THE BURTHEN OF HONOURS
A fearful affair to the new possessors of Northmoor was the matter of
morning calls. The first that befell them, as in duty bound, was that
from the Vicar. They were peaceably writing their letters in the
library, and hoping soon to go out to explore the Park, when Mr. Woodman
was announced, and was found a lonely black speck in the big dreary
drawing-room, a very state room, indeed, which nobody had ever willingly
inhabited. The Vicar was accustomed to be overridden; he was an elderly
widower, left solitary in his old age, and of depressed spirits and
manner. However, Frank had been used to intercourse with clergy, though
his relations with them seemed reversed, and instead of being patronised,
he had to take the initiative; or rather, they touched each other's cold,
shy, limp hands, and sat upright in their chairs, and observed upon the
appropriate topic of early frosts, which really seemed to be affecting
themselves.
There was a little thaw when Lord Northmoor asked about the population,
larger, alas, than the congregation might have seemed to show, and Mary
asked if there were much poverty, and was answered that there was much
suffering in the winter, there was not much done for the poor except by
Lady Adela.
'You must tell us how we can assist in any way.'
The poor man began to brighten. 'It will be a great comfort to have some
interest in the welfare of the parish taken here, my Lord. The influence
hitherto has not been fortunate. Miss Morton, indeed--latterly--but,
poor thing, if I may be allowed to say so, she is flighty--and
uncertain--no wonder--'
At that moment Lady Adela was ushered in, and the Vicar looked as if
caught in talking treason, while a fresh nip of frost descended on the
party.
Not that the lady was by any means on stiff terms with the Vicar, whom,
indeed, she daily consulted on parochial subjects, and she had the
gracious, hereditary courtesy of high breeding; but she always averred
that this same drawing-room chilled her, and she was fully persuaded that
any advance towards familiarity would lead to something obnoxious on the
part of the newcomers, so that the proper relations between herself and
them could only be preserved by a judicious entrenchment of courtesy.
Still, it was more the manner of the Vicar than of herself that gave the
impression of her being a formidable autocrat. After the frost had been
again languidly discussed, Mr. Woodman faltered out, 'His Lordship was
asking--was so good as to ask--how to assist in the parish.'
Lady Adela knew how scarce money must be, so she hesitated to mention
subscriptions, and only said, 'Thank you--very kind.'
'Is there any one I could read to?' ventured Mary.
'Have you been used to the kind of thing?' asked Lady Adela, not
unkindly, but in a doubting tone.
'No, I never could before; but I do wish to try to do something.'
The earnest humility of the tone was touching, the Vicar and the autocrat
looked at one another, and the former suggested, 'Old Swan!'
'Yes,' said Lady Adela, 'old Swan lives out at Linghill, which is not
above half a mile from this house, but too far off for me to visit
constantly. I shall be very much obliged if you can undertake the
cottages there.'
'Thank you,' said Mary, as heartily as if she were receiving a commission
from the Bishop of the diocese.
'Did not Miss Morton mention something about a boys' class?' said Frank.
'I have been accustomed to a Sunday school.'
Mr. Woodman betrayed as much surprise as if he had said he was accustomed
to a coal mine; and Lady Adela observed graciously, 'Most of them have
gone into service this Michaelmas; but no doubt it will be a relief to
Mr. Woodman if you find time to undertake them.'
This was the gist of the first two morning calls, and there were many
more such periods of penance, for the bride and bridegroom were not
modern enough in their notions to sit up to await their visitors, and
thankful they were to those who would be at the expense of finding
conversation, though this was not always the case; for much of the
neighbourhood was of a description to be awed by the mere fact of a great
house, and to take the shyness of titled people for pride. Those with
whom they prospered best were a good-natured, merry old dowager duchess,
with whom they felt themselves in the altitude to which they were
accustomed at Hurminster; a loud-voiced, eager old squire, who was bent
on being Lord Northmoor's guide and prompter in county business; also an
eager, gushing lady, the echoes of whose communications made Frank
remark, after her departure, 'We must beware of encouraging gossip about
the former family.'
'Oh, I wish I had the power of setting people down when they say what is
undesirable, like Miss Lang, or Lady Adela!' sighed Mary.
'Try to think of them like your school girls,' he said.
The returning of the calls was like continually pulling the string of a
shower-bath, and glad were the sighs when people proved to be not at
home; but on the whole, being entertained was not half so formidable as
entertaining, and a bride was not expected to do more than sit in her
white silk, beside the host.
But the return parties were an incubus on their minds. Only they were
not to be till after Christmas.