A BETTER HEIRSHIP
A short time, and people had settled down in their places. Squire
Trevlyn was alone at the Hold with Maude and Rupert, the Chattaways were
at the Upland Farm, and Miss Diana Trevlyn had taken up her abode in a
pretty house belonging to herself. Circumstances had favoured the
removal of Mr. Chattaway from the Hold almost immediately after the
arrival of Squire Trevlyn. The occupant of the Upland Farm, who only
remained in it because his time was not up until spring, was glad to
find it would be an accommodation if he quitted it earlier; he did so,
and by Christmas the Chattaways were installed in it.
Mr. Chattaway had set to work in earnest.
Things were changed with him. At the Hold, whether he was up and doing,
or lay in bed in idleness, his revenues came in to him. At the Upland
Farm he must be up early and in bed late, for the eye of a master was
necessary if the land was to yield its increase; and by that increase he
and his family had now to live. There was a serious battle with Cris. It
was deemed advisable for the interest of both parties--that is, for Mr.
Cris and his father--that the younger man should enter upon some
occupation of his own; but Cris resolutely refused. He could find plenty
to do on the Upland Farm, he urged, and wouldn't be turned out of his
home. In fact, Mr. Cris had lived so long without work, that it was
difficult, now he was leaving his youth behind him, to begin it. Better,
as Squire Trevlyn said, the change had been made years ago. It was
certainly hard for Cris; let us acknowledge it. He had been reared to
the expectation of Trevlyn Hold and its revenues; had lorded it as the
future master. When he rose in the morning, early or late, as
inclination prompted him, he had nothing more formidable before him than
to ride about attended by his groom. He had indulged in outdoor sports,
hunting, shooting, fishing, at will; no care upon him, except how he
could most agreeably get through the day. He had been addicted to riding
or driving into Barmester, lounging about the streets for the benefit of
admiring spectators, or taking a turn in the billiard-rooms. All that
was over now; Mr. Cris's leisure and greatness had come to an end; his
groom would take service elsewhere, his fine horse must be used for
other purposes than pleasure. In short, poor Cris Chattaway had fallen
from his high estate, as many another has fallen before him, and must
henceforth earn his bread before he ate it. "There's room for both on
the Upland Farm, and a good living for both," Cris urged upon his
father; and though Mr. Chattaway demurred, he gave way, and allowed Cris
to remain. With all his severity to others, he had lost his authority
over his children, especially over Cris and Octave, and perhaps he
scarcely dared to maintain his own will against that of Cris, or tell
him he should go if he chose to stay. Cris had no more love for work
than anyone else has brought up to idleness; and Cris knew quite well
that the easiest life he could now enter upon would be that of
pretending to be busy upon the farm. When the dispute was at its height
between himself and his father, as to what the future arrangements
should be, Cris so far bestirred himself as to ask Squire Trevlyn to
give him the post of manager at Blackstone. But the Squire had heard
quite enough of the past doings there, and told Cris, with the plainness
that was natural to him, that he would not have either him or his father
in power at Blackstone, if they paid him in gold. And so Cris was at
home.
There were other changes also in Mr. Chattaway's family. Maude's
tuition, that Octave had been ever ready to find fault with, was over
for ever, and Octave had taken her place. Amelia was at home, for
expenses had to be curtailed. An outlay quite suitable for the master of
Trevlyn Hold would be imprudent in the tenant of the Upland Farm. They
found Maude's worth now that they had lost her; could appreciate the
sweetness of her temper, her gentle patience. Octave, who also liked an
idle life, had undertaken the tuition of her sisters with a very bad
grace: hating the trouble and labour. She might have refused but for
Miss Diana Trevlyn. Miss Diana had not lost her good sense or love of
ruling on leaving Trevlyn Hold, and openly told Octave that she must
bend to circumstances as well as her parents, and that if she would not
teach her sisters, she had better go out as governess and earn her
living. Octave could have annihilated Miss Diana for the unwelcome
suggestion--but she offered no further opposition to the arrangement.
