"Shows he knows nothing of the world, poor young fellow!" said Sir Franks.
"Nothing more clearly," observed Lady Jocelyn. "I presume I shall cease to be blamed for having had him here?"
"Upon my honour, he must have the soul of a gentleman!" said the baronet. "There"s nothing he can expect in return, you know!"
"One would think, Papa, you had always been dealing with tradesmen!"
remarked Rose, to whom her father now accorded the treatment due to a sensible girl.
Laxley was present at the family consultation. What was his opinion?
Rose manifested a slight anxiety to hear it.
"What those sort of fellows do never surprises me," he said, with a semi-yawn.
Rose felt fire on her cheeks.
"It"s only what the young man is bound to do," said Mrs. Shorne.
"His duty, aunt? I hope we may all do it!" Rose interjected.
"Championing him again?"
Rose quietly turned her face, too sure of her cold appreciation of him to retort. But yesterday night a word from him might have made her his; and here she sat advocating the n.o.bility of his nature with the zeal of a barrister in full swing of practice. Remember, however, that a kiss separates them: and how many millions of leagues that counts for in love, in a pure girl"s thought, I leave you to guess.
Now, in what way was Evan to be thanked? how was he to be treated? Sir Franks proposed to go down to him in person, accompanied by Harry. Lady Jocelyn acquiesced. But Rose said to her mother:
"Will not you wound his sensitiveness by going to him there?"
"Possibly," said her ladyship. "Shall we write and ask him to come to us?"
"No, Mama. Could we ask him to make a journey to receive our thanks?"
"Not till we have solid ones to offer, perhaps."
"He will not let us help him, Mama, unless we have all given him our hands."
"Probably not. There"s always a fund of nonsense in those who are capable of great things, I observe. It shall be a family expedition, if you like."
"What!" exclaimed Mrs. Shorne. "Do you mean that you intend to allow Rose to make one of the party? Franks! is that your idea?"
Sir Franks looked at his wife.
"What harm?" Lady Jocelyn asked; for Rose"s absence of conscious guile in appealing to her reason had subjugated that great faculty.
"Simply a sense of propriety, Emily," said Mrs. Shorne, with a glance at Ferdinand.
"You have no objection, I suppose!" Lady Jocelyn addressed him.
"Ferdinand will join us," said Rose.
"Thank you, Rose, I"d rather not," he replied. "I thought we had done with the fellow for good last night."
"Last night?" quoth Lady Jocelyn.
No one spoke. The interrogation was renewed. Was it Rose"s swift instinct which directed her the shortest way to gain her point? or that she was glad to announce that her degrading engagement was at an end?
She said:
"Ferdinand and Mr. Harrington came to an understanding last night, in my presence."
That, strange as it struck on their ears, appeared to be quite sufficient to all, albeit the necessity for it was not so very clear.
The carriage was ordered forthwith; Lady Jocelyn went to dress; Rose drew Ferdinand away into the garden. Then, with all her powers, she entreated him to join her.
"Thank you, Rose," he said; "I have no taste for the genus."
"For my sake, I beg it, Ferdinand."
"It"s really too much to ask of me, Rose."
"If you care for me, you will."
""Pon my honour, quite impossible!"
"You refuse, Ferdinand?"
"My London tailor "d find me out, and never forgive me."
This pleasantry stopped her soft looks. Why she wished him to be with her, she could not have said. For a thousand reasons: which implies no distinct one something prophetically pressing in her blood.
CHAPTER XLVI. A LOVERS" PARTING
Now, to suppose oneself the fashioner of such a chain of events as this which brought the whole of the Harrington family in tender unity together once more, would have elated an ordinary mind. But to the Countess de Saldar, it was simply an occasion for reflecting that she had misunderstood--and could most sincerely forgive--Providence. She admitted to herself that it was not entirely her work; for she never would have had their place of meeting to be the Shop. Seeing, however, that her end was gained, she was ent.i.tled to the credit of it, and could pardon the means adopted. Her brother lord of Beckley Court, and all of them a.s.sembled in the old 193, Main Street, Lymport! What matter for proud humility! Providence had answered her numerous pet.i.tions, but in its own way. Stipulating that she must swallow this pill, Providence consented to serve her. She swallowed it with her wonted courage. In half an hour subsequent to her arrival at Lymport, she laid siege to the heart of Old Tom Cogglesby, whom she found installed in the parlour, comfortably sipping at a tumbler of rum-and-water. Old Tom was astonished to meet such an agreeable unpretentious woman, who talked of tailors and lords with equal ease, appeared to comprehend a man"s habits instinctively, and could amuse him while she ministered to them.
"Can you cook, ma"am?" asked Old Tom.
"All but that," said the Countess, with a smile of sweet meaning.
"Ha! then you won"t suit me as well as your mother."
"Take care you do not excite my emulation," she returned, graciously, albeit disgusted at his tone.
To Harriet, Old Tom had merely nodded. There he sat, in the arm-chair, sucking the liquor, with the glimpse of a sour chuckle on his cheeks.
Now and then, during the evening, he rubbed his hands sharply, but spoke little. The unbending Harriet did not conceal her disdain of him. When he ventured to allude to the bankruptcy, she cut him short.
"Pray, excuse me--I am unacquainted with affairs of business--I cannot even understand my husband."
"Lord bless my soul!" Old Tom exclaimed, rolling his eyes.