(From Mrs. Errington to Mrs. Bodkin.)
"Long Fells, Westmoreland, July 26th, 18--.
"DEAR MRS. BODKIN,--Amid the tumult of feelings which have recently
agitated me, I yet cannot neglect to write to my good friends in
Whitford, and participate my emotions with those who have ever valued
and appreciated my darling boy, at this most important moment of his
life. It may perhaps surprise, but will, I am sure, gratify you to learn
that Algernon is to be married on this day week to the Honourable
Castalia Caroline Kilfinane, only daughter of the late Baron Kauldkail,
of Kauldkail, who is, though not a relation, yet a connection of our
own, being the niece of our dear cousin-in-law, Lord Seely. To say that
all my proudest maternal aspirations are gratified by such a match is
feebly to express what I feel. Birth (with me the first consideration,
dear Mrs. Bodkin, for I make no pretences with you, and confess that I
should have deplored Algernon's mating below himself in that respect),
elegance, accomplishments, and a devoted attachment to my son--these are
Castalia's merits in my eyes. You will forgive me for having said
nothing of this projected alliance until the last moment. The young
people did not wish it to be talked about. They had a romantic fancy to
have the wedding as quiet as possible, amid the rural beauties of this
most lovely scenery, and thus escape the necessity for inviting the
crowds of distinguished friends and connections on both sides of the
house, who would have had to be present had the marriage taken place in
London. That would have made it too pompous an affair to satisfy the
taste of our Castalia, who is sensitive refinement itself. The dear
Seelys are only too indulgent to the least wish of Algernon's, and they
at once agreed to keep the secret. What poor Lord and Lady Seely will do
when Algy leaves them I assure you I cannot imagine. It really grieves
me to contemplate how they will miss him. But, of course, I cannot but
rejoice selfishly to know that I shall have my dear children so near me.
For (you may, perhaps, have heard the news) Lord Seely has, by his
immense influence in the highest quarters, procured dear Algy an
appointment. And, as good fortune will have it, the appointment brings
him back to Whitford, among his dear and early friends. He is to be
appointed to the very arduous and responsible position of postmaster
there. But, important as this situation is, it is yet only to be
considered a stepping-stone to further advancement. Lord Seely wants
Algy in town, which is indeed his proper sphere. And the result of some
new ministerial combinations which are expected in certain quarters
will, there is no doubt, put him in the very foremost rank of rising
young diplomatists. But I must not say more even to you, dear Mrs.
Bodkin, for these are State secrets, which should be sacredly respected.
"This is a most lovely spot, and the house combines the simple elegance
of a cottage _ornee_ with the luxurious refinement that befits the
residence of a peer like Lord Seely. It is not, of course, fitted up
with the same magnificence as his town mansion, or even as his ancestral
place in Rutlandshire, but it is full of charms to the cultivated
spirit, and our dear young people are revelling in its romantic
quietude. There are very few guests in the house. By a kind thought of
Algy's, which I am sure you will appreciate, Orlando Pawkins is to be
best man at the wedding. The young man is naturally gratified by the
distinction, and our noble relatives have received him with that
affability which marks the truly high bred. There is also an Irish
gentleman, the Honourable John Patrick Price, who arrived last evening
in order to be present at the ceremony. He is one of the most celebrated
wits in town, and belongs to an Irish family of immense antiquity.
Castalia will have none of her own intimate young friends for
bridesmaids. To make a choice of one or two might have seemed invidious,
and to have eight or ten bridesmaids would have made the wedding too
ostentatious for her taste. Therefore she will be attended at the altar
by the two daughters of the village clergyman--simple, modest girls, who
adore her. The bride and bridegroom will leave us after the breakfast to
pass their honeymoon at the Lakes. I shall return forthwith to Whitford,
in order to make preparations for their reception. Lady Seely presses me
to remain with her for a time after the wedding, but I am impatient to
return to my dear Whitford friends, and share my happiness with them.
"Farewell, dear Mrs. Bodkin. Give my love to Minnie, who, I hope, has
benefited by the sea-breezes; and best regards to the doctor. Believe me
your very attached friend,
"SOPHIA AUGUSTA ERRINGTON.
"P.S. Do you happen to know whether Barker, the chemist, has that
cottage in the Bristol Road still to let? It might suit my dear
children, at least for a while."
* * * * *
(From Miss Kilfinane to her cousin, Lady Louisa Marston.)
"Long Fells, 29th July.
"MY DEAR LOUISA,--I answer your last letter at once, for if I delay
writing, I may not have time to do so at all. There are still a thousand
things to be thought of, and my maid and I have to do it all, for you
know what Aunt Seely is. She won't stir a finger to help anybody. Uncle
Seely is very kind, but he has no say in the matter, nor, as far as that
goes, in any matter in his own house.
