LADY ONGAR'S RETURN.
But Sir Hugh did not get away from Clavering Park on the next morning
as he had intended. There came to him that same afternoon a message
by telegraph, to say that Lord Ongar was dead. He had died at
Florence on the afternoon of Christmas-day, and Lady Ongar had
expressed her intention of coming at once to England.
"Why the devil doesn't she stay where she is?" said Sir Hugh, to his
wife. "People would forget her there, and in twelve months time the
row would be all over."
"Perhaps she does not want to be forgotten," said Lady Clavering.
"Then she should want it. I don't care whether she has been guilty or
not. When a woman gets her name into such a mess as that, she should
keep in the background."
"I think you are unjust to her, Hugh."
"Of course you do. You don't suppose that I expect anything else. But
if you mean to tell me that there would have been all this row if she
had been decently prudent, I tell you that you're mistaken."
"Only think what a man he was."
"She knew that when she took him, and should have borne with him
while he lasted. A woman isn't to have seven thousand a year for
nothing."
"But you forget that not a syllable has been proved against her, or
been attempted to be proved. She has never left him, and now she has
been with him in his last moments. I don't think you ought to be the
first to turn against her."
"If she would remain abroad, I would do the best I could for her.
She chooses to return home; and as I think she's wrong, I won't have
her here;--that's all. You don't suppose that I go about the world
accusing her?"
"I think you might do something to fight her battle for her."
"I will do nothing,--unless she takes my advice and remains abroad.
You must write to her now, and you will tell her what I say. It's an
infernal bore, his dying at this moment; but I suppose people won't
expect that I'm to shut myself up."
For one day only did the baronet shut himself up, and on the
following he went whither he had before intended.
Lady Clavering thought it proper to write a line to the rectory,
informing the family there that Lord Ongar was no more. This she
did in a note to Mrs. Clavering; and when it was received, there
came over the faces of them all that lugubrious look, which is, as a
matter of course, assumed by decorous people when tidings come of the
death of any one who has been known to them, even in the most distant
way. With the exception of Harry, all the rectory Claverings had been
introduced to Lord Ongar, and were now bound to express something
approaching to sorrow. Will any one dare to call this hypocrisy? If
it be so called, who in the world is not a hypocrite? Where is the
man or woman who has not a special face for sorrow before company?
The man or woman who has no such face, would at once be accused of
heartless impropriety.
"It is very sad," said Mrs. Clavering; "only think, it is but little
more than a year since you married them!"
"And twelve such months as they have been for her!" said the Rector,
shaking his head. His face was very lugubrious, for though as
a parson he was essentially a kindly, easy man, to whom humbug
was odious, and who dealt little in the austerities of clerical
denunciation, still he had his face of pulpit sorrow for the sins of
the people,--what I may perhaps call his clerical knack of gentle
condemnation,--and could therefore assume a solemn look, and a little
saddened motion of his head, with more ease than people who are not
often called upon for such action.
"Poor woman!" said Fanny, thinking of the woman's married sorrows,
and her early widowhood.
"Poor man," said Mary, shuddering as she thought of the husband's
fate.
"I hope," said Harry, almost sententiously, "that no one in this
house will condemn her upon such mere rumours as have been heard."
"Why should any one in this house condemn her," said the Rector,
"even if there were more than rumours? My dears, judge not, lest ye
be judged. As regards her, we are bound by close ties not to speak
ill of her--or even to think ill, unless we cannot avoid it. As far
as I know, we have not even any reason for thinking ill." Then he
went out, changed the tone of his countenance among the rectory
stables, and lit his cigar.
Three days after that a second note was brought down from the great
house to the rectory, and this was from Lady Clavering to Harry.
"Dear Harry," ran the note,--"Could you find time to come up to me
this morning? Sir Hugh has gone to North Priory.--Ever yours, H. C."
Harry, of course, went, and as he went, he wondered how Sir Hugh
could have had the heart to go to North Priory at such a moment.
