Treherne smiled, well pleased, for no sign of maiden shame or pleasure did the girl"s face betray, and as he watched her while she peeped, he thought, with satisfaction.
"Annon is right, I have the advantage, and I"ll keep it at all costs."
"Here is mamma, we must go in," said Octavia, as a stately old lady made her appearance in the drawing-room.
The cousins entered together and Annon watched them covertly, while seemingly intent on paying his respects to "Madame Mre," as his hostess was called by her family.
"Handsomer than ever," he muttered, as his eye rested on the blooming girl, looking more like a rose than ever in the peach-colored silk which he had once condemned because a rival admired it. She turned to reply to the major, and Annon glanced at Treherne with an irrepressible frown, for sickness had not marred the charm of that peculiar face, so colorless and thin that it seemed cut in marble; but the keen eyes shone with a wonderful brilliancy, and the whole countenance was alive with a power of intellect and will which made the observer involuntarily exclaim: "That man must suffer a daily martyrdom, so crippled and confined; if it last long he will go mad or die."
"General and Mrs. Snowdon," announced the servant, and a sudden pause ensued as every one looked up to greet the new-comers.
A feeble, white-haired old man entered, leaning on the arm of an indescribably beautiful woman. Not thirty yet, tall and n.o.bly moulded, with straight black brows over magnificent eyes; rippling dark hair gathered up in a great knot, and ornamented with a single band of gold. A sweeping dress of wine-colored velvet, set off with a dazzling neck and arms decorated like her stately head with ornaments of Roman gold. At the first glance she seemed a cold, haughty creature, born to dazzle but not to win. A deeper scrutiny detected lines of suffering in that lovely face, and behind the veil of reserve, which pride forced her to wear, appeared the anguish of a strong-willed woman, burdened by a heavy cross. No one would dare express pity or offer sympathy, for her whole air repelled it, and in her gloomy eyes sat scorn of herself mingled with defiance of the scorn of others. A strange, almost tragical-looking woman, in spite of beauty, grace and the cold sweetness of her manner. A faint smile parted her lips as she greeted those about her, and as her husband seated himself beside Lady Treherne, she lifted her head with a long breath, and a singular expression of relief, as if a burden was removed, and for the time being she was free. Sir Jasper was at her side, and as she listened, her eye glanced from face to face.
"Who is with you now?" she asked, in a low, mellow voice that was full of music.
"My sister and my cousin are yonder; you may remember Tavie as a child, she is little more now. Maurice is an invalid, but the finest fellow breathing."
"I understand," and Mrs. Snowdon"s eyes softened with a sudden glance of pity for one cousin, and admiration for the other, for she knew the facts.
"Major Royston, my father"s friend, and Frank Annon, my own. Do you know him?" asked Sir Jasper.
"No."
"Then allow me to make him happy by presenting him, may I?"
"Not now, I"d rather see your cousin."
"Thanks, you are very kind. I"ll bring him over."
"Stay, let me go to him," began the lady, with more feeling in face and voice than one would believe her capable of showing.
"Pardon, it will offend him; he will not be pitied, nor relinquish any of the duties or privileges of a gentleman which he can possibly perform. He is proud, we can understand the feeling, so let us humor the poor fellow."
Mrs. Snowdon bowed silently, and Sir Jasper called out in his hearty, blunt way, as if nothing was amiss with his cousin: "Maurice, I"ve an honor for you, come and receive it."
Divining what it was, Treherne noiselessly crossed the room, and with no sign of self-consciousness or embarra.s.sment, was presented to the handsome woman. Thinking his presence might be a restraint, Sir Jasper went away. The instant his back was turned, a change came over both; an almost grim expression replaced the suavity of Treherne"s face, and Mrs. Snowdon"s smile faded suddenly, while a deep flush rose to her brow, as her eyes questioned his beseechingly.
"How dared you come?" he asked, below his breath.
"The general insisted."
"And you could not change his purpose; poor woman!"
"You will not be pitied, neither will I," and her eyes flashed; then the fire was quenched in tears, and her voice lost all its pride in a pleading tone.
