Clare’s thoughts had travelled very far during Arthur Arden’s visit at
the Hall. When he arrived she had made up her mind to endure him, to
have as little to say to him as possible, to watch anxiously all his
relations with her brother, and keep all her wits about her to
counteract his schemes against Edgar, if he had any. But all these
original intentions had floated away from her, she could not tell how.
The whole condition of affairs was changed. He had no schemes against
Edgar: on the contrary, he heartily liked and thought well of the
strange, generous, open-hearted soul, who was so very unlike all the
Ardens had ever been, and yet was the head of the Ardens, and master of
the family destiny. Arthur did not understand him any more than Clare
did, but had given in his declaration of loyalty and support. So that
the great obstacle--was it the only obstacle between them?--was swept
away at once. And then there had been the doubt of her cousin’s motives,
the uncertainty as to his meaning, whether he loved her for herself, or
whether--but this Clare had been very reluctant to think of--he had
contemplated enriching himself by her means. It would have been quite
natural that he should have done so by means of any other lady. It was
not the mere mercenary pretence at love which revolted his young
kinswoman, but simply a personal aversion to be herself the subject of
such a commercial transaction. This dread had also floated away. How
could it withstand the influence of his presence--of his looks and
words, and the absolute devotion he threw into his manner towards her?
They had been together for long days, spending, with little meetings and
partings, hours in each other’s society--not alone, indeed, but almost
better than alone; for a skilful and experienced hunter like Arthur
Arden has it in his power to isolate his victim, and to make her feel
herself the one object of interest--the one being in the room and in the
world, with almost a more subtle certainty than could be given by
downright words. All this Clare had come through, and it had wrought a
great change upon her. She had been penetrated with Arthur Arden’s
influence through and through. She had grown to feel that everything she
had, or anybody else had, would be better spent in his service than in
any other--that it was natural to devote her possessions to him--that
he had a right to appropriate what he would. This was never breathed
into words, even in her own mind, but it had come to be her fixed,
half-conscious principle. Mercenary!--how could it be mercenary? The
world had done him the huge injustice of leaving him, a born prince,
without any due provision, and was it not some one’s duty--every one’s
duty--to neutralise that horrible injustice? Clare no longer thought of
it as a desire on his part, but as a necessity on her own. And now he
must go away, as poor, as unfriended, as lonely as ever, without either
money in his purse, or companion to make his life go easier! She too
grew furious with Edgar as she thought it all over. For a caprice! It
must be a caprice. He said it was not for Gussy Thornleigh, which would
have been a feasible reason, though frivolous. And what then was it for?
A foolish boyish fancy, an inclination towards pleasure-seeking and the
follies of London society. Nothing more! And to risk two lives for that!
To break up all the combinations that were daily growing into shape and
becoming practicable--all for a vulgar fancy to go to town! Clare was
very angry with her brother. She thought more meanly of him than she had
ever done before. “It is his education,” she said to herself. “He must
have been used to all kinds of junketing, as people are abroad, and he
has tried to get into our quiet English ways without effect. And he
feels he must get back to his natural element. Oh, heavens, _my_
brother!” This was how poor Edgar was judged in the midst of his
self-denial--the usual fate of those who think more of others than of
themselves.
It was not till the very day before her brother’s departure that Clare
acquired a clearer light upon the subject. She had gone to visit Miss
Somers, which was a duty she had much neglected of late. The village too
had been neglected; she could scarcely tell why. “I have been so busy,”
she said, “with visitors in the house. Visitors are so rare in Arden,
one gets out of the way of them; but now Edgar is going away, of course
I shall be quiet enough.”
This she said with a sigh; but Miss Somers was not quick enough at the
first moment to understand that Clare had sighed. She was full of other
subjects, and anxious for information on her own account.
“Dear Edgar, he is so nice,” she said. “A young man, you know, who must
have so many things--but just as pleased---- Do you know, I think he
is--a little--fond of me, Clare! Of course I don’t mean anything but
what is right. I am old enough to be---- And then to think he should
ask in that nice way----Fancy, Clare, my advice! If it had been my
brother, you know--or anybody--but my advice!”
