"Going away? Nonsense, Elise; you are joking. The very idea of Mrs.
Costello going away from Cacouna!"
"She _is_ going at any rate, to my sorrow, she and Lucia both; for six
months at least, they say."
Mrs. Bellairs and her sister were together again, and Bella, though she
was getting used to be called Mrs. Morton, and to see the wedding-ring
on her finger, was not at all sobered yet by her matronly state, but
might have passed perfectly well for Bella Latour. She and her husband,
who had no leisure for a long wedding-tour, had come back to Cacouna the
evening before, and were dining to-day at her brother-in-law's. The two
ladies were sitting in Mrs. Bellairs' room, and Bella was beginning to
hear what little news there was in Cacouna since she went away.
"Where are they going?" she asked when she had had time to believe this
surprising item regarding the Costellos.
"South, I believe, for the winter. Mrs. Costello is not well."
"Mrs. Costello or Lucia? Upon my word, if Lucia is not breaking her
heart, she ought to be, for Mr. Percy."
"Bella, I wish you would leave off talking such nonsense. Do you never
mean to be wiser?"
"Never, my dear; it's hopeless. But confess, Elise, that you were very
fidgety about Lucia, and heartily glad to get rid of your visitor. Why,
I saw it in every line of your letter, which told me he was gone."
Mrs. Bellairs coloured. "Yes, I will confess I was not sorry when he
went; he bored me a little, and I am afraid I was not as hospitable as I
might have been."
"Well, and how about Lucia? You might as well tell me, for I shall see
her to-morrow and find out everything."
"There is nothing for me to tell or you to find out. Lucia is anxious
about her mother, and, I think, sorry to leave Cacouna. There is
something like a shadow of real trouble upon her face, and I advise you,
Bella, if you have any regard for her, to talk no nonsense to her about
Mr. Percy."
Bella looked positively grave for a moment. She was but just married,
and was very happy herself--it was natural, perhaps, that she should
refuse in her own heart to acknowledge the necessity for Lucia's "real
trouble" having other cause than the departure of Percy; but, like her
sister, she was very warm-hearted, though her flightiness often
concealed it, and she had a small fund of sentiment and romance safely
hidden away somewhere, which helped to make her sympathetic.
Mrs. Bellairs was pleased with her sister's gravity. She did not choose
to confess that she also believed Lucia had to some degree grieved over
her absent admirer, for she knew nothing of his proposal or what had
followed it, and had a peculiar dislike to hearing Lucia's name linked
with his in Bella's careless talk. But she had seen clearly enough that
if he was regretted, that regret was but part of Lucia's trouble, and
she wanted to say nothing of her own suspicions, and yet to save Lucia
from the attack Bella was sure to make upon her, if she did not perceive
(as she was not likely to do unaided) that her jests were specially
ill-timed. So she went on talking.
"They are to shut up the Cottage, and I have promised to look into it
occasionally and see that it is kept in repair, but I think their
greatest difficulty is about poor Mr. Leigh, whom Maurice left in their
care. I do not know what he will do without them."
"I suppose there is news of Maurice? You have not sent me any."
"He found his grandfather ill, and in great want of some one of his own
family about him; but not, I fancy, at all likely to die. He is slightly
paralysed and unable to move without help, or to amuse himself in any
way. Poor Maurice seems to have no easy life as far as I can judge."
"Did his grandfather receive him kindly?"
"Very much so, he says. Maurice is like his mother, and that pleased the
old man greatly. He introduced him to everybody as his heir."
"Instead of saying 'Poor Maurice,' you ought to say 'Lucky Maurice.'
His head will be quite turned."
Mrs. Bellairs smiled. "No fear," she answered. "His heart is in Canada
still, and that will keep his head steady."
"What does he say to this move of the Costellos?"
"How can he say anything? It is not three weeks since your marriage, and
they knew nothing of it themselves then."
"True, I forgot. I feel as if I had been married a year."
"Not complimentary to the Doctor, if his company is what has made the
time seem so long."