"Forgive me, I longed to see you since your illness, and so I "dared" to come."
"You shall be gratified; look, quite helpless, crippled for life, perhaps."
The chair was turned from the groups about the fire, and as he spoke, with a bitter laugh Treherne threw back the skin which covered his knees, and showed her the useless limbs once so strong and fleet. She shrunk and paled, put out her hand to arrest him, and cried in an indignant whisper: "No, no, not that! you know I never meant such cruel curiosity, such useless pain to both-"
"Be still, some one is coming," he returned, inaudibly; adding aloud, as he adjusted the skin and smoothed the rich fur as if speaking of it: "Yes, it is a very fine one, Jasper gave it me; he spoils me, like a dear, generous-hearted fellow as he is. Ah, Octavia, what can I do for you?"
"Nothing, thank you. I want to recall myself to Mrs. Snowdon"s memory, if she will let me."
"No need of that; I never forget happy faces and pretty pictures. Two years ago I saw you at your first ball, and longed to be a girl again."
As she spoke, Mrs. Snowdon pressed the hand shyly offered, and smiled at the spirited face before her, though the shadow in her own eyes deepened, as she met the bright glance of the girl.
"How kind you were that night! I remember you let me chatter away about my family, my cousin, and my foolish little affairs, with the sweetest patience, and made me very happy by your interest. I was homesick, and aunt could never bear to hear of those things. It was before your marriage, and all the kinder, for you were the queen of the night, yet had a word for poor little me."
Mrs. Snowdon was pale to the lips, and Maurice impatiently tapped the arm of his chair, while the girl innocently chatted on: "I am sorry the general is such an invalid; yet I dare say you find great happiness in taking care of him. It is so pleasant to be of use to those we love." And as she spoke, Octavia leaned over her cousin to hand him the glove he had dropped. The affectionate smile that accompanied the act made the color deepen again in Mrs. Snowdon"s cheek, and lit a spark in her softened eyes. Her lips curled, and her voice was sweetly sarcastic, as she answered: "Yes, it is charming to devote one"s life to these dear invalids, and find one"s reward in their grat.i.tude. Youth, beauty, health and happiness are small sacrifices if one wins a little comfort for the poor sufferers."
The girl felt the sarcasm under the soft words, and drew back with a troubled face.
Maurice smiled, and glanced from one to the other, saying, significantly: "Well for me that my little nurse loves her labor, and finds no sacrifice in it. I am fortunate in my choice."
"I trust it may prove so-" Mrs. Snowdon got no further, for at that moment dinner was announced, and Sir Jasper took her away. Annon approached with him, and offered his arm to Miss Treherne, but with an air of surprise and a little gesture of refusal, she said, coldly: "My cousin always takes me in to dinner. Be good enough to escort the major." And with her hand on the arm of the chair, she walked away, with a mischievous glitter in her eyes.
Annon frowned, and fell back, saying, sharply: "Come, major, what are you doing there?"
"Making discoveries."
Chapter II.
By-Play
A right splendid old dowager was Lady Treherne, in her black velvet and point lace, as she sat, erect and stately, on a couch by the drawing-room fire, a couch which no one dare occupy in her absence, or share uninvited. The gentlemen were still over their wine, and the three ladies were alone. My lady never dozed in public, Mrs. Snowdon never gossiped, and Octavia never troubled herself to entertain any guests but those of her own age, so long pauses fell, and conversation languished, till Mrs. Snowdon roamed away into the library. As she disappeared, Lady Treherne beckoned to her daughter, who was idly making chords at the grand piano. Seating herself on the ottoman at her mother"s feet, the girl took the still-handsome hand in her own, and amused herself with examining the old-fashioned jewels that covered it, a pretext for occupying her telltale eyes, as she suspected what was coming.
"My dear, I"m not pleased with you, and I tell you so at once, that you may amend your fault," began Madame Mre, in a tender tone, for though a haughty, imperious woman, she idolized her children.
"What have I done, mamma?" asked the girl.
"Say rather, what have you left undone. You have been very rude to Mr. Annon; it must not occur again; not only because he is a guest, but because he is your-brother"s friend."