“Did Edgar ask your advice?” said Clare, with a smile; and she said to
herself what a deceiver he is--he will do anything to please people. As
if anybody could be the better of Miss Somers’s advice!
“It was not for himself, my dear. Of course it can’t be very---- I may
tell _you_. That friend of his, Clare, and the sister, you know---- And
then somebody that was fond of her--and what was he to do? It was as
good as a novel--indeed, I think it was rather better. Don’t you
remember that story where there was---- Oh, my dear child, I am sure you
remember! There was such a sweet girl--Helena was her name--or no--I
think it was Adela, or something--and she had a lover. Just the same----
And then the good brother in such distress. Clare, why do you turn so
red? I am sure you know----”
“About a brother and a sister and a gentleman who loved her,” said
Clare, colouring high. “Oh, no--I mean yes--I think I do recollect. And
did you say the brother wanted your advice?”
This was said in a tone which chilled poor Miss Somers through and
through to her very heart.
“I told him so,” she said, faltering. “Of course I never pretended to
set up to be very---- And how could I give advice? But then the poor
dear brother was so---- And I suppose he thought a lady, you know--and
old enough to be--or perhaps it was only to please me. I told him oh,
no! never, never! And I told him some things that were _too_---- Dear
Edgar was quite affected, Clare.”
“Did you advise him to go away?” asked Clare, with a smouldering fire in
her eyes.
“Oh, my dear, could I take upon me to---- And then he never said anything
about---- It was the poor girl I was thinking of. I said oh, no! never,
never!--rather anything than that. You know what I have said to you so
often, Clare? When a girl has a disappointment, you never can tell. It
may be consumption, or it may be--oh, my dear, the unlikeliest
things!--bilious fever I have known, or even rheumatism. I told dear
Edgar, and he was so nice; he was sure his friend would never think----
And fancy, dear, of its being _my_ advice!”
“It must be very flattering to you,” said Clare; but she rose instantly,
and took a very summary leave, avoiding Miss Somers’s kiss. She went
home, glowing with anger and mortified pride. It was but too easy to see
through so simple a veil. Edgar, who met her on the way home, could not
understand her glowing cheek and angry eye. He turned and walked with
her, feeling quite concerned about his sister. “What has happened?” he
said. “Something disagreeable at the village? Can I set it right for
you, Clare?”
“No,” she said; “it is nothing disagreeable in the village. It is much
nearer than the village. Edgar, I have found out why you are going away.
You are going for my sake; you think I am not able to manage my own
affairs--to take care of myself. You think so poorly of your sister as
that!”
“What do you mean?” he said. “_I_ think anything that is disagreeable or
distasteful to you? You cannot believe it for a moment----”
“It is that Arthur Arden may go,” she said firmly, but with flaming
cheeks. And Edgar looked at her confused, not knowing what to say. But
after the first moment he recovered himself.
“I think he has paid us a sufficiently long visit, I confess,” he said.
“I think, as it cannot be his while I live, that perhaps he had better
not remain longer at Arden. But why should this be a matter of offence
to you?”
Clare was silent; her blush grew hotter, her eyes were glowing still,
but she faltered, and drooped her head as she went on.
“If that was all! if you had no other meaning! Edgar, do you think I am
so frivolous, so lightly moved, so----”
“Clare,” he said seriously, “do not let us discuss a subject which has
not yet been put in our way. I think of you as the creature I love best
in the world. I prize your happiness, and comfort, and welfare more than
anything in the world. What would you have me say? I do not think I am
wronging any one by going for a few weeks to London. I neither reproach
nor restrain by so simple a step. Don’t let us talk of it any more.”
“You do both,” said Clare, under her breath; but Edgar was kind, and
would not hear. He was sorry for her, seeing her emotion, and he was
half ashamed besides that his immaculate sister--the Princess whom
everybody served and honoured--should suffer herself to be thus moved.
