HUMAN NATURE.
The sun had set on Cedar Grove, and together on the broad, airy piazza
sat Mrs. Lansing and Ada, rather impatiently waiting for Richard, whom
they had not seen since he left them so abruptly in the morning. Greatly
relieved at the absence of one whom she had in a measure dreaded as a
rival, Ada began to hope that the conquest of her guardian would now be
a comparatively easy matter, and as she knew the effect which a pretty
face and a becoming dress had upon him, she had spent a great deal of
time upon this evening’s toilet, and looked unusually young and handsome
in her pale blue tissue, with her soft curls falling over her white
uncovered neck.
That day she had talked a long time with Mrs. Lansing, who had not only
expressed her willingness to receive her as a sister, but had also
promised to do whatever she could to forward the matter. Believing Mrs.
Lansing to have far more influence over her brother than she really had,
Ada began to entertain hopes of soon becoming a bride, and when she
thought no one could see her, actually wrote upon a card, “Mr. and Mrs.
R. Delafield,” just to see how it would look! It looked well, she
thought, and smoothing from her brow a frown which had been caused by
her finding among her waving tresses a long white hair, she went down to
the piazza to await Richard’s coming.
“He has not been here since morning, and I am sure he’ll come to-night.
You know he has latterly been a most constant visitor,” remarked Mrs.
Lansing.
“Yes, but possibly the attraction which kept him so much here is gone,”
faintly suggested Ada.
“Fie!” returned Mrs. Lansing, with a toss of her head. “I know Richard
better than that, and though he may at one time have felt a slight
interest in Miss Lee, I am positive ’tis nothing serious, or lasting.
Only think of it, Richard Delafield marry my _governess_, a poor
_schoolmistress_! What _would_ his fashionable acquaintance in Augusta
and Charleston say, setting aside our friends in New Orleans!”
And on the proud woman’s face there was a sneer at the very idea of her
brother’s thus disgracing himself.
“Hark! I do believe he’s coming,” said Ada, as she heard approaching
footsteps, and she had just time to adjust her skirts gracefully when
there stood before her, not Mr. Delafield, but the servant to whom had
been intrusted the note for Mrs. Lansing.
This the negro had entirely forgotten until it was recalled to his mind
by the continued absence of his master, whose return they had
confidently expected before night. Taking the note from his hand, Mrs.
Lansing hastily glanced at its contents, and then, with an exclamation
of surprise, handed it to Ada, who turned deathly pale as she saw her
new-born hopes crushed at once and forever; and if now she clasped her
hand upon her side, the action was not feigned, for a pain, which
blistering could not heal, was indeed there—the pain of wounded pride at
seeing a humble, obscure girl preferred to herself. For several minutes
not a word was spoken, and then Mrs. Lansing, who knew it would not be
politic to quarrel with her brother, said, “I am astonished at Richard’s
proceedings, but I suppose there is no help for it, and we may as well
make the best of it. Miss Lee ain’t the worst girl in the world. She had
many friends in the village—was well educated, and with a few lessons
from us on some points of etiquette she may do very well.”
“_Us_,” angrily retorted Ada. “When _I_ teach Dick Delafield’s wife
etiquette I shall be older than I am now.”
“And _that_ you would not care to be;” said Mrs. Lansing, a little
sarcastically.
She was a woman, who, if essential to her own interest, could turn with
every breeze, and though she was not pleased with her brother’s choice,
she did not deem it advisable to provoke his anger by quarrelling about
it, for when once roused, but few could cope with his resolute,
determined spirit. Then, too, Rosa Lee was yielding and generous, and
would not object even if her husband should bestow half his fortune upon
his sister; so after all it might be better to have her the mistress of
Sunny Bank than one like Ada, who was more selfish and wanted everything
for herself. Thus Mrs. Lansing reasoned, coming at last to feel quite
amiably disposed towards Rosa Lee, whom she fully intended to manage in
her own way, and she was about making up her mind to write a kind,
sisterly letter to said Rosa, when her attention was attracted by a loud
sobbing, and looking round she saw Ada weeping violently.
As well as she could love any one, Ada had loved her guardian, and the
knowledge that he was now lost to her, overcame her for a time, and
covering her face with her hands, she cried aloud. Mrs. Lansing had
never really loved in her life, so she could not appreciate the feeling,
and she made no effort to soothe the weeping girl who that night wet her
pillow with bitter tears, and who next morning looked weary, pale and
old, as she languidly took her seat at the breakfast table. Still Ada
was not one to love very deeply, and as on this occasion her pride was
touched rather than her heart, she ere long grew calm, and with Mrs.
Lansing wisely resolved to make the best of it. Then, too, there arose
the very natural desire to conceal from Richard that she had ever cared
for him, and to do this she thought she must _pretend_ to be pleased
with his choice. Accordingly when Mrs. Lansing wrote to her brother, Ada
inclosed a gilt-edged note, in which she congratulated him upon his
intended marriage, telling him she had foreseen it from the first, and
ended by sending her love to “_Rose_.” Thus, because she thought it
would be for her interest, did Mrs. Lansing deem it best to change her
tactics, while Ada was too proud to evince any open hostility, though in
her heart she hated the future bride and lamented the fatality which had
decreed that she should be rivalled by “both of those Lee girls.”