss Tremlow; my mother loved him so dearly." + +"That is the very reason why I cannot excuse him; no woman would; but +there now I have pained you again, and quite unintentionally; so please +read to me, and then there will be no chance of my getting into another +scrape, because I must hold my tongue, and I find that no very easy task +now, I can assure you." + +Amy silently took up the book she had previously laid down, but had +scarcely read three pages when the door opened, and in walked Julia with +a glass of jelly in her hand. + +"I have been looking for you everywhere, Miss Tremlow," she said. + +"Why did you not come here? Had you forgotten I was ill?" + +"Certainly not, witness this glass of jelly; but your room was the last +place in the world I thought of looking for you in, considering I made +you promise you would rouse yourself, and go below." + +"I wish I could rouse myself," sighed Miss Tremlow, "but I am not equal +to it, or to go down stairs amongst so many strangers." + +"Not equal to it? All stuff! You never will feel equal to either that, +or anything else, if you remain much longer shut up in this close room; +you will make yourself really ill; and now please to drink this glass of +wine, but first eat the jelly, and see how you feel after that." + +"I will drink the wine my dear, but I could not touch the jelly. I do +really think it is the fourth glass you have brought me to-day, and--no, +I could not touch it." + +"Well, you must take your choice between this, and some beef tea. Will +you toss up, as the boys do, which it shall be?" + +"No, no; I'll have nothing to do with the tossing. I suppose I must +take the jelly," and she sighed as she contemplated it. + +"Yes, and eat it too, and hate me into the bargain; when I do it +entirely for your good, because as long as you remain up here, and +complain of weakness, you must be dosed, and treated as an invalid, and +made to take strengthening things; so be thankful you have two such +nurses as Miss Neville and myself; one to talk and recount your pains +and aches to; and the other to insist upon rousing, and making you well, +whether you will or no, by forcing you to take and eat what is good for +you, and scolding you into the bargain when you require it, which is +nearly every day. Now, I am sure you are better after the jelly?" +continued she, taking the empty glass from her hand. + +"It is of no use saying I am not," replied Miss Tremlow wearily. + +"Not the slightest," said Julia, sitting down by Amy. "Why, you don't +mean to say that Miss Neville has been reading to you?" and she took +the book off Amy's lap, where it had lain forgotten. "After all my +injunctions, and your promises." + +Miss Tremlow looked somewhat abashed. + +"You really ought to be ashamed of yourself; as for Miss Neville, she +looks fagged to death; for goodness sake go out and take a walk, and try +and get a little colour into your cheeks, or there will be jelly and +beef tea for you to-morrow," and Julia laughed merrily. "And now," she +added, addressing Miss Tremlow, as Amy left the room, "Why did you allow +her to read? Did I not tell you it was bad for her; and that, not being +strong, the air of this close, hot room, is too much for her." + +"Do not scold, or go on at such a rate, my dear; I really am not strong +enough to bear it. I did refuse to hear the reading; but in the course +of conversation I made an unfortunate remark, and she looked so pained, +that to get out of the scrape I asked her to read; but she had scarcely +opened the book when you entered." + +"Never mind how long she read, you disobeyed orders; so as a punishment, +I shall put you to bed; and then I will read the whole book to you if +you like." + +Miss Tremlow was delighted; she really was beginning to feel sadly +tired, and in no humour for Julia's chattering, so submitted without a +murmur; fervently hoping Julia would not persevere in the reading, or +that some one else in the house might be taken ill, and receive the half +of Julia's attentions. + +As Amy quitted Miss Tremlow's room, she almost fell over Fanny, who came +bounding down the corridor, never heeding or looking where she went. +Fanny never walked; her steps, like her spirits, were always elastic. +Amy's lectures availed nothing in that respect. Her movements were never +slow--never would be--everything she did was done hastily, and seldom +well done; half a message would be forgotten, her lessons only +imperfectly said, because never thoroughly learnt. + +"Of course it is Fanny," said Amy, turning to help up the prostrate +child. "Have you hurt yourself, and why will you always be in such a +hurry?" + +"I was right, though, this time, Miss Neville," said the child, rising, +"because Miss Bennet told me you were going out as soon as she came in, +and Mamma wants you; so you see I am only just in time to catch you, +because you are going out, you know." + +"You would have plenty of time had you walked, instead of running in +that mad way. I am not yet dressed for walking. Are you hurt, child?" + +"Oh, no, Miss Neville, not a bit. I think I have torn my frock, though. +Isn't it tiresome? Only look!"--and she held up one of the flounces, +nearly half off the skirt. + +"I do not see how you could expect it to be otherwise. It must be mended +before you go to bed, Fanny." + +"Yes, Miss Neville; I suppose it must. Oh, dear! my fingers are always +sewing and mending. I wish Mamma would not have my dresses made with +flounces." + +"You would still tear them, Fanny." + +"Yes, I suppose I should; well, I have pinned it up as well as I can; +and now shall we go to Mamma; she is in her room, and Mason is so busy +there," said Fanny, forgetting all about her frock. "Do you know we are +going to have such a grand dinner party to-night; mamma is to wear her +pink silk dress, with black lace. I saw it on the bed; and such a lovely +wreath beside it. How I do wish I was big enough to have one just like +it!" + +"And tear the flounce like this," replied Amy, laughing, and knocking at +Mrs. Linchmore's door. + +"Come in, Miss Neville; I am sorry to trouble you, but I heard from +Fanny you were going out, and I wished to know if you would like to come +down into the drawing-room this evening, after dinner, it is both Mr. +Linchmore's wish and mine that you should do so; moreover, we shall be +glad to see you. The children will come and you could come down with +them, if you like." + +"Thank you, but if I am allowed a choice, I would far rather remain +away. I am so unaccustomed to strangers; still if you wish it I--" + +"No, you are to do just as you like in the matter, we shall be very glad +to see you if you should alter your mind, and I hope you will. And now +what news of Miss Tremlow? Is she really getting better, or still +thinking of Goody Grey?" + +"She sat up to-day for the first time, and is I think decidedly +improving, but her nerves have been sadly shaken. Miss Bennet tried to +persuade her to go downstairs to-day; but I really must say she had not +strength for the exertion." + +"I miss Julia sadly this dull weather, and I wish she would think of +others besides Miss Tremlow; she devotes nearly the whole day to her." + +"Is not her sister as merry and cheerful?" + +"Anne is all very well, but thinks only of pleasing herself, she never +helps entertain; you will scarcely see her in Miss Tremlow's, or anybody +else's sick room. And now if you are going out, I will not detain you +any longer. Perhaps you will kindly look into the conservatory as you +return, and bring me one or two flowers, and you, Fanny, can come with +me," and taking Fanny's hand she left the room, as Amy went to put on +her bonnet. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + THE FLOWER. + + "I saw the light that made the glossy leaves + More glossy; the fair arm, the fairer cheek, + Warmed by the eye intent on its pursuit; + I saw the foot that, although half erect + From its grey slipper, could not lift her up + To what she wanted; I held down a branch + And gathered her some blossoms." + + LANDOR. + + +Amy went for a walk in the grounds; there being plenty of time before +the evening closed in, as Julia had purposely returned early. A solitary +walk is not much calculated to raise and cheer the spirits, and Amy's, +though not naturally dull or sad, were anything but cheerful during her +ramble. Miss Tremlow's questions had recalled sad scenes and memories +which she had tried to forget; but some things are never forgotten; out +of sight or laid aside for a time they may be, until some accident, or +circumstance slight and trivial perhaps in itself, recalls them; and +then there they are as vivid and fresh as ever, holding the same place +and clinging round the heart with the same weight and tightness as ever; +until again they fade away into the shade; crossed out, as a pen does a +wrong word, yet the writing is there, though faintly and imperfectly +visible, whatever pains we take to erase it. + +How Amy's thoughts wandered as she walked along over the frosty ground! +Time was when she had been as gay as Julia, and as light-hearted; but +she began to think those were by-gone days, such as would never come +again, or if they did, she would no longer be the same as before, and +therefore would not enjoy them as she once had. Then she sighed over the +past, and tried to picture to herself the future; _tried_, because very +mercifully the future of our lives, the foreseeing things that may +happen, is denied us. What a dark future it appeared! To be all her +life going over the self-same tasks, the same dull routine day by day; +her pupils might dislike their lessons, but how much more distasteful +they were to her. What a dull, dreary path lay before her! She passed +into the conservatory as these thoughts filled her heart. It was getting +dusk, and entering hastily, she gathered a few flowers, and was turning +on her way out, when she was attracted by a beautiful white Camellia, +ranged amongst a number of plants rather higher up than she could reach. +She stretched her arm over those below--in vain, the flower was beyond +her still. She made a second attempt, when an arm was suddenly passed +across her, and it was severed from its stem by some one at her side. + +"It was a thousand pities to have gathered it," said a tall, +gentlemanly-looking man; "but I saw you were determined to have it," and +he picked up the flower, which had fallen, and held it for her +acceptance. + +"Thank you," said Amy, nervously. He had startled her; his help had +been so unexpected. She told him so. + +"You did not perceive me? and yet I am by no means so small as to be +easily overlooked. I wish I could be sometimes; but I regret I +frightened you." + +"Not exactly frightened; only, not seeing you or knowing you were there, +it----" and Amy stopped short. + +"Frightened you," said he, decidedly. + +She did not contradict him. It was evident he did not intend she should, +for he scarcely allowed her time to reply as he went on, + +"There is another bud left on the same plant. Will you have it? I will +gather it in a moment." + +"Oh, no, by no means. Perhaps I ought not to have taken this; but John +is not here to guide me; I am rather sorry I have it now." + +"Never mind; it is I who am the culprit, not you. Will you have the +other? Say the word, and it is yours. It is a pity to leave it neglected +here, now its companion is gone," and he moved towards the flower. + +"Indeed I would rather not. One will be quite enough for Mrs. Linchmore, +and, besides, I have so many flowers now." + +"They are not for yourself, then? I could almost quarrel with you for +culling them for anyone else." + +"I never wear flowers," replied Amy, somewhat chillingly, with a slight +touch of hauteur, as she moved away. + +But he would not have it so, and claimed her attention again. + +"Why do you pass over this sweet flower? just in your path, too; I do +not know its name, I am so little of a gardener, but I am sure it would +grace your bouquet; see what delicate white blossoms it has." + +"Yes it is very pretty, but I have enough flowers, thank you." + +"You will not surely refuse to accept it," and at the same moment he +severed it from its stem. "Will you give me the Camellia in exchange?" + +"No. I would rather not have it." + +"It is a pity I gathered it," and he threw it on the ground, and made as +though he would have crushed it with his foot. + +"Do not do that," said Amy hastily; "give it to me, and I will place it +with the other flowers in my bouquet." + +"But those flowers are for some one else, not for yourself. You said so; +and I gathered this for you. Will you not have it?" + +"You have no right to offer it," replied Amy, determined not to be +conciliated, "and I will only accept it on the terms I have said; if you +will pull it to pieces I cannot help it." + +"No. I have not the heart to kill it so soon; I will keep it for some +other fair lady less obdurate," and he opened the door to allow of her +passing out. "I suppose we are both going the same way," said he, +overtaking her, notwithstanding she had hurried on. + +"I am going home," replied Amy, now obliged to slacken her steps, and +hardly knowing whether to feel angry or not. + +"So am I; if by home you mean Brampton House. How cold it is! are you +not very lightly clad for such inclement weather? The cold is intense." + +"This shawl is warmer than it looks. We feel it cold just leaving the +conservatory; it was so very warm there." + +"True; but we shall soon get not only warm, but out of breath if we +hurry on at this pace." + +Amy smiled, and slackened her steps again. She felt she had been +hurrying on very fast. + +"I think I saw you the day the Stricklands arrived?" + +Then as Amy looked at him enquiringly; he added, "you were coming up the +long walk with the children and helped Miss Tremlow upstairs when she +was able to leave the library." + +"I did," replied Amy, "but you? I do not remember you in the least. Oh! +yes I do, you were at the horses' heads. Yes, I remember quite well +now; it was you who first ran forward as they came up at that headlong +pace and stopped them. How stupid of me not to recollect you again." + +"Not at all. I scarcely expected you would." + +"Yes, but I ought to have, because out of the number of men collected +you were the only one who led the way; the only one it seemed to me who +had any presence of mind; there were plenty who _followed_, but none who +took the lead." Amy was quite eloquent and at home with him now, and he +smiled to himself as she went on. "I had not patience with all those +men, talking, screaming to one another, ordering here, calling there, +none knowing what ought to be done, all talking at random as the horses +dashed on, when suddenly you sprung from among them, the only one silent +amongst all the noise; the horses were stopped; the carriage stood +still; and the by-standers had nothing to do but cease talking, and +follow the example you set them." + +"Really you will make me out a hero; I only did a very simple action." +Amy was silent, she was afraid she had said too much. "Do you know how +Miss Tremlow is?" continued he; "poor lady, I fear she was seriously +alarmed." + +"She was indeed, but is now getting better, and I hope will soon make +her appearance downstairs." + +"I am not surprised she was frightened, my only wonder is the accident +did not end more seriously. This Goody Grey, whoever she is, is greatly +to blame; mad she undoubtedly must be, and I cannot understand Mr. +Linchmore's allowing her to go at large." + +"I believe she is quite harmless. I am going to see her some day; she +lives in a cottage down in the wood yonder." + +"This was no harmless action, it looks like malice prepense, unless +indeed they excited her anger unintentionally." + +"That is exactly what I have been thinking, and I intend finding out +more about it when I see her." + +"I should be cautious how I went to see her; she may not be so harmless +as you imagine. At all events do not go alone; I will accompany you with +pleasure if you will allow me?" + +"Thank you, I am not afraid. What harm could she do me? and as for her +foretelling future events I simply do not believe it, and should pay +little or no heed to anything she told, whether for good or ill," said +Amy, laughing as they reached the Terrace, when, wishing him good-bye, +she went in. + +"I hope you have had a pleasant walk with Miss Neville, Mr. Vavasour," +said Anne Bennet, coming up just behind as Amy disappeared, "Mr. Hall +and I have been close to you nearly all the way home, but you were too +busily engaged to perceive us." + +"I hope you also have had a pleasant walk. Have you been far?" asked Mr. +Vavasour, evading a direct answer. + +"An awful distance!" answered her companion, evidently a clergyman, by +the cut of his coat and white neck band. + +"You know nothing at all about it," exclaimed Anne, turning sharp round, +"or I am sure you would not call it far; why we only went across the +fields round by the church and so home again. I thought you said you +enjoyed it extremely?" + +"I am ready to take another this moment if you like. What say you? shall +we make a start of it?" + +"No, decidedly not, it is too dark; but I will hold you to your word +to-morrow. I know of a lovely walk; only three or four hedges to +scramble through, but that is a mere nothing, you know. The view when we +do reach the hill is charming, you can form no idea of it until you have +seen it," and laughing merrily at Mr. Hall's disconsolate look, Anne +left him. + +She peeped into the drawing-room; there was no one there but Mrs. +Linchmore. + +"What all alone! where's Julia?" asked she abruptly. + +"I fancy in her own room, or with Miss Tremlow; she was here a few +minutes ago, and was enquiring for you. Have you had a pleasant walk?" + +"Oh! very. Everybody asks me that question, or insinuates it, so that I +shall begin to imagine I have been in Paradise; here comes my Adam," +added she sarcastically, as Mr. Hall entered, "and really I can stand +him no longer, the character of Eve is odious to me. I cannot play it +out another moment, so leave it for you if you like to assume it." + +Away went Anne, her anger or ill temper increasing as she went up the +stairs. Flinging the door of their room wide open, and then closing it +as sharply, she quite astonished Julia, who sat with her feet on the +fender before the fire reading. + +"She's a flirt, Mag!" exclaimed she, throwing her hat on the table, and +flinging herself into an arm chair, close to her sister. "Yes, you need +not look at me in that way; I say she's a flirt; I am certain of it!" + +Julia burst out laughing. + +"You may laugh as much as you like, it will not annoy me. I shall hold +to that opinion as long as I live, and you may deny it as much as you +please; but I shall still say she's a flirt. Nothing will convince me to +the contrary, and now I think I have exhausted my rage a little; I felt +at fever heat when I came in," said she, putting her hair off her face. + +"I cannot think what your rage is all about, Anne," said Julia. "Of +course she is a flirt, no one ever asserts otherwise; it makes me laugh +to hear you go on; when not a soul, and least of all I, would take the +trouble of contradicting you." + +"More shame to you then, that is all I can say, when you pretend to be +so fond of her; I am sure I expected you to fly into a tremendous temper +at my assertion of her being a flirt. If I had a friend I would stand +up for her, no one should accuse her of sins in my presence." + +"I fond of her! well I think your walk has turned your head. I fond of +Isabella, indeed! You must be mad, when I begged mamma to leave me at +home, because I so much dislike her goings on." + +"Isabella! who talked of Isabella? I am sure I did not; I said as plain +as possible, Miss Neville." + +"Miss Neville! she is no flirt, and never will be," said Julia +decidedly. + +"Ah! there it is, I knew you would say so, although only a minute ago +you said no one would take the trouble of contradicting me." + +"Neither shall I. You can hold a solitary opinion if you like." + +"Stuff and nonsense about solitary opinions! I shall just convince you." + +"You will never do that." + +"How can you tell, seeing I have not tried? but only listen to my story, +and I am certain you will be convinced." + +"I am all attention," and Julia closed her book. + +"You must know then that after luncheon I asked Mr. Vavasour to chaperon +me out walking, or rather I gave a hint he might go with me if he liked, +and really I think it was the least he could do, considering Isabella +being 'nowhere.' I had devoted myself to him all the morning, and +positively went so far as to fetch the paper knife for him; when whom +should I find awaiting me when I came down dressed for walking, but that +dreadful Mr. Hall, his best hat and coat on. I felt just mad with +vexation, and should have given him an answer that would have sent him +flying; only I fortunately caught sight of that Vavasour's face at the +window, watching our departure, with a smile at the corners of his +mouth. I was in such a rage, but managed to wave him a smiling adieu, +before I vented it out by walking my friend Hall through all the gaps in +the hedges by way of finding short cuts; until he was in a thorough +state of disgust and despair about his new coat, etc., and not anxious +to take another walk in a hurry; when whom should I see in the distance, +as we came home, but that wretch Vavasour and Miss Neville, laughing and +talking together as thick as two peas. No wonder he would not go out +with me, when he had a walk in perspective with her." + +"Do stop Anne, you have talked yourself quite out of breath; and have +not convinced me either, for I still think you are wrong, and that most +likely he met her accidentally in the grounds. I sent her out myself; +she was very loath to go, so could not have promised to walk with +anyone." + +"Accidental fiddlestick. I am a woman, and do you suppose I do not know +a woman's ways. They looked as if they had known one another for years; +she must be a desperate flirt if they are only recently acquainted." + +"Perhaps they have met before. Suppose you ask her, instead of +condemning her unheard." + +"What a goose you are, Julia! You will never make your way in the +world. Ask, indeed! and be laughed at by both her and Mr. Vavasour for +my pains. I have not patience with you, Mag." + +"I have not patience to listen to you; so I shall go on with my book, if +you will let me." + +"No, I will not, Mag! I feel desperately annoyed, and will talk, whether +you like it or no, because if I do not, I shall feel in a rage all the +evening, and I am determined Mr. Vavasour shall not see how he has +disgusted me." + +"I dare say he does not think about it. Had you asked him point blank, +of course he would have walked with you; but most likely he never +understood your hint." + +"Upon my word, Julia, you are Job's comforter, and make me more vexed +than ever. I feel inclined to do something desperate, and have half a +mind to go down and torment that Mr. Hall afresh. I would if I thought I +should find him in the drawing-room." + +"Don't, Anne; stay where you are, and do try and leave that unfortunate +Mr. Hall alone. I am sure you tease his very life out, poor man! I do +not believe he is quite so stupid as he looks, and expect he will turn +round upon you some day." + +"I wish he would; there would be a little excitement in it; and as for +teasing him, I am sure I do not care if I do. Men wear the very life out +of us poor women." + +"Not all of them, Anne." + +"Yes, all of them; even Mr. Hall,--who is as simple as--as--I am sure I +do not know anything half bad enough to compare him to--would tyrannise +over a woman the moment he found out she loved him. Men are all alike in +that respect. Even he has sense enough for that, or, rather, it is a +man's nature, born in him, and he can no more get rid of it than he can +fly." + +"You will change your opinion some day, Anne." + +"Never! If ever I fall in love, I shall make a fool of myself, as most +women do, and be paid out the same; but my opinion will remain +unaltered all the time I am allowing myself to be trodden on. But +there, thank goodness, I am not in love, and not likely to be. My +thraldom is far off, I hope. Besides, I am wiser than I was a few years +back. 