"And in you; Ventnor is a grand doctor."
"And Johnnie is really beginning to have a colour. How pleased his grandpapa will be to see him so much stronger and more spirited. I do not think Lord Martindale could have done anything kinder by us than sending us here."
"How does the purse hold out?"
"I have been reckoning that we could stay on three weeks more before going to Brogden; and, if you like it, I should wish to spend our wedding-day here," said Violet, in the shy diffident way in which she was wont to proffer any request for her own gratification.
"I had another scheme for our wedding-day. What do you say to spending it at Wrangerton?"
She looked up in his face as if to see if he really meant it, then the glad flush darted into her cheeks, and with a cry of joy like a child, she almost sobbed out, "Oh, Arthur, Arthur! thank you."
He looked at her, amused, and enjoying her ecstasy. "So you approve, Mrs. Martindale?"
"O, to go to mamma! to show mamma the children! Annette! home!--Johnnie to see Helvellyn!--my sisters!--Olivia"s baby!" cried Violet, in incoherent exclamations, almost choked with joy.
"My poor Violet," said Arthur, surprised and almost remorseful; "I did not know you wished it so very much."
"I believe I had left off thinking about it," said Violet; "but I am so very much obliged to you, dear Arthur--how very kind it is."
It never occurred to her, as it did to him, that the kindness might have come sooner. "I only hope you like it," she added, after a pause.
"Don"t I like what makes you look as you do now?" said he, smiling.
"I shall enjoy looking up our old quarters. Besides," he added, more gravely, "it is your turn now; and liking apart, I know I have not used Mrs. Moss well, in keeping you so long from her. You must let her know it was not your fault."
"May I write, then? Oh, Arthur, dearest! if I could but find words to tell you how happy you have made me!"
It was no sudden determination, for he brought a "Bradshaw" out of his pocket, with all the various railways and trains underscored in pencil in a most knowing way, and a calculation of expenses on the cover, all wrong--for Arthur had never done an addition sum right in his life.
Violet was to write as soon as she pleased, and fix the day and hour.
Perhaps Violet had never been so happy in her life as when, in the afternoon, she wandered a little apart on the beach, to realize and feed on her new treasure of delight. Arthur and the children were felicitously dabbling in sand and sea-water, reducing the frocks to a condition that would have been Sarah"s daily distraction, if she had not reconciled herself to it by observing, "it did her heart good to see the Colonel take to the children, though he was no more to be trusted with them than a sea-mew; and if it was not for Master John, she believed they would all come home some day drownded."
As soon as the spring was sufficiently advanced, Lord Martindale had sent the whole party to recruit by the sea-side, at their own dear Ventnor, and there the last six weeks had been spent in the daily joy of watching Arthur"s progress in recovery;--until now a slight degree of weakness and languor, an occasional cough, and his greatly altered appearance, were the only evident remains of his illness; and though she could not feel that his health was absolutely re-established, there was such abundant cause for hope and thankfulness, as filled her heart to overflowing, especially when she was rejoiced by tokens of that more blessed change within.
His spirits had returned with his health. Perhaps it was part of his boyish nature, that his sorrow for his errors, though sincere and earnest, did not permanently depress him, when not brought before his mind; but rather the sense of behaving well added to his brightness.
There was nothing to conceal; the guilty consciousness was gone, and the fear for the future was distant. His manners had a sweetness more engaging than ever. To his wife, who had, as he recovered, suffered from the effects of her exertions, he was most affectionately attentive, and his children were his delight, while little Johnnie throve and expanded into spirit and mirth, like a plant reviving in sunshine.
He had gone over Violet"s old haunts with her, and she had enjoyed making him enter into the feelings a.s.sociated with the scenes she had visited with his brother. John was expected to return in the summer, but even this antic.i.p.ation paled in comparison with the present felicity.
That longing for her own home had been forced into such a remote cell, that she had had no idea of its strength till now, when it was allowed to spring up and colour everything.
She walked along the sh.o.r.e within sight of the cottage, where she had been with John, too small and expensive for their present numbers and means, and looking up at its bowery wicket, gathered up the remembrances a.s.sociated with it.
