END OF THE SECRET MARRIAGE.
Upon her stubborn brow alone
Nor ruth nor mercy's trace is shown,
Her look is hard and stern.
--_Scott_.
After the departure of Nora Worth Mrs. Brudenell seated herself upon the
sofa, leaned her elbow upon the little stand at her side, bowed her head
upon her hand and fell into deep thought. Should she speak to Herman
Brudenell of this matter? No! it was too late; affairs had gone too far;
they must now take their course; the foolish girl's fate must be on her
own head, and on that of her careless elder sister; they would both be
ruined, that was certain; no respectable family would ever employ either
of them again; they would starve. Well, so much the better; they would
be a warning to other girls of their class, not to throw out their nets
to catch gentlemen! Herman had been foolish, wicked even, but then young
men will be young men; and then, again, of course it was that artful
creature's fault! What could she, his mother, do in the premises? Not
speak to her son upon the subject, certainly; not even let him know that
she was cognizant of the affair! What then? She was going away with her
daughters in a day or two! And good gracious, he would be left alone in
the house! to do as he pleased! to keep bachelor's hall! to bring that
girl there as his housekeeper, perhaps, and so desecrate his sacred,
patrimonial home! No, that must never be! She must invite and urge her
son to accompany herself and his sisters to Washington. But if he should
decline the invitation and persist in his declination, what then? Why,
as a last resort, she would give up the Washington campaign and remain
at home to guard the sanctity of her son's house.
Having come to this conclusion, Mrs. Brudenell once more touched the
bell, and when Jovial made his appearance she said:
"Let the young ladies know that I am alone, and they may join me now."
In a few minutes Miss Brudenell and Miss Eleanora entered the room,
followed by the gentlemen, who had just left the dinner-table.
Coffee was immediately served, and soon after the guests took leave.
The young ladies also left the drawing-room, and retired to their
chambers to superintend the careful packing of some fine lace and
jewelry. The mother and son remained alone together--Mrs. Brudenell
seated upon her favorite back sofa and Herman walking slowly and
thoughtfully up and down the whole length of the room.
"Herman," said the lady.
"Well, mother?"
"I have been thinking about our winter in Washington. I have been
reflecting that myself and your sisters will have no natural protector
there."
"You never had any in Paris or in London, mother, and yet you got on
very well."
"That was a matter of necessity, then; you were a youth at college; we
could not have your company; but now you are a young man, and your
place, until you marry, is with me and my daughters. We shall need your
escort, dear Herman, and be happier for your company. I should be very
glad if I could induce to accompany us to the city."
"And I should be very glad to do so, dear mother, but for the
engagements that bind me here."
She did not ask the very natural question of what those engagements
might be. She did not wish to let him see that she knew or suspected his
attachment to Nora Worth, so she answered:
"You refer to the improvements and additions you mean, to add to
Brudenell Hall. Surely these repairs had better be deferred until the
spring, when the weather will be more favorable for such work?"
"My dear mother, all the alterations I mean to have made inside the
house can very well be done this winter. By the next summer I hope to
have the whole place in complete order for you and my sisters to return
and spend the warm weather with me."
The lady lifted her head. She had never known her son to be guilty of
the least insincerity. If he had looked forward to the coming of herself
and her daughters to Brudenell, to spend the next summer, he could not,
of course, be contemplating the removal of Nora Worth to the house.
"Then you really expect us to make this our home, as heretofore, every
summer?" she said.
"I have no right to expect such a favor, my dear mother: but I sincerely
hope for it," said the son courteously.
"But it is not every young bachelor living on his own estate who cares
to be restrained by the presence of his mother and sisters; such
generally desire a life of more freedom and gayety than would be proper
with ladies in the house," said Mrs. Brudenell.
"But I am not one of those, mother; you know that my habits are very
domestic."
"Yes. Well, Herman, it may just as well be understood that myself and
the girls will return here to spend the summer. But now--the previous
question! Can you not be prevailed on to accompany us to Washington?"
"My dear mother! anything on earth to oblige you I would do, if
possible! But see! you go on Saturday, and this is Thursday night. There
is but one intervening day. I could not make the necessary arrangements.
I have much business to transact with my overseer; the whole year's
accounts still to examine, and other duties to do before I could
possibly leave home. But I tell you what I can do; I can hurry up these
matters and join you in Washington at the end of the week, in full time
to escort you and my sisters to that grand national ball of which I hear
them incessantly talking."
"And remain with us for the winter?"
