Loath to depose the child, your brother’s son.--SHAKESPEARE.
A telegram early the next day announced that the Rotherwood family were
on their way, and they came in due time, the kind embrace that Francie
received from each in turn being such as to set doubts at rest.
In fact, the dread, first of Monte Carlo, and secondly of Maura White,
had done much to prepare the way with Lady Rotherwood. If she had
first heard of her son’s attachment to the pretty child who acted Mona,
daughter to the upstart Vanderkists, and with a ruined father of no good
repute, she would have held it a foolish delusion to be crushed without
delay; but when this same attachment had lasted eight or nine months,
and had only found avowal on the removal of a supposed rival; when,
moreover, her darling had been ill, had revived at the aspect of the
young lady, and had conducted himself in a place of temptation so as to
calm an anxious mother’s heart, she could see with his eyes, not only
that Franceska was really beautiful, graceful, and a true lady, but
likely to develop still more under favourable circumstances; that she
had improved in looks, air, and manner on her travels, also that she had
never been injured by any contact with undesirable persons, but had been
trained by the excellent Underwoods, whose gentle blood and breeding
were undeniable. Nor would “the daughter of the late Sir Adrian
Vanderkist, Baronet, of Ironbeam Park,” sound much amiss. He was so
late, that his racing doings might be forgotten.
Indeed, as the Marchioness looked up to the castle, she felt that she
could forgive a good deal to the damsel who had saved the family from
the “sorry Rebecca,” who had cried all night, and was still crying,
whenever any more tears would come, and not getting much pity from any
of her relatives. Mr. White told her that she was a little fool to have
expected anything from a young swell; her brother said she might have
known that it was absurd to expect that any one could look at her when
Miss Franceska was by; and Mrs. White observed that it was wonderful to
her to see so little respect shown for maiden dignity, as to endure to
manifest disappointment. Adeline might speak from ample experience, and
certainly her words had a salutary effect.
However, the Whites en famille were not quite the same externally. When
Lord Rotherwood, after luncheon, went to see old White at the works, and
look after his font, he met with a reception as stiff and cold as could
well be paid to a distinguished customer who was not at all in fault;
and for the first time Mr. White was too busy to walk back with him to
the castle to see Adeline, whom he found, as usual, on a couch on the
terrace in the shade of the house, a pretty picture among the flowers
and vines. She was much more open with him, as became one who understood
more of his point of view.
“Well, Rotherwood, I suppose I am to congratulate you, though it is
scarcely a fair match in a worldly point of view.”
“For which I care not a rap. She is a good, simple girl, and a perfect
lady.”
“And Victoria? May I ask, does not she think it a misalliance,
considering what these Vanderkists are--and the Underwoods?”
“There’s no one I respect more than Lancelot Underwood. As to Victoria,
she is thankful that it is no worse.”
“Ah! I know what you mean, but you can’t wonder that my husband should
feel it hard that there should have been some kind of flirtation. He is
fond of Maura, you know, and he does feel that there must have been some
slyness in some one to cause this affair to have been so suddenly sprung
on us.”
“Slyness--aye, I believe there was. Tell me, Ada, had you any notion
that that lad, Gerald Underwood, was engaged to Dolores Mohun?”
“No; who told you?”
“Mysie let it out. She had been warned not to mention it till his
position was ascertained, Maurice’s consent and all.”
“I must say Mysie should have spoken. It was not fair towards me to keep
it back.”
“Still less fair of Maura, if that’s her name, to hint at attachment
between Franceska and the boy. That was the embargo upon my poor fellow.
He rushed off to have it out the moment he saw how matters stood.”
“Well, it was a great shame; but girls are girls, especially with those
antecedents, and Maura did not know to the contrary. You will believe
me, Rotherwood, I never had any desire that she should succeed. I would
have sent her away if I could; but you can’t wonder that Mr. White is
vexed, and feels as if there had been underhand dealing.”
“I see he is. But you will not let him make it unpleasant for the
Underwoods.”
“Oh no, no! They have not much longer to stay. They are in
correspondence about a rheumatic clergyman.”
Mrs. White, however, determined not to expose Maura to her husband,
though she reproached her, and was rather shocked by the young lady’s
self-defence. It was a natural idea, and no one had ever told her to
the contrary. It was all spite in Mysie Merrifield to proclaim it after
having kept it back so long.
