"There is no cause for further concealment, Patience; I have only to
regret that I was not more explicit sooner. I have long suspected, and
have since been satisfied, that Edward Armitage is Edward Beverley, who,
with his brother and sisters, were supposed to have been burnt to death
at Arnwood."
Patience removed her handkerchief from her face, and looked at her
father with astonishment.
"I tell you that I had a strong suspicion of it, my dear child, first,
from the noble appearance, which no forest garb could disguise; but what
gave me further conviction was, that when at Lymington I happened to
fall in with one Benjamin, who had been a servant at Arnwood, and
interrogated him closely. He really believed that the children were
burnt; it is true that I asked him particularly relative to the
appearance of the children--how many were boys and how many were girls,
their ages, etcetera; but the strongest proof was, that the names of the
four children corresponded with the names of the Children of the Forest,
as well as their ages, and I went to the church register and extracted
them. Now this was almost amounting to proof; for it was not likely
that four children in the forest cottage should have the same ages and
names as those of Arnwood. After I had ascertained this point, I
engaged Edward, as you know, wishing to secure him; for I was once
acquainted with his father, and at all events well acquainted with the
Colonel's merits. You remained in the house together, and it was with
pleasure that I watched the intimacy between you; and then I exerted
myself to get Arnwood restored to him. I could not ask it for him, but
I prevented it being given to any other, by laying claim to it myself.
Had Edward remained with us, all might have succeeded as I wished; but
he would join in the unfortunate insurrection, and I knew it useless to
prevent him, so I let him go. I found that he took the name of Beverley
during the time he was with the king's army, and when I was last in town
I was told so by the commissioners, who wondered where he had come from;
but the effect was, that it was now useless for me to request the estate
for him, as I had wished to do--his having served in the royal army
rendered it impossible. I therefore claimed it for myself, and
succeeded. I had made up my mind that he was attached to you, and you
were equally so to him; and as soon as I had the grant sent down, which
was on the evening he addressed you, I made known to him that the
property was given to me; and I added, on some dry questions being put
to me by him, relative to the possibility of there being still existing
an heir to the estate, that there was no chance of that, and that you
would be the mistress of Arnwood. I threw it out as a hint to him,
fancying that, as far as you were concerned, all would go well, and that
I would explain to him my knowledge of who he was after he had made
known his regard for you."
"Yes, I see it all now," replied Patience; "in one hour he is rejected
by me, and in the next he is told that I have obtained possession of his
property. No wonder that he is indignant, and looks upon us with scorn.
And now he has left us: we have driven him into danger, and may never
see him again. Oh, father! I am very, very miserable!"
"We must hope for the best, Patience. It is true that he has gone to
the wars, but it does not therefore follow that he is to be killed. You
are both very young--much too young to marry--and all may be explained.
I must see Humphrey, and be candid with him."
"But Alice and Edith,--where are they gone, father?"
"That I can inform you. I have a letter from Langton on the subject,
for I begged him to find out. He says that there are two young ladies
of the name of Beverley, who have been placed under the charge of his
friends the Ladies Conynghame, who is aunt to Major Chaloner, who has
been for some time concealed in the forest. But I have letters to
write, my dear Patience. To-morrow, if I live and do well, I will ride
over to the cottage to see Humphrey Beverley."
The Intendant kissed his daughter; and she left the room.
Poor Patience! She was glad to be left to herself, and think over this
strange communication. For many days she had felt how fond she had been
of Edward, much more so than she had believed herself to be. "And now,"
she thought, "if he really loves me, and hears my father's explanation,
he will come back again." By degrees, she recovered her serenity, and
employed herself in her quiet domestic duties.
Mr Heatherstone rode over to the cottage the next day, where he found
Humphrey busily employed as usual; and, what was very unusual, extremely
grave. It was not a pleasant task for Mr Heatherstone to have to
explain his conduct to so very young a man as Humphrey; but he felt that
he could not be comfortable until the evil impression against him was
removed, and he knew that Humphrey had a great deal of sterling good
sense. His reception was cool; but when the explanation was made,
Humphrey was more than satisfied, as it showed that the Intendant had
been their best friend, and that it was from a delicacy on the part of
Patience, rather than from any other cause, that the misunderstanding
had occurred. Humphrey inquired if he had permission to communicate the
substance of their conversation to his brother, and Mr Heatherstone
stated that such was his wish and intention when he confided it to
Humphrey. It is hardly necessary to say that Humphrey took the earliest
opportunity of writing to Edward at the direction which Chaloner had
left with him.