Time soon slips by.
"Nonsense, my dear! why should we study the world? You know what my
grandfather said."
"Yes, George," said Gertrude, with a peculiarly troubled look in her
eyes.
"And very wisely; and as soon as you like to say you are ready, why, I
am, and the world may go and hang itself."
The troubled look in Gertrude's eyes deepened, for the free and easy
manner of her betrothed shocked her.
"You don't dislike me, Gertie?" he said, laughing.
"No; oh, no," she replied, looking at him wistfully.
"I know," he cried, taking her hand. "You have only, as we may say,
known me a month, and you think me too rough and ready to show so much
of the American camp-life; but that will soon wear off. You are such a
good, gentle little thing, you'll soften me, and it will be all right."
"Going out, George?"
"Yes; I promised to run down to Greenwich with Saul Harrington. Not a
bad fellow when you know him better. I say, how long are Mr and Mrs
Hampton going to stay here?"
"I don't know, George."
"It's to play propriety, I suppose."
"Mrs Hampton has always been very kind to me, and I know it
inconveniences her to be here."
"Then let her go."
"She has asked me to go and stay with her, George."
"Then don't go. I see: let her stay here. I'm rather sick of all this
prudery, though. Better name the day, Gertie, and let's get it over."
"No, no; not yet, George. Give me a little time."
"Well, well, I won't be hard upon you, and I do want to see a little
London life before that comes off."
He left the room, and Mrs Hampton, a tall, severe-looking lady in black
silk, came slowly in, gazing at the dreamy-eyed girl, who did not seem
to note her presence, as she took up some work, sat down in an
easy-chair, and began to knit.
"Young, an enormous fortune, but I pity her," said the elderly lady to
herself.
At the same moment Gertrude was pitying herself, and struggling against
her own wishes.
"I have read too much, I suppose," she said to herself, "and have formed
romantic ideas, and consequently George seems so different from what I
pictured him to be. He is so rough and common in his ways; but what
could I have expected, after the life he has led? But don't be afraid,
uncle, dearest," she murmured. "I am going to be your dutiful child--I
am going to be his wife; and I shall try so hard to wean him from
anything that is not nice, and we shall be very happy, I am sure. Does
he love me?"
Gertrude had a hard riddle to solve there, and she sat gazing
thoughtfully before her for some time.
"I think so. He is always very gentle and kind to me, and he seems to
wish for our marriage to take place soon; but somehow or other he cares
more for Saul Harrington's company than mine. It seems strange--very
strange," he said thoughtfully. "Saul Harrington is always coming here,
too, now, and it does not seem as if he were attracted by me, but to be
always with George; and I mistrust him--I mistrust him."
Gertrude's thoughts were interrupted by her companion, who, after
watching her in a fidgety manner for some time, suddenly dropped her
work in her lap, raised a great knitting-pin in a menacing way as if to
defend herself against attack, and said, in a harsh, strident voice:
"And he told me I was an old goose."
"Mrs Hampton! Who did?"
"Mr Hampton, my dear; last night, when we went to bed."
"Mr Hampton!"
"Ah, you don't understand, my dear; but I have been thinking it all
over, and it's my duty and I will. Mr Hampton said I was not to
interfere--that I was to stay here as long as you wished, and then that
you had better come and stay with us."
"It is very kind of you, Mrs Hampton," faltered Gertrude.
"Nonsense, child--only civility; and, of course, I want to do what's
right by you. As I told Hampton, it wasn't right for you to be alone
here in the house, and only Denton with you. A very good old woman, but
only Mrs Denton; so of course we came, and I know you've always looked
upon me as an incubus."
"Indeed, you do not think so."
"Well, p'r'aps not, my dear; but I'm a very pernickerty body, and not
always pleasant to deal with. However, that's neither here nor there.
Like Doctor Lawrence does, Mr Hampton and I feel a kind of parental
interest in you, my dear, and we want to see you happy."
"I am sure you do," said Gertrude, kissing the acid-looking old lady.
"Thank you, my dear," said Mrs Hampton, beaming, as she threw her gaunt
arms about Gertrude, and gave her two sounding kisses. "And now, my
dear, goose or no goose, I've watched everything, and I'm going to speak
out."
"You alarm me, Mrs Hampton."
"Yes, that's my way. I always do alarm people most when I want to be
kindest. Now look at me: I'm a very unpleasant-looking body, ain't I?
and I've got a terrible temper, but do you know Hampton and I have been
married forty-three years, and never had an angry word?"
"I always knew you were a very happy pair, Mrs Hampton."
"And we are, my dear; but, Gertie Bellwood, are you two going to be a
happy pair?"
"I hope so--oh, I'm sure so!" cried Gertrude, with the tears in her
eyes. "I shall try so hard to make him happy."
"That settles it."
"Mrs Hampton!"
