But Stella neither shuddered nor hesitated. She was in the highest
spirits, flying everywhere, scarcely touching the ground with her feet.
“Oh, yes! I’m engaged to Sir Charles,” she said to all her friends.
“Papa won’t hear of it, but he will have to give in.”
“Papas always give in when the young people hold out,” said some
injudicious sympathiser.
“Don’t they?” cried Stella, giving a kiss to that lady. She was not in
the least discouraged. There was a great deal of gaiety going on at the
time, both in the village (as it was fashionable to call the town of
Sliplin) and in the county, and Stella met her Charlie everywhere, Mr.
Tredgold having no means, and perhaps no inclination, to put a stop to
this. He did not want to interfere with her pleasures. If she liked to
dance and “go on” with that fellow, let her. She should not marry him;
that was all. The old gentleman had no wish to be unkind to his
daughter. He desired her to have her fling like the rest, to enjoy
herself as much as was possible; only for this one thing he had put down
his foot.
“When is that confounded regiment going away?” he asked Katherine.
“Dear papa,” Katherine replied, “won’t you think it over again? Charlie
Somers has perhaps no money, but Stella is very fond of him, and he
of----”
“Hold your tongue!” said old Tredgold. “Hold your confounded tongue! If
I don’t give in to her, do you think it”--with a dash--“likely that I
will to you?”
Katherine retreated very quickly, for when her father began to swear she
was frightened. He did not swear in an ordinary way, and visions of
apoplexy were associated to her with oaths. Stella did not care. She
would have let him swear as long as he liked, and paid no attention. She
went to her parties almost every night, glittering in her _rivière_ of
diamonds and meeting Sir Charles everywhere. They had all the airs of an
engaged couple, people said. And it was thought quite natural, for
nobody believed that old Tredgold would stand out. Thus, no one gave him
any warning of what was going on. The whole island was in a conspiracy
on behalf of the lovers. Nor was it like any other abetting of domestic
insurrection, for the opinion was unanimous that the father would give
in. Why, Stella could do anything with him. Stella was his favourite, as
he had shown on every possible occasion. Everybody knew it, even
Katherine, who made no struggle against the fact. To think of his having
the strength of mind really to deny Stella anything! It was impossible.
He was playing with her a little now, only for the pleasure of being
coaxed and wheedled, many people thought. But when the time came, of
course he would give in. So Stella thought, like everybody else. There
was nobody but Katherine and, as I have said, Somers himself who did not
feel quite sure. As time went on, the two ladies who went to all the
parties and saw everything--the two old cats, Mrs. Shanks and Miss
Mildmay--had many consultations on the subject over the invisible rail
of separation between their gardens. It was a very bright October, and
even the beginning of the next dreary month was far milder than usual,
and in the mornings, when the sun shone, these ladies were still to be
found on their terraces, caressing the last remnants of their flowers,
and cutting the last chrysanthemums or dahlias.
“Stella danced every dance last night with that Sir Charles,” Miss
Mildmay said.
“But she always does, my dear; and why shouldn’t she, when she is going
to marry him?”
There was really no answer to this, which was so well ascertained a
fact, and which everybody knew.
“But I wonder if old Mr. Tredgold knows how much they are together! As
he never goes out himself, it is so easy to keep him deceived. I wonder,
Jane Shanks,” said Miss Mildmay, “whether you or I should say a word?”
“You may say as many words as you please, Ruth Mildmay; but I shan’t,”
cried the other. “I would not interfere for the world.”
“I am not the least afraid of interfering,” Miss Mildmay said; and she
succeeded in persuading her friend to go out in the midge once more, and
call at the Cliff, on an afternoon when the girls were known to be out
of the way.
“We ought, I am sure, to congratulate you, Mr. Tredgold. We heard that
you did not approve, and, of course, it must be dreadful for you to
think of losing Stella; but as it is going on so long, we feel, at last,
that the engagement must be true.”
“What engagement?” said the old man. He liked to amuse himself with the
two old cats. He put his newspaper away and prepared to “get his fun out
of them.”
“Oh, the engagement between Stella and Sir Charles,” said Mrs. Shanks,
with bated breath.
“Oh! they’re engaged, are they?” he said, with that laugh which was like
an electrical bell.
