|Mrs. Calverley had been nearly a year a widow.
She was still at Ouselcroft, and apparently meant to remain there. No
change whatever had been made in the establishment, and old Norris was
still in his place.
The will had not been disputed, and the widow was in possession of her
late husband's entire property.
She intended to allow Chetwynd six hundred a year, in accordance with
his father's request, and instructed Mr Carteret to pay him the amount
quarterly; but he peremptorily refused to accept any allowance from her,
and ordered the money to be returned.
He had remained at Ouselcroft until after the funeral, and then went
abroad. As may be supposed, no reconciliation took place between him and
his stepmother.
Hitherto the fair widow had lived in perfect retirement with Mildred,
and was only to be seen arrayed in deep mourning in Daresbury Church, in
the vaults of which her husband was interred; but she now began to pay
visits, and receive her friends.
When Mildred re-appeared in society, after her temporary seclusion, she
created quite a sensation.
We are afraid to say how many persons fell in love with her. She was
still in mourning, of course, but her dark attire set off her fair
tresses and exquisitely delicate complexion, and suited her slight
graceful figure. Then her amiable and captivating manner heightened the
effect of her charms, and rendered her almost irresistible.
During her father's lifetime she had been greatly admired, and was
accounted, as we have said, the prettiest girl in Cheshire; but her
beauty was more talked about now, and many a gallant youth thought
himself excessively fortunate if he could obtain her hand for a waltz.
But Mildred was by no means a flirt, and had no desire to make
conquests. On the contrary, she was a very quiet girl, and gave the
herd of young men who beset her at balls and parties very little
encouragement. She did not care to dance much, and would only dance with
those who pleased her, or amused her.
There was no sort of rivalry between the lovely girl and her beautiful
stepmother. That there were already numerous aspirants to the hand of
the wealthy young widow was certain; but it was equally certain she was
in no haste to take another husband. She, therefore, felt no jealousy
of Mildred, but was delighted to see her admired and sought after, and
would willingly have promoted any advantageous match.
Mildred, however, made some objection or other to all who were
recommended to her. Thus, when Mrs. Calverley praised young Mr.
Capesthorne, and said he would have a fine old Elizabethan mansion,
with a park attached to it, and asked if he wouldn't do, the young lady
replied that she admired Mr. Capesthorne's old house, but didn't care
for him.
Again, when Colonel Blakemere, who was about to return to Madras, and
wanted to take a wife with him, paid her marked attention, and got Mrs.
Calverley to back his suit, Mildred settled the matter by declaring she
would never go to India.
However, these were nothing as compared with what followed.
It never rains but it pours, and offers now came by the dozen.
Mrs. Calverley received a number of little notes, the writers whereof
begged permission to wait upon her, intimating that they had an
important matter to lay before her, and at the same time making some
slight reference to Mildred, that left her no doubt as to their object.
Before replying to any of them, she consulted Mildred; and, having
ascertained her sentiments, agreed to see a couple of them on a
particular day, and within half an hour of each other.
On the appointed day she was alone in the drawing-room, seated in an
easy-chair, and wondering who would appear first, when Mr. Vernon Brook
was announced by Norris.
Mr. Vernon Brook belonged to a good old family, but was a younger son.
Dark, sallow-complexioned, and long-visaged, he piqued himself upon
having a Vandyke face. To assist the expression, he scrupulously shaved
his cheeks, and cultivated a pointed beard.
He had ridden over from his father's place, which was about ten miles
off, and arrived in very good spirits, deeming himself sure of success.
Mrs. Calverley received him very graciously, and begged him to be
seated. After a few words had passed between them, he came to the point.
“I've a question to ask you, my dear Mrs. Calverley, which I hope you
will be able to answer in the affirmative. Your daughter--step-daughter,
I ought to say--is a very charming girl, and I want to know if I have
your permission to pay my addresses to her?”
He said this in a very easy manner, and as if quite certain the response
would be favourable.
Mrs. Calverley's looks rather discouraged him.
“I must be allowed to consider THe matter, Mr. Brook,” she replied. “My
late husband entrusted his daughter entirely to my care, and I cannot
allow an engagement to take place unless I feel sure it would conduce to
her happiness.”
“But this would not amount to an engagement, my dear madam, though it
might lead to one--at least, I hope so.”
“It will be best to come to a clear understanding at first, Mr. Brook.
I think it right to say that I see no objection to you. You have many
agreeable personal qualities, and are unexceptionable in regard to
family, but I am not exactly aware of your expectations.”
Vernon Brook's dark cheek coloured, and he rather hesitated. He was not
prepared for such a point-blank question.
“I am a younger son, as you are aware, Mrs. Calverley,” He said; “and,
like most younger sons, my expectations are not very great.”
“I may as well speak frankly, Mr. Brook,” she rejoined. “He who aspires
to Miss Calverley's hand must bring a corresponding fortune. He must
have a thousand a year, or a prospect of it.”
“I am sorry to say I have neither the one nor the other, but I hope
my want of fortune may not be a bar. I think we could be very happy
together.”
“Possibly; but the days of romantic marriages are over, and only exist
in novels. I have dealt with you very fairly, Mr. Brook. Miss Calverley,
as I have said, was left to my care by her father, and I shall act for
her as he would have acted.”
“But I have reason to believe Mr. Calverley would not have made it
a _sine qua non_ that a suitor to his daughter should be a man of
property.”
“You have been misinformed, Mr. Brook. No one can be so well acquainted
as myself with my late husband's intentions.”
“Then I am not to hope?”
“It would be useless, sir.”
Mr. Vernon Brook arose, and was reluctantly preparing to depart, when
Norris announced Sir Bridgnorth Charlton.
Thereupon he hurriedly bade Mrs. Calverley adieu, bowed stiffly to the
new-comer, and made his exit.