She had come thither a mere child, a wife and mother, before strength, spirits, or judgment were equal to her tasks,--terrified at her responsibility, perceiving her failures, sinking under the load too early laid on her. There had she been guided to comfort,--there had her hand been taught to clasp the rod and staff, that had led her safe through the shadow, well-nigh of death. How would her heart have fainted if she could have guessed what had awaited her! But these things were past, and their memory was sweetened by thankfulness. And now, where once stood the self-torturing, pining girl, was now the calm trustful woman,--serene beneath the overshadowing Wings, resting on the everlasting Arms,--relying, least of all, upon herself. Further trouble might be in store; the clouds might return after the rain; but her peace was not mere freedom from storms, it was the security that there was One who would be with her and her loved ones through all, and thus could she freely rejoice in present sunshine, without scanning each distant cloud, or marring present bliss by future dread.
It was complete gladness. There was not a misgiving whether home might be exactly as it stood in her memory, or in Johnnie"s imagination; and she filled the children"s heads so much with what they were to see, that their papa declared he had found Annie under the belief that Helvellyn was her grandfather.
Arthur was so much charmed with seeing his wife so happy, that, forgetting all his fears of tediousness, he partook the enjoyment of her antic.i.p.ations. He was the first, when they came in sight of a mountain, to lift Johnnie on his knee and tell him it was Helvellyn; and mamma"s resentment at the grievous error was one of the prettiest and merriest things imaginable.
However, when Helvellyn actually appeared, and she felt herself really coming home, she was silent, in anxiety and doubt. She must be very different from the Violet who had gone away. Would her mother and Matilda think she had improved according to her opportunities?
She could hardly reply when Arthur recognized the High-street, so much wider in her imagination, and her heart beat as the garden wall and the lawn were before her. At the door--yes!--it was, it was the mother for whose embrace, she had so often longed! Timidly affectionate and hastily nervous, she could hardly afford one moment to her daughter in her frightened haste to greet her son-in-law, before he was ready, as he was lifting the children out. Here, too, were Annette and Mr. Moss, the young ladies were in the drawing-room, detained by etiquettes of Matilda"s; but Violet hardly knew who spoke to her, the joy was to see a baby of hers at last in her mothers arms.
She could hardly see any one but the slight worn-looking mother, whose low, sad-toned voice awoke such endless recollections, and made her realize that she was once more beside mamma. To look at her sisters almost disturbed her; and it well-nigh struck her as unnatural to find the children hanging on her.
Still more unnatural was it to be conducted up-stairs, like company, to the best room, and to find her mother in distress and solicitude lest things should not be comfortable, and such as they were used to. And oh!
the strangeness of seeing her little ones in her own old nursery, waited upon by the sisters she had left as children--and by Sarah, settled in there as if she had never been away. One part of her life or the other must be a dream.
Dear as all the faces were, it was a relief to be silent for a little while, as Arthur, half-asleep, rested in the large old armchair, and she unpacked, too happy for weariness; and the clear pure mountain air breathing in at the open window, infusing life into every vein, as she paused to look at the purple head above the St. Erme woods, and to gaze on the fragrant garden beneath; then turned away to call to mind the childish faces which she had not yet learnt to trace in those fine-looking young women.
"Ha!" said Arthur, rousing himself; "are all the pretty plaits and braids come out again? A welcome sight."
"Mamma thought me altered," said Violet; "and I thought I would not look more old than I could help; so I would not put on my cap for fear it should distress her."
"Old! altered!" said Arthur. "How dare you talk of such things!"
"I can"t help it," said Violet, meekly.
"Well! I believe I see what you mean," he said, studying her with a gravity that was amusing. "There"s your youngest sister, Octavia, is not she?"
"Oh, is not she pretty?"
"Whish! don"t praise yourself; she is the image of you at sixteen. Now that I have seen her, I see you are changed; but somehow--the word that always suited you best was lovely; and you have more of that style of thing than even when your cheeks were pink. Not your oval face and white skin, you know, but that--that look that is my Violet--my heart"s-ease, that used to keep my heart up last winter. Ay! you are more to my mind!"
