THE READER IS LET INTO A SECRET, AND THE YOUNG LADY'S PLOT PROVED TO BE
OF NO AVAIL.--A JUDICIOUS MODE OF OBTAINING INFORMATION.--A HAPPY AND
VERY WELL-TIMED MEETING.
"Well, Mary!... I suppose you are wishing yourself joy on the success of
your plottings and plannings," said Mrs. Peters to her daughter about
ten days after this memorable walk on the Bristol road, for during that
interval much had occurred that seemed to promise success to her wishes.
In fact, Frederick Stephenson had quietly become a regular visitor at
Rodney Place, and the power of Agnes to accept the constant invitations
which brought her there likewise increased in exact proportion to the
widow's growing delight in the _tete-a-tete_ visits of the Major. The
friendly hint of Mr. Stephenson had produced no effect whatever,
excepting indeed that it tended greatly to increase the tone of
friendly intercourse between the Peters family and himself. He had
released Agnes from the task of mentioning the matter at all, and took
an early opportunity of confiding to Mrs. Peters his ideas on the
subject. She received the communication with the gratitude it really
deserved, but confessed that Mrs. Barnaby was a person so every way
disagreeable to her, that the task of attempting to guide her would be
extremely repugnant to her feelings.
"But Miss Willoughby!..." said Frederick; "it is for her sake that one
would wish to keep this odious woman from exposing herself to ruin and
disgrace, if possible."
"And for her sake I will do it," answered Mrs. Peters. "She is as
deserving of all care as her aunt is unworthy of it."
This reply convinced Mr. Stephenson that Mrs. Peters was one of the most
discerning as well as most amiable women in the world, but no other
advantage arose from the praiseworthy determination of the "dear
Margaret;" for when that lady said to her gravely, at the very first
opportunity she could find,--
"Pray, Mrs. Barnaby, do you know anything of that Major Allen's private
character?" The answer she received was,--"Yes, Mrs. Peters, a great
deal, ... and more, probably, than any other person whatever at
Clifton; ... and I know, too, that there are agents--paid, hired
agents--employed in circulating the most atrocious lies against him."
"I am not one of them, I assure you, madam," said Mrs. Peters, abruptly
leaving her seat, and determined never again to recur to the subject; a
comfortable resolution, to which she reconciled her conscience by
remembering the evident devotion of Mr. Stephenson to Agnes, the
symptoms of which were daily becoming less and less equivocal.
It was within a few hours after this short colloquy with the widow, that
Mrs. Peters thus addressed her daughter, "Well, Mary!... I suppose you
are wishing yourself joy on the success of your plottings and
plannings."
"Why, yes," ... replied Mary; "I think we are getting on pretty well,
and unless I greatly mistake, it will be the fault of Agnes, and of no
one else, if she suffers much more from being under the protection of
our precious aunt Barnaby."
Mrs. Peters and Mary were perfectly right in their premises, but utterly
wrong in their conclusion. Mr. Stephenson was indeed passionately in
love with Agnes, and had already fully made up his mind to propose to
her, so soon as their acquaintance had lasted long enough to render such
a step decently permissable, which, according to his calculations, would
be in about a fortnight after he had first danced with her. In short, he
was determined to find a favourable opportunity, on the evening of Mrs.
Peters's promised music party, to declare his passion to her; for he had
already learned to know that few occasions offer, in the ordinary
intercourse of society, more favourable for a _tete-a-tete_ than a
crowded concert-room.
Thus far, therefore, the observations and reasonings of Agnes's watchful
friends were perfectly correct. But, alas! they saw only the surface of
things. There was an under current running the other way of which they
never dreamed, and of which, even had it been laid open to their view,
they would neither have been able to comprehend or believe the power. As
to the heart of Agnes, by some strange fatality they had never taken it
into their consideration at all, or at any rate had conceived it so
beyond all doubt inclined the way they wished, that no single word or
thought amidst all their deliberations was ever bestowed upon it.... But
the heart of Agnes was fixedly, devotedly, and for ever given to
another.
No wonder, indeed, that such an idea had never suggested itself to her
friends, ... for who could that other be?... Could it be James, her
first partner, her first walking companion, and very nearly the first
young man she had ever spoken to in her life?... Assuredly not; for had
she been asked, she could not have told whether his eyes were blue or
black, hardly whether he were short or tall, and certainly not whether
she had seen him twenty times, or only twelve, since their first
meeting.
Who, then, could it be? There was but one other person whom the
accidents of the last important fortnight had thrown constantly in her
way; and Mrs. Peters and Mary would as soon have thought that the young
Agnes had conceived a passion for the Pope, as for the stately, proud,
reserved Colonel Hubert.
