WAITING FOR REVENGE.
There was a slight, only a very slight difference of opinion between
Lady Darrell and her aunt after the reading of the will. Lady Hampton
would fain have given up the Elms, and have gone to live at Darrell
Court.
"Sir Oswald's will is a very just one," she said, "admirable in every
respect; but I should never dream, were I in your place, Elinor, of
keeping that proud girl here. Let her go. I will come and live with you.
I shall make a better chaperon than that poor, faded Miss Hastings."
But Lady Darrell was eager to taste the sweets of power, and she knew
how completely her aunt would take every vestige of it from her.
She declared her intention to adhere most strictly to the terms of the
will.
"And, aunt," she continued, with firmness quite new to her, "it would be
so much better, I think, for you to keep at the Elms. People might make
strange remarks if you came here to live with me."
Lady Hampton was shrewd enough to see that she must abide by her niece's
decision.
The captain was to remain only two days at Darrell Court, and Lady
Darrell was anxious to spend some little time with him.
"I like the captain, aunt," she said; "he amuses me."
Lady Hampton remembered how she had spoken of him before, and it was not
her intention that her beautiful niece should fling away herself and her
magnificent fortune on Aubrey Langton.
"She is sure to marry again," thought the lady; "and, dowered as she is,
she ought to marry a duke, at least."
She represented to her that it was hardly etiquette for her, a widow so
young, and her loss being so recent, to entertain a handsome young
officer.
"I do not see that the fact of his being handsome makes any difference,
aunt," said Lady Darrell; "still, if you think I must remain shut up in
my room while the captain is here, of course, I will remain so, though
it seems very hard."
"Appearances are everything," observed Lady Hampton, sagely; "and you
cannot be too careful at first."
"Does he seem to pay Pauline any attention?" asked the young widow,
eagerly.
"I have never heard them exchange more than a few words--indeed the
circumstance has puzzled me, Elinor. I have seen him look at her as
though he worshiped her and as though he hated her. As for Miss
Darrell, she seems to treat him with contemptuous indifference."
"I used to think he liked her," said Lady Darrell, musingly.
"He liked the future heiress of Darrell Court," rejoined Lady Hampton.
"All his love has gone with her prospects, you may rely upon it."
Lady Darrell, brought up in a school that would sacrifice even life
itself for the sake of appearances, knew there was no help for her
enforced retirement. She remained in her rooms until the young officer
had left the Court.
Lady Hampton was not the only one who felt puzzled at Pauline's behavior
to the captain. Miss Hastings, who understood her pupil perhaps better
than any one, was puzzled. There was somewhat of a calm, unutterable
contempt in her manner of treating him. He could not provoke her; no
matter what he said, she would not be provoked into retort. She never
appeared to remember his existence; no one could have been more
completely ignored; and Captain Langton himself was but too cognizant of
the fact. If he could have but piqued or aroused her, have stung her
into some exhibition of feeling, he would have been content; but no
statue could have been colder, no queen prouder. If any little attention
was required at her hands she paid it, but there was no denying the fact
that it was rendered in such a manner that the omission would have been
preferable.
On the evening of his departure Lady Hampton went down to wish him
farewell; she conveyed to him Lady Darrell's regret at not being able to
do the same.
"I am very sorry," said the captain; "though, of course, under the
circumstances, I could hardly hope for the pleasure of seeing Lady
Darrell. Perhaps you will tell her that in the autumn, with her
permission, I shall hope to revisit the Court."
Lady Hampton said to herself that she should take no such message. The
dearest wish of her heart was that the gallant captain should never be
seen there again. But she made some gracious reply, and then asked,
suddenly:
"Have you seen Miss Darrell? Have you said good-by to her?"
Aubrey Langton looked slightly confused.
"I have not seen her to-day," he replied.
Lady Hampton smiled very graciously.
"I will send for her," she said; and when, in answer to her summons, a
servant entered, she asked that Miss Darrell might be requested to favor
her with her presence in the library. It did not escape her keen
observation that Captain Langton would rather have avoided the
interview.
