AN AWKWARD RECOGNITION.
For some days after that encounter with Belassis, Tor saw little of
the uncle or the uncle’s family. He was rather glad of this, because
Matilda and Bertha had grown somewhat pressing in their attentions of
late, and he neither felt disposed to encourage nor yet to snub them.
He liked to take life easily, without disturbing himself or others
by needless display of feeling, and he hoped that these two supposed
cousins would gradually ‘slack off’ from their pursuit of himself,
without driving him to any definite declaration of indifference.
The Belassis family was, however, reaping distinct social advantage
from its close connection with Philip Debenham of Ladywell Manor.
Houses which had heretofore been utterly closed to the ‘pettifogging,
vulgar attorney,’ were thrown open to young Debenham’s uncle, and
invitations to dinners, dances, and outdoor _fêtes_ rained in thick and
fast, to the great delight of the Belassis girls.
It was rather a bitter pill for them to swallow, that Maud should take
precedence of them in everything—that she should be courted, flattered,
brought forward and made much of, whilst little notice was vouchsafed
to them. Maud had been kept studiously in the background at Thornton
House, had been stinted in every way as to dress, and made to look and
feel as insignificant as possible; therefore it was the more provoking
for them to see how attractive and winning she appeared, now that
she had cast off her chrysalis shell and had emerged as a bright and
brilliant butterfly.
Matilda and Bertha found it trying at first to witness Maud’s triumphs;
but motives of policy taught them to conceal all ill-feeling, and
gradually Maud’s simple goodwill and generosity towards them took the
sting from their jealousy, and brought them to a more reasonable and
pleasant frame of mind.
They were in a high state of exultation now, for they had been at last
invited to the great _fête_ of the county, Sir William Gainsford’s
garden-party, followed by a dance—an annual glory from which hitherto
they had been excluded, and upon which they had looked very much as the
Peri did upon Paradise.
But here they were at last, walking in the beautiful grounds, playing
tennis with the _élite_ of the county, and tasting all the joys of an
increased dignity and self-importance.
Maud and Aunt Olive were there under Phil’s escort; but Matilda and
Bertha were too well content with their own share of glory to grudge
Maud her triumphs. Was not a young baronet now talking as pleasantly to
them as if he were an intimate acquaintance? What might not result from
festivities like these?
Mrs. Belassis and her two daughters were gathered together under the
shade of a spreading beech-tree, and the youthful Sir Herbert was
making himself very agreeable, when a tall figure was seen leisurely
approaching, and Bertha said softly:
‘Here’s Phil.’
Sir Herbert glanced up as the new-comer approached, and then his face
brightened visibly.
‘Why, Torwood!’ he exclaimed, ‘who would have thought of seeing you
here, amid all the resources of civilization! I am glad to see you
again. Is Debenham here? Are you still partners? I think I did hear the
name mentioned; but I never guessed it would be Phil Debenham that I
knew in Canada. Is he here?’
Tor looked into the lad’s bright face with an amused smile.
‘He is here, my dear fellow. He is standing before you.’
Sir Herbert glanced round quickly, and then up into Tor’s humorous face.
‘You’re not Phil Debenham!’ he exclaimed.
‘Indeed; that’s news to me. Who am I, pray, if I’m not myself?’
‘Why,’ said Sir Herbert slowly, ‘I beg your pardon; but I thought you
were Torwood, and the other fellow Debenham.’
‘Whereas I am Debenham, and the other fellow Torwood,’ answered Tor
easily.
‘No; really though!’
‘Why, certainly. Not but what Tor and I have very frequently got
mixed in the minds of other people, and I’m afraid we did not bother
ourselves always to put them right; still we did not go so far as to
confuse our own identity ourselves. All the same, you are not the first
person who has been confused.’
‘Yes, I certainly thought you were Torwood; however, I’m quite open to
conviction. Where is Torwood? Are you still travelling together, or
have you divided company at last?’
‘I have come over to see about some property I came into a little while
back; and Tor is in Germany. He’s been rather seedy, poor old fellow!
I dare say, as soon as I can get away, we shall go off again somewhere
together. Anyway, I shall go over and see about it soon.’