North Priory was a hunting seat some thirty miles from Clavering,
belonging to a great nobleman with whom Sir Hugh much consorted.
Harry was grieved that his cousin had not resisted the temptation of
going at such a time, but he was quick enough to perceive that Lady
Clavering alluded to the absence of her lord as a reason why Harry
might pay his visit to the house with satisfaction.
"I'm so much obliged to you for coming," said Lady Clavering. "I want
to know if you can do something for me." As she spoke, she had a
paper in her hand which he immediately perceived to be a letter from
Italy.
"I'll do anything I can, of course, Lady Clavering."
"But I must tell you, that I hardly know whether I ought to ask you.
I'm doing what would make Hugh very angry. But he is so unreasonable,
and so cruel about Julia. He condemns her simply because, as he says,
there is no smoke without fire. That is such a cruel thing to say
about a woman;--is it not?"
Harry thought that it was a cruel thing, but as he did not wish to
speak evil of Sir Hugh before Lady Clavering, he held his tongue.
"When we got the first news by telegraph, Julia said that she
intended to come home at once. Hugh thinks that she should remain
abroad for some time, and indeed I am not sure but that would be
best. At any rate he made me write to her, and advise her to stay. He
declared that if she came at once he would do nothing for her. The
truth is, he does not want to have her here, for if she were again in
the house he would have to take her part, if ill-natured things were
said."
"That's cowardly," said Harry, stoutly.
"Don't say that, Harry, till you have heard it all. If he believes
these things, he is right not to wish to meddle. He is very hard,
and always believes evil. But he is not a coward. If she were here,
living with him as my sister, he would take her part, whatever he
might himself think."
"But why should he think ill of his own sister-in-law? I have never
thought ill of her."
"You loved her, and he never did;--though I think he liked her too in
his way. But that's what he told me to do, and I did it. I wrote to
her, advising her to remain at Florence till the warm weather comes,
saying that as she could not specially wish to be in London for the
season, I thought she would be more comfortable there than here;--and
then I added that Hugh also advised her to stay. Of course I did not
say that he would not have her here,--but that was his threat."
"She is not likely to press herself where she is not wanted."
"No,--and she will not forget her rank and her money;--for that must
now be hers. Julia can be quite as hard and as stubborn as he can.
But I did write as I say, and I think that if she had got my letter
before she had written herself, she would perhaps have stayed. But
here is a letter from her, declaring that she will come at once. She
will be starting almost as soon as my letter gets there, and I am
sure she will not alter her purpose now."
"I don't see why she should not come if she likes it."
"Only that she might be more comfortable there. But read what she
says. You need not read the first part. Not that there is any secret;
but it is about him and his last moments, and it would only pain
you."
Harry longed to read the whole, but he did as he was bid, and began
the letter at the spot which Lady Clavering marked for him with her
finger. "I have to start on the third, and as I shall stay nowhere
except to sleep at Turin and Paris, I shall be home by the eighth;--I
think on the evening of the eighth. I shall bring only my own maid,
and one of his men who desires to come back with me. I wish to have
apartments taken for me in London. I suppose Hugh will do as much as
this for me?"
"I am quite sure Hugh won't," said Lady Clavering, who was watching
his eye as he read.
Harry said nothing, but went on reading. "I shall only want two
sitting-rooms and two bedrooms,--one for myself and one for
Clara,--and should like to have them somewhere near Piccadilly,--in
Clarges Street, or about there. You can write me a line, or send me a
message to the Hotel Bristol, at Paris. If anything fails, so that I
should not hear, I shall go to the Palace Hotel; and, in that case,
should telegraph for rooms from Paris."
"Is that all I'm to read?" Harry asked.
