The reader will of course remember that Sir Thomas was persuaded that Ralph had engaged himself to marry Polly Neefit.
Ralph rushed boldly at his subject at once. "Sir Thomas," he said, "I am going to make a proposition, and I wish to ask you for your consent. I have made up my mind that the sooner I marry in my present condition the better." Sir Thomas smiled and a.s.sented. "And I want to know whether you will object to my asking Miss Bonner to be my wife."
"Miss Bonner!" said Sir Thomas, throwing up both his hands.
"Yes, sir;--is there any objection on your part?"
Sir Thomas hardly knew how to say whether there was or was not an objection on his part. In the first place he had made up his mind that the other Ralph was to marry Mary,--that he would do so in spite of that disclaimer which had been made in the first moment of the young man"s disinheritance. He, Sir Thomas, however, could have no right to object on that score. Nor could he raise any objection on the score of Clarissa. It did seem to him that all the young people were at cross purposes, that Patience must have been very stupid and Clarissa most addlepated, or else that this Ralph was abominably false; but still, he could say nothing respecting that. No tale had reached his ears which made it even possible for him to refer to Clarissa. But yet he was dissatisfied with the man, and was disposed to show it. "Perhaps I ought to tell you," said Sir Thomas, "that a man calling himself Neefit was with me yesterday."
"Oh, yes; the breeches-maker."
"I believe he said that such was his trade. He a.s.sured me that you had borrowed large sums of money from him."
"I do owe him some money."
"A thousand pounds, I think he said."
"Certainly as much as that."
"Not for breeches,--which I suppose would be impossible, but for money advanced."
"Part one and part the other," said Ralph.
"And he went on to tell me that you were engaged,--to marry his daughter."
"That is untrue."
"Were you never engaged to her?"
"I was never engaged to her, Sir Thomas."
"And it was all a lie on the part of Mr. Neefit? Was there no foundation for it? You had told me yourself that you thought of such a marriage."
"There is nothing to justify him in saying that I was ever engaged to the young lady. The truth is that I did ask her and she,--refused me."
"You did ask her?"
"I did ask her," said Ralph.
"In earnest?"
"Well; yes;--certainly in earnest. At that time I thought it the only way to save the property. I need not tell you how wretched I was at the time. You will remember what you yourself had said to me. It is true that I asked her, and that I did so by agreement with her father. She refused me,--twice. She was so good, so sensible, and so true, that she knew she had better not make herself a party to such a bargain. Whatever you may think of my own conduct I shall not have behaved badly to Miss Neefit."
Sir Thomas did think very ill of Ralph"s conduct, but he believed him. After a while the whole truth came out, as to the money lent and as to Neefit"s schemes. It was of course understood by both of them that Ralph was required neither by honesty nor by honour to renew his offer. And then under such circ.u.mstances was he or was he not to be allowed to propose to Mary Bonner? At first Ralph had been much dismayed at having the Neefit mine sprung on him at such a moment; but he collected himself very quickly, and renewed his demand as to Mary. Sir Thomas could not mean to say that because he had been foolish in regard to Polly Neefit, that therefore he was to be debarred from marrying! Sir Thomas did not exactly say that; but, nevertheless, Sir Thomas showed his displeasure. "It seems," said he, "particularly easy to you to transfer your affections."
"My affection for Miss Neefit was not strong," said Ralph. "I did, and always shall, regard her as a most excellent young woman."
"She showed her sense in refusing you," said Sir Thomas.
"I think she did," said Ralph.
"And I doubt much whether my niece will not be equally--sensible."
"Ah,--I can say nothing as to that."
"Were she to hear this story of Miss Neefit I am sure she would refuse you."
"But you would not tell it to her,--as yet! If all goes well with me I will tell it to her some day. Come, Sir Thomas, you don"t mean to be hard upon me at last. It cannot be that you should really regret that I have got out of that trouble."
