"Better get it over," said Captain Rolph, the next day, as he indulged
himself in what he called a short "spin" down the lane by the side of
The Warren, and in the direction of the Alleynes' home, which stood up,
grim and bleak, out of the sandy desert land. "What with the old man,
and the major, and the mater, and Madge, and--oh, hang it all! I'm not
going to stand any humbug from Judy, and so I tell her. There, I'll go
and get it over at once."
He stopped running, braced himself up, and marched in regular military
fashion, back to The Warren, to see Marjorie seated at one of the front
windows, ready to give him a smile in response to his short nod.
The next moment he stopped short, gazing sharply down the avenue at the
broad, bent back of the keeper, who, with head down, was striding away
toward the gate.
"What's he been here for?--to see me?"
Rolph entered the house, walked noisily into his study--a gun-room, for
the study of fowling-pieces and fishing rods, with a museum-like
collection of prize cups and belts dotted about, in company with
trophies of the chase, heads, horns and skins. Here he rang the bell,
which was very promptly answered by the butler, Captain Rolph being a
follower of the celebrated Count Shucksen, and using so much military
drill-sergeant powder with his orders that they went home at once.
"Hayle been to see me, Smith?" he asked, sharply.
"No, sir. Came to bring up your guns after my mistress had been down to
the keeper's lodge this morning."
"Brought up my guns," said Rolph, wonderingly. "What for?"
The man looked at him rather curiously in silence.
"Well, idiot, why don't you speak?"
"Not my business, sir. In trouble, I suppose. Benjamin Hayle and me
has never been friends, and so he said nothing, on'y one word as he went
out."
"And what was that?"
"Sack, sir--sack!"
"That'll do."
"Yes, sir--I knew it would come some day," said the butler to himself.
"Sticking up a notorious poacher on a level with respectable servants,
and putting his daughter over 'em, making my lady of her. But pride
always did have a fall."
"Humph!" muttered Rolph, with a laugh, "the old girl strikes first blow
without knowing what was coming. All right. Now for it. Just as well,
perhaps. But he was a good keeper."
He went out into the hall just in time to meet Marjorie, who was
tripping blithely down the stairs, singing the while.
"What a lovely day it is, Rob," she said.
"Is it?" he said grimly.
"Isn't it, dear? Why, what's the matter? Are you going in to see
auntie on business?"
"Yes, on that business. Did you and my mother hatch up that dodge
between you?"
"I don't know what you mean, Rob."
"Of course not, my clever little schemer. Come in, too, and hear how
I've flanked you both."
A sudden change came over the girl's smiling countenance, with its air
of wonder, and it was with a vindictive flash of her eyes that she
suddenly caught Rolph by the arm.
"Not married?" she said in a harsh whisper.
"No; not yet."
"Hah!"
It was a catching sigh of relief as Rolph threw open the drawing-room
door, and, with mock politeness, stood aside for Marjorie to enter.
Mrs Rolph looked troubled and disturbed, and evidently welcomed the
appearance of Marjorie, making a sign for the girl to come to her side,
and then drawing herself up in her most stately way ready to receive her
son's attack, which was not long in coming.
"Why did you go to Hayle's this morning?"
"On business, Rob."
"What for?"
"To tell him that the time had come when I required his services no
longer, and that he must go at once."
"What! My keeper?"
"Mine, Robert," said Mrs Rolph, firmly. "You forget the terms of your
father's will. You have your income; I have mine, with undisturbed
possession of everything at The Warren while I live. You occupy the
position of my guest when you are here."
"Humph! all right. And so you have discharged Ben, eh? When does he
go?"
"To-day."
"Sharp practice, mother; and all because poor Judy is pretty."
"And all because, as I told him, I wished to save--I will speak plainly,
even in your cousin's presence--a weak, vain girl from disgrace."
"Humph! pretty plain speaking that, mother."
"There are times when plain speaking is necessary, my son, and when
strong action is required to save you from the consequences of a mad
passion."
"Rubbish!"
"What! Don't you know Ben Hayle better than that? Do you think he is
the man to sit down quietly when he knows the truth? Have you not seen
that the foolish fellow believes thoroughly what he as good as told me
to my face this morning--that he expects to see his daughter some day
mistress here?"
"Ben Hayle's a fool," cried Rolph, angrily, "and you and Madge here are
half-crazy. Let's have an end of it. Once for all, mother, I mean to
do exactly as I like, and I have done as I liked."
Mrs Rolph started forward in her chair, and Marjorie's lips tightened.
"What do you mean, Rob?" cried the former.
"You want to see me married, I believe?"
"I want to see you prove yourself an honourable gentleman--a worthy son
of your father, not a man for whom I should blush."
"All right, then. I've taken the right steps for settling into a quiet,
country gentleman. I'm going to be married."
Marjorie's eyes flashed.
"Rob, you will not be so mad as to marry that girl?"