'A burnt child dreads the fire,' Mag. They will find it a hard +task to entice me into mischief. I like to pay them out. No retaliation +provokes me." + +"Not Mr. Vavasour's?" laughed Julia. + +"Oh, Mag," said Anne, rising, "how tiresome you are! You will be an old +maid, I prophesy, you are so prosy, and then we will both live together +and enjoy ourselves." + +"I do not look forward to any such lot," replied Julia. "I should be +miserable." + +"Then I will live by myself. No nephews or nieces, mind, to torment me. +That would be anything but enjoyment. How slowly the time goes! I +declare it is only five o'clock. Just call me when it is time to dress, +will you?" and she walked across the room and threw herself on the bed, +first throwing a large warm railway wrapper on the top. + +"There," said she, drawing it over her. "I am perfectly comfortable, and +intend forgetting that wretched Miss Neville and Vavasour in the arms of +Somnus, so you can go on with your book, Mag." + +She remained perfectly still for a few moments, then sitting bolt +upright, and throwing off the shawl, she exclaimed,-- + +"I have thought of a capital plan, Mag, of annoying that wretch, +Vavasour. How glad I am I lay down; it might never have entered my head, +sitting there by that cosy fire. Just watch his face, please, to-night, +will you, towards the end of the evening? I say, Maggie, do you hear? or +am I talking to a stone? Why don't you answer?" + +"Yes, yes; I hear you, I thought you were asleep." + +"Then do not think any such thing until you hear me snore; and now, +good-night, or rather good-bye, until six o'clock. Just stir up the +fire, it is awfully cold over here; do not forget we dine at seven, and +I must have an hour to dress, as I intend making myself quite killing. +And now for my bright idea again," and once more she drew the wrapper +over her, and composed herself to sleep afresh. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + WHAT BECAME OF THE FLOWER. + + "A true good man there was there of religion, + Pious and poor, the parson of a town: + But rich he was in holy thought and work; + And thereto a right holy man; a clerk + That Christ's pure gospel would sincerely preach, + And his parishioners devoutly teach. + Benign he was, and wondrous diligent, + And in adversity full patient. + + "Tho' holy in himself, and virtuous, + He still to sinful men was mild and piteous; + Not of reproach, imperious or malign; + But in his teaching soothing and benign. + To draw them on to heaven, by reason fair, + And good example was his daily care. + But were there one perverse and obstinate + Were he of lofty or of low estate, + Him would he sharply with reproof astound, + A better priest is nowhere to be found." + + CHAUCER. + + +Mrs. Linchmore was in the drawing-room, where she had been sitting ever +since Anne went off so abruptly, leaving her with Mr. Vavasour and the +curate. + +The latter _was_ awkward and ungainly; and we question much if he would +have tyrannised over a wife: certainly not, unless some unforeseen event +accidentally discovered to him that he might make a woman who loved also +fear him, and jealous; this latter thought had never entered his +head--perhaps it was to come. + +As Mrs. Linchmore and Robert Vavasour sat chatting and laughing, he +remained perfectly silent; sitting firmly upright in the chair he had +drawn close by, his long legs drawn up under him, trying in vain to find +an easy position for his hands; and those long arms, which he never +seemed to know what to do with, they certainly were too long for his +body, just like two sails of a windmill. He looked, as he sat, decidedly +like a man who could be thoroughly and completely +henpecked--notwithstanding the sometimes stern look on his brow--by any +woman possessing only half the amount of Anne Bennet's spirit; and she +would not have been edified had she returned to the drawing-room as she +threatened, and as no doubt Mr. Hall wished she would, for he looked +thoroughly uncomfortable and out of place; evidently in the way of the +two that sat there, who never addressed a single syllable to him, but +left him totally unnoticed, he all the time wishing to join in the +conversation, yet not knowing how to set about it. + +In the pulpit he was a different creature altogether. No longer the +timid, awkward curate, but, to all intents and purposes, a +straightforward, honest man, unswerving in exhorting to the right, +unshrinking in pointing out the wrong. There, his long, ungainly legs +hidden, his face lighted up, as he warmed with his subject, he became +decidedly handsome; even taken at his worst, he could never be called +plain. + +He was much liked in his parish, a small country village some few miles +distant from Brampton; smiles and kindly words greeting him whenever he +passed by the cottages; and such deep courtsies! A clergyman can +generally tell by the latter the kind of estimation in which he is held +by his parishioners. If liked, a deep courtesy and friendly voice speaks +to him. If otherwise, a slight reverence and scarcely a good morrow is +vouchsafed. Friendly voices always greeted Mr. Hall, even the children +ran to the doors to make a courtesy, and glance half slyly at his +pleasant, good humoured face. + +Whether he had fallen in love with Anne or no, was not quite certain; if +he had, she took the most sure way of curing him, by laughing at him, +and turning him into ridicule; not from ill nature, but simply because +she had nothing better to do, and found the time hung heavy on her +hands. Not an idea had she that he was pained by it, or indeed perceived +it; but there she was wrong; he did see it, and inwardly vowed each time +it happened should be the last; yet somehow or other he would be sure +soon again to find himself either next her at table, or by her side out +walking, or told off as her partner in a round game; and so his vow was +broken, and would have been had he made twenty such. + +Strange it was, that being a clever, well-read man, his powers of +conversation were so limited, but as long as those about him talked, he +did not appear to think it necessary to exert himself to amuse others, +so he passed as a dull, stupid, slow man. + +Perhaps his silent, reserved habits had grown upon him imperceptibly, +from living so much alone as he had done for the last five years, with +only an elderly woman to look after his house, and act as housekeeper; +and a boy to wait on him. + +The conversation of the two near him had sunk almost to a whisper, it +was so low; but they were mistaken if they suspected he was a listener. +He was not; his thoughts were with Anne, wondering at the time she took +in taking off her hat, and expecting every moment to see the door open. + +What would he have said, had he known she was then sound asleep, with +no thought for anyone in the whole world, least of all for him. Still +his eyes kept wandering towards the door, and at length it did open, but +it was Frances Strickland who came in and seated herself on a sofa just +behind him. + +"You are doing nothing, Mr. Hall," said she presently, "so do come here, +I want my skein of wool held." + +Mr. Hall did not like the dictatorial manner in which this was said; +still, having no excuse to offer, he advanced. + +"Pray bring a chair and sit down. How can I wind it, with you towering +above me in that way." + +"I am tired of sitting," replied Mr. Hall, mildly resenting this speech, +"so will stand if you will allow me." + +"I should never have supposed you tired of sitting, after the hedges I +saw you scrambling through with Anne Bennet." + +Mr. Hall coughed uncomfortably. "I enjoyed my walk and am accustomed to +the country. It would be well if all young ladies were as active as Miss +Bennet." + +"Or as masculine, which?" + +"The former, certainly. I see nothing of the latter about her," replied +he rather decidedly. + +"How strange! Everybody else does. I suppose you will not attempt to +deny she is a very _fast_ girl." + +"I am not sufficiently acquainted with Miss Bennet to be able to form, +or rather give an opinion as to her character; most young ladies of the +present day are _fast_, and perhaps your friend is not an exception to +the general rule." + +"Pray do not call her my friend. I am unlike the generality of girls in +that respect, and am hand and glove with no one." + +"Do you mean you have no friend?" + +"None, I am happy to say." + +"I pity you, Miss Strickland," replied Mr. Hall. + +"Reserve your commiseration," she said proudly, "for those who require +it. I should dislike having a friend even as active and _fast_ as Miss +Bennet, who, according to your idea," said Frances sarcastically, +"should have been born a grade lower in life; a housemaid for instance; +no amount of hard work would have been too much for her." + +"She would have struggled bravely through it all, I make no doubt," +replied he. "I have no mean opinion of Miss Anne's courage." + +"Or have worked herself into a consumption, and so become a heroine, as +she appears to be already in your estimation. Pray take care, Mr. Hall, +you have let half a dozen threads drop off your fingers. How excessively +careless!" + +"Yes. I do not understand holding it; excuse me," and he laid the +tangled mass in her lap. + +Was he as stupid as Anne pictured him; or would she, as Julia said, some +day find out her mistake. + +"What hopeless confusion, Miss Strickland," said Mr. Vavasour, advancing +a step, as he passed by. "Is this your doing, Hall?" and he laughed, +while Frances's eyes flashed with mortification and anger. + +"I am afraid so," replied he quietly. "The fact is Miss Strickland +enlisted my services, without making the least enquiry as to my +capabilities, hence this unfortunate failure. But I have resigned the +post I have filled so badly; will you take my place and do better?" + +"I am very sorry to refuse, but I have promised to have a game of +billiards with Strickland, and the time's up," said he, looking at his +watch. "Many thanks to you all the same, my dear fellow, for making me +the offer of such a Penelope's web to unravel." And he passed on. Mr. +Hall followed. + +"Tiresome, abominable man!" exclaimed Frances, gathering up the wool +apparently hopelessly entangled, and advancing towards the fire where +still sat Mrs. Linchmore. "Is not that Mr. Hall too bad; just see what +he has done--quite spoilt my skein." + +"How was it managed?" asked Mrs. Linchmore carelessly. + +"I asked him to hold it; of course I ought to have known better, such a +stupid creature as he is; his fingers are as awkward as his legs. I +cannot think how it is you invite him here, unless it is to be in the +way and make himself disagreeable; as in this instance." + +"Disagreeable! You are the first person, Frances, I ever heard apply +that epithet to Mr. Hall; no one ever thinks of him, and had you left +him alone, it would not have happened." + +"I know that; but I took compassion on him; you and Mr. Vavasour were so +deeply engaged," she said maliciously; "you never gave him a thought, +and because I did, this is my thanks. I shall be wiser for the future." + +"As most people are. Learn wisdom, and yet commit foolish actions every +day of their lives." + +"Perhaps I shall be different from most people," and she commenced +trying to disentangle the wool. + +"A hopeless task," said Mrs. Linchmore, "only waste of time and temper; +better let it alone, there are plenty of wools upstairs in my work +basket; I have no doubt Mason will find you a match for this, if you ask +her, you are most welcome to any I have," and she took up the book she +had laid down, as a hint to Frances she wished the conversation to end. + +So at least Frances thought, and left her alone, after first putting +away the wool in the sofa table drawer. + +But Mrs. Linchmore did not read, she laid the book carelessly in her +lap, and was soon, apparently, deep in thought, from which she was only +aroused by her husband's entrance; drawing a half sigh at the +interruption, she took up her book again, and gave no reply to his +greeting. + +"I am afraid I have disturbed you, Isabella; you were dozing, were you +not? or very nearly so." + +"Never mind. It is almost time to dress for dinner." She shut up the +book, and was rising, when he said, + +"Do not move yet, Isabella; I came here to seek you; wishing to have a +few moments' conversation." + +She looked at him enquiringly + +"I have been thinking it would be as well if you wrote and invited Mrs. +Elrington to come and spend this Christmas with us." + +"Mrs. Elrington!" cried she, in astonishment. + +"Yes, I think it would be the right thing to do; nay, I am sure of it, +and wonder it has never struck either of us before." + +"It would be the last thing I should think of; as I am sure there is not +the slightest use in asking her." + +"Why not?" + +"She would never come; but would send a refusal, perhaps not couched in +very civil terms." + +"I think you may be wrong. I hope so, at least. It is true she held +aloof when we married, why, or wherefore, I never knew; and has +continued estranged ever since; but surely her sending Miss Neville is a +proof she might be conciliated; at all events, there can be no harm in +attempting it." + +"She will never be conciliated, never! Besides, why should she be; you +surely are not at all anxious about it?" + +"She brought you up, Isabella; was as a mother to you when you lost your +own; surely you are in her debt for that, and owe her some kindness for +all she bestowed on you." + +"She has never taken the slightest notice of me during my ten years of +married life; therefore, however deep my debt of gratitude, I consider +it to have been cancelled after so much neglect and coldness." + +"But recollect the kindness that went before. You owe her some gratitude +and kindly feeling for that; however misjudging, or mistaken, she may +be; at least, I think so." + +"I cannot see it." + +"I am sorry you do not, Isabella, and that I have failed in convincing +you; little as I know of Mrs. Elrington," continued he, rather +decidedly, "I cannot believe she, or indeed any woman, would bear +malice so long, and not be anxious at some time during their life to +make amends; it is unlike their nature; besides, she is no longer young, +years are creeping on her slowly, but surely; depend upon it she will +take the invitation kindly." + +"Never!" said his wife again; "she does not think herself in the wrong, +and is so different from most women; she is sternness itself; and I +hope, Robert, you will give up the idea of asking her." + +"I cannot do that. You know, Isabella, I never speak, or express a wish, +unless I have fully considered the question at stake. It is my wish you +should write, and I cannot but think the reply will be different from +what you seem to expect." + +"Do not force me to write, Robert. It is disagreeable to me." + +"Force you!" exclaimed he, in surprise. "Certainly not; but I wish it, +Isabella, most decidedly." + +"How can I write, or what can I say? when she has never addressed a line +to me for such a length of time, or taken the slightest notice of me +whatever," said she half pettishly, half mournfully, very different from +Mrs. Linchmore's usual haughty tone. + +He looked half irresolute as he noticed it; her anger and coldness would +only have made him more stern; but one symptom of softness melted him at +once. + +"Isabella, dear," and he came near, and took her hand, "I am sorry to +have to ask you to do anything disagreeable, and what is evidently so +painful to you; you will forgive me, dear one, will you not?" + +But she looked up coldly in his face, and drawing away her hand, +returned not the pressure of his; and his irresolution faded away while +he said, + +"You must not forget, Isabella, she opened a correspondence with you, +after her long neglect and silence, and sent us Miss Neville; surely +that was a sign her coldness was giving way." + +"She heard we wanted a governess through Mrs. Murchison. I never had a +line from her on the subject; our correspondence was carried on entirely +through a third person, from first to last." + +"You forget the letter she wrote when Miss Neville came?" + +"No; I remember that perfectly. A very cold, stiff letter, I thought +it." + +"A very cold one, certainly. Well, perhaps it would be better I should +write; I will if you wish it; I am quite decided in my opinion that one +of us ought to do so." + +"No, no, by no means," replied Mrs. Linchmore, hurriedly. "I will do as +you like about it; and write to-morrow morning, since you think I ought, +and you wish it so much." + +"Thank you, Isabella." He stooped down over her again, and kissed her +forehead; but she received it coldly as before, her face half averted. +"I fear," he added, "it will give you pain; but it is right." + +"Pain! He little knows or even guesses how much," said Mrs. Linchmore +half aloud when he was gone, "or how much misery he has raked up during +the one short half-hour he has been here. I wish he had never come; or +rather never thought about the invitation." + +With a sigh she arose slowly, and went to dress for dinner. To be gay +and light, with a secret woe gnawing and tearing at her heart strings. + +Seated at the glass, Mason brushing and plaiting her hair, the book +still in her hand, apparently Mrs. Linchmore read, but it was not so; +her thoughts wandered; several times she turned back the pages, and +re-read what had gone before. + +Presently Amy came in, bringing the flowers she had gathered. + +"Come in, Miss Neville. What a lovely bouquet you have brought me. I +hope you have changed your mind about coming down this evening, and that +we are to have the pleasure of seeing you after all." + +"No indeed, Mrs. Linchmore, I have not. I should much prefer remaining +away, unless, as I said before, you particularly wish me to go down." + +"No, you must please yourself entirely, and do just as you like. But I +think Mr. Linchmore will be disappointed if you do not. He wished it; as +he said you must find it so especially dull all alone by yourself." + +"I do not, I assure you; and have several letters to write to go by +to-morrow's post. I am glad you like the flowers Mrs. Linchmore," and +she laid them on the table with the Camellia. + +"Thank you. How beautifully you have arranged them! But the Camellia, +why not place it with the rest?" + +"I thought you would wear it in your hair as you did the other evening. +Is it not beautiful? so purely white." + +"Mason has taken out this Italian spray," and she took up an elegant +silver ornament of Maltese work, "but I do not intend wearing it, +neither can I this lovely Camellia; kindly place it amongst the other +flowers you have arranged so nicely," and she gave the bouquet into +Amy's hand. + +"What a thousand pities, Ma'am!" said Mason. "It would look beautiful; +far better than the ornament." + +"Tastes differ," replied her mistress. "Thank you, Miss Neville, that +will do very nicely; I thought, or rather feared, you would have to take +the bouquet to pieces, but you have managed it admirably." + +"I had not secured the flowers so very tightly, or perhaps the string +had become loose." + +"How tiresome the weather is, keeping so very cold; everyone seems out +of temper with it, and must find Brampton especially dull. I am sure I +scarcely know what to suggest as an amusement by way of novelty. Can you +think of anything, Miss Neville? for I have exhausted all my ideas." + +"I cannot imagine how any one can find it dull here," replied Amy, "so +many to talk to, and so much to do." + +"Everyone is not so easily satisfied. I am quite weary of it, and think +I must give a ball. That will afford a little excitement for some time +to come, and please everybody except Mr. Hall; and he can go and look +after his parishioners for that day." + +Mason had now finished the last plait, and inquired what ornament her +mistress intended wearing in her hair, as she must arrange it +accordingly. + +Mrs. Linchmore turned to Amy. + +"Would you kindly bring the flowers on my work table yonder? and Mason +wind the plaits round my head so as to hang rather low." + +Amy crossed the room, and took the flower out of the tumbler. Could it +be possible? She examined it closely. Yes, there was no mistaking it. It +was the self-same spray Mr. Vavasour had gathered, and offered her an +hour or two before; there were the delicate white blossoms he had so +admired. A beautiful little flower, or rather spray, it was; but too +small, too insignificant to be worn in that rich dark hair. + +An unconscious smile hovered on her lips as she returned and gave it to +Mason, who turned up her eyes on beholding it. _That_ miserable little +piece of green and white to adorn the plaits she had arranged? It was +not worthy of a place there, but Mason dared not say so; she merely +ventured on the enquiry as to whether Miss Neville had brought the right +flower. + +"Certainly," was the reply. "Place it on the left side, and almost as +low down as the hair itself." + +But Mason was cross, and pinned it in badly, she would not understand +Mrs. Linchmore's directions. + +"What are you doing! Mason; I never knew you so awkward. How badly you +have arranged it; not in the least as I like." + +"Mrs. Linchmore wishes the spray to hang a little lower," suggested Amy. + + +"Perhaps, Miss Neville, you will very kindly pin it; as Mason seems to +be so excessively stupid." + +"I never pinned in such a flower before Ma'am," replied Mason, shrugging +her shoulders, while she made way for Amy to take her place, who soon +arranged it to Mrs. Linchmore's satisfaction. + +The dress was put on, its rich silk folds falling round her graceful +figure. Her dark hair, almost throwing the black lace trimmings into the +shade, wound round her small head in thick bands. Very beautiful she +looked; and so Amy thought, as she stood gazing at her, while Mason +fastened the bracelets round the fair white arms, and drew a shawl round +the still fairer shoulders. + +"You will find it cold, Ma'am, going down the corridor and