"But I regret much that you should have borrowed a tradesman"s money, and more that you should have offered to pay the debt by marrying his daughter." Through it all, however, there was a feeling present to Sir Thomas that he was, in truth, angry with the Squire of Newton, not so much for his misconduct in coming to propose to Mary so soon after the affair with Polly Neefit, but because he had not come to propose to Clarissa. And Sir Thomas knew that such a feeling, if it did really exist, must be overcome. Mary was ent.i.tled to her chance, and must make the best of it. He would not refuse his sanction to a marriage with his niece on account of Ralph"s misconduct, when he would have sanctioned a marriage with his own daughter in spite of that misconduct. The conversation was ended by Sir Thomas leaving the room with a promise that Miss Bonner should be sent to fill his place. In five minutes Miss Bonner was there. She entered the room very slowly, with a countenance that was almost savage, and during the few minutes that she remained there she did not sit down.
"Sir Thomas has told you why I am here?" he said, advancing towards her, and taking her hand.
"No; that is;--no. He has not told me."
"Mary--"
"Mr. Newton, my name is Miss Bonner."
"And must it between us be so cold as that?" He still had her by the hand, which she did not at the moment attempt to withdraw. "I have come to tell you, at the first moment that was possible to me after my uncle"s death, that of all women in the world I love you the best."
Then she withdrew her hand. "Mr. Newton, I am sorry to hear you say so;--very sorry."
"Why should you be sorry? If you are unkind to me like this, there may be reason why I should be sorry. I shall, indeed, be very sorry.
Since I first saw you, I have hoped that you would be my wife."
"I never can be your wife, Mr. Newton."
"Why not? Have I done anything to offend you? Being here as one of the family you must know enough of my affairs to feel sure,--that I have come to you the first moment that was possible. I did not dare to come when I thought that my position was one that was not worthy of you."
"It would have been the same at any time," said Mary.
"And why should you reject me,--like this; without a moment"s thought?"
"For two reasons," said Mary, slowly, and then she paused, as though doubting whether she would continue her speech, or give the two reasons which now guided her. But he stood, looking into her face, waiting for them. "In the first place," she said, "I think you are untrue to another person." Then she paused again, as though asking herself whether that reason would not suffice. But she resolved that she would be bold, and give the other. "In the next place, my heart is not my own to give."
"Is it so?" asked Ralph.
"I have said as much as can be necessary,--perhaps more, and I would rather go now." Then she left the room with the same slow, stately step, and he saw her no more on that day.
Then in those short five minutes Sir Thomas had absolutely told her the whole story about Polly Neefit, and she had come to the conclusion that because in his trouble he had offered to marry a tradesman"s daughter, therefore he was to be debarred from ever receiving the hand of a lady! That was the light in which he looked upon Mary"s first announcement. As to the second announcement he was absolutely at a loss. There must probably, he thought, have been some engagement before she left Jamaica. Not the less on that account was it an act of unpardonable ill-nature on the part of Sir Thomas,--that telling of Polly Neefit"s story to Mary Bonner at such a moment.
He was left alone for a few minutes after Mary"s departure, and then Patience came to him. Would he stay for dinner? Even Patience was very cold to him. Sir Thomas was fatigued and was lying down, but would see him, of course, if he wished it. "And where is Clarissa?"
asked Ralph. Patience said that Clarissa was not very well. She also was lying down. "I see what it is," said Ralph, turning upon her angrily. "You are, all of you, determined to quarrel with me because of my uncle"s death."
"I do not see why that should make us quarrel," said Patience. "I do not know that any one has quarrelled with you."
Of course he would not wait for dinner, nor would he have any lunch.
He walked out on to the lawn with something of a bl.u.s.ter in his step, and stood there for three or four minutes looking up at the house and speaking to Patience. A young man when he has been rejected by one of the young ladies of a family has rather a hard time of it till he gets away. "Well, Patience," he said at last, "make my farewells for me." And then he was gone.