‘You must miss one another, I should think. He always seemed to lean
upon you for everything,’ remarked Sir Herbert.
And then he was carried off by Bertha to play tennis, and Tor was left
with Mrs. Belassis and her daughter.
‘You know Sir Herbert Moncrieff then, Phil?’ said the latter.
‘Yes, a little. We met in Canada, and travelled for a week together.
I think that was the only time we met. He is rather a nice boy; but I
fancy Tor saw more of him than I did.’
‘Rather odd, that mistake he made about the name,’ remarked Mrs.
Belassis incisively.
Tor felt he was being closely watched; but he was not going to be put
out by the scrutiny.
‘Yes, rather; but he’s not the only person who has mixed us up
together. We often got taken one for the other; but it didn’t matter,
and we didn’t care. I suppose sisters and intimates do meet with
that sort of thing. Aren’t you and Bertha mistaken for one another
sometimes, Matilda?’
‘Oh yes, often. People are very stupid. I should think you and Mr.
Torwood must have got muddled up very often. Is Sir Herbert very rich,
Phil?’
‘I don’t know; pretty well off, I should say. You can look him up in
the “Landed Gentry” if you want to know about him.’
‘Oh, I don’t care, I’m sure; he’s a mere boy. I don’t think men are at
all amusing until they have passed five-and-twenty.’
‘And after that they become more fascinating every year,’ suggested
Tor, with a smile. ‘What good taste you have, my fair cousin! I was
beginning to fear I was getting to be an old fogy. Now I shall have
hopes of myself.’
Matilda laughed and shook her head coquettishly.
‘As if you ever thought such a thing! You know quite well what is
thought of you all round here. You are only fishing for compliments,
you bad boy!’
‘Well, compliments are very nice things, especially from the lips of
ladies,’ answered Tor gallantly.
Matilda blushed and bridled. Mrs. Belassis looked at the two faces, and
her keen glance read at once the consciousness and vanity of the one,
and the good-humoured indifference of the other. Towards her daughter
she felt a contemptuous pity for her conceit and credulity; but none
the less did her indignation rise against the man who was practising
upon it.
‘Philip,’ she said, in her rasping tones, ‘is it true that you were the
leading spirit in your travels with Mr. Torwood, as Sir Herbert seemed
to imply? Considering that you were entirely dependent upon him, it
seems rather curious that he should depend upon you.’
‘Well, my dear aunt, I suppose when two people travel and live
together, year after year, they do grow to lean one upon the other to a
certain extent. Of course I tried all I could to save Torwood trouble,
and he may have come to depend in a certain measure upon me. I do not
see anything peculiar in that. I suppose I have the stronger will of
the two, and that always tells in the long-run.’
‘You had not a strong will as a child,’ said Mrs. Belassis shortly.
‘Perhaps I was never allowed the use of it,’ suggested Tor, smiling.
‘Well, you have certainly made up for lost time now,’ retorted the
lady, beginning to wield her fan, a sure sign that she was put out.
‘Your friend no doubt found as much, to his cost.’
‘We never quarrelled, anyway.’
‘But you always took the lead?’
‘I did not say that; but I may have done so to a certain extent.’
‘Your letters always gave us to understand quite the contrary. It was
always Mr. Torwood who planned and arranged and paid for everything. I
always thought that you were a kind of tame dog or valet to him.’
‘I am sure you would always think what was kind and flattering,’
answered Tor, with a little satirical bow, which greatly annoyed Mrs.
Belassis, who was not used to retort.
‘You always gave us cause to think what was flattering, did you not?’
she asked, with a sneer. ‘Running away from your uncle’s care the
moment the time came for you to earn a living, and repay him for all
the benefits heaped upon you—running away to live on the charity of
a stranger, who might kick you over at any moment, rather than be
independent and do honest work. I wish Mr. Torwood had turned you
adrift, just that you might learn what you had lost by your folly and
pride.’
‘I am always grateful for good wishes,’ said Tor pleasantly. ‘Have you
any more to offer me before I go?’
