"But I am dying to see the tomb of the Danish sea-king," said Harriet.
"Where is it?"
"It was in the chancel," Mr. Haveloc said. "He would show them the way."
Margaret gathered from this trifling conversation, on what an intimate footing he was at Wardenscourt. She felt sick to death. She never lifted her eyes from the pavement, and scarcely knew where she was going, nor what her companions were talking about. She was occupied with one feeling, that he must think it strange and indelicate that she was of the party, and that she wished that some one would tell him that they believed him to be in London.
But they were too much engrossed with the strange old tomb.
"This granite chest--look, Lucy! how curious!" exclaimed Harriet. "And what a sword--immense! can you lift it, Mr. Haveloc?"
He raised it a little off the lid.
"It is chained down, you see," he said, "because it was once stolen. And my ancestor had more trouble than it was worth in getting it back again."
"What time was that?" asked Lady Raymond.
"In the reign of William the Third," he replied.
"Has this tomb ever been opened?" asked Harriet.
"Yes. In my father"s time."
"And what did they find within?"
"A good deal of armour, and a few bones."
"Delightful! If I were you, Mr. Haveloc, I would make a point of being buried in it myself," said Harriet, laughing. Those persons who think little of preparing for death, are always the most cheerful and ready in talking about it.
"I would not intrude upon him," said Mr. Haveloc. "I should be very scrupulous of usurping the last home of any man."
"Oh! you are quite a saint, I hear, Mr. Haveloc," said Harriet, gaily.
"Very good hearing," said Mr. Haveloc; "but, saint, or not, I have no idea of squeezing into this tomb along with the old Dane!"
Margaret, feeling more and more sick and faint, held by the altar rail while they were talking. His neglect of herself; his easy intimacy with the others, struck her to the heart. She had no reason to expect that he would meet her with any emotion, but still this coldness, all the keener from being perfectly unstudied, affected her more than she could have antic.i.p.ated.
Now, the fact was, he had not recognised her; being extremely near-sighted, and not at all expecting to see her, he had imagined Lady Raymond had said "Miss Campbell," when she named Margaret; a young lady whom he had met at her house, but of whose person he had not a more distinct idea than of that of the Empress of China.
The first thing that started her from her reverie, was a laugh from Mr.
Haveloc.
"Look at Mrs. Gage, with all those orange and green panes upon her face," he exclaimed.
Lucy laughed heartily; Harriet started on one side: "Do go back again, Harriet," she cried; "you have no idea how droll it looked."
"Thank you; take your turn, if you please," said Harriet.
"How vain she is!" cried Lucy; "do you stand there, Mr. Haveloc?"
He complied with her request; and both sisters were extremely amused by the effect produced. Any trifle would serve to set them laughing; they were always in high spirits.
"Oh! but we have not seen the altar-cloth," said Lucy, recovering herself.
It was covered with brown Holland, and Mr. Haveloc went to the rail, where Margaret was standing, to go up to the altar and take off the cover.
"Permit me," he said politely to Margaret, as he pa.s.sed her.
The tears rushed to her eyes, but she bravely forced them back, and tried to still her agitation.
"Good gracious!" said Harriet, far more struck with this finery, than the exquisite architecture of the church; "where did you get this beautiful work?"
"At Bruges," he replied.
"Oh, Heavens! done by Roman Catholic fingers. How horribly wicked you are--and yet it is so exquisite, that I really--"
"What day will you dine with us, Mr. Haveloc?" said Lucy, leaning over the rail.
"Whenever you please to command me, Lady Raymond," he replied.
"Raymond would be so pleased if we brought you back with us; he thinks you still in town," said Lady Raymond.
Poor Margaret! the idea of driving back with him in the same carriage.
"I cannot make it out to-day, I have so many things to do," he said.
"You will like to come," said Harriet, "because Everard is staying with us, and you knew all the Gages, did you not?"
"_You_ are staying there, Mrs. Gage, is not that sufficient?"
"Oh, if I was but single," exclaimed Harriet, who never hesitated saying what was uppermost in her mind, "how I would try to catch you!"
"Why did you never do me that honour when you had it in your power, Mrs.
Gage?" said Mr. Haveloc, laughing.
"Because, Mr. Haveloc, I had not then seen your altar-cloth."
"Your sister uses me very ill," said he, turning to Lady Raymond; "she would have me believe that all my merits lie in that altar-cloth."
"What did it cost, Mr. Haveloc?" said Harriet.
"Will you confess to the cost of your chestnut, if I tell you?"
"Agreed."
"Three hundred guineas."
"You don"t say so!"