"Yes, my dear; that settles it. If you've got to force yourself to be
happy, and will have to try so hard, why, it will all be a failure, so
give it up."
"But Mr Harrington's wishes!"
"Bother Mr Harrington's wishes! He was a good eccentric old man, but
he didn't know everything. He quarrelled with his son because they were
both obstinate, and when he grew older he repented, and made up his mind
to do to his grandson what he had omitted to do to his son. He has made
him rich, and to make him happy he told you to marry him: but it will
not do, my dear--it will not do."
"Mrs Hampton!"
"I can't help it, my child. Marry in haste and repent at leisure; but
you shan't run headlong into misery without Rachel Hampton saying a word
of warning."
"I feel that it is my duty to the dead," cried Gertrude.
"Duty! Ha! Then you love some one else--not that dreadful Saul
Harrington?"
"Oh, no, Mrs Hampton."
"Thank goodness! You gave me quite a turn. Then it's some other young
man?"
"Indeed, no."
"Are you sure? Don't be afraid to confess to me. Yes, you are sure. I
can read you like a book. My dear, you don't love anyone else, and you
don't love George Harrington."
"But I shall--I am sure I shall."
"No. You can't grow that plant, my dear. It comes up of itself, like
mushrooms. You may get spawn from the best seedsmen, and make a bed and
grow some leathery, tasteless things that look like mushrooms, but
they're no more like the real thing than your grown love is like the
genuine article. No, my dear, it won't do, so take my advice, give up
your rich man, and come and live with us till the right one comes."
"No, no; I cannot, George Harrington expects me to be his wife, and I
shall pray to God to make me all that is true and loving to the man
chosen for my husband."
"Then I've done my duty that way, so I'm at rest. Now, about something
else."
"Yes, Mrs Hampton?" said Gertrude in alarm.
"Take him in hand, my dear, and try and mould him into a better shape."
"Oh, a little mixing with decent society will soon soften all that you
notice."
"No, it will not, my dear. He drinks too much."
Gertrude sighed.
"He gambles."
Gertrude started.
"And he seems to have found a congenial spirit in that Mr Saul
Harrington."
Gertrude shook her head sadly.
"I'm a matter-of-fact woman, my dear, and I speak out sometimes, and I'm
going to speak out now. I hate Mr Saul Harrington, and you'd better
take a few lessons from me, and hate him too."
Gertrude looked at her in a bewildered way.
"Oh, come, that won't do; you are going to marry Mr George?"
"Yes, Mrs Hampton."
"And you are going to devote yourself to making him a good young man?"
"Yes."
"Then you must put your hand to the plough with a will; and the first
thing to do is to wean him away from Saul Harrington."
"But how?"
"Woman's wit, my dear. Make him love you, and think there's no
happiness to be found anywhere in the world except by your side."
A rosy flush came into Gertrude's cheeks, but it faded away, and left
them pale, while the sad look of perplexity that was growing there
became more pronounced.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mrs Hampton," said Gertrude, with a sigh.
"That's what I did with Mr Hampton, and I don't look the sort of woman,
do I?"
"Pray don't ask me such questions. But surely Mr Hampton was never at
all--"
"Wild, my dear? No, but he was growing too fond of his whist, and I--"
"Yes, Mrs Hampton; you--"
"Well, my dear," said the old lady, kissing her affectionately, "I
played a trump card. There, I'm going for my walk now. Will you come?"
"Not to-day. Mrs Denton here wants to see me."
"Yes, if you please, Miss Gertrude," said the old woman, who had tapped
at the door and entered.
"Well, I'll go and get on my things, and if you have done when I've
dressed, I'll wait for you. You ought to have your walk."
"Yes, Denton?" said Gertrude, as soon as they were alone.
"I've come to ask you, my dear, if I may speak out."
"Of course."
"Then I will, for I've had charge of you ever since you were such a
little dot. Miss Gertrude, my dear, it won't do."
"Denton?"
"I'm seeing too much, my dear, and if poor master was alive he'd say
what I say, `It won't do.'"
"What do you mean?" cried Gertrude, with her heart beating wildly.
"Master George is no husband for you, my dear, no more than Mr Saul is.
Drink, and smoke, and cards, and bets. No, no, no, my dear, darling
child; never mind the money, and the purple, and the fine linen. You've
got your hundred a year, and I've got my annuity, as shall be yours, so
let's go and take a cottage and live together; for if I stay here much
longer, and see what's going on, it will break my heart."
And in proof of her earnestness the old lady sank upon her knees and
covered her face with her apron, sobbing violently in spite of
comforting words, till there was the rustle of silk upon the stairs,
when she rose from her knees, kissed Gertrude quickly, and hurried out
of the room.
Gertrude did not go for a walk, but sat alone thinking about her future
life, and the clouds grew darker and seemed to close her in.