Deep in thought, Vavasour sat, until the minutes crept into hours, and then Mrs. Archer came, looking very different from the Mrs. Grey of old.
The frown had not, it is true, disappeared, but it had faded and given way to a mild, happy expression pervading every feature of her face.
There was still a mournful look--how could it be otherwise?--the mournful remembrance of the past; but even that was growing dim beside the ever-living presence of her son, and of her love for him. She had gained her wish, too, for Robert loved his mother, and, I think, was somewhat proud of her. There was nothing to be ashamed of, nothing he need blush for; she was his mother, he her son, acknowledged to be so by all the world.
She was dressed in black silk, and grey-coloured ribbons in her cap; her glossy, almost snow-white hair, still beautiful in its abundance, rolled round her head. She had grown quiet and gentle, and had none of the wild pa.s.sions or fits of half-madness now. As Robert sat gazing at her, he thought she must have been very beautiful in her youth, when that ma.s.s of hair was golden.
"Amy is not here," she said, looking round.
"No. I am alone, and rather tired of my solitude, with a don"t-care feeling of being left any longer by myself just creeping over me."
"I thought Amy had been with you, or I should have been here before. Ah!
I see she has been, by the fresh flowers on the table. She is always thinking of you, my son; her love always in her heart."
Robert moved impatiently. Had every one combined together to din his wife"s love into his ears? Was he the victim of a conspiracy? So he replied, touchily.
"Amy is kind enough, and I dare say I am an ungrateful wretch."
"Not ungrateful; but you might be a little, just a little, more loving to her sometimes. She is such a loving, sweet young wife."
"You think she loves me?"
Mrs. Archer laughed. "Are you in earnest, my son?" she asked.
"Never more so in my life," was the reply.
His mother looked at him almost reproachfully.
"Can anyone doubt it?" she answered. "I believe her whole soul is wrapt up in you, and I thank G.o.d that it is so, my son."
Robert was silent,
"She is a fragile flower," continued Mrs. Archer, "one that the slightest cold breath might crush, yet withal strong in her deep love for you. It must be that, that has enabled her to bear up as she has, for she has had enough to try the strongest of us, and, I fear, looks more thin and shadowy every day."
"Mother!" cried Robert, in alarm. "You do not think Amy really ill?"
"I don"t know what to think. She suffered an agony while she and I sat watching those dreadful weary hours by your bed-side; and I know Dr.
Bernard has now prescribed a tonic; but she does not gain strength, and seems more feeble than ever. Forgive me, my son, but I sometimes fear there is a coldness, a nameless chill between you, which makes my heart tremble for the future of both. For hers--because she will die, loving you so intensely, and--" Mrs. Archer hesitated a moment, "and with little return; for yours--lest, when too late, you will see your error, and the remorse may break your heart. Oh! my son, if she has erred, it cannot have been wilfully, and surely she has been sufficiently punished. Think," she added, laying her hand on his, as she was leaving the room, "think well on my words, for I can have but one wish at my heart, and that is my son"s happiness."
And Robert did think--think deeply all the rest of that day. He seemed never tired of thinking, while his eyes rested oftener on his wife, and he watched her intensely.
What if she did love him? Ah! if only she did. His heart leapt wildly at the thought, and his jealous hatred seemed to have no place there now, but to be a far-off dream; or if it did intrude, he set it aside as a bugbear, or felt less savagely inclined than heretofore.
Could it be for him--she, his wife, brought fresh flowers for those already fading? How graceful she looked as she arranged them; not hurriedly, but slowly and tastefully--as though her heart was with the work,--in the gla.s.s. Was it for him she trod so softly over the room, while everything she touched a.s.sumed a different look, and slid quietly into its place, as though under the influence of a magic wand.
Hard and cruel! How chill those words of Mrs. Elrington"s fell, like a dead weight on his heart, and had been ringing in his ears ever since.
If Frances Strickland had told him a lie, then he had been hard and cruel. But his wife had never denied the facts, hideous as they appeared; but had Frances exaggerated the story, and why had he refused to listen to Amy"s explanation? Might she not have cleared away half its hideousness? His heart surged like the troubled waves by the sea-sh.o.r.e, and his breath came quick and hot, as he felt that he might have been mistaken in fancying his wife loved him not. If all this long time it had been so, then, indeed, he had been hard and cruel; and would she ever forgive him? or could he ever forgive himself? Tormented with doubts and fears, he watched and waited, and gave no sign to his wife that he did so, while she grew paler and paler, fading imperceptibly.
