"Are you tired of all this, Alice?" asked Julian, after a particularly frivolous luncheon. "This rubbish must bore one of your thoughtful disposition."
Alice, who was looking unusually charming, laughed gaily. "I have left my thoughtful disposition at Tremore," she said in a light tone. "While I am in Rome I must do as the Romans do."
"Do?" said Hardwick; "they don"t do anything!"
"But they do, Julian. They work harder than any labourer to kill time. I do not think that I should like to lead this life always, but it is a change from the dullness of Polwellin, you know. The month I have been here has improved my health and spirits. I am sure that I thought too much."
"Possibly! All work and no play is as bad as all play and no work. When do you return?"
"I have no settled time to return. Father says that I can stay as long as I like. Though of course I don"t want to outstay my welcome."
"You won"t, Alice. Never think that. Amy likes to have you here, and Frederick says that you are the most sensible girl he ever met. You should go with Amy to Cowes later on."
Alice shook her head. "I am not sure. I must go back some time or another, as father won"t let me remain away for ever. Besides I really think that I shall grow weary of pleasure. Blue skies and constant sunshine bore one."
"Yes, I quite understand. But remember when you come back you will again be exposed to the attentions of that old mummy."
Alice shuddered. "Don Pablo? Is he as often at Tremore as ever?"
"More often. And when he isn"t at Tremore, your father goes to his cottage on the moors. I can"t understand why your father likes him so much. There seems to be something evil about Narvaez."
"Oh!" Alice laid a trembling hand on his arm; "have you felt that also?"
"Yes. I"m not a sensitive chap as a rule, but Narvaez makes me uncomfortable--just like Mr. Hyde in Stevenson"s story, you know.
Whatever you do, don"t consent to be his wife, Alice."
"I certainly shall not, whatever my father may say. At the worst I can always marry you."
"That isn"t a compliment," murmured Hardwick, mortified.
"Well, you know what I mean. I respect you and like you, even if I don"t love you, Julian. And if I did marry you I should never give you cause to complain of coldness on my part."
"Oh, Alice"--his face lighted up.
"No! No! No! The compact still stands. Until I am driven into a corner we are only brother and sister."
"Of course. It"s an odd arrangement."
"Well, I admit that, and only a really kind-hearted, sensible man such as you are would understand and keep to such an arrangement. Sometimes I think I am doing wrong in holding you to our compact, but on reflection I don"t think that I am doing wrong. If you loved me as a man should love a woman, it would be different and then I should be playing with fire. But you don"t."
"No," said Julian honestly, "you are quite right. I like you: I have a deep affection for you, and at all costs would protect your happiness.
But I am quite sure now that I don"t love you in the way you would like to be loved."
Alice drew a deep breath of relief. "How nice to hear you talk so reasonably, Julian. We quite understand one another, don"t we?"
"Quite," he hesitated, and then spoke softly. "Have you seen any one who----"
"Of course I haven"t," interrupted the girl hastily; "you said that I should meet with no one to suit me here. Not that I am looking out for a husband, you know, Julian!"
"I do know. All the same you are sure to come across Prince Charming some day, and then I shall surrender my guardianship to him. You are certain to choose some nice fellow, who won"t mind our continuing our brother and sister arrangement when you are Mrs. Somebody."
"H"m!" said the girl dubiously; "if Mr. Somebody loves me, he may object to a triangle of that sort. Besides, you may marry yourself, Julian."
"I may," said Hardwick in his stolid way, "but at present I am at your service as a stop-gap husband if Don Pablo and your father drive you into a corner, Alice."
"How dreadfully immoral a stop-gap husband sounds!" laughed Miss Enistor, but appreciated the offer all the same. It was impossible to combat alone two strong natures like those of her father and Narvaez; therefore to have Hardwick on her side was a great gain. Nothing would ever induce her to marry Don Pablo. Alice was certain of that.
But as speedy events proved it was not necessary for Julian to hold himself at Miss Enistor"s disposal in this loyal way. Six weeks after Alice was in London, circ.u.mstances brought about the meeting with Montrose. The girl knew that this young man had inherited her aunt"s money, but as Enistor, when informing her of the fact, had said nothing very bitter, she had no grudge against the fortunate legatee. Certainly she regretted the loss for her father"s sake, but decided with instinctive fairness that Lady Staunton had a right to do what she would with her own. Alice had seen but little of her aunt in past years, although the old lady had sometimes invited her to pay a visit.
Consequently she had heard nothing of Montrose, and wondered what he was like. When Mrs. Barrast mentioned the name, Alice was curious to see the young man. And there was every chance that she would, as it appeared that Mrs. Barrast"s doctor wished to bring him to dinner.
"And Dr. Eberstein is such a delightful man that any friend of his is certain to be a darling," babbled the little woman. "You haven"t met my doctor, have you, dear. He attends me for nerves! I am a great sufferer from nerves, and I"m sure if those Christian martyrs they make such a fuss over suffered as much as I do, I quite understand them being praised. But I am sure they never did."
"Have you ever met Mr. Montrose?" asked Alice anxiously, for she wanted to have a sketch of the young man beforehand.
"No, my dear. Dr. Eberstein says he is very handsome and very nice, and has a lot of money!"
"That is quite true, Amy. Mr. Montrose inherited my aunt"s money."
"Oh, my dear, what a disagreeable thing for you. I shall write to Dr.
Eberstein and say that I can"t ask him and his friend to dinner."
"Why not?" asked Alice bluntly.
"Well, you don"t want to meet a man who has robbed you of----"
"He has not robbed me."
"Your father, I mean, Alice."
"Nor my father, Amy. Lady Staunton had a perfect right to do what she liked with her money. My father is not at all annoyed, nor am I."
"What a perfect, Christian feeling!" exclaimed Mrs. Barrast; "and how odd that you shouldn"t be angry! How much money have you lost?"
"None at all," said Miss Enistor rather impatiently; "but my aunt left Mr. Montrose five thousand a year."
"Oh, how dreadful! My dear, if I were in your shoes I should scratch his eyes out. Of course your father is rich----"
"My father is very poor. I only had this season in town because my aunt did leave him a little money."
"Your father is poor! That makes his conduct and yours the odder, if there is such a word. I think it"s very unjust, a sister not leaving her money to a brother and keeping it in the family. My dear," added Mrs.
Barrast impressively, "this wrong must be put right. You shall marry this young man, if he is nice and agreeable. Then the money will come back to you."
"Don"t make such plans, Amy. I don"t want to marry any one."
"My dear, that"s quite immoral."
"Oh, nonsense! If you begin to be a match-maker I shall refuse to meet Mr. Montrose."