FORTUNE.
Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything—SHAKESPEARE.
So General Lyon answered the lawyers’ letters, and in a more
satisfactory manner, it is to be presumed, than Drusilla had ever done.
His illustrious name and exalted position were in themselves enough to
dispel any doubts that the mysterious reticence of the heiress might
have raised in the minds of her solicitors.
Having sent his letter off to the post-office, and knowing that several
days must elapse before he could hear from the solicitors again, the old
gentleman dismissed the matter from his mind, and addressed himself to
the enjoyment of the Christmas festival now at hand.
Dick arrived from Richmond on Christmas Eve, having in charge several
large boxes containing the Christmas presents.
Among them were the crib, the perambulator and the hobby horse, which
were all deposited for the present in the room selected and fitted up by
Anna, as the future play-room of little Master Leonard Lyon.
Anna’s and Drusilla’s presents consisted of rich and costly furs and
shawls, from the General; and splendid jewels and delicate laces from
Dick.
The veteran’s gifts were a pair of soft, embroidered velvet slippers and
smoking-cap, from Anna; a warm quilted dressing-gown from Drusilla; and
a new patent reading-chair of unequalled ingenuity, comfort and
convenience, from Dick.
Dick’s presents were a fowling-piece of the most superior workmanship,
from his uncle; an embroidered cigar case from his betrothed; and a
smoking-cap from Drusilla.
Besides these, each male and female servant in the house was made happy
in the possession of a new and complete Sunday suit.
After the distribution of the presents on Christmas morning the family
went to church.
At the end of the service they returned to an early dinner, and spent
the afternoon and evening in social enjoyment.
As usual in the Christmas holidays, General Lyon gave one large party,
to which he invited all his friends and acquaintances for thirty miles
around.
And at this party he formally introduced Drusilla as:
“My niece, Mrs. Alexander Lyon.”
And this he did with so much quiet dignity, as in most cases to repress
all expression of surprise from those who could not fail to wonder at
such an introduction. And if any had the temerity to utter their
astonishment, they were courteously silenced by the answer of the
stately old gentleman.
“Old people cannot and ought not to choose for their sons in affairs of
the heart. I had hoped that my nephew and my granddaughter would have
married each other, for my sake; but I was wrong. They have each chosen
partners for their own sakes; and they were right. Come here, Dick: Sir
and madam, let me present to you Mr. Richard Hammond as my future and
well-beloved grandson-in-law.”
After that what could the gossips say or do? Of course nothing but bow,
courtesy and congratulate; though some among them, being maliciously
inclined, and envying the young heiress of Old Lyon Hall her beauty and
her wealth, did shrug their shoulders and raise their eyebrows as they
whispered together: That it was very strange Miss Lyon’s marriage being
put off so frequently and she herself at last passed so carelessly from
one bridegroom to another; and that it looked but too likely she would
be an old maid after all; for she was getting on well in years now!
A very false and spiteful conclusion this, as the beautiful Anna was not
yet twenty-three years old.
Some even had the ill-luck to inquire of the General, or of Anna, or
Dick:
“Where is Mr. Alexander Lyon now?”
But the quiet answer was always the same:
“In Washington, attending to the sale of some real estate there.”
And the conversation would be quickly turned.
With the exception of these annoying questions, implied or directly
asked, and which General Lyon knew must be sooner or later met and
answered, and which he felt had best be settled at once, the party
passed off as pleasantly as any of its predecessors had done.
On this occasion at least there was no failure upon account of the
weather. There never was a finer starlight winter night to invite people
_out_.
Nor was there any tampering with the lamps of the long drawing-room;
there never was seen a more brilliantly lighted and warmed saloon to
entice people _in_.
The music was inspiring; the dancing was animated, the supper excellent.
The festivities were kept up all night.
And did Drusilla enjoy the party?
Of course she did. Why not? She could _love_ forever, but she could not
_grieve_ forever. She was experiencing a delightful reaction from her
long depression of spirits. She was young and beautiful, and formed to
give and receive pleasure amid these Christmas festivities. In a rich
white moire antique dress, delicately trimmed with black lace and black
jet, she looked exquisitely pretty. To please her friends and also a
little to please herself she danced—first with General Lyon, who led her
to the head of a set to open the ball; then with Dick, and afterwards
with any others whom her uncle introduced to her. And all who made her
acquaintance were charmed with the beauty and sweetness of the lovely,
childlike creature.
A refreshing breakfast was served at seven o’clock; after which, the
guests, well pleased, took leave and departed by the light of the rising
sun.