She really was in such a state of mind that Mrs. White was rather
relieved that the Rotherwoods had taken Franceska to San Remo to stay
till Ivinghoe had to depart. Anna was left to send off the little
felicitous note that she had written to her mother.
Each and all were writing letters that would be received with
rapture almost incredulous, for no one but Sophia could have had any
preparation.
“It is pleasant to think of poor Alda’s delight,” said Geraldine, over
her writing-case. “After all her troubles, to have her utmost ambition
fulfilled at last; and yet--and yet it does seem turning that pretty
creature over to a life of temptation.”
“In good hands,” said Clement. “The youth himself is a nice honest
fellow, a mere boy as yet; but it is something to have no harm in him at
two-and-twenty and in the Guards; and his parents are evidently ready to
watch over and guide them.”
“If her head does not get turned,” sighed Geraldine.
“Just as likely in any other station,” replied Clement. “The protection
must come from within, not from the externals; and I do think that
she--yes, and he too--have that Guard within them.”
“I think the sooner we are away from this place the better,” said
Geraldine. “There are such things as cold shoulders, and perhaps
displeasure is in human nature, though it is not our fault.”
“Which is the worse for us,” laughed her brother, “since we can’t beg
pardon.”
The cold shoulder was manifested by a note of apology the next morning
from Mr. White. He was too busy to go with Mr. Underwood to Santa
Carmela on this day, but had sent the young quarry-man to act as
guide, and his foreman as interpreter. So Clement had his long ride on
mule-back mostly in silence, though this he scarcely lamented, for he
could better enjoy the mountain peaks and the valleys bright with rich
grass, with anemones of all colours, hyacinths, strange primulas and
gentians, without having to make talk to Mr. White. But his journey was
without result. He did find an exceedingly old woman keeping sheep and
spinning wool with a distaff, who owned to the name of Cecca Benista.
She once had a brother. Yes, Gian was his name, but he went away, as
they all did. He had a voice bellissima, si bellissima; and some one
told her long, long ago, that he had made his fortune, and formed a
company, but he had never come home--no, no, and was probably dead,
though she had never heard; and he had sent nothing--no, no!
Then Clement tried the priest of the curious little church on the
hill-side, a memory of Elijah and the convents on Mount Carmel. The
Parrocco was a courteous man, quite a peasant, and too young to know
much about the past generation. He gave Clement a refection of white
bread, goats’ milk cheese, and coffee, and held up his hands on the
declining of his thin wine. There was a kind of register of baptisms,
and Giovanni Batista Benista was hunted out, and it was found that if
alive he would be over seventy years old. But no more was known, and
there was no proof that he was dead twenty-two years before!
That long day had convinced Geraldine that the pleasantness of
intercourse with the Whites was over, and she was not sorry that a
letter was waiting for Clement to say that the rheumatic clergyman would
arrive, if desired, in another week. This was gladly accepted, and the
question remained, whither should they go? Clement’s year of absence
would be over in June, and he was anxious to get home; besides that,
it was desirable to take Francie to her mother as soon as possible.
The only cause for delay was the possibility of Gerald’s extracting
something further from his mother, which might lead to further
researches on the Continent; but as most places were readily accessible
from London, this was decided against, and it was determined to go back
to Brompton at the same time as the Rotherwoods returned from San Remo.
On the last Sunday Mr. White showed himself much more cordial than he
had been since the crisis. He waited in the porch to say--
“Well, sir, you have given us some very excellent sermons, and I am sure
we are much obliged to you. If I can help you any more in investigating
that unlucky affair of your nephew, do not hesitate to write to me. I
shall be delighted to assist you in coming to your rights.”
“Thank you; though I sincerely hope they are not my rights.”
“Ah, well. You are not so advanced in life but that if you came into
anything good, you might marry and start on a new lease! You are pounds
better than when you came here.”
Which last clause was so true that Clement could only own it, with
thanks to his good-humoured host, who lingered a little still to say--
“I am sorry any vexation arose about those foolish young people, but you
see young women will wish to do the best they can for themselves, and
will make mischief too if one listens to them. A sensible man won’t.
That’s what I say.”
Clement quite agreed, though he was not sensible of having listened to
any of the mischief-making, but he heartily shook hands with Mr. White,
and went away, glad to be at peace.