Still the clouds gather, still must fear and doubt
Unwelcome partners, page her weary footsteps,
Shall not time draw these curtains?
ANON.
Time sped on at the Cottage as smoothly as it had done before Margaret
left it. The spring came sooner than she could have believed; the
beautiful early summer followed. She was out almost all day, rambling by
the sea-side, working in the garden, visiting the poor. She heard at
intervals from Elizabeth, and so traced her progress through the Italian
States. At length, she said that her father and herself had it in
contemplation to return to England in June; and that they had been very
earnestly pressed by Lord and Lady Raymond to come at once to
Wardenscourt. That her father inclined to this plan, and that for
herself "all places were alike to her." This was the only intimation she
gave that her loss still preyed upon her mind. "If she decided upon this
plan," she added, "she hoped to have Margaret to meet her." A letter
from Harriet followed this, very shortly. She stated that she had
arrived at Wardenscourt three days ago, that Lady Raymond had written by
the same post an invitation to Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and that both that lady
and Margaret were expected at Wardenscourt in three days' time. She said
that Captain Gage and his daughter were on their road home, and that
Bessy counted upon meeting Margaret when she came to England.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick was well contented to go. Margaret could not refuse;
her heart sank, now that the time came, when she thought that Mr.
Haveloc's estate was at no great distance from Wardenscourt; and that if
he were not abroad, she might possibly be exposed to the chance of
meeting him. When Harriet talked of her visit as a distant thing, she
had fancied she could have borne it very well. Of course this agreeable
prospect was kept to herself, and she tried to express a good deal of
pleasure at the idea of the journey. They performed it in one day; there
was no hardship in early rising those fine summer mornings, and it was
not six o'clock when they arrived at Wardenscourt. The grounds were
spacious and highly cultivated; the house rather too new for Margaret's
taste. In front, there was a white portico built in with the house, and
filled with plants; on the other side, a long verandah, the floor of
which was raised by a flight of steps to a level with the drawing-room
windows. Lady Raymond was in this verandah among her plants, and with
her, a bold-eyed woman, who stared hard at the new comers, and then
flung herself out of the verandah and into the shrubberies, much as if
they had been lepers. "My friend, Lady James Deacon;" said Lucy, after
she had welcomed them, "the sweetest woman--when you know her."
Margaret thought it almost a pity she was so careful to hide the
sweetness she might possess; and she thought, with a smile, of the
caustic remarks that Harriet would be likely to make upon her manner.
"Harriet is out riding with Mr. Gage," said Lucy turning to Margaret,
"do wait here till she comes in; she will be so delighted to see you.
But for you, dear Mrs. Fitzpatrick," she said, again taking her hand, "I
should recommend, do you know, an hour's complete rest, before you dress
for dinner."
Mrs. Fitzpatrick thought her advice very kind and excellent, and went up
to her room. Margaret remained with Lady Raymond. In a few minutes,
Harriet and Mr. Gage rode up to the steps. Harriet dismounted hastily,
and ran up into the verandah.
"She is looking very well, is she not?" said Lucy.
She looked brilliant, in perfect health, excited by exercise, the red
and white of her fine complexion more intense; the dark hue of her
chestnut hair, defining the oval contour of her forehead and cheeks. She
sprang forward to greet Margaret, as warmly affectionate as ever.
"And you, ma mie--I wish I could say every thing I want at once. Lucy,
love, the Sedleys were not at home; I say, George. Well, if he is not
looking at the chestnut's fore foot! I never knew such a fidget about
horses. George! how polite you are to Miss Capel."
"Miss Capel!" said Mr. Gage, coming up quickly into the verandah, "I am
heartily glad to see you again."
His manner was so much more blunt and frank than before--he reminded her
so strongly of Captain Gage, that she was quite astonished.
"Ah, how I have improved him!" said Harriet, who had been watching
Margaret's countenance.
Mr. Gage laughed, and told Harriet that she had nearly lamed her
chestnut, and might be satisfied with her morning's work.
Harriet took off her hat, and sat down with her back to him, saying,
that what she had marred, he might mend; he was good for nothing else.
Her voice, her face, so full of happiness, contradicted her words.
Mr. Gage went out to look after the horses, which were equally beloved
by both of them.
Lady Raymond, coming up to her sister, stood arranging her hair, which
was slightly ruffled by her hat.
"Well, Mrs. Gage, you took your time this morning," she said; "you find
Mr. Gage's company very agreeable, I conclude; since you certainly give
me but little of yours. Always, I assure you, my dear Miss Capel,
rambling about with Mr. Gage."
Margaret smiled at Harriet, who looked half bashful, half mischievous.
"It is very well it has turned out so tolerably," said she; "because I
always tell George that you had a great hand in bringing things about."