stairs." + +"I dare say. Good night, Miss Neville. I regret we are not to have the +pleasure of seeing you," and with a proud, firm step, Mrs. Linchmore +went out. + +Would she have entered the drawing room so haughtily, had she known she +was wearing a flower that had been offered; nay, gathered for her +governess! The room was a blaze of light, as with a proud, yet graceful +step, a slight, haughty movement, perceptible about the small beautiful +head, Mrs. Linchmore bowed, and shook hands with her guests. + +Even in that shake there was haughtiness. It was no cordial grasp of the +hand, but a slight, very slight pressure, as the small taper fingers met +yours, and they were withdrawn, while a smile just curled the corner of +the lips, and she passed on; each tiny foot firmly, gracefully, yet +proudly planted on the ground: the same mocking smile, the same haughty +bend repeated, ere, gathering the rich silk dress in one hand, and +dropping at the same moment the splendid Cashmere that had partially +concealed her beautiful figure, she leant back, as if tired of the +exertion, amongst the soft crimson cushions of the sofa. + +"What a beautiful, cold-hearted creature she is," thought Robert +Vavasour, as he watched her. + +"What airs she gives herself," muttered Sotto Voce, a rather pretty +woman, and a neighbour, "coming in as if she were an Empress, after we +have all been assembled here the last ten minutes! For my part, I wonder +she condescends to come at all." + +How fortunate it is opinions differ, as well as tastes; but I am not so +sure this lady was singular in hers; certain I am, it would not have +caused Mrs. Linchmore one moment's uneasiness; she did not care a straw +what women thought of either her pride or her looks; she knew well that +by far the greater number envied her, therefore she could afford to +laugh at such speeches; but it was a rule with her--perhaps a studied +one--not to make her appearance until nearly all her guests were +assembled. + +She was never, even when an invited guest, early, but always amongst the +late comers; never actually unpunctual, but generally last, when she +would walk in as she had done now, haughty and graceful, the perfection +of ease in every slow and measured movement, totally unmindful of, or +apparently careless and unconcerned at the glances of admiration or the +many eyes bent on her as she passed. + +Few could have entered a room filled with company so calmly and +gracefully, with the _lady_ stamped in every step she took, every turn +of the head, every bend of the swan-like throat, or easy, graceful +figure: the pretty neighbour might have practised it for hours--nay, +days, and failed. It was innate in Mrs. Linchmore: it was impossible to +conceive her doing anything awkwardly, or out of place. Even now, as she +leant amongst the soft cushions, she was grace itself; while a lady +near, sat stiffly upright, looking most uncomfortable, though the +self-same cushions were behind and around her, inviting to repose and +ease. + +"My flower is highly honoured," said Robert Vavasour, as he drew near, +and partly leant over the back of the sofa. + +"Your flower!" exclaimed Mrs. Linchmore, with a well-acted glance of +astonishment. + +"It is scarcely worthy of a place amongst those rich dark braids," added +he, softly. + +"Ah, yes," replied she, raising her hand to her head, "I had quite +forgotten all about it. It is a lovely spray." + +"It would have looked better in the bouquet. Those braids require no +addition to set them off." + +"So Miss Neville said when she pinned it in. I am sorry she has done it +awkwardly, and that it does not please you," said she carelessly, "It is +too late to remedy the defect now." + +"Defect," said he, rather hastily, "the word is unwisely chosen; it is +impossible to find fault. The only defect, since you will it so, is the +unworthiness of the flower itself." + +"Do you condemn my poor bouquet also?" + +"It is exquisite," he said, taking it from her hand, "and a great deal +of taste displayed in its arrangement; the colours harmonize so well. +The flowers are lovely." + +"I suppose they are lovely; everything that costs money is. I used to be +just as well pleased once with the wild flowers growing in the hedges. +Take care, Mr. Vavasour, you will crush my poor Camellia. See, it has +fallen at your feet." + +"Not for worlds!" replied he, stooping and raising it from the ground; +"how loosely it was tied in; see, the stem is not broken, but has been +cleverly fastened with a piece of thread. I may keep it, may I not?" +asked he, as she stretched out her hand for it. + +"It is not worth the keeping." + +"Say not so, for I prize it highly. Is it to be mine?" + +"Yes, if you wish it," replied Mrs. Linchmore, with a faint attempt at a +smile, while the thought flashed across her mind that she wished she had +thrown his flower away. + +Then she rose and led the way in to dinner, anything but pleased with +the result of her conversation either with Robert Vavasour or her +husband, and it required a great effort on her part to fulfil her +character of hostess for that evening; and many noticed how far more +haughty she was than usual, and how absent and at random the answers she +gave. + +"So I have the Camellia at last," thought Mr. Vavasour, "and Miss +Neville pinned in the flower I gathered, which she refused to accept; +well, strange things happen sometimes; I am certain she never +foresaw this." + +And he too moved away and followed his hostess. + + + + + CHAPTER X. + + A PASSING GLANCE. + + "And what is life?--An hour glass on the run, + A mist retreating from the morning sun, + A busy, bustling, still-repeated dream, + Its length?--A minute's pause, a moment's thought; + And happiness?--A bubble on the stream, + That, in the act of seizing, shrinks to naught. + What is vain hope?--the puffing gale of morn, + That robs each flow'ret of its gem,--and dies; + A cobweb, hiding disappointment's thorn, + Which stings more keenly through the thin disguise." + + JOHN CLARE. + + +The eight o'clock train came whizzing and puffing into the Standale +station; Standale was a large town about ten miles distant from +Brampton, and the nearest railway station to the Park. Charles Linchmore +had barely time to step on to the platform, ere it was off again and out +of sight, puffing as hard and fast as ever. + +"Tom has sent me a horse?" questioned he of the porter. + +"Yes, Sir. Waiting for you the last ten minutes, Sir." + +Charles Linchmore passed out, and was soon wending his way along the +road to Brampton Park. The moon had not yet risen, and owing to the +slippery state of the roads, on account of the heavy fall of snow and +recent frost, he rode on leisurely enough. + +"Come along, Bob," said he to a shaggy Scotch terrier, who kept close to +the hind legs of the horse; "come along, old fellow, I'd give you a run +after your pent-up journey, only the roads are so confoundedly slippery, +and her majesty is determined to hide herself behind the clouds +to-night." + +The dog wagged his tail as though he understood his master, and kept on +as before. He was not much of a companion, but what with an occasional +puff at his cigar, and talk to his dog, Charles Linchmore went on +comfortably enough. As the smoke curled about his handsome mouth, his +thoughts wandered. What were they doing at the Hall? Was Miss Neville +still there, or absent as when he last paid his visit? and if there, had +any of the numerous visitors found out what a nice girl she was? + +"Of course they think her pretty, of that there can be no doubt," +thought he, "and I dare say she has found it out too by this time, and +gives herself airs; unless such an example as my brother's wife before +her eyes gives her timely warning, and she steers on another tack. +There's no being up to the girls now-a-days; as to prying into their +hearts it's impossible, and not to be imagined for a moment; they are +growing too deep for us men, and beat us out-and-out in deceit and +man[oe]uvring." + +"She has magnificent hair," thought he after a pause, "I suppose it's +all her own--just the colour I like, though she has a ridiculous fashion +of binding it up about her head. Perhaps she thinks it makes her look +like a Madonna;" here he took a long puff at his cigar. "Well, I could +not fall in love with a Madonna, it's not my style, and I do not think +she is like one either; an angel's eyes don't flash like hers do +sometimes. Perhaps Robert thinks his wife an angel, there is no +accounting for tastes, but if Miss Neville has grown one iota like her, +I'll--" here he paused again, "I'll have a flirtation with her, and--and +then go back to my regiment." + +The idea made him savage, and throwing away his cigar, he halted until +the groom who rode behind came up. + +"You can ride on, home, Tom, I don't want you," said he, and then he +listened to the clatter of the horse's hoofs on the hard frosty ground, +until they faded away in the distance out of hearing. + +"We are all selfish," mused he, "that man would have ridden more slowly +and carefully had it been his own horse. I dare say though, I am just as +selfish if I only knew it." + +He lit another cigar, and rode on some miles without interruption, until +stopped by the Brampton Turnpike Gate. + +"Hulloa!" called he. + +But no notice was taken of his repeated shouts, although a faint gleam +of light shone partly across the road from a slight crack in one of the +shutters, showing that some of the inmates were at least awake. + +"Confound the fellow!" muttered Charles as he called again. + +When the door suddenly opened, and the figure of a man stood in the +doorway. + +"I tell yer I can undo it very well myself, and will too, so just stand +fast," said he in a thick voice, to somebody inside the cottage, while +and with anything but a steady gait he managed somehow between a shuffle +and scramble to get over the one step of the cottage,--lifting his legs +at the same time, as if the steps was so many feet, instead of inches +high,--and reach the gate. Here, steadying himself by leaning both arms +across the top, he looked up to where Charles Linchmore stood. + +"I say young, man!" exclaimed he. "What do yer mean by hollering and +bawling in that way? Havn't yer any patience. If ye're in sich a mortal +hurry, why don't yer take and jump the gate? Eh!" + +"Open the gate, you blockhead, or I will make you," exclaimed Charles, +angrily. + +"Speak civil, can't yer? I ain't going to open the gate with them words +for my pains." + +Just then the moon emerged from behind a cloud, and shone full on +Charles Linchmore's face. The man recognised him in a moment, +notwithstanding his tipsy state. + +"In course, Sir, I'll open, who says I shan't? Bless yer sir, I'll open +it as wide as ever he'll go. Dang me! if I can though," muttered he, as +he fumbled at the fastening. + +"Bring a lanthorn, Jem, can't yer," called he, turning his face towards +the cottage, the door of which still remained open. "Bring a light; yer +was mighty anxious just now to come out when yer wasn't wanted, and now +yer are, yer don't care to show yer face." + +He had scarcely finished speaking when another man emerged from the +cottage, a hand was placed on the lock, and with a clatter the gate +swung back to the other side of the road. + +"I've half a mind to give you a sound horsewhipping," said Charles, +passing through, followed by Bob, the latter venting his displeasure in +a low suppressed growl, "but I hope your wife will save me the trouble, +so I shall reserve it for some future opportunity." + +"Thank yer Sir. She takes to it kindly she do, and don't want no +'swading." + +"I hope she will give you an extra dose of it at all events," said +Charles. "Is that you, Grant?" he added, addressing the other man. "It's +scarcely safe for you to be out so late, is it?" + +"You've heard all about the trial then, Sir?" questioned Grant. + +"I read an account of it in the papers, and was sorry enough for poor +Tom." + +"Most everybody was Sir, and the parson gave us a fine discourse the +Sunday after his funeral; but somehow preaching don't heal a broken +heart, and Susan do take on awful at times; she haven't forgotten him, +and it's my belief never will." + +"Poor thing! Her husband's was a sudden and sad death, shot down like a +dog by the poachers. The gang are still prowling about, so they say." + +"Yes, Sir, and will do more mischief yet, they're a bad, desperate set, +the lot that's here this year." + +"I suppose you are keeping this man company, or looking after him in his +drunken state. You would scarcely be going home alone at this late hour +of the evening?" + +"No, Sir. I am going home. I've been up to the Hall, and stayed there +longer than I ought." + +"It is too late a great deal for you to be out, and the whole country +round about swarming with poachers." + +"True, Sir. But I shan't go before my time--" + +"Nonsense!" interrupted Charles. "Come, I tell you what; I'll see you +home, I have nothing better to do; but first get that man safely housed +somewhere, do not leave him out here to be run over." + +"Oh! I'll soon settle him, sir." + +And while Charles Linchmore struck a light and lit another cigar, Grant +went once more into the cottage. + +Opening a door, he called up the stairs, "Mrs. Marks! Here's your +husband. I've brought him home rather unsteady on his pins; you'd better +come down and see after him at once afore he gets into mischief." + +"He is! Is he?" screamed a shrill voice from the top. "I expected as +much. I warrant I'll soon make him steady again!" + +With which satisfactory reply Grant rejoined Charles Linchmore, and they +left the 'pikeman singing a drunken song, and vainly trying to shut the +gate, the opening of which had previously so baffled his endeavours. + +Turning off the high road, they struck into a side path or narrow lane, +the tall hedges towering above them on either side, while here and +there a tree loomed like a giant overhead. + +"So you have been gossiping up at the Hall, Grant?" began Charles, +encouraging his companion to talk. + +"Yes, Sir; and a sight of company there is there now; not a man or maid +able or willing to talk to you; so it's not much in the way of a gossip +I've had. No, sir, I went to see my daughter Mary, but she was busy with +the young ladies, getting them ready for a big dinner. Sich a sight of +carriages in the yard, and the dogs barking like mad. You'd scarce know +the place again, Sir. It's so changed." + +"I'm glad of it. It used to be as dull as ditch water." + +"Lord love ye, Sir! You won't find it dull or lonesome now. Why afore +the frost set in, the roads were all alive with ladies and gentlemen +riding over them. Matthew the Pikeman hadn't no time scarce to eat his +victuals, let alone take a drop. So there's some excuse, Sir, for him +getting muddled a bit now, and he didn't forsee the party up at the +Hall to-night." + +"I see," replied Charles, smiling, "he was overworked, poor man, I've no +doubt it is so." + +"Well, as to that Sir, I can't say he's got much to worry himself about +on that score. His wife says he's an idle dog; but then that's her way, +she never says he's over-burthened with brains." + +"A vixen, eh? It's a good thing all women don't resemble Mrs. Marks." + +"Yes, Sir, it is. Which same is a comfort if you're thinking of taking a +wife; I ask your pardon, Sir, for being so bold." + +"I Grant! I take a wife! That is anything but a sensible speech of +yours, and requires a great deal of thought." + +"Well, Sir, I dare say when your time comes, you'll get one as'll suit +you, as Mrs. Marks suits her husband, he'd be nothing without her, and +though he brags and bullies about awful behind her back, he's like a +tame cat afore her. To every word he gives, she lets fly more than a +dozen. It's my belief she'd talk any man dumb in half an hour." + +"A pleasant life for Marks, upon my soul! I no longer wonder he +frequents the public house." + +"He don't go there often, Sir, don't think it. No, he most allays +manages to go on the sly, and it ain't so easy to 'scape her eyes. +Sometimes when he thinks she's safe at the wash-tub, he sneaks off; but +he darn't for the life of him go on if he hears her voice calling out +after him behind. Then he's forced to turn tail, and go back home with +it 'tween his legs, with scarce even a growl. But it 'grees with him, he +don't get so _very_ thin; most others would be worn to skin and bone +afore this. And now I'm in sight of the cottage, sir, so I needn't +trouble you to come any further, and I'm much beholden to you, Sir, for +coming so far." + +But Charles Linchmore saw him safe to the door, then turned his horse's +head once more towards the Hall. + +This time he had not long to wait at the Turnpike Gate. It was swung +open by a tall, bony, masculine looking woman,--apparently quite a match +for the thin, spare Pikeman--who wished him good night in a loud, shrill +voice. + +"Mrs. Marks," thought Charles. "Her voice sounds hoarse, as though she +had been pitching into that unfortunate husband of hers pretty +considerably. I hope there's no second Mrs. M. to be had, or reserved +for me, as Grant half hinted, in some snug corner." + +As he entered the Lodge gate, he wondered if Miss Neville had joined the +guests at dinner; who had taken her in, sat next her, and talked to her; +and whether he should find her the centre of an admiring circle, or +flirting in some "snuggery," or on the "causeuse," where he had had such +a desperate flirtation with his cousin, Frances Strickland, only a year +ago. + +But he had scarcely taken half-a-dozen steps in the Hall, before he saw +her standing at the further end, by the large roaring Christmas fire. + +He crossed at once to where she was; holding out his hand cordially, +forgetting in a moment all his savage thoughts and suspicions. + +"Good evening, Miss Neville. You have not forgotten an old friend?" + +Amy gave him her hand, but not quite so eagerly as it was clasped in +those strong fingers of his. + +"The sight of the fire is quite cheering. I am half frozen with the +cold," continued he, drawing nearer to it. + +"It is a bleak drive from the station; and I always fancy colder on that +road than any other." + +"I rode it; and should have been warm enough if the frosty roads would +have allowed of a gallop. I met Grant, the head Keeper, as I came along, +and saw him home; it was too late for him to be out alone, and a price +set on his head by those cowardly ruffians, the poachers." + +"You heard about the fight then. What a sad affair it was from beginning +to end. It has made us all nervous and fearful for Grant, as he gave +the principal evidence against the unfortunate man who was hung; and +they have vowed to be revenged on him; but Mr. Linchmore has doubled the +number of Keepers nearly, so we hope that will intimidate them." + +"I hope it may; and now suppose we talk about something more lively; the +dinner for instance. How many people are here?" + +"About thirty altogether. But they have all left the dining-room now +some little time. You are late." + +"I meant to be. I hate dinners," he said crossly, half inclined to be +out of temper again, as of course she must be waiting for somebody out +there; otherwise why all alone? + +"Here Bob," said he aloud, "here's room for you, old fellow; come and +warm your toes. He's no beauty, Miss Neville, is he?" and he glanced +inquiringly in her face. "Would she think him a horror, as his Cousin +Frances had done? + +"Decidedly not," replied Amy, "but I like dogs." + +"I am glad of it. I am very fond of Bob, I believe he is the only +creature who cares for me. By-the-by how is my sister's fat pet? Poor +beast, what a specimen of a dog he is! Bob and he never got on well +together." + +"He is as asthmatic as ever, and has not had a fit for an age. I cannot +say what the sight of your dog may do, especially if he turns the right +side of his face towards him." + +"Yes. That eye is certainly rather so-so; and the lip uncomfortably +short; but I am proud of those marks, and so is he; they are most +honourable wounds, and show he has borne the brunt of many a battle +without flinching." + +While Amy and he both laughed, Frances Strickland came into the hall. +She glanced at the two in surprise, and stood for a moment irresolute. +Once she made as though she would have gone towards them, then turning, +went swiftly into the music-room; came back as softly, and with another +look re-entered the drawing-room. + +Closing the door, her eyes wandered restlessly until they fixed their +gaze on Mrs. Linchmore, who, seated on the music stool, was carelessly +turning the pages of a book, while two or three young men seemed eagerly +proffering their services, or selecting from among a number of songs the +one she was to sing. + +An expression of disappointment flitted over Frances' face while going +towards the piano. One of the gentlemen had just moved away to another +part of the room. So laying down the music she held in her hand, she +advanced towards the vacant seat, and had nearly secured it, when it was +filled by another, just as Mrs. Linchmore began one of the airs from +"Lurline." + +Again that vexed, baffled look, with a dimly perceptible frown. As she +turned away, Anne Bennet rose and seated herself by Julia. + +"Look at Frances, Maggie," whispered she, "and tell me what you see in +her face." + +"What should I see?" laughed Julia, "but pride. I have never been able +to find any other expression." + +"Then you are a greater simpleton than I; and if I had the stick the +fool gave to the king on his death bed, you should have it; for I see a +great deal more." + +"Wise sister Anne. What do you see?" + +"An angry, spiteful, vexed look; as if she had seen a ghost in the +music-room, where I know she went just now." + +"Nonsense! Even if she had it would not frighten her, she would think it +had only made its appearance to fall down and worship her; and would +spurn it with her foot." + +"I am certain she saw something out there, and I am determined to see +what it was." + +"Of course," said Julia demurely, "and here comes Mr. Hall to help you." + +"Always coming when he is not wanted," exclaimed Anne crossly. "I shall +not say a word to him; or if I do, I will be abominably rude." + +Quite unconscious of what was awaiting him Mr. Hall advanced, and said +good humouredly, + +"I have been thinking Miss Anne, where we shall go to-morrow for the +walk you have so kindly threatened me with." + +"It will most likely pour in torrents," replied she. + +"I do not anticipate it, the glass is rising, so there is every prospect +of our walk coming off; and if I might be allowed to choose, I know of a +very lovely one, even in winter time." + +"That is impossible," said she sharply, "everything looks cold and +bleak." + +"Not while the snow remains in the branches of the trees; even then the +Oak Glen can never look ugly; the large rocks prevent that." + +"The Oak Glen! Oh, pray do not trouble yourself to take me there; I will +lead you blind-fold." That will settle him, thought she. + +But no, Mr. Hall was not to be defeated in that style, and went on again +quite unconcernedly. + +"You have sketched it, perhaps. It would make a lovely