That little episode was the special charm of Violet"s evening--a happy one, though there were some anxieties, and a few fond little illusions dispelled.
It might be the dread of Arthur"s being annoyed, as she watched him looking very pale and spiritless from fatigue, which made her perceive that all dinner-time Matilda was overwhelming him with a torrent of affected nonsense--or at least what Violet would have thought so in any one but her highly-respected eldest sister; and she feared, too, that he could not admire the girlish airs and graces which did not become that sharpened figure and features. She had not known how much more Matilda talked than any one else; even her father only put in a caustic remark here and there, when Matilda WOULD know all Lord St. Erme"s and Lady Lucy"s views and habits. Mrs. Moss was silenced whenever her low voice tried to utter a sentence. Annette, quiet and gentle as ever, looked drooping and subdued, and scarcely spoke, while the two fine blooming girls, who seemed like new acquaintance, were still as mice in awe and shyness. Caroline, the second sister, was married and settled in Canada; and the three blanks that weddings had made only now impressed themselves on her mind as a novelty.
After dinner, Violet felt as if she must rescue Arthur from Matilda at any cost, and succeeded in setting her down to the piano; and to secure his quiet, though feeling it a very presumptuous venture, she drew her chair near her father, and set herself to talk to him. Mr. Moss was quite amazed to find a woman--a daughter--capable of rational conversation. She went on with the more spirit, from her pleasure in seeing Arthur, instead of dozing under cover of the music, going to sit by Mrs. Moss and talk to her, and though nothing was heard, their countenances were proof enough of their interest--Mrs. Moss"s thin mild face quite colouring up at the unwonted attention, and her eyes glistening. In fact they were talking about Violet, and in such a strain that Mrs. Moss that night confided to Annette, that she should never again believe a word against Colonel Martindale.
But if the fortnight was to be like this, how was Arthur to bear it?
Violet dreaded it for him the more because he was so very good and forbearing, not making one remark on what she knew must have struck him. She could almost have reproached herself with selfishness in never having thought of his want of companionship and amus.e.m.e.nt.
The night"s rest, however, made a great difference in his capacity for entertainment, beginning from his laugh at Helen"s inquiry, "What was the use of so many aunts?" He lay on the gra.s.s in the sunshine, playing with the children, and fast making friends with the younger aunts, who heartily relished his fun, though they were a good deal afraid of him; while Violet sat under the verandah, feasting her eyes upon Helvellyn, and enjoying the talk with her sisters as much as she could, while uneasy at the lengthened housekeeping labours that her mother was undergoing. They were to retrace one of their memorable walks by the river-side in the afternoon, but were prevented by the visit expected all the morning, but deferred to that fashionable hour, of Mrs. Albert Moss, who sailed in, resolved that the Honourable Mrs. Martindale should find one real companion in the family.
Those fluttering silks and fringes seemed somewhat to stand on end at finding themselves presented to a slight, simply dressed figure in a plain straw bonnet; and the bare-legged, broad-sashed splendours of Miss Albertine Louisa stood aghast at the brown holland gardening suits of the London cousins.
"In training for the Highlanders?" was Arthur"s mischievous aside to Octavia, setting her off into the silent frightened laugh that was his special diversion; and he continued, as they stood half in and half out of the window, "There"s Helen patronizing her! I hope she will take her down to the sand-heap, where the children have been luxuriating all the morning."
"Oh! how can you--"
"It is my father"s great principle of education," said Arthur, solemnly, "to let them grope in the dirt. I never rested till I had seen my boy up to the ears in mud.--But ha! what a magnificent horse! Why," as he started forward to look at it, "I declare it is stopping here!"
"Olivia and Mr. Hunt in the gig!" cried Octavia. Oh, she has the baby in her lap!"
Matilda and Mrs. Albert Moss looked at each other, shocked.
"What will Mr. Hunt make her do next?"
"Poor Olivia!" said Mrs. Albert. "We regret the connection; but Mr. Hunt will have his own way. You must excuse--"