Yet "she could an if she would" have told her how far above all other
mortals his noble head rose proudly, ... she could have told that on his
lofty brow her soul read volumes, ... she could have told that in the
colour of his thoughtful eye, the hue of heaven seemed deepened into
black by the rich lash that shaded it.... All this she could have told;
and, moreover, could have counted, with most faithful arithmetic, not
only how many times she had seen him, but how many times his eyes had
turned towards her, how many times he had addressed a word to her, how
many smiles had been permitted to cheer her heart, how many frowns had
chilled her spirit as they passed over his countenance.... Little could
any one have guessed all this, but so it was; and Frederick Stephenson,
with all his wealth, his comeliness, and kind heart to boot, had no more
chance of being accepted as a husband by the poor, dependant Agnes
Willoughby than the lowest hind that ploughs the soil by the proudest
lady that owns it.
* * * * *
Meanwhile my real heroine, the Widow Barnaby, thought little of Agnes,
or any other lady but herself, and less still perhaps of Mr. Stephenson,
or any other gentleman but the Major. The affair on the Bristol road,
though injurious to her dress, and rather dusty and in some degree
disagreeable at the time, had wonderfully forced on the tender intimacy
between them. Yet Mrs. Barnaby was not altogether so short-sighted as
by-standers might suppose; and though she freely permitted herself the
pleasure of being made love to, she determined to be very sure of the
Major's rent-roll before she bestowed herself and her fortune upon him;
for, notwithstanding her flirting propensities, the tender passion had
ever been secondary in her heart to a passion for wealth and finery; and
not the best-behaved and most discreet dowager that ever lived, was more
firmly determined to take care of herself, and make a good bargain, "_if
ever she married again_," than was our flighty, flirting Widow Barnaby.
She was fully aware that many difficulties lay in the way of her getting
the information she wanted. In the first place, she had no acquaintance
except the Peterses, who were his declared enemies; and she loved both
justice and the Major too well to let his happiness (which was now
avowedly dependant upon her accepting his hand) rest on such doubtful
testimony.... And secondly, there was considerable caution required in
the manner of asking questions _so special_ as those she wished to
propose, lest they might reach the ears of her lover; and it was
necessary, if the tender affair finally terminated in wedlock, that it
should be brought about without any appearance on her side of such
sordid views, lest a suspicion might arise on his that her own wealth
was not quite so great as she wished him to believe. Respecting
settlements, she had already decided upon what she should propose ...
she would make over the whole of her fortune unconditionally to him,
provided he would make her a settlement of one poor thousand a-year for
life in return.
Some days passed away after the Major had actually proposed and been
conditionally accepted ... in case a few weeks' longer acquaintance
confirmed their affection ... before Mrs. Barnaby had discovered any
method by which she might satisfy her anxious curiosity respecting the
actual state of Major Allen's affairs. During this time she was willing
to allow, even to herself, that her affections were very deeply engaged,
but yet she steadfastly adhered to her resolution of not bestowing upon
him the blessing of her hand, till she learned from some one besides
himself that he was a man of large fortune.
At length, when almost in despair of meeting with any one whom she could
trust on such a subject, it occurred to her that Betty Jacks, who had
not only continued to grow till she was nearly as tall as her mistress,
but had made such proficiency in the ways of the world since she left
Silverton, as rendered her exceedingly acute, might make acquaintance
with Major Allen's groom, and learn from him what was generally
considered to be the amount of his master's income. The idea had hardly
struck her before she determined to put it in execution; and having rung
the bell, Betty, after the usual interval that it took her to climb from
the kitchen, stood before her.
"Come in, Jerningham," said Mrs. Barnaby, "and shut the door. I have
something particular that I wish to say to you."
Betty anticipated a scolding, and looked sulky.
"I am very well satisfied with you, Jerningham," resumed the lady, "and
I called you up chiefly to say that you may have the cap with the pink
ribbons that I put off yesterday morning."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Betty, turning to go.
"Stay a moment, Jerningham: I have something I want to talk to you
about."
Betty advanced, and took hold of the back of a chair to support her
lengthy person, a habit which she had fallen into from the frequent long
confidential communications her lady was accustomed to hold with her.
"Pray, Jerningham, do you know Major Allen's groom?" inquired Mrs.
Barnaby in a gentle voice.
"Lor! no, ma'am; how should I come for to know his groom?"