painting." + +"I do not paint; that is to say only caricatures of people that make +themselves ridiculous." That must finish him, thought she, as Julia +gave her dress a slight pull. + +But Mr. Hall had not the slightest idea of leaving, and seemed as though +he heard not; and quite out of temper Anne said; + +"What are you pulling at my dress for, Julia? I think she has a secret +to tell me Mr. Hall, so you really must go away." + +"I dare say it will keep until to-morrow," replied the impenetrable Mr. +Hall; "young ladies never have any very serious secrets." + +"You are quite right, Mr. Hall," said Julia, "my secret will keep very +well until to-morrow." + +"What a wretch he is!" thought Anne, tapping her tiny foot impatiently +on the ground; "Isabella will have finished that song soon, and then it +will be too late. How tiresome I cannot get rid of him, when every +moment is so precious." + +"Mr. Hall," said she aloud, "If Julia's secret will keep, mine will not; +and since you are determined to remain here, why you must be a sharer in +it; there is no help for it." + +"By all means," replied he, coolly, "I am all attention." + +"You will only hear part of it; but men are so curious, I dare say you +will soon ferret out the rest. Can I trust you?" + +"Of course. It is only the fair sex that are not to be trusted." + +"I have no time to quarrel with you, or I would resent such a rude +speech. Now will you attend, please. I am going to ask you to help +me--that is if you will." + +"Certainly I will. I am all attention." + +"I am desirous of leaving the room without Miss Strickland's knowledge; +can you help me to manage it?" + +"Is that all? You shall see." + +He went over to where Frances still stood by the piano; with huge, +ungainly strides, as though a newly ploughed field was under his feet, +instead of the soft velvet carpet. + +"What an awkward bear he is!" said Anne to her sister, as she watched +him; "I shall give him a hint to get drilled, or become a volunteer +parson, he would be sure to shoot himself the very first time he +handled a rifle; do only look at him Mag, he is like a large tub +rolling along." + +"Do not abuse him Anne, see how quickly he has done what you wished; I +am sure he deserves praise for that." + +"I wish he always would do what I wish; and then I should not be +tormented with him so often," replied Anne. + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + + THE MEETING IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM. + + Thus, when I felt the force of love, + When all the passion fill'd my breast,-- + When, trembling, with the storm I strove, + And pray'd, but vainly pray'd, for rest; + 'Twas tempest all, a dreadful strife + For ease, for joy, for more than life: + 'Twas every hour to groan and sigh + In grief, in fear, in jealousy. + + CRABBE. + + +Frances did not look very well pleased when she saw Mr. Hall advancing; +in fact turned away her head almost rudely, so that any very timid man +would have taken the hint and retreated. + +But Mr. Hall, however simple he looked, was not timid; he had a way of +always carrying his point. That strong unflinching will of his would +have subdued a much more formidable enemy than a proud, weak woman. I +say weak, because when a woman gives way to or does not strive against +any besetting sin, she lays herself open to attack, and is easily +wounded when that most palpable fault is assailed. So it was with +Frances. + +Her mother and Mrs. Bennet were sisters, the first had married a rich +merchant, the other a comparatively poor man, whose five daughters did +not conduce to enrich him, however much they might his family fireside. +Mrs. Linchmore's mother was an elder sister, she had died young leaving +her only child to the care, as has been seen, of Mrs. Elrington. Frances +and Mrs. Linchmore somewhat resembled one another. The same haughty +look, and at times, scornful expression appeared in both, but with this +difference, that the former could command hers at will almost, while the +latter was either not so well versed in the art of concealment or +scorned to use means to prevent its being visible. + +They were both rich. Riches do not of necessity bring pride, although +they in a great measure foster and increase it. They make the seeds bear +fruit which otherwise would remain dormant for ever, and Frances being +an only daughter had been early taught to believe she was a magnet, +towards which all hearts would turn, and that wealth was necessary to +happiness, while her cousins the Bennets were quoted as examples of +poverty, until she thoroughly learnt to despise and pity them, believing +in her ignorance that they and all must envy her and her parents wealth. + +Mr. Hall, in her ideas, was a poor simpleton almost beneath her regard, +and she would have taken no notice of him had it not been for his +admiration of Anne. She could not bear another should receive worship +while she was present. He was simply a being to be made useful, as in +the instance of the skein of wool; though that little episode had in +some slight measure induced her to think he was not quite such a Simon +Pure as he looked, and although Mr. Hall on this occasion really +exerted himself to be agreeable, the tangled mass lying in the sofa +table drawer, was too recent an injury to be easily forgotten; and he +only received monosyllables in reply to his remarks. + +But he was not to be defeated. Anne had asked him to help her, and help +her he would; so notwithstanding Frances' ungraciousness he talked on, +and so engrossed her attention that he soon had the satisfaction of +watching Anne's unobserved escape from the room, and of thinking that +perhaps she would like him a little better for his clever management. + +Alas! Anne had far too much curiosity to think of anything but +gratifying that. Until that had been satisfied not a thought had she for +anything else. Her inquisitiveness was as great almost as Frances' +pride. There never was a plot concocted at home, or a pleasure planned +as a surprise for her, but she had found out all about it before it was +in a fair way of completion. Her sisters were constantly foreboding +scrapes and troubles for her, but nothing as in this instance daunted +her. She would not be baffled. She guessed from Frances' face that +something had annoyed her; that trouble was in consequence in store for +some one, and she was resolved to find out what that something was. + +As she stood outside in the hall, she saw at a glance Frances' ghosts, +and ever impulsive, was beside them in a moment. + +"Good evening, Charles. There are at least a dozen cousins in there," +and she pointed in the direction of the drawing-room, "waiting to say +the same to you." + +"Then let them wait, until I have warned and nerved myself to encounter +such an immense array of females." + +"Most men would have been roasted in less time; but you have had very +pleasant company," and she glanced at Amy, "to perform your deed of +martyrdom in." + +"I had a cold ride," replied he drily, "and only arrived a short time +ago from the Brampton Station." + +"In these fast days even the clocks are somehow in the fashion, and go +faster than they did formerly. I remember when I used to think +half-an-hour an awful long time to wait for anybody, and I suspect +Mrs. Linchmore's patience is fast evaporating." + +"Nonsense! How should she know I have arrived?" + +"Because all ill news travels fast." + +"Do not be surprised, Miss Neville," said Charles, apologetically, "at +any thing you hear fall from Miss Bennet's lips, she is--," he hesitated +a moment, "rather peculiar." + +Anne's laugh rang loud and clear through the hall; then coming close +beside him, and standing on tiptoe, she whispered a few words in his +ear, evidently by the sudden start he gave and the quick flush that +succeeded it, something that annoyed him; for while Anne still laughed +he wished Miss Neville good-night, and, whistling to his dog, went away +upstairs. + +Then Anne no longer laughed, but with a sigh turned suddenly to Miss +Neville, and as she did so caught sight of Mr. Hall's face at the +half-open drawing-room door. + +"Is it possible!" exclaimed she, "that I caught sight of Mr. Hall's ugly +phiz peeping through the door?" + +"Yes; he was there not long ago; at least I saw him when you were +whispering to Mr. Linchmore." + +"Upon my word, I am losing all patience with that man. How I do wish +Charles had been a little more cousinly; how astonished he would have +been, and what a lecture he would have read me. Keep a secret, indeed! +Not he. Why he is a thousand times worse that I. Good-bye, Miss +Neville, I am sorry to have interrupted your cosy chat, but I could not +possibly help it; you will forgive me, won't you." + +Amy told her there was nothing to forgive. That she had promised the +children she would take them upstairs, and was merely waiting for them. + +"Then do not wait any longer," Anne said, "but take my advice, go to +bed, and send Mary. You do not know Mrs. Linchmore as well as I do, +_she_ is _peculiar_ in some things; and--now do not be angry--but I +doubt if she would like your being here." And without waiting to see the +effect of her speech, Anne went off. + +"You _cannot_ keep a secret, Mr. Hall," said she, stumbling upon him as +she entered the drawing-room. "I have tried you, and you are not to be +trusted in the very slightest." + +"You forget, Miss Anne, you did not trust me, otherwise--" + +"You would not have peeped," she said, finishing the sentence. + +"True. I should not." + +"But a secret is no secret when it is entrusted to a multitude. If you +have found out mine--which, mind, I doubt--do not divulge it." + +Ten minutes later Mrs. Linchmore herself left the room with the +children, and Anne again enlisted Mr. Hall's services, asking him to see +if Miss Neville was in the Hall. "Do not trouble to come and tell me, I +do not wish it; but just shake your head, or nod as the case may be, yes +or no; I shall understand you." + +"I have found it all out, Mag," said she, crossing the room as Mr. Hall +disappeared; and with no little pride Anne once more seated herself in +the still vacant chair. + +"I do not doubt you, Anne. Was it worth the trouble?" + +"I should think so. There would have been a flame before now, the train +was laid and the match all ready, but before it could be set fire to I +dispersed it. So you see curiosity is not always a fault, but in some +instances praiseworthy." + +Julia laughed. "What reasoning," she said. + +"It is sound, good reasoning though, Mag; and now do tell me if Mr. Hall +is in the room?" + +"Yes, and looking at you, Anne." + +This should have satisfied her, and she should have given Mr. Hall the +chance of making the promised signal; but no, she could not resist the +pleasure of tormenting him a little, so went on talking to her sister +and giving no heed. + +Presently, a few minutes later, she again asked, "What is Mr. Hall doing +Mag? Has he left off looking in this direction?" + +"No, he is still looking," replied Julia, laughing. + +"Oh what a wretch; and how foolish he is. I suppose he will go on +looking until everybody in the room sees him," and slowly raising her +eyes she received the promised shake, and really felt happy at having +extricated Amy out of some trouble, though she hardly knew what. She +remained where she was for the rest of the evening, expecting every +moment to see her cousin Charles come in at the opposite door, but he +never made his appearance. Frances' eyes were also constantly wandering +in the same direction; perhaps she too expected him, but he disappointed +them both. They saw no more of him until the next morning at breakfast, +when approaching Anne as she stood at the window inwardly abusing the +unpromising state of the weather--it was snowing fast--he asked who had +told her of his arrival the evening before. "I am determined to know," +said he, "so you had better make a clean breast of it at once, and tell +me who acted as I am inclined to think so spitefully." + +But Anne pretended not to understand him. He had been asleep and +dreaming since. She had never even hinted that any one had been +spiteful; it was a pure invention of his brain, and leaving him, she +went to the table. There seeing Mr. Hall busy helping some cold fowl, +she walked round and took a seat as far off from him as she possibly +could. But what was her astonishment at seeing him, as she began cutting +a piece of bread, deliberately walk round to where she was; and taking +the knife from her hand, cut a slice which he put on her plate, and then +seat himself beside her. She dared not look at her sister, knowing full +well she was laughing, and that was sufficient to make her feel angry +and indignant, so turning her face away, she vouchsafed him not one +word, but listened to the conversation going on around. + +"I am very glad to see you, Charles," Mrs. Linchmore was saying. "How +early you must have arrived. Did you sleep at Standale? I believe the +place does boast of an hotel of some kind." + +"No. I arrived last night, but having indulged in a cigar as I came +along, with Bob for a companion,--two of your abominations--I had to +divest myself of my travelling costume lest you should detect the first; +see Bob safely housed for the second, and take a glass of brandy and +water for the third; and by the time I had finished that, I thought the +bed looked uncommonly comfortable, so just tried it to see if it was, +and suppose I was right, for I only awoke about twenty minutes ago, and +have had a scramble to get down in time." + +"Three very poor excuses. I did hear a whisper that you were here, but +could not believe it, as I thought you would of course come and make +yourself agreeable to my visitors, if not to myself and your cousins," +said Mrs. Linchmore, with a slight symptom of annoyance in her tone, +"however, Bob, if he was your only companion was, I have no doubt more +pleasant company. By what train did you arrive?" + +"By one of the late trains," replied he, catching a glimpse of Anne's +face, the expression of which rather puzzled him, but he fancied it told +him to be on his guard, so he added, "I was not in a fit state to be +seen by any lady just from that dusty, smoky railway." + +"I saw you," said Frances, quietly looking up, "but you were too busily +engaged to perceive me." + +"And--" Mr. Hall was on the point of adding "_I_--" and perhaps telling +that he had seen Amy also; but before the latter word had escaped his +lips Anne, turned round quickly and catching his arm whispered, + +"My secret! Beware, beware!" + +"Is that your secret?" asked Mr. Hall, "Remember I am still in +ignorance; you only half trusted me. Pray forgive me." + +Anne felt astonished and abashed. A great tall man like Mr. Hall ask her +pardon so humbly; she thought she should like him a little better from +that time forth. So full of wonderment was she, that she failed to +notice the quick triumphant glance Charles flashed at her across the +table, on hearing Frances' words. + +It did not snow incessantly; some days were fine enough, and what with +hunting, riding, shooting and skating, they passed pleasantly for the +visitors, notwithstanding Mrs. Linchmore's fears that they were finding +Brampton Hall dull and stupid. + +The ball had not as yet been talked of, except in the housekeeper's +room, where of course Mason carried the news, to the no small vexation +of Mrs. Hopkins, who thought the place quite gay enough as it was; and +sighed for the good old times, when she could walk about without being +obliged to drop a courtesy at every step she took, as she encountered +some fair girl, or man with fierce moustaches and whiskers; these latter +she regarded as so many birds of prey, waiting for some unfortunate +victim to pounce down upon and bear away in their fierce talons. + +Charles Linchmore did not apparently care much for any of the gay party +assembled, and often loitered away half the morning in the library, +where setting the door ajar, and seating himself so that he could catch +a glimpse of any one passing, he lounged impatiently until the gong +sounded for luncheon. Then throwing down his book, with a gesture half +of weariness, half of vexation, he either remained where he was, and +took no notice of the summons, or went into the dining-room with +anything but a happy or contented expression of face; feeling +uncomfortably out of sorts and out of temper with himself and the whole +world, and in no mood for Frances' soft smiles--who, proud as she was, +could and did unbend to him--or for Anne's sharp retorts. + +What had become of Miss Neville? Where was she? Did she never go out? It +was an unheard-of piece of eccentricity, remaining so long shut up in +the house; besides it was bad for the children. Surely a cold walk was +better than none at all? These and many other questions Charles asked +himself, until he grew tired and out of patience, and tried to think of +other things, but it was useless; his thoughts always came back to the +one starting point, Miss Neville; she was evidently uppermost in his +mind; although he stood a good chance, or seemed to do so, of returning +to his regiment, without even the flirtation he had threatened her with +as a punishment, if he should find her at all resembling his brother's +wife, or spoilt with mixing amongst the small world at Brampton. + +Had he only wandered near the door leading out into the shrubbery from +the flight of stairs in the wing appropriated to the children and Miss +Neville, he would have seen her every day, and not wasted his mornings +in vain wishes and surmises as to what had become of her. + +One cold, raw day after a gallop with his cousin Frances, and almost a +renewal of his old flirtation--she was a fearless horsewoman, and he +could never help admiring a woman who rode well--he walked round to the +stables to have a look at the horses. + +As he passed in sight of the school-room window, he could not resist the +temptation of looking up, and saw Amy, whom a few minutes ago he had +almost forgotten, standing by the window. Scarcely knowing whether she +noticed him or not, he raised his hat. She bowed slightly ere she moved +away out of his sight. + +Was it his fancy, or did he really detect a mocking smile on her lips? +Was it possible she was glorying in having deluded him so successfully +ever since the night of his arrival? The idea aroused him at once; he +would no longer be inactive. The chase was becoming exciting, since she +would not leave the citadel, he would storm it. + +Instead of going to the stables, he turned back, and went to his own +room, changed his thick, heavy riding boots, and then made for the +school-room, passing Mrs. Linchmore's door on his way with a defiant, +determined step; but he was uninterrupted in his journey; he met no one. +He soon reached the corridor, stood before the school-room door and +knocked. But the soft voice he had expected to hear in reply was silent. + +Again he knocked. No reply still. He grew bolder, opened the door +softly, and with Bob at his heels, walked in. + +The room was tenantless. Amy and her pupils were nowhere. + +So she had guessed his intention, perhaps seen him from the window +turning back, and divining his motive, flown. He was angry, indignant, +but his time was his own, he would wait where he was half the day; he +would see her, she should not elude him thus. + +Being in a bad temper, he vented it on unoffending Bob. + +"How dare you follow me here, Sir?" The poor animal looked up wistfully, +not knowing in what he had offended, since his master patted his head so +caressingly as they stood outside the door together. + +On the table was a half finished drawing, the paper still damp with the +last touches, the brushes all scattered about; one had fallen on the +edge of the paper; Charles took it up, carefully washed out the mark it +had left, and laid it by carefully. + +Amy's work-box stood invitingly open. He looked in, and turned over the +contents: there was a piece of embroidery; small holes that had been cut +out and sewn over, the "_holy work_," as he called it, that he hated so +much. + +Somehow this small piece appeared to have a curious interest in his +eyes, he looked at it, put it down and then looked at it again. There +was the needle still in the half finished flower, and a small mark as +though the finger had been injured in the sewing. This decided him, and +with a half frightened, guilty look he put it in his pocket, just as +Bob, evidently with the view of making friends, rubbed against his legs. + +"Ah! my friend," said Charles, looking down, "Your warning +comes too late. The deed is done." + +"What is too late?" asked Frances advancing into the room, "and what +have you done?" + +"You here," stammered Charles. + +"Yes, why not? since Mr. Charles Linchmore designs to come." + +"Then I came--, that is you forget," said he recovering himself, "I +sometimes take my nieces for a walk." + +"I forget nothing," replied she, "my memory serves me well." + +"Why are you here?" asked he, "surely you can have no excuse for +coming." + +"It was chance directed my footsteps," replied she carelessly. + +This was scarcely true. Ever since Frances had seen Amy talking with her +cousin on the evening of his arrival, a strange fascination to speak +with the governess had taken possession of her; why she hardly knew or +questioned; but now at this moment, as she stood so unexpectedly face to +face with Charles and marked his confusion, a jealous hatred crept +slowly, yet surely over her heart, a jealousy that was to be the bane of +her after life, to influence her every action, almost thought, and lead +her to follow blindly all its revengeful promptings, undeterred either +by the oft-times whispered voice of conscience, or the evident and +consequent sufferings of others. + +What woman is not jealous of the one she fears is supplanting her, or +obtaining an interest in the heart of him she loves? but here Frances +had barely reason for her jealousy, Charles never having given her +sufficient cause to think he cared for her, beyond a cousinly regard; +yet she loved him as much as her proud heart was capable of loving. + +"This drawing is beautifully done," said she, advancing and examining it +closely. "What have you done with the copy?" + +The copy? What if she had named the "Holy Work?" + +He cast a furtive glance at his pocket as he replied, "I have not seen +it. I suppose Miss Neville draws without one." + +"I have never heard Isabella say she was an artist." + +"I suspect my 'brother's wife.'" This was a favourite term of Charles's; +he generally spoke of Mrs. Linchmore as my 'brother's wife.' "I suspect +my brother's wife knows very little about Miss Neville's +accomplishments; she is not in her line; no two people could be more +dissimilar." + +"No. They are very different." + +"Very." + +"But you are wrong, Charles, in thinking Isabella does not trouble her +head about her governess; she laughingly told me one day that she +thought her rather inclined to flirt." + +"Indeed!" said he, consciously. "When was that?" + +"I almost forget--last month I think, she noticed it, so you see she +must know something about her." + +"Or