"Or perhaps," said Lilias, "she has found out at last what our Gerald is."
"Both, most likely," said Marjory. "Anyhow, she"s changed; and the funniest part is that that old man----"
"What old man, Marjory?"
"Don"t interrupt me--her father. I always call him that old man--well, I think he"s afraid of her. She doesn"t pet him the way she used, but she"s very gentle with him. Oh, she"s a good bit altered; there"s something in her now."
"I suppose there was always something in her," said Lilias. "For Gerald"--her lips trembled--"gave up so much for her."
"No more than any man gives up for any woman," said Marjory. "A man shall leave his father and mother. Oh, yes, poor old Lil, I know how you felt it. You always made an idol of Gerald. I suppose you"ll marry some day; you are so pretty--and h"m--h"m--there"s somebody waiting for somebody--there, I don"t want to tease, only when you do marry, my pretty sister, I wonder if he"ll come inside Gerald in your heart."
"I won"t marry until I love some one even better than my only brother,"
replied Lilias in a grave voice. "That time has not come yet," she added, and then she turned away.
The games went on as fast as ever; Marjory romped with the merriest.
Lilias was graver than her sister, not so fond of pastimes, perhaps not quite so generally popular. She went into the house, sat down by the organ in the hall and began to play. She had almost as much talent as Gerald; her fingers wandered over the keys, she was in a dreamy mood, and her thoughts were carrying her back to a bygone scene--to Gerald"s face on that Sunday night. She heard again the rich tones of his voice, and heard his words:--
"Till in the ocean of Thy love We loose ourselves in Heaven above."
"Oh, Gerald," she said with a kind of sob, "things have been hard for me since you went away. It was not your marriage alone, I had prepared myself for that; but it was more--it was more. The Church of G.o.d--you gave that up. Yes, yes. There has been a shut door between us. Gerald, since you and Valentine first met; and where are you now--where are you now?"
"Lilias," said little Joan running in breathlessly, "father wants you in his study, quickly. I don"t think he"s quite well. He has just had a letter, and he looks so queer."
"I"ll go to him at once," said Lilias.
She could be apprehensive enough, but in real danger, in times of real anxiety, her head could be cool and her steps firm.
"Yes, father," she said, motioning the frightened little Joan away.
She shut the library door behind her.
"Yes, father. What is it? Jo says that you have got a letter, and that you want me."
"Oh, I don"t suppose it"s anything," said the rector. "That is, I don"t mean to be uneasy. Here"s the letter. Lilias. You ought to read it, perhaps. It"s from Paget. He is evidently nervous himself, but I don"t suppose there is any need. Read it, and tell me what you think."
The rector thrust a sheet of paper into his daughter"s hand. Then went over to one of his book shelves and pretended to be busy rummaging up some folios. Lilias read as follows:--
MY DEAR SIR,--I write on a subject of some little anxiety. I did not wish to trouble you before it was necessary, but now I confess that we--I refer to my house of business--have cause to feel uneasiness with regard to the fate of the _Esperance_. She is quite a month overdue at Sydney; even allowing for all possible delays, she is at least that time overdue. The last tidings of her were from the Cape, and it is feared from their date that she must have encountered rough weather in the Southern Ocean. Nothing is known, however, and every hour we look for a cable announcing her arrival at Melbourne if not at Sydney. It is possible she may have been injured, which will account for the delay, but I scarcely apprehend anything worse. I ought scarcely to say that I am anxious; up to the present there is no real cause to apprehend anything worse than an accident to the vessel. Vessels are often a month behind their time, and all is satisfactorily explained at the end. I am now troubling you with regard to another matter. I do not want my daughter and your son"s wife to be needlessly alarmed. It is most important that her mind should be kept free from apprehension until after the birth of their child. You kindly asked her to go to see you. Can you have her at the rectory at once? And will you send Lilias to fetch her? I know you and yours will keep all fears from her, and, poor child, she reads my face like a book.
Yours faithfully,
"MORTIMER PAGET."
"Well, Lilias," said the rector. "Well? He"s a little over nervous, isn"t he, eh? Vessels are often a month overdue. Eh, Lilias? But of course they are. Somehow I"m not nervous since I got that letter. I was before, but not now."
He rubbed his hands together as he spoke.
"It"s summer now, and we"ll have Gerald back before the next snow comes. I told the boy so when he bid me good-bye; he was a bit upset that night after you girls went to bed. Poor fellow, I had quite to cheer him; he"s a very affectionate lad. No, I"m not nervous, and I wonder at Paget. But what do _you_ think, Lilias?"
Lilias folded up the letter, and put it back in her old father"s hand.
Then she stole her arm round his neck, and kissed him.
"We will be brave," she said. "If we have fears we won"t speak of them; we have got to think of Valentine now, not of ourselves."
The rector almost shook Lilias" hand from his neck.
"Fears," he said, in a light and cheerful voice, a voice which was belied by his tremulous hands, and by his almost petulant movement.
"Fears! my dear girl, they really don"t exist. At this moment, were we clairvoyant, we should see Gerald either rising leisurely from a good night"s rest, or sitting down to his breakfast in one of those luxurious houses one reads of in Froude"s "Oceana." Vessels like the _Esperance_ don"t go to the bottom. Now, Lil, at what hour will you go to fetch Valentine? You will go up to town to-morrow, of course."
"By the first train," replied Lilias. Her lips quivered. She turned away; there was nothing more to be said. Her father"s manner did not in the least deceive her.
"Dear old man!" she said to herself. "If he can be brave, so will I.
But oh, Gerald, does any heart ache more for you than the heart of your sister Lilias?"
CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
Valentine had got a blow. The first real great blow which had ever been dealt to her. It had a most curious effect. Instead of stunning or rendering her weak and incapable, it suddenly changed her from a child into a practical and clever and wide-awake woman. The very quality of her voice changed. It became full, and inspired respect the moment she spoke. She was quite aware that her father had deceived her, that he did not mean her to accompany Gerald to Sydney.
She said nothing about this knowledge--not even that evening when she got home and found her father looking ten years older, but standing on the step of her own little home waiting for her.
"I was too late," she said, quietly. "The _Esperance_ sailed four hours before its time. I must do without Gerald for six months; in six months he will be home."
"In six months," echoed Mr. Paget, following her upstairs to the drawing-room. "Kiss me, my darling," he said. "Valentine, you will come back to your own home to-morrow."
Valentine raised her cheek to meet her father"s lips.
"I think I would rather remain here," she said. "This, after all, is my only real home; you don"t mind my keeping the house, do you, father?"
"No, my dear, if you wish it. Only I thought----" His last words came out almost tremulously.
"Sometimes we are mistaken in our thoughts," responded Valentine. "I should like best to stay on in my husband"s house. Six months will not be long pa.s.sing; and--father, I have some news for you. In July--if I live until July--G.o.d is going to give me a child--Gerald"s child and mine. I should like it to be born here."
"Thank G.o.d," exclaimed Mr. Paget. "I am very glad of this, Valentine,"
he said. "This--this--is an inestimable mercy. I hope your child will be a son. My dear daughter, this news lifts a great weight off my mind."
He looked what he felt, delighted.
"Of course you must live wherever you like best," he said. "July--this is March--the child"s father will be----" but he did not finish this sentence.
He went away soon afterwards. Ten years had been added to his life in that one single day.
He knew, one glance into Valentine"s eyes told him, that she no longer believed in him. What was any success with the heart of his darling turned aside?