"WHEN THE CAT IS AWAY."
Two or three hours later, as they were crossing the little goose green
in the sunset, Averil said softly to Mother Midge:
"I have had such a nice time. The sweet country air and the sound of
the children's voices have destroyed all the cobwebs."
"I am so glad of that, dearie," was Mother Midge's answer; and
then Jemmy touched his old white hat to them, and again they drove
through the still, dewy lanes. Averil leaned back against the shabby
cushions. Annette thought she was tired, and left her undisturbed;
but it was not fatigue that sealed Averil's lips. A sweet spell of
rest, of thankfulness, of quiet heart-satisfaction, seemed to infold
her. These sort of moods were not rare with Averil; she had her hours
of exaltation, when life seemed very sweet to her, and the discords
of existence, its chilling disappointments, its weary negations, and
never-ending responsibilities, lay less heavily on her, as though
invisible hands had lifted the burden, and had anointed her eyes with
some holy chrism. Then it was that Averil grasped the meaning and
beauty of a life that to those who loved her seemed overfull of care
and anxiety--when the veil seemed lifted; and as she looked round on
the few helpless creatures whom she fed and sheltered, she felt no
personal happiness could be so sweet as this power of giving happiness
to others. "What does it matter," she said softly, to herself--and
a solemn look came into her eyes as she looked over the tranquil
landscape--"what does it matter if one be a little lonely, a little
weary sometimes, if only one can help others--if one can do a little
good work before the Master calls us? To go home and have no sheaves to
take with us, oh, that would be terrible!"
"I wonder if Lottie has had a happy day, too?" observed Annette, as
they came in sight of Redfern House. The moon was shining; through the
open windows came the sound of laughter, of voices.
Averil roused herself with an effort.
"They seem very merry," she said, tranquilly. "Annette, I have ordered
supper to be laid in my sitting-room. I knew they would have finished
dinner by this time. When you have taken off your hat, will you join me
there?"
"May I speak to you a moment, ma'am?" asked Roberts. "Captain Beverley
and Mr. Forbes are dining here, and--"
But Annette did not hear any more. She was tired and hungry; she made a
speedy toilet. As she ran down-stairs she was surprised to find Averil
still in her walking-dress. "Do not wait for me," she said, hastily.
"Roberts, will you see my cousin has all she wants? Annette, I am
sorry, but I shall not be long."
Averil's room looked the picture of comfort. The supper-table was
laid; the pretty shaded candles and flowers had a charming effect;
the glass doors were open, and a flood of moonlight silvered the
lawn and illuminated the garden paths. Maud was singing; the clear,
girlish voice seemed to blend with the scene. A masculine voice--was it
Rodney's?--was accompanying her. "Oh, that we two were maying!"--how
sweetly it sounded.
It was some little time before Averil reappeared. To Annette's
surprise, she was in evening-dress. The old grave look had come to her
face again; but she said nothing--only summoned Annette to the table.
"You should not have waited," she said, reproachfully. "Annette, when
we have finished supper, I shall have to leave you. Roberts tells me
that some of Rodney's friends are dining here, and it will not do for
the mistress to absent herself."
"Is it for that you have changed your dress, my cousin? And you are so
tired. It is a pity--it is a great pity. Ah, the music has stopped!
They have been singing so deliciously. I wish you could have heard
them. There was a man's voice--I think he must be a great singer."
"Captain Beverley has a fine voice. I suppose he and Maud were trying
a duet together. Oh, here comes Lottie!" as a bright face suddenly
appeared in the door-way. "Well, little one, come and give an account
of yourself."
"Oh, how cozy you look!" exclaimed Lottie, pouncing on them both in her
lively way, and giving them a score of airy kisses. Lottie was looking
charming in her pretty pink frock.
"Well, what do you think of Mother Midge and the Corporal? Is he not
an old dear, Annette? No, Averil, I am not going to answer a question
until Annette gives me her opinion of the Dove-cote."
Annette was too happy to be interrogated; she poured forth a stream of
eulogy, of delight, into Lottie's listening ears. Nothing had escaped
her; she retailed the day's proceedings in her own vivid, picturesque
way.
"My cousin is the happiest person in the world," she finished,
seriously. "Most people have to be content with their own happiness.
You and I are those people, Lottie. But Averil creates heart-sunshine.
Ah, you must not tell me to hush! Have I not heard all those wonderful
stories--Mother Midge, and the two old men, and wee Robbie, even the
pensioners? Oh, if we could only go through the world and gather in
the sick and sorrowful ones! My cousin does not need to envy any
one--surely no happiness can be like hers."