“Dear Mr. Tredgold, it is given out everywhere. They are for ever
together. They dance every dance with one another.”
“Confounded dull, I should think, for my little girl. You take my word,
she’ll soon tire of that,” he said.
“Oh, but she does not tire of it; you don’t go out with them, you don’t
see things. I assure you they are always together. If you don’t approve
of it, Mr. Tredgold, indeed--indeed you should put a stop to it. It
isn’t kind to dear Stella.”
“Oh, stop, stop, Ruth Mildmay!” cried Mrs. Shanks. “Stella knows very
well just how far she can go. Stella would never do anything that was
displeasing to her dear papa. May I pour out the tea for you, dear Mr.
Tredgold, as the girls are not in?”
Mr. Tredgold gave the permission with a wave of his hand, and hoped that
Miss Mildmay would say just as much as she pleased.
“I like to know what my girls do when they’re out,” he said. “I like to
know that Stella is enjoying herself. That’s what they go out for. Just
to get themselves as much pleasure as is to be had, in their own way.”
“But you would not wish them to compromise themselves,” said Miss
Mildmay. “Oh, I wouldn’t interfere for the world. But as you don’t go
out with them you ought to be told. I do hope you approve of Sir
Charles, Mr. Tredgold. He is a nice young man enough. He has been a
little fast; but so have they all; and he is old enough now to have more
sense. I am sure he will make you a very good son-in-law. So long as you
approve----”
“I approve of my little girl enjoying herself,” said the old man. “Bring
some more muffins, John; there’s plenty in the house, I hope. I know why
you won’t take that piece, Miss Mildmay, because it is the last in the
plate, and you think you will never be married.” He accompanied this
with a tremendous tinkle of a laugh, as if it were the greatest joke in
the world.
Miss Mildmay waved her hand with dignity, putting aside the foolish
jest, and also putting aside the new dish of muffins, which that dignity
would not permit her to touch.
“The question is,” she said, “not my marriage, which does not concern
you, Mr. Tredgold, but dear Stella’s, which does.”
“Mr. Tredgold is so fond of his joke,” Mrs. Shanks said.
“Yes, I’m fond of my joke, ain’t I? I’m a funny man. Many of the ladies
call me so. Lord! I like other people to have their fun too. Stella’s
welcome to hers, as long as she likes. She’s a kitten, she is; she goes
on playin’ and springin’ as long as anybody will fling a bit of string
at her. But she’s well in hand all the same. She knows, as you say, just
how far to go.”
“Then she has your approval, we must all presume,” said Miss Mildmay,
rising from her chair, though Mrs. Shanks had not half finished her tea.
“Oh, she’s free to have her fun,” Mr. Tredgold said.
What did it mean, her fun? This question was fully discussed between
the two ladies in the midge. Marriage is no fun, if it comes to that,
they both agreed, and the phrase was very ambiguous; but still, no man
in his senses, even Mr. Tredgold, could allow his young daughter to make
herself so conspicuous if he did not mean to consent in the end.
“I am very glad to hear, Stella, that it is all right about your
marriage,” Mrs. Shanks said next time she met the girls. “Your papa
would not say anything very definite; but still, he knows all about it,
and you are to take your own way, as he says.”
“Did he say I was to have my own way?” said Stella, in a flush of
pleasure.
“At least, he said the same thing. Yes, I am sure that was what he
meant. He was full of his jokes, don’t you know? But that must have been
what he meant; and I am sure I wish you joy with all my heart, Stella,
dear.”
Stella went dancing home after this, though Katherine walked very
gravely by her side.
“I knew papa would give in at last. I knew he never would stand against
me, when he knew I was in earnest this time,” she cried.
“Do you think he would tell Mrs. Shanks, after sending off both of us,
and frightening me?”
“You are so easily frightened,” cried Stella. “Yes, I shouldn’t wonder
at all if he told Mrs. Shanks. He likes the two old cats; he knows they
will go and publish it all over the place. He would think I should hear
just as soon as if he had told me, and so I have. I will run in and give
him a kiss, for he is a dear old soul, after all.”
Stella did run in and gave her father a tumultuous kiss, and roused him
out of a nap.
“Oh, papa, you dear, you old darling--you best papa in the world!” she
cried.
Mr. Tredgold felt a little cross at first, but the kiss and the praises
were sweet to him. He put his arms round her as she stood over him.
