E-text prepared by D Alexander, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net)
THE TIME OF ROSES
by
MRS. L. T. MEADE
Author of
"A Bunch of Cherries," "Daddy's Girl," "Bad Little Hannah," "A World of
Girls," "A School Favorite," Etc.
"It was the Time of Roses;
We plucked them as we passed."
Chicago
M. A. Donohue & Company
[Illustration]
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Home at Last 5
II. The Little Mummy's Arrangements 13
III. A Startling Meeting 19
IV. An Evil Genius 28
V. Maurice Trevor 33
VI. Mrs. Aylmer's Strategy 41
VII. The Chains Begin to Fret 48
VIII. Bertha's Quandary 56
IX. A Tempting Offer 63
X. The Little Mummy's Curiosity 69
XI. Florence's Good Angel 72
XII. Alone in London 80
XIII. A Weary Wait 88
XIV. A Blunt Question 92
XV. Edith Franks 99
XVI. On the Brink of an Abyss 106
XVII. Nearer and Nearer 116
XVIII. A Vestige of Hope 121
XIX. In the Balance 128
XX. Rose View 133
XXI. An Awkward Position 137
XXII. The Story Accepted 144
XXIII. Bertha's Joy 151
XXIV. Trevor Asks Bertha's Advice 156
XXV. Trevor's Resolve 162
XXVI. At Aylmer's Court 169
XXVII. Bertha's Secret 174
XXVIII. A Smiling World 178
XXIX. Almost Betrayed 187
XXX. The Telegram 194
XXXI. Bertha Writes the Essay 199
XXXII. Trevor and Florence 206
XXXIII. A Tete-a-Tete 215
XXXIV. Maurice Rebels 221
XXXV. The Essay Arouses Criticism 225
XXXVI. A Letter from Home 230
XXXVII. Trevor Proposes to Florence 236
XXXVIII. At the Reception 241
XXXIX. An Admirable Arrangement 252
XL. Is It "Yes" or "No"? 259
XLI. The Little Mummy in London 271
XLII. Bertha Keys Defeated 281
XLIII. Mrs. Aylmer's Will 290
XLIV. Bertha Changes Her Tone 298
XLV. "All the Roses Are Dead" 309
XLVI. A Denouement 313
XLVII. Finis 324
THE TIME OF ROSES.
CHAPTER I.
HOME AT LAST.
It was on a summer's evening early in the month of August that the
little Mummy was once again seen on the platform at Dawlish.
She looked now very much like she did when we saw her of yore--slightly
broadened, it is true, by the added years, but she still wore somewhat
rusty widow's black, and her face still had that half-anxious,
half-comical expression, which made people turn to look at her with
something between a smile and a sigh. She was commonplace and plain, and
yet in one sense she was neither commonplace nor plain. She had a
character, and that character had developed during the last few years,
and rather for the better.
There were very few passengers on the platform, and the little woman
paced up and down, thinking to herself.
"She is coming home at last. I don't know whether I am glad or sorry. I
wonder what sort of girl Miss Sharston is. She has been very kind to
Florence; but it was rash of Florence to invite her. Still, I suppose
we shall be able to manage all right."
Just then the signal announcing the approaching train was lowered, and a
moment or two later the said train drew up at the platform and one or
two passengers alighted. Amongst these was a tall, well-set-up,
dark-eyed girl, and accompanying her was another girl, who was not so
tall and was very slender, with an ethereal sort of face, and large,
speaking grey eyes.
The tall girl rushed up to where the little Mummy was standing.
"Here I am, Mummy," she said, "and this is Kitty, and we are both tired
and hungry, and glad to see you again. Is there any sort of trap for our
luggage, or can the porter take it and shall we walk to the cottage?"
"The cottage is just as small as ever it was, Florence," replied the
little Mummy. "Oh, I am so glad to see you, Miss Sharston." Here she
shook hands with Kitty Sharston.
"We like things small," said Kitty; "we want to have a real charming
time in the country. It is very good of you to consent to take me in,
Mrs. Aylmer."
A porter now appeared. Florence bustled off to see to the luggage, and
Mrs. Aylmer and Kitty slowly left the station. Florence ran after them
in a moment or two.
"Well," she said, "here we are! Both of us have done with school for
ever and a day. We are grown-up girls ready to take our place in the
world, and to give you a right good time, Mummy; isn't that so, Kitty?"
"Yes," said Kitty, in that gentle voice which always had a pathetic
ring in it. Then she added after a moment's pause: "But I don't know
that I am glad to have left school; I must confess that I enjoyed the
last few years at Cherry Court School immensely."
"Don't talk to me of Cherry Court School," said the widow, with a little
shudder.
She glanced round in an inquiring way at Florence, who coloured faintly
and then said, in a stout voice: "I have repented of that old sin long
ago, and I do not in the least mind having Cherry Court School alluded
to. I have had a right good time, and it was a very lucky thing for me I
did not win that Scholarship, for if I had I should have been eating the
bread of dependence now, whereas--" Here she drew herself up, uttered a
quick sigh, and looked ahead of her.
Her face was not handsome, but it was bright and taking. She was a head
and shoulders taller than the little Mummy, who gazed at her with
something of her old expression of mingled affection and fear. Florence
had quite double the strength of the little Mummy, and this astute
personage was aware of the fact.
They reached the tiny house, where Sukey was standing on the steps,
looking not a day older than she had done six years ago. She dropped a
curtsey when she saw Florence, but Florence ran up and wrung her hand.
"How do you do, Sukey?" she said. "I am very glad to come home, and this
is my great friend Miss Sharston."