Life was very hard just then for Octave Chattaway. She had inherited the
envious, selfish disposition of her father, and the very fact that Maude
and herself had changed positions was sufficient to vex her almost
beyond endurance. She had become the drudge whose days must be passed
beating grammar into the obtuse minds of her rebellious sisters; Maude,
the mistress of Trevlyn Hold. How things would go on it was difficult to
say; for the scenes that frequently took place between Octave and her
pupils disturbed to a grave degree the peace of the Upland Farm. Octave
was impatient, fretful, and exacting; they were tantalising and
disobedient. Quarrels were incessant; and now and then it came to blows.
Octave's temper urged her to personal correction, and the girls retorted
in kind.
It is in human nature to exaggerate, and Octave not only exaggerated her
troubles but wilfully made the worst of them. Instead of patiently
sitting down to her new duties, and striving to perform them so that in
time they might become a pleasure, she steeled herself against them. A
terrible jealousy of Maude had taken possession of her; jealousy in more
senses than one. There was a gate in their grounds overlooking the
highway to Trevlyn Hold, and it was Octave's delight to stand there and
watch, at the hour when Maude might be expected to pass. Sometimes in
the open carriage--sometimes she would drive in a closed one, but always
accompanied by the symbols of wealth and position, fine horses,
attendant servants--Miss Maude Trevlyn, of Trevlyn Hold. And Octave
would watch stealthily until they were out of sight, and gather fresh
food for her unhappy state of mind. It would seem strange she should
thus torment herself, but that the human heart is full of such
contradictions.
One day that she was standing there, Mrs. Ryle passed. And it may as
well be remarked that, Mr. Chattaway excepted, Mrs. Ryle seemed most to
resent the changes: not her brother's return, but some of its results.
In the certainty of Rupert's not living to succeed--and it was a
certainty now--Mrs. Ryle had again cherished hopes for her son Trevlyn.
She had been exceedingly vexed when she heard the Upland Farm was leased
to Mr. Chattaway, and thought George must have played his cards badly.
She allowed her resentment to smoulder for a time, but one day so far
forgot herself as to demand of George whether he thought two masters
would answer upon the Farm; and hinted that it was time he left, and
made room for Treve.
George, though his cheek burnt--for her, not for himself--calmly
answered, that he expected shortly to leave it: relieving her of his
presence, Treve of his personal advice and help.
"But you did not get the Upland?" she reiterated. "And I have been told
this morning that the other farm you thought of is let over your head."
"Stay, mother," was George's answer. "You are ready to blame Squire
Trevlyn for letting these farms, and not to me; but my views have
altered. I do not now wish to lease the Upland, or any other farm.
Squire Trevlyn has proposed something else to me--I am to manage his own
land for him."
"Manage his land for him! Do you mean the land attached to Trevlyn?"
"Yes."
"And where shall you live?"
"With him: at Trevlyn Hold."
Mrs. Ryle could scarcely speak from amazement. "I never heard of such a
thing!" she exclaimed, staring excessively at the smile hovering on his
lips, which he vainly endeavoured to suppress. "What can it mean?"
"It is assured, unhappily, that Rupert cannot live. Had he regained
health and strength, he would have filled this place. But he will not
regain it. Squire Trevlyn spoke to me, and I am to be with him at the
Hold."
George did not add that he at first fought with Squire Trevlyn against
going to the Hold, as _its heir_--for indeed it meant nothing less. He
would rather make his own fortune than have it made for him, he said.
Very well, the Squire answered equably, he could give up the Hold if he
liked, but he must give up Maude with it. And you may guess whether
George would do that.
But Mrs. Ryle did not recover from her surprise or see things clearly.
"Of course, I can understand that Rupert Trevlyn would have held sway on
the estate, just as a son would; but what my brother can mean by wanting
a 'manager' I cannot understand. You say you are to _live_ at Trevlyn
Hold?"
The smile grew very conspicuous on George's lips. "It is so arranged,"
he answered. "And therefore I no longer wish to rent the Upland."