"If you shall continue to wish it, and if I can find a builder,
decorator, and upholsterer whom I can send down to Brudenell Hall, to
make the improvements, and whom I can trust to carry out my ideas."
The lady's heart leaped for joy! It was all right then! he was willing
to leave the neighborhood! he had no particular attractions here! his
affections were not involved! his acquaintance with that girl had been
only a piece of transient folly, of which he was probably sick and
tired! These were her thoughts as she thanked her son for his ready
acquiescence in her wishes.
Meanwhile what were his purposes? To conciliate his mother by every
concession except one! To let her depart from his house with the best
feelings towards himself! then to write to her and announce his
marriage; plead his great love as its excuse, and implore her
forgiveness; then to keep his word and go to Washington, taking Nora
with him, and remain in the capital for the winter if his mother should
still desire him to do so.
A few moments longer the mother and son remained in the drawing room
before separating for the night--Mrs. Brudenell seated on her sofa and
Herman walking slowly up and down the floor. Then the lady arose to
retire, and Herman lighted a bedroom candle and put it in her hand.
When she had bidden him good night and left the room, he resumed his
slow and thoughtful walk. It was very late, and Jovial opened the door
for the purpose of entering and putting out the lights; but seeing his
master still walking up and down the floor, he retired, and sat yawning
while he waited in the hall without.
The clock upon the mantel-piece struck one, and Herman Brudenell lighted
his own candle to retire, when his steps were arrested by a sound--a
common one enough at other hours and places, only unprecedented at that
hour and in that place. It was the roll of carriage wheels upon the
drive approaching the house.
Who could possibly be coming to this remote country mansion at one
o'clock at night? While Herman Brudenell paused in expectancy, taper in
hand, Jovial once more opened the door and looked in.
"Jovial, is that the sound of carriage wheels, or do I only fancy so?"
asked the young man,
"Carriage wheels, marser, coming right to de house, too!" answered the
negro.
"Who on earth can be coming here at this hour of the night? We have not
an acquaintance intimate enough with us to take such a liberty. And it
cannot be a belated traveler, for we are miles from any public road."
"Dat's jes' what I been a-sayin' to myself, sir. But we shall find out
now directly."
While this short conversation went on, the carriage drew nearer and
nearer, and finally rolled up to the door and stopped. Steps were
rattled down, someone alighted, and the bell was rung.
Jovial flew to open the door--curiosity giving wings to his feet.
Mr. Brudenell remained standing in the middle of the drawing-room,
attentive to what was going on without. He heard Jovial open the door;
then a woman's voice inquired:
"Is this Brudenell Hall?"
"In course it is, miss."
"And are the family at home?"
"Yes, miss, dey most, in gen'al, is at dis hour ob de night, dough dey
don't expect wisiters."
"Are all the family here?"
"Dey is, miss."
"All right, coachman, you can take off the luggage," said the woman, and
then her voice, sounding softer and farther off, spoke to someone still
within the carriage: "We are quite right, my lady, this is Brudenell
Hall; the family are all at home, and have not yet retired. Shall I
assist your ladyship to alight?"
Then a soft, low voice replied:
"Yes, thank you, Phoebe. But first give the dressing-bag to the man to
take in, and you carry Fidelle."
"Bub--bub--bub--bub--but," stammered the appalled Jovial, with his arms
full of lap-dogs and dressing-bags that the woman had forced upon him,
"you better some of you send in your names, and see if it won't be
ill-convenient to the fam'ly, afore you 'spects me to denounce a whole
coach full of travelers to my masser! Who is you all, anyhow, young
woman?"
"My lady will soon let you know who she is! Be careful of that dog! you
are squeezing her! and here take this shawl, and this bird-cage, and
this carpetbag, and these umbrellas," replied the woman, overwhelming
him with luggage. "Here, coachman! bring that large trunk into the hall!
And come now, my lady; the luggage is all right."
As for Jovial, he dropped lap-dogs, bird-cages, carpetbags and
umbrellas plump upon the hall floor, and rushed into the drawing-room,
exclaiming:
"Masser, it's an invasion of de Goffs and Wandalls, or some other sich
furriners! And I think the milishy ought to be called out."
"Don't be a fool, if you please. These are travelers who have missed
their way, and are in need of shelter this bitter night. Go at once, and
show them in here, and then wake up the housekeeper to prepare
refreshments," said Mr. Brudenell.
"It is not my wishes to act foolish, marser; but it's enough to
constunnate the sensoriest person to be tumbled in upon dis way at dis
hour ob de night by a whole raft of strangers--men, and women, and dogs,
and cats, and birds included!" mumbled Jovial, as he went to do his
errand.