Sukey stared up at Kitty; then she glanced at Mrs. Aylmer and slowly
shook her head.
"It's a very, _very_ small house," she said, "and how we are to fit you
two young ladies in is more than I can tell."
"Never mind, Sukey," said Mrs. Aylmer; "I have it all arranged; don't
you go and put your finger into the pie and spoil things, you silly,
stupid old thing."
Here Mrs. Aylmer shook her hand with a playful gesture at Sukey, and
then the entire party found themselves in the house. Florence had not
been home for two or three years. Kitty had never seen the cottage at
Dawlish before. Certainly the one sitting-room was very tiny.
"How it has dwindled!" said Florence, looking round her. "Good gracious!
Why, the ceiling nearly reaches my head, and as for the walls"--she
stretched out her long arms playfully--"I can almost touch from wall to
wall; but never mind, it's home; it's your house, Mummy, and you are
good to take us girls in and look after us for a whole delightful
fortnight."
"There is a very nice supper waiting for you," said Mrs. Aylmer, "and
quite in the old style--crabs and a water-cress salad. I thought you
would appreciate that; we so often had crabs for supper when--when you
were here last, Flo. You remember them, don't you?"
"Nothing could be more appetising," replied Florence. "Would you like to
come upstairs now, Kitty?"
Mrs. Aylmer had given up her wee bed-room to the two girls. Where she
was to sleep was a mystery known only to herself; but, as she seemed
quite cheerful and happy over it, Florence advised Kitty not to
investigate matters too closely.
"It's the Mummy's way," she said; "she likes managing; she quite adores
the thought of having us both with her in this little dull house. Can
you put up with it, Kitty?"
"The place is quite lovely," replied Kitty, "and I would put up with
anything after the news I told you this morning."
"Oh, that your father is really coming back: that you have not to go to
India after all: that you are going to live here and take a beautiful
house and be real mistress of a home," said Florence.
"I don't know anything about the beautiful house, nor being mistress of
a home," replied Kitty; "but I am going to be with father wherever he
is, and that," she added, "will be home to me."
"Of course," answered Florence, in a somewhat wistful tone.
"But what are you going to do, Flo?"
"I am going to earn my living," replied Florence stoutly.
"Of course; but how?"
"I shall talk things over with you and the Mummy. I have left school at
last for good. What a blessing it is that I shall not have anything to
do with Aunt Susan! I feel so jolly independent; but I should like to
meet her and--"
"Girls, supper is ready," called out Mrs. Aylmer's voice from below, and
the two ran downstairs.
The meal was very merry; the old schoolfellows were glad to be together.
Mrs. Aylmer chatted in very much the way she had chatted six years ago.
She could not help constantly alluding to Mrs. Aylmer the great.
"I have not seen her," she said; "but she sends me my money regularly
once a quarter--twelve pounds ten shillings. She never misses a day, I
will say that for her, and I think I am a very good manager not to be
one farthing in debt."
"You are perfectly splendid, mother," replied Florence.
"She has never once asked for you; she said she would not, and she has
kept her word," continued Mrs. Aylmer.
"Well, mother, does it matter?" replied the daughter.
"They say, too," continued the little Mummy--and here she heaved a heavy
sigh--"that she has adopted a young man as her heir. I have never seen
him, but his name is Maurice Trevor. He is no relation of any sort, and
goodness knows why she has adopted him. They say he is a very pushing
and a very designing young man, and that he twists poor Susan round his
little finger. I know she sent him to Cambridge and spent an enormous
sum on him there--two or three hundred a year at the very least--and now
he has returned and lives with her, and is to take the management of her
estates. She has been buying a lot of fresh property; but there--I am
sick of the subject. You didn't play your cards well, Florence; you
ought to have been in the position which young Mr. Trevor occupies."
"I am glad I am not," replied Florence; "I'm twice the girl for being
independent. Mother, Kitty and I want to go out and have a walk by the
seashore."
"Do, my dear, do; I have a great deal to contrive and manage, and
Susan's temper is not what it was. Oh, don't breathe it too loud. I
wouldn't part with her for the world; but really she does rule me.
She'll be as cross as two sticks because we sat so long over supper. Do
go; it is a lovely evening."
So the two girls put on their hats and went out. There was a silver moon
shining to-night on a silver sea, and the place looked calm and
peaceful, as if no storms had ever ruffled those waters: as if no
trouble had ever visited those shores.
Kitty, whose heart was full of song and her face of delight, almost
danced as she walked. Florence's steps were also full of spring, but
they were a little slower than her companion's.
"What are you thinking of, Flo?" said the younger girl.
"All sorts of things," replied Florence; "about that man, Maurice
Trevor, for instance. I don't envy him."
"Nor do I. I wonder he submits to it," said Kitty. "But don't let us
think of him. He has nothing whatever to do with us."
"No more he has," answered Florence; "but to eat the bread of
dependence: to eat _her_ bread! Oh, he must be a horror! I only trust I
shall never meet him."
Kitty now linked her arm inside her companion's.
"You must often come and stay with me," she said: "it would be
delightful. I will coax and beg of father to have a house where you can
come; then you will have two homes, you know, Florry: the little Mummy's
home, as you always call your mother, and my home. You will be equally
welcome at both. Oh, dear, you are quite my very greatest friend--the
greatest friend I have in all the world."
"You are wonderfully good to put up with me," said Florence; "but there,
I have repented of that old sin, and it is not going to darken my
life."
"There is only one thing I dislike about you, Florence," said Kitty. She
frowned slightly as she spoke.
"What is that?"
"You always will revert to the old times. Just do promise me that you
won't speak of them again, at least to me."
"I will try not, darling; but you are good to forget."