"You can go on and see what she says as to her reason for coming." So
Harry went on reading. "I have suffered much, and of course I know
that I must suffer more; but I am determined that I will face the
worst of it at once. It has been hinted to me that an attempt will be
made to interfere with the settlement--" "Who can have hinted that?"
said Harry. Lady Clavering suspected who might have done so, but she
made no answer. "I can hardly think it possible; but, if it is done,
I will not be out of the way. I have done my duty as best I could,
and have done it under circumstances that I may truly say were
terrible;--and I will go on doing it. No one shall say that I am
ashamed to show my face and claim my own. You will be surprised when
you see me. I have aged so much;--"
"You need not go on," said Lady Clavering. "The rest is about nothing
that signifies."
Then Harry refolded the letter and gave it back to his companion.
"Sir Hugh is gone, and therefore I could not show him that in time to
do anything; but if I were to do so, he would simply do nothing, and
let her go to the hotel in London. Now that would be unkind;--would
it not?"
"Very unkind, I think."
"It would seem so cold to her on her return."
"Very cold. Will you not go and meet her?"
Lady Clavering blushed as she answered. Though Sir Hugh was a tyrant
to his wife, and known to be such, and though she knew that this was
known, she had never said that it was so to any of the Claverings;
but now she was driven to confess it. "He would not let me go, Harry.
I could not go without telling him, and if I told him he would forbid
it."
"And she is to be all alone in London, without any friend?"
"I shall go to her as soon as he will let me. I don't think he will
forbid my going to her, perhaps after a day or two; but I know he
would not let me go on purpose to meet her."
"It does seem hard."
"But about the apartments, Harry? I thought that perhaps you would
see about them. After all that has passed I could not have asked you,
only that now, as you are engaged yourself, it is nearly the same as
though you were married. I would ask Archibald, only then there would
be a fuss between Archibald and Hugh; and somehow I look on you more
as a brother-in-law than I do Archibald."
"Is Archie in London?"
"His address is at his club, but I daresay he is at North Priory
also. At any rate, I shall say nothing to him."
"I was thinking he might have met her."
"Julia never liked him. And, indeed, I don't think she will care so
much about being met. She was always independent in that way, and
would go over the world alone better than many men. But couldn't you
run up and manage about the apartments? A woman coming home as a
widow,--and in her position,--feels an hotel to be so public."
"I will see about the apartments."
"I knew you would. And there will be time for you to send to me, so
that I can write to Paris;--will there not? There is more than a
week, you know."
But Henry did not wish to go to London on this business immediately.
He had made up his mind that he would not only take the rooms, but
that he would also meet Lady Ongar at the station. He said nothing of
this to Lady Clavering, as, perhaps, she might not approve; but such
was his intention. He was wrong no doubt. A man in such cases should
do what he is asked to do, and do no more. But he repeated to himself
the excuse that Lady Clavering had made,--namely, that he was already
the same as a married man, and that, therefore, no harm could come of
his courtesy to his cousin's wife's sister. But he did not wish to
make two journeys to London, nor did he desire to be away for a full
week out of his holidays. Lady Clavering could not press him to go at
once, and, therefore, it was settled as he proposed. She would write
to Paris immediately, and he would go up to London after three or
four days. "If we only knew of any apartments, we could write," said
Lady Clavering. "You could not know that they were comfortable," said
Harry; "and you will find that I will do it in plenty of time." Then
he took his leave; but Lady Clavering had still one other word to
say to him. "You had better not say anything about all this at the
rectory; had you?" Harry, without considering much about it, said
that he would not mention it.
Then he went away and walked again about the park, thinking of it
all. He had not seen her since he had walked round the park, in his
misery, after parting with her in the garden. How much had happened
since then! She had been married in her glory, had become a countess,
and then a widow, and was now returning with a tarnished name, almost
repudiated by those who had been her dearest friends; but with rank
and fortune at her command,--and again a free woman. He could not
but think what might have been his chance were it not for Florence
Burton! But much had happened to him also. He had almost perished
in his misery;--so he told himself;--but had once more "tricked his
beams,"--that was his expression to himself,--and was now "flaming in
the forehead" of a glorious love. And even if there had been no such
love, would a widowed countess with a damaged name have suited his
ambition, simply because she had the rich dower of the poor wretch
to whom she had sold herself? No, indeed. There could be no question
of renewed vows between them now;--there could have been no such
question even had there been no "glorious love," which had accrued
to him almost as his normal privilege in right of his pupilage in Mr.