My lady hesitated over the word "lover," and changed it, for to her Octavia still seemed a child, and though anxious for the alliance, she forbore to speak openly, lest the girl should turn willful, as she inherited her mother"s high spirit.
"I"m sorry, mamma, but how can I help it, when he teases me so that I detest him?" said Octavia, petulantly.
"How tease, my love?"
"Why, he follows me about like a dog, puts on a sentimental look when I appear; blushes, and beams, and bows at every thing I say, if I am polite; frowns and sighs if I"m not, and glowers tragically at every man I speak to, even poor Maurice. O mamma, what foolish creatures men are!" And the girl laughed blithely, as she looked up for the first time into her mother"s face.
Her mother smiled, as she stroked the bright head at her knee, but asked, quickly: "Why say "even poor Maurice," as if it were impossible for any one to be jealous of him?"
"But isn"t it, mamma? I thought strong, well men regarded him as one set apart, and done with, since his sad misfortune."
"Not entirely; while women pity and pet the poor fellow, his comrades will be jealous, absurd as it is."
"No one pets him but me, and I have a right to do it, for he is my cousin," said the girl, feeling a touch of jealousy herself.
"Rose and Blanche Talbot outdo you, my dear, and there is no cousinship to excuse them."
"Then let Frank Annon be jealous of them, and leave me in peace. They promised to come to-day; I"m afraid something has happened to prevent them;" and Octavia gladly seized upon the new subject. But my lady was not to be eluded.
"They said they could not come till after dinner, they will soon arrive. Before they do so, I must say a few words, Tavia, and I beg you to give heed to them. I desire you to be courteous and amiable to Mr. Annon, and before strangers to be less attentive and affectionate to Maurice. You mean it kindly, but it looks ill, and causes disagreeable remarks."
"Who blames me for being devoted to my cousin? Can I ever do enough to repay him for his devotion? Mamma, you forget he saved your son"s life."
Indignant tears filled the girl"s eyes, and she spoke pa.s.sionately, forgetting that Mrs. Snowdon was within earshot of her raised voice. With a frown my lady laid her hand on her daughter"s lips, saying, coldly: "I do not forget, and I religiously discharge my every obligation by every care and comfort it is in my power to bestow. You are young, romantic, and tender-hearted. You think you must give your time and health, must sacrifice your future happiness to this duty. You are wrong, and unless you learn wisdom in season, you will find that you have done harm, not good."
"G.o.d forbid! How can I do that? tell me, and I will be wise in time."
Turning the earnest face up to her own, Lady Treherne whispered, anxiously: "Has Maurice ever looked or hinted anything of love during this year he has been with us, and you his constant companion?"
"Never, mamma; he is too honorable and too unhappy to speak or think of that. I am his little nurse, sister and friend, no more, nor ever shall be. Do not suspect us, or put such fears into my mind, else all our comfort will be spoiled."
Flushed and eager was the girl, but her clear eyes betrayed no tender confusion as she spoke, and all her thought seemed to be to clear her cousin from the charge of loving her too well. Lady Treherne looked relieved, paused a moment, then said, seriously but gently: "This is well, but, child, I charge you tell me at once, if ever he forgets himself, for this thing cannot be. Once I hoped it might; now it is impossible; remember that he continue a friend and cousin, nothing more. I warn you in time, but if you neglect the warning, Maurice must go. No more of this; recollect my wish regarding Mr. Annon, and let your cousin amuse himself without you in public."
"Mamma, do you wish me to like Frank Annon?"
The abrupt question rather disturbed my lady, but knowing her daughter"s frank, impetuous nature, she felt somewhat relieved by this candor, and answered, decidedly: "I do; he is your equal in all respects; he loves you, Jasper desires it, I approve, and you, being heart-whole, can have no just objection to the alliance."
"Has he spoken to you?"
"No, to your brother."
"You wish this much, mamma?"
"Very much, my child."
"I will try to please you, then." And stifling a sigh, the girl kissed her mother with unwonted meekness in tone and manner.
