A change came at last--one for which none of the three had been
prepared: Lord Ridsdale married.
The first thing the new Lady Ridsdale did was to insist on the removal
of Miss Arleigh from school.
"Nearly eighteen," she said, "and still at school! My dear William, the
only wonder is that the poor girl has not fallen into some dreadful
mischief. She ought to have been presented last year. We must have her
home at once."
Lady Ridsdale was a woman of the world; she knew exactly how much eclat
and importance would accrue to her from the fact of being chaperone to a
wealthy heiress like Miss Arleigh.
"Is the girl pretty?" she asked her husband; and to do him justice, he
looked much confused.
"I hardly know what to answer you, Laura. I must confess the truth; I
have not seen her for two years and more. When my wife died I was quite
at a loss what to do with her, so I sent her to school. Miss Carleton
promised to take complete charge of her, and I have not seen her, as I
say, for more than two years."
"Was she a pretty girl then?" persisted Lady Ridsdale.
"I think so. Miss Carleton said she was beautiful. She had been crying
when I saw her, so that I could hardly judge."
"A beauty, and a wealthy heiress! We must have her at home at once,
William. We will fetch her without any delay."
Lord Ridsdale thought some of the servants might go, that it was hardly
necessary for him to make the journey. His wife laughed at him.
"You do not know the social importance of your ward," she said. "Before
long Miss Arleigh will be one of the queens of society, heiress of
Hanton, and of the large fortune left by her father; we shall have some
of the first men in England wooing her. She may be a duchess if she
likes." At which intelligence Lord Ridsdale opened his eyes.
He had thought of his ward as of a tiresome responsibility, a child of
whom the charge would be very troublesome. He had taken good care of her
money, because he was an honorable man, but he had not thought much of
what his wife called her social position. As a probable duchess he felt
a great amount of respect for her.
So Lord and Lady Ridsdale went together to bring their beautiful young
ward home. Miss Carleton was grieved to lose her.
"She has been a docile pupil, and she is a beautiful, lovable girl.
Though I am sorry indeed to part with her, for her own sake I am glad
she is going; it is high time she saw something of the world."
"You have had no trouble with her, I hope?" said Lord Ridsdale. "At
seventeen most young girls have begun to think of love and lovers."
Miss Carleton prided herself on the fact that in her establishment such
matters were entirely avoided.
"There is nothing of the kind," she replied, earnestly. "I do not
believe that Miss Arleigh has even begun to think of such things."
"So much the worse when she does begin," thought Lady Ridsdale.
When the preliminaries had all been discussed, and Miss Arleigh was
requested to meet her guardian, Lady Ridsdale could not control her
surprise at the sight of the girl's beauty.
"You could not tell whether she was pretty or not?" she said afterwards
to her husband. "William you must be blind."
She welcomed the young girl warmly. She kissed the fresh blooming face
that had all a woman's beauty with the innocence of a child. She clasped
her arms round the slender, girlish figure.
"You must learn to love me," she said, "to look on me in the place of
the mother you have lost."
And Marion Arleigh for the first time in her life imagined to herself
what a mother's love would be like.
"What a strange idea to keep you so long at school!" said Lady Ridsdale.
"We must do our best to atone for it."
"I should imagine that my guardian did not know what to do with me," she
replied, with a smile so bright and sweet that Lord Ridsdale at once
fell in love with her, as his wife had done before him.
"Where am I going to live?" asked Marion, after they had been talking
for some time.
"We are going to Thorpe Castle," replied Lady Ridsdale, "and I thought
you would enjoy being there with us."
"I shall enjoy anything and everything" said Marion. "I have all my life
before me, and it will be full of glorious possibilities."
Suddenly she paused, remembering that her life was settled and arranged;
it held no more possibilities; they were all at an end. For the first
time she felt the weight of the chain that bound her. Lady Ridsdale
wondered why the beautiful face suddenly grew pale and grave.
Half an hour afterwards Marion came timidly to her side.
"Lady Ridsdale," she began, in a half-hesitating manner, "of course I
never thought such happiness as the marriage of my guardian was in store
for me."