Burton's office. No;--there could be, there could have been, nothing
now between him and the widowed Countess of Ongar. But, nevertheless,
he liked the idea of meeting her in London. He felt some triumph in
the thought that he should be the first to touch her hand on her
return after all that she had suffered. He would be very courteous to
her, and would spare no trouble that would give her any ease. As for
her rooms, he would see to everything of which he could think that
might add to her comfort; and a wish crept upon him, uninvited, that
she might be conscious of what he had done for her.
Would she be aware, he wondered, that he was engaged? Lady Clavering
had known it for the last three months, and would probably have
mentioned the circumstance in a letter. But perhaps not. The sisters,
he knew, had not been good correspondents; and he almost wished that
she might not know it. "I should not care to be talking to her about
Florence," he said to himself.
It was very strange that they should come to meet in such a way,
after all that had passed between them in former days. Would it occur
to her that he was the only man she had ever loved?--for, of course,
as he well knew, she had never loved her husband. Or would she now be
too callous to everything but the outer world to think at all of such
a subject? She had said that she was aged, and he could well believe
it. Then he pictured her to himself in her weeds, worn, sad, thin,
but still proud and handsome. He had told Florence of his early love
for the woman whom Lord Ongar had married, and had described with
rapture his joy that that early passion had come to nothing. Now he
would have to tell Florence of this meeting; and he thought of the
comparison he would make between her bright young charms and the
shipwrecked beauty of the widow. On the whole, he was proud that he
had been selected for the commission, as he liked to think of himself
as one to whom things happened which were out of the ordinary course.
His only objection to Florence was that she had come to him so much
in the ordinary course.
"I suppose the truth is you are tired of our dulness," said his
father to him, when he declared his purpose of going up to London,
and, in answer to certain questions that were asked him, had
hesitated to tell his business.
"Indeed, it is not so," said Harry, earnestly; "but I have a
commission to execute for a certain person, and I cannot explain what
it is."
"Another secret;--eh, Harry?"
"I am very sorry,--but it is a secret. It is not one of my own
seeking; that is all I can say." His mother and sisters also asked
him a question or two; but when he became mysterious, they did not
persevere. "Of course it is something about Florence," said Fanny.
"I'll be bound he is going to meet her. What will you bet me, Harry,
you don't go to the play with Florence before you come home?" To this
Henry deigned no answer; and after that no more questions were asked.
He went up to London and took rooms in Bolton Street. There
was a pretty fresh-looking light drawing-room, or, indeed, two
drawing-rooms, and a small dining-room, and a large bed-room looking
over upon the trees of some great nobleman's garden. As Harry stood
at the window it seemed so odd to him that he should be there. And he
was busy about everything in the chamber, seeing that all things were
clean and well ordered. Was the woman of the house sure of her cook?
Sure; of course she was sure. Had not old Lady Dimdaff lived there
for two years, and nobody ever was so particular about her victuals
as Lady Dimdaff. "And would Lady Ongar keep her own carriage?" As to
this Harry could say nothing. Then came the question of price, and
Harry found his commission very difficult. The sum asked seemed to
be enormous. "Seven guineas a week at that time of the year!" Lady
Dimdaff had always paid seven guineas. "But that was in the season,"
suggested Harry. To this the woman replied that it was the season
now. Harry felt that he did not like to drive a bargain for the
Countess, who would probably care very little what she paid, and
therefore assented. But a guinea a day for lodgings did seem a great
deal of money. He was prepared to marry and commence housekeeping
upon a less sum for all his expenses. However, he had done his
commission, had written to Lady Clavering, and had telegraphed to
Paris. He had almost brought himself to write to Lady Ongar, but when
the moment came he abstained. He had sent the telegram as from H.