Early in the new year, “mammy,” well paid for her faithful services and
loaded with tokens of her patient’s good-will, took leave of the family
and of her fellow servants and left Old Lyon Hall to return to her own
home in Alexandria.
She was attended by Leo, who was commissioned to bring down Pina and the
birds, the dog, the cat, and the kittens; for to mammy’s perfect
content, the brother and sister were again to enter together the service
of Mrs. Lyon.
“I have brought up my chillum respectable which it is allus my pride and
ambition so to do, and likewise to have them engaged in service long o’
the old respectable, rustycratic families, which none can be more so
than the Lyonses of Old Lyon Hall, and that to _my_ sartain knowledge,
which has heard of them ever since I was born,” said mammy, on parting
with her gossip, Marcy. “And I hopes, ma’am,” she added, “if you sees my
young people agoing wrong, you’ll make so free for my sake as to correct
them; which their missus, the young madam, is much too gentle-hearted
for to do; but gives them their own head far too much.”
Marcy gave a promise to have an eye upon the boy and girl—a promise she
was but too likely to keep.
And so mammy departed, well pleased.
The very day she left, the wagons from Washington City, containing
Drusilla’s personal effects from Cedarwood, which had been delayed by
the bad condition of the roads, arrived at Saulsburg.
General Lyon, being duly apprised of the circumstance by a messenger
from the “Foaming Tankard,” sent carts to meet them.
But more than one day was occupied with the removal.
For Alexander Lyon, either from pride, compunction, or a faint revival
of the old love, or from all these motives combined, had sent down not
only Drusilla’s wardrobe and books, but every article of furniture that
particularly appertained to her use. And all these were very carefully
packed, so as to sustain no injury from the roughness of the roads over
which they were brought.
There was first a whole wagon load of boxes filled with the rich and
costly wearing apparel with which he had overwhelmed her in the days of
his devotion.
Then there was another load composed of her mosaic work-table, sewing
chair, and footstool; her enameled writing-desk, work-box and
dressing-case; her favorite sleepy hollow of a resting-chair; and other
items too numerous to mention.
The third load comprised her sweet-toned cottage piano, her harp, and
her guitar.
It took two days to transport these things from Saulsburg to Old Lyon
Hall, and it took two more days to unpack and arrange them all in
Drusilla’s apartments.
The fond and faithful young wife contemplated these dear familiar
objects with a strange blending of tenderness, regret and hope. Each
item was associated with some sweet memory of her lost home and lost
love. But even now she did not weep; she smiled as she whispered to her
heart:
“He does not know it, but he loves me still; and some day he will come
and tell me so. I can wait for that bright day, Alick, my Alick, when I
shall place my boy in your arms and tell you how in the darkest hours I
never ceased to love you and never doubted your love!”
She was absorbed for a little while, and then once more she murmured to
herself in her beautiful reverie:
“For what would love be if darkness could obscure its light, or wrong
destroy its life?”
Ah! if this devoted young wife ever does succeed in WINNING HER WAY to
the heart and conscience of her husband, she will do it through the
power of her love and faith alone.
Before the week was out Drusilla had another pleasure, in the arrival of
Leo and Pina with her pets.
She received them all with gladness.
“Oh, ma’am,” exclaimed Pina, “but it does my very heart good to see you
looking so rosy and bright-eyed! And I’m just dying to see young Master
Leonard! And I am to be his nurse, ain’t I, ma’am? And how is the dear
little darling pet? And, oh, I am so glad to see you looking so well and
so happy!”
“I am very happy to see you also, Pina,” said Drusilla, when the girl
had stopped for want of breath. “I hope you left your mammy well.”
“Oh, as well as possible, ma’am; but with _baby on the brain_ as sure as
she lives, in regard to talking about little Master Leonard, which she
stands to it is the finest baby as ever she saw among the hundreds and
hundreds as she has had the honor of—of—of——”
Pina paused for want of words or breath.
“Of first introducing to their friends and relations,” added Drusilla,
laughingly coming to the girl’s relief.
“Yes, ma’am, that is the way to put it,” said Pina, approvingly. “But
please, ma’am, may I see little Master Leonard?” she pleaded, eagerly.
“Go with Matty first, Pina. She will show you the room where you are to
sleep, and which joins the nursery. Wash your face and hands, and change
your traveling dress for a clean one, and then come to my chamber, which
is on the other side of the nursery, and I will show you our baby.”
“Thank you, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. I am a perfect show for dust and dirt, I
know, and in no state to go nigh a dainty little baby,” said Pina,
courtesying, and then following Matty from the sitting parlor where this
interview had taken place.
And thus Drusilla’s surroundings at Old Lyon Hall were soon arranged to
her perfect satisfaction.