next to nothing," replied he. + +"I believe she thought _that_ her only fault; and you know it did not +look very well to see her come home so late with Mr. Vavasour." + +"With Vavasour! When was that." + +"Oh! I forget when; just a few days before you came." + +"Flirting with Vavasour!" exclaimed Charles, thrown off his guard by the +suddenness of the announcement. "I won't believe it!" + +"You had better ask Anne, then; she can tell you all about it, as she +and Mr. Hall walked home behind them, and talked about it afterwards; it +made quite a stir at the time." + +"I dare say. I don't doubt you," said Charles, whistling apparently +quite unconcerned, when in reality he was infinitely disgusted. + +"Well, if you do, you have only to come to the window," said Frances +triumphantly, "and judge for yourself." + +With quick, hasty footsteps he was by her side in a moment. Yes, there +was Miss Neville, picking her way over the snow with Vavasour beside +her, the children some few yards ahead, so that the two were alone. _He_ +had found out a way of meeting and joining her, though Charles had not; +no doubt they had been carrying on this game for days, while he had been +wasting his in hopeless guesses and surmises as to what had become of +her, imagining her miserably dull, shut up in the school room. + +Yes, the secret was out now. It was for him she had left the drawing so +hastily, and all her things ruthlessly scattered about. For this he +himself had waited so patiently, and had thought to wait half the day. +He would have snatched the "Holy work" from his pocket and torn it into +shreds if he could, but other eyes than Bob's were on him now, and +without another word he strode away, passing through the door which +separated these rooms from the large corridor, just as Amy's and the +children's voices were heard on the stairs leading from the garden. + +Frances watched his exit with a triumphant look; had she given him a bad +opinion of Amy Neville? and had he believed her? + +She remained where she was, still and silent, until the door opened and +Amy came in, her face lighted up with smiles, and her cheeks glowing +with a faint tinge of colour from her walk. Frances' face flushed hotly +as she thought how beautiful she was; and passing by her with a scornful +bend of the head in acknowledgment of the governess's greeting, she +gained her own room, and bolted the door. + +There throwing herself on her knees, she clasped her hands over her face +as she murmured passionately, "I hate her! But he shall not love her! He +shall not love her!" + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + + THE ACCIDENT. + + "All shod with steel, + We hissed along the polished ice, in games + Confederate, imitative of the chace + And woodland pleasures." + + _Wordsworth_. + + + "I will forget her! All dear recollections + Pressed in my heart, like flowers within a book, + Shall be torn out, and scattered to the winds! + I will forget her!" + + LONGFELLOW. + + +Alfred Strickland had chosen the breakfast-room as being the least +likely to be visited by any one after the morning's meal had been +despatched, and had made himself tolerably comfortable before the fire +in a large easy chair with a book, where he remained undisturbed by the +rustling of dresses and crinolines. + +No two people were more dissimilar than Alfred and his sister. Their +features were as unlike as their tastes, disposition, and temper. +Indolence, not pride, was his failing; he seldom troubled his head about +any one but himself, not that he was selfishly inclined; he was not, +excepting on this one point of laziness, but would help any one out of a +difficulty so long as it cost him little or no trouble, but if that +"loomed in the distance," then his aid was very reluctantly given; +advice you were welcome to, and might have plenty of it; it required no +bodily exertion to talk, he could lie down and do that; but what inward +sighs and groans if his legs were put into requisition! + +Good-natured to a fault, his sister's taunts, and she gave him plenty of +them--failed to rouse the lion within him, so he generally came off +victorious in their pitched battles, and was just as friendly as ever +the next time they met, whereas she would nurse her ill feeling for +days. + +He had been brought up to no profession. His father's hardly amassed +wealth descended to him as only son, and perhaps the idea of having as +much money at command as he could possibly want, first fostered his +indolence and made him gradually sink into a state of quiet laziness +which soon grew habitual, and from which as yet he had been roused but +on one occasion. + +If the book he happened to be reading accidentally fell to the ground, +there it might remain until some one by chance saw it, and placed it on +the table again. He was good looking, somewhat of a fop, and had rather +a good opinion of himself, as most men of the present day have; and was +always dressed with scrupulous regard as to taste and fashion. + +The one occasion on which he had been aroused was, when returning home +one day by the river side in his dog-cart, he saw a boy struggling in +the water, evidently for life. + +In a moment the reins were on the horse's neck, he had plunged in and +brought him safe to land; then had to walk about a mile in his wet +things, his horse having taken fright at the cries of the boy's +companions. + +Frances never believed this story, but always declared he had been +thrown into the river by the jerk the horse gave when starting off. + +Alfred Strickland was not the only one who had chosen the breakfast room +as being the least likely to be interrupted by visitors. Julia had +persuaded Miss Tremlow at last to come down stairs, and was even now +advancing with the invalid on her arm to invade his fancied peace and +quietness. As their voices sounded at the door, Alfred turned in dismay, +and with no little disgust saw the two approach the fire near which he +had made himself so comfortable, and as he thought secure from all +invaders. + +"We scarcely expected to find anyone here," Julia said, "but you will +not interfere with my patient, being too lazy to move." + +Alfred took the hint, and remained quiet, watching Julia as she first +wheeled a chair nearer the fire, then placed some soft cushions, and a +footstool and small table in readiness, all so nicely, and without the +least exertion or trouble to the invalid, who seemed a mere puppet +swayed about at the other's will; and he could not help thinking what a +nice wife she would make. + +"I don't mind having a cushion too, Julia," said he, "if you have one to +spare." + +"A cushion, you lazy creature. I've half a mind to throw it at your +head. The idea of my waiting on you!" + +"Thank you," replied Alfred, inwardly thinking what a vile temper she +had, and how foolish it was to form hasty opinions. + +"You will be paid out some day," said Julia. "I shall live to see you a +perfect martyr to your wife's whims and fancies." + +"God forbid that I should ever be so foolish as to marry at all, much +less an invalid wife--of all things the most detestable." + +"Well I will ask Goody Grey next time I see her what she prophecies." + +"My dear," exclaimed Miss Tremlow, "pray do not mention that name; it +sets me all of a tremble. I have not forgotten that dreadful day, and +how the horses ran when she struck them. Have you, Mr. Strickland?" + +"I? No indeed, I am not likely to forget it in a hurry, I shall be +reminded of it for some time to come," and he rubbed his arm as though +he still felt the grasp of her fingers. + +"Let us talk of something else," said Julia; "this conversation is +against orders, and strictly prohibited. I am going to fetch your port +wine, Miss Tremlow, as I think you need it; now read your book, and do +not think of anything else, least of all of that horrid old woman." + +"She does it all out of kindness, I dare say," said Miss Tremlow as the +door closed on Julia, "but I do so dislike being dosed." + +"What an ungrateful being," said Alfred, "why, you ought to think +yourself in luck at being so waited on. I wish I was." + +"I wish you were, with all my heart." + +"Here she comes," said Alfred, "armed to the teeth," as a few minutes +after Julia returned with the wine in one hand and a shawl in the other. + +"And your tormentor following in my train," laughed Julia, "my sister +Anne, most anxious to persuade you to join the skaters." + +There was no resisting Anne, who had made up her mind to stay and +torment him, unless he gave up his book and went; so with many a sigh of +reluctance, he slowly rose and prepared to accompany her. + +"Here is your hat and coat," said she. "I do not mind getting them as a +kind of preparatory recompense for fixing our skates, which you will +have to do presently. Good bye, Miss Tremlow, I am glad to see you down +again; how cosy you look! just like a dormouse wrapped up in flannel." + +"Here's Charles," said Alfred, as they stumbled upon him in the passage. +"Will not he do as well; he is partial to all these kind of amusements." + +No; Charles was going for a ride, his horse already waiting for him at +the door; besides he was in no mood for joining a party of pleasure; he +had felt in a restless, dissatisfied mood ever since the day he had +detected Amy walking with Mr. Vavasour, and he had carried away the +piece of embroidery and gone to his own room so angrily; and while +Frances was sobbing passionately he had thrown it on the fire, and paced +up and down with hasty impatience. + +Yet what right had he to be angry? He was not in love with her; no; he +admired her, thought her different to most girls he had ever seen, +inasmuch as she was no flirt; was agreeable, and did not give herself +airs. It was her supposed flirtation with another that annoyed him. Had +not his brother's wife given him black looks, smiling yet sharp hints +about going into the school-room. What right had Vavasour to become +acquainted with the governess? What right had he to walk and talk with +her? perhaps visit her, where he had been forbidden to set foot, nay +avoided. + +Yet while he blamed and accused her, those soft, melancholy eyes pursued +him, until in a softened mood he drew the work from the grate where it +had lain scarcely singed, and locked it away in his desk. He could not +return it, that was impossible; but he would never look at it, he would +forget its existence, as well as Amy Neville's. + +But was it so easy to forget her? As he rode slowly away from the Hall +door, down the long avenue--avoiding the short cut by the stables, which +would of necessity lead him past the school-room window,--he still +thought of her, otherwise why go down the avenue? unless he feared Miss +Neville might think he wished to see or watch her; he who had ceased to +take any interest in her movements. + +What was it to him where she went or who she walked with? His horses and +dog were all he cared for in the whole world, and were worth a dozen +women, who only existed in excitement, or a whirlwind of gaiety and +pleasure. There was no such thing as a pretty, quiet girl to be met +with; a score of plain ones; but if pretty, then flirts, coquettes; +beings whose sole delight was angling for hearts, gaining and then +breaking them. + +But his was not to be lost in that way. The more he thought of Amy's +supposed flirtation with Vavasour, the more bitter he grew. He was very +sorry he had not joined the party on the ice. Why make himself +miserable? It was not too late; he would ride round now, and if she were +there, show her how little he cared for her. + +He turned his horse's head, and cantered down the lane, nor slackened +his speed until he came in sight of the lake, then dismounting and +throwing the reins over his arm, he walked to a spot which commanded a +view of almost the whole piece of water; but his eyes in vain sought +Miss Neville, she was not amongst the skaters. + +Many of the neighbouring gentry had come over to Brampton, and the lake +presented a picturesque and lively scene. Conspicuous in the midst of +the gay assemblage, on account of her tall and commanding figure, was +Mrs. Linchmore, one hand rested on Mr. Vavasour's supporting arm, while +seemingly with the utmost care and gentleness he guided her wavering and +unsteady feet, as she glided over the slippery surface. + +Frances Strickland, with a small coquettish-looking hat, white ermine +boa and muff, was describing circles, semicircles, and all the most +difficult and intricate man[oe]uvres known only to experienced skaters; +now she approached so near as to make Mrs. Linchmore cling rather closer +to the protecting arm of her companion, but just as a faint exclamation +of alarm escaped her lips, with a smile Frances would take a sudden +swerve to the right, and be almost at the other end of the lake before +Vavasour had succeeded in quieting the fears of the haughty lady at his +side. + +It was strange, but Frances seemed to excel in everything. She was +apparently as fearless a skater as horsewoman. Charles had seen her put +her horse at a leap that even he, bold as he was, glanced at twice +before following in her wake; yet she had never swerved, nay, scarcely +moved in her saddle. + +Now he gazed after her until the small hat with its waving scarlet +feather was scarcely distinguishable in the distance; yet fearless as +she was, he could not allow there was anything at all masculine about +her; no, the proud bend of the head, the small pliant figure forbade +that, yet still he was not altogether satisfied; there was a something +wanting, something that did not please him; and then involuntarily, his +thoughts wandered towards Miss Neville again. + +"She takes the shine out of us all, does not she?" asked Julia, who had +advanced unperceived to his side. "Is that what you were so deep in +thought about?" + +"Not exactly. She does skate admirably, it is true; but I was thinking +if Lawless, a friend of mine could but see her, he would lose his heart +in no time. She is just the sort of woman he is always raving about." + +"Oh, ask him down by all means, and let him go mad if it pleases him, so +long as we get rid of Frances." + +"That speech savours of jealousy or rivalry. Which is it, Julia?" + +"Neither the one nor the other." + +"She is a girl many women would fear as a rival." + +"Nonsense, Charles; she is so different to most women, so proud, and as +cold as the ice she is skating on. If I were a man, I could not fall in +love with Frances." + +"Why not? She may be a little cold and proud perhaps, but that would +only entail a little more trouble in winning her, and make her love the +more valued when won." + +"If she has any love to win. I doubt it; she is so utterly +cold-hearted." + +"I see nothing to find fault with on the score of coldness; few girls +now-a-days--though not absolutely cold-hearted--have hearts worth the +having, or wooing and winning." + +"How bitter you are against us." + +"Not more so than you were yourself. Did you not call Frances a +petrifaction?" said he, laughing. "But, if Frances does not please you, +who, may I ask, comes nearer perfection in your eyes?" + +"Oh! lots of women. She and Miss Neville, for instance, ought not to be +named in the same breath together." + +Then, as Charles made no reply, she added, "I wonder if she skates?" + +"Skates! Pshaw! she would be afraid to trust that dainty foot of hers on +the slippery ice. I hate a woman with no nerve, afraid of her own +shadow." + +"If being an accomplished skater is the only proof of a woman's nerve +and courage, what a set of cowards more than half our sex must be! I +very much doubt if one in a dozen of us are acquainted with the art." + +"Well, if not, you are well up in a dozen and one others wherewith to +drive us poor men out of our seven senses at times." + +"I know what is the matter with him now," thought Julia; "and why he is +so cross, some girl he cares for has been paying him out. I hope it is +not Frances. I cannot bear the idea of his having fallen in love with +her, although I strongly suspected he was on the high road to it last +night." + +"Uncle Charles," said a small voice, while a tiny hand was laid on his +arm, "I should so like to have a slide." + +It was Fanny. Charles lifted his hat courteously but indifferently to +Miss Neville's almost friendly greeting, and watched her furtively as +she gazed over the lake. + +What would she think of Vavasour's attentions to his brother's wife? Now +she would find out that he could be as devoted to other women; could +guide another's footsteps over the ice just as carefully as he had +directed and picked her way for her over the snow; but whatever Amy +thought she looked calm and unconcerned as she turned round and desired +Fanny not to go so near the horse's feet. Charles assured her the horse +was quiet enough; he had never known him indulge in the vicious +propensity of kicking. + +"He might disappoint you this time," suggested Julia, "and prove +treacherous, there is no certainty about it." + +"He might, but he will not," was the reply, "not that I place such +implicit reliance in him as I would in Bob; a look is enough for him." + +"I would not trust either of them," said Julia, "I have seen Bob's +teeth, and heard his growl; and as for the horse, why it was as much as +you could do to mount him yesterday, when you went out with Frances. I +heard Mr. Hall say he would not insure your life for a pound." + +"My thanks to Hall for his kind consideration in valuing my neck at so +cheap a rate. Just assure him the next time you see him that I have not +the very remotest idea of having it broken yet." + +"He has not the very remotest idea of riding," laughed Julia; "only +imagine those long legs of his dangling like ribbons on the side of a +horse." + +"Where is Hall? I do not see him among the skaters, though Anne is." + +"No; he has gone over to see how they are getting on in that wretched +little parish of his, and tried hard to persuade Anne and me to go with +him, but my sister does not care for looking over churches, even if they +were built in the time of Methuselah, and preferred the skating, much to +his regret, and I must confess I was not at all sorry to do the same." + +"Uncle Charles, do take me for a slide, please," pleaded Fanny, again +undeterred by timid Edith, pulling at her sleeve and begging her not to +go. + +"I would take you with the greatest pleasure in life, Fanny; but what is +to become of my horse?" + +"Cousin Julia will hold him. Won't you, cousin?" asked the child, flying +to her side. + +"I hold him?" exclaimed Julia. "No, thank you, Fanny, I value my life +too well; besides, child, I should be frightened." + +"Miss Neville will, then, she is so fond of horses," cried Fanny, +darting off to where her governess stood. + +"A fruitless errand," muttered Charles, turning on his heels, "she has +not a grain of courage. I wish she had." + +But as if to shame him for this assertion, or to gratify his wish, when +he looked up, there stood the governess. + +"I shall be happy to hold your horse for you, Mr. Linchmore," she said, +while Fanny clapped her hands and capered about with delight. + +"You, Miss Neville!" he repeated incredulously. "Impossible!" + +"And why not? he seems to stand very quietly. Is he inclined to be +vicious?" + +"Vicious! Far from it. But I am afraid--" + +"I will hold him," interrupted Amy, decidedly, and without hesitation, +"there is nothing to be afraid of." + +"Charles thinks," said Julia, maliciously, "you have not the nerve for +it." + +"I see no occasion for any display of nerve," replied Amy, while, with +little show of opposition on his part, she took the reins from his +almost unwilling hand, and before he had well recovered from his +surprise, he found himself on the ice with Fanny's hand fast locked in +his. + +And where was Frances all this time? Had she forgotten her +determination--her newly-born hatred of Amy? Had she thought better of +her secret machinations? No. Time only increased her dislike; more +deeply rooted her jealousy, while molehills became mountains in her +eyes. + +Should she see herself supplanted by a governess, one so inferior to her +in wealth and station, one whom _he_ had known but a few hours. A few +hours? Was it possible so short a time could have overthrown the power +she fancied she had held in his heart for years. Impossible! It could +not be, and again that bitter cry arose in her heart, and she inwardly +exclaimed: + +"He shall not love her!" + +But Frances drove back the bitter feelings at her heart, and met him as +he advanced on the ice with smiles and pleasant words, as though she +knew not what sorrow or unhappiness was; but Charles, although he +answered her courteously enough, was absent, and often gave random +replies, wide of the mark. + +Secretly angry, she was not baffled, and suddenly declared her intention +of taking off her skates, she would then be better able to talk to +Charles than flying round about him, and putting in a word here and +there. She had had enough of the amusement for one morning, would +Charles kindly come and help her? He was too polite to refuse, although +it took him further away from the bank where Amy still held his horse. +He gave one glance as he turned away--and yet another--the latter look +betrayed him. Frances saw it, and a bitter remark rose to her lips, the +only one she was guilty of that day; but it came angrily and vehemently; +she could not help it, could not subdue it; she would have given worlds +to have afterwards unsaid it. + +"Miss Neville makes a capital groom. I suppose she has been accustomed +to that sort of thing." + +"I never heard Miss Neville say an unkind word of any one," was the +severe rejoinder. + +"I shall hate myself for that false move," thought Frances. "I must try +and hide my feelings better," and she raised her foot to his knee, but +even while she did so, a scream from Julia made him spring to his feet. + +But he was too late; his horse was plunging and rearing violently, while +Amy's weak arm seemed barely sufficient to curb and control him, +although she was trying her utmost to pacify and quiet him. + +Charles took it all in at a glance. + +"I shall love that girl in spite of myself," he said, as he sprang +across the frozen surface to her side. + +How tenderly anxious he was, even his voice slightly trembled as he +asked the question: + +"Are you hurt?" + +No, she was not. But her hand dropped helplessly to her side as he drew +the reins from it. + +"This is the wonderfully quiet horse," cried Julia. "I never saw such +behaviour; astonishing in one of his meek temper, but of course this is +the first time he has ever been guilty of such tricks." + +"How did it happen?" asked Charles, of Amy. + +"I scarcely know, it was all so sudden." + +"But something must have frightened him?" + +"Yes; I fancy the sound of a horse's feet galloping by excited him, and +one of the hounds rushed to his side, and then he became almost beyond +my control." + +His sorrow was expressed on his face, and was more expressive than any +words could be. His regrets--but before he could speak those, Amy had +bowed, wished him good morning, and was gone. + +The sorrow faded away from his face; a vexed