CAPTAIN LANGTON ACCEPTED.
Lady Darrell was obliged to own herself completely puzzled. All the
girls she had ever known had not only liked admiration, but had even
sought it; she could not understand why Pauline showed such decided
aversion to Captain Langton. He was undeniably handsome, graceful, and
polished in manner; Lady Darrell could imagine no one more pleasant or
entertaining. Why should Pauline show such great distaste for his
society, and such avoidance of him?
There were times, too, when she could not quite understand Aubrey
Langton. She had seen him look at Pauline with an expression not merely
of love, but with something of adoration in his eyes; and then again she
would be startled by a look of something more fierce and more violent
even than hate. She herself was in love with him; nor was she ashamed to
own the fact even to herself. She could let her heart speak now--its
voice had been stifled long enough; still she would have liked to know
the cause of Pauline's avoidance of him.
On the second day of his visit Lady Darrell gave a grand dinner-party.
Lady Hampton, who viewed the captain's arrival with great disfavor, was,
as a matter of course, to be present. All the neighbors near were
invited, and Pauline, despite her dislike, saw that she must be present.
Lady Darrell took this opportunity of appearing, for the first time
since Sir Oswald's death, _en grande toilette_. She wore a dress of blue
brocade, a marvel of color and weaving, embroidered with flowers, the
very delicacy of which seemed to attract notice. She wore the Darrell
diamonds, her golden head being wreathed with a tiara of precious
stones. She looked marvelously bright and radiant; her face was flushed
with the most delicate bloom, her eyes were bright with happiness. The
guests remarked to each other how lovely their young hostess was.
But when Pauline entered the room, Lady Darrell was eclipsed, even as
the light of the stars is eclipsed by that of the sun. Pauline wore no
jewels; the grand beauty of her face and figure required none. The
exquisite head and graceful, arched neck rose from the clouds of gray
tulle like some superb flower from the shade of its leaves; her dress
was low, showing the white neck and statuesque shoulders; the dark,
clustering hair was drawn back from the noble brow, a pomegranate
blossom glowing in the thick coils. Graceful and dignified she looked,
without glitter of jewels or dress--simple, perfect in the grandeur of
her own loveliness.
She was greatly admired; young men gazed at her from a distance with an
expression almost of infatuation, while the ladies whispered about her;
yet no one had the courage to pay her any great attention, from the
simple fact that Lady Hampton had insinuated that the young widow did
not care much about Miss Darrell. Some felt ill at ease in her presence;
her proud, dark eyes seemed to detect every little false grace and
affectation, all paltry little insincerities seemed to be revealed to
her.
Yet Pauline on this occasion did her best. Despite Sir Oswald's false
judgment of her, there was an innate refinement about her, and it showed
itself to-night. She talked principally to old Lady Percival, who had
known her mother, and who professed and really felt the most profound
liking and affection for Pauline; they talked during dinner and after
dinner, and then, seeing that every one was engaged, and that no one was
likely to miss her, Pauline slipped from the room and went out.
She gave a long sigh of relief as she stood under the broad, free sky;
flowers and birds, sunshine and shade, the cool, fragrant gloaming, were
all so much more beautiful, so much more to her taste, than the warm,
glittering rooms. In the woods a nightingale was singing. What music
could be compared to this? The white almond blossoms were falling as she
went down to the lakeside, where her dreams were always fairest.
"I wonder," mused the girl, "why the world of nature is so fair, and the
world of men and women so stupid and so inane."
"Pauline," said a voice near her, "I have followed you; I could not help
doing so."
She turned hastily, and saw Captain Langton, his face flushed, his eyes
flaming with a light that was not pleasant to see.
"How have you dared to do so?" she demanded.
"I dare do anything," he replied, "for you madden me. Do you hear? You
madden me!"
She paid no more heed to his words than she did to the humming of the
insects in the grass.
"You shall hear me!" he cried. "You shall not turn away your haughty
head! Look at me--listen to me, or I will----"
"Or you will murder me," she interrupted. "It will not be the first time
you have used that threat. I shall neither look at you nor listen to
you."
"Pauline, I swear that you are driving me mad. I love you so dearly that
my life is a torment, a torture to me; yet I hate you so that I could
almost trample your life out under my feet. Be merciful to me. I know
that I may woo and win this glittering widow. I know that I may be
master of Darrell Court--she has let me guess that much--but, Pauline, I
would rather marry you and starve than have all the world for my own."
