‘Twas in the summer-time so sweet,
When hearts and flowers are both in season,
That who, of all the world should meet,
In “twilight eve,” but Love and Reason.
T. MOORE.
That moon and sparkling lights did not shine alone for Gerald and
Dolores. There were multitudes on the cliffs and the beach, and Sir
Ferdinand and Lady Travis Underwood with their party had come to an
irregular sort of dinner-supper at St. Andrew’s Rock. With them, or
rather before them, came Mr. Bramshaw, the engineer, who sent in
his card to Mr. Clement Underwood, and entered with a leathern bag,
betraying the designs on Penbeacon.
Not that these were more than an introduction. Indeed, under the present
circumstances, a definite answer was impossible; but there was another
question, namely, that which regarded Sophia Vanderkist. She had indeed
long been of age, but of course her suitor could not but look to her
former guardian for consent and influence. He was a very bearded man,
pleasant-spoken and gentlemanlike, and Lancelot had prepared his brother
by saying that he knew all about the family, and they were highly
respectable solicitors at Minsterham, one son a master in the school at
Stoneborough. So Clement listened favourably, liked the young man, and
though his fortunes at present depended on his work, and Lady Vanderkist
was no friend to his suit, gave him fair encouragement, and invited him
to join the meal, though the party was already likely to be too numerous
for the dining-room.
That mattered the less when all the young and noisy ones could be
placed, to their great delight, under the verandah outside, where they
could talk and laugh to their utmost content, without incommoding Uncle
Clement, or being awed by Cousin Fernan’s black beard and Cacique-like
gravity. How they discussed and made fun over the humours of the bazaar;
nor was Gerald’s wit the slackest, nor his mirth the most lagging. He
was very far from depressed now that the first shock was over. He knew
himself to be as much loved or better than ever by those whose affection
he valued, and he was sure of Dolores’ heart as he had never yet been.
The latent Bohemianism in his nature woke with the prospect of having
his own way to make, and being free from the responsibilities of an
estate, and his chivalry was excited by the pleasure of protecting his
little half-sister, in pursuit of whom he intended to go.
So, light-hearted enough to amaze the elders who knew the secret, he
jumped up to go with the rest of the party to the cliff walk, where the
brilliant ships could best be seen. Lance, though his headache was,
as Geraldine said, visible on his brow, declared that night air and
sea-breeze were the best remedy, and went in charge of the two boys,
lest his dainty Ariel should make an excursion over the rocks; and the
four young ladies were escorted by Gerald and the engineer.
The elders were much too tired for further adventures, and Geraldine
and Marilda were too intimate to feel bound to talk. Only a few words
dropped now and then about Emilia and her hospital, where she was to
be left for a year, while Fernan with Marilda visited his American
establishments, and on their return would decide whether she would
return, or whether they would take Franceska, or a younger one, in her
stead. The desertion put Marilda out of heart, and she sighed what a
pity it was that the girl would not listen to young Brown.
Meanwhile, Clement was making Ferdinand go over with him Edgar’s words
about his marriage. They had all been written down immediately after his
death, and had been given to Felix with the certificates of the marriage
and birth and of the divorce, and they were now no doubt with other
documents and deeds in the strong-box at Vale Leston Priory. Fernan
could only repeat the words which had been burnt in on his memory,
and promise to hunt up the evidence of the form and manner of the
dissolution of the marriage at Chicago. Like Clement himself, he
very much doubted whether the allegation would not break down in some
important point, but he wished Gerald to be assured that if the worst
came to the worst, he would never be left destitute, since that
first meeting--the baptism, and the receiving him from the dying
father--amounted to an adoption sacred in his eyes.
Then, seeing how worn-out Clement looked, he abetted Sibby and
Geraldine, in shutting their patient safe up in his bedroom, not to be
“mislested” any more that night, said Sibby. So he missed the rush of
the return. First came the two sober sisters, Anna and Emilia, only
sorry that Aunt Cherry had not seen the lovely sea, the exquisite
twinkle of silvered waves as the moon rose, and then the outburst of
coloured lights, taking many forms, and the brilliant fireworks darting
to and fro, describing curves, bursting and scattering their sparks.
Emilia had, however, begun by the anxious question--
“Nan, what is it with Gerald?”
“I don’t quite know. I suspect Dolores has somehow teased him, though it
is not like her.”
“Then there is something in it?”
“I can’t help believing so, but I don’t believe it has come to
anything.”
“And is she not a most disagreeable girl! Those black eyebrows do look
so sullen and thunderous.”
“Oh no, Emmie, I thought so at first, but she can’t help her eyebrows;
and when you come to know her there is a vast deal in her--thought, and
originality, and purpose. I am sure it has been good for Gerald. He has
seemed more definite and in earnest lately, less as if he were playing
with everything, with all views all round.”
“But his spirits are so odd!--so merry and then so grave.”
“That is only during these last few days, and I fancy there must be some
hitch--perhaps about Dolores’ father, and we are all in such haste.”