"Thank you, dear," returned Averil, in a low voice; but the grave look
was still in her eyes. "Lottie, it is your turn now. Have you had a
happy day?"
"Oh, yes," returned Lottie, carelessly; but her dimples betrayed her.
"Everything was very pleasant. The Courtlands were civil, and the
gardens beautiful, and the ices were excellent."
"And Frank was there?"
"Oh, yes; Mr. Frank was there. His mother had given him a note for
you;" and Lottie fumbled in her pocket. "Mr. Chesterton was there too.
By the bye," with an evident effort to appear unconcerned, "Georgina
wants you to ask the Courtlands and Mr. Chesterton to dinner next week.
She was talking about it all the way home."
"Well, I have no objection," began Averil, with rather an amused look;
but Lottie interposed in a rather shame-faced way:
"No, and, of course, Georgie will speak to you herself. Only she said
this evening to Maud, that there would be no room for me at table.
I think Georgina does not want me to be there; she seemed put out
because--" Here Lottie came to a dead stop.
"Oh, I see," in a meaning tone, as Lottie produced the letter; "well,
you are wise to come to head-quarters. Georgina's little humors can not
be allowed to disarrange my dinner-table."
"If there be no room for Lottie, there can be no room for me, my
cousin," struck in Annette.
"There will be room for both," returned Averil, quietly. "I will ask
Frank and Louie, and will make Georgina understand that it is quite
an informal dinner-party. Don't distress your little head about it,
Lottie. Let me read my letter in peace;" and Lottie's look of radiant
good-humor returned. Her cheeks had grown as pink as her dress during
the last few minutes, but Averil took no notice, only when she had
finished her letter she smiled and handed it to Annette.
It was Annette's turn to look radiant now. "Oh, how kind!" she
exclaimed, breathlessly. "Lottie, this is for you also. Mrs. Harland
(that is monsieur's wife, I suppose) has made the most charming
arrangement. We are to spend the day and sleep--that will be
twenty-four hours of happiness. This is what she says: 'My husband
will be pleased to see his little Dinan friend again. He was highly
complimented when Frank told him how cordially monsieur was remembered.
My girls are most anxious to make Miss Ramsay's acquaintance; and as we
can put up Lottie, there is no need to leave her behind. If you will
come to lunch, we shall have a nice long day, and Lottie can have some
tennis.' My cousin, shall we go? Next Monday--that is a good day, is it
not?"
"Of course we shall go," interposed Lottie. "Do you think Averil could
have the heart to refuse us such a treat? Mrs. Harland is a darling for
thinking of me. Of all places, I do love to go to Grey-Mount."
"You need not tell me that," returned Averil, rising.
Now, what was there in that little speech to make Lottie change color
again? Annette's quickness could make nothing of the situation. Why
should not Lottie love Grey-Mount, when monsieur lived there, and
so many charming people? Why did Averil give that amused little
laugh as Lottie pushed her chair away petulantly, and said rather
impatiently that it was growing late, and that she must go back to the
drawing-room. Lottie was really a very excitable little person; she did
not even wait when Averil said she was coming too; she ran down the
steps and across the lawn, leaving Averil to bid good-night to Annette.
"I shall be late--you must not wait for me," she said, quietly. "Where
has that madcap flown? I dare say you think Lottie is in an odd mood
to-night. How pretty the child grows! Lottie has a sweet face--one can
not wonder if she be admired. Good-night, Annette; pleasant dreams.
To-morrow I will answer Mrs. Harland's kind invitation."
Annette went to bed happily, but she was far too excited to sleep;
the recollections of the day were too vivid. Jack and Snip, and even
woe-begone Molly, with her patient, heavy face, started up one by one
before her--the green field, with the pensioners, the seat under the
elm-tree, Daddy and Bob and the lame jackdaw, wee Robbie with his
wistful blue eyes, passed and repassed before her inward vision. Now
she was walking with Mother Midge across the goose green, now watching
Deb as she fetched the water from the well; the pigeons were fluttering
over the cottage roofs. She seemed sinking into a dream, when a voice
spoke her name.
"Are you asleep, Annette? I thought I heard you cough;" and Lottie,
still in her pink dress, shielded her candle, and glided into the room.
"I was dreaming, but I do not think I was asleep," returned Annette,
drowsily. "Is it not very late, Lottie? And you are still up and
dressed."