"You ask about the wedding. It will be very scrubby, thanks to my lady's
stinginess. She would have it take place in this out-of-the-way country
house, which they scarcely ever come to, in order to save the expense of
a handsome breakfast. There will be nobody invited but the parson and
the apothecary, I suppose. I hate Long Fells. It is the most
inconvenient house in the world, I do believe; and so out of repair that
my maid declares the rain comes through the roof on to her bed.
"Ancram's mother arrived last week. She was half inclined to be huffy at
first, when we told her our news, because she had been kept in the dark
till the last moment. But she has got over her sulks now, and makes the
best of it. I can see now that Ancram was right in keeping our
engagement secret from her as long as possible. She would have been a
dreadful worry, and told everybody. She is wonderfully like Lady Seely
in the face, only much better looking, and has a fine natural colour
that makes my lady's cheeks look as if they had been done by a house
painter.
"Ancram has invited an old Whitford acquaintance of his to be his best
man at the wedding. He says that as we are going to live there for a
time at least, it would never do to offend all the people of the place
by taking no notice of them. It would be like going into a hornet's
nest. And the young man in question has been civil to Ancram in his
school-boy days. He is a certain Mr. Pawkins, who lives at a place with
the delightful name of Pudcombe Hall. He is not so bad as I expected,
and is quiet and good-natured. If all the Whitfordians turn out as well
as he, I shall be agreeably surprised. But I fear they are a strange set
of provincial bumpkins. However, we shall not have to remain amongst
them long, for Uncle Val. has privately promised to move heaven and
earth to get Ancram a better position. You know he is to be postmaster
at Whitford. Only think of it! It would be absurd, if it were not such a
downright shame. And I more than suspect my lady of having hurried Uncle
Val. into accepting it for Ancram. I suppose she thinks anything is good
enough for us.
"I wish you could see Ancram! He is very handsome, and even more elegant
than handsome. And his manners are admitted on all hands to be charming.
It is monstrous to think of burying his talents in a poky little hole
like Whitford. But there is this to be said; if he hadn't got this
postmastership we could not have been married at all. For he is poor.
And you know what my great fortune is! I do think it is too bad that
people of our condition should ever be allowed to be so horribly poor.
The Government ought to do something for us.
"Uncle Val. has made me a handsome present of money to help to furnish
our house. I'm sure this is quite unknown to my lady. So don't say
anything about it among your people at home, or it may come round to
Lady S.'s ears, and poor Uncle Val. would get scolded. Give my love to
Aunt Julia and my cousins. I hope to see you all next season in town,
for Ancram and I have quite made up our minds not to stick in that nasty
little provincial hole all the year round. Mrs. Errington is to go back
there directly after the wedding, to see about a house for us, and get
things ready. Of course, if there's anything that I don't like, I can
alter it myself when I arrive.
"Good-bye, dear Louisa. Don't forget your affectionate cousin, who signs
herself (perhaps for the last time),
"C. C. KILFINANE."
* * * * *
(From Orlando Pawkins to his sister, Mrs. Machyn-Stubbs.)
"Long Fells, Westmoreland. Monday evening.
"My DEAR JEMIMA,--I am sorry that you and Humphrey should have felt hurt
and thought I was making mysteries. But I assure you I was quite taken
by surprise when I got Errington's letter, telling me about his wedding,
and inclosing Lord Seely's invitation to me to come here. I knew nothing
about it before, I give you my word.
"You ask me to write you full details of the affair, and I am sure I
would if I could. But I don't know any more than the rest of the world.
I don't think much of Long Fells. The land is poor, and the house almost
tumbling to pieces. Lord Seely is uncommonly polite, but I don't much
like my lady. And she has a beast of a lap-dog that snaps at everybody.
Errington is the same as ever, only he looks so much older in these two
years. Any one would take him to be five or six and twenty, at least. As
to the bride, she don't take much notice of me, so I haven't got very
well acquainted with her. I ride about the country nearly all day long.
Lord Seely has provided me with a pretty decent mount. I shall be glad
when the wedding is over, and I can get away, for it's precious dull
here. Even your friend Jack Price seems moped and out of sorts, and goes
about singing, 'The heart that once truly loves never forgets,' or
something like that, enough to give a fellow the blue devils.
"I asked about what you wanted to know about the wedding dresses, but I
couldn't make out much from the answers I got. Miss Kilfinane is to wear
a white silk gown, trimmed with something or other that has a French
name. Perhaps you can guess what it is. The bridesmaids are fat,
freckled girls, the daughters of the parson. I think I have now given
you all the particulars I can.
"I wish you and Humphrey would come down to Pudcombe in September. Tell
him I can give him some fairish shooting, and will do all I can to make
you both comfortable. Believe me,
"Your affectionate brother, O. P."