look succeeded. Why had she +left him so hastily? Could she not have spared him a few moments wherein +to express his regret. Was she angry? No, he could not think so, her +temper appeared unruffled, and her face wore its usual soft and sweet +expression. + +As Frances advanced to his side he impatiently sprang on his horse and +cantered off, but Frances thought as she stood listening to his horse's +receding steps on the hard frosty ground, that ere long the canter +sounded in her ears far more like a gallop. + +Some twenty minutes later, as Amy was returning home through the lane, +her attention was drawn towards a horseman going at headlong speed +across the distant fields. The children wondered who it could be, but +Amy never wondered at all; she knew well enough. + +"It is your uncle," she said. + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + THE MYSTERIOUS LIGHT. + + "Still further on she crept with trembling feet, + With hope a friend, with fear a foe to meet; + And there was something fearful in the sight + And in the sound of what appear'd to-night; + For now, of night and nervous terror bred, + Arose a strong and superstitious dread; + She heard strange noises, and the shapes she saw + Of fancied beings bound her soul in awe." + + CRABBE. + + +But few of the party returned home in the very best of spirits, or +appeared to have enjoyed their afternoon's pleasure on the ice. Charles +scarcely raised his eyes during dinner, or addressed a word to any one. +Anne was infinitely disgusted at his inattention and dulness, having +made up her mind during Mr. Hall's absence to thoroughly enjoy herself, +being in no fear of a look from those earnest eyes of his, as she +rattled away almost heedless of what fell from her lips, or hazarded +trifling, thoughtless remarks. + +Frances' face, if possible, wore a more scornful expression than usual; +she was inwardly chafing at her want of tact and judgment in giving way +to temper, and allowing Charles to see that Amy was the cause of it. +That thought vexed her proud spirit beyond measure, and although to all +appearance she was calm and self-possessed, yet inwardly her heart +trembled with angry passions, and her mind was filled with forebodings +and dim shadowings of the future and what it would reveal to her. + +Was it possible she could be supplanted by another, and that other no +proud beauty like herself, but a governess! The thought was gall and +wormwood to her. It was not only her pride that was touched. No; as I +have said before, she loved her cousin with all the love of that proud, +and to all appearance, cold heart. Should he not love her in return? +Yes, he must. He should never be Amy's. Never! And she pressed her lips +together and contracted the delicately-pencilled brows at the bare +supposition. She would not believe--could not--that in so short a time +his heart was another's. It was merely a liking, not love, and it must +be her care to prevent the latter. + +What right had he in the school-room? What was he doing there when she +entered so inopportunely? + +Ah! she had never guessed that secret yet, or found out the theft of the +"Holy work," or her heart would have been even sorer than it was, and +her thoughts more bitter and revengeful towards Amy. + +Frances had never been thwarted; all had as yet gone smoothly with her; +the bare possibility of the one great object in life--her love--being +unvalued only made her the more determined to succeed. She had no +softness, no gentleness of nature; her love was fierce and +strong--headlong in its course; like a torrent it swept along, and +carried away all and everything that impeded its course. There was no +calm, no sunshine, no breaking of the heavy clouds; all was storm--would +be until the end might be gained, and then--even then, there was a +question if the troubled, angry spirit would be quiet, or at rest, or +ever satisfied. + +Charles did not re-enter the drawing room after dinner. "Gone for a +smoke or prefers the company of Bob," was Alfred's ungracious rejoinder +when his sister questioned him; so retiring to an ottoman in a far-off +corner, Frances wrapt herself up in her thoughts, or, as Anne remarked, +made herself as disagreeable as she could by refusing to join in any one +game or amusement proposed. After fruitless attempts to strike up a +flirtation with somebody, Anne walked off to bed, thinking a quiet chat +with her sister was preferable to the dulness below. + +As she reached the first landing on her way up stairs, a gust of cold +wind from the sudden opening of the hall door made her pause and look +round; and presently Mr. Hall's voice reached her: very pleasant and +cheery she thought it sounded, and she could not resist the temptation +of peeping over, just to see how he looked after his cold ride. + +Yes, there he was, close by the fire, full in the light of the lamp, +shaking himself like a large dog, his thick hair in a shocking tangled +mass, but this was nothing unusual. + +Anne smiled. "What a figure he is!" thought she, "such a great unwieldy +creature!" and then half turned, as if to retrace her steps, but +woman-like, fearful lest he should guess why she returned, magnanimously +went on, but on reaching her own room, no Julia was there to unburden +her vexations to, or talk herself into a more congenial mood with. + +"She plays me this trick every night," said she, taking off her dress +and throwing a shawl round her shoulders; then stirring up the fire into +a blaze, she sat down and reviewed in her own mind the events of the day +and the evening's dulness. + +Some minutes slipped by; and then, whether she grew tired of being alone +in that large room or vexed at her sister's prolonged absence she +determined on going in quest of her. + +Springing up, away she went to Miss Tremlow's room, and receiving no +reply to her repeated knocks for admission, cautiously opened the door +and went in, expecting to find her sister. + +Miss Tremlow was disrobed for the night, and had tied a large yellow +handkerchief round her head, the only symptom of a cap being the huge +border overshadowing her small thin face like a pall; while one or two +curl-papers--Miss Tremlow wore her hair in ringlets--made themselves +guiltily perceptible here and there. Anne burst out laughing. + +"My goodness, Miss Tremlow! how extraordinary you look," exclaimed she. +"Do you always dress yourself out in this style when you have a cold?" + +"A cold, Miss Anne? I have no cold." + +"Then why on earth have you decked yourself out with that handkerchief. +Oh! I know, you are afraid of thieves, and think the sight will frighten +them. Well, you are not far wrong there." + +"No such thing; I am subject to rheumatism, so take every precaution +against it," replied Miss Tremlow stiffly, not exactly knowing whether +to feel offended or not. + +"Of course, quite right," replied Anne, not daring to raise her eyes +until Miss Tremlow turned her back, and then the corner of the bright +handkerchief stood out so oddly over the high-crowned cap, while a +border almost as wide and stiffly starched as the front one drooped from +under it, that the incentive to mirth was irresistible, and Anne laughed +again. + +"I cannot help it, indeed I cannot," said she, as the lady's now angry +face met her gaze. "It is of no use looking so vexed, you should not +make such a figure of yourself." + +"You had better go to bed, Miss Anne," said Miss Tremlow sharply, +opening the door. + +And very submissively Anne went out of the room, but instead of going to +bed, bent her steps towards the school-room, and there found the object +of her search; her sister with Miss Neville. + +"Such a scrape as you have led me into, Mag," began she, still laughing, +and drawing a chair near the two round the fire. "Of course I thought +you were in that queer sick creature's room. What a fright she has made +of herself with her head tied up in that yellow handkerchief, enough to +make any one laugh." + +"I hope, Anne, you did not," replied her sister. + +"Then hope no such thing, for I laughed outright, and so would Miss +Neville, I am sure. I defy even that sober Mr. Hall to have stood it," +and again Anne laughed at the bare recollection. "It's all your fault, +Mag, had you gone quietly to bed as you ought, I should never like the +Caliph have roamed abroad in search of adventure." + +"Why did you come up to bed so soon?" asked Julia. + +"So soon! I am sure I never spent so dull an evening; I suppose people's +hearts were frozen as well as their toes with coming in contact with the +ice. As to Frances, she behaved abominably, and turned the cold-shoulder +to everybody. If it is to be like this every evening, I would far rather +have the 'short commons' of home than the dainty fare here." + +"For shame, Anne! What will Miss Neville think?" + +"Think that I am in a bad temper, that's all. Isabella might have tried +to amuse us a little; but no, she only thought of self, sitting so +cosily flirting with Mr. Vavasour. How I do dislike that man! I am sure +he is no good, and no one seems to know who he is. I do wish that +handsome Captain Styles were here. Do you remember last year, what fun +we used to have? We never had a dull evening then," and Anne sighed, and +looked so comically sad that Julia and Amy both laughed. + +"It is just as well he is not here," replied the former. "And as for +Mr. Vavasour, everyone knows how intimate old Mr. Vavasour and Mr. +Linchmore's father were." + +"Yes; but that gives no clue as to who young Mr. Vavasour is." + +Who Vavasour's parents were had never transpired. All he himself knew +was, that he had been left an orphan at an early age, and entrusted to +Mr. Vavasour. The utmost care had been bestowed on his education; no +pains, no money had been spared. + +Mr. Vavasour was an eccentric, passionate old bachelor, fond and proud +of his adopted son, or, as some supposed, his own son; but this latter +was mere idle surmise. He was certainly treated and regarded by the +servants and even friends as such; and yet they had not a shadow of +proof that he was so. + +It must not be imagined that Robert rested calmly, or made no attempts +to obtain a clue to his history, and clear up the doubt under which his +proud, impatient spirit chafed. He did. He battled and waged war at +times against the other's will, when the weight became more intolerable +than he could bear; but only to meet with stern rebuffs, and a will as +determined as his own. In that one particular, the two resembled each +other; not otherwise. In outward form they were unlike. + +It was after one of these battles, in which as usual Robert was +vanquished, that wounded to the quick by the other's violence, and +seeing the hopelessness of ever moving that iron will, Robert left the +only home he had ever known, and went abroad. + +After that nothing went right. The old man fretted, grew more and more +exacting to those about him, and gave way more frequently to violent +fits of rage. There was no Robert to act as mediator, or control and +subdue him; and few were surprised to hear of his almost sudden death. +He bequeathed not only his forgiveness but his wealth to Robert, who +only returned in time to follow him to the grave. + +He sought amongst the old man's papers for some document to throw a +light on his birth. There was none. The only letter--if such it could be +called--bearing at all on the subject was addressed to his lawyer, and +ran thus-- + +"This is to certify that Robert Vavasour is not my son, as some fools as +well as wise men suppose. The secret of his birth was never made known +to me. He was entrusted to my care as a helpless orphan, under a solemn +promise that I would never reveal by whom. That promise I have +faithfully kept, and will, with God's help, keep to the end; believing +it can answer no good purpose to reveal it, but only entail much +unhappiness and sorrow." + +He was not the old man's son then. There was comfort in that, small as +it was: perhaps after all there was no shame attached to him. It was too +late to remedy now his disbelief of Mr. Vavasour's word, and the angry +manner in which they had parted, but it pained and grieved him deeply; +until now that he was dead, Robert had never thought how much he had +loved the only friend he had ever known. + +Perhaps the person who had entrusted him to old Mr. Vavasour was still +alive, perhaps even now watched over him. He thought it could not be his +mother; she would not have left him so long without some token of her +love. He would still hope that some day his birth might be no secret, +but as clear as day: yet it weighed on his mind, and made him appear +older than he was, and more reserved; and his manner at times was cold +and distant, with no fancy for the light talk and every-day trifles +passing around him. + +No wonder Anne disliked him. Here was a something which checked her +thoughtlessness far more decidedly than poor Mr. Hall's sober face. The +one she had no fear of, while the other's sometimes sarcastic look +annoyed and vexed her, and made her anxious to escape into a far corner +away from him, whenever she saw that peculiar curl of the lip betokening +so utter a contempt for what she was saying. No wonder she tried to +prejudice Amy against him; her pride having been wounded ever since the +day she thought he had neglected her so shamefully, and walked out with +Miss Neville, leaving her to fare as best she could with Mr. Hall. + +Seeing Julia determined on taking his part, she turned to Amy. + +"You do not like him, do you, Miss Neville? I am sure Charles is worth +twenty such men as Mr. Vavasour." + +"I know so little of either." + +"Oh, nonsense! It is a very safe reply, no doubt, but it will not do. My +cousin was here half the summer." + +"Only a fortnight the first time he came; and the second visit he made, +I was at Ashleigh, at home." + +"Quite long enough for you to find out what a good-for-nothing, +kind-hearted creature he is. Besides, for the fortnight you had the +field all to yourself, and after that advantage ought not to allow +another to bowl you out." + +"How you do talk, Anne; I am sure Miss Neville does not understand one +half you are saying, you go on at such a rate." + +"Of course I do; what is the use of sitting like this?" and she clasped +her two hands together on her lap and twirled her thumbs. "Do tell me +what you two say to one another when I am not here, for if Mag comes +every night, and I suppose she does not go to that sick-body's room, +seeing she dresses herself up in a style enough to frighten half a dozen +children, with the belief she is the veritable 'Bogy,' you surely do not +sit like two Quakeresses, without a word, waiting for the spirit to move +you. Positively, Miss Neville, I look upon Mag's coming here as an +invasion of my rights, since I am left shivering in bed, and frightened +to death for fear of ghosts. They do say the house is haunted; and once +I nearly fainted when a coal dropped out of the fire into the fender. I +really thought the ghost had come, and durst not emerge from under the +bedcloths until I was pretty nearly smothered." + +"You surely are not afraid of ghosts, Miss Bennet?" + +"Oh, but I am, though, ghosts, hobgoblins, thieves, and every other +existing and non-existing horror; and if we are to talk of such things, +I vote for the door being locked. Do stir the fire, and turn up the +lamp. There, it does look rather less gloomy now. But how cold it is!" + +"Cold?" said Julia, "I am as warm as a toast." + +"No doubt of it Mag, so cosily as you are wrapped up in 'joint-stock +property.' I wonder you are not ashamed to let me see you looking so +comfortable, even your feet tucked up too. Would you believe it, Miss +Neville, 'joint-stock property' is that dressing-gown, and belongs to +both of us, hence its name, but Mag coolly walks off with it in this +most shameful way every night." + +"Perhaps she thinks you do not want it." + +"I suppose she does; but having, as I say a share in it, I think I might +be allowed to wear it sometimes." + +"By all means, Anne. Why not?" said her sister. + +"Why not? You shall hear, Miss Neville, and judge whether I complain +without reason. You must know Mag and I have an allowance, and we found +out we could not get on without a dressing-gown; so, as we are neither +of us doomed to gruel and hot water at the same time, we agreed to club +together and have a joint property one, since which the number of colds +Miss Julia has had is quite unaccountable and shocking. I declare to +goodness the gown--look when I will--is never on the peg, but for ever +round her shoulders; however, it certainly will be my turn next, for I +never felt so frozen in all my life. There!" said she, sneezing, or +pretending to do so, "what do you think of that signal? does it not +portend stormy weather ahead? And now cease laughing, and let us go to +bed, for I am awfully sleepy, and tired into the bargain; quite done +up." + +"And no wonder," said Julia. "Did you ever hear anyone talk as she +does? She never knows when to stop." + +Amy thought she never had; but it was amusing and pleasant talk; there +could be no dismals where Anne was. It was light talk, but still it was +pleasant, and made everyone in a good mood, or at least cheerful. + +"I shall see you early to-morrow, Miss Neville," said Julia. "I have so +much to say to you." + +"If you do not come to bed, Mag," said Anne, from the half-opened door, +"I declare I will talk in my sleep to vex you." + +Amy went with them as far as the baize door which separated this wing of +the house from the other rooms, and then bid good-night to her visitors. + +As the light from the candle Anne carried vanished, she was surprised at +seeing a dim light glimmering through the key-hole of an unoccupied room +opposite. It was but momentary, yet while it lasted it threw a long, +thin, bright streak of light across the corridor, full against the wall +close beside where she stood. + +In some surprise, she retraced her steps, and drew aside the window +curtain of her room and tried to look out. But there was no moon; it was +one of those dark, pitchy nights, with not a star visible, betokening +either rain or another fall of snow. + +Full of conjecture as to whether her eyes had deceived her or not, and +feeling too timid to venture out again, Amy went to bed, and tried to +imagine all manner of solutions as to the cause of the light, all of +which she in turn rejected as utterly improbable. She had satisfied +herself it was not the moon's rays; then what could it be? + +She recalled to memory the day Nurse Hopkins showed her over the house. +The picture gallery, with its secret stairs leading into some quaint old +unused rooms, with their old worn-out hangings and antique furniture; +ghostly-looking, and certainly dismal and solitary, in being so far +removed from that part of the house now teeming with life and gaiety; +yet Nurse apparently had no fear, but walked boldly on, and appeared in +no hurry to emerge into the life beyond, as she talked of the former +greatness of the Hall. To Amy, however, the feeling of utter loneliness, +the dull, dead sound of the opening and shutting of doors, as they +passed through, sent a chill to her heart. Even the jingling of the +ponderous bunch of keys Nurse carried jarred against her nerves, so that +perhaps her own shadow might have startled and alarmed her. + +But although Nurse, in a loud tone of voice, seemed never tired of +recounting the by-gone grandeur, which had been handed down to her from +the sayings of former housekeepers, yet her voice had sunk into a +whisper, as in passing by that door, she stopped and said, "No one ever +goes in there. It was old Mrs. Linchmore's room," as if the simple fact +of its having been old Mrs. Linchmore's room forbade further enquiry, +and was in itself sufficient to check all idle curiosity. + +Amy passed by the door whenever she went into the long corridor. The +room stood at one end, facing the entire length of the passage; but the +door was at the side adjoining the door of another room, and opposite +the baize door, so that Amy's dress almost brushed its panels in passing +by, and never could she recollect having once seen the door standing +open, or the signs of a housemaid's work near it. + +Perhaps the room was held sacred by Mr. Linchmore as having been his +mother's; perhaps he it was who was there now, although it did seem +strange his going at such an hour, being past twelve o'clock by Anne's +watch when they parted. Still, it might be his peculiar fancy to go, +when secure from interruption and the remarks of others. + +All people had strange fancies; perhaps this was his. And partly +comforted and assured with the conclusion she had arrived at, and partly +wearied with the effort, Amy fell asleep. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + MEMORIES OF THE PAST. + + + "And the hours of darkness and the days of gloom, + That shadow and shut out joys are come; + And there's a mist on the laughing sea, + And the flowers and leaves are nought to me; + And on my brow are furrows left, + And my lip of ease and smile is reft; + And the time of gray hairs and trembling limbs, + And the time when sorrow the bright eye dims, + And the time when death seems nought to fear, + So sad is life,--is here, is here!" + + MARY ANNE BROWN. + + +Amy passed a restless night, and awoke oppressed in spirit. It was yet +early, but she arose and dressed hastily, determined on seeking the +fresh air, hoping that, that, would in a measure restore her drooping +spirits. + +It was a bright, clear morning, and Amy felt some of its brightness +creep over her as she picked her way across the hard, uneven ground +towards the wood. Here the trees glistened with the frost, and birds +chirped among the bare boughs, or hopped fearlessly about the path. She +walked on heedlessly, striking deeper into the wood, and approached, +almost before she was aware of it, Goody Grey's cottage. How bleak and +desolate it looked now the branches of the tall trees stripped of their +green foliage waved over it; while the dim, uncertain shadows streamed +through them palely, and the wind whistled and moaned mournfully as it +rushed past the spot where Amy stood deliberating whether she should +continue her walk or not. A moment decided her on knocking lightly at +the door, but receiving no reply, she lifted the latch and entered. + +Goody Grey was seated in the high-backed arm chair, but no song issued +from her lips; they were compressed together with some strong inward +emotion, and she either did not see, or took no notice of Amy's +entrance. The ivory box stood open on the table beside her, while in +her hand she held some glittering object, seemingly a child's coral. On +this Goody Grey's eyes were fixed with an expression of intense emotion. +She clasped it in her hands, pressing it to her lips and bosom, while +groans and sobs shook her frame, choking the words that now and then +rose to her lips, and she seemed to Amy's pitying eyes to be suffering +uncontrollable agony. How lovingly sometimes, in the midst of her +anguish, she gazed at the toy! How she fondled and caressed it; rocking +her body backwards and forwards in the extremity of her emotion. Amy +stood quietly in the doorway, not venturing to speak, although she +longed to utter the compassionate words that filled her heart. At +length, feeling that under the present circumstances her visit would +only be considered an intrusion, and could scarcely be a time to offer +or attempt consolation, she turned to go. As she did so, the skirt of +her dress became entangled in a chair close by, and overturned it. The +noise roused Goody Grey; she hastily thrust the trinket into her bosom, +and started up. + +"Who are you?" she exclaimed fiercely. "What do you here? How dare you +come?" + +"I did not mean to disturb you," replied Amy, somewhat alarmed at her +voice and manner. + +Goody Grey paid no heed to her words, but walked up and down the small +room with hasty steps, her excitement increasing every moment, while her +features became convulsed with passion; some of her hair escaped from +under her cap, and floated in long, loose locks down her shoulders, +while her eyes looked so bright and piercing that Amy shrank within +herself as the old woman approached her, and exclaimed passionately-- + +"Do you think it possible a woman could die with a lie on her lips, and +revenge at her heart? with no repentance!