"I suppose not," was the smiling reply.
"I used to think that I should go away from here and be so lonely, so
sad. I have made a promise and I do not see how I can keep it."
Lady Ridsdale was touched and flattered by the girl's confidence.
"Tell me all about it, Marion; you shall keep the promise, if it be
possible."
"There is a governess here, one of the assistants; her name is
Lyster--Adelaide Lyster. She has always been very kind to me; indeed I
should have been most lonely but for her, and I--I am very much attached
to her."
"Quite natural and quite right," said Lady Ridsdale. "You wish, of
course, to make her a very handsome present?"
"No, not quite that," said Marion, looking very uncomfortable; "it is
much worse than that. I thought I should be all alone, and I promised
that when I left Miss Carleton's she should go with me as my companion,
and should live with me."
Lady Ridsdale looked very grave.
"I do not think it possible, my dear," she replied. "Lord Ridsdale has
the greatest objection to that kind of thing. Will you not try if you
shall like me as a companion?"
"I am quite sure to do that," she said; "but I made the promise. What
shall I do?"
"You made it under a certain set of circumstances," said Lady Ridsdale
"and they no longer exist. You may, I think, in all honor, defer the
keeping of it, until you have a house of your own."
But Marion still looked as she felt--uncomfortable. Lord Ridsdale had
gone to superintend some arrangements for their departure, leaving the
two ladies alone.
"You think the young person will be disappointed?" said Lady Ridsdale,
kindly.
"I am sure she will," replied Marion wincing at the words "young
person."
"Let me see her; ask her to come here, and I will speak to her. After
all, my dear, you are not in the least to blame if you cannot keep your
promise--you must remember that."
A few more minutes and Miss Lyster, dressed in her most becoming
costume, stood before Lady Ridsdale.
A few words passed, and then Lady Ridsdale began;
"My ward is in some distress, Miss Lyster. I find that she has promised
you that you shall live with her as companion."
"She certainly did so, and I have made all arrangements for that
purpose."
"We will hope you have not made many arrangements," said Lady Ridsdale,
suavely, "as Miss Arleigh's movements have been so very uncertain. Of
course, when Miss Arleigh is of age, and makes her own
arrangements--forms her own household--she will do as she likes. It will
be utterly impossible for her to carry out her promise in Lord
Ridsdale's house, as I am sure you will have the good sense to
perceive."
Now, Miss Lyster was not wanting in good sense. She was taken by
surprise, as was every one else, by this sudden movement. She had had no
time to think what was best under the circumstances; the only idea that
occurred to her was how more than useless it would be to offend Lady
Ridsdale. Unless she managed to secure her good opinions there would be
no invitations to Ridsdale house. These ideas flashed through her mind
with the rapidity of lightning; then Miss Lyster, with an expression on
her face that was a most perfect mixture of reverence and humility,
said:
"I hope Miss Arleigh will study herself and your ladyship, not me."
"You must not look at it in that light. Miss Arleigh studies every one
most kindly, I am sure. It is simply this: that there would never be the
least objection to Miss Arleigh following out any wish or any idea that
should occur to her, but that in this case it would be impossible to
carry out her wish. Miss Arleigh will soon be surrounded by friends and
companions of her own age, and then she will not feel lonely."
Miss Lyster's reply was a deep, silent bow. To herself she said:
"If she thinks to take Marion from me, she is mistaken. I will never
lose my hold on her."
Lady Ridsdale was touched by the companion's resignation to
circumstances.
"We shall be very pleased to see you at Thorpe Castle during the
vacation, Miss Lyster," said Lady Ridsdale, "and we owe you a deep debt
of gratitude for your unfailing kindness to Miss Arleigh."
Then the interview ended.
Miss Lyster, after a few more words, quitted the room.
"My dear Marion," said Lady Ridsdale, "I am almost glad that
circumstances do prevent you from carrying out this arrangement."
"Why?" she asked simply.
"Because I have lived in the world long enough to be a judge of
character, and your friend's face does not please me. Do not trust her
too far."