"You know very well I don't mean that--only I feel quite settled down
into a married woman."
"Do you really? No one would guess it. But what can our two husbands be
doing all this time?"
"Here they come. Positively stopping in the hall for a few last words.
Treason, no doubt, or they would come in at once, and let us hear."
Treason it was in one sense certainly, for the two gentlemen were
discussing a subject which they knew would be displeasing to Bella, if
not to both their wives, and which they meant to keep carefully to
themselves. It related to Bella's unprofitable farm on Beaver Creek,
which her husband was resolved to turn to better account, and from which
he had, immediately after his marriage, desired Mr. Bellairs to use the
shortest method of ejecting the tenants who now occupied it. Something
had already been done, but Doctor Morton fancied too tardily, and he had
been urging upon his brother-in-law more vigorous measures. The
conclusion of their conversation was this:--
"And I wish, if possible, you would let Clarkson understand that it is
quite useless to send his wife to plague Bella. She agrees with me that
women had better always leave business to their husbands, and I have no
intention of letting her be humbugged out of her property."
"Very well," said Mr. Bellairs, not altogether pleased with this speech,
"only I warn you, Clarkson is an awkward fellow to deal with, and if you
do turn him out, you may expect him to revenge himself in any and every
way he can."
Doctor Morton laughed. "I give him leave," he said. "As long as Bella
knows nothing of the matter, it will not trouble me."
With that he opened the door, and came into the room where his bride
sat entirely unsuspicious of his intentions, or of the way in which her
own innocent words had been made use of.
What Magdalen Scott had said of Doctor Morton on his wedding-day was
perfectly true--he was a hard man. Not cruel or unjust, but keen and
hard. He did no wrong to any one. He could even be liberal and
considerate in his dealings with those who could not wrong him; but he
had neither forbearance nor mercy for those who defrauded him in any way
whatever of his rights. He was fond of his wife, being his wife, but if
she had been poor he would never have thought of marrying her. Her
possessions were, plainly and honestly, of as much value to him as
herself. He would tolerate the loss of the one as soon as that of the
other. The farm at Beaver Creek was the only thing she had brought him
which was not in a satisfactory state; it had cost him considerable
thought during their short engagement, and being extremely prompt and
business-like in his ideas, he had made up his mind that the land should
be cleared at once of intruders, that the wood might be cut down during
the winter, and cultivation begin with the following spring. Having
decided upon this, he was not a person to be turned from his plan by
difficulties. He thought both Mr. Latour and Mr. Bellairs had been
remiss in their work of dealing with the squatters, and felt a sort of
resentment against them for having taken such negligent care of _his_
property. He did not like at present to go so far as to take the case
entirely out of his brother-in-law's hands, but he had decided that it
would be necessary himself to look after, and urge on, the proceedings
which were being taken against Clarkson.
He determined, therefore, that the first time he could spare an hour or
two from his profession, he would ride over alone to Beaver Creek, and
see precisely the condition of the land, and what inroads had been made
upon it by Clarkson and the Indians. It was only a day or two later that
he carried out his intention; and after a few early visits to patients,
turned his horse's head along the road which, following the general
direction of the river bank, led towards Beaver Creek. He rode tolerably
fast for two or three miles, and then began to slacken his pace, and
look round him with greater interest. He was still some distance from
the creek itself, but the land lay on this side of it, and he was
curious to know the condition of the neighbouring farms. He had not
been very long resident in Cacouna, and was but little acquainted with
the country in this direction, except where, here and there, he had paid
professional visits.
But at last he arrived at what he knew by description must be his wife's
property, and his examination began in good earnest. For the most part,
however, there was nothing to examine except timber, and that of little
value. "Plenty of firewood," was his only comment as he went on. Beyond
the belt of wood, however, he came upon a clear space bordering the
creek, and strewed with decayed fish, fragments of old nets, and broken
pieces of wood--traces of the use to which the Indians were in the habit
of putting it. A small hut stood just in the shelter of the bush, but it
was empty, and the whole place had the look of being not inhabited, but
only visited occasionally for fishing.