The days crept on--three more slipped by, and found Robert still undecided, still undetermined. Again Amy brought fresh flowers, and stood at the table arranging them as before, and again her husband"s eyes watched her, and had she only looked up as the last flower was being placed in the gla.s.s, her heart would have found its rest, for her eyes must have seen the love trembling in her husband"s; but Amy never looked, but went and sat over by the fire, without a word. Then Robert spoke--
"Those flowers are very beautiful, Amy."
The words themselves were nothing, but the tone was the tender tone of old. Had he spoken coldly she could have answered at once, but the old, old loving tone, smote on her poor overcharged heart, and she could not answer a word, while the heavy tears gathered under her eyelids, and trembled as they fell. But her face was from her husband, and as yet he did not see them. Then some one came in, and they were interrupted. But the time Amy sighed for was not far distant, it was only delayed awhile.
Again they were alone; and again Robert spoke.
"Were the flowers gathered for me, Amy?"
The words were even more tenderly spoken than before; still there was no reply, and Robert half raised himself, and stooped forward to look into his wife"s face; but she kept it steadfastly hidden: she dared not look until she could control some of the emotion, which seemed as though it would suffocate her.
They were both silent now. Robert grieved at her silence, while Amy sat striving and fighting with her sobs; yet so very still that none could have guessed the pent-up agony she was enduring.
By-and-bye she grew more composed; had conquered and mastered her emotion, and turned her head towards her husband; but he was reading, and if he saw her, never raised his eyes from his book.
Unconsciously her thoughts wandered, wandered away to the days at Somerton when she had been so happy. Ah! what a world of woe had overtaken her since then. Her boy dead, her only one; her husband worse than dead, his love estranged, perhaps gone for ever! and yet if he had only allowed her to speak,--not to attempt to palliate her fault, but only to tell how dearly she loved him! she felt she _had_ rightly forfeited some of his esteem, but scarcely deserved all the bitter misery his coldness had cost her.
Would he ever trust her again? Ever believe her love? Yet if she died for it, she must tell it him; the weight of it was killing her, and she clasped her small white hands tightly over her knees as she thought that perhaps the time for her to speak had come. Only a few moments ago he had spoken almost tenderly to her, and more like his former self, and he was better, almost well now, and able to bear what she had to say. The excitement of her sad tale would not hurt him half so much as the telling it would grieve her.
He was no longer weak, but gaining strength every day; there was scarcely any trace of his illness now, save that ugly scar near his temple, and that was gradually fading away.
How should she begin? What should she say? As she essayed to think, the suffocating feeling arose again in her throat; again the large heavy tears dropped one by one; but her face was turned full on her husband now, his eyes on hers, yet she knew it not; knew not that his book had been laid down long ago, and that he was watching eagerly the various emotions flitting over face.
As the tears sprung from her eyes, he said, hastily reaching out his hand,
"Come here, Amy! Come nearer to me."
She saw him _then_. Their eyes met, and that one glance told _him_ his wife"s love was his; told _her_ she was trusted and forgiven. In another moment she had tottered forward and was gathered to his heart, her tears falling like rain on his breast.
"Oh! Robert! Robert!" she wailed.
But loving words poured impetuously in her ears, loving arms were round her.
"My wife! my own! My darling Amy. Hush! hush, love!"
But she could not hush; but lay weeping, weeping pa.s.sionately, nestled close to him; clasped tightly in his arms, as though he feared to lose her.
He thought those tears would never cease, and almost grew frightened at their intensity, but they stopped at last, subsiding into sobs; and presently they were gone altogether, and she rested gently and quietly in his arms while she told him the tale that had nearly broken her heart and his; and if he thought her to blame, as without doubt she was, he forgave her now from his heart, and bitterly accused himself of being hard and cruel indeed; and thanked G.o.d he had not been too late in breaking down the wall that had severed them, and nearly buried them both in its ruins.
Mrs. Elrington came in, but was moving softly away again when Robert called her back.
"She does indeed love me," he said proudly and humbly; while he resisted Amy"s efforts to free herself from his grasp, "Your words, dear lady, were severe but well timed. I deserved them and can thank you for them now; while all my life long I will strive to make amends for what my wife has suffered."
Amy looked up, her bright face flushing with smiles, but her husband covered her mouth laughingly with his hand as she attempted to speak; possibly he thought she would, like a true woman, strive to hide his fault by exposing her own. But she struggled to free herself and said,
"I am more happy than I deserve to be, dear Mrs. Elrington, my one sin so bitterly repented of having taught me the value of my husband"s love, and how dear, how very dear, he is to me."
"Heed her not! heed her not!" cried Robert.
"G.o.d bless you both, my children," said Mrs. Elrington fervently.