But his services as gentleman usher seemed not to be needed by the
stranger, for as he left the drawing-room a lady entered, followed by a
waiting maid.
The lady was clothed in deep mourning, with a thick crape veil
concealing her face.
As Herman advanced to welcome her she threw aside her veil, revealing a
pale, sad, young face, shaded by thick curls of glossy black hair.
At the sight of that face the young man started back, the pallor of
death overspreading his countenance as he sunk upon the nearest sofa,
breathing in a dying voice:
"Berenice! You here! Is it you? Oh, Heaven have pity on us!"
"Phoebe, go and find out the housekeeper, explain who I am, and have
my luggage taken up to my apartment. Then order tea in this room," said
the lady, perhaps with the sole view of getting rid of her attendant;
for as soon as the latter had withdrawn she threw oft her bonnet, went
to the overwhelmed young man, sat down beside him, put her arms around
him, and drew his head down to meet her own, as she said, caressingly:
"You did not expect me, love? And my arrival here overcomes you."
"I thought you had been killed in that railway collision," came in
hoarse and guttural tones from a throat that seemed suddenly parched to
ashes.
"Poor Herman! and you had rallied from that shock of grief; but was not
strong enough to sustain a shock of joy! I ought not to have given you
this surprise! But try now to compose yourself, and give me welcome. I
am here; alive, warm, loving, hungry even! a woman, and no specter risen
from the grave, although you look at me just as if I were one! Dear
Herman, kiss me! I have come a long way to join you!" she said, in a
voice softer than the softest notes of the cushat dove.
"How was it that you were not killed?" demanded the young man, with the
manner of one who exacted an apology for a grievous wrong.
"My dearest Herman, I came very near being crushed to death; all that
were in the same carriage with me perished. I was so seriously injured
that I was reported among the killed; but the report was contradicted in
the next day's paper."
"How was it that you were not killed, I asked you?"
"My dearest one, I suppose it was the will of Heaven that I should not
be. I do not know any other reason."
"Why did you not write and tell me you had escaped?"
"Dear Herman, how hoarsely you speak! And how ill you look! I fear you
have a very bad cold!" said the stranger tenderly.
"Why did you not write and tell me of your escape, I ask you? Why did
you permit me to believe for months that you were no longer in life?"
"Herman, I thought surely if you should have seen the announcement of my
death in one paper, you would see it contradicted, as it was, in half a
dozen others. And as for writing, I was incapable of that for months!
Among other injuries, my right hand was crushed, Herman. And that it has
been saved at all, is owing to a miracle of medical skill!"
"Why did you not get someone else to write, then?"
"Dear Herman, you forget! There was no one in our secret! I had no
confidante at all! Besides, as soon as I could be moved, my father took
me to Paris, to place me under the care of a celebrated surgeon there.
Poor father! he is dead now, Herman! He left me all his money. I am one
among the richest heiresses in England. But it is all yours now, dear
Herman. When I closed my poor father's eyes my hand was still too stiff
to wield a pen! And still, though there was no longer any reason for
mystery, I felt that I would rather come to you at once than employ the
pen of another to write. That is the reason, dear Herman, why I have
been so long silent, and why at last I arrive so unexpectedly. I hope it
is satisfactory. But what is the matter, Herman? You do not seem to be
yourself! You have not welcomed me! you have not kissed me! you have not
even called me by my name, since I first came in! Oh! can it be possible
that after all you are not glad to see me?" she exclaimed, rising from
her caressing posture and standing sorrowfully before him. Her face that
had looked pale and sad from the first was now convulsed by some passing
anguish.
He looked at that suffering face, then covered his eyes with his hands
and groaned.
"What is this, Herman? Are you sorry that I have come? Do you no longer
love me? What is the matter? Oh, speak to me!"
"The matter is--ruin! I am a felon, my lady! And it were better that you
had been crushed to death in that railway collision than lived to rejoin
me here! I am a wretch, too base to live! And I wish the earth would
open beneath our feet and swallow us!"
The lady stepped back, appalled, and before she could think of a reply,
the door opened and Mrs. Brudenell, who had been, awakened by the
disturbance, sailed into the room.
"It is my mother!" said the young man, struggling for composure. And
rising, he took the hand of the stranger and led her to the elder lady,
saying:
"This is the Countess of Hurstmonceux, madam; I commend her to your
care."
And having done this, he turned and abruptly left the room and the
house.