Pauline entered with the haughty grace so natural to her; her proud eyes
never once glanced at the captain; he was no more to her than the very
furniture in the room.
"You wished to see me, Lady Hampton," she said, curtly.
"Yes--that is, Captain Langton wishes to say good-by to you; he is
leaving Darrell Court this morning."
There was the least possible curl of the short upper lip. Lady Hampton
happened to catch the glance bestowed upon Pauline by their visitor. For
a moment it startled her--it revealed at once such hopeless passionate
love and such strong passionate hate. Pauline made no reply; the queenly
young figure was drawn up to its full height, the thoughtful face was
full of scorn. The captain concealed his embarrassment as he best could,
and went up to her with outstretched hands.
"Good-by, Miss Darrell," he said; "this has been a very sad time for
you, and I deeply sympathize with you. I hope to see you again in the
autumn, looking better--more like yourself."
Lady Hampton was wont to declare that the scene was one of the finest
she had ever witnessed. Pauline looked at him with that straight, clear,
calm gaze of hers, so terribly searching and direct.
"Good-by," she said, gravely, and then, utterly ignoring the
outstretched hands, she swept haughtily from the room.
Lady Hampton did not attempt to conceal her delight at the captain's
discomfiture.
"Miss Darrell is very proud," he said, laughing to hide his confusion.
"I must have been unfortunate enough to displease her."
But Lady Hampton saw his confusion, and in her own mind she wondered
what there was between these two--why he should appear at the same time
to love and to hate her--above all, why she should treat him with such
sovereign indifference and contempt.
"It is not natural," she argued to herself; "young girls, as a rule,
admire--nay, take an uncommon interest in soldiers. What reason can she
have for such contemptuous indifference?"
How little she dreamed of the storm of rage--of passion--of anger--of
love--of fury, that warred in the captain's soul!
He was ten thousand pounds richer, but it was as a drop in the ocean to
him. If it had been ten thousand per annum he might have been grateful.
Ten thousand pounds would discharge every debt he had in the world, and
set him straight once more; he might even lead the life he had always
meant to lead for two or three years, but then the money would be gone.
On the other hand, if that girl--that proud, willful, defiant
girl--would but have married him, Darrell Court, with all its rich
dependencies, would have been his. The thought almost maddened him.
How he loathed her as he rode away! But for her, all this grand
inheritance would have been his. Instead of riding away, he would now be
taking possession and be lord and master of all. These stables with the
splendid stud of horses would be his--his the magnificent grounds and
gardens--the thousand luxuries that made Darrell Court an earthly
paradise. All these would have been his but for the obstinacy of one
girl. Curses deep and burning rose to his lips; yet, for his punishment,
he loved her with a love that mastered him in spite of his hate--that
made him long to throw himself at her feet, while he could have slain
her for the wrong he considered that she had done him.
Lady Hampton could not refrain from a few remarks on what she had
witnessed.
"Has Captain Langton been so unfortunate as to offend you, Miss
Darrell?" she asked of Pauline. "I thought your adieus were of the
coldest."
"Did you? I never could see the use of expressing regret that is not
really felt."
"Perhaps not; but it is strange that you should not feel some little
regret at losing such a visitor."
To this remark Pauline deigned nothing save an extra look of weariness,
which was not lost upon Lady Hampton.
* * * * *
"Pauline," said Miss Hastings, one morning, "I do not think you are
compelled by the terms of Sir Oswald's will to reside at Darrell Court
whether you like it or not. There could be no possible objection to your
going away for a change."
The beautiful, restless face was turned to her.
"I could not leave Darrell Court even if I would," she returned.
"Why not? There is really nothing to detain you here."
"I am waiting," said the girl, her dark eyes lit by a fire that was not
pleasant to see--"I am waiting here for my revenge."
"Oh, Pauline!" cried Miss Hastings, in real distress. "My dear child,
you must forget such things. I do not like to hear such a word from your
lips."
Pauline smiled as she looked at her governess, but there was something
almost terrible in the calm smile.
"What do you think I am living here for--waiting here in patience for? I
tell you, nothing but the vengeance I have promised myself--and it shall
be mine!"