“What have I done now?” he said, with his tinkling laugh.
“You have done just what I wanted most--what it was dearest of you to
do,” she cried. “Mrs. Shanks told me. You told her, of course, dear
papa, because you knew it would be published directly all over the
place.”
“Oh, the two old cats!” he said, tinkling more than ever. “That’s what
they made of it, is it? I said you might have your fun, my dear. You are
free to have your fun as much as ever you like. That’s what I said, and
that’s what I shall say as long as you’re amusing yourself, Stella. You
can have your fling; I shan’t stop you. Enjoy yourself as long as you
can, if that’s what you like,” he said.
“Oh, papa, what do you mean--what do you mean?” cried Stella. “Don’t you
mean, dear papa,” she continued, with renewed caresses, putting her arms
round his neck, pressing his bald head upon her breast, “that you’ll let
Charlie come--that he needn’t go to India, that we are to be married,
and that you’ll give us your blessing, and--and everything? That is what
you mean, isn’t it, dear papa?”
“Don’t strangle me, child,” he said, coughing and laughing. “There’s
such a thing, don’t you know? as to be killed with kindness. I’ve told
you what I’ll do, my dear,” he continued. “I shall let you have your fun
as long as ever you like. You can dance with him down to the very ship’s
side, if you please. That won’t do any harm to me, but he don’t set a
foot in this house unless he’s ready to table pound for pound with me.
Where’s his shillin’s, by the way, Katie? He ought to have had his
shillin’s; he might have wanted them, poor man. Ah, don’t strangle me, I
tell you, Stella!”
“I wish I could!” cried Stella, setting her little teeth. “You deserve
it, you old dreadful, dreadful----”
“What is she saying, Kate? Never mind; it was swearing or something, I
suppose--all the fault of those old cats, not mine. I said she should
have her swing, and she can have her swing and welcome. That’s what she
wants, I suppose. You have always had your fun, Stella. You don’t know
what a thing it is to have your fun and nobody to oppose you. I never
had that in my life. I was always pulled up sharp. Get along now, I
want my nap before dinner; but mind, I have said all I’m going to say.
You can have your fun, and he can table down pound for pound with me, if
he has the money--otherwise, not another word. I may be a funny man,”
said Mr. Tredgold, “but when I put my foot down, none of you will get it
up again, that’s all I have got to say.”
“You are a very hard, cruel, tyrannical father,” said Stella, “and you
never will have any love from anyone as long as you live!”
“We’ll see about that,” he said, with a grimace, preparing to fling his
handkerchief over his head, which was his way when he went to sleep.
“Oh, papa!--oh, dear papa! Of course I did not mean that. I want no
fling and no fun, but to settle down with Charlie, and to be always
ready when you want me as long as I live.”
“You shall settle down with some man as I approve of, as can count down
his hundreds and his thousands on the table, Stella. That’s what you are
going to do.”
“Papa, you never would be so cruel to me, your little Stella? I will
have no man if I have not Charlie--never, never, if he had all the money
in the world.”
“Well, there’s no hurry; you’re only twenty,” he said, blinking at her
with sleepy eyes. “I don’t want to get rid of you. You may give yourself
several years to have your fun before you settle down.”
Stella, standing behind her father’s bald and defenceless head, looked
for a minute or two like a pretty but dreadful demon, threatening him
with a raised fist and appalling looks. Suddenly, however, there came a
transformation scene--her arms slid round his neck once more; she put
her cheek against his bald head. “Papa,” she said, her voice faltering
between fury and the newly-conceived plan, which, in its way, was fun,
“you gave me a kind of an alternative once. You said, if I didn’t have
Charlie----”
“Well?” said the old man, waking up, with a gleam of amusement in his
eyes.
“I could have--you said it yourself--anything else I liked,” said
Stella, drooping over the back of his chair. Was she ashamed of herself,
or was she secretly overcome with something, either laughter or tears?
“Stella,” cried Katharine, “do come away now and let papa rest.” The
elder sister’s face was full of alarm, but for what she was frightened
she could scarcely herself have said.
“Let her get it out,” cried Mr. Tredgold. “Speak up, Stella, my little
girl; out with it, my pet. What would it like from its papa?”