"Now I am well pleased. Be happy, my love; no one will urge or distress you; let matters take their course, and if this hope of ours can be fulfilled, I shall be relieved of the chief care of my life."
A sound of girlish voices here broke on their ears, and springing up, Octavia hurried to meet her friends, exclaiming, joyfully: "They have come! they have come!"
Two smiling, blooming girls met her at the door, and being at an enthusiastic age, they "gushed" in girlish fashion for several minutes, making a pretty group as they stood in each other"s arms, all talking at once, with frequent kisses and little bursts of laughter, as vents for their emotion. Madame Mre welcomed them, and then went to join Mrs. Snowdon, leaving the trio to gossip unrestrained.
"My dearest creature, I thought we never should get here, for papa had a tiresome dinner-party, and we were obliged to stay, you know," cried Rose, the lively sister, shaking out the pretty dress, and glancing at herself in the mirror, as she fluttered about the room like a b.u.t.terfly.
"We were dying to come, and so charmed when you asked us, for we haven"t seen you this age, darling," added Blanche, the pensive one, smoothing her blonde curls after a fresh embrace.
"I"m sorry the Ulsters couldn"t come to keep Christmas with us, for we have no gentlemen but Jasper, Frank Annon and the major. Sad, isn"t it?" said Octavia, with a look of despair, which caused a fresh peal of laughter.
"One apiece, my dear, it might be worse;" and Rose privately decided to appropriate Sir Jasper.
"Where is your cousin?" asked Blanche, with a sigh of sentimental interest.
"He is here, of course. I forget him, but he is not on the flirting list, you know. We must amuse him, and not expect him to amuse us, though really, all the capital suggestions and plans for merry-making always come from him."
"He is better, I hope?" asked both sisters, with real sympathy, making their young faces womanly and sweet.
"Yes, and has hopes of entire recovery. At least, they tell him so, though Doctor Ashley said there was no chance of it."
"Dear, dear, how sad! Shall we see him, Tavia?"
"Certainly; he is able to be with us now in the evening, and enjoys society as much as ever. But please take no notice of his infirmity, and make no inquiries beyond the usual "How do you do." He is sensitive, and hates to be considered an invalid more than ever."
"How charming it must be to take care of him, he is so accomplished and delightful. I quite envy you," said Blanche, pensively.
"Sir Jasper told us that the General and Mrs. Snowdon were coming. I hope they will, for I"ve a most intense curiosity to see her-" began Rose.
"Hush, she is here with mamma! Why curious? What is the mystery? for you look as if there was one," questioned Octavia, under her breath.
The three charming heads bent toward one another, as Rose replied, in a whisper: "If I knew, I shouldn"t be inquisitive. There was a rumor that she married the old general in a fit of pique, and now repents. I asked mamma once, but she said such matters were not for young girls to hear, and not a word more would she say. N"importe, I have wits of my own, and I can satisfy myself. The gentlemen are coming! Am I all right, dear?" And the three glanced at one another with a swift scrutiny that nothing could escape, then grouped themselves prettily, and waited, with a little flutter of expectation in each young heart.
In came the gentlemen, and instantly a new atmosphere seemed to pervade the drawing-room, for with the first words uttered, several romances began. Sir Jasper was taken possession of by Rose, Blanche intended to devote herself to Maurice Treherne, but Annon intercepted her, and Octavia was spared any effort at politeness by this unexpected move on the part of her lover.
"He is angry, and wishes to pique me by devoting himself to Blanche. I wish he would, with all my heart, and leave me in peace. Poor Maurice, he expects me, and I long to go to him, but must obey mamma." And Octavia went to join the group formed by my lady, Mrs. Snowdon, the general and the major.