"But you are quite happy, Harriet?"
"Yes; pretty comfortable. George really did take a house for me--a very
pretty house. So that when he is obliged to leave Dublin, I shall let
him go, and remain behind; for I like the society very much."
"How independently she talks," said Lucy, laughing.
"George has so many faults," pursued Harriet; "I fancy sometimes he must
be jealous. If you knew the trouble I had to get any of his brother
officers introduced to me. I only know two--such sweet young men! One of
them plays the cornopean admirably, and the other makes the most
excellent toffy."
"Might I ask what toffy is?" enquired Margaret.
"It is made, my love, by boiling treacle and sugar," replied Harriet.
"Oh, and lemon-peel!" said Lady Raymond.
"No; almonds," replied Harriet; "that was the way we made it one morning
when George was gone to a steeple-chase; and when he came back he could
not think what made everything so sticky. That is the only objection to
the compounding of toffy. You still like Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Margaret?"
she said, turning to her with much softness of expression.
"Very much! I am truly attached to her," replied Margaret.
"I am glad of it. No doubt she is a delightful person," said Harriet.
"But you are not going to be an old maid. I have my wits about me; and I
will take any bet that any body pleases to offer, you don't go back
single. Everard Gage comes here this very day, does not he, Lucy?"
"Yes; but Everard--" said Lady Raymond.
"I know he will be as hard to rouse as a polar bear," said Harriet;
"but I pique myself on doing wonders."
"But pray, Harriet, not for me," said Margaret. "Do not disturb Mr.
Everard's tranquillity on my account."
"The best match decidedly about this neighbourhood is Mr. Haveloc, of
Tynebrook," said Lady Raymond, laughing. "I strongly recommend him to
Miss Capel's notice; and though he is at present in London, he is soon
expected to return. Lord Raymond likes him extremely."
"Didn't I meet him at Chirke Weston, Margaret?" asked Harriet.
"I think you did," replied Margaret.
"Ay! you were too young then, or else it was really much neglect on your
part--staying in the very house," said Harriet. "You will have it all to
begin again."
This was very pleasant, certainly, to have two kind friends planning to
throw Margaret and Mr. Haveloc together as much as possible.
Margaret faintly entreated that Harriet would make no matches for her;
that she preferred remaining single, and, that strange as the fancy was,
she begged to be indulged in it.
"But about Mr. Haveloc," said Lady Raymond, drawing her chair close into
the window. "As Mrs. Fitzpatrick is up stairs, I will tell you such a
romantic story about him. You know Mrs. Fitzpatrick had a very lovely
daughter. Well; Mr. Haveloc was devotedly attached to her; it was all
settled--they were going to be married, when she fell into a rapid
decline, and died. Raymond saw him there, and said--" Here Lady Raymond
expressed Lord Raymond's sayings by lifting up her hands and eyes, and
dropping them both together; "and I think that it was which made Mr.
Haveloc rather religious."
"Is he religious?" asked Harriet, pulling the leaves carelessly from a
geranium.
"Oh, I think so!" returned Lady Raymond, "he has been building schools
on his estate; and is wild now about repairing a church--to be sure it
is the family church, where all the old monuments are--the Crusaders,
and even the Danish sea-king, they say. Harriet, remind me that we take
Miss Capel to see the church at Tynebrook to-morrow, if it is fine. He
has been laying down a tessellated pavement, and putting in
stained-glass windows, and such an altar cloth! I am told there was
never anything so beautiful; but I have not been yet, because it is a
bad carriage road, except in summer."
"Well, what an odd fancy," said Harriet, winding her riding whip round
her fingers. "I always thought he was a moonshiny sort of a person. I
suppose he was engrossed by Miss Fitzpatrick when I saw him. You know
people gave him to Bessy about that time."
"So I remember; it was the first thing almost that I heard of him," said
Margaret.
"Shall we dress, pet?" asked Harriet, fondly passing her arm round
Margaret's waist; "we can come down and have a gossip before the people
collect for dinner."
Margaret assented, and Harriet left the room with Lady Raymond.
Margaret stood for a few minutes leaning against the window, trying to
compose herself, or to appear composed. "Shall I never be wise or
womanly?" she asked herself, "shall I never bear to hear his name
mentioned without such a pang as I now feel? Is this, as one sometimes
reads, to embitter my whole life--this wretched mistake? It is too
severe a penalty for my folly! How can I meet him calmly, if I am thus
agitated by the very narrative of circumstances that I have long known,
and long made up my mind to forget?"
But as thinking did not seem likely to make matters better, Margaret
roused herself, and went up stairs to dress. She was quite startled to
find Mrs. Fitzpatrick in her room, in her black velvet, ready for
dinner.
"I am late--am I not?" said she, coming up to her chair, and taking her
hand.