"Nay, my good girl, there would be no harm in it if you did. I have
remarked that he is a particularly smart, respectable-looking servant,
and I must say I think it would be quite as well if such a good-looking
girl as you did make acquaintance with the servant of a gentleman like
Major Allen; it would give you a proper protector and companion,
Jerningham, in a Sunday evening walk, or anything of that kind; and
really it looks as if he did not think you worth noticing, considering
how intimate the two families are become."
"Oh! for that, ma'am, I don't believe the young man would have any
objection; and I don't mean to say as how I never spoke to him," replied
Betty.
"Very well, Jerningham, that is just what I wanted to know; because, if
you are sufficiently acquainted to speak, such a sharp clever girl as
you are, would find it easy enough to improve the intimacy, and that's
what I want you to do, Jerningham. And then I want you, some fine
evening, perhaps, after I have had my tea, to let him take a walk with
you; and when you are talking of one thing and the other, I want you to
find out whether his master is reckoned a rich gentleman or a poor
one.... Do you understand, Jerningham?"
Betty Jack's black eyes kindled into very keen intelligence at this
question, and she answered with very satisfactory vivacity, "Yes, ma'am,
I understands."
"Well, then, set about it as soon as you can; and remember, Jerningham,
if he asks any questions about me, that you make him understand my
fortune is a great deal larger than it appears to be, which it really
is, you know,--only just now I am travelling quietly by way of a change.
If you do all this cleverly and well, I will give you my old parasol,
which only wants a stitch or two to make it quite fit to use."
"Thankee, ma'am.... I could find him in a minute at the beer-shop, if
you like it."
"Well, then, do so, my good girl, and you may say, if you will, that
you could take a walk with him this evening."
The arrangement was probably made without great difficulty, for on the
following morning Betty was ready with her report. Any detailed account
of the interview between the Major's man and the widow's woman would be
unnecessary, as the girl's account of it was what principally affected
the interests of our widow, and that shall be faithfully given.
Betty Jacks made her appearance in the drawing-room as soon as Agnes had
left it after breakfast, with that look of smirking confidence which
usually enlivens the countenance of a _soubrette_ when she knows she has
something to say worth listening to.
Her anxious mistress instantly saw that the commission had not been in
vain.
"Well, Jerningham!" she cried with a deep respiration that was more like
panting than sighing, "what news do you bring me?"
"All that is best and honourablest for the Major, ma'am. His man William
says that he is a noble gentleman every way, with plenty of money to
spend, and plenty of spirit to spend it with; and that happy will the
lady be who wins his heart, and comes to the glory and honour of being
his wife."
"That is enough, Jerningham," said the happy Mrs. Barnaby.... "You seem
to have behaved extremely well, and with a great deal of cleverness; and
as I see I may trust to your good sense and prudent behaviour, I will
give you leave to go to the play at Bristol, and will give you a gallery
ticket any evening that the Major's worthy and faithful servant may like
to take you.... Indeed, I should not mind giving him a gallery ticket
too, and so you may tell him."
Betty Jacks turned her head to look out of the window, and a furtive
sort of smile kindled in her eye for a moment; but she thanked her
mistress for her kindness, and then made her exit with great decorum.
It was just two days after this that Mrs. Barnaby yielded to Major
Allen's request that she would taste the air of a delicious morning by
taking a little turn with him in the Mall. Twice had they enjoyed the
sunny length of the pavement, indulging in that sort of tender
conversation which their now fully avowed mutual attachment rendered
natural, when, in making their third progress, they were met by a
gentleman somewhat younger than the Major, but with much his style of
dress and whiskered fashion, who, the instant he saw Major Allen,
uttered a cry of joy, ran towards him, and caught his hand, which he not
only shook affectionately, but even pressed to his heart with an air of
the most touching friendship.
"My dearest Maintry!" exclaimed the Major, "what an unexpected pleasure
is this!... When did you reach England?... What brings you here?..."
Then, suddenly recollecting himself, he turned to Mrs. Barnaby, and
entreated her forgiveness for the liberty he had taken in thus stopping
her.
"But I well know," he added, "that your generous heart will find an
excuse for me in its own warm feelings, when I tell you that Captain
Maintry is the oldest friend I have in the world--the oldest and the
dearest.... We have served together, Mrs. Barnaby ... we have fought
side by side through many a well-contested field ... and since universal
peace has sheathed our swords, we have shared each other's hospitality,
hunted on each other's grounds, studied nature and mankind together,
and, in a word, have lived and loved as brothers, ... and yet we have
now been parted for two years. A large property has devolved to him from
his mother's family in Westphalia, and the necessity of attending to his
farms and his signioral privileges, has separated him thus long from his
friend.... You will forgive me, then, my beloved Martha!... Maintry ...
from thee I can hide nothing!... you have told me a thousand times that
I should never be brought to resign my freedom to mortal woman.... Look
here!... and tell me if you can wonder that such vaunting independence
can attach to me no longer?"