Mrs. Ryle stared as if she did not believe it. She fell into deep
thought--from which she suddenly started, put on her bonnet, and went
straight to Trevlyn Hold.
A pretty little mare's nest she indulged in as she went along. If Rupert
was to be called away from this world, the only fit and proper person to
succeed him as the Squire's heir was her son Treve. In which case,
George would not be required as manager, and their anticipated positions
might be reversed; Treve take up his abode at the Hold, George remain at
the farm.
Squire Trevlyn was alone. She gave herself no time to reconsider the
propriety of speaking at all, or what she should say; but without
circumlocution told him that, failing Rupert, Trevlyn must be the heir.
"Oh, dear, no," said the Squire. "You forget Maude."
"Maude!"
"If poor Rupert is to be taken, Maude remains to me. And she will
inherit Trevlyn Hold."
Mrs. Ryle compressed her lips. "Is it well to leave Trevlyn Hold to a
woman? Your father would not do it, Rupert."
"I am not bound to adopt the prejudices of my father. I imagine the
reason of his disinheriting Maude--whose birth and existence it appears
he did know of--was the anger he felt towards Joe and her mother, for
having married in opposition to him. But that does not extend to me.
Were I capable of leaving the estate away from Joe's children, I should
deem myself as bad as Chattaway."
"Maude is a girl; it ought not to be held by a girl," was Mrs. Ryle's
reiterated answer.
"Well, that objection need not trouble you; for in point of fact, it
will be held by Maude's husband. Indeed, I am not sure but I shall
bequeath it direct to him. I believe I shall do so."
"She may never marry."
"She will marry immediately. You don't mean to say he has not let you
into the secret?" as he gazed on her puzzled face. "Has George told you
nothing?"
"He has just told me that he was coming here as your manager," she
replied, not in the least comprehending Squire Trevlyn's drift.
"And as Maude's husband. My manager, eh? He put it in that way, did he?
He will come here as my son-in-law--I may say so for I regard Maude as
my daughter and recognised successor. George Ryle comes here as the
future Squire of Trevlyn Hold."
Mrs. Ryle was five minutes recovering herself. Utterly unable to digest
the news, she could do nothing but stare. George Ryle inheritor of
Trevlyn Hold! Was she awake or dreaming?
"It ought to be Trevlyn's," she said at length. "He is your direct
relative; George Ryle is none."
"I know he is not. I leave it to him as Maude's husband, and he will
take the name of Trevlyn. You should have got Maude to fall in love with
the other one, if you wished him to succeed."
Perhaps it was the most unhappy moment in all Mrs. Ryle's life. Never
had she given up the hope of her son's succession until now. That George
should supplant him!--George, whom she had so despised! She sat beating
her foot on the carpet, her pale face bent.
"It is not right; it is not right," she said, at length. "George Ryle is
not worthy to succeed to Trevlyn Hold: it is reversing the order of
things."
"Not worthy!" echoed Squire Trevlyn. "Your judgment must be strangely
prejudiced to say so. Of all who have flocked from far and near to
welcome me home, I have looked in vain for a second George Ryle. He has
not his equal. If I hesitated at the first moment to give him Maude, I
don't hesitate now that I know him. I can tell you that had Maude chosen
unworthily, as your sister Edith did, her husband should never have come
in for Trevlyn Hold."
"Is your decision irrevocable?"
"Entirely so. I wish them to be married immediately; for I should like
George to be installed here as soon as possible, and, of course, he
cannot come until Maude is his wife. Rupert wishes it."
"It appears to me that this arrangement is very premature," resumed Mrs.
Ryle. "You may marry yet, and have children of your own."
A change came over Squire Trevlyn's face. "I shall never marry," he
said, with emphasis; and to Mrs. Ryle's ears there was a strange
solemnity in his tones. "You need not ask me why, for I shall not enter
into reasons; let the assurance suffice--_I shall never marry_. Trevlyn
Hold will be as securely theirs as though I bequeathed it to them by
deed of gift."
"Rupert, this is a blow for my son."
"If you persist in considering it so, I cannot help that. It must have
been very foolish of you ever to cast a thought to your son's
succeeding, whilst Joe's children were living."