“You said I might have anything I liked--more diamonds, a lot of new
dresses----”
“And so you shall,” he said, chuckling, till it was doubtful if he would
ever recover his breath. “That’s my little girl down to the
ground--that’s my pet! That’s the woman all over--just the woman I like!
You shall have all that--diamonds? Yes, if I’d to send out to wherever
they come from. And frocks? As many as you can set your face to. Give me
a kiss, Stella, and that’s a bargain, my dear.”
“Very well, papa,” said Stella, with dignity, heaving a soft sigh. “You
will complete the parure, please; a handsome pendant, and a star for my
hair, and a bracelet--_but_ handsome, really good, fit for one of the
princesses.”
“As good as they make ’em, Stella.”
“And I must have them,” she said languidly, “for that ball that is going
to be given to the regiment before they go away. As for the dresses,”
she added, with more energy, “papa, I shall fleece you--I shall rob you!
I will order everything I take a fancy to--everything that is nice,
everything that is dear. I shall ruin you!” she cried, clapping her
hands together with a sound like a pistol-shot over his head.
Through all this the tinkling of his laugh had run on. It burst out now
and had a little solo of its own, disturbed by a cough, while the girls
were silent and listened. “That’s the sort of thing,” he cried. “That’s
my Stella--that’s my pet! Ruin me! I can stand it. Have them as dear as
they’re made. I’ll write for the diamonds to-night; and you shall go to
the ball all shinin’ from head to foot, my Stella--that’s what you’ve
always been since you were born--my little star!”
Then she pulled the handkerchief over his head, gave him a kiss through
it, and hurried away.
“Oh, Stella, Stella!” cried Katherine under her breath. She repeated the
words when they had gone into their own room. Stella, flushed and
excited, had thrown herself upon the stool before the piano and began to
play wildly, with jars and crashes of sound. “Oh, Stella, how dared you
do such a thing? How dared you barter away your love, for he is your
love, for diamonds and frocks? Oh, Stella, you are behaving very, very
badly. I am not fond of Charles Somers; but surely, if you care for him
at all, he is worth more than that. And how dared you--how dared you
sell him--to papa?”
But Stella said never a word. She went on playing wild chords and making
crashes of dreadful sound, which, to Katherine, who was more or less a
musician, were beyond bearing. She seized her sister’s arm after a
moment and stopped her almost violently. “Stop that, stop that, and
answer me!” she cried.
“Don’t you like my music, Kate? It was all out of my own head--what you
call improvising. I thought you would like me to go to the piano for
comfort. So it is an ease to one’s mind--it lets the steam off,” cried
Stella with a last crash, louder and more discordant than the others.
Then she abandoned the piano and threw herself down in a chair.
“Wasn’t that a funny talk I had with papa? You may tell Charlie, if you
like, it will amuse him so. They would all think it the most glorious. I
shall tell it to everybody when I am on the----”
Here Stella stopped, and gave her sister a half-inquiring,
half-malicious look, but found no response in Katherine’s grieved eyes.
“I don’t know what you mean, Stella,” she said. “If you mean what papa
thinks, it is the most odious, humiliating bargain; if you mean
something else, it is--but I can’t say what it is, for I don’t know what
you mean. You are going to be a traitor one way or else another, either
to Charlie or to papa. I don’t know which is worse, to break that man’s
heart (for he is fond of you) by throwing him over at the last moment,
or to steal papa’s money and break his heart too.”
“You needn’t trouble yourself so much about people’s hearts, Kate. How
do you know that Charlie would have me if he thought papa wouldn’t give
in? And, as for papa’s heart, he would only have to give in, and then
all would be right. It isn’t such a complicated matter as you think. You
are so fond of making out that things are complicated. I think them
quite simple. Papa has just to make up his mind which he likes best, me
or his money. He thinks he likes his money best. Well, perhaps later he
will find he doesn’t, and then he has only got to change. Where’s the
difficulty? As for me, you must just weave webs about me as long as you
please. I am not complicated--not a bit. I shall do what I like best. I
am not sure even now which I like best, but I shall know when the time
comes. And in the meantime I am laying up all the best evidence to judge
from. I shall send Stevens up to town for patterns to-morrow. I shall
get the very richest and the very dearest things that Madame has or can
get. Oh,” cried the girl, clapping her hands with true enjoyment, “what
fun it will be!”