‘I am glad to hear that you are grateful—I should hardly have thought
as much from my knowledge of your character. I suppose you consider
yourself under obligations to the friend upon whose charity you have
lived all these years? Yet now that your prosperity has come, you
leave him ill and alone in Germany, whilst you come over to enjoy your
inheritance here. Your ideas of gratitude are evidently as original as
the rest of your character.’
‘Mamma, how can you be so disagreeable to poor Phil!’ remonstrated
Matilda, with indignation. ‘I’m sure he has been as kind and good to
everyone, as anyone could be. But, Phil, why don’t you ask Mr. Torwood
to Ladywell? If he is well enough, he would certainly enjoy the change;
and if he is ill, he ought to see an English doctor, I am sure. I don’t
believe foreign ones are the least good. Why don’t you have him over,
and get the very best advice to be had for him?’
‘I should have said that was the very least you could have done for a
friend, to whom you owe so much,’ said Mrs. Belassis.
‘So I shall do, if this German man fails,’ answered Tor. ‘That is to
say, he shall come if he will; but I have every reason to believe he
will soon be well, and there will then be no need for further advice.’
‘But you will ask him to Ladywell, won’t you, when he is well?’
‘Oh yes,’ answered Tor, with a rather peculiar smile. ‘He shall come
over as soon as ever he is well. I think you will like him, Matilda.’
‘Is he good-looking?’
‘Yes; I think so.’
‘As good-looking as you, Phil?’ archly.
‘Why, yes; decidedly more so, I should say,’ answered Tor, smiling. ‘I
always told him he was quite the lady-killer.’
‘If he is so presentable,’ remarked Mrs. Belassis ruthlessly, cutting
short Matilda’s attempt at a flirtation, ‘I cannot think why you did
not bring him with you.’
‘You must remember that he is not a “tame dog.” He had not the least
wish to come.’
‘How odd! I should have thought he would have liked the fun. Did you
ask him? Did he say he would not?’
‘He did not express the least wish to accompany me, which comes much to
the same thing. I could not urge him, as he was seedy; and it would
hardly have been fair to the German doctor, to have taken him away
before he had given his system a trial.’
‘What is the matter with him?’ asked Mrs. Belassis sharply.
‘I do not know. He had a fall, and injured himself somewhere. I fancy
perhaps it is the spine, for he has to lie on his back a good deal. I
must go over and see him soon, for he is an awfully bad correspondent.
Well, Matilda, shall we go for a row on the lake there? I shall have
much pleasure in sculling you, if you have a fancy for a boat.’
Matilda complied joyfully, delighted to have secured her handsome
cousin for her companion; but she found him disappointingly absent
and absorbed, though he concealed any appearance of anxiety so
successfully, that she had no idea how much disturbance of mind her
mother’s words had occasioned him.
‘She will be dangerous if she can,’ thought Tor to himself. ‘I don’t
think she can suspect _yet_; but she is on the high-road to suspicion.
I hope to goodness no other fellows we ever came across, will turn
up. It would become distinctly awkward if they _all_ greeted me as
Torwood. By Jove! I half wish I’d never begun the game. It grows more
and more complicated every week. I’d no notion it would be such a bore.
However, if I only stop that marriage between Maud and young Belassis,
I shan’t have had my pains for nothing. Confound that Phil! Why can’t
he come to his senses and act for himself?’
Mrs. Belassis sat still in deep thought after the pair had left her;
and the result of her meditations was expressed in a few words of
soliloquy.
‘Well, I don’t understand things yet, and I haven’t got the clue; but
I’m quite sure there’s _something_ very odd about it all.’
Matilda and Bertha were in high spirits as they dressed afresh for
the ball that night. They were not staying in the house; but as they
came from a distance, they remained during the interval between the
two _fêtes_, and a room was allotted to them, which their cousin
Maud shared. All three girls had new dresses for the occasion, and
therefore, it need hardly be said, were in a high state of delight.
‘Oh, Maud, how lovely!’ was the exclamation of the sisters, as they
turned and beheld the marvellous costume of creamy lace and satin and
pearls in which she had just arrayed herself. ‘Why, it’s perfectly
heavenly! Where did you get it? I suppose Phil gave it you?’
