"I have not seen her for a long time." Janetta evaded giving a direct answer. "I thought that I should have had a little talk with her. If she is out, I think that I had better turn back."
"You had better rest for a little while," he said. "It is a long walk, and in spite of what you may say, you do look tired. If you have business with my mother, perhaps I may do as well. She generally leaves all her business to me."
"No," said Janetta, with considerable embarra.s.sment of manner. "It is nothing--I can come another time."
He looked at her for a moment as if she puzzled him.
"You have been teaching music in Beaminster, I believe?"
"Yes--and other things."
"May I ask what other things?"
Janetta smiled. "I have a little sister, Tiny," she said, "and I teach her everything she learns. Reading, writing, and arithmetic, you know.
And a neighbor"s little boy comes in and learns with her."
"I have been wondering," said Wyvis, "whether you would care to do anything with that boy of mine."
"That dear little Julian? Oh, I should be glad," said Janetta, more freely than she had yet spoken. "He is such a sweet little fellow."
"He has a spirit of his own, as you know," said the father, with rather an unwilling smile. "He is not a bad little chap; but he has lately attached himself a good deal to me, and I have to go into the stables and about the land a good deal, and I don"t think it"s altogether good for him. I found him"--apologetically--"using some very bad language the other day. Oh, you needn"t be afraid; he won"t do it again; I think I thrashed it out of him--"
"Oh, that"s worse!" said Janetta, reproachfully.
"What do you mean?"
"To strike a little fellow like that, when he did not know that what he was saying was wrong! And why did you take him where he would hear language of that kind? Wasn"t it more your fault than his?"
Wyvis bent his head and shrugged his shoulders. "If the truth were known, I dare say he heard me use it," he said dryly. "I"m not mealy-mouthed myself. However, I"ve taught him that he must not do it."
"Have you, indeed? And don"t you think that example will prove stronger than precept, or even than thrashing?" said Janetta. "If you want to teach him not to use bad words, you had better not use them yourself, Mr. Brand."
"Mr. Brand?" said Wyvis; "I thought it was to be Cousin Wyvis. But I"ve disgusted you; no wonder. I told you long ago that I did not know how to bring up a child. I asked you to help us--and you have not been near the place for months."
"How could I help you, if you mean to train him by oaths and blows?"
asked Janetta.
"That"s plain speaking, at any rate," he said. "Well, I don"t mind; in fact, I might say that I like you the better for it, if you"ll allow me to go so far. I don"t know whether you"re right or not. Of course it won"t do for him to talk as I do while he"s a baby, but later on it won"t signify; and a thrashing never did a boy any harm."
"Do you mean that you are in the habit of swearing?" said Janetta, with a direct simplicity, which made Wyvis smile and wince at the same time.
"No, I don"t," he said. "I always disliked the habit, and I was determined that Julian shouldn"t contract it. But I"ve lived in a set that was not over particular; and I suppose I fell into their ways now and then."
"Apart from the moral point of view, no _gentleman_ ever does it!" said Janetta, hotly.
"Perhaps not. Perhaps I"m not a gentleman. My relations, the publicans of Roxby, certainly were not. The bad strain in us will out, you see."
"Oh, Cousin Wyvis, I did not mean that," said Janetta, now genuinely distressed. "It is only that--I do wish you would not talk in that way--use those words, I mean. Julian is sure to catch them up, and you see yourself that that would be a pity."
"I am to govern my tongue then for Julian"s sake?"
"Yes, and for your own."
"Do you _care_ whether I govern it or not, Janetta?"
How oddly soft and tender his voice had grown!
"Yes, I do care," she answered, not very willingly, but compelled to truthfulness by her own conscience and his constraining gaze.
"Then I swear I will," he exclaimed, impetuously. "It is something to find a woman caring whether one is good or bad, and I won"t prove myself utterly unworthy of your care."
"There is your mother: _she_ cares."
"Oh, yes, she cares, poor soul, but she cries over my sins instead of fighting them. Fighting is not her _metier_, you know. Now, you--you fight well."
"That is a compliment, I suppose?" said Janetta, laughing a little and coloring--not with displeasure--at his tone.
"Yes," he said; "I like the fighting spirit."
They had been walking slowly along the path, and now they had reached the gate that opened into the grounds. Here, as he opened it, Janetta hesitated, and then stopped short.
"I think I had better make the best of my way back," she said. "It is getting late."
"Not much after twelve. Are we not friends again?"
"Oh yes."
"And will you think over what I said about my boy?"
"Do you really mean it?"
"Most decidedly. You couldn"t come here, I suppose--you wouldn"t leave home?"
"No, I could not do that. How would he get to me every day?"
"I would bring him myself, or send him in the dog-cart. I or my brother would look after that." Then, seeing a sudden look of protest in Janetta"s face, he added quickly--"You don"t like that?"
"It is nothing," said Janetta, looking down.
"Is it to me or to my brother that you object?"
He smiled as he spoke, but, a little to his surprise, Janetta kept silence, and did not smile. Wyvis Brand was a man of very quick perceptions, and he saw at once that if she seemed troubled she had a reason for it.
"Has Cuthbert offended you?" he asked.
"I have only spoken to him once--four months ago."
"That is no answer. What has he been about? I have some idea, you know,"