--no remorse!--no pity for one +breaking heart!--no thought of an hereafter!--no hope of heaven! Do you +think it possible a woman could die so?" + +"No. It is not possible," replied Amy; striving to speak calmly, "no +woman could die so." + +"True,--true; she was no woman, but a fiend! a very devil in her hate +and revenge!" + +"Ah, speak not so," replied Amy, as the first startling effect of her +words and wild looks had passed away. "Say not such dreadful words. If +any woman could have lived and died as you say, she deserves your pity, +not your condemnation." + +"Pity! she'll have none from me. I hated her! she wrecked my happiness +when I was a young girl, and for what? but to gratify her insane +jealousy. Do you see this?" said she, taking off her cap, and shaking +down the thick masses of almost snow-white hair; "it was once golden, +and as fair as yours, but a few short months of--of agony changed it to +what you see, and drove me mad; _she_ worked the wreck; _she_ caused +the--the madness, and gloried in it. And yet you wonder that I condemn +her?" + +Her hair was the silvered hair of an old woman, and as it fell from its +concealment down her shoulders almost to her feet, throwing a pale, +softened, mournful shadow over her excited features, Amy was struck with +the beauty of her face; she must once have been very beautiful; while +her face, lighted up as it now was, was not the face of an aged woman. +No; it must have been, as she herself said, a sudden, severe sorrow +years ago that had helped to change that once luxuriant golden hair to +grey. Her figure, as she stood confronting Amy, was slight, and by no +means ungraceful; that also bore no trace of age, and although she +generally walked with the aid of a thick staff, it was more to steady +the weakness of her steps than to support the tottering, uncertain ones +of old age. + +Who? and what had caused such a wreck? It must have been some terrible +blow to have sent her mad in her youth, and to have left her even now, +at times--whenever the dark remembrance of it swept over her--hardly +sane in more mature age. Would the divulging of the secret remove the +sad weight from her heart, or quiet the agony of her thoughts? It might +in a measure do so, but Amy shrank from sustaining alone the frenzy that +might ensue, and as Goody Grey repeated her last question of "Do you +wonder that I condemn her?" Amy, with the view of soothing her, replied +gently-- + +"She may have lived hardened in sin, but through the dark shadows +remorse must have swept at times, and stung her deeply. Besides, her +life and death were most wretched, and deserve your pity more than +anger." + +"Had she known remorse, she never could have died so revengefully. I +don't believe she ever felt its sting, and as for pity, she would have +scorned it!" and Goody Grey laughed a wild, bitter laugh at the thought. + +"Did she injure you so very deeply?" + +"How dare you ask me that question? Are not you afraid to? Don't you +know it stirs up all my worst passions within me, and sends me mad, +--mad do I say? No, no, I am not mad now; I was once, but that, like +the rest, is past--past for ever!" and her voice changed suddenly from +its fierceness to an almost mournful sadness. + +"Did you know her well?" Amy ventured to ask, notwithstanding the rebuff +her last question had met with. + +"Aye, did I; too well--too well! Would to God I had never seen her, it +would have been better had I died first: but I live, if such a life as +mine can be called living. And _she_ is dead and I haven't forgiven her; +never will; unless," said she, correcting herself, "unless--oh God! I +dare not think of _that_; does it not bring sorrow--deep, intense, +despairing sorrow, sorrow that scorches my brain?" and either exhausted +with her fierce excitement, or overwhelmed with the recollection of the +cause of her grief, she sank down in a chair, and covering her face with +her hands, moaned and rocked herself about afresh. + +For the moment Amy felt half inclined to leave her--her strange words +and wild manner had so unnerved her--but a glance at the +sorrow-stricken face, as it was suddenly lifted away from the hands that +had screened it, decided her upon remaining for at least a few minutes +longer. Perhaps the compassionate feeling at her heart had something to +do with the decision, or it might be she hoped to say a few words of +comfort to the sorrowing creature so relentless in her bitter feelings +towards one who had evidently been remorseless in her revenge, and +unforgiving even in her death; one who had injured her, if not +irreparably, at least deeply and lastingly. + +As Amy stood deliberating how best to shape her words so as not to +irritate her afresh, Goody Grey spoke, and her voice was no longer +fierce or passionate, but mournfully sad. + +"I am lonely," she said, "very lonely. There are days when the thoughts +of my heart drive me wild, and are more than I can bear; there are days +when I feel as if death would be welcome, were it not for one hope, one +craving wish. Will this hope, this wish, ever be realised? Shall I ever +be any other than a broken-hearted, despairing woman?" + +"The clouds may clear--sunshine may burst forth when least expected." + +"May! That's what I repeat to myself day and night--day and night. The +two words, '_Hope on_,' are ever beating to and fro in my brain, like +the tickings of that clock, and sometimes I persuade myself that the +time-piece says, '_Hope on, hope on_.' But only the years roll on--the +hope is never realised; and soon my heart will whisper, and the clock +will tick, '_no hope, no hope_.'" + +"Do you never earnestly pray that God will lighten the heavy load that +weighs on your spirits or that He will bring comfort to your sorrowing +heart?" + +"Do I ever cease to pray; or is there not one fervent prayer always on +my lips and heart? Day after day I bewail my sins, and ask God's +forgiveness and mercy for my poor, broken, contrite heart, and sometimes +I rise from my knees, feeling at peace with--with even _her_. But then +wild thoughts come back; thoughts that utterly distract me, and which I +can neither control nor prevent, and then I go mad, and don't know what +I say or think. But enough of my sufferings. You can neither heal nor +cure them; even now you have seen too much, and betrayed me into saying +more than I ought. Tell me what led you to my cottage so early?" + +"I could not sleep last night," replied Amy, "and so strolled out, +thinking the air would revive me." + +"It is strange you could not sleep," replied Goody Grey, speaking as she +usually did to strangers, in a half solemn, impressive manner. "You who +have health, youth, and innocence to help you. I seldom sleep, but then +I am old and careworn. Why could you not sleep?" and she looked as +though she would pierce the inmost recesses of Amy's heart. + +"I can scarcely tell you why, perhaps my fancy misled me; but whatever +the cause, I would rather not speak of it." + +"Well perhaps it were best so, and better still if the parent bird +looked after her young, when the kite may find its way to her nest." + +Amy looked up quickly. + +"I scarcely understand your words," she replied, "or I am at a loss to +understand their meaning." + +"I meant you no harm, 'twas for your good I spoke. Others have thought +like you and been deceived. Others have hoped like you, and been +deceived. Others have been as loving and true as you _may be_, and been +deceived. When you think yourself the safest, then remember my words, +'when you think that you stand, take heed lest you fall.'" + +There was a tone of kindness lurking beneath her words, so that Amy +regretted she had spoken so hastily, and felt half inclined to tell her +so, when Goody Grey again spoke. + +"Who is that tall, dark, fine-looking man; a Linchmore in his walk, and +perhaps his manner and proud bearing, but there the resemblance ceases; +the expression of the face is different, the eye has no cunning in it, +but looks at you steadily, without fear? He is brave and noble-looking. +Who is he?" + +"I think you must mean Mr. Vavasour," replied Amy. + +"Vavasour," repeated Goody Grey, thoughtfully, "the name is strange to +me, yet--stay--a dim recollection floats across my brain that I have +heard the name before; but my memory fails me sadly at times, and my +thoughts grow confused as I strive to catch the thread of some +long-forgotten, long-buried vision of the past. Well, perhaps it is best +so. Life is but a span, and I am weary of it--very weary." + +"We are all at times desponding," said Amy; "even I feel so sometimes at +the Hall, and there you know the house is filled with visitors, and is +one continued round of gaiety." + +"Yes," said Goody Grey, as if speaking to herself. "Amidst the gayest +scenes the heart is often the saddest. But," continued she, addressing +Amy, "your sweet face looks as though no harsh wind had ever blown +across it; may it be long before a cold word or look mars its sunshine. +But there is a young girl at the Hall; one amongst the many visiting +there who has a proud look that will work her no good. I have warned +her, for I can trace her destiny clearly. But she has a spirit; a +revengeful spirit, that will never bend till it breaks. She scorned my +warning and thought me mad; yet evil will overtake her, and that, too, +when least she expects it. Have nothing to do with her. Avoid her. Trust +her not. And now go you away, and let the events of this morning be +buried in your heart. I would not that all should know Goody Grey, as +you know her; think of the old woman with pity; not with doubt and +suspicion." + +"I will. I do think of you with pity," replied Amy. "How can I do +otherwise when I have seen the anguish of your heart." + +"Hush! recall not thoughts that have passed almost as quickly as they +came. And now farewell, I am tired and would be alone." + +As Amy came in sight of the Hall on her way home, she met Mr. Vavasour. + +"Where have you been to so early?" said he; "I have watched you more +than an hour ago cross the park and make for the wood, but there I lost +sight of you, and have been wandering about ever since in the vain hope +of finding you. Where have you been?" + +But Amy was in no mood for being questioned. She felt almost vexed at +it, and answered crossly-- + +"I should have thought Mr. Vavasour might have found something better to +do than to dog my footsteps. I had no idea my conduct was viewed with +suspicion." + +"You are mistaken, Miss Neville, if you think I view any conduct of +yours with suspicion; such an unworthy thought never entered my head. If +I have unwittingly offended, allow me to apologise for that and my +unpardonable curiosity which has led me into this scrape." + +"Where no offence is meant, no apology is required," said Amy, coldly. +"It would have been better had Mr. Vavasour remained at home instead of +venturing abroad to play the spy!" + +"You compare me Miss Neville, to one of the most despicable of mankind, +when I am far from deserving of the epithet." + +"We judge men by their actions not by their words. I have yet to learn +that Mr. Vavasour did not enact the spy, when both his actions and his +words condemn him." + +"Be it so," replied Robert Vavasour, almost as coldly as she had spoken. +"But I would fain Miss Neville had conceived a different opinion of me." + +Amy made no reply, and in silence they reached the house; his manner +being kind, almost tender, as he bid her farewell. + + + + + CHAPTER XV. + + THE GALLERY WINDOW. + + "Know you not there is a power + Strong as death, which from above + Once was given--a fadeless dower, + Blessed with the name of love! + On it hangs how many a tale! + Tales of human joys and woes; + Fan it with an adverse gale, + Then it strong and stronger grows. + + J. B. KERRIDGE. + + +"Such a fuss about a piece of embroidery!" exclaimed Mason, entering the +servants' hall; "one would think Miss Neville had lost half a fortune +instead of a trumpery piece of needle-work. I'm sure she's welcome to +any of mine," and she tossed over the contents of her work-box with a +contemptuous nod of the head. "I don't suppose it was very much better +than this--or this!" and she drew forth an elaborate strip of work; +either a careless gift from her mistress, or one of her righteous +cribbings, such as servants in places like hers think it no robbery to +appropriate to themselves. + +"Law! Mrs. Mason, however did you work it?" asked Mary, in her +simplicity. + +"It's one of Madam's cast-offs, I expect," said Mrs. Hopkins, with some +asperity of manner. + +"It don't much signify where I got it, or who it belonged to; it's mine +now, and as good, I know, as the piece Miss Neville's turning the house +upside down for. Governesses always make places disagreeable; they're +sure to lose something or another, and then wonder who's taken it, and +then make us out a pack of thieves. I've made up my mind never to take a +situation again where there's a governess." + +"Does Miss Neville accuse anybody of having taken it?" asked Mrs. +Hopkins, more sternly than before, and certainly more sharply. + +"Well; no, Mrs. Hopkins, she doesn't exactly do that, she wouldn't dare +to; but a hint's as good as a plain-spoken word sometimes. I know I +could scarcely stand quiet in Madam's room just now. I did say I was +surprised she hadn't lost something more valuable, and should have +spoken my mind more plainly than that, but you know Madam's temper as +well as I do, Mrs. Hopkins; it isn't for me to tell you; and I can't +always say what I wish. She had been put out, too, about that new violet +silk dress; it's been cut a trifle too short waisted--a nasty fault--and +doesn't fit as it ought, so it couldn't have happened at a more awkward +time. Besides, I believe Madam thinks Miss Neville an angel, so quiet +and '_mum_;' for my part I dislike people that can't say 'bo' to a +goose; and I don't think Miss Neville would jump if a thunderbolt fell +at her feet." + +This remark set Mary, and Jane, Frances Strickland's maid, laughing; +but not a muscle of Mrs. Hopkin's face moved as she asked-- + +"How did you happen to hear of the loss of the piece of work?" + +"Oh! Miss Fanny came in open-mouthed to tell her Mamma of it, and said +'wasn't it strange that though they had hunted high and low for it, they +could not find it.' Miss Edith accused Carlo;--you know what a +rampacious dog he is;--but then they would have found some of the +shreds, but not a vestige of it could they see, rummage as they would. +There's the school-room bell, Mary, that's for you to hear all about it, +and be put on your trial, and be frightened to death." She added as Mary +left the room, "She's no more spirit in her than the cat," and she +glanced contemptuously at the sleepy tortoise-shell curled up before the +fire. + +"Mary's plenty of spirit when she's put to it," replied Mrs. Hopkins, +"she's not like some people, ready to let fly at every word that's +said." + +"And quite right too, I say; when words are spoke that make one's heart +leap up to one's throat; but there, servants ain't supposed to have +hearts or tongues neither for the matter of that now-a-days; why if a +man only looks at us, we're everything that's bad, when I'm sure I'd +scorn to have the lots of 'followers' some young ladies have." + +"Mrs. Mason," said Mrs. Hopkins, rising with dignity, "this talk does +not become you to speak, nor me to listen to; leastways I won't allow it +in this room," and she rose and drew up her portly figure in some pride, +and no little expression of anger on her face, while she shook out the +stiff folds of her black silk dress. "If the place doesn't suit you; you +can leave and get a better if you can; but not one word shall you say in +my hearing against any of Madam's friends." + +"Good gracious, Mrs. Hopkins, you're enough to frighten anyone. I wasn't +aware I'd said anything against anybody, and I'm sure and certain if I +did, I didn't mean it. I have no fault to find with my place, I'm well +enough satisfied with it, but I'm not partial to Miss Neville," yet at +the same time Mason gathered up her work, and thrust it hastily into +the box which she closed noisily, as if the spirit was ready to fly out, +if she only dare let it. + +But Mason knew well enough that Mrs. Hopkins was not to be trifled with, +she could say a great deal, but beyond a certain point she dare not go; +for as soon as the other chose she could silence her. All her airs and +assumed grandeur were as nothing, and were regarded with cool disdain +and contempt, but reign paramount the housekeeper would--and did; her +quiet decided way at once checked and subdued the lady's maid, and all +her pertness and boasting fell to the ground, but the sweep of her full +ample skirts expanded with crinoline annoyed and vexed Mrs. Hopkins much +more than her words; the one she could and did check; the other she had +no power over, since Mrs. Linchmore tolerated them, and found no fault. + +Mason partly guessed it was so, for she invariably swept over something +that stood in her way when Mrs. Hopkins was present, either some coals +from the coal box, or the fender-irons, the latter were the more often +knocked down as Nurse so particularly disliked the noise. Mason had even +ventured upon the tall basket of odds and ends from which Mrs. Hopkins +always found something to work at, and which stood close by her side as +she sat sewing. It would have stood small chance now of escape could +Mason have found an excuse for going near it. + +"Well Mary, has the work been found?" asked Mrs. Hopkins, as the girl +came back. + +"No Ma'am, it hasn't; Miss Neville says she supposes she must have +mislaid it somewhere," while Mason curled her lip as much as to say, "I +could have told you that." + +"Well, you had better go and look over your young ladies' wardrobes; +there's no telling sometimes where things get put to, at all events it's +as well to search everywhere." + +And Mary went, but of course with small chance of finding what she +sought for, as it still lay snugly enough under the shelf in Charles' +desk, while he appeared totally unmindful of it or indifferent as to +its existence; but then the last two days he had been indifferent to +almost every thing. He could not account for Miss Neville's coldness and +stiffness; surely he had done nothing to offend her, yet why had she +treated him so discourteously at the lake, and turned away with scarcely +a word? + +He had seen her walking with Vavasour; surely if she had done that, +there could be no great harm in her remaining to say three words to him. +He had also seen Mr. Hall one morning hasten after her with a glove she +had dropped accidentally, and she had turned and thanked him civilly +enough, even walked a few paces with him; then why was he to be the only +one snubbed? + +It irritated and annoyed him. He thought of the hundred-and-one girls +that he knew all ready to be talked to and admired. There was even his +proud cousin Frances unbent to him; yet he was only conscious of a +feeling of weariness and unconcern at her condescension. + +Amy's manner puzzled him, and at times he determined on meeting her +coldly; at others that he would make her come round. What had he done to +deserve such treatment? he could not accuse himself in one single +instance. But then Charles knew nothing of his sister-in-law's +interference. That one visit of hers to the school-room had determined +Amy on the line of conduct she ought to adopt. There was no help for it, +she must be cold to him; must show she did not want, would not have his +attentions, they only troubled her and brought annoyance with them. She +was every bit as proud as Charles. What if he thought as Mrs. Linchmore +did? She would show him how little she valued his apparent kindness, or +wished for his attentions. + +Ah! Amy was little versed in men's hearts, or she would have known that +her very coldness and indifference only urged the young man on; and made +the gain of one loving smile from her, worth all the world beside. + +Charles was sauntering quietly home through the grounds from the next +day's skating on the lake, when the children's voices sounded in the +distance; he unconsciously quickened his steps, and soon reached the +spot where they were playing. + +"Another holiday!" he exclaimed, as he saw at a glance that Miss Neville +was not there. + +"Oh! yes, Uncle, isn't it nice. We have enjoyed ourselves so much." + +"I wish I had known it," he replied, "for I would just as soon have had +a game of romps with you, as gone skating. You must let me know when you +have a holiday again." + +"That won't be for a long time," said Edith, "Fanny's birthday comes +next, and it isn't for another six months." + +"Whose birthday is it to-day then?" + +"No one's. We have been having a regular turn-out of the school-room, +all the books taken down and the cupboards emptied, because Miss Neville +has lost her work." + +"Lost her work, has she?" said Charles, not daring to look the two +girls in the face, as he took a long pull at his cigar, and watched the +smoke as it curled upwards. + +"Yes, Uncle, lost her work; such a beautiful piece she was doing; we +can't find it anywhere, and Miss Neville is so vexed about it." + +Vexed, was she? He wished he had taken the thimble and scissors as well. +He felt a strange satisfaction in learning something had roused her, and +that she was not quite so invulnerable as he thought. + +"Was she very angry?" he asked. + +"Miss Neville is never very angry," replied Edith, "but she looked very +much vexed about it. I think she thought some one had been playing her a +trick, as she would not allow Fanny to say it had been stolen." + +"I dare say she will find it again. It will turn up somewhere or other; +you must have another search," and away he walked, knowing full well +that unless he brought it to light it never would be found, and that +all search would be fruitless. + +Soon after, as the children walked towards