"Yes, and I am so tired," she returned, disconsolately, as she
extinguished the light and sat down on the bed. "Annette, I hope I am
not disturbing you, but I felt so wretched I could not go to my own
room."
"Wretched, my Lottie!" and Annette was wide awake now.
"Yes, but not on my account. Oh, no; it is Averil of whom I am
thinking. How can they be so ungrateful?--how can they have the heart
to treat her so? It is not Rodney, it is Maud who puts this affront
on her, who will have that odious man to the house. What can aunt be
thinking about? Why does she not take Averil's part? But no; they are
all against her, and yet they owe everything to her."
"I do not understand," returned Annette, in a bewildered tone. "What
has happened? Lottie, I implore you to speak more plainly. Have they
quarreled with my cousin? And it was only yesterday--yesterday--"
"Yes, I know; Mr. Frank told me. I don't think he will ever forgive
aunt that speech. They are always making those little sneering
innuendoes. I think Mr. Frank would like to fight them all. He is just
like Averil's brother--her great big brother--and I am sure he is
nearly as fond of her as he is of his sister Louie."
"But he has many sisters, has he not? Monsieur told me of his sons and
daughters. There were Nettie, and Fan, and Owen--oh, I forget the rest."
"Yes; but Louie is Mr. Frank's own sister. Don't you see, their mother
died when they were quite young, and Mr. Harland married again. Oh,
yes, Mr. Frank has plenty of half-brothers and sisters, but they are
much younger. Nettie and Fan are still in the school-room, and Owen and
Bob at Rugby; and the twins are only seven years old."
"I like to hear about these people very much; but, Lottie, this is not
the subject. What has gone wrong to-night? Why is our dear Averil so
troubled?"
"Everything is wrong," returned Lottie, dejectedly. "Averil has taken a
very great dislike to Captain Beverley. He is very rich, and a friend
of Rodney, and he is paying Maud great attention. Averil, for some
reason, does not think well of him, and she has begged aunt to keep him
at a distance. She insists that he is only a flirt, and that all his
attentions mean nothing; and he is doing Rodney great harm."
"A flirt! What is that, my Lottie?"
"Oh, he pretends that he admires Maud--and perhaps he does, for every
one knows how handsome she is; but he has no right to single her out as
he does, and make people talk, unless he means to marry her. Averil is
afraid Maud is beginning to like him, and she has spoken very seriously
to aunt. But, you see, they believe in him, and they will have it that
Averil is prejudiced."
"And they invite him here to dinner in her absence?"
"Yes--that is so wrong, because, of course, it is Averil's house, and
she has several times refused to have him. He was at the At Home,
but she could not help herself there. You must have seen him--a
tall, fine-looking man, with a red mustache, and eyes rather close
together--he is generally beside Maud."
"I did not regard him; but what of that? It seems to me that Mr. Rodney
is to blame most."
"Of course he was to blame, but it was Maud who suggested the
invitation. Anyhow, it was putting a very serious affront upon Averil.
You must know that Maud and Georgina too take such liberties that
Averil has been obliged to make it a rule that no one is to be invited
to the house unless she be consulted. Maud has been trying to pass it
off as an impromptu thought, but she planned it herself at breakfast,
and when aunt tried to dissuade her, she talked her and Rodney over.
Mr. Forbes is another of Averil's _bêtes noires_. He is rich and idle,
and she says it will ruin Rodney to associate with such men."
"Does not Mrs. Willmot recognize the danger? She is old--she is a
mother--most mothers are wise."
"I am afraid aunt is not very wise," replied Lottie, sorrowfully; "she
never could manage Maud. I think she is afraid of her. But this is
not all, Annette. Averil is very strict in some things--she has been
brought up differently from other girls. She does not like cards; and
it is one of her rules that no play for money is allowed in this house.
Well, when we went to the drawing-room they were all playing at some
game--I don't know the name--for three-penny points. Captain Beverley
had started it."
"But that was wrong--it was altogether wrong."
"Rodney got very red, and looked uncomfortable when he saw Averil; but
Maud only held up her cards and burst out laughing. 'When the cat is
away, my dear,' she said, in her flippant way. 'Don't look so terribly
shocked, Averil; we shall only lose a few shillings--no one will be
ruined. It is your turn to play, Captain Beverley.'
"'Will you excuse me, Captain Beverley,' returned Averil, in the
quietest voice, 'if I venture to disturb your game? It is a matter of
principle with me: both my father and I have always had a great dislike
to any game that is played for money. In this house it has never been
done until this evening. You will do me the greatest favor if you will
choose some other game.'"