"Not early, my dear, but you will find time enough, you are always so
rapid."
Mason set to work directly; Mrs. Fitzpatrick sat beside the toilet,
talking.
At last, Margaret, who had scarcely replied, turned her head round, and
said, "How long do we stay here?"
"How long, my dear? Why, we have but just arrived," said her friend with
a smile.
"True," said Margaret, "there is no reason; only I do not feel very
well."
"The journey, perhaps," said Mrs. Fitzpatrick, kindly, "we must see what
a night's rest will do for you; but do not talk of going away, for I
have made up my mind that you enjoy yourself very much."
Margaret smiled sadly, and accompanied her friend into the drawing-room.
It was already lighted up, and the scented air of the warm summer
evening, struggled in through the closed curtains. The guests were
standing and sitting in groups, talking and laughing. Lord Raymond on
the hearth-rug.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Margaret were presented to him, and he received
them with kindness.
"You remember Miss Capel, at Chirke Weston, my dear, don't you," said
Lucy.
Lord Raymond did not--but he said he did, and asked her, "if she left
all her friends well in that part of the world."
Harriet came close to Lord Raymond, and whispered something in his ear,
which made him laugh; and then seizing hold of Margaret, she exclaimed
to some one reclining almost at full length in an easy chair:
"Everard--wake up! this is Miss Capel!"
Margaret blushed crimson; the person addressed, who appeared to be in
the last stage of exhaustion, forced himself into a sitting posture,
smiled favourably on Margaret without speaking, stared; and sank back
again.
"What a wretch he is," said Harriet, standing quite close to him while
she made her remarks, "does he not look like a great wax doll,
perfectly well dressed. He ought to be tired, because he came a good
many miles by railroad to-day, and as much as seven or eight more in a
post-chaise from the terminus. Miss Capel has travelled farther than you
to-day, Everard."
"Ah!" said the person appealed to. At that moment, he was directed to
take Miss Capel to dinner, which great exertion he underwent. Harriet,
on the other side, allowed him but little peace. She contrived to make
the most provoking demands on his memory and his descriptive powers,
neither of which were particularly vivid. She would ask how far it was
from Halifax to Quebec? What the falls of Niagara looked like? How many
miles an hour one could go in a sledge? All these questions were easily
despatched by the words: I don't know--I can't tell--I forget. And then
a slight pause, while Harriet ate her dinner; but as she ate little, and
talked much, her attacks soon began again.
"I say, Everard, are the ladies pretty over in Canada?"
"Some of them."
"But now, answer me on your word of honour, have they not red noses?"
A laugh.
"How do you think George is looking?"
"Oh! very well."
"What a touching thing it was to see you two meet."
"Did you think so?"
"Margaret, just fancy two brothers who had not seen each other for three
years, George comes into the room with his mouth full of something about
my chestnut, and seeing Everard in the arm-chair, asleep, says: 'Ah!
Everard, you there!' Upon which my friend to the right, answers: 'Eh!
George how are you?' I shed tears. Two horses, I need not say, would
have been more affectionate."
"I am sure I kissed _you_," said Everard, anxious to defend himself.
There was a general laugh.
"Of course," said Harriet, quickly recovering from her confusion, "very
proper to a sister. Lord James, I shall call you to order."
Lord James, who looked as bold as his wife, which was saying a great
deal for him, was stopped in the act of launching some witticism on the
public, and contented himself with laughing longer and louder than any
body else.
"How do you like Everard? Don't you think him very handsome?" inquired
Harriet as soon as the ladies left the dining-room, "he is considered
the best looking of the Gages."
Margaret smiled at Harriet's eagerness to provide for her, but begged
again with genuine earnestness to be left to her fate.
Lady James Deacon came up to them, was named to Margaret, and became
gracious in her manner. She showed her a new species of knitting, and on
Mrs. Fitzpatrick standing by to learn it, she transferred her
instructions to her with great good humour. She rallied Harriet, in the
pauses, upon her handsome brother-in-law, and alluded to some other
conquest, which she had heard Mrs. Gage had made in Dublin.
Margaret felt and looked pained; she disliked all jests upon what she
could not help considering as sacred subjects; and she thought a wife's
vows too important to become the object of such light discourse. She
looked uneasily at Harriet, who stood laughing at all Lady James chose
to say, or hint. Mrs. Gage saw this in a moment, and with her usual
abruptness, she drew Margaret out upon the terrace.
"Look you, little Oracle," said she, "I am not used to do anything by
halves; I love my husband a great deal more than he deserves; but I am
not going to pull long faces every time a woman of that sort makes a
jest upon me. She could not understand me if I did. She has no delicacy
herself, and does not know when to give other people credit for it. So
now come back, and see what you can make of Everard. Captain Gage gives
them all a very liberal allowance."