‘Yes, it came from Paris—Worth, you know. Isn’t it nice! He’s a dear
boy, and gives me lovely things. I almost wish he wouldn’t. He is so
extravagant over me.’
‘It’s well to be you, Maud,’ said Matilda. ‘I wish Lewis was like that;
but then, he hasn’t any money. Maud, do you think Phil means ever to
get married? Does he ever talk of it? Most men do, when they come into
a property.’
Maud laughed, and shook her pretty head.
‘He doesn’t ever talk about it. I don’t think he does intend to, yet.’
‘I think he ought to,’ remarked Matilda judicially. ‘A man in his
position ought to have a wife. When you are married, Maud, he will have
to get one.’
‘I am not married yet,’ answered Maud, laughing. ‘Perhaps he will when
I am; but I do not think he will marry you, Matilda.’
This was not spoken with a shade of malice; only with the frankness of
girls brought up together, who had discussed matrimonial projects many
times before.
Matilda coloured, but did not seem to take offence.
‘He might do worse,’ she said. ‘I think he likes me. He was
particularly nice to-day. Why do you think such a thing so impossible,
Maud?’
‘I’m almost sure he will never marry a Belassis,’ she answered gravely.
‘That is all mamma’s fault!’ cried Matilda angrily; ‘she is so rude to
poor Phil.’
‘I told her it was horribly mean of her,’ added Bertha, ‘spoiling our
chances and everything. Of course she said we were fools ever to think
we had any chance. One can never do any good with mamma; she will go
her own way.’
‘And make Phil hate us all.’
‘He doesn’t hate you at all,’ interposed Maud, ‘but he doesn’t like
Uncle and Aunt Belassis; and I’m sure he wouldn’t like to become a
son-in-law.’
‘It is a shame!’ cried Matilda, with something like tears in her eyes.
‘Besides,’ continued Maud frankly, ‘I don’t much think he would fall in
love with either of you. It would be much more likely to be Roma.’
‘Roma Meredith!’ cried both sisters at once. ‘Why, she never goes
anywhere. When does he see her?’
‘He goes there very often. Mr. Meredith is fond of him. I think he
would like him to marry Roma; and she is so very, very beautiful and
clever. I don’t see how he can help admiring her. If he does marry at
all, I think I should like it to be Roma.’
‘She would never have him; she would never leave her father,’ objected
Matilda, looking rather blank.
‘She would do exactly what her father wished. She has no will but his.’
‘She would be a horribly dull wife to have,’ cried Bertha, with a short
laugh. ‘She can only stand in statuesque attitudes and look handsome.
She never has anything to say for herself.’
‘Oh, but she has, when you know her; only she is very shy and reserved.’
‘I can’t bear people like that,’ said Bertha, pinning in her flowers
viciously; ‘I like fun and quickness.’
There was silence for a minute or two; then Matilda asked suddenly:
‘Are you going to marry Lewis, Maud?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Haven’t you made up your mind yet?’
‘No.’
‘You’ll have to, pretty soon.’
‘Well, yes; but I haven’t done so yet.’
‘I call it unfair to Lewis to keep him waiting so long,’ said Bertha.
‘Papa and mamma will be wild if you don’t,’ added Matilda. ‘I thought
you were going to for certain.’
‘I did mean to, once; but I don’t feel so sure now,’ said Maud coolly.
‘I suppose Phil is against it, as poor Lewis is a Belassis,’ remarked
Matilda.
‘Phil has never said one word about it.’
‘Then why have you changed?’
‘I don’t know, unless because I am so happy at Ladywell, and because
all other men seem so stupid and tame after Phil.’
‘I believe you want to wait till he brings Mr. Torwood back from
Germany,’ cried Matilda, laughing, ‘to see if he isn’t like Phil, and
to go in for him.’
Maud laughed herself at the idea.
‘I think I might do worse,’ she said. ‘If he is one bit like Phil, I
should like him fifty times better than Lewis. I will tell him he must
bring him to see me soon.’
And then the three girls descended to the ball-room, and enjoyed one of
the happiest nights of their lives; the enjoyment being much enhanced
by Tor’s impartial attentions to them all.