the house, they met Robert +Vavasour. + +"Well young lady, and where are you going to?" asked he of Fanny, who, +having Carlo attached to a chain, was some way behind her sister and +cousin. + +"We are going home, Sir," said Fanny, with some difficulty making the +dog keep up, by occasionally scolding him, which he seemed not to mind +one bit, but only walked the slower, and tugged the more obstinately at +his chain. + +"I have a little favour to ask of you," said he, "will you grant it?" + +"What is it, Sir?" asked Fanny. + +"Will you wait here a few minutes until my return?" + +"Yes. But oh! please don't be long." + +"Not three minutes," said he, as he disappeared. + +"Fanny! Fanny! are you coming?" called Edith, returning; "we are late, +it is nearly four o'clock." + +"I cannot come," said Fanny, "I have promised to wait for him," with +which unsatisfactory reply, Edith went on and left her. + +And Fanny did wait, some--instead of three--ten minutes, until her +little feet ached, and her hands were blue with the cold, and her +patience, as well as Carlo's, was well-nigh exhausted, he evincing his +annoyance by sundry sharp barks and jumping up with his fore paws on her +dress. At last, her patience quite worn out, Fanny walked round to the +front of the house, where, just as she reached the terrace, she met Mr. +Vavasour. + +"There," said he, placing a Camellia in her hand, "hold it as carefully +as you can, for it is not fresh gathered, and may fall to pieces, and +take it very gently to your governess." + +"Yes Sir, I will; but oh! what a time you have been, and how she will +scold me for being so late, because it rang out four o'clock ever such +a time ago, and Edith and Alice are long gone in." + +"Then do not stand talking, Fanny, but make haste in, and be careful of +the flower." + +"But you must please take Carlo round to the left wing door for me, as +Mamma does not like his coming in this way. You see his paws are quite +dirty." + +"I suppose I must, but it's an intolerable nuisance." + +But the dog had not the slightest idea of losing his young mistress, and +being dragged off in that ignominious way, but resisted the chain with +all his might. + +"Suppose we undo his chain, and let him loose," suggested Robert. "I +dare say Mamma will excuse his intrusion for this once." + +Away went Fanny, faithfully following out the instructions she had +received, and carrying the flower most carefully, when suddenly a hand +grasped her shoulder rather roughly. + +"Oh! cousin Frances, how you startled me!" said Fanny. + +"Where are you going to with that flower?" and she pointed to the +Camellia Fanny held so gently between her small fingers. + +"It's for Miss Neville, cousin." + +"For Miss Neville is it? I suspected as much. Give it to me; let me look +at it." + +"No, it will fall to pieces. He said so; and that I was to be very +careful of it; so you musn't have it." + +"Who gave it you? Speak, child; I will know." + +But little Fanny inherited the Linchmore's spirit, and was nothing +daunted at the other's stern, overbearing manner. In fact her little +heart rose to fever heat; so tossing back her long, thick hair with one +hand, while with the other she put the flower behind her, and looking +her tall cousin steadily in the face, she replied defiantly-- + +"I shan't tell you." + +"How dare you say that, how dare you speak to me in that rude way; I +will know who gave it to you. Tell me directly." + +"No I won't, cousin." + +Frances raised her hand to strike, but Fanny quailed not; she still held +the flower behind her back, away from the other, and made her small +figure as tall as she could, planting her little foot firmly so as to +resist the blow to her utmost when it did come. + +But it came not. The hand fell, but not on Fanny. + +With a strong effort Frances controlled herself, and determined on +trying persuasion; for she would find out where she got the flower. + +Now Frances had been dressing in her room, and had accidentally seen +from her window Charles talking to the children; so when she, +unfortunately for Fanny, met her in the passage, and saw the Camellia, +she naturally enough concluded he had sent it. If not he, who had? but +she was certain it was Charles; her new-born jealousy told her so. + +Still the child must confess and satisfy her, must confirm her +suspicions, and then--but though Frances shut her teeth firmly, as some +sudden thought flashed through her, yet she could not quite tell what +her vengeance was to be, or what measures she would take; she only felt, +only knew she must annihilate and crush her rival, and remove her out of +her path. + +"I do not want the flower, Fanny," commenced she in a low voice, meant +to propitiate and coax. + +"You would not have it, if you did!" replied Fanny, not a bit +conciliated or deceived at the change of tone and voice. + +Frances could scarcely control her anger. + +"You need not hold it so determinately behind you. I am not going to +take it from you." + +"No! I should not let you." + +"Nonsense! I could take it if I liked, but I do not want it; and I know +where you got it too, Fanny." + +"No you don't, cousin. I am sure you don't." + +"But I do; for I saw your uncle give it you, just now." + +"If you saw him, why did you bother so? But I know you did not see him. +You are telling me a fib, cousin Frances, and it's very wicked of you!" +said Fanny, looking up reproachfully. + +At this, as Frances thought, confirmation of her doubts, her rage burst +forth. + +"You little abominable, good-for-nothing creature! you have the face to +accuse me of telling a falsehood; I will have you punished for it. Your +Mamma shall know how shamefully you are being brought up by that +would-be-saint, Miss Neville." + +"If you say a word against my governess," retorted Fanny, "I will tell +Mamma, too; all I know you've done." + +"What have I done? you little bold thing, speak!" and she grasped the +child's arm again, so sharply that Fanny's face flushed hotly with the +pain; but she bore it firmly, and never uttered a cry, or said a word in +reply. + +"Say what have I done. I will know." + +"You stole Miss Neville's work," replied Fanny fearlessly. "No one +thinks it's you, but I know it, and could tell if I liked." + +"Tell what?" + +"That you took my governess's work," repeated Fanny. "I know it was you; +because I saw her put it away in her basket before we went out, and when +we came home again it was gone, and she has never found it since." + +"What are you talking about? I think you are crazed." + +"No, I am not. What did you go into the school-room for that day, while +we were out? There's nothing of yours there; and why did you look so +angry at Miss Neville, when we all came upstairs, if you had not taken +away her piece of embroidery to vex and annoy her." + +"Was it on that day Miss Neville lost a piece of work?" + +"Yes, it was only half finished, too; and you took it, you know you +did." + +"And you say some one took it while you were out walking?" + +"Yes." + +Frances lifted away her hand from Fanny's arm, where it had been placed +so roughly, and let it fall helplessly to her side. + +Gradually she drooped her eyes, and slowly moved away. + +"It is too much," she said, with a deep sigh, while the child stood mute +with astonishment at the effect of her words, she being old and wise +enough to see they had not only disarmed, but wounded and hurt Frances, +and stung her to the quick. + +And so they had. + +Frances knew well enough _she_ had not taken the work. Was it Charles? +and was that the reason why he had looked so guilty when she +unexpectedly entered? It was not the mere fact of being caught in the +school-room. No; it was a cowardly fear lest she should have seen the +theft that had made him start, and answer at random, and appear so +confused. All was accounted for now. + +Yes; he it was who had taken it, and for what? She paused and looked +back. Fanny was following at a respectful distance. She waited until she +came up. + +"You know not what you have done, child," she said, sternly, with just a +slight tremble of the lips and lower part of the face. "I will never +forgive you for telling me." + +She went on, and the now startled child went on too, knowing full well +that her governess must be growing anxious. + +And Amy had grown anxious at her prolonged absence, and after awaiting +Mary's fruitless search for her in the shrubbery and garden, had gone +herself in quest of her, first to Julia's room, thinking she might be +there, or at the least they might be able to give her some information; +but neither of the sisters had, of course, seen anything of her, so Amy +retraced her steps, and had reached the end of the gallery, when +Charles turned the corner. + +They met face to face. + +He held out his hand. Amy could not refuse to take it, indeed it was all +so sudden, she never thought of refusing. + +"Have you hurt your hand, Miss Neville?" he inquired, seeing she held +out the left, while the right was in some measure supported by the thumb +being thrust into the waist belt. + +"Slightly," replied Amy, and would have passed on, but he was determined +this time she should not evade him. + +"What is the matter with it? How did you hurt it?" + +"It was wrenched," she said, hesitatingly, and a little confusedly. "I +do not think there is much the matter with it." + +"Wrenched!" echoed he, in some surprise. Then, all at once, the thought +seemed to strike him as to how it was done, and he added, decidedly, +"It was yesterday, at the lake, holding my horse. Confound him!" + +Amy did not deny his assertion, indeed she could not, as it was true. + +"Are you much hurt?" he asked again, in a kind voice. + +"I think not. It is bruised or sprained, that is all." + +"All!" he repeated, reproachfully and tenderly. + +But Amy would not raise her eyes, and replied, coldly, "Yes; I can +scarcely tell you which." + +"But I can, if you will allow me." + +And in spite of her still averted face, he drew her towards the long +window, near where they were standing, she having no power of resisting, +not knowing well how to, so she held out her hand as well as she was +able. + +He held the small, soft fingers in his, and took off from her wrist the +ribbon with which she had bound it. + +It was much swollen and inflamed, and was decidedly sprained. He looked +closer still, until his breath blew over those clear blue veins, and he +could scarcely resist the temptation of pressing his lips on +them--might, perhaps, have done so--when they were both startled. + +A dark shadow floated towards them, and danced in the light reflected +from the windows by the last red rays of the fast fading sun, right +across them. + +It was Frances, returning, full of anger and wounded feeling, after her +meeting with Fanny. + +Scornfully she stood and looked at both, while both quailed at her +glance, and the proud, angry look in her eyes. + +Charles was the first to recover himself. "Miss Neville has sprained her +wrist badly, Frances. Come and see." + +More scornfully still, she returned his gaze, and then saying, with +cutting sarcasm, "Pray do not let me disturb you," she swept on, as +though the ground was scarcely good enough for her to walk on, or that +her pride would at all hazards o'er master any and every thing that +came in her way. + +So she passed out of their sight. + +"It is too much," she repeated again, "and more than I can bear," but +this time there was no rebellious sigh, nothing but pride and +determination struggling in her heart. + +She went into her own room, and locked the door, so that the loud click +of the key, as she turned it in the lock, startled again those she had +left in the gallery. + +"My cousin is not blessed with a good temper," remarked Charles, "though +what she has had to vex her I know not, and do not much care;" but at +the same time, if Amy could have read his heart, she would have seen +that he was inwardly uncomfortable at her having caught him. + +"I am sorry," was all Amy said, but it expressed much, as taking the +ribbon from his hand, and gently declining his proffered assistance of +again binding it round the injured wrist, she left him. + +And Amy was sorry. She could not think she had done wrong in allowing +Charles Linchmore to look at the sprain, simply because she could not +well have refused him without awkwardness; besides, he took her hand as +a matter of course, and never asked her permission at all; but then +might not Miss Strickland imagine thousands of other things, put a +number of other constructions upon finding them in the embrasure of the +window together alone. + +It was very evident from her manner that she had done so, and Amy shrank +within herself at the idea that perhaps she also would think she was +leading him on, and endeavouring to gain his heart, and he, too, as Mrs. +Hopkins had told her, the inheritor of the very house she lived in. + +As a governess, perhaps she had done wrong, she ought not to have +allowed him to evince so much sympathy; but what if she explained to +Miss Strickland how it had all happened, there would then be an end to +her suspicions; her woman's heart and feeling would at once see how +little she had intended doing wrong, and feel for her and exonerate her +from all blame or censure. + +So Amy determined on seeking an interview with Frances. It was, as far +as she could see, the right thing to do; and she went; when how Frances +received her, and how far she helped her, must be seen in another +chapter. + + + END OF VOL. I. + + +T. C. NEWBY, 30, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, London. + + + + +[Illustration] + +TEETH WITHOUT PAIN AND WITHOUT SPRINGS. + +OSTEO EIDON FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH, EQUAL TO NATURE. + +Complete Sets £4 4s., £7 7s., £10 10s., £15 15s., and £21. + +SINGLE TEETH AND PARTIAL SETS AT PROPORTIONATELY MODERATE CHARGES. + +A PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED. + +[Illustration] + +London: + +27, HARLEY STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W. + +134, DUKE STREET, LIVERPOOL. + +65, NEW STREET, BIRMINGHAM. + +CITY ADDRESS: + +64, LUDGATE HILL, 64. + +(4 doors from the Railway Bridge). + + +ONLY ONE VISIT REQUIRED FROM COUNTRY PATIENTS. + + +Gabriel's Treatise on the Teeth, explaining their patented mode of +supplying Teeth without Springs or Wires, may be had gratis on +application, or free by post. + + + + +FAMILY MOURNING. + +MESSRS. JAY + +Would respectfully announce that great saving may be made by purchasing +Mourning at their Establishment, + +THEIR STOCK OF + +FAMILY MOURNING + +BEING + +THE LARGEST IN EUROPE. + +MOURNING COSTUME + +OF EVERY DESCRIPTION + +KEPT READY-MADE, + +And can be forwarded to Town or Country at a moment's notice. + +The most reasonable Prices are charged, and the wear of every Article +Guaranteed. + +THE LONDON + +GENERAL MOURNING WAREHOUSE, + +247 & 248, REGENT STREET, + +(NEXT THE CIRCUS.) + +JAY'S. + + + + +BEDSTEADS, BEDDING, AND BED ROOM FURNITURE. + +HEAL & SON'S + + +Show Rooms contain a large assortment of Brass Bedsteads, suitable both +for home use and for Tropical Climates. + +Handsome Iron Bedsteads, with Brass Mountings, and elegantly Japanned. + +Plain Iron Bedsteads for Servants. + +Every description of Woodstead, in Mahogany, Birch, and Walnut Tree +Woods, Polished Deal and Japanned, all fitted with Bedding and +Furnitures complete. + +Also, every description of Bed Room Furniture, consisting of Wardrobes, +Chests of Drawers, Washstands, Tables, Chairs, Sofas, Couches, and every +article for the complete furnishing of a Bed Room. + +AN + +ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, + +Containing Designs and Prices of 150 articles of Bed Room Furniture, as +well as of 100 Bedsteads, and Prices of every description of +Bedding. + +Sent Free by Post. + +HEAL & SON, + +BEDSTEAD, BEDDING, + +and + +BED ROOM FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS + +196, TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD, + +LONDON, W. + + + + +J. W. BENSON, + +WATCH AND CLOCK MAKER, BY WARRANT OF APPOINTMENT, TO H.R.H. THE PRINCE +OF WALES, + +Maker of the Great Clock for the Exhibition, 1862, and of the +Chronograph Dial, by which was timed "The Derby" of 1862, 1863, and +1864, Prize Medallist, Class XXXIII., and Honourable Mention, Class XV, +begs respectfully to invite the attention of the nobility, gentry, and +public to his establishment at + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, + +Which, having recently been increased in size by the incorporation of +the two houses in the rear, is now the most extensive and richly stocked +in London. In + +THE WATCH DEPARTMENT + +Will be found every description of Pocket Horological Machine, from the +most expensive instruments of precision to the working man's substantial +time-keeper. The stock comprises Watches, with every kind of case, gold +and silver, plain, engine-turned, engraved, enamelled, chased, and +jewelled, and with dials of enamel, silver, or gold, either neatly +ornamented or richly embellished. + +BENSON'S WATCHES. + +"The movements are of the finest quality which the art of horology is at +present capable of producing."--_Illustrated London News_ 8th Nov., +1862. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S WATCHES. + +Adapted for every class, climate, and country. Wholesale and retail from +200 guineas to 2-1/2 guineas each. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S WATCHES. + +Chronometer, duplex, lever, horizontal, repeating, centre seconds, +keyless, astronomical, reversible, chronograph, blind men's, Indian, +presentation, and railway, to suit all classes. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S WATCHES. + +London-made levers, gold from £10 10s., silver from £5 5s. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S WATCHES. + +Swiss watches of guaranteed quality, gold from £5 5s; silver from £2 +12s. 6d. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +Benson's Exact Watch. + +Gold from £30; silver from £24. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +Benson's Indian Watch. + +Gold, £23; silver, £11 11s. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S CLOCKS. + +"The clocks and watches were objects of great attraction, and well +repaid the trouble of an inspection."--_Illustrated London News_, 8th +November, 1862. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S CLOCKS. + +Suitable for the dining and drawing rooms, library, bedroom, hall, +staircase, bracket, carriage, skeleton, chime, musical, night, +astronomical, regulator, shop, warehouse, office, counting house, &c., + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S CLOCKS. + +Drawing room clocks, richly gilt, and ornamented with fine enamels from +the imperial manufactories of Sèvres, from £200 to £2 2s. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S CLOCKS, + +For the dining room, in every shape, style, and variety of bronze--red, +green, copper, Florentine, &c. A thousand can be selected from, from 100 +guineas to 2 guineas. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +BENSON'S CLOCKS, + +In the following marbles:--Black, rouge antique, Sienne, d'Egypte, rouge +vert, malachite, white, rosée, serpentine, Brocatelle, porphyry, green, +griotte, d'Ecosse, alabaster, lapis lazuli, Algerian onyx, Californian. + +33 & 34, LUDGATE HILL, London. + + * * * * * + +THE HOUSE-CLOCK DEPARTMENT, + +For whose more convenient accommodation J. W. 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To persons who have determined that they ought to have change +of climate, we can recommend Dr. Madden as a guide."--_Athenæum._ + +"It contains much valuable information respecting various favorite +places of resort, and is evidently the work of a well-informed +physician."--_Lancet._ + +"Dr. Madden's book deserves confidence--a most accurate and excellent +work."--_Dublin Medical Review._ + + + + +THE + +GENERAL FURNISHING + +AND + +UPHOLSTERY COMPANY + +(LIMITED), + +F. J. ACRES, MANAGER, + +24 and 25. Baker Street, W. + + * * * * * + +The Company are now Exhibiting all the most approved Novelties + +of the Season in + +CARPETS, CHINTZES, + +MUSLIN CURTAINS, + +And every variety of textile fabric for Upholstery purposes +constituting the most recherché selection in the trade. + + + + +NOW READY. + + * * * * * + +In Three Vols. + +THE NAVAL LIEUTENANT. + +BY F. C. ARMSTRONG, + +Author of "The Two Midshipmen," "The Medora," "The +Lily of Devon," "The Queen of the Seas," &c. + + * * * * * + +IN THE PRESS. + +In Three Vols. Price 31s. 6d. + +AN OLD MAN'S SECRET. + +A Novel. + +BY FRANK TROLLOPE, + +Author of "A Right-Minded Woman." + + +THE TOILET.--A due attention to the gifts and graces of the person, and +a becoming preservation of the advantages of nature, are of more value +and importance with reference to our health and well-being, than many +parties are inclined to suppose. Several of the most attractive portions +of the human frame are delicate and fragile, in proportion as they are +graceful and pleasing; and the due conservation of them is intimately +associated with our health and comfort. The hair, for example, from the +delicacy of its growth and texture, and its evident sympathy with the +emotions of the mind; the skin, with its intimate relation to the most +vital of our organs, as those of respiration, circulation and digestion, +together with the delicacy and susceptibility of its own texture; and +the teeth, also, from their peculiar structure, formed as they are, of +bone or dentine, and cased with a fibrous investment of enamel; these +admirable and highly essential portions of our frames, are all to be +regarded not merely as objects of external beauty and display, but as +having an intimate relation to our health, and the due discharge of the +vital functions. The care of them ought never to be entrusted to +ignorant or unskilful hands; and it is highly satisfactory to point out +as protectors of these vital portions of our frame the preparations +which have emanated from the laboratories of the Messrs. 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JAY + +Would respectfully announce that great saving may be +made by purchasing Mourning at their Establishment, + +THEIR STOCK OF + +FAMILY MOURNING + +BEING + +THE LARGEST IN EUROPE. + + +MOURNING COSTUME + +OF EVERY DESCRIPTION + +KEPT READY-MADE, + +And can be forwarded to Town or Country at a moment's +notice. + + +The most reasonable Prices are charged, and the wear +of every Article Guaranteed. + + +THE LONDON + +GENERAL MOURNING WAREHOUSE, + +247 & 248, REGENT STREET, + +(NEXT THE CIRCUS.) + +JAY'S. + + +Transcriber's Note: The oe ligature is shown as [oe]. The spelling and +punctuation are as printed in the original publication, with the +following exceptions: + + chidren is now children, beome is now become, recoun is now + recount, Lichmore is now Litchmore, atlhough is now although, + exercisd is now exercised, hinself is now himself, unfortuate is + now unfortunate, remostest is now remotest, Beding is now Bedding + and pacifiy is now pacify. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's It May Be True Volume 1 of 3, by Mrs. Wood + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40418 *** |