Emilia did not pursue the subject. She had never indulged in the folly
of expecting any signs of actual love from her cousin. She had always
known that the family regarded any closer bond as impossible; but she
had been always used to be his chief confidante, and she missed his
attention, but she would not own this even to herself, go she talked
of her hospital schemes with much zest, and how she should spend her
outings at a favourite sisterhood.
“For,” said she, “I am tired of luxury.”
It had been a delightful walk to Anna, with her companion sister,
discussing Adrian, or Emily’s plans, or Sophy’s prospects. They had come
home the sooner, for Emily had to pack, as she was to spend a little
while with her mother at Vale Leston. Where was Franceska? They were
somewhat dismayed not to find her, but it was one of the nights when
everybody loses everybody, and no doubt she was with Uncle Lance, or
with Sophy, or Gerald.
No such thing. Here was Uncle Lance with his two boys in varying kinds
of delight, Adrian pronouncing that “it was very jolly, the most ripping
sight he ever saw,” then eating voraciously, with his eyes half shut,
and tumbling off to bed “like a veritable Dutchman,” said Lance, who
had his own son in a very different mood, with glowing cheeks, sparkling
eyes, appetite gone for very excitement, as he sprang about and waved
his hands to describe the beautiful course of the rockets, and the fall
of the stars from the Roman candles.
“Oh, such as I never--never saw! How shall I get Pearl and Audrey to get
even a notion of it? Grandpapa will guess in a moment! Oh, and the sea,
all shine with a path of--of glory! Oh, daddy, there are things more
beautiful than anybody could ever dream of!”
“Go and dream then, my sprite. Try to be as still as you can, even if
you do go on feeling the yacht, and seeing the sparks when you shut your
eyes. For you see my head is bad, and I do want a chance of sleep.”
“Poor daddy! I’ll try, even if the music goes on in my head.
Good-night.”
“That will keep him quieter than anything,” said Lance; “but I would not
give much for the chance of his not seeing the dawn.”
“Or you either, I fear,” said Geraldine. “Have you slept since the
discovery?”
“I shall make my sleep up at home, now I have had the whole out. Who
comes now?”
It was Sophy, with her look of
“Gentle wishes long subdued,
Subdued and cherished long.”
Mr. Bramshaw had brought her to the door, and no doubt she and he had
had a quiet, restful time of patient planning; but the not finding
Francie soon filled her with great alarm and self-reproach for having
let herself be drawn away from the party, when all had stood together
on Miss Mohun’s lawn. She wanted to start off at once in search of her
sister, and was hardly pacified by finding that Gerald was still to
come. Then, however, Gerald did come, and alone. He said he had just
seen the Clipstone party off. No, he had not seen Francie there; but he
added, rather as if recovering from a bewilderment, as Sophy was asking
him to come out with her again, “Oh, never fear. Lord Ivinghoe was there
somewhere!”
“I thought he was gone.”
“No, he said the yacht got in too late for the train. Never mind, Sophy,
depend upon it she is all right.”
None of the ladies present felt equally pleased, but in a minute or two
more in came a creature, bright, lovely, and flushed, with two starry
eyes, gleaming like the blue lights on the ships.
“Oh, Cousin Marilda, have I kept you waiting? I am so sorry!”
“Where have you been?”
“Only on the cliff walk. Lord Ivinghoe took me to see the place where
his father had the accident, and we watched the fireworks from there.
Oh, it was so nice, and still more beautiful when the strange lights
were out and the people gone, and only the lovely quiet moon shining on
the sea, and a path of light from Venus.”
“I should think so,” muttered Gerald, and Marilda began--
“Pretty well, miss.”
“I am very sorry to bo so late,” began Francie, and Geraldine caught an
opportunity while shawling Marilda to say--
“Dear, good Marilda, I implore you to say nothing to put it into her
head or Alda’s. I don’t think any harm is done yet, but it can’t be
anything. It can’t come to good, and it would only be unhappiness to
them all.”
“Oh, ah! well, I’ll try. But what a chance it would be, and how happy it
would make poor Alda!”
“It can’t be. The boy’s mother would never let him look at her! Don’t,
don’t, don’t!”
“Well, I’ll try not.” She kissed her fondly.
Gerald’s walk had been with Dolores of course, a quiet, grave, earnest
talk and walk, making them feel how much they belonged to one another,
and building schemes in which they were to learn the nature of the poor
and hard-worked, by veritably belonging to them, and being thus able
to be of real benefit. In truth, neither of them, in their brave
youthfulness, really regretted Vale Leston, and the responsibilities;
and, as Gerald declared, he would give it up tomorrow gladly if he could
save his name and his father’s from shame, but, alas! the things went
together.
Dolores wished to write fully to her father, and that Gerald should
do the same, but she did not wish to have the matter discussed in
the family at once, before his answer came, and Gerald had agreed to
silence, as indeed they would not call themselves engaged till that
time. Indeed, Dolores said there was so much excitement about Captain
Armytage that no one was thinking of her.