The two young couples flirted in different parts of the room, and Treherne sat alone, watching them all with eyes that pierced below the surface, reading the hidden wishes, hopes and fears that ruled them. A singular expression sat on his face, as he turned from Octavia"s clear countenance to Mrs. Snowdon"s gloomy one. He leaned his head upon his hand, and fell into deep thought, for he was pa.s.sing through one of those fateful moments which come to us all, and which may make or mar a life. Such moments come when least looked for; an unexpected meeting, a peculiar mood, some trivial circ.u.mstance or careless word produces it, and often it is gone before we realize its presence, leaving after-effects to show us what we have gained or lost. Treherne was conscious that the present hour, and the acts that filled it, possessed unusual interest, and would exert an unusual influence on his life. Before him was the good and evil genius of his nature in the guise of those two women. Edith Snowdon had already tried her power, and accident only had saved him. Octavia, all unconscious as she was, never failed to rouse and stimulate the n.o.blest attributes of mind and heart. A year spent in her society had done much for him, and he loved her with a strange mingling of pa.s.sion, reverence and grat.i.tude. He knew why Edith Snowdon came, he felt that the old fascination had not lost its charm, and though fear was unknown to him, he was ill pleased at the sight of the beautiful, dangerous woman. On the other hand, he saw that Lady Treherne desired her daughter to shun him and smile on Annon; he acknowledged that he had no right to win the young creature, crippled and poor as he was, and a pang of jealous pain wrung his heart as he watched her.
Then a sense of power came to him, for helpless, poor, and seemingly an object of pity, he yet felt that he held the honor, peace and happiness of nearly every person present in his hands. It was a strong temptation to this man, so full of repressed pa.s.sion and power, so set apart and shut out from the more stirring duties and pleasures of life. A few words from his lips, and the pity all felt for him would be turned to fear, respect and admiration. Why not utter them, and enjoy all that was possible? He owed the Trehernes nothing; why suffer injustice, dependence, and the compa.s.sion that wounds a proud man deepest? Wealth, love, pleasure might be his with a breath, why not secure them now?
His pale face flushed, his eye kindled, and his thin hand lay clenched like a vice, as these thoughts pa.s.sed rapidly through his mind. A look, a word at that moment would sway him; he felt it, and leaned forward, waiting in secret suspense for the glance, the speech which should decide him for good or ill. Who shall say what subtle instinct caused Octavia to turn and smile at him with a wistful, friendly look that warmed his heart? He met it with an answering glance, which thrilled her strangely, for love, grat.i.tude, and some mysterious intelligence met and mingled in the brilliant yet soft expression which swiftly shone and faded in her face. What it was she could not tell, she only felt that it filled her with an indescribable emotion never experienced before. In an instant it all pa.s.sed, Lady Treherne spoke to her, and Blanche Talbot addressed Maurice, wondering, as she did so, if the enchanting smile he wore was meant for her.
"Mr. Annon having mercifully set me free, I came to try to cheer your solitude; but you look as if solitude made you happier than society does the rest of us," she said, without her usual affectation, for his manner impressed her.
"You are very kind and very welcome. I do find pleasures to beguile my loneliness, which gayer people would not enjoy, and it is well that I can, else I should turn morose and tyrannical, and doom some unfortunate to entertain me all day long," he answered with a gentle curtsey which was his chief attraction to womankind.
"Pray tell me some of your devices. I"m often alone in spirit, if not so in the flesh, for Rose, though a dear girl, is not congenial, and I find no kindred soul."
A humorous glimmer came to Treherne"s eyes, as the sentimental damsel beamed a soft sigh, and drooped her long lashes effectively. Ignoring the topic of "kindred souls," he answered, coldly: "My favorite amus.e.m.e.nt is studying the people around me. It may be rude, but tied to my corner, I cannot help watching the figures around me, and discovering their little plots and plans. I"m getting very expert, and really surprise myself sometimes by the depth of my researches."
"I can believe it; your eyes look as if they possessed that gift. Pray don"t study me." And the girl shrunk away with an air of genuine alarm.
Treherne smiled involuntarily, for he had read the secret of that shallow heart long ago, and was too generous to use the knowledge, however flattering it might be to him. In a rea.s.suring tone, he said, turning away the keen eyes she feared: "I give you my word I never will, charming as it might be to study the white pages of a maidenly heart. I find plenty of others to read, so rest tranquil, Miss Blanche."
"Who interests you most just now?" asked the girl, coloring with pleasure at his words. "Mrs. Snowdon looks like one who has a romance to be read, if you have the skill."