A rough cart-track led past the hut and towards the mouth of the creek.
Along this Doctor Morton turned, and soon came in sight of the log-house
which Clarkson had built upon the very best corner of the land. It was
by no means an uncomfortable-looking dwelling. The rough logs were
partly covered by a wild vine, and a quantity of hop plants, still
green and leafy. The roof, instead of shingles, was thatched with sheets
of bark, and an iron stove pipe passing through these was the only
visible chimney. But the place had a well-to-do look, which was not
likely to improve the Doctor's good humour. There was a little garden
roughly railed in, in front, and some children playing there. At the end
of the house was a small farm-yard, with pigs, a cow, and a shaggy
horse, all looking out serenely at the stranger. Each one of the
occupants of the place seemed to feel perfectly secure and at home, and
to have neither suspicion nor fear of the speedy ejection which was
being planned for them. No doubt it was very absurd, but even the serene
sleepy eyes of the cow seemed to have aggravation in them, and the
Doctor turned his horse round to return home, in the worst possible
humour.
The country roads were so bad, however, that though it always appears
natural for a man in a passion to ride fast, he was obliged to check his
horse and pick his way among the deep ruts and holes. Going on in this
way and having some little trouble with the animal, which was young and
spirited, he saw a man coming along the road before him, and as they
drew nearer recognized Clarkson.
The squatter was not a pleasant man to look at. He was of middle height,
very broadly and strongly built, but with a slouching gait which
corresponded perfectly with the expression of his coarse features, half
brutal, half sly. He wore an old fur cap, drawn so low upon his forehead
as to shade his eyes, and conceal the frown with which he perceived his
enemy. His usual audacity of manner, however, did not desert him. He
stood still as the other approached, and called out,
"Good morning, Doctor. Been looking at your property?"
"Yes," was the answer. "And I have one thing to say to you, the sooner
you are off it the better."
"Now, that ain't reasonable," Clarkson said, coming nearer. "I've built
a bit of a house there, and took a world of trouble, and you expect me
to give it up for nothing."
"Decidedly I do. Good morning."
He was moving on, when Clarkson caught his rein.
"Look here, Doctor Morton," he said, "I found the land wild as land
could be. I took possession of it, and kept it. Mr. Latour was not hard
upon me, nor Miss Latour neither; and I can't see why you as has had
nothing to do with it, neither buying it, nor building on it, should be
so much keener after it than them."
"I don't mean to argue the matter," the Doctor answered. "You've had
warning enough; and I mean you to go. Loose my horse."
Clarkson's face was growing darker every moment. He held the bridle more
firmly, and began to speak again.
Doctor Morton suddenly raised his riding-whip, and let the handle fall
sharply on the hand that detained him; at the same moment he spurred his
horse, and the animal, springing forward, struck Clarkson with its
shoulder and sent him staggering back across the road. He recovered
himself in a moment, and darted forward with an oath, but it was too
late--horse and rider were already far beyond his reach.
Doctor Morton went straight to Mr. Bellairs' office. He felt it needful
to get rid, in some way, of his new irritation against Clarkson, but
some consciousness of being for the moment urged on by personal
dislike, made him say nothing of their encounter. He merely satisfied
himself that his brother-in-law, considerably piqued by the implied
blame which had been thrown upon his guardianship, was now doing all
that was possible to satisfy his eagerness.
After all these affairs it was late when he reached home. He and Bella
were going to dine out, and she was waiting impatiently for him when he
finished his day's work and went in to dress. He had no time to talk to
her then, and kept what he had to say for their drive; but as they drove
along, it occurred to him that if he told her of his meeting with
Clarkson she would worry herself, and perhaps him also, so he finally
kept it to himself altogether, and as his ill-humour subsided it passed
out of his mind.
END OF VOL. I.
PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO.,
LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.
End of Project Gutenberg's A Canadian Heroine, Volume 1, by Mrs. Harry Coghill