Nothing could be more kind than Mrs. Barnaby's reply to this, nothing
more gracious than Captain Maintry's flattering answer; and the next
minute they were all walking on together as if already united by the
tenderest ties. Many interesting questions and answers passed between
the two gentlemen concerning absent friends of high rank and great
distinction, as well as some good-natured friendly questions on the part
of Captain Maintry relative to many of the Major's principal tenants in
Yorkshire, as honourable to the kind feelings of the inquirer as to the
good conduct and respectability of the worthy individuals inquired for.
After all this had lasted most agreeably for some time, Captain Maintry
suddenly paused, and said to his friend,--
"My dear Allen, the pleasure of seeing you, and the unexpected
introduction to this honoured lady, have together turned my brain, I
believe, or I should have told you at once that I have brought letters
from Prince Hursteinberg for you which require an immediate answer. I
never heard one man speak of another as he does of you, Allen; he
declares you are the most noble character he ever met with in any
country, and that is no light thing for such a man as the Prince to say.
His letter is to ask whether you can spare him a hunting mare of your
own breeding, and three couple of those famous pointers for which your
principal estate is so celebrated. He made me promise that I would see
that you sent off an answer by the first post, for if you cannot oblige
him in this, he must apply elsewhere. You know his passion for _la
chasse_, and he must not be disappointed. Come, my dear fellow ... tear
yourself away from this attractive lady for one short hour, and then the
business will be done."
"Certainly not till I have seen Mrs. Barnaby safely home," replied the
Major gravely.
"Then you will be too late for the post.... We have told Mrs. Barnaby
that we are brothers ... let her see you treat me as such.... Trust her
to my care; I will escort her to her own home while you go for an hour
or so to yours. I have left the packet with your faithful William.... By
the by, I am glad to see that you still retain that capital good fellow
about you.... An honest servant is worth his weight in gold, Mrs.
Barnaby.... There, Allen, you see, I am in possession of the lady's
arm; so you may be off, and I will join you as soon as I have escorted
her to her quarters."
"Most cordially do I congratulate my friend, madam," said Captain
Maintry, as soon as Major Allen had taken his leave, "on the happy
prospects that have opened before him.... To see you, and not appreciate
his felicity, is impossible. Friendship may conquer envy, but it cannot
render us blind!... Nor is it Major Allen alone whom I must
congratulate; ... permit me to indulge my feelings towards that
long-tried and dearly-valued friend, by telling you, Mrs. Barnaby, that
you are a very happy woman indeed!... Such worth, such honour, are
rarely--alas! too rarely--met with in man. And then he has such a
multitude of minor good qualities, as I may call them, such an absence
of all ostentation ... nobody would believe from his manner of living
that he possessed one of the finest estates in Yorkshire ... yet such is
the fact.... His courage, too, is transcendently great, and his temper
the sweetest in the world!... Yet this man, Mrs. Barnaby, great and good
as he is, has not been able to escape enemies.... You have no idea of
the lies that have been put in circulation concerning him by those who
envy his reputation, and hate his noble qualities."
"I know it, Captain Maintry, but too well," replied Mrs. Barnaby; ...
"but a woman who could be influenced by such idle and malevolent
reports, would be unworthy to become his wife; and for myself, I can
assure you that, far from its producing the desired effect upon me, such
malignity only binds me to him more closely."
"There spoke a heart worthy of him!" fervently exclaimed the Captain....
"And I doubt not, my dearest madam, that these generous feelings will be
put to the proof, for ... I blush for my species as I say it ... there
are many who, when they hear of his approaching happiness, will put
every sort of wickedness in action to prevent it."
This conversation, with a few little amiable sentiments in addition from
both parties, brought them to the door of the widow's home, when Captain
Maintry resisted her invitation to enter upon the plea that he must
devote every moment he could command to his friend, as unhappily he was
obliged to return to Bath, on business of the greatest importance, with
as little delay as possible.
* * * * *
After this it was quite in vain that even the amiable, soft-hearted
Elizabeth,--who had grown exceedingly ashamed, by the by, of her
speaking acquaintance with Major Allen,--it was in vain that even she
ventured to hint that she believed Major Allen was no longer invited
anywhere.... Mrs. Barnaby knew all about it, on better authority than
any one else; and she quietly made up her mind to leave Clifton and
proceed to Cheltenham as speedily as possible, in order that her
marriage, within seven months of her husband's death, might not take
place under the immediate observation of his nearest relations.