"Yes, I shall," he said coolly.
"Then I have done with you for ever. Judith Hayle may come here when I
am in my grave, but till then--"
"Let the churchyard alone, mother. Do you think I'm such a fool as to
marry a poacher's daughter?"
"Rob! Then you have repented!" cried Mrs Rolph excitedly, and Marjorie
trembled and sank upon her knees to cling to her aunt's waist.
"Oh, yes, I've repented, and I'm going to be a very good boy and get
married soon."
"Madge, my dear child!" cried Mrs Rolph, embracing the girl at her feet.
"There, don't get filling her head full of false hopes, the same as you
did Judy Hayle's mother," said Rolph brutally. "I went yesterday and
proposed, and have been accepted."
Marjorie's breath came and went in a low hiss as she turned her wild
eyes upon her cousin.
"Proposed? To whom? Rob, not to that pert, penniless girl at The
Firs?"
"What, the moon-shooter's sister!" cried Rolph. "Hah! nice, little,
bright-eyed thing. But no: try again."
Mrs Rolph rose excitedly from her chair, and Marjorie's hands dropped
from her waist as she crouched lower upon the carpet.
"Not John Day's daughter--Glynne?"
"Good guess, mother. Glynne Day is to be my wife by-and-by. The old
man is agreeable and the major isn't. So now, the sooner you go and
call upon them and make it all right the better."
Poor Marjorie dropped out of Mrs Rolph's sight.
"Rob! my dear boy!" she cried as she flung her arms about her son's neck
to kiss him fondly, while Marjorie rose slowly, looking white even to
her lips, and with a peculiar smile dawning upon them as her eyes
flashed upon the group before her.
"I knew I could trust you, Rob," cried Mrs Rolph; and then, recollecting
herself, "Madge, my poor child, I am very sorry, but, you see, it was
not to be."
"No, auntie dear," said the girl, with the smile growing more marked;
"marriages are made in Heaven, you know. I shall not mind--much. Of
course the great aim of all our lives was to see dear Rob happy. Glynne
Day is very beautiful and sweet, and a daughter of whom you will be
quite proud. I should be deceitful if I did not own to being grievously
disappointed, but, as was natural, Rob's love for me has only been that
of a brother for a sister"--she fixed Rolph's eyes as she spoke, and his
turned shiftily away--"and if I have been a little silly, the pain will
soon wear off. Glynne Day. How nice. I'm sure I shall love her very
much, though she is rather cold. Isn't she, Rob?"
"That is very nice of you, Madge, my dear," said Mrs Rolph, embracing
her niece. "And who knows how soon another prince may come, my dear."
"Oh, aunt!"
"And you will try to forget all this?"
"Of course, aunt, dear. It was fate," said the girl innocently.
"And--and you will not mind going over to Brackley with me to call?"
"I, mind? Oh, auntie, I should be horribly disappointed if you did not
take me. There, Rob," she continued, with a little sigh, "that's all
over, and I congratulate you--brother; and I shall kiss dearest Glynne
as I kiss you now."
"Humph! thought she was going to bite me," muttered Rolph. Then aloud,
"Well, Madge, it was a bit of a flirtation, I own. Now, then, as you've
behaved like a trump, so will I. What shall it be--a pearl locket, or
diamonds, or a bracelet?"
"Oh, how good and generous you are, Rob dear. How nice of you!" cried
Marjorie in gushing tones. "I have so often longed for a sapphire
bracelet."
"Then you shall have one," said Rolph, but not quite so warmly as he had
spoken before. "I'm off now."
"Won't you stay to lunch, dear?" said Mrs Rolph.
"No. I shall have a sandwich in my room. I'm training. I say! can you
go over this afternoon?"
"Of course we will, dear," said Mrs Rolph, warmly; and there was a look
of relief in her eyes.
"Then that's all settled," said Rolph; and he left the room, not
noticing the hard look in his cousin's eyes. "Sorry about poor old Ben
Hayle," he muttered as he went to his own room. "But perhaps it's best.
Going to be married, and must be a good boy now."
Then a thought struck him, and he hurried back to the drawing-room, to
surprise Marjorie upon her knees, with her face buried in Mrs Rolph's
lap.
"Oh, beg pardon," he said, hastily; "but look here, mother; don't be
quite so hard on Ben Hayle. I mean as to a day or two."
"Leave that to me, Rob--please," said Mrs Rolph.
"Oh, all right," he cried, and he went right off this time. "Poor
little Madge! but she won't be long before she hooks another fish. Bet
a sov. she tries it on with the astronomer; but I must go and smooth it
down a bit at the lodge. What a blessing it is to have nearly enough
coin. That bracelet did wonders; but Judy mustn't play quite so high,
and, as for Ben--well he's my mother's man, and--I know; I'll let him
keep that old gun."
Volume 1, Chapter IX.