"Foolish! when one of my sons--my step-son, at any rate--is to succeed,
as it seems!"
The Squire laughed. "You must talk to Maude about that. They had settled
their plans together before I came home. If Treve turns out all he
should be, I may remember him before I die. Trevlyn Farm was originally
the birthright of the Ryles; I may possibly make it so again in the
person of Treve. Don't let us go on with the discussion; it will only be
lost labour. Will you see Rupert?"
She had the sense to see that if it were prolonged until night, it would
indeed be useless, and she rose to follow him into the next room.
Rupert, not looking very ill to-day, sat near the fire. Maude was
reading to him.
"Is it you, Aunt Ryle!" he called out feebly. "You never come to see
me."
"I am sorry to hear you are so poorly, Rupert."
"I am not half as ill as I feared I should be," he said. "I thought by
this time it--it would have been all over. But I seem better. Where's
George?"
"George is at home. I have been talking to your uncle about him. Until
to-day I did not know what was in contemplation."
"He'll make a better Squire than I should have made," cried Rupert,
lifting his eyes--bluer and brighter than ever, from disease--to her
face. Maude made her escape from the room, and Squire Trevlyn had not
entered it, so they were alone. "But, Aunt Ryle, I want it to be soon;
before I die. I should like George to be here to see the last of me."
"I think I might have been informed of this before," observed Mrs. Ryle.
"It has not been told to any one. Uncle Rupert and I, George and Maude
have kept the secret between us. Only think, Aunt Ryle! that after all
the hopes, contentions, heart-burnings, George Ryle should succeed to
Trevlyn Hold."
She could not bear this repeated harping on the one string. George's
conduct to his step-mother had been exemplary, and she was not
insensible to the fact; but she was one of those second wives who feel
an instinctive dislike to their step-children. Very bitter, for Treve's
sake, was her heart-jealousy now.
"I will come in and see you another day, Rupert," she said, rising
abruptly. "This morning I am too vexed to remain longer."
"What has vexed you, Aunt Ryle?"
"I hoped that Treve--failing you--would have been the heir."
Rupert opened his eyes in wonder. "Treve?--whilst Maude lives! Not he. I
can tell you what I think, Aunt Ryle; that had there been no Maude,
Treve would never have come in for the Hold. I don't fancy Uncle Rupert
would have left it to him."
"To whom would he have left it, do you fancy?"
"Well--I suppose," slowly turning the matter over in his mind--"I
suppose, in that case, it would have been Aunt Diana. But there is
Maude, Aunt Ryle, and we need not discuss it. George and Maude will have
it, and their children after them."
"Poor boy!" she said, with a touch of compassion; "it is a sad fate for
you! Not to live to inherit!"
A gentle smile rose to his face, and he pointed upwards. "There's a
better heirship for me, Aunt Ryle."
It was upon returning from this memorable interview with Squire Trevlyn,
that Mrs. Ryle met Octave Chattaway and stopped to speak.
"Are you getting settled, Octave?"
"Tolerably so. Mamma says she shall not be straight in six months to
come. Have you been to the Hold?"
"Yes," replied Mrs. Ryle, turning her determined gaze on Octave. "Have
you heard the news? That the Squire has chosen his heir?"
"No," breathlessly rejoined Octave. "We have heard that Rupert is beyond
hope; but nothing else. It will be Maude, I conclude."
"It is to be George Ryle."
"George Ryle!" repeated Octave, in amazement.
"Yes. I believe it will be left to him, not to Maude. But it will be all
the same. He is to marry her, and to take the name of Trevlyn. George
never told me this. He just said to-day that he was going to live at the
Hold; but he never said it was as Maude's husband and the Squire's heir.
How prospects have changed!"
Changed! Ay, Octave felt it to her inmost soul, as she leaned against
the gate, and gazed in thought after Mrs. Ryle. Gazed without seeing or
hearing, deep in her heart's tribulation, her hand pressed upon her
bosom, her pale face quivering as it was turned to the winter sky.