It gave him a little pang to think that anything connected with Arthur
Arden, or, indeed, with any man, could thus disturb her stately maidenly
serenity. A man may be very respectful of love in the abstract, but the
sight of his sister in love is a sight which is not pleasant to him. He
tried to shut it out from himself by rushing hurriedly into other
matters of conversation, and did a great deal of talking by way of
covering her silence. Clare recovered her composure by degrees, and then
had to recover from the shame which followed, and the feeling of having
betrayed herself, so that Edgar’s monologue was of infinite value to
her, though, perhaps, she was scarcely grateful enough to him for
keeping it up; and it was then that she fully found out that her
brother, who was so weakly considerate of everybody’s feelings, and
anxious to save everybody pain, was nevertheless very firm when he
thought it necessary, and did not give in, as many people supposed he
would be sure to do. This discovery had a great effect upon his sister.
It bewildered her, as going entirely against her preconceived notions,
and it also moved her to a little alarm. For she, too, had supposed he
would yield, being so tender of giving pain, and he had not yielded nor
budged a step. And Clare, high-minded and high-spirited and proud as she
was, grew frightened, as she glanced with furtive eyes at her gentle
brother, who, she knew well, would not hurt a fly.
But if Clare was frightened, the effect upon Edgar was still more
serious. He felt that his flight was too late to do any good. She loved
this man whom he thought so unworthy of her. So much older, poorer, less
true and good than herself; a man, with so many soils of the world upon
him, whom even Edgar felt to possess experiences of which he would
rather know nothing; but Clare loved him! Nothing else could account
for her agitation. It was too late to banish him from the house, too
late to build up defences round her--the stronghold was gone. Edgar’s
quick mind jumped from that conclusion to an instant and final summary
of Arthur Arden’s character. He was a man who might mend, as so many men
might mend, if prosperity smiled upon him. If he had love, and money,
and an established position, he might settle down, as so many have
settled down, all his wild oats sown, and himself a most virtuous member
of society--“a sober man among his boys,” giving them the best advice
and example. Had he been the Squire, he would have fitted the place
beautifully. This idea came to Edgar in spite of himself. He would have
made an admirable Squire, and the little process of wild oats-sowing
would have been no social disadvantage to him. Even now, if he became
Mr. Arden, of Old Arden, in right of his wife--this was one of the
things that annoyed Edgar, but he tried to look it in the face. His
sister had said no more about giving that possession up, and Edgar did
not find it within the limits of his powers to make a proposal to her on
the subject--and accordingly the chances were that Arthur would be
Arden, of Old Arden, while Edgar was only the young Squire. It galled
even his sweet temper to think of this transference. But, putting
feeling aside, and thinking only of justice, he did not doubt that his
cousin would mend. He had reached the age when men often mend, when
dissipation becomes less sweet, and reputation more dear, and when
comfort comes in as a powerful auxiliary to virtue. To have only such
satisfaction as could be given by these thoughts when he was considering
Clare’s future husband, and her hopes of happiness, was poor enough; but
still it was better than the thought that he was giving her over to the
charge of a man who would ruin her and break her heart.
The household at Arden was an uneasy one that night; the three kept
together, making each other uncomfortable, but with a vague sense of
safety in company. Edgar was anxious to prevent any definite
explanation; Arthur was afraid to risk the words he would be sure to say
if Clare and he were alone; and she, not knowing what she feared, not
knowing what she wished, afraid of her brother, afraid of her cousin,
uncertain of herself, kept between them, with such a painful attempt at
ordinary talk as was possible. They were to separate to-morrow--the two
men into the world, the woman into the stillness which had been familiar
to her so long. “I am used to it, but it will be different,” she said,
almost pathetically, strong in the presence of both, and feeling that
what she said could produce no agitating response. “It will be very
different for all of us,” said Arthur Arden. “Will there ever come days
like these again?”