She turned to him, erect and haughty, her proud face flushing, her eyes
so full of scorn that their light seemed to blind him.
"I did not think," she said, "that you would dare to address such words
to me. If I had to choose this instant between death and marrying you,
I would choose death. I know no words in which I can express my scorn,
my contempt, my loathing for you. If you repeat this insult, it will be
at your peril. Be warned."
"You are a beautiful fiend!" he hissed. "You shall suffer for your
pride!"
"Yes," she said, calmly; "go and marry Lady Darrell. I have vowed to be
revenged upon her; sweeter vengeance I could not have than to stand by
quietly while she marries you."
"You are a beautiful fiend!" he hissed again, his face white with rage,
his lips dry and hot.
Pauline turned away, and he stood with deeply muttered imprecations on
his lips.
"I love her and I hate her," he said; "I would take her in my arms and
carry her away where no one in the world could see her beautiful face
but myself. I could spend my whole life in worshiping her--yet I hate
her. She has ruined me--I could trample her life out. 'Go and marry Lady
Darrell,' she said; I will obey her."
He returned to the house. No one noticed that his face was paler than
usual, that his eyes were shadowed and strange; no one knew that his
breath came in hot gasps, and that his heart beat with great irregular
throbs.
"I will woo Lady Darrell and win her," he said, "and then Pauline shall
suffer."
What a contrast that graceful woman, with her fair face and caressing
manner, presented to the girl he had just left, with her passionate
beauty and passionate scorn! Lady Darrell looked up at him with eyes of
sweetest welcome.
"You have been out in the grounds," she said, gently; "the evening is
very pleasant."
"Did you miss me, Lady Darrell--Elinor?" he asked, bending over her
chair.
He saw a warm blush rising in her cheeks, and in his heart he felt some
little contempt for the conquest so easily made.
"Did you miss me, Elinor?" he repeated. "You must let me call you
Elinor--I think it is the sweetest name in all the world."
It was almost cruel to trifle with her, for, although she was
conventional to the last degree, and had but little heart, still what
heart she had was all his. It was so easy to deceive her, too; she was
so ready to believe in him and love him that her misplaced affection was
almost pitiable. She raised her blue eyes to his; there was no secret in
them for him.
"I am very glad my name pleases you," she said; "I never cared much for
it before."
"But you will like it now?" he asked; and then bending over her chair,
he whispered something that sent a warm, rosy flush over her face and
neck.
Every one noticed the attention he paid her; Lady Hampton saw it, and
disliked him more than ever. Lord Aynsley saw it, and knew that all hope
of winning the beautiful widow was over for him. People made their
comments upon it, some saying it would be an excellent match, for Sir
Oswald had been much attached to Captain Langton, others thinking that
Lady Darrell, with her fair face and her large fortune, might have done
better. There was something, too, in the captain's manner which puzzled
simple-hearted people--something of fierce energy, which all the
softness of word and look could not hide.
"There is not much doubt of what will be the next news from Darrell
Court," said one to another.
No one blamed the young widow for marrying again, but there was a
general expression of disappointment that she had not done better.
Those dwelling in the house foresaw what was about to take place. Aubrey
Langton became the widow's shadow. Wherever she went he followed her; he
made love to her with the most persevering assiduity, and it seemed to
be with the energy of a man who had set himself a task and meant to go
through with it.
He also assumed certain airs of mastership. He knew that he had but to
speak one word, and Darrell Court would be his. He spoke in a tone of
authority, and the servants had already begun to look upon him as their
master.
Silent, haughty, and reserved, Pauline Darrell stood aside and
watched--watched with a kind of silent triumph which filled Miss
Hastings with wonder--watched and spoke no word--allowed her contempt
and dislike to be seen in every action, yet never uttered one
word--watched like a beautiful, relentless spirit of fate.
Throughout the bright, long summer months Aubrey Langton staid on at
Darrell Court, and at last did what he intended to do--proposed to Lady
Darrell. He was accepted. It was the end of July then, but, yielding to
her regard for appearances, it was agreed that no further word should be
said of marriage until the spring of the following year.