Clavering. She might think that it came from Hugh if she pleased.
He was unable not to attend specially to his dress when he went to
meet her at the Victoria Station. He told himself that he was an
ass,--but still he went on being an ass. During the whole afternoon
he could do nothing but think of what he had in hand. He was to tell
Florence everything, but had Florence known the actual state of his
mind, I doubt whether she would have been satisfied with him. The
train was due at 8 P.M. He dined at the Oxford and Cambridge Club at
six, and then went to his lodgings to take one last look at his outer
man. The evening was very fine, but he went down to the station in a
cab, because he would not meet Lady Ongar in soiled boots. He told
himself again that he was an ass; and then tried to console himself
by thinking that such an occasion as this seldom happened once to any
man,--could hardly happen more than once to any man. He had hired
a carriage for her, not thinking it fit that Lady Ongar should be
taken to her new home in a cab; and when he was at the station, half
an hour before the proper time, was very fidgety because it had not
come. Ten minutes before eight he might have been seen standing at
the entrance to the station looking out anxiously for the vehicle.
The man was there, of course, in time, but Harry made himself angry
because he could not get the carriage so placed that Lady Ongar might
be sure of stepping into it without leaving the platform. Punctually
to the moment the coming train announced itself by its whistle, and
Harry Clavering felt himself to be in a flutter.
The train came up along the platform, and Harry stood there expecting
to see Julia Brabazon's head projected from the first window that
caught his eye. It was of Julia Brabazon's head, and not of Lady
Ongar's, that he was thinking. But he saw no sign of her presence
while the carriages were coming to a stand-still, and the platform
was covered with passengers before he discovered her whom he was
seeking. At last he encountered in the crowd a man in livery, and
found from him that he was Lady Ongar's servant. "I have come to meet
Lady Ongar," said Harry, "and have got a carriage for her." Then the
servant found his mistress, and Harry offered his hand to a tall
woman in black. She wore a black straw hat with a veil, but the veil
was so thick that Harry could not at all see her face.
"Is that Mr. Clavering?" said she.
"Yes," said Harry, "it is I. Your sister asked me to take rooms for
you, and as I was in town I thought I might as well meet you to see
if you wanted anything. Can I get the luggage?"
"Thank you;--the man will do that. He knows where the things are."
"I ordered a carriage;--shall I show him where it is? Perhaps you
will let me take you to it? They are so stupid here. They would not
let me bring it up."
"It will do very well I'm sure. It's very kind of you. The rooms are
in Bolton Street. I have the number here. Oh! thank you." But she
would not take his arm. So he led the way, and stood at the door
while she got into the carriage with her maid. "I'd better show the
man where you are now." This he did, and afterwards shook hands with
her through the carriage window. This was all he saw of her, and the
words which have been repeated were all that were spoken. Of her face
he had not caught a glimpse.
As he went home to his lodgings he was conscious that the interview
had not been satisfactory. He could not say what more he wanted, but
he felt that there was something amiss. He consoled himself, however,
by reminding himself that Florence Burton was the girl whom he had
really loved, and not Julia Brabazon. Lady Ongar had given him no
invitation to come and see her, and therefore he determined that he
would return home on the following day without going near Bolton
Street. He had pictured to himself beforehand the sort of description
he would give to Lady Clavering of her sister; but, seeing how things
had turned out, he made up his mind that he would say nothing of the
meeting. Indeed, he would not go up to the great house at all. He had
done Lady Clavering's commission,--at some little trouble and expense
to himself, and there should be an end of it. Lady Ongar would not
mention that she had seen him. He doubted, indeed, whether she would
remember whom she had seen. For any good that he had done, or for
any sentiment that there had been, his cousin Hugh's butler might as
well have gone to the train. In this mood he returned home, consoling
himself with the fitness of things which had given him Florence
Burton instead of Julia Brabazon for a wife.